Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.
I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.
This week I look at a newspaper article that mentions the wedding of Virginia Ellen Cruvant (1915-2013) and Ronald Zimmerman (1913-1976). Virginia's father, Solomon, was the youngest brother of my great grandmother, Bertha (Cruvant) Newmark. The article comes from The Modern View, a local Jewish newspaper. Their archives are on microfilm at the St. Louis County Library.
Zimmerman - Cruvant
Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Cruvant of Springfield, Ill., have announced the marriage of their daughter, Miss Virginia Ellen Cruvant and R. Ruben Zimmerman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Zimmerman of 762 Kingsland avenue, which took place, on Wednesday morning, August 23, in the study of Rabbi Ferdinand M. Isserman at Temple Israel, at 10:30 o'clock. A breakfast at the Hotel Coronado followed the ceremony, after which the bridal pair left on a wedding trip to Old Mexico. They will reside at 7203 Dartmouth avenue.
The Modern View, Sept 28, 1939, p.14
-- Social Notes --
Mr. and Mrs. R. Ruben Zimmerman, who were married on August 23, have returned from their honeymoon in Old Mexico and are at home at 7203 Dartmouth avenue.
The Modern View, Sept 28, 1939, p. 12.
Notes:
1) I wasn't aware that Sol Cruvant's family had lived in Springfield, IL. I believe they were in St. Louis until about 1925, spent 4-5 years in Canton, Ohio. After that, I'm unsure.
Monday, May 29, 2017
Saturday, May 27, 2017
Memorial Day - 2017
Below is my annual post for Memorial Day Weekend.
A post on what Memorial Day is for, besides barbecues.
The above image comes from a past version of the Memorial Day page at the US Department of Veterans Affairs, explaining that Memorial Day is a day for remembering those who died in the service of their country. [Read the full text of the poem.]
Unnamed Remains the Bravest Soldier - by Walt Whitman (From 'Specimen Days')
OF scenes like these, I say, who writes—whoe’er can write the story? Of many a score—aye, thousands, north and south, of unwrit heroes, unknown heroisms, incredible, impromptu, first-class desperations—who tells? No history ever—no poem sings, no music sounds, those bravest men of all—those deeds. No formal general’s report, nor book in the library, nor column in the paper, embalms the bravest, north or south, east or west. Unnamed, unknown, remain, and still remain, the bravest soldiers. Our manliest—our boys—our hardy darlings; no picture gives them. Likely, the typic one of them (standing, no doubt, for hundreds, thousands,) crawls aside to some bush-clump, or ferny tuft, on receiving his death-shot—there sheltering a little while, soaking roots, grass and soil, with red blood—the battle advances, retreats, flits from the scene, sweeps by—and there, haply with pain and suffering (yet less, far less, than is supposed,) the last lethargy winds like a serpent round him—the eyes glaze in death—none recks—perhaps the burial-squads, in truce, a week afterwards, search not the secluded spot—and there, at last, the Bravest Soldier crumbles in mother earth, unburied and unknown.
The cartoon above is by John T. McCutcheon - published circa 1900
I have many ancestors and kin who served in their nation's armed forces during war-time. I honor them on Veterans Day.
However, the closest relative who was killed in action was my grandfather's brother, my great-uncle, Mandell Newmark.
A post on what Memorial Day is for, besides barbecues.
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action. [source][More on the history of Memorial Day]
Unnamed Remains the Bravest Soldier - by Walt Whitman (From 'Specimen Days')
OF scenes like these, I say, who writes—whoe’er can write the story? Of many a score—aye, thousands, north and south, of unwrit heroes, unknown heroisms, incredible, impromptu, first-class desperations—who tells? No history ever—no poem sings, no music sounds, those bravest men of all—those deeds. No formal general’s report, nor book in the library, nor column in the paper, embalms the bravest, north or south, east or west. Unnamed, unknown, remain, and still remain, the bravest soldiers. Our manliest—our boys—our hardy darlings; no picture gives them. Likely, the typic one of them (standing, no doubt, for hundreds, thousands,) crawls aside to some bush-clump, or ferny tuft, on receiving his death-shot—there sheltering a little while, soaking roots, grass and soil, with red blood—the battle advances, retreats, flits from the scene, sweeps by—and there, haply with pain and suffering (yet less, far less, than is supposed,) the last lethargy winds like a serpent round him—the eyes glaze in death—none recks—perhaps the burial-squads, in truce, a week afterwards, search not the secluded spot—and there, at last, the Bravest Soldier crumbles in mother earth, unburied and unknown.
