Timeline for Samuel Joseph Newmark 1862-1940

Timelines can be a great tool. They can illustrate what records have been obtained, and what might be missing. Gaps of knowledge can sometimes be better seen. Last year I posted timelines for three of my four paternal 2nd great-grandfathers. I actually created the below timeline back then as well, but didn't post it. There may have been some dates I wanted to look up.

For Sam, and his wife Rose, most of the records I have, beyond passenger manifests, are dates pertaining to the life events of his children. The dates for all events in Poland are based on when anniversaries were observed, or dates recorded on later records.

Timeline for my 2nd great grandfather, Samuel Joseph Newmark

• 1862 - Samuel Joseph Newmark was born to Israel David & Leah in Warka, Poland 
• Dec 17, 1880 - married Rose Cantkert 
• Sept 15, 1882 - Son, Solomon born in Warka 
• March 25, 1886 - Son, Barney born in Warka 
• Dec 25, 1886 - Daughter, Nellie, born in Warka 
• March 4, 1890 - Daughter, Bella, born in Warka 
• Aug 16, 1892 - Son, Meier/Max, born in Warka 
• 1893 - Family immigrates to London, England 
• October 1893 -- Nellie and Bella enroll at Westminster Jews Free School in London. (Boys records did not survive)
• Nov 27, 1894 - Daughter, Kate, born in London 
• Aug 16, 1896 - Daughter, Cecile, born in London 
• August 1898 - Nellie and Bella leave Westminster Jews Free School (Reasons given: Required at Home/Work) 
• Aug 31, 1902 - Son, Solomon, marries Sarah Nathan at the Great Synagogue in London
• Apr 3, 1903 - Son Israel David born in London 
• Nov 30, 1903 - According to a passenger manifest, Samuel may have traveled to the US. 
• March 9, 1904 - Granddaughter, Minnie Bertha, born to Sol and Sarah in London
• March 21, 1905 - Grandson, Israel David, born to Sol and Sarah in London
• Aug 27, 1906 - Grandson Moses (Maurice) born to Sol and Sarah in London
• May 11, 1907 - With son, Barney, visited North America. Landed in Quebec. Crossed the border to the US in July. Returned to London.
• Oct 14, 1908 - With sons, Sol & Barney, arrived in the US
• March 21, 1909 - Rose and the remaining children and grandchildren arrive in the US.
• April 19, 1909 - Granddaughter Esther born to Sol and Sarah (dies as an infant)
• Jan 30, 1910 - Daughters Nellie and Bella marry Morris Fudemberg and Charles Cohen in a double wedding in St. Louis
• Feb 7, 1911 - Granddaughter Bess born to Bella and Charles Cohen
• Aug 27, 1911 - Son, Barney, marries Bertha Cruvant
• April 27, 1912 - Granddaughter Sylvia born to Nellie and Morris Fudemberg
• Aug 27, 1912 - Grandson, Melvin, born to Barney and Bertha
• Feb 6, 1913 - Daughter Kate marries Phillip Jacobs in St. Louis, MO
• Feb 7, 1913 - Son, Max, marries Dora Neustetter in Chicago, IL
• Dec 16, 1913 - Daughter Natalie born to Kate and Philip Jacobs in Chicago
• About 1914 - Daughter Cecile marries Hyman Gold in St. Louis
• April 14, 1914 - Grandson Adolph Abraham (Andy) born to Bella and Charles Cohen
• June 27, 1914 - Grandson  Nelson born to Max and Dora Newmark
• Dec 23, 1914 - Granddaughter Nellie, born to Sol and Sarah
• Sept 26, 1915 - Granddaughter Bernice, born to Cecile and Hyman Gold in St. Louis
• Dec 17, 1915 - Grandson Harold Carl, born to Nellie and Morris Fudemberg
• July 27, 1916 - Grandson Harold Irving David born to Kate and Philip Jacobs in Chicago
• April 6, 1918 - Grandson Harold born to Max and Dora Newmark
• Oct 11, 1918 - Grandson Paul William born to Nellie and Morris Fudemberg
• Feb 24, 1923 - Granddaughter Minnie Bertha dies.
• Feb 27, 1923 - Grandson Irving born to Nellie and Morris Fudemberg
• July 13, 1923 - Granddaughter Bernice born to Bella and Charles Cohen
• Jan 1927 - Son Israel David marries Clara Rubin 
• Sept 25, 1928 - Grandson Victor born to Cecilie and Hyman Gold, in East St. Louis, IL
• Dec 9, 1928 - Grandson Philip born to Israel David and Clara
• Jan 31, 1931 - Son, Max, died. (Shot by burglar) 
• March 28, 1932 - Grandson, Mark, born to Israel David and Clara
• Dec 4, 1934 - Son, Sol, died. 
• 1936 - Grandson, Melvin, marries Belle Feinstein
• 1938 - Great Grandson, ___, born to Melvin and Belle 
• July 20, 1940 - Samuel Joseph died.

