Favorite Name Week 6

From Amy Johnson Crow's email this week. 

Favorite name could be a name of an ancestor that makes you smile. Perhaps it's an unusual name.

Minnie Elizabeth 

My Favorite name is Minnie Elizabeth from my ancestors. She is my maternal grandmother. The family lore is she didn't like her name Minnie. I don't know why she didn't like it. Maybe she didn't like it because there was an older sister who reportedly died at sea as the family came to America, who was also named Minnie. I have not been able to prove or disprove that story yet. I know a lot of countries used the same name over and over. I am glad we no longer do that. 

So because I learned she did not like Minnie I always refer to her as Minnie Elizabeth. I was named after both my grandmothers, so I am Mary Elizabeth. So our middle name is a common link. 

There are several posts about her on my side bar, just look for Minnie Elizabeth. She sounds like a bit of a dynamite person. She was a suffragette for the right of women to vote. She was a widow at a young age. 

She died too young. 

Favorite Photo

This weeks prompt from Amy Johnson Crow: The prompt is "Favorite Photo." Tell the story of the people, place, and event in a favorite photo. Where did the photo come from? Who has the original now? How did you get a copy of it?

This is my favorite photo of my maternal grandparents. To me the pose is one of a very comfortable couple, who love and care for each other. That line that looks like a pipe is really a pen mark. The corner ripped when I took the picture out of one of those disgusting magnet photo albums. 

The picture is in my possession and was given to me by either my father or my Mother's sister Aunt Bea. 

This is the same William Thomas I introduced on Sunday. Who was the first immigrant on this line.

I don't remember what year it was but it was about 1980, I copied the few family photos I had of my ancestors and sent them to my two Aunts, Bea my mother's sister and Emma my Dad's sister. They told me about the pictures and who was who. 

Here is the copy of the page with this picture. The black is my writing the blue is my Aunt Bea's. 

Here is a transcription of what was written,

Who Are These People:

Transcription My additional information is in Italics

Couple on Roof

Who: Grandpa & Grandma Chaplin: William Thomas Chaplin b1884, wife Minnie Elizabeth Spahn b1885.

Where: Borough Park, Brooklyn on the roof of Apt. building we lived.

Year: circa 1919 or 1920

Occasion: Visit by co-worker of Grandpas’ who took the picture.

Anything Else: The building in the background is the Convent of the Precious Blood. Building and grounds ran for a whole block across the street from our house, Believe Uncle Bill gave your Mother a prayer book? From there when she married your Father. My Mother converted to Catholicism when she married my Dad.

Here is a street view of the apartments and the now called Monastery of the Precious Blood.

Bird's Eye View of the apartment and Monastery.

Google Map. 

My Mother died a week before my first birthday so there are very few photos of her. My Dad saved a few, but I have none of her holding me as a baby. She was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 6 months old. The only stories of know of her and her family were from her brother and sister. 

A New Year a New Start

Here is hoping I do better than I did last year. 

Life is busy with two girls in the house, one a teen and the other a pre-teen and it is never boring.

One day on social media I saw a link to an interesting list of question about your life and memories so I decided to use that as a jumping off place to start doing my genealogy blog again. What caught my eye was the first question was so easy.  

Here is the link to the questions: 

First Question: What is your full name? 

Explain why your parents gave you that name.

My full name is Mary Elizabeth Hartmann-Bowden

I was named after both my grandmothers, Mary Jirak Hartmann and Minnie Elizabeth Spahn Chaplin.

This is my Dad's Mom Mary Jirak I have heard from a great uncle in a letter she was very jovial and a great cook of Bohemian and German dishes. My Dad did not speak about her a lot, he was not jovial. A good guy but had a lot of hard times in his life.

This is my Mother's Mom, Minnie Elizabeth Spahn, she didn't like her name Minnie, so I always think of her as Minnie Elizabeth. My aunt, her sister told me this was her graduation from nursing school photo. She was a suffragette and was very upset when she went to vote and wasn't able to because she was married to and alien, an English man. I have an image of when she applied for citizenship after her husband died. 

Hartmann is my family name and when I married Richard I didn't want to change my last name, so we compromised and I hyphenated my last name.

I never meet my grandmothers as they had all died before I was born. I wish I new more about them.

I hope they are proud of how I have lived my life and honored their names. One of my most sacred memories I have is when I did the temple work for Minnie Elizabeth. We are an eternal family.

Gratitude # 5

I am grateful for freedom, and for the people who fight for this freedom. Some close to me who have severed are my Mom, and Army nurse during WWII, and my son-in-law and nephew who were in Afghanistan.  I am especially grateful for those you gave their all for the freedoms we have.  As well as for their families that were robbed of a loved one.  As well as those who suffer many hardships because of their service to us and this country. 