The cartoon above is by John T. McCutcheon - published circa 1900
I have many ancestors and kin who served in their nation's armed forces during war-time. I honor them on Veterans Day.
However, the closest relative who was killed in action was my grandfather's brother, my great-uncle, Mandell Newmark.
Monday, May 22, 2017
Ancestry "We're Related" Mobile App and Private Ancestors
I haven't blogged for awhile about Ancestry.com's mobile "We're Related" app for finding celebrity kin. Shortly after my list reached 100, I re-focused the app to find cousins for my wife. Lately it has been producing several ancestries that include "Private" ancestors. This makes no sense to me since the ancestors in question are all obviously deceased. I have "communicated" with Ancestry about it. By that I mean I have sent comments through their mobile app's feedback feature. I have received no responses. No indication anyone has read my queries. And this has been over a several month period.*
Anyway, today's "Possible Relative" is the most egregious of the examples. The "Common Ancestor" is marked private. So are the next two ancestors in both my wife's descent, and the celebrity's descent.
It would be cool if my wife did share a common ancestor with William Butler Yeats. It looks like the common ancestor might have the surname Taylor. However, in my opinion, whatever computer algorithm allows the app to even consider connections with ancestors that are marked 'private' should be eliminated from the code. Assuming the information comes from someone's Ancestry family tree, that they marked an obviously deceased individual as 'Private' should be a red flag that the information is questionable.
That said, my favorite part of the We're Related app is that it provides me with something to research. I like puzzles. In a fashion, this reminds me of diagramless crossword puzzles - which provide an even greater challenge than regular crossword puzzles.
* I sent feedback on this topic on March 21, April 29, May 8, and May 18. It's now been two months since the first message. None of these messages which I sent to the Ancestry Mobile App Team have received a response. The feedback on April 29 specifically requested some response to indicate someone was reading my feedback. The conclusion that I reach is that Ancestry has ceased supporting the app, even if they haven't made that announcement.
Anyway, today's "Possible Relative" is the most egregious of the examples. The "Common Ancestor" is marked private. So are the next two ancestors in both my wife's descent, and the celebrity's descent.
It would be cool if my wife did share a common ancestor with William Butler Yeats. It looks like the common ancestor might have the surname Taylor. However, in my opinion, whatever computer algorithm allows the app to even consider connections with ancestors that are marked 'private' should be eliminated from the code. Assuming the information comes from someone's Ancestry family tree, that they marked an obviously deceased individual as 'Private' should be a red flag that the information is questionable.
That said, my favorite part of the We're Related app is that it provides me with something to research. I like puzzles. In a fashion, this reminds me of diagramless crossword puzzles - which provide an even greater challenge than regular crossword puzzles.
* I sent feedback on this topic on March 21, April 29, May 8, and May 18. It's now been two months since the first message. None of these messages which I sent to the Ancestry Mobile App Team have received a response. The feedback on April 29 specifically requested some response to indicate someone was reading my feedback. The conclusion that I reach is that Ancestry has ceased supporting the app, even if they haven't made that announcement.
Amanuensis Monday: The Wedding of Wallace Kamerman and Lillian Rosenblatt - 1952
Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.
I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.
This week I look at a newspaper article that mentions the wedding of Wallace Kamerman (1921-1986) and Lillian Rosenblatt (1926-1960). Wallace Kamerman was the son of my grandfather's sister, Jean (Deutsch) Kamerman.
Mr and Mrs Allen Deutsch attended the wedding Sunday June 29 of the former’s nephew Wallace Kameran of Chicago to Lillian Rosenblatt librarian of Rogers Park Public library On Tuesday July 1 Mr and Mrs Deutsch entertained a brother and two daughters Martin Deutsch and __ and __ of St Louis Mo Another brother Edward Kameran of Fresno Calif who was here for the wedding visited Mr and Mrs Deutsch for several days before returning west Mrs Deutsch and two children expect to leave about July 14 for Oakland Calif stopping enroute in St Louis Mo to pick up her two nieces __ and __ Deutsch who will accompany her and the children to the coast.
Suburbanite Economist – July 9 1952, p.9.
