Island Thoughts

Photo by Patrick Jones. Denarau Island, Fiji. 30 November 2017.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Mamanunca Islands, Fiji. 29 November 2017.

Sunset from The Getty

Photo by Patrick Jones. The Getty Museum, LA. 17 Jan 2018.

While in LA for meetings earlier in the month, I had an hour before closing to stop into the Getty Museum. It really isn't enough time to see the museum well, but I did capture a pretty amazing sunset. The couple talking on the balcony was a bonus in the shot.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Sunset at the Getty. 17 Jan 2018.

I wish I had more time to see the LA/LA exhibition as part of the Pacific Standard Time collaborative multi-museum extravaganza. When I was in LA in December, fires had closed the museum and the surrounding area. Fortunately the LA/LA series is available online.

The Spelling Book

Photo by Patrick Jones. 26 Jan 2018.

While helping my Mom sort through old books in preparation for an upcoming move, we uncovered a tattered old spelling book that belonged to a Raymond Harvey of Sheridan, Indiana. We have no idea how or when this book made it into one of her cabinets. Inside the book were many drawings and notes of a young boy, likely Raymond Harvey, and a photo of an older woman, who could have been from the early 1900s. As far as I know, we have no connection to the Harvey family.

Based on a search on Ancestry, I think the book once belonged to Raymond Harvey, who was born in Indianapolis on 9 December 1905 to Walter and Minnie Harvey. The family appears in the 1910 US Census in Clay Township, Hamilton County, Indiana, living next door to the family of Walter's brother Earl, and not far from older relatives, Ed and Mary A. Harvey.

Source: Ancestry. 1910 US Census.

It is possible the woman above was Harvey's mother, but in 1910 Harvey's mother was 24. I somewhat doubt the woman above was in her 20s when the photo was taken. Harvey's father Walter married Minnie Fisher on 19 June 1904 in Indianapolis. According to Walter's death certificate, his parents were Frank Harvey and Ella Bowen. I found Frank and Ella in the 1910 US Census, living near the other Harveys in Hamilton County. Ella was 43 in the 1910 US Census. Perhaps the woman in the photo above was Raymond's grandmother.

Raymond attended Indiana Central University (later this became the University of Indianapolis). He appears in the 1925 yearbook, and I include his photo below.

Raymond Harvey in 1925.

Again, as far as I can tell, we have no connection to this family. I thought it was worth looking to see if I could find out more about Raymond and the Harvey family via Ancestry. There is a tree on Ancestry that contains information on Raymond, and I have reached out to this person to see if they might be able to identify the woman in the photo.

An insight into the research process

Martinsville Reporter, 9 September 1997.

The clipping above was found by my Mom while cleaning for an upcoming move. This shows my Nana and Gumpy back in Martinsville, Indiana in 1997. At the time, Gumpy was doing research on old circus advertising on the back of Midwestern barns. I have highlighted some of his sketches and work from his self-published book, Vanishing Landmarks. See also the Power of Wind post from January 2013. I may have some additional sketches to post from the results of this research.

Back Again

Library of Virginia Digital Collection, 1952.

In the City of Angels

Photo by Patrick Jones. Near Chinatown, LA. 6 December 2017.

I'm back in LA for my annual January visit to headquarters. Yesterday I was able to catch the last hour of viewing at the Getty Museum, including a stunning sunset. I will have some photos from that visit soon. A sampling from previous January trips to LA can be found here: 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014.

Los Angeles is a regular trip for me and it has become a place that feels like home. This is one of my favorite cities in the world. I have been very lucky to be able to explore new parts and revisit some of my usual haunts when I come back.

Friday Photo - Street Food in Bangkok

Photo by K. Jones. Street food in Bangkok, 1969.

The photo above was taken by my Dad while stationed in Thailand in 1969. Many of his photos from this year were of regular people, at markets or in villages. This one was shows a street food vendor. When you look closer at the photo, there are piles of pad thai, eggs and other ingredients next to the cook.

The Bartender

I have previously written about Leonora Barba, sister of Marguerite Barba. This post takes a look at their brother, Henry John Barba. He was born on 8 November 1882 in New Orleans. As noted in Monday's post, Henry started his career as a cashier at the Hotel Morris Bar in Birmingham, Alabama in 1900. He moved back to New Orleans with his mother and sisters in 1901. Henry eventually relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio and he married actress Katherine Agnes Cain on 24 November 1908.

