52 Ancestors Challenge Week 1: "Start at the Beginning" - This Year's Research Goal and Who Lured Me into This Kind of Research

My genealogy goal for this year is to write brief biographies on each of my direct ancestors back to at least my great-great grandparents.

Every summer I teach a genealogy course through a graduate program to pre-service librarians, those pursuing a masters degree in library and information science. I give them the assignment to write a brief biography on one of their ancestors, typically they choose a great grandparent. They need to use resources to substantiate names, dates, locations, and relationships in their ancestor's story. So now I am going to try it for 30 of my ancestors (2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great grandparents, 16 great-great grandparents). 

I have been at this genealogy thing for a long, long time now; about 40 years and it is high time that I put my work to words on paper for future generations of my family to inherit in some digestible format. I love documents but looking at a heap of them doesn't really explain what I have learned from all that I have gathered. So in addition to picking up the 52 Ancestor Challenge again, I've set my own time table to write these biographies. Basically I plan to write one every 2 weeks, give or take a day. I hope to share some of them. Although, any that includes information about the living will not make it onto my blog.

I plan to write about direct ancestors, but it isn't a direct ancestor who lured me into my genealogy research journey. I share this story often, every time I give a presentation, in fact. This is how I got started.

When I was a pre-teen, I attended a family reunion for my paternal grandfather's mother's family, the Losee Family. While we were there my paternal grandMOTHER's brother, Richie, and his wife, Jeannette showed up. I thought that odd because they weren't Losees, they were Henrys. I thought maybe the invitation was sent to extended family members as well but my grandma explained that Aunt Jeanette was born a Losee. That kind of blew my mind and I couldn't quite get my head around it. How were we related? At the time, neither my Grandpa Earle or Aunt Jeannette couldn't explain the connection. And that is what began my research. I had to figure out how Aunt Jeanette was related to Grandpa Earle.

To make the matter even more puzzling, I asked my grandmother who introduced who to their current spouse. "Oh no," she replied and proceeded to tell me that it was after she had married my grandpa that her brother Richie got engaged to Aunt Jeannette. Grandma's parents threw them an engagement party at the Henry home so that everyone could meet Jeannette. While there Grandpa asked Jeannette her last name. When Jeannette replied "Losee" my grandpa stated his mother's maiden name was Losee.

Now this reunion was back before the Internet so my research process began with a trip to the Freeport Memorial Library in Freeport, New York with the knowledge that the Losees had lived in Freeport for a very long time. While there my grandmother and I were taken into what they called the Memorial Room and up on the wall there was a plaque explaining that the library was a memorial to those in the community who had died in the American Civil War. Among the names was Benjamin F. Losee. 

After resolving that Grandpa and Jeanette were second cousins, they had great grandparents in common, I was then lured into figuring out who Benjamin F. Losee was and how I was related to him. (He's my great-great-great grandfather's brother, by the way.)

If you have been doing genealogy research for any period of time you know first hand that once you resolve the answer to one question, several more pop up. It is a never ending quest to piece together a puzzle that has no edges.

Strangers with Some Gems

On October 9, 2023, a post appeared on the Facebook page of the Freeport Historical Society of Freeport, New York, an area settled by my 10th great-great grandfather, Edward Raynor, in the 1640s. The post shows a map from 1896, which is part of the Historical Society's museum collection. It includes a highlighted area that appears to delineate the boundaries of the town. Just above the northern perimeter is the name of my great-great grandfather, John M. Losee Jr. (March 25,1870 - May 24, 1940), written as "J. Losea" on the map. I commented that I was descended from him. 

Months later on July 24, 2024, a man, who I have never connected with before, replied with an image of my third great grandparents' marriage certificate; John's parents, John M. Losee (Sr.) (August 17, 1841 - February 10, 1918) and Susan Amelia Combs-Losee (October,1843 - January 8, 1904).

I had never seen the document before, I had no date for their marriage until that point, and we are unsure how his great grandmother came into possession of the document. But it is lovely.

You never know where, or who, might possess a piece of your family's history. I am delighted that it has been so well cared for and cherished for such a long time by its stewards, however they may or may not be related to me. Thank you, Russell!

52 Ancestors Challenge Week 45: "Ghost Story" - An Apparition in Freeport

I don't really have family ghost stories, at least not one related to my family history. I mean both my sister and I recall separate instances of a ghostly apparition in the upstairs of our childhood home. The figure of a man dressed as a fly fisherman didn't seem to be a relative but ya never know.

