When I Grow Up

Lillian and Ann (the baby may be Lillian’s daughter, also named Lillian)

Nov 18 – write about your ancestor’s best friend

My story is an unusual one. My grandmother’s best friend was also my grandmother. I never met my biological grandmother, but have been told by several people that I strongly resemble her. There are not many stories that have been passed down; she died young and my grandfather never wanted to talk about her.

I don’t know when Lillian and Ann first met or how long they had been friends, but I do know that they were together when they met the man they both would marry. The girls worked at the Krementz jewelry factory and walked home together after work. Anthony, a beat cop in the city they lived in, noticed them as they were walking and, as young men will do, at some point stopped to talk to them, Lillian in particular.

Though she did not immediately return his interest, after seeing and talking to him on the street many times, she eventually agreed to a date. They ultimately married and had two children. Less than 12 years into their marriage, Lillian became sick and died.

Ann had stayed close to the family and was there to support Anthony and his two young children when Lillian died. A year later, Ann and Anthony married and they eventually had a child of their own.

Nov 17 – tell a story from the point of view of a family heirloom

This floor lamp has many stories to tell. It first became part of the family on September 15, 1937  when Anthony Venturi married Lillian Aumick. It likely stood in the corner of the living room, watching over the young couple as newlyweds, then shining over their newborn daughter and then son as they played and grew.

It stood quietly, illuminating the corner when Lillian passed away in 1949, much too young. It shed light on her children as they tried to grasp the fact that their mother was gone and wondered what would happen now.  It stood lonely when the children moved in with their grandmother. Perhaps it stayed dark for that time.

The lamp was once again able to light up a happy room when Anthony remarried, this time to Ann Ditzel on August 23, 1950, and then shone bright when the children returned and were once again in its presence. Then another child was welcomed and they all sat in its light, whether they were  reading,  completing schoolwork or playing with their toys.

One by one, the children married and moved out of the house, away from the lamp. It still lit up its own corner of the living room, and occasionally, the grandchildren would visit. At these times, though Anthony and Ann and the other adults may have been sitting in the kitchen or at the dining room table, the living room needed to be illuminated for the grandchildren, so the switch was turned again.

Over the years, the lamp saw many people come and go in this apartment. Family was always welcome and at times the place was full. It served its purpose well; Anthony insisted on having good lighting, even when visitors protested that it wasn’t necessary.

In time Anthony and Ann also left this home, bringing the lamp with them. It still stood in the corner, keeping the darkness at bay. It shone over them as they read and watched television. After many decades, in 1983, Anthony passed away, followed by Ann 12 years later. Though some thought the lamp dated and ugly, it found a new home, with one of the grandkids.

It has spent the past couple decades in its new home, moving to different spots in the living room and ultimately settling in the master bedroom. Though the bulb has been replaced many times, the light still shines brightly and it has assured its place as a cherished family member.

Nov 15 – write a letter from an ancestor living in the 1800s visiting today

Dear Anna,

I know you are going to say that I am having a dream and that I must be feverish, but you would not believe what things will be like in 2016!

I know that our farm is small, but our neighbors have at most 8 milk cows compared to our two. There are barns here with 50 or more! They run these barns with just a handful of people. They have machines to milk the cows! Imagine that. And all the milk goes into massive metal tanks that travel along roads (without ditches and ruts mind you) to a place where it is put into bottles and then to the merchants.

These merchants are vast buildings, bigger than any barn in Great Bend and have enough food to feed the county, maybe even the state! The packaging is rather peculiar. Much food is wrapped in what they call plastic, a smooth, sometimes crinkly paper. They even have bottles made of the stuff and if you drop it, it doesn’t break! There are all sorts of foodstuffs: vegetables, fruit, grains, milk, cheese, eggs and meats as well as some things I have never seen before. There is an entire street of something called cereal, which is explained as being like a porridge, but cold and crunchy. The meats are cold all of the time and are almost indistinguishable as to what sort of creature they came from. Some are so cold as to be frozen, even in the summer.

I went for a ride in a car. This magical carriage needs no horses or oxen to power it and can go REALLY fast.  We traveled through eight cities in an afternoon. I did see horses on the road at one point, but they were traveling IN one of these carriages. Imagine that, horses getting a ride!