Ohio Marriage Records, Ancestry.

Like his sisters, his first marriage was short-lived. Henry returned to his mother's home at 708 Carondelet in the 1910 Census, but moved back to Cincinnati sometime after. His World War I draft card shows that he was back in Cincinnati, working as a bartender at the Wheel Cafe in 1918.

WWI Draft Card, 1918.

Henry married a second time, to a Catherine Dorothy (last name currently unknown to me). On his WW2 draft card in 1942, he listed Mrs. M. Barba, 1347 Magazine Street, New Orleans, as the person who would always know this address. Henry J. Barba died on 1 April 1947 in Cincinnati.

The Barba Family

As hinted in my earlier post, revisiting the family connections in New Orleans, the Barba family appears in New Orleans records as merchants and liquor distributors in the 1800s. My connection to the Barba family is through my great-grandfather Harry O'Brien, who had a short-lived first marriage with Marguerite Barba in New Orleans between 1906-1911. Finding the references to the Barba family alongside Hubert Fellrath caused me to check again for news clippings or documents that might provide some additional insight into this family.

Marguerite's mother, Margaret Sarah Spangeberg, married John Barba on 9 May 1877 in New Orleans. He was a clerk with the importer and grocer Jose Barba, who I think was either his uncle or father. Margaret was originally from Mississippi, and may have come from a wealthy family. Margaret appears in the New Orleans City Directories with husband John as a dressmaker. She and John had three children:
- Leonora Barba, born 8 January 1879
- Henry John Barba, born 8 November 1882
- Marguerite Theresa Barba, born 3 September 1884

John Barba took on a new job as a clerk for Angelo & Joseph Solari and worked there in the 1880s.

New Orleans City Directory.

In 1889, the family was at 90 Orleans Street, in the French Quarter. Their domestic life was not a great one by this time. John was arrested in 1888 for assaulting Margaret, and from the reading of the clipping below, it appears this was the second time she had him arrested.

Times-Picayune, 10 Nov 1888.

John Barba must have died about 1890, as he was no longer in the City Directory. Margaret was listed alone as a dressmaker, living at 121 1/2 N Rampart Street. In 1893, she was at 201 Camp Street.

1893 City Directory, New Orleans.

Margaret and family covered a lot of territory between Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama in the late 1880s-early 1900s, which makes me think she inherited a lot of money from her husband or from her own family. She appears in society clippings with daughter Marguerite in 1905 in Pascagoula, Mississippi; they attended a fancy wedding in 1896; checked into the Mexican Gulf Hotel in Pass Christian, Mississippi on 4th of July weekend in 1897.

Times-Picayune, 4 Jul 1897.

Margaret eventually went into renting furnished rooms for rent. In 1898, she advertised in the Times-Picayune that she had rooms for rent from $1 to $4 per day.

By 1900, Margaret and the children appear in Birmingham, Alabama. Her son Henry was working as a cashier at the Hotel Morris Bar, a luxury hotel located on the corner of 19th & 1st Avenue North.

1900 US Census. Birmingham, Alabama.

1900 US City Directory, Birmingham, Alabama.

Morris Hotel. Source: Bhamwiki.

Margaret and her children had returned to New Orleans in 1901, and she had acquired the home at 708 Carondelet Street. This is where my great-grandfather would meet Marguerite Barba in 1906.

Times-Democrat, 10 Sep 1901.

1910 US Census, New Orleans, Louisiana.

View of Carondelet Street

Photo by Eugene Delcroix. Louisiana Digital Library.

The photo above is titled View of Carondelet Street and is from the Louisiana Digital Library collection. This was the street where my great-grandfather Harry O'Brien lived at least from 1906-1908 in New Orleans. I will have more on Harry's connections in New Orleans, and on the family of his first wife, the Barbas.

Trouble with roaming cattle

The clipping below was taken from the New Orleans Times-Picayune in August 1889. John Halter, son of my wife's 4th-great-grandfather Francois Antoine Halter, was interviewed during a special council meeting of the New Orleans health committee on complaints brought by citizens concerning roaming dairy cattle. Like his father, this John was a gardener. The cows had become a significant nuisance for the gardeners in this part of New Orleans.