Notes

1) Samuel Joseph and his wife, Rose, were my only 2nd great-grandparents to live to see a great-grandchild. (I tend to leave out names and dates for living kin.)

2) February 6th and 7th 1913 was a Thursday and a Friday. Did Sam and Rose manage to attend both of their kids' weddings, one in St. Louis, and one in Chicago, one day apart? What about the siblings? It's a six-hour drive, and there were trains, so it's not impossible. Couldn't the couples have arranged that better for the family?

Timeline for Moshe Leyb Cruvant - 1858-1911

Timeline for my 2nd great grandfather, Moshe Leyb Cruvant

• June 12, 1858 (*) - Moshe Leyb Cruvant was born in Cekiške, Kauno, Lithuania, to Mina and David Aron Orel Kruvant.
• Before 1877 - Father David Aron Orel dies. 
• 1881 - Moshe Leyb Cruvant married Minnie Mojsabovsky in 1881 when he was 24 years old. 
• Dec 11, 1882 (*) - Son, Benjamin born in Pereyaslav, Lithuania 
• March 17, 1885 - Son, David, born in Pereyaslav, Lithuania 
• 1885 - Immigrates to US 
• Sept 29, 1886 - Daughter Bertha born in either St. Louis Missouri or East St. Louis, Illinois 
• May 8, 1889 - Daughter Stella born in St. Louis, Missouri 
• March 1892 - Daughter Flora born in St. Louis, Missouri 
• Jan 1, 1893 - Son Solomon born in St. Louis, Missouri 
• April 7, 1895 - Brother Simon dies in St. Louis 
• 1895 - Resides at 1128 North Eighth Street, St. Louis
• 1900 - Resides at 1111 Morgan Street, St. Louis
• 1903 - Seeks work in Chicago with son, Ben 
• 1904 Returns to St. Louis 
• May 26, 1904 - Son Ben marries Lillian Goldian White in Chicago Illinois 
• July 19, 1904 - Grandson Clifford Edward born to Ben & Goldie in Chicago 
• July 22, 1905 - Granddaughter Sarah Ruth born to Ben & Goldie in Chicago 
• April 1907 - Ben leaves Goldie 
• May 2, 1907 - Daughter Stella marries Louis Stern in St. Louis, Missouri 
• June 1908 - Ben & Goldie divorced in East St. Louis, Illinois (appears in newspaper June 20) 
• Oct 29, 1908 - Grandson Aaron Stern born to Stella and Louis in East St. Louis, Illinois 
• June 27, 1909 - Son David marries Anna Rubin 
• Aug 2, 1909 - Brother Girsh dies in Cekiske, Lithuania 
• Before 1910 - Brother Notka dies in Lithuania or Ukraine.
• 1910 - Resides at 435 Collinsville Ave, East St. Louis, Illinois
• Feb 14, 1911 - Grandson Bernard Alan born to David & Anna 
• Aug 27, 1911 - Daughter Bertha marries Barney Newmark in East St. Louis, Illinois 
• Sept 26, 1911 - Moshe Leyb dies in East St. Louis, Illinois

(*) These dates are based on Lithuanian records and are Julian calendar dates. In both cases the individuals observed their birthdays about 20 days later. 12 days to adjust to the Gregorian calendar, and they were probably observing the anniversary of their Brit Milah at 8 days.

Notes

1) By noting the vital records of his children and grandchildren, kernels appear of the story of Ben and Goldie, which I have written several blog posts about. What I don't know is whether Moshe Leyb knew about the relationship when he left Chicago, and what he thought about it. I do know that when Ben and Goldie returned to St. Louis, all heck broke loose, because Goldie wasn't Jewish, and Ben was given an ultimatum. Ben chose his parents over his wife and children. (Though divorce records indicate he tried and failed to gain custody of one child.)

2) The exact date of daughter Bertha's birth is uncertain. She always observed her birthday on the Jewish holiday of Rosh HaShana, and wasn't certain whether she was born in 1886 or 1887. The date given in the timeline is Rosh HaShana 1886.

