Wordless Wednesday ~ Out For a Drive

 

Orion M. Judd, left (1st cousin 3x removed) 

Daisy Smith Judd (Orion's wife) 

and Mr. & Mrs. Brundoch 

Fresno, California August 30, 1925 

Cars: What Did People Drive? 1920

Date Confirmed via Newspaper ~ Rev. Ruth in Alaska

Rev. C.W.. Ruth (husband's grandfather) standing center, Skagway, Alaska ~ 1905

Newspapers are one of the family historian's best tools. Rich with dates and facts, making our ancestors come to life. Also, they verify events, we know or don't know. When someone was born, died and married. Did they move to another location? Do we find them as being famous or even more fun ... infamous. 

One of my favorite descendants to research is Rev. Christian Wismer Ruth (known as Rev. C.W. Ruth).  He was my husband's paternal grandfather. From the time he was a young man, Christian was a traveling preacher. I have documented his career from the late eighteen hundreds, to his death, May 27, 1941. 

Christian was born into the Mennonite faith in Bucks County, Pennsylvania on September 1, 1865. In 1884 he became a preacher with the Evangelical Christian Church. He then reorganized the church as the Holiness Christian Association. In 1908 Christian, and about half of the congregation, joined the Church of the Nazarene.

Over the years, I have been in contact with researchers around the globe. Some with information about the churches, some about Rev. C.W. Ruth. They have kindly furnished important facts to complete Christian's timeline. Some have even gifted us with special photographs.

Last year we came into possession of the above picture. Here are known facts shared:

• the two men are C.W. Ruth and E.L. Wilson
• Peniel Mission, Skagway, Alaska
• date circa 1905

Periodically, I set aside time for "C.W. Ruth" newspaper searches. This morning hit pay-dirt! While using the Library of Congress "Chronicling America" site found the following.

• The daily Alaskan. [volume] (Skagway, Alaska), 29 Sept. 1905. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014189/1905-09-29/ed-1/seq-1/>

From the article we have the following:

• C.W. Ruth and E.L. Wilson
• Peniel mission, Skagway, Alaska 
• date September 1905

Thanks to a newspaper website, I believe we have verified our photograph. 

Our Ancestor Was ~ Lithographer

Natural History Bird Print, Circa 1879 - Lithograph courtesy The Graphics Fairy

While searching death certificates at Maryland State Archives, this one caught my attention. Here we discover Bernard John Gaphardt's occupation was lithographer.

                                                       Bernard John Gaphardt, great-uncle 

      b. 07/06/1920 in Baltimore, Maryland

      d.  11/15/1966 in Baltimore, Maryland

I must admit not being 100% sure what the particular term meant. Here are a few resources to help understand this occupation.

Wikipedia describes lithography - "invented by Alois Senefelder in Bohemia in 1796. In the early days of lithography, a smooth piece of limestone was used (hence the name "lithography": "lithos" is the ancient Greek word for stone). After the oil-based image was put on the surface, a solution of gum arabic in water was applied, the gum sticking only to the non-oily surface. During printing, water adhered to the gum arabic surfaces and avoided the oily parts, while the oily ink used for printing did the opposite."

Lithography from the University of Delaware Library

Lithography by Joseph Pennell - copyright, September, 1912

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Practical Lithography, by Alfred Seymour

Another clue under "kind of business or industry" we see "Crown Cork & Seal Co". Below are a few links about this company.

"Crown Cork and Seal Collection" from Maryland Historical Society, tells us that by 1930 half of the world's supply of bottle caps were produced at the plant. Also, we learn about the photolithographic process of printing bottle caps.

Baltimore Heritage site "Crown Cork & Seal on Eastern Avenue" by Sierra Hallman.

Is this where Bernard's skill came into play? Did he imprint bottle tops?

It was fun and educational to dig deeper into Bernard's life. Also, love finding pieces of Baltimore history.

+This post is part of series "Our Ancestor Was". Will be documenting interesting and unusual occupations as discovered.

Escape from Libby Prison

George Hills Starr

1st cousin 4x removed of husband

b. Jan 08, 1840

Rochester, New York

d. Jul 1916

Yonkers, New York

Free book sites have become some of my favorite genealogy resources. Checking databases in hopes of discovering a new ancestor, unearthing family history and trying to place events in context.

Last year I found an obituary for George Hills Starr, 1st cousin 4x removed of my husband. In the article we learn of George's involvement in an elaborate escape from Libby Prison during the Civil War.

Excerpt from obituary - New York Times, July 31, 1916

"Colonel Starr was sent to Libby Prison, from which he escaped, being one of the 105 men who got out through a tunnel. After being recaptured he was sent to Macon, Ga., where he again escaped. On being captured a third time, Colonel Starr was sent to "Old Camp Sorghum", in Columbia, S.C."

I decided to search Google Books for resources about the Libby Prison Escape. 

Discovered The Photographic History of the Civil War...: Prisons and hospitals. by. Francis Trevelyn Miller - Editor-In-Chief. Roberts Sampson Lanier - Managing Editor. Published by The Review of Reviews Co., 1911. This volume gives further details about this historical event. 

In the book we learn "about a hundred Union officers escaped from Libby Prison, chiefly by crawling through a tunnel bored under the street."

