a bit late on this follow up because I wasn't feeling well...
My last blog post ended with my search for St. Aloysius High School in Brooklyn, NY. My maternal grandmother, Eleanor Davis supposedly attended this high school according to her elementary school record from St. Leonard's and her autograph book. Where is/was St. Aloysius? I couldn't find it anywhere. I checked the internet... no luck.
I finally called the diocese and was told that there was a high school in Brooklyn called St. Aloysius. It had been closed down and the records stored at the diocese. I would have called the diocese much sooner and I had thought of it but I wanted to find the information on my own.
The very nice gentleman in the archives department told me that they have school records for St. Aloysius dating from 1931 to 1964 and that this school was located on Stanhope Street.
I'm looking forward to this record.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Eleanor's Education
My maternal grandmother Eleanor attended St. Leonard's catholic elementary school in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, NY in the early 1930's.
This church/school closed in the 1970's and was eventually demolished in 2001. The school records were sent to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and the sacramental church records were sent to St. Joseph Patron Saint of the Universal Church. (I couldn't find a photo of this church before the boarded/broken windows)
I finally ordered MaMa's school record which I was happy to receive so quickly. Well, actually I would have been thrilled to receive any kind of school record no matter how long it took. This record shows that MaMa started St. Leonard's in November of 1930 and had attended P.S. 145 prior to St. Leonard's. It does not show how long she was a student at P.S. 145 but the 1925 NY State Census has her living in Poughkeepsie with her parents and attending school there so I'm guessing she wasn't at P.S. 145 since first grade. I think she was already in Brooklyn by 1927 because that's when her 3 year old sister died at a hospital in Brooklyn. I think MaMa was living with her grandmother soon after her sister's death but that's just a guess. I called P.S. 145 to inquire about school records from 1930 and was told that "all the old records were lost in the flood." So, I'm not able to see the record from P.S. 145 but at least I found out that she attended this school. The school record from St. Leonard's has St. Aloysius listed as the high school my grandmother was going to attend. MaMa had written the name St. Aloysius in her autograph book as well.
It seems I have failed in my school research. I get a big 'F' for the high school records. The 1940 U.S. Federal Census shows that my grandmother had four years of high school but that's only as accurate as the person supplying the information. My grandmother's autograph book and her elementary school record both has St. Aloysius listed as her high school. Mama lived in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn within walking distance to P.S. 145 and St. Leonard's elementary schools but where was S. Aloysius? I have checked the internet and cannot find a St. Aloysius high school in Brooklyn. There is a St. Aloysius in Ridgewood which is the borderline of Brooklyn and Queens. I called and found out that it is an elementary school. The woman I spoke to did not know of a St. Aloysius High School in Brooklyn.
I will not accept failure. I'll take an early spring break from St. Aloysius then return refreshed and relaxed and ready to resume research.
P.S. 145 as it looked when MaMa attended
P.S. 145 as it looked when MaMa attended
P.S. 145 currently
* * While looking for pictures on the internet for St. Leonard's and P.S. 145, I stumbled upon a website for catholic schools that had a listing of retired schools. I saw St. Aloysius Parish High School for Girls on that list; actually under a list for the schools that they would like more information about. Well, at least I think I found MaMa's school. I tried calling the diocese but the archives department was unavailable. I'll try again tomorrow or in a few days.
This church/school closed in the 1970's and was eventually demolished in 2001. The school records were sent to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and the sacramental church records were sent to St. Joseph Patron Saint of the Universal Church. (I couldn't find a photo of this church before the boarded/broken windows)
I finally ordered MaMa's school record which I was happy to receive so quickly. Well, actually I would have been thrilled to receive any kind of school record no matter how long it took. This record shows that MaMa started St. Leonard's in November of 1930 and had attended P.S. 145 prior to St. Leonard's. It does not show how long she was a student at P.S. 145 but the 1925 NY State Census has her living in Poughkeepsie with her parents and attending school there so I'm guessing she wasn't at P.S. 145 since first grade. I think she was already in Brooklyn by 1927 because that's when her 3 year old sister died at a hospital in Brooklyn. I think MaMa was living with her grandmother soon after her sister's death but that's just a guess. I called P.S. 145 to inquire about school records from 1930 and was told that "all the old records were lost in the flood." So, I'm not able to see the record from P.S. 145 but at least I found out that she attended this school. The school record from St. Leonard's has St. Aloysius listed as the high school my grandmother was going to attend. MaMa had written the name St. Aloysius in her autograph book as well.