3) Moshe Leyb's brother, Notka, married a woman from Kiev, Ukraine - and family lore isn't certain where they resided and where he died.

4) Moshe Leyb died of liver cancer. His death certificate indicates the doctor began seeing him about a week before his daughter, Bertha's, marriage.

Timeline for Moshe (Morris) Blatt 1862-1926

Timeline for 2nd great grandfather, Moshe (Morris) Blatt

1862 - Morris Blatt was born on May 1, 1862, in Losice, Mazowieckie, Poland, to Perl Kipersztok, age 26, and Yankiel Blatyta, age 25. 

1865 - Brother Yitzhak born 

1867 - Brother Nuta born 

1869 - Brother Nathan born 

1871 - Brother Aaron born 

1885 - Marries Chaia Bella Boksern 

1886 - Daughter Bryna Blanche born 

1888 - Daughter Channa/Anna born 

1890 - Immigrates to St. Louis, Missouri 

1892 - Chaia Bella dies in Poland 

1893 - Marries Mala Mollie Kellner Katz (Note: Her brother Nathan Kellner lived next door to Selig Feinstein in 1900. Selig & Morris’s children Herman and Anna would marry.) 

1894 - Son Joseph born 

1895 - Son Joseph died. 

1897 - Dry goods store burglarized 3 times 

1898 - Wife Mala files for a Passport- reason unknown 

1898 - Son Henry born 

1903 - Daughter Pearl born 

1903 - Daughter Blanche married Jacob Wyman 

1904 - Grandson Joseph Wyman born 

1905 -Grandson Louis Wyman born 

1908 - Grandson David Wyman born 

1907-1909 Residing in Mineral Wells, Texas with wife. (In 1907 Anna is with them.) 

1909 - Grandson David Wyman died 

1910 - Morris and Mala have returned to St. Louis

1910 - Grandson Sidney Wyman born 

1912 - Daughter Anna marries Herman Feinstein 

 1913 - Grandson Bernard Feinstein is born 

 1914 - Granddaughter Belle Feinstein is born 

 1914 - Granddaughter Belle Wyman is born 

 1917 - Grandson Seymour Feinstein is born 

 1926 - Morris dies on April 23, 1926.

Notes

1) I am accepting that the Moshe Blatyta born on May 1, 1862 to Yankiel & Perl was my 2nd great grandfather. Many in the Blatyta family changed their surname to Blatt. There is a small chance there were two Moshe sons of Yankiel born at a similar time. (A blog post on the records I have found.) 

2) Similarly I am accepting that Chaia Bella Boksern was his first wife, and my 2nd great grandmother. Though I am leaving open the possibility that a different Moshe Blatyta/Blatt married someone else. This potential second Blatt family would still somehow be related to the other Blatytas in Losice at the time, as DNA evidence confirms.

3) Besides vital records, I have not uncovered a lot of information about his life. I don't know why his wife filed for a passport (and he didn't) in 1898 - and I don't know what impact the birth of their son had on her plans. I don't know why they were living in Mineral Wells Texas in 1907-1909. In a family history interview conducted in the 1980s, my grandmother talked about her grandparents having lived in Mineral Wells for a period of time. She wasn't very clear on when it happened, but there is no question that the Blatts in the Mineral Wells City Directory is them. I don't know what impact the death of their infant grandson had on Morris and Mala's decision to return to St. Louis from Mineral Wells. However, putting all these events in the timeline does create possible hypotheses.

Timeline for Selig Dudelczak Feinstein (1858-1915)

I've decided to create some timelines for my ancestors to organize the information I have on their lives.

Here is a timeline I have created for my second great grandfather, Selig Dudelczak Feinstein 

