For week 10 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge, the topic is "Bachelor Uncle." It was not difficult choosing an uncle to write about because most of the uncles in my tree were married.
Gerald P. Duper, my maternal grandmother's uncle was born 22 September 1910, the youngest of six children born to Stephen Duper and Teresa Devine. In 1930, the federal census shows that Gerald was a 19 year old knitter in a sweater factory in Brooklyn, NY. He was living with his mother, older brother Steven who was separated from his wife, and his niece, Eleanor who would become my grandmother. Ten years later, a 29 year old Gerald was working as a shipping clerk for a confectionery according to the 1940 federal census. My bachelor uncle (2nd great-uncle) was still living with his mother. His niece, Eleanor was still there as well.
I asked my mother if she remembered much about Uncle Gerald and what could she tell me. She told me that she doesn't remember much since she was only 7 or 8 years old when he died. Although my mother spent a lot of time visiting with her great-grandmother and saw Uncle Gerald while she was there, he usually kept to himself so she never really got to know him. Teresa rented a bungalow every summer in Rifton, NY which is upstate in Ulster County where her schoolteacher cousin taught in a one room schoolhouse. My grandmother, Eleanor and her two daughters spent the whole summer there. The men in the family had to work so my grandfather visited on weekends and sometimes Uncle Gerald would visit. My mother remembers Uncle Gerald's visits but once again didn't really talk to him so she couldn't tell me anything about what type of person he was - personality, character traits, etc... I know absolutely nothing about this man other than two jobs that he's had and that he smiles for the camera. If I had to guess his personality based on the photos I've seen then I would say he was a friendly fellow who liked to laugh and socialize but I have no idea.
My bachelor uncle died tragically in a fire along with his mother on New Year's Eve in 1955. He was only 45 years old.
Gerald P. Duper
1910-1955
Rest In Peace
Copyright 2019 by Annmarie Novick, Skipping Down Memory Lane. All Rights Reserved.
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