My Uncle Walter, my uncle by marriage, now deceased, spoke of a home in his family located in Brooklyn that was haunted. Uncle Walter passed away in 2014 after a battle with brain cancer. Given that he is no longer with us I could not pin down a story. I clearly recall him referring to the "upstairs" of a brownstone being the residence of the specters and that he had either seen or hear a story of someone watching a toy roll back and forth across an upstairs floor. My sister recalls him speaking of sounds of a baby crying. Again, though, not really a ghost story I recall.

I once came across a story in a newspaper about a ghost in the town of Freeport, Long Island, New York where my Losee family lived. Several of the articles, and yes, there were several, mentioned an encounter between the specter and a John Losee. I am not entirely sure that the John Losee in the article was indeed my relative though. The articles describe him as a young man with the middle initial R. My great-great grandfather, John M. Losee Jr., would have been about 23 at the time and although that sounds young to me now, hmm, the article gave me the sense that this was a teenager interviewed.

The story I first saw appeared in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on November 19, 1893, page 20. (See below for article, followed by a transcription for those who cannot read the image).

An Apparition in Freeport

It Appears to be a Man Seven Feet High and Waltzes on One Foot

Freeport, L.I., Nov. 18 - Fearful hearts are beating in this village to-night. Fathers have deserted warm firesides and mothers have sent their sons forth to rid Freeport on an apparition. Men are patrolling the streets armed with weapons of war of modern and ancient make, ready to shoot the strange being if it appears in their path.

The apparition made its initial appearance in Freeport's streets a week ago. It has held undisputed away after nightfall ever since. The vicinity of lower Main Street has been the favorite haunt of the mysterious being. That portion of the street is lined on both sides by large trees and is shrouded in deep gloom after nightfall. Aside from the attractions mentioned it is a favorite spot with the youth of the place.

Miss Pauline Klein was being escorted home by Joseph Bennett of Hempstead. When near a place known as the Dell Raynor property a man jumped from behind a tree. He began a high-kicking act on the sidewalk. Miss Klein uttered a piercing shriek and clutched Mr. Bennett's arm.

"Oh! Joe! Joe! what is it!" asked the young woman, in husky tones. Before Mr. Bennett could reply, the strange being made a dash for the couple. Miss Klein and her escort fled down the street. Finally when forced to stop for want of breath, they turned and looked back. There was no one in sight.

The apparition has been seen several times since that night and has frightened a number of persons. Martin Acorn, employed as a hostler in a village hotel, had a lively experience with the apparition last night. A little later John Losee walked down Main Street whistling the "Girl I Left Behind Me," when the apparition jumped from behind a house and began to waltz towards him on one foot.

Those who have seen the "terror" describe him as a man 7 feet in height, with red flowing side whiskers and a face as white as snow. His face looks as if it was painted. His clothing is ragged, and, in running, he has a knee action like a trotting horse.

It makes me laugh what was taken for news, then and now to be honest. The story was also covered in the New York Times, The World, The Buffalo Currier, The Buffalo Weekly Express, and The Sun. Yes, prominent publications. The Sun was the paper in which, just 4 years later on September 21, 1897, Francis Church responded to 8 year-old Virginia O'Hanlon with the now famous line "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." And as Virginia's papa said, "If you see it in The Sun it's so."

The Buffalo Weekly Express had more lurid details of John's encounter with the apparition running around Freeport in it's November 30th coverage.

John R. Losee got closer than either of the preceding witnesses. The shape appeared to Losee while he was going home about 10 o'clock on Thursday evening (probably November 23, 1893). Losee agrees on the eight feet tall and white hair on the face, and adds that the features looked like a man and wore very ragged clothes. Losee was walking in lower Main Street when the creature attacked him. Losee reached out his hand to catch the monster, but it dissolved as it had done in the presence of Austin Ellison, Losee says you can't hear the ghost's feet strike when it runs.

Now the apparition is 8 feet tall. Grew a foot since the last newspaper. The November 26th edition of The World revealed that the culprit had already been unmasked though; like a scene from Scooby Doo. It was no other than a few high spirited local young men. 

As was stated in The World at the time, the so-called ghost first appeared here [Freeport, Long Island, NY] on Nov. 12 [1893]. From that time until last Thursday [Nov. 28] the entire town has spent more or less time hunting the apparition or fleeing from it. On that night one of the "ghosts" was caught.