I think we forget how important freedom is since we have never not had it in our life time. I did grow up in a time where I have seen people cross 90 miles of open water in a craft I wouldn't sit in if I was 10 feet from the coast line.  Why did they risk so much? To be free.  What are we willing to do to maintain this freedom? 

Grandma Minnie on the right

Here is a family story of my Maternal Grandmother from cousin.

Oh - I remember my Dad telling me this story about Minnie that you will appreciate - she campaigned for the women's vote, and participated in suffragette marches. When women finally got the right to vote and she went to the polls for the first time, she was told she couldn't vote because she was married to a non-citizen, thus was ineligible. She was furious, because SHE was born here! Now I never heard if that was simply the law at the time or if it was mix up, but I know that since hearing that story I can't miss voting because it makes feel guilty. Even if there isn't anyone to vote for, I gotta go because I feel like it honors her and all the work she and others who came first did for us.

I also vote in every election, I always think of it as my right and privilege for being a citizen. Now I know it was very important to my ancestors as well. My grandmother was the first one in her family to be born in this country. Her parents and all her siblings were born in Germany. 

 

Wordless Wednesday

Grandma Minnie Elizabeth Spahn Chaplin

With my Aunt Bea and Uncle Bill.

Wordless Wednesday

Minnie Elizabeth Spahn

 

Nursing School Graduation 1905

My Maternal Grandmother

Another new picture from my cousin.

Adventures with FHL

One day while surfing on Ancestry I found an index of a birth register for my  maternal grandmother Minnie Elizabeth.  I was excited to see it was available on a Family History Library file.  So I looked it up at the Mesa Regional Library and found out it was not available locally but I could order it online.  So I did.  Easy!  I received my email confirmation that it was ordered, and then that it was sent but I never received a call that it had arrived. 

Great Grandfather Frederick Spaahn

So on another day my cell phone rings, I don't receive a ton of calls on my cell phone.  This very nice person was on the other end telling me my film has come in.  That was the good news, the bad news was it went to a local stake center instead of the Regional Center.  The next piece of bad news was that their viewer has been down for two weeks that is why she is just calling me now, plus they don't have a machine to make a copy of it like the Regional Center.  And on top of that they are only open four hours a week. 

Occupation

I can not imagine how I made the mistake of having it go to the wrong place, but I obvious did.  Lesson learned double check to make sure it is coming to the right place!

Great Grandmother Anna Betz

I made arrangements to meet her down at the stake center.  About a day before she called I thought I really don't need that index I already have her birth certificate.  But it was obviously two late and who knows it might tell me something I don't know.

Line 54 is the right line

It did tell me some things I didn't know, her father's occupation was listed as Cigar Manufacturer.  She was delivered by a Mid Wife, I must admit it took me a couple minutes to figure out what MW stood for.  Her mother had 8 children and only five were living.  My grandmother was the youngest.  Grandma didn't have a name on the index and the last name is a variation of what I had.

At the end I was happy I did order the film. 

Sunday Surprise

Well there has really been two surprises today.

Image from Ancestry.com

First this morning one of my second cousin in England emails me with a copy of my grandmother's Naturalization papers.  Now there is no way I would have looked for Naturalization papers on her, she was born in Jersey City, New Jersey.  As I looked at the papers and saw all the correct information.  Yes this is my grandmother but why is she filling out Naturalization papers. 

After a few minutes the light bulb came on and I remembered that my first cousin telling me.  That Grandma Minnie was very involved with the vote for women and she was very upset when she went to vote and she couldn't because her husband wasn't a citizen.  And I remembered that during certain years, women lost their citizenship if their husbands weren't citizens. 

Imagine from Ancestry.com

So Grandpa died in October of 1925 and by December 1925 she was sworn in the court as an American citizen again.  I am getting the impression that Grandma was a pretty sharp cookie and she didn't let any moss grow under feet.  I also think it was important to her to be an American. 

The second surprise came from another first cousin who sent me a 4 page document with more information about my grandpa's family.  This is the first time we have been in contact.  This was written by his Mom, my Aunt Bea back in 1988.  The names and dates I knew but she added more stories to the facts.  Some of them very interesting. 

It has been a Family History Fun day!!

Find A Grave Update

Well my email inbox had another little email on Thursday that read Find A Grave Photo Request: Success!
The first few lines read,

Find A Grave contributor, JP has fulfilled your photo request for Minnie Chaplin. To see the new photo(s), visit Minnie Chaplin's online memorial by clicking on the link below:This gave me such a feeling of joy!  This is my maternal Grandmother, and we share the same middle name of Elizabeth.


http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=68941389



When I clicked on the link I was surprised to see three names on the grave stone.  William T is my grandfather and Herbert H is my great uncle.  William and Herbert were brothers. 