Times-Picayune, 30 Aug 1889.

Times-Picayune, 30 Aug 1889

The issue was not settled during this hearing. The article provides some insight into the living conditions for this John Halter, his family and fellow gardeners in New Orleans in the late 1880s.

Jean and Anna

RISD Museum. Gustave Le Gray, c. 1856-1857. Ships leaving Le Havre.

It looks like there may have been another brother of Francois Antoine Halter who arrived in New Orleans. Jean (or John) Halter arrived on the ship Ariel with his wife Anna on 29 April 1857. Jean Halter and Anna (or Marie Anna) Hess were from Alsace, France, and their ship departed from the port of Le Havre. They appear on the ship manifest submitted by the Captain to US Customs on arrival in 1857.

Source: Ancestry. Ship manifest of the Ariel, 29 Apr 1857.

That must have been quite the journey, leaving their homeland for opportunities in America.

Jean and Anna had one son, Edward Peter Halter about 1859, and a daughter, Josephine, on 19 August 1865. While I have not yet been able to find the family in the 1860 or 1870 US Census, I did find them in 1880.

Source: Ancestry. 1880 US Census, New Orleans.

In later records and news articles, Jean appears as John Halter. This is where it can get confusing, as Francois' son was also named John Halter, but born in 1846. In 1869, Jean was a witness on the death certificate for Jean Brecher (who had died in 1861 in New Orleans):

Source: Ancestry. 7 April 1869.

Edward appears in the New Orleans City Directory as a hostler with the New Orleans City and Lake Rail Road (1886 City Directory as an example). This meant he was an engineer responsible for moving the rail cars in and out of service facilities. The NOCLRR operated a street car line in the city. Jean may have also worked for the railroad, as seen in the City Directory entry for 1890 below.

Street cars in New Orleans, between 1883-1887.

Source: Ancestry. 1890 City Directory for New Orleans.

Anna died on 7 May 1892. The Times-Picayune newspaper ran an announcement on her death, and it provides some key information on her age and place of birth in Alsace.

Times-Picayune, 15 May 1892.

Edward died on 2 December 1899. Josephine lived with her father Jean (now John in the 1900 US Census), working as a seamstress. It is interesting to see Jean's homeland listed as Germany, which at the time Alsace was part of Germany instead of France.

Source: Ancestry. 1900 US Census.

Josephine married Peter Schmidt on 3 July 1901.

Jean Halter died on 10 February 1905 in New Orleans. A death announcement in the New Orleans Times-Democrat provides some important clues about his residence and other members of the family. His last address, 4559 North Rampart Street, is near the Mississippi River in the Lower Ninth Ward.

Times-Democrat. 11 Feb 1905.

Josephine inherited the house owned Jean, and appears as a widow living in the house in the 1930 US Census.

The death notice for Jean pointed me in the direction of another daughter of Jean and Anna, Mary Halter. She was born in New Orleans in September 1862. Mary wed Louis Reynolds in February 1880, which is why she doesn't appear with the family in the 1880 US Census. Mary and Louis were living next door to Jean and Josephine in the 1900 US Census. She died sometime before 1910.

There's a few more things to share on the Halter family in New Orleans before I move another family in the city, and that will wait for the next post.

The Fellrath Sisters and their families

Source: Louisiana Digital Gallery. Magnolia Vale with Young Women.

In yesterday's post, I wrote about the family of Sophia Halter and Hubert Fellrath, and continued with Hubert's later years in St Tammany, Louisiana with second wife Anna Barbara Kern. This post continues with the stories of Sophia's daughters and their families in New Orleans. The Halter and Fellrath families were French immigrants in New Orleans, and they moved in a community of merchants, liquor distributors, bottlers and brewers along the waterfront.

Maria Louisa Fellrath
I thought the early death of Maria Louisa Fellrath Werner in 1878 at the age of 33 marked the end of her story, but a lucky search through Newspapers.com uncovered a lawsuit and dissolution successfully brought by Louisa (or Louise) against husband Anton Werner in 1871.

Source: New Orleans Republican, 23 Dec 1871.