Next I went to Project Gutenberg. This is a website with "a library of over 60,000 free eBooks". There I discovered the following article with even more detail about the escape.

Famous Adventures And Prison Escapes Of The Civil War. Published by The Century Co., 1911. 

Here we are told "The Richmond papers having announced the "miraculous" escape of 109 Yankee officers from Libby, curious crowds flocked thither for several days, until some one, happening to remove the plank in the yard, revealed the tunnel."

Also, with Google search found escape diagram on the Civil War Richmond website.

Even though George is not mentioned, we gather important facts to complete his story. You might not discover your ancestor on the pages of a book, but you may uncover events that directly influenced their lives.

One Photograph=Mystery Solved

Marie Kriss - b. Oct. 26, 1902, Baltimore, MD d. May 2, 1993, Harrison, MS

Google is our genealogy friend. When finding new ancestors, creating various Google searches is a must.

Mainly we find obituaries, engagement and marriage announcements, and other everyday events. But sometimes, we are lucky enough to stumble across someone famous. And of course, we love finding the infamous.

Using Google search "marie kriss"+biloxi I discovered this amazing photograph. It was located on The Library of Congress website. Title being "Marie Kriss, seven years old, shucks oysters and picks shrimp at Biloxi Canning Co., when not tending the baby. Makes 25 cents some days. Biloxi, Mississippi."

The photograph is part of the Lewis Hine Photograph collection. "In 1954 the Library recieved the records of the National Child Labor Committee, including approximately 5,000 photographs and 350 negatives by Lewis Hine."

Marie Kriss was my 1st cousin 2x removed. She was born October 26, 1902 in Baltimore, Maryland. Marie's mother, Mary Jerousek Kriss, was my 2nd great-aunt. 

For many years I was baffled why this particular line relocated to Mississippi. Upon immigrating from Bohemia, most Jerousek ancestors remained in Baltimore.

First record located for the family is the 1900 United States Federal Census. They are residing in Baltimore, Maryland. By the 1910 United States Federal Census, we locate them in Biloxi Ward, Harrison, Mississippi.

Clues from this photograph help with possible reason for Biloxi relocation. In the title we see Marie "shucks oysters and picks shrimp at Biloxi Canning Co". 

Back to Google we go. Search "baltimore"+"seafood"+bilox" brought me to the website Mississippi History Now. There we find a feature story called "The Seafood Industry in Biloxi: It's Early History, 1848-1930". 

The article talks about local Biloxi businessman, M. Dukate. "Once the canning factory opened, Dukate traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, to study oyster and shrimp canning methods used in that already booming seafood processing area".  

In the article, we learn the critical piece to solve the mystery. "The first workers in the factories were the migrant Bohemians from Baltimore whom Dukate had seen in that city". 

In 1900 United States Census, we see Joseph's occupation as "Captain" in the "Schooner" industry. Did he believe his skills would be in demand once relocated to Biloxi? Did he think he was moving the family to a better life? 

I would like to think their lives improved, But, the Mississippi History Now article paints a difficult existence for these workers. Following quote tells more of the story.

"Rows of shotgun clapboard houses, collectively refereed to as camps, had been built by the factories' owners to lodge the seasonal workers. Locals christened the seafood camps the "Hotel d'Bohemia."

Viewing the photograph of Marie, gives an idea of the family's life in Biloxi. Residing in one of the "camps". Marie is working inside and outside the home at seven years old. So hard to think about these young children in such dangerous conditions.

Interesting fact about Lewis Hine, the photographer of the picture. I found his story on History.com in an article called "These Appalling Images Exposed Child Labor in America". We learn Hine left his job as a New York City school teacher to expose the "exploitative nature" of young children. His efforts did not immediately change law, but his photographs drew public attention. 

And one of these important law changing photographs ... Marie Kriss. My ancestor.

Bible Tells Me So ~ Charles Judd Revealed

This family treasure came from a special Ancestry Cousin. Little did I know reaching out to a fellow genealogist would uncover such a gem.

I have been communicating with Dee about the Judd family line. In particular, Charles Judd. Charles was my 3rd great-uncle. He was born October 5, 1843 in Germany. He died May 6, 1888 in Sherman, Texas.

Dee sent an email with various photographs. She thought several were related to Charles Judd. There were four photographs in all, two of a gentleman in Civil War uniform, and two a Bible with inscription. The photograph of the Civil War soldier did have "Charles Judd" on the back. Gathering clues, I was able to prove this was our family's ancestor.

"This is the property of Charles Judd if anybody find this and I am dead please notify my Parents of it at No 20 Walker Street Baltimore MD"

"Charles Judd No 20 Walker Srt Baltimore"

"My Father Mathius Judd No. 20 Walker Str Baltimore Md"

In the Bible, Charles Judd gives father's name as Mathius Judd. Address to contact his parents 20 Walker str.

Mathias Judd was my 3rd great grandfather. Maryland, City Directory, 1865 has the family residing at 20 Walker Street. Eureka!

Right away, I sent an email to Dee with this discovery. She responded with "Hello cousin, let's have some genealogy fun!"

Now Dee (still trying figure out exact relation) and I are communicating about shared heritage. She kids about names for our new family team. She suggested "purveyors of the past", "missing linkers" or, "tree branchers". Love her sense of humor.

How fortunate to discover a family connection willing to share.