Notes:
1. There is no punctuation in the article, so I haven't added it. Though the capitalization is helpful.
2. The article misspelled the Kamerman surname. However, my grandfather had a brother, Edward, who changed his surname from 'Deutsch' to 'Kameran.' Edward was a journalist in Chicago, and while I don't believe he wrote for the Suburbanite Economist, that might explain the error. I discovered this article searching for the surnames Deutsch and Kameran in conjunction with each other.
3. Martin Deutsch was my grandfather. As is my custom, I don't include the names of living individuals.
I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.
This week I look at a newspaper article that mentions the wedding of Wallace Kamerman (1921-1986) and Lillian Rosenblatt (1926-1960). Wallace Kamerman was the son of my grandfather's sister, Jean (Deutsch) Kamerman.
Mr and Mrs Allen Deutsch attended the wedding Sunday June 29 of the former’s nephew Wallace Kameran of Chicago to Lillian Rosenblatt librarian of Rogers Park Public library On Tuesday July 1 Mr and Mrs Deutsch entertained a brother and two daughters Martin Deutsch and __ and __ of St Louis Mo Another brother Edward Kameran of Fresno Calif who was here for the wedding visited Mr and Mrs Deutsch for several days before returning west Mrs Deutsch and two children expect to leave about July 14 for Oakland Calif stopping enroute in St Louis Mo to pick up her two nieces __ and __ Deutsch who will accompany her and the children to the coast.
Suburbanite Economist – July 9 1952, p.9.
Notes:
1. There is no punctuation in the article, so I haven't added it. Though the capitalization is helpful.
2. The article misspelled the Kamerman surname. However, my grandfather had a brother, Edward, who changed his surname from 'Deutsch' to 'Kameran.' Edward was a journalist in Chicago, and while I don't believe he wrote for the Suburbanite Economist, that might explain the error. I discovered this article searching for the surnames Deutsch and Kameran in conjunction with each other.
3. Martin Deutsch was my grandfather. As is my custom, I don't include the names of living individuals.
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Descendants of Ben and Goldie (White) Cruvant
I've mentioned previously my research into the children of Ben Cruvant (my great grandmother's brother) and his first wife, Goldie. They were married in Chicago in 1904. In 1907, he brought her, and their children, home to St. Louis. His parents, upset Goldie wasn't Jewish, gave Ben an ultimatum. And he chose his parents. Goldie returned to Chicago with the children. Ben remarried and started a second family.
Building upon research conducted by a cousin into what happened to Goldie and the children, I've made a handful of recent discoveries. Below I document what I know, in case some of the names might be found by someone else searching.
Generation One
1) Edward CRUVANT – b. July 19, 1904 - changes name to Clifford Paul WHITE
2) Goldie CRUVANT – b. July 22, 1905 - Possibly changes name to Ruth Sarah
2 or 3) Ruth Sarah CRUVANT – b. July 2, 1906 (according to death certificate)
[It is very unlikely that Clifford, Goldie and Ruth would all be born in July in successive years. I have birth records for the first two. The June 1907 Post Dispatch article about a 2 year old baby pining for a disappearing father doesn’t mention a 1-year old daughter. With the death certificate for Ruth indicating a middle name of Sarah, and the 1910 census indicating Goldie's daughter Sarah M., there is a strong possibility there really are only two children of Ben and Goldie. It’s not unusual that someone would end up with a birth year on their death certificate one year younger than reality. This would mean Edward changed his name to Clifford Paul and the younger Goldie changed her name to Ruth Sarah. It would be nice to find the official Name Change/Correction for Ruth Sarah.
Ruth’s husband, Raymond Sangbusch, was born on July 2, 1911. This could explain how her birthday got changed from July 22 to July 2…or was confused by the informant.]
1) Madge Elizabeth Taylor – b. unknown
[Note: We don’t have 1920 census records for family. It is possible they had the Taylor surname at the time.]
Generation Two
1) Florence Augusta WHITE (date of birth known, but could be living)
Documents uncovered (with some links to past blog posts)
Building upon research conducted by a cousin into what happened to Goldie and the children, I've made a handful of recent discoveries. Below I document what I know, in case some of the names might be found by someone else searching.