The air of this place seems to have been filled with all the ingredients that make what are known as practical jokers. It appears not that this air affected some of our young men. Charles H. Lott, Jr., was the first affected. Dressed in a gunning suit of heavy brown canvas and a "sou'wester" hat he was on his way to the bay late Sunday night, Nov. 12, when he suddenly came across Joseph Bennett and Miss Pauline Kleinert sitting on the front stoop of the young woman's home. Thinking to elude  them Lott was sneaking around the house when Bennett caught sight of him and started towards him. Lott then started  on a run across the lots and soon outdistanced Bennett, who returned to the young woman. They discussed the matter and came to the conclusion that they had seen a ghost. The following Wednesday [November 15] night a "ghost" in the person of Harry Smith, twenty-two years old, appeared on the main road and was chased by quite a crowd. The "ghost" was lost in the woods. Smith had conveniently climbed a tree.

On Sunday [Nov. 26] last, Allison [I think this is really Austin as mentioned in the article above] Ellison who had been Smith's confederate, dressed himself in feminine attire and startled half the town by running like mad through the main streets. Through the efforts of Smith a crowd gave chase and followed "Ghost" Ellison to a pond, where the crowd lost sight of him. He had unhesitatingly plunged into the water and swam away.

The next evening [Monday, Nov. 27] William Bouschier, one of the reputable young men of the town decided to catch the ghost. He did so. Louis Friedman, employed by Henry Mead's bakery, had arrayed himself in all the clothing necessary for a well-equipped ghost and late at night started out. He had not gone far when Bouschier got on his track and caught him in the woods where Friedman, fearful of a beating made known his identity.

So let's see that "ghost" was at least 4 people -  Charles H. Lott, Jr., Harry Smith, Austin Ellison, and Louis Friedman. Not exactly a witch hunt but a little mass hysteria for the village.

52 Ancestors Challenge Week 31: "Help" - Meadow Island Life-Saving Station

Just recently I had the opportunity to stay in a lighthouse. Yeah no joke. There is a beautiful AirBnB property called Wings Neck Lighthouse, in Pocasset, Massachusetts where you can stay in the lightkeeper's home of what is now a decommission lighthouse. There is no actual light in the lighthouse but the views of Buzzards Bay from the top of the structure are amazing. I highly recommend it to anyone who has the chance to stay on Cape Cod.

While there I reflected a great deal on the lives of my seafaring ancestors. I am not a boat person. I turn green just thinking about it but I come from a long line of seafaring people. Here is a smattering of my nautically inclined ancestors:

• Both my grandfathers served in the U.S. Navy during WWII.
  

• Great grandpa, Abram Thomas Earle (January 13, 1891 - November 18, 1973) purportedly built his own boat. 

• His father, my great-great grandfather, Abraham Earle (1849 - 1890) died at sea aboard a ship called the Rise and Go.

• Abraham's father-in-law, my 3rd great grandfather, Reuben Samms (1830 - October 7, 1869) also died at sea. As did his father, also named Reuben Samms (1799 - December 11, 1870).

Sad story there with those Samms. It seems that during the 1870s, the Samms family of Gadds Harbour, Newfoundland carried on seal hunts on a small scale. The enterprise was short-lived though because of an accident at the ice. Their ship, The Reddie, was lost with her entire crew of 7 men; one of which was Reuben Samms the elder. That crew left 6 widows and about 14-16 children without fathers. It is said that there was only one man left in Gadds Harbour after the loss of The Reddie. One spring, that gentleman attempted to walk across the ice from Gadds Harbour to Woody Point for food and supplies and never returned. It is assumed he fell through the spring ice and drowned.

• Another of my great grandfathers, Charles Aloysius Henry (March 26, 1896 - June 14, 1949), lost a brother, Victor (July 10, 1902 - September 13, 1940), in a boating accident.

• A 3rd great grandfather, John Aloysius Joyce (February 11, 1829 - September 30, 1910), served in the U.S. Navy during the Mexican-American war (1846-1848) when he was just a boy.

I am sure if I plunked around a bit more I could find others who either perished at sea or rode upon it as part of their occupation, military service, or personal passion. What most of them needed was a watchful eye from their peers, like that of the brother of my 3rd great grandfather John Losee. 