This prompted me to look back at the birth dates for Louise's children. Anton Werner was nearly the same age as her father Hubert, and had previously married. Like her father, she must have reconciled with husband Anton Werner after 1871, as they had two children after the judgment was rendered. Louisa and Anton had the following children:
- Hubert Anton Bernardus Werner, born 20 December 1869
- Edward Joseph Werner, born 2 September 1871
- George Louis Florent Werner, born 15 January 1874
- Joseph Simon Werner, born 19 January 1876

Louisa's infant son Edward was only two months old when the judgment was entered against Anton in November 1871. Louisa passed away on 4 September 1878, leaving behind the four young boys. The boys appear in the 1880 US Census at the St. Joseph's German Orphan Asylum in New Orleans.

Source: Ancestry. 1880 US Census.

Anton Werner died in March 1882. The children from his first marriage, Aloysius and Ludwig (Lewis in the newspaper) brought suit against his estate, and the Louisiana Supreme Court issued a judgment in 1884.

New Orleans Times-Democrat, 4 May 1884.

I wasn't able to find Hubert or Edward after 1880, but George and Joseph survived the orphanage into their later years. Joseph became a painter and it likely that descendants of his are still around.

Rosalia Fellrath
The second child of Sophia Halter and Hubert Fellrath, Rosalia Fellrath, like older sister Louisa,  married a man the same age as her father. On 14 April 1870, Rosalia married Medard Kuntz. He was a Frenchman, from Alsace, and like Hubert was involved in the liquor distribution business. I haven't yet found Rosalia and Medard in the 1870 Census, but he regularly appears in the New Orleans City Directories. Kuntz later operated a saloon in Milneburg, New Orleans. In 1871, they had a son, Charles Joseph Kuntz. The family appears together in the 1880 US Census in Milneburg, New Orleans.

Source: Ancestry. 1880 US Census.

Kuntz' business suffered during the Civil War, his warehouse was damaged and he filed a claim against the US government along with other French citizens who had been living in New Orleans. The cases became part of the French and American Claims Commission, and there is a file on Medard Kuntz at the Library of Congress. His case was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction in July 1881. Kuntz died one year later, on 28 August 1882, leaving Rosalia and Charles.

Times-Picayune, 12 Jul 1881.

After the death of her husband, Rosalia worked as a servant in the home of Emanuel L. Deas in 1900. She eventually earned enough to support her own household. Charles became a tailor, and in 1910 Rosalia had her nieces Anna and Rose Despouey living with her and working as seamstresses with Charles. I believe Anna and Rose were daughters of Rosalia's sister Sophia, they are listed as nieces in the 1910 Census.

By 1920, Rosalia had a home on St. Ann street with her son Charles and several lodgers, who appear to be women who may have assisted Charles with his tailor shop. Rosalia was still living with Charles in 1930. She passed away on 9 September 1930 at the age of 83. Charles died on 8 September 1938 and is buried with his mother in New Orleans.

Maria Madelina Fellrath
The third daughter of Sophia Halter and Hubert Fellrath was Maria Madelina (or Madeline) Fellrath. She married druggist Edward Ressel on 20 September 1871, and they had a son Edward Ressel on 17 November 1872. Madeline's husband died on 24 October 1873. She married an older man, like her sisters before her, named Joseph Nutter on 27 May 1883. From another tree on Ancestry I was able to find a copy of Madeline's marriage certificate to Joseph.

Source: Ancestry. Marriage certificate for Madeline and Joseph.

Madeline and Joseph had at least three children. She appears in the 1900 US Census living with Joseph and their children. Madeline died on 31 May 1916 in New Orleans.

Maria Sophia Fellrath
Last of the daughters of Sophia Halter and Hubert Fellrath was Maria Sophia Fellrath. She married Charles Despouey, son of Anna Barbara Kern (Hubert's second wife). Sophia and Charles had several children, many of the daughters became dressmakers in New Orleans. I have not yet researched them very far. Sophia passed away on 8 May 1919.

Revisiting New Orleans

NYPL Digital Collection, A street corner in New Orleans.