Everywhere one goes there are sounds. In the car and in the stores one can hear music, though you don’t see the person who is singing. There are also beeps and pings when doors open and close; I have yet to discover what actions cause them. Oh, and there are also these magic doors that open when you get close to them!

The clothing styles are rather strange. There are very few women and girls in skirts; instead they wear pants as men do, sometimes very short ones. Almost no one wears hats. Modesty is in short supply; I have tried not to, but have seen many people’s undergarments. People walk around looking at what look like small books in their hands and sometimes hold them to their ears and talk.

Yesterday I heard a loud noise above and was frightened to see a very large object going across the sky. I was told that there is nothing to fear, that airplanes are common and are full of people. Did you read that? PEOPLE ARE FLYING!

The house I am staying in is a pleasant one. It is a farmhouse much like ours, but also very different. I cannot understand how the stove works and they also cook with a small box that beeps quite a bit and makes food very hot. The lamps are lit by touching a spot on the wall and they have a huge screen in the living room that displays pictures from all over the world. There is no outhouse; instead they have several bathrooms indoors where they can bathe with hot water at any time. There is even a machine to wash the dishes!

Though things are amazing here, I miss home. Things here are faster, louder and busier. Though I sometimes complain about heading out to the barn in the wee hours, it is comforting knowing what to expect. I hope to return soon and tell you more about this adventure.

Your loving husband,

John

Nov 14 – write a journal entry about your immigrant ancestor’s journey

April 11, 1910

Tomorrow we will once again land at Ellis Island. The last time we made this journey, my sons and I were sent back to Italy. This should be our final trip and finally our family will be together again. It has taken six years and four crossings for all of us to get to our new home.

We are traveling on the SS Berlin, which is a new ship, only a year old. It is much bigger than the last ship we crossed on, the SS Citta di Milano which had no first class cabins and less than half the number of passengers. The first class passengers brought large trunks with them and are in their Sunday best every day!

Our beds are in a large room with many bunks and there are quite a few children. The boys have been able to keep busy, but I have had to watch carefully to make sure they stayed well. During the day, walking out in the fresh air is preferable to being contained below, though it is also rather cold. Many people have been ill. I’m not sure if it is the sea or a sickness, but I’ve made sure the boys have kept away from most people because I don’t want to be sent back again. My husband and other children tell me how nice America is. I look forward to getting off this boat and staying there.

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Nov 13 – Describe your ancestor’s wedding

My grandparents married on April 11, 1936. Since they were both minors at the time, they each needed consent from their parents. Grandpa was 20 and Grandma was 19.

My grandmother wrote in her diary that she spent time with family that morning and then she went to get dressed, with the help of Ceal and Pearl. They then waited until 7 o’clock for the minister, but Rev. Baer didn’t show up. So, instead, they got Rev. White from P.M. Church on E. Market Street. (She doesn’t mention it in her diary, but the reverend was also a neighbor.) She says “We had a beautiful wedding ceremony. Everything was lovely. Our party was beautiful too.”

She goes on to say that they went for a little ride before coming back to eat. When they returned “There was a terrible crowd” at the house and they had a nice time. They went for another ride to visit some of Grandpa’s family, then came back home where they danced and had a wonderful time.

Her diary entry ends for the day with “I love honey. He loves me. Hope we’re always like that.”

Nov 12 – write a love letter/poem from an ancestor

My grandfather fancied himself a songwriter, so it is perhaps not too far-fetched that he would have written a love letter or two in his day.

Dearest Gertrude,

You must know my love is true,
Just as your eyes are the bluest blue.

My sweetest desire is to see you smile,
To make that happen, I’d walk a mile.

If you’d be mine, you’d make my day,
And that is all I have to say.

Fondly,
Lee

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Nov 11 – Describe the meeting of two ancestors who would later marry

Doris first met Hugh when he and his family moved into the neighborhood.  He was one of seven kids, with three brothers and three sisters.  Like her, he was the middle child. His father, like hers worked as a coal miner. When they first met, she was 9, he was 11. He was the same age as her older brother and his youngest brother was just a bit older than her youngest brother.