• 1858-1862 Simcha Zelig (Selig) Dudelczak is born, likely somewhere in Volhynia, Ukraine.
• Simcha means "Gladness" or "Joy" in Hebrew. Zelig means "Blessed" in Yiddish.
• 1858 Brother, Yidel (Julius) born (Possible Twin)
• 1860 Sister, Zlata (Lottie) born (Possible Twin)
• 1868 Sister, Toba (Tillie) born
• 1871 Sister, Bella (Rebecca) born
• 1874 Sister Shprintze (Sylvia) born
• 1883 Selig marries Nechama (Anna) Perlik (Source: 1900 census)
• 1885 Son Shmuel Zvi (Harry Samuel) born. 
• 1886 Son Chaim (Herman Max)  born 
• 1888 Son Benjamin born 
• 1889 Immigrates to US by self (Port of arrival: Castle Garden)
• 1890 Wife, Children & Mother immigrate under the surname Feinstein 
• 1890 Daughter, Pearl, born (Descendants share DNA with descendants of Selig’s siblings, so paternity is likely)
• 1892 First appears in St Louis City Directory as a Shoer
• 1893 Son, Morris, born
• 1895 Son, David, born
• 1896 Son, David, died 
• 1898 Son, Aaron, born
• 1898 Patents an improvement to fire hydrants with business partner Max Wieselman (who also immigrated from Volhynia)
• 1899 Appears in City Directory as both Grocer and Blacksmith 
• 1899 Son, Joseph, born
• 1899 Vice President of new Tpheris Israel congregation
• 1900 Blacksmith, residing at 1122 North Eighth Street, and according to the census, owner,
• 1901 Opens Western Junk Shop - lasts until 1905
• 1901 Daughter, Rose, born. Son, Joseph, died.
• 1902-1913 Member of Progressive Order of the West fraternal organization
• 1906 Mother, Gitel (Gertrude) died. 
• 1906 Selig on Chesed Shel Emeth Society committee to build an Old Folks Home
• 1906 Moves to 5600 Garfield. 
• 1907 Sells property on Garfield to brother Julius Odelsohn
• 1908 Opens real estate business with Son, Harry
• 1910 Lives at 1941 Burd Ave
• 1911 Selig & Anna purchase lot of Carr Primary School
• 1911 Opens Central Laundry business with Son, Herman
• 1912 Incorporates Famous Laundry
• 1912 Charged with violating "Anti-Smoke Ordinances" at Central Laundry. (Coal smoke) 
• 1914 Opens another laundry business with daughter, Pearl
• 1915 Selig Feinstein died. 
• 1915 Selig is recorded as donating $6 to Jewish Charitable & Educational Union

Notes

1. I have yet to uncover a document with his date of birth. Years on documents vary. 
2. No European vital records have been found so dates which appear on later records are less certain. 
3. Between 1860-1868 it is likely other siblings were born. Family history suggests at least one named Gershon survived childhood and remained in the Ukraine as an adult. What happened to him is unknown.
4. I do not know for certain where Selig (and his family) were between 1889-1892. They may not have moved to St. Louis until after everyone had immigrated.
5. I have searched through deed indexes on microfilm, but have been unable to uncover the deed indicating Selig purchased 1122 North Eighth Street as the 1900 census suggests.  The vast majority of neighbors are listed as renters, and few addresses in the neighborhood have owners listed. Most owners of the tenements likely lived in other neighborhoods. Being a resident owner would have been unusual, but Selig's later interest in real estate might have started earlier. 
6. He was possibly a member of the Progressive Order of the West fraternal organization prior to 1902, but that was the first year he appeared in the newspaper as a delegate to their annual convention. Similarly, he likely remained a member until his death.
7. I have not uncovered Selig’s will so I don’t know if the donation was part of it or given before he died. A list of donations appeared in the newspaper. 
8. I’ve found six occupations so far. Shoer, Blacksmith, Grocer, Junk Dealer, Real Estate Management, Laundry Management. 

Timeline for William Sliver Denyer (1834 - circa 1896)

Earlier this month I wrote about my 2nd great grandfather's brother, William Sliver Denyer. I had found his Civil War Pension file, which mentioned both a widow, Sarah E Denyer, and a guardian of a minor, Nancy Denyer. I identified Nancy as his wife, and wasn't sure who Sarah was - wondering if she could be my second great grandmother, sister-in-law of William.

Since that post I have found the death certificate of Sarah E Denyer in Arkansas, indicating her maiden name was Trapp, and she was a third wife of William.

This is the timeline for William S Denyer I have from the documents

• 1834 - William is born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
• 1840 - William's mother, Elizabeth Sliver Denyer, dies in Gonzales, Texas (5 years before Texas joined the United States)
• 1848 - William's father, William Denyer, dies in St. Martin, Louisiana
• 1861 - William marries Susannah Dilly
• 1861-1862 - William serves for the Confederacy.
• 1863 - William's first wife, Susannah, dies.
• 1864-1865 - William serves for the Union.
• Feb 1865 - William marries Nancy Rhodes
• Nov 1865 - Son Andre Denyer is born
• 1880 - Pension is filed for minor, Nancy as guardian.
• 1880 Census - William is married to Sarah. No child in the household.
• 1886 - William files for a pension as an invalid
• 1896 - Sarah files for a pension as a widow.
• 1900 census - Son Andre has been married for 3 years.