Generation One
- Goldie Lillian WHITE (10 Dec 1884 - 3 Feb 1962) and Benjamin CRUVANT (3 Jan 1883-23 May 1960)
1) Edward CRUVANT – b. July 19, 1904 - changes name to Clifford Paul WHITE
2) Goldie CRUVANT – b. July 22, 1905 - Possibly changes name to Ruth Sarah
2 or 3) Ruth Sarah CRUVANT – b. July 2, 1906 (according to death certificate)
[It is very unlikely that Clifford, Goldie and Ruth would all be born in July in successive years. I have birth records for the first two. The June 1907 Post Dispatch article about a 2 year old baby pining for a disappearing father doesn’t mention a 1-year old daughter. With the death certificate for Ruth indicating a middle name of Sarah, and the 1910 census indicating Goldie's daughter Sarah M., there is a strong possibility there really are only two children of Ben and Goldie. It’s not unusual that someone would end up with a birth year on their death certificate one year younger than reality. This would mean Edward changed his name to Clifford Paul and the younger Goldie changed her name to Ruth Sarah. It would be nice to find the official Name Change/Correction for Ruth Sarah.
Ruth’s husband, Raymond Sangbusch, was born on July 2, 1911. This could explain how her birthday got changed from July 22 to July 2…or was confused by the informant.]
- Goldie and [Unknown] TAYLOR
1) Madge Elizabeth Taylor – b. unknown
[Note: We don’t have 1920 census records for family. It is possible they had the Taylor surname at the time.]
- Goldie and Wiley Poynter SHAW
Generation Two
- Clifford Paul WHITE marries Jessie Anna ROSS (abt 1930) [Jessie Anna ROSS born in 1903 in Westville, Nova Scotia. I believe I have found her in the 1911 Canadian census, indexed as 'Jassie.']
1) Florence Augusta WHITE (date of birth known, but could be living)
- Ruth CRUVANT marries WELTY (unknown date)
- Ruth CRUVANT WELTY marries Raymond SANGBUSCH – May 6, 1939 – Scott, Iowa (divorced prior to 1959, since Raymond SANGBUSCH marries Eleanor NANCE in Dec 1959)
- Madge Elizabeth TAYLOR engaged to be married to Kenneth LINDBERGH – May 22, 1938 [Newspaper article says wedding scheduled for June 25]
- There is a Kenneth and Betty M. Lindbergh in the California voting records in 1940 and 1942. That Kenneth Lindbergh (1915-1994) was born in Chicago, and served in WWII between 1943-1945. (Registering for the draft in Pennsylvania) He remarried in 1946, so if he is the same, his marriage to Madge Elizabeth may have ended prior to 1943. A descendant of Kenneth and his second wife has no knowledge of first wife.
Documents uncovered (with some links to past blog posts)
- 1904 marriage record for Benjamin Cruvant and Goldie White
- 1904 birth record for Edward Cruvant (and later name correction)
- 1905 birth record for Goldie Cruvant
- 1907 newspaper article documenting Benjamin and Goldie's break-up
- 1910 Census: Goldian Lillian White, son Clifford E, daughter Sarah M., Chicago, IL
- 1914 journal clipping indicating Goldie Cruvant living in Denver Colorado
- 1930 Census: Clifford White, mother Goldie Taylor, and roomer Wiley Shaw - Chicago IL
- 1940 Census: Clifford P White, wife Jessie, daughter Florence A - Chicago, IL
- Marriage record: Ruth Cruvant Welty to Raymond Sangbusch - May 6, 1939 - Scott County, Iowa
- 1940 Census: Raymond Sangbusch, wife Ruth, Mother-in-law Goldie, Father-in-law Wiley P Shaw - Chicago, IL
- Newspaper Article: Engagement of Madge Elizabeth Taylor, daughter of Mrs. Wiley P. Shaw to Kenneth Lindbergh - Chicago Tribune
- California Death Index: Goldie L Shaw
- California Death Index: Wiley Poynter Shaw
- Marriage record of Raymond Sangbusch and Eleanor Nance - Dec 12 1959 - Los Angeles
- Birth record: Raymond Sangbusch - July 2 1911 - Chicago, IL (parents Otto Sangbusch and Susan Calon)
- Death record: Raymond Sangbusch - January 1985 - Havasu City, Mohave, Arizona
- Birth record: Florence Augusta White - Chicago IL - Parents Clifford Paul White and Jessie Anna Ross
Monday, May 15, 2017
Amanuensis Monday: Harry and Grace Feinstein, 1930-1935
Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.
I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.
This week I look at some newspaper articles related to the second wife of my second great-uncle, Harry Feinstein. (All newspaper articles were found at Newspapers.com)
I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.
