I’m so excited to be almost finished with another diary. This is the longest one I’ve transcribed to date and I have November and December left to finish. But my excitement is getting the better of me. Henry Gilbert kept … Continue reading
I love when I find photos of couples. These two are identified on the back of the cards by names Nathan and Margaret Ann Demarent Van Horsen. By relation, they are identified as “Lassie’s” mother and father and Grandmother and … Continue reading
Back to one of my all time favorite class photos, the Fifth Grade class of 1934 in McKinley School of Peekskill, NY. These kids really draw me into that photo for some reason. Anthony Moretti’s smile is particularly infectious :) … Continue reading
Professor Zimmer may have gone unidentified if not for the 1892 New York census. He looks quite young to be a professor and indeed he was. Born in 1868, he was about 20 in this photo from 1888 of the … Continue reading
Mary Burke #88 – This name is so common that without more information there’s no way I can narrow the identify of this young lady down. No one by this name, or close to her age was living in Cattaraugus county, New York in the 1925 census – or at least wasn’t recorded! But maybe a family member will recognize the name and/or photo and she’ll find a home after all.
#88 Mary Burke
Albert R. Haskin, Principal of the Eastman Business College
In 1888, Albert R. Haskin was the principal of the Eastman Business College. (See the full class photo here.) He was married to Mary Haskin with 2 children Albert and Minnie, aged 9 and 5 respectively.
Albert R. was born about 1850 in Indiana – although you’ll see Iowa on some documents – to Caleb and Rebecca Haskin. He appeared to be their oldest child. His father and grandfather were both farmers in Iowa when the family lived there. But by age 24, in 1874 Albert married a woman from New York (Mary). He was likely living there at the time.
His professional career (all in New York, most in Poughkeepsie) was in teaching and accounting. According the the census records: 1880 – Professor, 1892 – Teacher, 1900 – Auditor, 1910 – Accountant for a Tobacco company. I don’t see him in any census records after 1910 so he likely died before 1920.
It’s possible his daughter never married as she lived alone with her father in 1910, after Mary died. Minnie was 28 then. Son, Albert Cline Haskin (Cline is Mary’s maiden name I believe) was living with wife Julia in Connecticut in 1920.
Hopefully we can find some interested descendants!
Magdalene Weinman, Westbrook Commercial Academy, 1924-25
Magdalene had a very sweet young face. She was about 21 or 22 in this photo. She would soon be a full time stenographer at the Gouranda State Homes Hospital in Erie, New York. But in 1925 she lived with her family. Father: Charles Weinman (1871-1941), mother Christina Frey (1873-1965) and brother LeRoy (1904-1980). For all of Magdalene’s life up until 1930 she lived in Wellsville, Allegeny, New York – right next to the county where Westbrook Commercial Academy was. She was the first of two children, born the year after they were married, 1903.
Unfortunately I know little about Magdalene past the 1930 census. Wait, make that nothing. I know nothing past 1930. :( In 1940 her parents were still in Wellsville and her father would pass away a year later. Both Charles and Christina are buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Wellsville. Did she marry? Did she die? Did she move? Right now I have no answers, hopefully a family member does. It seems odd that there is information on every other family member other than Magdalene after 1930, but sometime that’s just how it goes.
Prof. A. C. MacDonald, 1888 Eastman Business College
I don’t believe Mr. MacDonald has any direct descendants looking for him, although I hope I’m wrong. A colleague of Mr. Christie and Mr. Gaines from the 1888 Eastman Business College photo, Professor A. C. MacDonald was Alexander MacDonald of Canada. He was born about 1855 and although his exact date of entry to the United States isn’t known to me, he was definitely here by 1886. That’s when he married his wife Elizabeth D. MacDonald. They had one child, named after mom, born in 1888.
Professor MacDonald and family show up in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, New York in the 1892 NY census (unlike Mr. Christie), the 1900 census and the 1910 census. MacDonald was a life long teacher apparently. I can’t confirm his location in 1880 – he may have still been in canada. And no record of any of the 3 family members seems to extend past 1910 – even the daughter. But my research hasn’t been deep.
Interestingly in 1900 there were 2 foreigners living with the family. A Jorge Juan Soroa, an 18 year old male from Cuba whose parents were Spanish; and N. Tamaoki, a 19 year old male from Japan. Were these foreign students attending his school? Much like exchange students of today – although they weren’t exchanged per se since the younger Elizabeth (12 at the time) was still at home. Mr. Soroa traveled to the US several times after that based on an “Alien Arrivals by Airplane” list and other documents.
Let’s hope the younger Elizabeth didn’t disappear after 1910. Maybe she’s living in Spain or Japan!
Professor S. N. Christie, 1888 Eastman Business College
I like a lot of solid evidence, any historian does, so this makes me nervous. Prof. S. N. Christie, of the 1888 Eastman Business College, pictured here, is probably the man I will describe below. His identity hinges on one census record that describes the man in my hypothesis. He is also the only man that comes up – there were not a plethora of S. N. Christies in Poughkeepsie. So, assuming my hypothesis is right, this is likely your guy.
S. N. is Samuel N. Christie. Born in 1849 in Maine – although his birthplace appears as PA once and NY once, other than than ME it is! The census record I’m placing all my hope on is the 1880 Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, New York federal census. This is the closest federal census to the date of the class photo and unfortunately the 1892 NY census records don’t extend to Dutchess county. In 1880 Mr. Christie is about 30 living with his wife Rosella and two small children Mabel and Frederick. And here’s the real hinge, he’s listed as a teacher. Ok, good possibility!
Unfortunately “Professor” Christie had a change of heart at some point and became an insurance salesman. EVERY OTHER document he appears in have his occupation listed as Insurance agent or salesman – son Harvey went into the biz too. Samuel died in 1923 in Connecticut, as did much of his family, daughter Mabel, son-in-law Henry, wife Rosella, probably his son’s but I couldn’t confirm that.
So there it is, my weak argument – I’m hopeful a family member can shed light on him and confirm the identity.
Marian O’connor, 1934, 5th grade, Peekskill, NY
Not everything can be uncovered. I know precious little about Marian O’Connor. Specifically I don’t know if she ever married and had descendants who might be looking for this adorable 5th grade photo. She might even still be alive and kicking! Here Marion is about 9 attending McKinley School in Peekskill, New York. She had a younger brother, Eugene, who would have been 6 or 7 at the time of this picture. A few census records are all I have to give me an inkling of who Marion/Marian was.
In 1925 the family, Peter O’Conner and wife Mary Krovjansky/Kravyanski lived in Cordlandt, New York. Mary’s father, Marion’s grandfather, lived with them. He was from Austria/Hungry. In 1930 the O’Connor’s had moved to Peekskill where Peter worked in a Food products company, Mary’s father was still with them. Mr. O’Connor had worked his way up to “yeast master” (a common profession in Peekskill apparently) by 1940. Both of Marion’s parents are buried in Assumption Cemetery in Cortlandt. Her father died in 1946 and her mother in 1977.
Here’s to hoping someone stumbles across Marion!
Unclaimed Ancestors 