His brother, Leander Losee (November 8, 1846 - April 23, 1917), served in the U.S. Navy during the American Civil War. He went on to serve as head of a Life-Saving Station here on Long Island, New York. Unfortunately, Leander had a pretty public ousting from his position due to gambling and drinking on the job but that is neither here nor there really. 

Life-Saving Stations were the precursor to the United States Coast Guard. They consisted of extraordinary boat houses strategically located along the coasts of both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as around the Great Lakes and stouthearted men, yes, as far as I can tell for Leander's Station it was only men, knowledgeable and at the ready to rescue those in need. Ships running aground was extremely common and especially so along the south shore of Long Island and the coast of northern New Jersey as an excessive number of ships attempted to enter the narrow passageway into the Port of New York at a time before air travel and advanced nautical navigation systems.

The first legislation for the establishment of U.S. Life-Saving Stations was enacted in 1848. Some of the earliest were built on Long Island beginning in 1849. Much like volunteer firefighters today, the crews of these Life-Saving Stations were comprised of men with the best of intentions to save, to rescue, those in danger. In a position, though, that is much like manning a reference desk (said the librarian), a lot of time is spent sitting around waiting for something to happen; waiting to be needed. And what is that saying? Idle hands are the Devil's play things. Vices take hold when waiting is your workshop. Oh Leander. (Oh. Hey. Oleander is a flower) Anyway...

According to a U.S. Coast Guard list from 1876, there were 11 District, encompassing 157 stations. 36 of the stations were in the 3rd District, the second largest district. District 3 consisted of stations in Rhode Island and Long Island. 32 of those 36 stations were on Long Island and Leander Lozee (misspelling of his surname Losee) is listed as keeper of station #28, Meadow Island, L.I. 

However, an article from The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from February 3, 1880, puts Leander in charge of Life Saving Station #31. #28? #31? I have a feeling the stations numbers changed with the growth of the program. 

The Coast Guard's website (https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Assets/Land/Stations-Units/Article/2665769/station-meadow-island-new-york/) states the Meadow Island Life-Saving Station was positioned at the entrance to Jones Inlet. For those Long Islanders who have never heard of it, I am not surprised. It is due north of where the present-day Coast Guard Station is located on the west end of Jones Beach. There are a couple bay houses on Meadow Island but it is largely uninhabited and hosts a significant stretch of the Loop Parkway.

I find the station listed as "discontinued" in the report dated June 30, 1880. The Coast Guard's website also states Leander was the only known keeper and that he was appointed on December 9, 1872 at the age of 30.  A mention in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on page 3 of the February 17, 1880 edition states the station was ordered closed. Thus, I assume the rise and fall of that Life-Saving Station all hinged on Leander.

Just scrolling through the very detailed Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Stations for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1880, I learned that the number of disasters in District 3 totaled 22 with 144 people saved and no lives lost. At least 15 of those lives can be directly connected to Leander and the Meadow Island Life-Saving Station; that's 10% of the lives save in that year alone. I'm not sure I was entirely comprehensive, however, 11 of those individuals saved were crew members of 2 wrecks near Jones Inlet:

1. The schooner L. V. Ostrum out of Patchogue, Long Island traveling from Fire Island to New York City with a crew of just 3 men
2. The schooner Hector out of Boston destine for Philadelphia with a load of coal and a crew of 8.

For those doing the math, the additional 4 lives rescued by the members of Meadow Island station came just days before it's closure. On February 4, 1880 a vessel called Gussie ran aground after being caught in a gale and was heaved afloat by the crew of Meadow Island's station.

Point is, the sea is dangerous and just like our more familiar firefighters on land, there were and continue to be individuals willing to risk their lives at sea to help others. Some of those souls were my relatives.

52 Ancestors Challenge Week 29: "Fun Facts" - A list of 10

Here are some fun facts I have in my family history:

1. My parents grew up next door to each other. 

That's not an expression. They literally lived next door to each other.