It is a shame that the 1890 census was destroyed. Though hopefully Nancy and Andre can be found in the 1870 or 1880 census. It  does seem that there was a divorce and not a death in their case. Best guess for death of William would naturally be 1896, since I doubt it would take long for Sarah to file for a pension as a widow.

The Wives of Uncle Sam

Back in 2008 I wrote about the FBI file for my great uncle, Samuel "Stanford" Ophan Van Every

A wife of his had written the following in July 1918

War Department
Information Bureau
Washington, DC

Gentlemen: I was married to S.O Van Every, March 20, 1917 in Jacksonville Fla., my husband gave his age then as 28 but on June 5th of last year he very suddenly grew to be 32 he did not register for the draft ... Mr. Van Every deserted me last December in Little Rock Ark. when he went to Oroville Calif. and Martinez, Calif. and became engaged to another ... Mr. Van Every I learn has been married before he married me but had not a divorce.

I would like to know where I stand...He is a native of Texas, his parents live in Fabens, Texas ... Before the war he was pro-German.

Very Truly
Mrs. SO Van Every

The FBI file also indicated that an agent visited the parents of my great uncle, and evidence was provided that Samuel was actually 32 years old. His wife had been the one lied to, and not the government, so the government was fine with that. The FBI apparently also wasn't interested in investigating the accusations of bigamy. (There was a war; their focus was elsewhere, perhaps.)

By 2010 I had answered most of my questions about the FBI file. With a few exceptions.

1) I had names, and dates of marriage for wife #1, and the author of the above letter, but no evidence of divorces

2) I had no name for the woman he allegedly became engaged to in 1918. And I didn't know if they actually got married. Half of that has changed.

Below is a timeline with the information I now have.

• Jan 15, 1886 - Birth, San Marcos, Texas
• Jan 22, 1906 - Marriage to Esther Dahlin, Travis, Texas
• Aug 1, 1906 - Birth of Son, Everett Vanevery
• June 1, 1910 - Divorce filed

• 1911-1916 - Marriage to Elsa/Elsie Diebel
• 1914-1917 - Death of Elsa/Elsie Diebel

Several un-sourced online family trees state the marriage occurred in 1916, and Elsa died in 1917.
There is a tombstone in Goliad, Texas, for an Elsa D. Vanevery, and it says she died on May 21, 1914.

Elsie's name appears in family history notes of one of Samuel's sisters, so I am sure she was at one time married to Samuel. I'm just not certain about the dates. If the tombstone is hers, the marriage obviously occurred prior to May 1914. My grandmother's first husband, Alfred "Jack" Connevey, was a boarder of the Diebels in the 1910 census, so I would like to find out more about Elsie.

• March 20, 1917 - Marriage to Amy Johnston, Jacksonville, Duval, FL
• April 14, 1918  - ex-wife Esther Dahlin marries Charles Haynie
• June 4, 1918 - Engagement to Blanche Shuttler, Oroville, Texas (this is the newest information. Newspaper clippings below)
• July 1918 - Amy Johnston writes to the War Department
• Feb 1920 - Blanche Shuttler and "Mr. Van Every" are attendants at another wedding in Oakland, CA.
• April 1, 1924 - son Everett drowns in Barton Creek, Travis, TX
• 1930 Census - Samuel is living in Kansas City, Missouri, and allegedly has a wife named, Myrtle. His sister, Myrtle (my grandmother) may have visited her brother enough that a landlord, or neighbor, may have provided inaccurate information.
• Sept 18, 1933 - He is listed as a widow on his death certificate. The informant was my grandmother.

Wed, Jun 5, 1918 – 6 · The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California) · Newspapers.comFeb 27, 1920, Le Mars Semi Weekly Sentinel, (Le Mars, Iowa)


Further Notes:

1) Enough time elapses between June of 1918 and Feb 1920 that it isn't clear if my great uncle married Blanche Shuttler, and then they divorced, or if they were never married. It is possible that the letter Amy Johnston Van Every wrote to the War Department stopped the marriage from happening. It does make me wonder whether Blanche and my great uncle remained friends, and how tense the situation was when they were both attendants at another wedding in 1920.

2) As to Amy Johnston Van Every’s charges of bigamy, if Elsa/Elsie Diebel died before Samuel married Amy, he appears to be exonerated. Which is the case, if the tombstone is for Elsa, which I suspect it is. Samuel was married twice before Amy; one marriage ended in divorce, and the other in death. The 1918 engagement doesn't appear to have been followed by a marriage. Unless there is yet another wife that I have not uncovered.