This week I look at some newspaper articles related to the second wife of my second great-uncle, Harry Feinstein. (All newspaper articles were found at Newspapers.com)
Washington Citizen (Washington, Missouri) · Fri, Mar 28, 1930 · Page 8
Marriage Licenses
Dan Ledbetter … St. Clair
Anna Lewis … St. Clair
Tecumseh J. Teuscher … Rock Island, Ill
Martha L Schenk … Rock Island, Ill
Harry S. Feinstein … St. Louis
Grace Miller …. Springfield
Tony Copeland … Union
Betty Nappier … Union
The 1930 census indicated Grace was 26 years old, and was 24 at the time of her first marriage. When I first looked at the 1930 census, near the beginning of my research several years ago, I wrote down that Grace and Harry were married in 1928. Well, I’ll give myself the benefit of the doubt and say I knew at the time that was an educated guess. It *appears* she was married previously, and Miller *may* not have been her maiden name.
[Looking at the online Missouri marriage record databases, there are three Graces who married Millers in 1927 or 1928, though all couples are accounted for in the 1930 census.]
I’ve mentioned that Harry’s children from his first marriage were not living with him and Grace at the time of the 1930 census. Several were living with his brother (my great grandfather) Herman, and one was in an orphanage. I wondered, if Harry was still around, why he was not raising them – and what was Grace’s role. The 1930 census was enumerated on April 5th. The question asked by the census taker was who was living where on April 1. The marriage license was obtained less than a week prior. (And...if it weren’t for the orphanage....I might guess that the kids were only living with their cousins to give their new parents a short honeymoon.)
Harry passed away in 1933.
The Sunday News and Tribune (Jefferson City, Missouri) · Sun, Apr 14, 1935 · Page 1
A marriage license was issued yesterday from the county recorder’s office to Thompson Lusby, of Dalton, Mo., and Clarice Shockley, of Vienna. The couple was married by the Rev. H.W. Gadd. A license was also issued late Friday to Earl Hunter and Grace Feinstein, of Camdenton, Mo.
There is, of course, no evidence that it is the same “Grace Feinstein,” but there was only one in the State of Missouri in 1930. Only two in the United States in 1930 who would have been of marrying age in 1935. (The other in New York)
I have been unable to figure out what happened to Earl and Grace (?/Miller/Feinstein) Hunter after 1935.
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Happy Mother's Day - 2017
We wouldn't be who we are today without the loving mothers in our lives - past and present.
Here are the eight female ancestors (besides my mother) for whom I currently have photographs.
(click to enlarge)
From left to right:
Myrtle (Van Every) Deutsch - 1900-1951 (my maternal grandmother)
Margaret (Denyer) Van Every - 1868-1923 (my maternal grandmother's mother)
Helen (Lichtman) Deutsch - 1881-1958 (my maternal grandfather's mother)
Bertha (Cruvant) Newmark - 1886-1978 (my paternal grandfathers mother)
Minnie (Mojsabovski) Cruvant - 1863-1924 (my paternal grandfather's maternal grandmother)
Rose (Cantkert) Newmark - 1865-1943 (my paternal grandfather's paternal grandmother)
Annie (Blatt) Feinstein - 1889-1965 (my paternal grandmother's mother)
Sissie (Feinstein) Newmark - 1914-2002 (my paternal grandmother)
Here are the eight female ancestors (besides my mother) for whom I currently have photographs.
From left to right:
Myrtle (Van Every) Deutsch - 1900-1951 (my maternal grandmother)
Margaret (Denyer) Van Every - 1868-1923 (my maternal grandmother's mother)
Helen (Lichtman) Deutsch - 1881-1958 (my maternal grandfather's mother)
Bertha (Cruvant) Newmark - 1886-1978 (my paternal grandfathers mother)
Minnie (Mojsabovski) Cruvant - 1863-1924 (my paternal grandfather's maternal grandmother)
Rose (Cantkert) Newmark - 1865-1943 (my paternal grandfather's paternal grandmother)
Annie (Blatt) Feinstein - 1889-1965 (my paternal grandmother's mother)
Sissie (Feinstein) Newmark - 1914-2002 (my paternal grandmother)
Monday, May 1, 2017
Amanuensis Monday: The Wedding of Allen Deutsch and Jean Colyar - 1943
Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.
I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.
This week I look at a newspaper article on the wedding of a great uncle, Allen Deutsch.