2. I come from a long line of seafaring men yet just looking at the ocean can make me seasick. 

Both my grandpas served in the navy in WWI. My great grandpa, Abram Earle (January 13, 1891 - November 18, 1973) started building his own boat. His father, my great-great grandfather, Abraham Earle (About 1849 - Fall 1890), died at sea abroad a ship called The Rise and Go in Newfoundland. Abraham's father-in-law, my 3rd great grandfather, Reuben Samms (About 1830 - October 7, 1869), also died at sea during a seal hunt. Another of my 3rd great grandfathers, John M. Losee (August 17, 1841 - February 10, 1918), had a brother, Leander L. Losee (November 8, 1846 - April 23, 1917), who served in the Navy during the American Civil War and was captain of a life saving station along the south shore of Long Island. And yet another 3rd great grandpa, John Aloysius Joyce (February 11, 1829 - September 30, 1910), served in the U.S. Navy during the Mexican-American War (mid-1840s) at 16 years-old as a cabin boy on the U.S.S. Potomac. Boat people! I'm queasy just writing this.

3.  My family has multiple children born on their parent's birthday. 

My grandmother was married on her 20th birthday and then had her 3rd child on the same date 5 years later, February 27. That son's ex-wife had their second child on her birthday, June 2. My grandma's brother, Robert, had his first child on his birthday, October 21.

4. My mother, my paternal aunt, and my step-mother were all in the same graduating class at the same high school.

5. My father's sister married his best friend from high school. 

6. Both my brother-in-laws were best friends in high school too. 

And get this, those boys when to the same high school as mom, Aunt Jane, and my step-mom.

7. I have a pair of aunts who married brothers.

Also, my great-great grandmother, Flora Smith-Losee (Mar 1875 - September 1, 1920), and her a sister, Melinda Smith-Losee (November 1, 1869 - August 19, 1955) married brothers; John M. Losee Jr. (March 25, 1870 - May 24, 1940) and Oliver Combs Losee (May 3, 1868 - February 10, 1937), respectively.

8. I have two 5th great grandfathers who served in the American Revolution; Colonel Daniel Moore (February 11, 1730 - April 13, 1811) and Lieutenant Colonel Robert Moore (May 22, 1724 - October 27, 1778).

And... they were brothers whose children married. Yeah my 4th great grandfather, William Moore (1763 - July 1817), and 4th great grandmother, Eleanor Moore (1767 - October 19, 1836), were 1st cousins.

9. William and Eleanor Moore helped settled the area of St. Felix-de-Kingsey, Quebec, Canada in 1803.

"Settler" is just a term for people showing up and building a house, typically to colonize the area and thus, typically European white people were settlers.

10. I descend from the man who settled Freeport, Long Island in 1659; Edward Raynor (1624 - 1685). 

52 Ancestors Challenge Week 28: "Characters" - Grandpas & Ambrose Weeks

To me, to call someone a "character" means they are unusual in an amusing and somewhat eccentric way. 

My Grandpa Earle was a bit of a character. I suspect he had a bit of OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder. He would get up multiple times throughout the night to check that the doors were locked and the stove was turned off. Every morning that I lived with my grandparents, I would watch my grandfather sit and count his prescription pills, all the while thinking out loud to myself, "It is one less than yesterday, Pop." He was funny in a teasing sort of way. He flirted with every young girl who passed his way. Always looking to borrow their long locks to replace his lost follicles. Bald as a cue ball he would sit and rub his head while announcing he needed a haircut; A hair, as in one. Incredibly sensitive, he would cry at every wedding. 

My Grandpa Gardner too was a bit of a character. I didn't know him as well as my Grandpa Earle with whom I lived for about 6 years in my 20s. Many summers though I would spend a month living with Grandpa Gardner in West Palm Beach, Florida. I'd fly down on my own and send the next few weeks just hanging out with Gramps. We'd play board games, watch movies, he'd make dinner, and we'd go for long drives to look for alligators. He'd take me to museums. He was very silly, incredibly funny, and cheated at Monopoly.

But maybe these characters aren't always jovial and amusing. Perhaps they are dark and even disturbed. For this post I am revisiting a post I wrote back in 2013 about Ambrose Weeks (About 1819 - May 4, 1900). Ambrose Weeks was the brother-in-law of my 4th great-grandmother, Lydia Smith-Losee (May 15, 1820 - December 31, 1887). He was married to Lydia's sister, Elizabeth Smith-Weeks (About 1815 - March 11, 1893). It's a distant relationship but still one of great interest to me.

Genealogy research often provides you with just the cold hard facts about a person; names, dates, places. Rarely do you get a sense of who the person was unless you're lucky enough to hear family stories or find a good newspaper article or obituary about the person.

