Saying Goodbye to Winter

 

Van Gogh Museum. Vincent Van Gogh. Early Spring, 1888.

Virtual Rootstech Starts Tomorrow

The annual Rootstech Conference starts tomorrow, and unlike prior years, the sessions are free and available online. There's a wealth of content available, just sign up on rootstech.org.

Curious and Hopeful

 

Photo by Patrick Jones. Kathmandu, Nepal. 25 Feb 2018.

The shot above captures a school group piling through a narrow doorway in the Patan Museum in Lalitpur, Nepal. I had to move off to the side to let them pass. Their laughter and curious faces caught my attention.

The museum is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site at Patan Durbar Square in a city neighboring Kathmandu. The square and surrounding area was heavily damaged in the 2015 Nepal Earthquake. I visited Nepal for a conference three years ago this week. The portions of the city still showed significant impacts from the earthquake.  

Crystal Universe

 

Photo by Patrick Jones. Singapore, 19 Feb 2018.

This is another throwback travel memory, from three years ago when I was able to visit the ArtScience Museum in Singapore. I've shared this a few times on Instagram. The shot is from a unique LED installation called Crystal Universe as part of the permanent FutureWorld at the museum. I think I got lucky with this shot, capturing the expanse of the lights that you can walk through, with a glimpse of the girl looking up from inside the display. The ArtScience Museum is one I've visited a few times, and hope to see again in a return trip to Singapore, perhaps in 2022.

One Year Ago

 

Photo by Patrick Jones. Temple Bar, Dublin. 18 Feb 2020.

This shot is from the end of my last European trip before COVID. A colleague and I had a pint in a pub in Dublin, listening to a bit of live music before meeting up with Irish Internet folks for dinner across the Liffey. On this particular trip I had been in Amsterdam, lectured at Leiden University, visited the Mauritshuis Museum, delivered a training in Tallinn, Estonia, and stopped back through Dublin on the way home. I don't necessarily miss sitting on planes, but I do miss the experiences of travel, the conversations with friends and colleagues in interesting places, and the opportunities to enjoy time as captured in the photo above. One day we'll do it again.

City of Louisville, 1872

 

Library of Congress. Louisville, 1872.

Possibility

 

Library of Congress. Louisville, KY. 1879.

One of my toughest brick walls has been the identity of my 3rd-great-grandfather on my Mom's side of the tree. I covered him previously back in 2015, after finding a new lead in the Civil War pension file of Pleasant Morgan, husband of Nancy Jane Flatt. The pension file lists Nancy's first spouse as Robert Kain, although I have found nothing to indicate they ever married anywhere near Metcalfe or Barren County, Kentucky. In my prior research, Nancy was pregnant in the Metcalfe County Poor House in January 1878, where she delivered my 2nd-great-grandmother, Mary Alice Cain Read. It isn't clear if her son Harl Cain was also delivered in the Poor House in June 1879.

I've looked through the census entries for the surrounding counties, and there's no Robert Cain/Kain. The closest possibility is a liquor dealer in Louisville, 87 miles to the north of Glasgow, Kentucky. I don't know for certain this Robert is the correct one, but I'm writing this up in the hopes that this might uncover an AncestryDNA connection to the Cain family.

In 1872, Robert Cain had a saloon on the corner of Lafayette and Preston. On the map above (dated 1879), this is within the Fifth Ward, just south of the Ohio River. I found Robert and a brother, James Cain, in the US City Directories for Louisville.

In 1874 and 1875, Nancy Jane was 18 years old, avoiding service of process on her following the death of her father Pleasant Flatt, who died in the Metcalfe County Poor House in late 1873. Maybe she ran away to Louisville but I don't know for certain.

About Robert

Robert Cain was born in Indiana about 1842, just across the Ohio River from Louisville. He was born in either Floyd or Clark County, Indiana. In the 1850 US Census, Robert appears in the household of his widowed mother, Lydia Cain, and his five siblings in Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana.