A Tale of Two Grandmas

Below are two timelines, interwoven. These are the lives of my two grandmothers, mostly defined by the births, marriages, and deaths of themselves, and their close family. Though other important events in their lives are included. As is my habit, I have obscured some of the information on living relatives. [The timeline for Myrtle Van Every is an update of one I created back in March of 2008.]

While timelines in general are useful to visualize the order of events in someone's life, I thought interweaving these in this fashion might help visualize some parallels and differences.

While there are generic forms for creating timelines, I avoided them, because most of the forms I saw only allowed one line to enter the 'event' and as you will see below, I have a tendency to write more than that.

21 Mar 1900 – Myrtle Ethel Van Every is born in Maxwell, Texas, the eighth and final child of Melvin Van Every and Margaret Jane McAlpin Monteroy Denyer. (Three of those eight died as infants, so Myrtle grows up as the youngest of five children.)
21 Nov 1900 - Melvin Van Every appears in front of Dawes Commission testifying about the Denyer family Choctaw roots. He explains he is there in Margaret's stead, as she is home with a sick baby - Myrtle.
11 July 1902 - Hartley/Denyer application is rejected by the Dawes Commission for lack of evidence
08 Nov 1905 – Myrtle’s sister, Minnie Ray, at age 19, marries August Benold.
09 Jan 1909 - Myrtle's sister, Willa Ann, at age 19, marries Lexington Roberts
05 Dec 1912 - Myrtle's sister, Evelyn Syvela, at age 20, marries William Campbell
14 Aug 1914 – Belle "Sissie" Feinstein is born in St. Louis City, Missouri, the second child of Herman Max Feinstein and Anna (Blatt) Feinstein.
05 Mar 1915 – Sissie's grandfather, Selig Feinstein, dies of Chronic Interstitial Nephritis, a kidney disorder usually caused by a reaction to pain medication.
08 Jan 1916 – Myrtle’s sister, Willa Ann Van Every Roberts dies at age 26, leaving behind a daughter, Agnes, age 5.

16 Dec 1917 – Sissie's younger brother, Seymour “Babe” Feinstein, is born.

1917 - The Van Every Family moves to Fabens, TX, just south of El Paso. Melvin Van Every, obtains a job as El Paso County Apiary Inspector (two events are likely related)
1918 - Myrtle's probable graduation from high school. Personnel records indicate she had a high school degree, and two years of post-secondary education.
1919 - Letters from Myrtle's parents indicate she married and divorced a man named "Jack." Last name yet to be determined.
12 Aug 1919 - Myrtle begins working as a clerk at the QuarterMasterCorps in El Paso TX.
1920 – According to the US Census, Myrtle may be residing at Fort Bliss, in El Paso TX, at the QuarterMasterCorps. (Surname on census is illegible.)

20 Nov 1920 - Myrtle begins working for the US Post Office in St. Louis according to her personnel records. Myrtle’s brother, Samuel, is working towards a degree in Optometry in St. Louis.
02 May 1923 – In Hudspeth, TX, at the age of 55, Myrtle’s mother dies of Chronic Interstitial Nephritis, a kidney disorder usually caused by a reaction to pain medication.
1926 – Sometime between 1926 and 1930 Myrtle’s brother, Samuel, moves to Kansas City.

13 Apr 1926 – Sissie's grandfather, Morris Blatt, dies.

30 Apr 1927 – Myrtle marries Dale B Ridgely in San Francisco.
12 Aug 1927 - Divorce proceedings between Myrtle and Dale begin
26 Sept 1927 - Myrtle returns to work in St. Louis, Missouri
14 Oct 1927 - Divorce decreed.

1928 - By 1928 the Feinstein family have moved to San Bonita Avenue, in Clayton, St. Louis County, Missouri.

26 May 1929 – Myrtle’s father dies at the age of 66 in Garfield, New Mexico. At some point in the past 6 years he has remarried. Myrtle also changes her surname back to Van Every.