In my opinion, the difference between calling oneself a genealogist or a family historian depends on what information you are gathering about your family. A family historian wants the stories. Filling in the names, dates, and location of life events on a chart is all well and good but if you don't invest some time in learning about the people and their stories what are you really doing this research for? What do all those names and dates and places mean to anyone if you don't glean a few good stories from your research?

Newspaper articles are some of the best resources to add some color to the family characters. If you have not spent some time searching historic newspapers for stories on your ancestors you are really missing out.

For a long time I have been fascinated with Ambrose. What a great name, right? Ambrose. It has Greek origins. It comes from the name Ἀμβρόσιος (Ambrosios) meaning "immortal." There was a St. Ambrose in the 4th-century. Sure look him up. He is the patron saint of Milan, Italy and beekeepers. Go figure. Fashionable and likely immune to stings. Anyway - - -

In the 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Ambrose Weeks is listed as 41 year of age, already married to Elizabeth, living in Brooklyn, and employed at a furniture store. In the 1870, Ambrose and Elizabeth are living in Port Washington, Long Island, New York where he was working as an undertaker. Now some might think that is a considerable jump in occupation but back then it wasn't all that far fetched. Furniture makers were often cabinet makers and coffins and caskets are nothing more than big cabinets really. Making coffins could lead one to working for an undertaker; and that could lead to learning the funeral business and becoming an undertaker. It seems to me, though, Ambrose was climbing the social ladder pretty quickly. In ten years to go from working in a furniture store to filling such an important role in the community as undertaker is pretty impressive to me.

However, I found a mention of Ambrose Weeks in the New York Times on November 24, 1873 in a section of the paper called City and Suburban News. Under a portion headed Long-Island it reads:

"Ambrose Weeks, of Roslyn, a cabinet-maker, made a desperate and deliberate attempt to commit suicide on Saturday morning by cutting his throat with a razor."

My God, how sad.

Note that Roslyn is a neighborhood very close to Port Washington on the North Shore of Nassau County, New York.

The report of his attempted suicide was also reported in Newtown Register, The Brooklyn Daily Union, and The New York Tribune. The worst of which was the one I found in the Newtown Register. It read as follows: 

"Ambrose Weeks, a cabinet-maker, attempted self-destruction by cutting his throat with a razor, Saturday. He inflicted a deep wound, but lives to try again."

To try again?? Really, Register, really?
 
Ambrose survived, though Register, quite a bit longer as is apparent by another article found in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle from October 30, 1885 on page 6 which states that "Ambrose Weeks, of Hempstead, has sued August Belmont, Jr. to recover $35.33 for labor."

August Belmont, Jr., as in the man who built Belmont Park Racetrack here on Long Island. Yeah, where the Belmont Stakes happens; the 3rd leg of the 3 part triple crown race. August Belmont, Jr. a very well-to-do gentleman of distinguished birth. One has to wonder if Ambrose ever got that money in light of the next article I found in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle from May 4, 1900 on page 11, it reads as follows:

Died in the Almshouse

Ambrose Weeks, Once a Wealthy Merchant, a Pauper, Deserted by Friends

Hempstead, L.I., May 4 - - Ambrose Weeks, who was at one time one of the prominent merchants of this section of the Island and who is connected with some of the best Long Island families, died yesterday in the almshouse at Hempstead.

He was at one time quite wealthy and was engaged extensively in the furniture business in Hempstead. Misfortune and reverses overtook him in his old age, when his relatives and friends also deserted him, he was compelled to seek refuge in the Town Almshouse in Uniondale, where he has been for some years.

Mr. Weeks was over 80 years of age. His funeral service will be conducted by the Rev. Henry B. Bryan, canon of the Garden City Cathedral.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Garden City Cathedral, or more correctly the Cathedral of the Incarnation, here in Garden City, Long Island, it is indeed a quite spectacular Gothic-style, Episcopal Cathedral.

This photo was taken in about 1885. Image is owned by the Cornell University Library, NY.

The saddest of all the articles though I think is this one appearing in the June 30, 1898 edition of the Newtown Register; a year before Ambrose's death. The mention was extracted from an article that appeared in the Hempstead Sentinel on June 23rd. It stated:

Ambrose Weeks was 79 years old last week. He has been spending the winter on the farm and Saturday he was in the village "renewing old acquaintance." Shortly after the death of his wife some five years ago, he purchased a tomb-stone and had it erected beside that of his wife's grave in Greenfield Cemetery. It is lettered requiring only a date of death to complete it.