2018 marks the 300th anniversary of New Orleans. On both sides of our family, we have connections to the city. Given the special occasion of the year, I thought it would be good to look back at these links and see what new information might be available that can be shared on the blog. I am going to start by looking back at Allison's Halter line.

In 2015, I wrote about her 3rd-great-grandfather, Joseph Francois Halter, and his connections to the city. I also spent some time following the Tudury family and the Orleans Syrup Factory where Joseph Halter worked. Joseph had a previously unknown-to-me aunt Sophia. She would have been the sister of Francois Antoine Halter, Allison's 4th-great-grandfather. Sophia Halter was born in Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France. Several trees on Ancestry put her birth date at 2 March 1825. She likely arrived in New Orleans before 1840 with her brothers Francois and Joseph, although I am not sure.

Sophia married Hubert Fellrath, a bottler and brewer in New Orleans, sometime around 1844-1845 and they had at least the following children:
- Maria Louisa Fellrath, born 10 September 1845, died 4 September 1878
- Rosalia Fellrath, born 4 May 1847, died on 9 September 1930
- Maria Madelina Fellrath, born 4 December 1848, died on 31 May 1916
- Hubert Louis Fellrath, born 9 February 1852, died on 12 May 1855
- Maria Sophia Fellrath, born 13 December 1854, died on 8 May 1919

Hubert, Sophia and family appear in the 1850 Census in New Orleans.

Source: Ancestry. 1850 US Census, New Orleans.

Hubert's business must have been very successful. By the 1860 Census, he owned real estate worth over $20,000. I like that it shows he was a bottler of ales and ciders.

Source: Ancestry. 1860 US Census, New Orleans.

Sophia Halter Fellrath died on 20 April 1863 in New Orleans, at the age of 38.

Hubert Fellrath continued his brewing and bottling business, and appears in the New Orleans City Directories. The 1867 City Directory shows him with other bottlers of ales and ciders:

Source: Fold3. 1867 New Orleans City Directory.

The 1869 City Directory included an ad for his Philadelphia Bottled Porter, Ale and Cider.

Source: Ancestry. 1869 New Orleans City Directory.

Fellrath sold his bottling plant and brewery in April 1869, and married heiress Barbara Kern on 24 May 1869. Barbara had been previously married to someone named Kern, as well as to a Jean Despouey. The 1870 City Directory shows that Fellrath had acquired Despouey's business in dealing flour, potatoes, hay, onions, garlic, beans, corn, oats, bran and other products.

Source: Fold3. 1870 New Orleans City Directory.

The 1866 IRS Tax Assessment lists for New Orleans shows Fellrath as a wholesale liquor dealer, located at 78 Hospital Street. It is interesting to see another familiar last name, Barba, on this list. The Barba family connects with my great-grandfather's side of the tree through marriage. I will have more on that connection in an upcoming post.

Source: Ancestry. 1866 IRS Tax Assessment List.

Hubert's marriage to Barbara seemed to be short-lived, and she filed for divorce in 1871. The District Court for the Parish of Orleans granted the divorce and awarded her $11000 along with a separation of property.

New Orleans Republican, 30 Dec 1871.

After the divorce, in 1876 Hubert purchased 160 acres in nearby St. Tammany Parish, across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. Hubert lived in St. Tammany until he died on 27 December 1906.

This isn't yet the end of the story for the descendants of Sophia Halter. I followed her other children. Maria Louisa Fellrath married tobacconist Antoine Werner. She also died young, at the age of 33, on 4 September 1878. She had several children with Werner, but I have not followed that line very far.

Following the path of daughter Maria Sophia Fellrath revealed another fascinating detail, one of reconciliation between Hubert Fellrath and Barbara Kern. They appear living together in the 1880 US Census in St Tammany, Louisiana, with Sophia Fellrath living in the household with Barbara's son, Charles Despouey.

Source: Ancestry. 1880 US Census, St. Tammany, Louisiana.

Sophia Fellrath and Charles Despouey were married in St. Tammany on 12 October 1881.

The St. Tammany Farmer newspaper contained a clipping on the death of Anna Barbara Kern, "wife of Mr. Fellrath," on 8 June 1894. The newspaper article says she was a native of Spier Rheinsfaltz, Germany.

There's a bit more to follow on Sophia Fellrath and her sisters Rosalia and Madelina.