10 Aug 1932 – Sissie's grandmother, Annie (Perlik) Feinstein, dies.
1933 – Sisse is graduated from Clayton High School
18 Sept 1933 – Myrtle’s brother, Samuel, dies in Kansas City, MO of cirrhosis of the liver, caused by alcohol. Myrtle was the informant on the death certificate. There are indications her sisters may not have been there with her. Family would later tell Myrtle’s daughters that he died in a flu epidemic. If Myrtle was the only one there, it's not clear if she was the only one who knew the truth. [At age 33, both of Myrtle’s parents are deceased, and only two sisters remain alive.]
08 June 1934 - Myrtle's future husband, Martin Deutsch, accepts transfer to the St. Louis Post Office HDQ as Postal Inspector.
01 July 1935 - Myrtle transfers to St. Louis Division Hdq
10 May 1936 - Sissie secretly marries Melvin Lester Newmark; Waterloo, Monroe County, Illinois
31 Dec 1936 – Myrtle marries Martin Joel Deutsch in Springfield, IL. They are driving to Chicago to see Martin’s sister, Berta, get married to Herman Freed.

01 Nov 1936 - Sissie's brother, "Benny", marries Belle Hoffman
10 Jan 1937 - Sissie and Melvin are married in front of their families at United Hebrew Temple in St. Louis, the ceremony conducted by Rabbi Samuel Thurman. No one learns about the earlier secret marriage for many years.

14 Feb 1937 – Myrtle resigns from the Post Office. (effective date)
1938 - Myrtle and Martin have a daughter. Sissie and Melvin have a son.
1940 – Myrtle and Martin have a second daughter.
1941 - Myrtle and Martin move to Oakley Drive, in Clayton, St. Louis County, MO
Mar 1942 – Myrtle’s husband Martin, already an Army reserve officer, enters active service, most of it spent in Africa. Not long after, Myrtle retuns to work at the St. Louis Post Office.
29 Apr 1942 - Sissie's brother, "Babe", marries Leonore Miller
15 Oct 1942 - Sissie and Melvin have a second son, Stevan J Newmark

1943 - Sissie's husband, Melvin joins up with the American Red Cross, most of it he is stationed in Australia

1945 – Myrtle and daughters move temporarily to West Palm Beach, FL. (House in Clayton not sold)
04 Oct 1945 - Myrtle files an affidavit that her birthdate was March 21, 1905. Her sister, Minnie, testifies in support of this statement, declaring she was present at the birth. (1905 was the year Minnie was married, so it is highly doubtful she misremembered Myrtle having been born in that year.) It is unknown why they did this. Maybe Myrtle was searching for a job and felt being five years younger would be beneficial.
1945 – November, Myrtle’s husband Martin returns home from active duty.
1945 - Sissie's husband, Melvin, returns from the war.
1946 – Deutsch Family returns to St. Louis
1947 – Myrtle takes family on vacation to Texas to visit her sisters Minnie and Eva, and their families.
11 Sept 1951 – Myrtle dies of colon cancer at the age of 51.
1952 - Sissie and Melvin have a third son
1955 - Newmark family moves to Payson Drive in Olivette, St. Louis County, Missouri.
08 Nov 1963 - Sissie's father Herman Max Feinstein dies.
09 Dec 1965 - Sissie's mother Anna (Blatt) Feinstein dies.
30 Mar 1968 – Sissie's older brother, Bernard “Benny” Feinstein dies.
22 Jan 1992 - Sissie's husband Melvin Lester Newmark, dies while vacationing in Palm Springs, California
04 Oct 1997 - Sissie's middle son, Stevan J Newmark dies.
06 Dec 1999 – Sissie's younger brother, Seymour “Babe” Feinstein dies.
11 Oct 2002 – Belle "Sissie" (Feinstein) Newmark dies from emphysema and pneumonia, at the age of 88.

I knew before I began that the two timelines would interweave well in the 1930s and 1940s with the marriages and the War. However, what this did highlight for me was that the date of both marriages appear to have been influenced by the marriage of a sibling.

Myrtle and Martin were married by a Justice of the Peace in transit to celebrate the wedding of Martin's sister. It wasn't a complete spur of the moment decision, as they had announced they were engaged at least a month earlier. I suspect since both her parents were gone, and she had already been married twice, albeit briefly both times, Myrtle had no interest in a family wedding.

While I knew Sissie and Melvin had been impatient to get married, I didn't know why the Feinstein and Newmark families had set the date as they had. If it had been in 1935, I would have guessed it was waiting for Sissie to turn 21, but she turned 22 in August of 1936. While I'm not certain, it appears the Feinsteins may have wanted Sissie's marriage to be after her older brother's. However, Sissie and Melvin were impatient, so they too were married by a Justice of the Peace.