1850 US Census. Clark County, Indiana.

After the Civil War, Robert appears again in the records across the river in Louisville. In 1866, he was a saloon keeper at the Mount Vernon Hotel. He would have been twenty-four then. In 1869, he appears again as a saloon and restaurant operator at the corner of Lafayette and Preston. Robert's younger brother James joined him as a bartender in 1871, where they appear in the City Directory living at 126 Lafayette. By 1873, Robert had expanded into more than one saloon, at 236 Main and 126 Lafayette. James married Sallie Pusey in February 1872, and he continued to assist Robert with the saloon business. They were joined in Louisville by another brother, William H. Cain, who appears in 1873 as a barkeeper for Robert at 126 Lafayette.

Ancestry. US City Directory, 1873.

Ancestry. US City Directory, 1873.

In 1875, Robert had two saloons, one at 115 Lafayette and another at 236 Main. By 1876, Robert appears in the directory as a merchant, at 2 Chestnut. He's in the City Directory in 1877 and 1878, but not 1879.

According to the 1870 US Census, Robert Cain appears as a liquor dealer, age 25, with his brother James, age 27. There's a bit of discrepancy between Robert's age in the 1870 and 1850 US Census records. I haven't found him in the 1860 Census, which would be useful.

1870 US Census, 5th Ward, Louisville, Kentucky.

In 1880, Robert Cain appears as a patient in the the Central Kentucky Lunatic Asylum in Anchorage, Jefferson County, Kentucky. He died on 4 July 1881. An obituary in the Louisville Courier-Journal from 5 July 1881 confirms this Robert is the same one related to James.

Robert's brother James died of consumption on 29 January 1884, leaving behind his widow Sallie and two small children. Younger brother William H. Cain, as administrator of Robert's estate, sued Sallie as administrator of James' estate in May 1884. William alleged Robert had loaned James $3,000 in 1875, probably to open his own saloon, and that Sallie had misappropriated the funds among other holdings she had disposed of.

Louisville Courier-Journal, 28 May 1884.

A jury issued a verdict in favor of Sallie Cain in 1885, finding that the debt between James and Robert had been repaid. The jury awarded her $1,200 on her counterclaim. She later took the funds inherited from the estate and moved to Fresno, California with her children. It would be interesting to get a copy of the case file from the Jefferson County Probate Court to see what details might be there.

Louisville Courier-Journal, 17 June 1885.

About Robert and Nancy

There admittedly isn't much else to connect Nancy Jane Flatt to Robert Cain in Louisville between 1874-1879. Nancy's children went by the last name Cain while living in Barren County.

I am hoping DNA may help connect them, through descendants of Robert's brothers James and William. If any of those descendants have taken an AncestryDNA test, they should appear as a match to either me, my sister, Mom or her sisters. For now I'll park this information here.

Happy Valentines Day

 

At the Donum Estate, Sonoma. 29 Sep 2018.

The Sepulveda Connection

I'm posting this for completeness on the story for Filomena Vosberg. Millionaire ranch owner Aurelio Sepulveda passed away in 1909. While it is certainly possible he was Filomena's father, I can't tell from available records. 

San Francisco Call, 20 Apr 1911.

She raised enough claims that the heirs of Aurelio W. Sepulveda settled the case with Filomena in November 1911.

LA Times, 16 Nov 1911.

Frances and Filomena

After finding Ramona Oropeza in the newly digitized California records, I was able to track down what happened to her other two daughters who were placed in the Los Angeles Orphan Asylum in 1889 and 1892. Francesca Campuzano appears as Frances Giovanetti in the 1900 US Census living in the household of Aladino Giovanetti and her mother Ramona in Los Angeles. Her sister Filomena was also in the house. I went back through the City Directories for Los Angeles, and found Frances in the 1901 City Directory as Frances Campuzano. She was living in the home of her mother, listed as R. Giovanitti at 421 N. Main Street. Her father Frank was listed as the manager of the Mexican Philharmonic Band.

Ancestry. 1901 Los Angeles City Directory.

I haven't yet found Frances in other city directories, but I did find a death notice for her in 1960 which mentions her mother and siblings.

LA Times, 30 Dec 1960.

The death notice for Frances pointed me to an earlier one for her sister Filomena, who died in March 1953 as Filomena Vosberg. 

LA Times, 3 March 1953.

She went by Filomena Sepulveda, and in 1911 she challenged the estate of Aurelio W. Sepulveda claiming to be his daughter. More on this to follow. I don't have enough information to tell if her mother Ramona had a relationship with Sepulveda in 1886. 