It seems I have failed in my school research. I get a big 'F' for the high school records. The 1940 U.S. Federal Census shows that my grandmother had four years of high school but that's only as accurate as the person supplying the information. My grandmother's autograph book and her elementary school record both has St. Aloysius listed as her high school. Mama lived in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn within walking distance to P.S. 145 and St. Leonard's elementary schools but where was S. Aloysius? I have checked the internet and cannot find a St. Aloysius high school in Brooklyn. There is a St. Aloysius in Ridgewood which is the borderline of Brooklyn and Queens. I called and found out that it is an elementary school. The woman I spoke to did not know of a St. Aloysius High School in Brooklyn.
I will not accept failure. I'll take an early spring break from St. Aloysius then return refreshed and relaxed and ready to resume research.
P.S. 145 as it looked when MaMa attendedP.S. 145 as it looked when MaMa attendedP.S. 145 currently* * While looking for pictures on the internet for St. Leonard's and P.S. 145, I stumbled upon a website for catholic schools that had a listing of retired schools. I saw St. Aloysius Parish High School for Girls on that list; actually under a list for the schools that they would like more information about. Well, at least I think I found MaMa's school. I tried calling the diocese but the archives department was unavailable. I'll try again tomorrow or in a few days.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Bittersweet Birthday
On this day, January 29th, in 1927, William Howard Davis was born.
Billy was born the day after his older sister, three year old Dorothy died. I can't imagine how his mother would be happy to celebrate the birth of her new baby son when she was mourning the death of her little girl. This wasn't a happy birth day.
Billy was born the day after his older sister, three year old Dorothy died. I can't imagine how his mother would be happy to celebrate the birth of her new baby son when she was mourning the death of her little girl. This wasn't a happy birth day.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Goodbye Dorothy
86 years ago today, Heaven welcomed a little angel. Dorothy Davis was only 3 years old when she died on this day, January 28th in 1927.
It is time to say goodbye forever. There is nothing else to write. I don't know anything about this little girl other than the place and cause of death which is shown on the death certificate. I have no stories to tell.
Dorothy died in Brooklyn, NY but was buried in the Davis family plot in the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery located in Poughkeepsie, NY.
♥ R.I.P. ♥
It is time to say goodbye forever. There is nothing else to write. I don't know anything about this little girl other than the place and cause of death which is shown on the death certificate. I have no stories to tell.
Dorothy died in Brooklyn, NY but was buried in the Davis family plot in the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery located in Poughkeepsie, NY.
♥ R.I.P. ♥
Friday, January 18, 2013
Hereditary Headaches
One step forward... two steps back
2013 was supposed to be the year that I get organized with genealogy and update my blog more often including adding photos to accompany my stories. The pain has been holding me back.
I finally visited a neurologist a few months ago to find out why I was getting headaches every day. I was living on painkillers and I would often take two pills as soon as I got out of bed in the morning. It is not normal to take this over the counter medicine as soon as I wake up and then more throughout the day. Why? Why was I always in pain?
The neurologist diagnosed me with Chronic Daily Migraines. I didn't want to think that I had migraines every day so I suggested that it might be stress since I'm not happy with my job. The doctor told me that stress could contribute to migraines but is not the only cause. He also told me that chocolate, Chinese food, and cheese could trigger the migraines. Then he told me that migraines can be hereditary with the women in the family.
What? hereditary headaches ? ? ?
I asked my mother if she ever had migraines or ever had this type of headache when she was younger. My mother told me that she's had a migraine only once in her life. I asked about my grandmother getting headaches but my mother didn't know. She said that MaMa had a very low tolerance for pain. Well, that's no help.
As of this writing, the medicine that the doctor prescribed which came with 6 refills is no longer effective after taking it for two months. I am seriously considering finding another doctor or maybe trying some type of herbal remedy. I need relief from these migraines...
Why did I have to inherit the headaches?
2013 was supposed to be the year that I get organized with genealogy and update my blog more often including adding photos to accompany my stories. The pain has been holding me back.
I finally visited a neurologist a few months ago to find out why I was getting headaches every day. I was living on painkillers and I would often take two pills as soon as I got out of bed in the morning. It is not normal to take this over the counter medicine as soon as I wake up and then more throughout the day. Why? Why was I always in pain?