I am guessing but I think the other Chaplin brothers pitched in to buy the plot for my grandfather, he was a motor man and died at 41.  There were four brothers here in the States at one time, they all came from England.  One of the uncles, Vic was better off as I inherited some money he left to my mother.  He died back in England but had been in the States and he had even taken my Aunt Em out on dates.  She is my Dad's sister.  I am not sure how Herbert ended up here or what happened to his wife.

Fearless Females: Document with a Narrative

Lisa Alzo is repeating her series for Women's History Month.


March 9 — Take a family document (baptismal certificate, passenger list, naturalization petition, etc.) and write a brief narrative using the information.

This is the marriage certificate of my Maternal Grandmother Minnie Elizabeth to William Thomas Chaplin. I don't know much about her as a person or her married life.  I think the picture below says it all.

Here are my grandparents on a roof in Brooklyn, Kings, New York.  I really like this picture, they look very comfortable together and in love.  She looks more relaxed her than in other pictures.

That is not a pipe in my grandfather's mouth it is a pen mark.

I Found A Cousin!!!

About two or three weeks ago I did a white page search for a cousin I have lost contact with.  I wanted to re-establish our relationship, especially since I found our second cousins in England.  I found a listing for her and sent her a card in the mail.  I enclosed my email address and on Tuesday night I received an email from my cousin.   I did a happy dance! 

She was able to share with me some stories that I didn't know.   I have been able to share some things with her she didn't know.  So the fun and adventures continue.  She also has some wedding pictures of our grandmother and grandfather.  I am looking forward to seeing those.  

Story #1

Our grandfather was William Chaplin - I believe he was a motorman for a trolley or bus or maybe the subway?  He died when my Dad was 14; you Mom would have been pretty young, (She was 9) I think.  From the description I got my best guess is he had bleeding esophageal varicose, or a bleeding ulcer.  One of his favorite meals was beef and kidney stew and he drank tea, very, very black.  I knew the cause of death and his line of work but didn't know about the stew or tea.



My mother Edith age 6



Story #2 

"My Dad said your mother was always a jokster and used to put on skits and plays for the neighborhood was she was a little girl."

I had forgotten this.

Story #3

Oh - I remember my Dad telling me this story about Minnie that you will appreciate - she campaigned for the women's vote, and participated in suffragette marches.  When women finally got the right to vote and she went to the polls for the first time, she was told she couldn't vote because she was married to a non-citizen, thus was ineligible.  She was furious, because SHE was born here!  Now I never heard if that was simply the law at the time or if it was mix up, but I know that since hearing that story I can't miss voting because it makes feel guilty.  Even if there isn't anyone to vote for, I gotta go because I feel like it honors her and  all the work she and others who came first did for us.

I also vote in every election, I always think of it as my right and privilege for being a citizen.  Now I know it was very important to my ancestors as well.  My grandmother was the first one in her family to be born in this country.  Her parents and all her siblings were born in Germany. 

It has been very fun to learn more about my family. 

The Unknown Couple

One of my new found cousins in England sent me this picture today. We do not know the couple, my cousin thinks the young man is a Chaplin. We know 3 Chaplin brothers came to the USA and lived in Brooklyn, New York. We know it was taken in Brooklyn New York. I think her dress is more 1890's in style than 1900's but I'm not a fashion whiz. In other words I have no clue what year the dress is from.

This picture evokes strong emotion in me, she almost looks like she is grieving a lost and he is comforting her. It is very tender and caring.



Here is a picture of my grandmother at about age 36, with my aunt Bea & my mother Edith. Do you think there is any resemblance? Part of me thinks there is, or is it just because I want it to be my grandmother and grandfather?

Treasure Thursday

I thought of this post just as I got into bed last night. Knowing me if I had gotten up and completed the post at that time it would be another hour before I went to bed and it was already late. So here I am early this morning.

This handsome couple are my Maternal Grandparents, William Thomas Chaplin and Minnie Elizabeth Spahn Chaplin. The picture was taken in 1919 or 1920. The occasion was a visit from one Grandpa's co-worker who took the picture.

They are on the roof of their apartment building in Borough Park, Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. The building in the background is the Convent of the Precious Blood. It ran for a whole block across the street from their home. That is not a pipe in Grandpa's month it is a pen mark.

I like the pose, so different then what we would do today and seems romantic to me.

An interesting tidbit is my grandfather purchased a Catholic prayer book from the convent when my Mother married my Father. She became Catholic to married my Dad.

This information was given to me by my Aunt Bea the oldest of the Chaplin children, my Mother was the youngest.

Fearless Females 6 Word Tributes

Lisa at The Accidental Genealogist is running a series of prompts for Women's History Month. Today's prompt is a 6 word tribute to a female ancestor.