Myrtle Ethel Van Every Deutsch (1900-1951) - a timeline

One idea that was presented in a beginning genealogy course I took from the St. Louis Genealogical Society was to create a detailed time-line for individuals in your family tree. Have an event for every year of their life. As many of these events as possible should be documented, but years can be filled in with events that were happening locally or nationally. Benefits of this include that it makes it easier to see where chronological gaps exist in your knowledge, and it creates an outline for a more detailed biography

I decided to start with my grandmother, Myrtle Ethel Van Every Deutsch. The following isn’t complete, but it’s what I know, and unless I learn more, will be filled in with local and national events. (e.g. 1901 will likely be: Sept 14 - Vice President Theodore Roosevelt begins first term as President after William McKinley's assassination. That's a pretty good historical marker.)

1900 – On March 21, Myrtle Ethel Van Every was born in Maxwell, Texas, the eighth and final child of Melvin Van Every and Margaret Jane McAlpin Monteroy Denyer. (Three of those eight died as infants, so Myrtle grew up as the youngest of five children.) [Note: Ancestral surnames as middle names are common in the Denyer line, but no evidence of Scottish McAlpin roots have yet been uncovered.]
1905 – On November 8, Myrtle’s sister, Minnie Ray, at age 19, marries August Benold.
1916 – On January 8, Myrtle’s sister, Willa Ann Van Every Roberts dies at age 26, leaving behind a daughter, Agnes, age 5.
1918 - probable graduation of high school. Personnel records indicate she had a high school degree, and two years of post-secondary education.
1920 – Myrtle may be residing at Fort Bliss, in El Paso TX, at the QuarterMasterCorps, according to the census. (Surname on census is illegible.) She is a clerk at the QMC according to her personnel records.
1921 – Myrtle has begun working for the US Post Office in St. Louis according to her personnel records. Myrtle’s brother Samuel, an optometrist, also moves to St. Louis according to the St. Louis City Directory.
1923 – May 2, in Hudspeth, TX, at the age of 55, Myrtle’s mother dies of Chronic Interstitial Nephritis, a kidney disorder usually caused by a reaction to pain medication.
1926 – Sometime between 1926 and 1930 Myrtle’s brother, Samuel, moves to Kansas City.
1927 – Myrtle changes her surname to Ridgely. Personnel Records say due to a marriage. The marriage doesn't appear in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, or Kansas City indexes.
1929 – May 26, Myrtle’s father dies at the age of 66 in New Mexico. At some point in the past 6 years he had remarried. Myrtle also changes her surname back to Van Every.
1930 – On census, Myrtle is listed as divorced.
1933 – Sept 18, Myrtle’s brother, Samuel, dies in Kansas City, MO of cirrhosis of the liver, caused by alcohol. Myrtle was the informant on the death certificate. Family would later tell Myrtle’s daughters that he died in a flu epidemic. [At age 33, both of Myrtle’s parents are deceased, and only two sisters remain alive.]
1936 – December 31, Myrtle marries Martin Joel Deutsch in Springfield, IL They were driving to Chicago to see Martin’s sister, Berta, get married. Martin also received a significant raise to his salary on Dec 31, 1936 according to his Personnel Folder. This may or may not be related.
1937 – January, Myrtle resigns from the Post Office.
1938 – Myrtle and Martin have a daughter.
1940 – Myrtle and Martin have a second daughter
1942 – In March, Myrtle’s husband Martin, already an Army reserve officer, enters active service, most of it spent overseas.
1945 – Myrtle and daughters are living in West Palm Beach, FL.
1945 – November, Myrtle’s husband Martin returns home from active duty.
1946 – Family returns to St. Louis
1947 – Myrtle takes family on vacation to Texas to visit her sisters Minnie and Eva, and their families.
1951 – Sept 11, Myrtle dies of colon cancer at the age of 51.

There are family rumors of a ‘fling’ in her late teenage years. This ‘fling’ may have been with a soldier, as the 1920 census says she’s married, even though her personnel records says she is using her maiden name. (Which isn’t mutually exclusive, even in 1920.) It would also explain why she is residing at Fort Bliss as a civilian.

The personnel records in St. Louis were sparse…A signed oath of office, and a list of dates of promotions, salary increases, and name changes. I was extremely excited upon seeing this list, because my mother had known about prior brief marriage(s) but had no details, and had no idea Myrtle had been in St. Louis since 1921. I am awaiting the possibility of more records from Washington, DC.

Unfortunately, it isn't known who accompanied her on her vacation to the Grand Canyon in 1925 from which the photos were taken. Her companion appears younger, and may have been a niece.