Filomena married Charles N. Vosburg on 27 July 1907. Their marriage certificate lists Filomena's father as Aurelio Sepulveda and her mother as Raymunda Orpega. It makes me wonder who filled out the certificate, and what Filomena may have been told. Clearly both of her sisters Isidora and Frances knew their father was Frank Campuzano. But maybe that's why Isidora and Frances went to the Orphan Asylum in 1889, and Filomena went separately in 1892. Perhaps the children had to reach a certain age to do there.

FamilySearch. 27 July 1907.

In Charles' WWI Draft Registration Card, he listed their address as 1212 1/2 Lemon Street, essentially the same address where Aladino Giovanetti and Ramona were living in the 1900 US Census.

It would be interesting to see if any of Filomena's descendants take an AncestryDNA test and show connections to the Campuzano family.

Saloons in Downtown LA

 

LAPL Digital Collection. Union Bar, LA, about 1910.

Reading about the saloon owned by Aladino Giovanetti in yesterday's research sent me down the rabbit hole of news clippings and articles about saloons at the turn of the century in Downtown LA's historic quarter near Olvera Street. This 2017 article from KCET's Lost LA series provides good context to the bars and saloons of the time when Aladino was operating his establishments. The clipping below from 1896 mentions Aladino was arrested for selling liquor on a Sunday and quarreling with his neighbor Frank Aloi.

LA Times, 1 Apr 1896.

An earlier article describes how Bishop Francisco Mora objected to Aladino's permit application for a saloon in 1892. Curiously, a half dozen of police officers spoke on behalf of Aladino and testified to his good character. The second article below helps to place the saloon near the Cathedral of St. Vibiana. Aladino was ultimately able to get the license.

LA Herald, 16 Nov 1892.

LA Times, 16 Nov 1892.

Ramona

 

LAPL Digital Collection. On Olvera Street, 1936.

Picking up from yesterday's post, I'm tracing backward to follow the records on Ramona Oropesa, mother of the three girls sent to the Los Angeles Orphan Asylum in 1889 and 1892. Based on my research, Ramona was the daughter of baker Favendo Oropesa. She was born in downtown Los Angeles in April 1863, in an adobe house located on the future site of the LA Times building. Favendo's bakery appears in the LA City Directory for 1882, located close to where Frank Campuzano and Jose Maria Campuzano lived, along with long time friends in the Orfila family. Favendo appears in the 1872 City Directory at 33 Upper Main Street.

I can't tell when Frank Campuzano and Ramona Oropesa met, but I can picture Frank playing guitar serenading Ramona in the Plaza near Olvera Street in 1880 (the photo above is not them, but of a musician and dancers at the same spot in 1936). Their relationship overlaps the dates in which Frank was married to Rosario Hinojosa. I do find it tough to understand how Frank and Ramona sent the girls to the orphan asylum.

By 1892, Ramona was in a relationship with Aladino Giovanetti (who appears in the 1894 City Directory and newspaper articles between 1892-1897 as Giovanetti Aladino). Their first daughter Elvira Giovanetti was born in December 1892.

In the 1896 City Directory, Ramona appears with Aladino Giovanetti living at 665 Upper Main, the same address where Ysidora Camposana is listed as living while working as a cigar maker for G. Tognetti. Aladino was also the proprietor of The Pacific Saloon.

1896 City Directory, Los Angeles.

Aladino and Ramona had at least the following children:

- Elvira Giovanetti, b. 1892

- Aladino Giovanetti, b. 1894

- Natalino Giovanetti, b. 1898

- Adelina Giovanetti, b. 1900

- Lawrence Anthony Giovanetti, b. 1903

- Ramona Giovanetti, b. 1905

It appears Ramona also worked in the saloon, and worked as a cigar maker, while raising the young children.

After years of living together, the two received a marriage license on 13 September 1905 in Los Angeles.

FamilySearch. CA County Marriage Records.

I haven't found the family in the 1910 US Census, but they appear quite regularly in the Los Angeles City Directory between 1902-1918. In 1913, Aladino was involved in wine sales. He may have gone into business with liquor merchant Louis Degiorgis. By 1920, Aladino, Ramona and family appears in the US Census living in Sanger, Fresno County, California, working on a large commercial vineyard. They were also hosting Ramona's grandson, Dominic Sulpizio, and a boarder, Pedro Enciso.