Edith, My Mother: Looking forward to meeting you, someday.

Annette My Second Mother: Thanks for all you did for me.

Mary Paternal Grandmother: Has a smile and a twinkle? Pictured here about 1912, about age 24.

Minnie Elizabeth Maternal Grandmother: Widowed, worked to support her family.

Fearless Females Working Women

This is the picture of my grandmother Minnie Elizabeth Spahn in May 1905. This was her nursing school graduation from New York Metropolitan Hospital on Blackwells Island, New York. She was not quite 20 yrs old, she would be 20 on Oct. 6th. I never heard stories of her working as a nurse, but she must have because later in life she was a widow and still had children at home.
Nursing sure has changed in 105 years.



My Mom (second-mom) worked as a nurse also. She was an army nurse during World War II and she was the nurse who took care of my mother when she died of breast cancer. I can remember her working in a hospital in Flushing, Booth Memorial Hospital. This is a picture of the charm bracket her co-workers gave her in 3-6-59 from the OBS staff. This is just before we moved to Florida. She obviously was well liked by her co-workers. She also worked at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale Florida when we moved there. I do not have a picture of her in her uniform, just the ones in my mind of her coming home and sitting like a rag doll in a chair.


This is me on graduation day from LPN school, Sept of 1966 age 18.
I was also a nurse at the same hospital while I was an LPN and going to school to earn my RN. Big mistake to work were your mother had worked. Plus Mom was a very nice person. If there was a nice way to say something she had a nicer way. I on the other hand have a tendency to say it like I see it. I frequently have hoof and mouth disease. I do have to admit I have learned to calm it down a lot since I was in my late teens. I have been a nurse since I was 18, enter nursing school at 17.


This is a picture of me as a RN student, Feb of 1971 I was 23. Mom never wanted me to be a nurse, she said it was hard work. Boy was she right. I have never regretted my decision to be a nurse.

I think this counts as three generations of nurses! Spanning 105 years.

Fearless Females: Heirlooms

Lisa is helping us all celebrate Women's History Month by suggesting daily prompts to recognize the women of our Family Tree. The prompt for the 6th was to describe an heirloom you may have inherited from a female ancestor: wedding ring or other jewelry, china, clothing, etc.
I'm a firm believe that a picture is worth a thousand words.


This is my maternal grandmother Minnie Elizabeth Chaplin cameo ring. It is very tight on my little finger,either she had small fingers or I have big ones. I have worn it on very special occasions but never for daily use. Being a nurse rings have to be practical, this is beautiful but not practical. This ring was given to my mother's older sister Beatrice but she had three boys and when I was born she gave it to my mother. The setting sits up almost 1/2". I have never seen this worn by anyone family member. It was saved for me. My Aunt Bea was a lot of fun and made be feel like part of the family.


This Cameo pin belongs to my Mom's mother or grandma Mildred Corkish. (My second Mom) I do remember my Mom wearing this pin. Again since I was the only girl I was given this pin also. I think maybe I worn it once. Mostly it lives in the safe. I'm not a fancy dresser so I have no idea what I would wear it on. It sure is a beautiful cameo. I might just have to find something to wear this on!!

When I was looking for my treasures and after I saw them again I realized I had forgotten how many I really have. Finding all these things made me feel very blessed. Something I think I tend to forget. My family tried hard to make traditions to have and to pass down. I trying to survive after the lost of two mothers before age 17, I felt the pain and lost but forgot the good stuff. This has helped me to remember.

Thanks Lisa for these prompts!

I'll be breaking this into a couple of post because I have some other treasures. And I'm sorry to say they are all returning to the safe.

Fearless Females: Share a Name

This is my Paternal Grandmother Mary Jirak Hartmann, I just love the expression on her face in this photo. Doesn't it make you wonder what she is thinking?
To help celebrate Women's History Month Lisa at The Accidental Genealogist has posted Fearless Females 31 Prompts to Celebrate Women's History Month. I can't do all of the them, but I will do those I can. Today's prompt was: Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? I do share a first name of my grandmother Mary Hartmann my Dad's mother. I also share the same middle name as my Mother's mother, Minnie Elizabeth Chaplin. So I was named after both my grandmothers. My Aunt Bea, my Mother's sister told me they picked Elizabeth because my grandmother didn't like Minnie. So when ever I think of my maternal grandmother I think of her as Minnie Elizabeth. I never meet either of my grandmothers they were gone before I came along or shortly after. My parents always told me to respect my grandmothers and their names by being a good person. Not bad advice.


This picture is of my Mother Edith and my grandmother Minnie Elizabeth at Edith's 8th grade graduation. Minnie Elizabeth had been a widow for a few years by this photo. Her husband died when Edith was 9.

I should sign this post Mary Elizabeth.