The Cochranes immigrated from Scotland shortly before Doris and Hugh, and although they spoke the same language, they sometimes had some difficulty discerning what the others were saying. Since so many of the kids were close in age, it just made sense that the gang would play together when not in school or doing chores. Their houses were on parallel streets of the same block, but it was easy enough to travel through yards to visit each other. The boys took great pleasure in teasing the girls, especially when they came across a wandering frog, which the boys thought would make a nice hair accessory.

Who would have guessed that a mere ten years later, Doris and Hugh would be getting married?

Nov 10 – Describe your ancestor’s walk down the street

Each morning, George walks to the mine as the sun comes up. He can see the houses lining the streets. He hears the train approaching, and hears the whistle as it comes into the station. Other men are headed the same direction, the mine pulls them in from all over town. It is the primary employer.

After work, he sometimes walks downtown, past the Poli Theater where vaudeville acts entertain crowds and his daughter goes to see films when she saves up her pennies, or when her Grandma finds some for her. There are also a number of shops; he sometimes stops in to say hello or to pay a bill.

He passes the silk mill where his wife worked years ago and the lace factory, where some of his neighbors work. The young women exit in groups at the end of the workday, some head home, others go to Woolworth’s counter for a soda. As he approaches home, he passes the automobile shop where another neighbor works. At the end of the day, they are equally grimy, though the coal dust seems to get into the pores more. Home is a comfortable two-story house, similar to most on the block.  Late in the afternoon, many of the neighborhood kids are playing outside, having done their chores and been sent out of the way while the women and older girls prepare dinner.

The city is a bustling place. You can find someone to stop and chat with almost any time of day. It is a nice place to live overall, though sometimes some fresh air and quiet would be nice. Those times he can head another direction and stroll through the park.

Nov 9 – Write a tourism ad for an ancestral hometown

Come visit Scranton Pennsylvania. A booming coal mining area, the city offers entertainment, shopping and scenic views.

The gorge at Nay Aug Park is lovely to look at with a swimming hole and waterfall. The dance hall is a place to gather and attracts big bands from out of town.

A stop on the major vaudeville circuit, the city has hosted such celebrities as Harry Houdini, Mae West, Buffalo Bill Cody, John Philip Sousa, Will Rogers, Fred Astaire, Groucho Marx and W.C. Fields. These acts played at the Poli Theater. This is the place to come see new talent, as many acts try out their material here first.  “If you can make it in Scranton, you can make it anywhere!”

Nov 8 – An ancestor gets to vote for the first time and writes a letter about his impressions.

October 8, 1850

Dear Cousin,

I voted today. At the ripe old age of 25, I finally got the opportunity to cast a ballot for the man who hopefully will represent our interests in the Senate. Since my father owns the farm, up until last year, when they passed that new law saying all men can vote, not just those who own property, my opinion hasn’t mattered. It is nice to be finally treated as a grown up, especially as I have to abide by any laws they make.

There were a great number of men on the ballot, 16 Whig party candidates and one Democratic. Though none were actually from Great Bend, there were a couple men from not so far away. David Wilmot, a member of the Whig party, has been a Congressman for the past several years.  He lives over in Wilkes Barre and has a law practice in Towanda, which is in neighboring Bradford County.

Richard Brodhead, who spent many years in Congress was the only Democratic candidate. He was originally from Lehman Township, in neighboring Pike County,  but moved a bit south to Easton, in Northampton County PA.

I know little to nothing about the other 14 men on the ballot. Though I have heard some passing comments about other political parties, I know little about them either. The new Constitutional Party, which supports of the Compromise of 1850 has nothing to do with us. Their concerns are about the new territories out West, where I never expect to go. The States’ Rights party is fighting for the right to own slaves. That seems a bit of nonsense to me. I don’t know anyone who has slaves. The Free Soil party is fighting slavery, again, not a concern hereabouts.

President Millard Fillmore, isn’t very popular these days, so some say that the Whig party is sure to get soundly licked this time around.

Voting was quite an occasion. Now that all men over 21 can vote, there was a crowd gathered to mark our choices and drop into the ballot box. A couple younger looking men had to have someone vouch for them, since the official was from out of town.  I imagine we’ll hear the results in the newspaper in a couple weeks.

Yours,

Peter Smith

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