Oakland Tribune, Thursday, Oct 28, 1943, page 21
FORT ORD CHAPEL SCENE OF DEUTSCH’S NUPTIAL RITES
The Post Chapel at Fort Ord was the scene of a recent military wedding, when Lieut. Jean Dian Colyar, Army Nurse Corps, and Lieut. Allen Cavalry Wilson Deutsch, United States Army, were married in the presence of relatives and friends. Maj. Ira Freeman, post chaplain, read the service.
Cpl. William V. Fitzpatrick presided at the organ, playing the wedding march. Fall flowers and many candles were used in the appointments of the chapel.
The bride did not wear a corsage but carried the service brown Testament.
Her maid of honor, Lieut. Florence Plant, A.N.C., carried the white Testament of the nurses. Lieut. Perley J. Criswold, United States Army, was best man for Lieutenant Deutsch.
The attractive bride was well-known in social and professional circles in Oakland. She is a graduate of Oakland High School and attended San Francisco State College. She was graduated from Providence College of Nursing, class of 1940, receiving her R.N. from the California State Board the same year. She is the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Colyar of Oakland and her brother is Ensign Robert Colyar, U.S.N.R., now stationed at the Naval Air Station at Lambert Field, St. Louis, Mo.
The benedict, scion of a Chicago family, is the son of Mrs. And the late Samuel F. Deutsch. He is a brother of Major Martin Deutsch of Clayton, Mo., now with the armed forces in North Africa; of Dr. Gerald Deutsch of Minneapolis, Minn.; and of Edward Deutsch and of Theodore Deutsch of Chicago. His sisters are Mrs. Herman Freed and Mrs. Jean Kameran of Chicago.
The brief honeymoon was spent on the Monterey Peninsula. The couple has resumed their respective duties at the Ford Ord Army Post.
Notes:
1. While the article is filled with wonderful information for a family historian, the most common piece of information one expects to find in a wedding announcement is missing. The date. It's only stated that it was 'recent' and a brief honeymoon of indeterminate length has already occurred.
2. Allen was 29 years old. The term 'benedict' is a reference to the character Benedick from the Shakespeare play, Much Ado About Nothing, and means a newly married long-time bachelor. My grandfather was also 29 when he married my grandmother in 1936.
I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.
This week I look at a newspaper article on the wedding of a great uncle, Allen Deutsch.
FORT ORD CHAPEL SCENE OF DEUTSCH’S NUPTIAL RITES
The Post Chapel at Fort Ord was the scene of a recent military wedding, when Lieut. Jean Dian Colyar, Army Nurse Corps, and Lieut. Allen Cavalry Wilson Deutsch, United States Army, were married in the presence of relatives and friends. Maj. Ira Freeman, post chaplain, read the service.
Cpl. William V. Fitzpatrick presided at the organ, playing the wedding march. Fall flowers and many candles were used in the appointments of the chapel.
The bride did not wear a corsage but carried the service brown Testament.
Her maid of honor, Lieut. Florence Plant, A.N.C., carried the white Testament of the nurses. Lieut. Perley J. Criswold, United States Army, was best man for Lieutenant Deutsch.
The attractive bride was well-known in social and professional circles in Oakland. She is a graduate of Oakland High School and attended San Francisco State College. She was graduated from Providence College of Nursing, class of 1940, receiving her R.N. from the California State Board the same year. She is the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Colyar of Oakland and her brother is Ensign Robert Colyar, U.S.N.R., now stationed at the Naval Air Station at Lambert Field, St. Louis, Mo.
The benedict, scion of a Chicago family, is the son of Mrs. And the late Samuel F. Deutsch. He is a brother of Major Martin Deutsch of Clayton, Mo., now with the armed forces in North Africa; of Dr. Gerald Deutsch of Minneapolis, Minn.; and of Edward Deutsch and of Theodore Deutsch of Chicago. His sisters are Mrs. Herman Freed and Mrs. Jean Kameran of Chicago.
The brief honeymoon was spent on the Monterey Peninsula. The couple has resumed their respective duties at the Ford Ord Army Post.
Notes:
1. While the article is filled with wonderful information for a family historian, the most common piece of information one expects to find in a wedding announcement is missing. The date. It's only stated that it was 'recent' and a brief honeymoon of indeterminate length has already occurred.
2. Allen was 29 years old. The term 'benedict' is a reference to the character Benedick from the Shakespeare play, Much Ado About Nothing, and means a newly married long-time bachelor. My grandfather was also 29 when he married my grandmother in 1936.