The neurologist diagnosed me with Chronic Daily Migraines. I didn't want to think that I had migraines every day so I suggested that it might be stress since I'm not happy with my job. The doctor told me that stress could contribute to migraines but is not the only cause. He also told me that chocolate, Chinese food, and cheese could trigger the migraines. Then he told me that migraines can be hereditary with the women in the family.
What? hereditary headaches ? ? ?
I asked my mother if she ever had migraines or ever had this type of headache when she was younger. My mother told me that she's had a migraine only once in her life. I asked about my grandmother getting headaches but my mother didn't know. She said that MaMa had a very low tolerance for pain. Well, that's no help.
As of this writing, the medicine that the doctor prescribed which came with 6 refills is no longer effective after taking it for two months. I am seriously considering finding another doctor or maybe trying some type of herbal remedy. I need relief from these migraines...
Why did I have to inherit the headaches?
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
MaMa, How Old Are You?
It isn't polite to ask a lady her age and I don't mean to be rude but how old are you? The family always thought you were born in 1920.
My maternal grandmother, Eleanor was born on June 2nd to Samuel and Josephine Davis. She was the eldest of five children but what year was she born? MaMa's death certificate shows her year of birth as 1920. We all know that this vital record is only as accurate and reliable as the person supplying the information. Well, I found out that the information was wrong when I saw my grandmother listed as a 12 year old in the 1930 U.S. Federal Census and 2 years old in the 1920 census. When the 1940 census was released last year I was so excited and couldn't wait to find my grandmother. and there she was... a 22 year old grown up young lady living in Brooklyn, NY.
The U.S. Federal Censuses have MaMa's year of birth as abt 1918 and the 1925 New York State Census has the year 1917. I finally accepted the year 1918 and totally disregarded the year 1917 until I stumbled upon a church record which had me doubting 1918.
I don't remember how I found this German Genealogy Group site but it's great. germangenealogygroup.com This is a site for those interested in researching their Germanic ancestors. Among the naturalization and vital records databases for New York City, there are a few church databases. St. Leonard's of Port Maurice R.C. Church in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn is the church that my mother and grandmother attended. They also attended St. Leonard's elementary school. This site that I discovered has baptism, communion, and marriage indexes. It has the years 1872 to 178 for baptism and marriage records and 1920 to 1978 for the communion records. I found baptism and communion records for my mother and aunt and then I struck gold. I found a baptism record for an Eleanor Davis born June 2, 1917. Even though the year of birth is listed as 1917, I know that this is my grandmother because the middle name shown is actually MaMa's confirmation name and the year of this sacrament was 1931 making her 14 years old. I'm guessing this record should have been in an index for the confirmation records and not the communion records.
St. Leonard's is no longer in operation as a church or a school. It was demolished and the records were transferred. The school records are held with the Roman Catholic Diocese in Brooklyn and the sacramental records are at St. Joseph Patron of the Universal Church in Brooklyn, NY. I already ordered MaMa's school records and will soon order the sacramental records. When I ordered the school records, I wrote the year of birth as 1918 or 1917.
I'm sure now that MaMa was born in 1917 because I took another look at the 1920 U.S. census which asked for the place of abode on January 1, 1920. MaMa is listed as 2 6/12. She was two and a half years old on January 1, 1920 so she was born in June of 1917.
My maternal grandmother, Eleanor was born on June 2nd to Samuel and Josephine Davis. She was the eldest of five children but what year was she born? MaMa's death certificate shows her year of birth as 1920. We all know that this vital record is only as accurate and reliable as the person supplying the information. Well, I found out that the information was wrong when I saw my grandmother listed as a 12 year old in the 1930 U.S. Federal Census and 2 years old in the 1920 census. When the 1940 census was released last year I was so excited and couldn't wait to find my grandmother. and there she was... a 22 year old grown up young lady living in Brooklyn, NY.
The U.S. Federal Censuses have MaMa's year of birth as abt 1918 and the 1925 New York State Census has the year 1917. I finally accepted the year 1918 and totally disregarded the year 1917 until I stumbled upon a church record which had me doubting 1918.