1920 US Census, Fresno County, California.

The family returned to Los Angeles sometime after 1920. It appears Aladino may have died sometime before 1924, as Ramona is listed as a widow to Aladino in the 1924 City Directory. In the 1930 US Census, Ramona was living with Pedro Enciso in El Monte, Los Angeles County (the same Pedro who was a vineyard laborer in the 1920 US Census in Fresno). Ramona and Pedro were married in Santa Ana, Orange County on 17 January 1939. Six years later, Ramona sought a divorce from Pedro. The news article about the case provides some key details about her early life in Los Angeles.

LA Times, 13 Jan 1945.

Ramona passed away on 8 January 1962 in Los Angeles, almost 99 years old.

Orphans No Longer

Back in October 2018, I wrote about three girls who had been sent to the Los Angeles Orphan Asylum - Isidora, Francisca and Filomena Campasano. At the time I wasn't sure how they fit into the family, but I had speculated they were daughters of Francisco "Frank" A. Campuzano. Last Friday, FamilySearch made a set of California records newly available for online research, including California County Birth & Death Records from 1800-1994 and California County Marriages 1850-1952 (published 5 January 2021). With these new records, I have been able to go back and clean up on the Campuzano line that moved to California, and uncover what happened to the girls sent to the orphan asylum.

In my previous post, I noted how Isidora was working as a cigar maker for R. Giovanetti in 1901. The new marriage and birth records confirmed that R. Giovanetti was the married name of Ramona Oropeza, Isidora's mother. Isidora's 1918 marriage record to Anton Surina lists her father as Frank Campuzano and mother as R. Oropeza. Digging through other marriage, newspaper and census records confirmed Ramona had later married Aladino Giovanetti.

FamilySearch, California Marriage Records. 10 July 1918.

Isidora was born on 20 March 1881 in Los Angeles. Frank was 22 at the time, and Ramona was about 17. It is unclear if they married, probably not given that Frank married Rosario Hinojosa on 7 July 1883. It looks like he and Ramona had another daughter in March 1884 - Francisca. I believe Frank and Ramona had their third daughter Filomena on 12 February 1886.

Frank and Ramona ultimately separated. By 1892, Ramona was in a relationship with Italian immigrant Aladino Giovanetti, and they had six children between 1892 and 1905. While I had previously thought Isidora, Francesca and Filomena had disappeared from the records, they were actually there all along under different names. In the 1900 US Census, they're listed in the household of Aladino and Ramona Giovanetti, living on Lemon Street. Aladino was working as a saloon keeper.

1900 US Census, Los Angeles, California.

There's much more on the three girls, as they lived for quite some time in Los Angeles after exiting the Orphan Asylum to return to their mother's household. I'm posting this here as I know we have an AncestryDNA match to Frank Campuzano through descendants of his family with wife Joaquina Contreras. It's possible there will be DNA matches to the Campuzano family through this side as well.

More to follow on this fascinating family.
 

Revisiting the Vasquez & Suastegui Families

 

Yuma Morning Sun, 18 Apr 1925

I've previously covered the family of Concepcion Suastegui and her children on the blog. A nice post last night from cousin Catherine on Facebook reminded me to look again at the records on this branch of the family. I don't think I've previously covered the clipping above from Yuma, Arizona, announcing the passing of Adolfo Vasquez (son of Concepcion Suastegui). The clipping mentions Mrs. J. W. Graham, who was also known as Maria Esther Suastegui, half-sister of Concepcion. This says Adolfo arrived in the US in 1874 with his mother, sisters and Maria Esther, but I know from other records that Adolfo, his mother and sisters were in Los Angeles in 1870. 

This clipping does provide some insight for Maria Esther. Francisco Suastegui (my 5th-great-grandfather) died about 1873, and Maria Esther would have been about 16 then. She was placed as ward to William Henry Harrison Burke, who married Concepcion's sister Maria Engracia Suastegui in 1859.

A longer death notice on Adolfo from the Tucson Citizen provides more detail about his life.

Tucson Citizen, 15 Apr 1925.