I don't remember how I found this German Genealogy Group site but it's great. germangenealogygroup.com This is a site for those interested in researching their Germanic ancestors. Among the naturalization and vital records databases for New York City, there are a few church databases. St. Leonard's of Port Maurice R.C. Church in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn is the church that my mother and grandmother attended. They also attended St. Leonard's elementary school. This site that I discovered has baptism, communion, and marriage indexes. It has the years 1872 to 178 for baptism and marriage records and 1920 to 1978 for the communion records. I found baptism and communion records for my mother and aunt and then I struck gold. I found a baptism record for an Eleanor Davis born June 2, 1917. Even though the year of birth is listed as 1917, I know that this is my grandmother because the middle name shown is actually MaMa's confirmation name and the year of this sacrament was 1931 making her 14 years old. I'm guessing this record should have been in an index for the confirmation records and not the communion records.
St. Leonard's is no longer in operation as a church or a school. It was demolished and the records were transferred. The school records are held with the Roman Catholic Diocese in Brooklyn and the sacramental records are at St. Joseph Patron of the Universal Church in Brooklyn, NY. I already ordered MaMa's school records and will soon order the sacramental records. When I ordered the school records, I wrote the year of birth as 1918 or 1917.
I'm sure now that MaMa was born in 1917 because I took another look at the 1920 U.S. census which asked for the place of abode on January 1, 1920. MaMa is listed as 2 6/12. She was two and a half years old on January 1, 1920 so she was born in June of 1917.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
January 5th Birthday Boys
Today is my son Gregory's 6th birthday (no pics of Greg for his protection). It is also Greg's great-great grandfather's birthday.
Samuel George Davis, my maternal grandmother's father was born in Ohio on this day in 1885. He was the oldest of three children for Daniel and Flora and their only son.
In mid January of 1899, young Samuel was an inmate at the Boys Industrial School, a reform school in Lancaster, Ohio. He was admitted for incorrigibility and truancy. The school records described my great-grandfather as having a pleasant, bright face who didn't drink or smoke. Was it his home life that caused his mischief? His parents were deaf and his father liked to indulge according to the school record which described Daniel as intemperate. Maybe there wasn't much discipline at home? Samuel was released from the reform school on August 9, 1900.
By 1910, Samuel was living in Brooklyn, NY with his parents and younger sister. On the 12th of September in 1918, Samuel filled out the draft registration card for World War I. He is described as medium height and build with gray eyes and brown hair. It doesn't state his complexion but that is listed as fair on the school records. I love how some of the records I've found for ancestors have physical descriptions. Samuel's draft registration card also states that he has a "loss of thumb and first finger on left hand". interesting...
The 1920 U.S. Census shows Samuel with his wife and two children (my maternal grandmother and her younger brother) still living in Brooklyn but not for much longer. The 1922 city directory for Poughkeepsie shows Saml. G. Davis living on South Cherry Street which was the home of his parents.
Poughkeepsie, New York in Dutchess County is where my great-grandfather spent the rest of his life. He died on July 15, 1947 and is buried in the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery.
Happy Birthday in Heaven to Samuel George Davis.
Happy 6th Birthday to my beautiful little boy Gregory. ♥
Samuel George Davis, my maternal grandmother's father was born in Ohio on this day in 1885. He was the oldest of three children for Daniel and Flora and their only son.
In mid January of 1899, young Samuel was an inmate at the Boys Industrial School, a reform school in Lancaster, Ohio. He was admitted for incorrigibility and truancy. The school records described my great-grandfather as having a pleasant, bright face who didn't drink or smoke. Was it his home life that caused his mischief? His parents were deaf and his father liked to indulge according to the school record which described Daniel as intemperate. Maybe there wasn't much discipline at home? Samuel was released from the reform school on August 9, 1900.
By 1910, Samuel was living in Brooklyn, NY with his parents and younger sister. On the 12th of September in 1918, Samuel filled out the draft registration card for World War I. He is described as medium height and build with gray eyes and brown hair. It doesn't state his complexion but that is listed as fair on the school records. I love how some of the records I've found for ancestors have physical descriptions. Samuel's draft registration card also states that he has a "loss of thumb and first finger on left hand". interesting...
The 1920 U.S. Census shows Samuel with his wife and two children (my maternal grandmother and her younger brother) still living in Brooklyn but not for much longer. The 1922 city directory for Poughkeepsie shows Saml. G. Davis living on South Cherry Street which was the home of his parents.
Poughkeepsie, New York in Dutchess County is where my great-grandfather spent the rest of his life. He died on July 15, 1947 and is buried in the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery.
Happy Birthday in Heaven to Samuel George Davis.
Happy 6th Birthday to my beautiful little boy Gregory. ♥
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