Oh Ambrose, I imagine you a sad, heart-broken man but I don't really know that. These articles do not clearly speak to whether Ambrose's own actions brought on his circumstances; maybe he was a miserly, cruel man unworthy of friends and affection or perhaps he was simply suffering through depression and misfortune and deeply misunderstood by those around him. Regardless, he certainly suffered in his final years alone, destitute, and estranged from friends and family; poor Ambrose. His sad story awakens in me an awareness of the harsh reality of existence. 

If not for these various newspaper articles, Ambrose Weeks would have just been another name on the tree; the husband of a 5th great-aunt who never had any children; no heirs to pass on stories of his character or experiences.

If researching your own family tree, do not disregard the importance of newspapers. They can fill in much of your family's story; bringing these names and dates to life again. If researching in the New York area, I recommend searching the Brooklyn Daily Eagle which is one of the few free online resources through Newspapers.com. It covered much more than the Borough of Brooklyn. 

52 Ancestors Challenge Week 20: "Textile" - Grandpa Earle sends his mom a gift to me

Among the heirlooms given to my by my Grandma Earle there is a small box. 

The box is pretty beat up but it contained 2 handkerchiefs. One of the handkerchief is now missing. Well, not really missing; my sister took it sown inside her wedding gown as her "something old."

This box was sent by my grandfather, Edwin M. Earle (August 20, 1925 - June 21, 2000), to his mother, Ethel Losee-Earle (February 14, 1896 - May 27, 1960) in April 1944. 

At the time my grandfather was stationed in San Francisco as part of the U.S. Navy in a special CB detachment. CB is the abbreviation for Construction Battalion. 

Until my sister sowed one of the handkerchiefs inside her wedding gown, it appears as though they had never been used. Now the unused one remains in the box, in a bag, in a drawer, safe and sound.

I'm sure they are not worth much. I doubt my grandfather paid very much for them. But I suspect they meant an awful lot to Ethel, and they mean an awful lot to me and my sister. One memory I have of my grandfather is that he always carried a handkerchief.

In another box given to me, there is an Easter card, again sent by my grandpa sent to his mom, Ethel. 

On the inside is is simply signed by my grandpa, "Your Sailor Son."

On the back of the card my great grandmother, Ethel, recorded a bit of family history in her very legible, pretty penmanship. She provided me with dates of events that for many years I could not confirm with military documentation of any kind. These kinds of "journals" or "notes" about family history are incredibly valuable to a genealogy researcher and I thank her sincerely in my heart and my records.

52 Ancestors Challenge Week 19: "Food & Drink" - Strange Favorites

This topic brings to mind a few things; my grandpa Earle's strange favorite foods, my family's bread stuffing recipe, liverwurst and jelly sandwiches, and poutine.

I know what you're thinking, how are you can you just sneak liverwurst and jelly sandwiches into a list like that and not start off with discussing that disgusting concoction first. Well, I can because it's my blog. You'll just have to wait for that monstrosity because first I have to tell you about my grandpa's weird meals.

Grandpa Earle's Strange Favorite Foods

Grandpa Earle enjoyed burning his bread over the gas stove. Oh, how awful. It must have tasted like gas, right? I don't know for sure. I am not brave enough to try it. He would take a fork, pierce a piece of white bread from the side and stand there toasting his bread over the stove. 

He also enjoyed himself a bowl of salt-less Saltines in milk. He'd eat it like serial. I thought, why on earth is he eating that when we have shredded wheat, corn flakes, and rice crispies for him to choose from. He loved it!

Bread Stuffing

Grandpa Earle also enjoyed a post-Thanksgiving bread stuffing sandwich. Yes, that is correct a bread stuffing sandwiches. Talk about carb overload. 

First I should say though that my family's bread stuffing is amazing. It is simple recipe of stale white bread moistened with plain old water, butter, onions, salt, pepper, and thyme. That's it. It is a recipe that has been passed down from my great-great grandmother, Agnes Frances Gray-Sauer (October 27, 1871 - December 30, 1941). She is the pretty lady in the center of this picture. 

Agnes was born in New York of Irish descent. Her husband, William George Sauer (February 11, 1870 - December 23, 1932)  was also born in New York but of German stock. I'm not sure if Agnes got this recipe from her mother or her mother-in-law but I have had two older women tell me that they have a similar recipe. One woman was Irish and the other's mother was from Germany. Either way, it is freaking delicious and I know my second cousin, Kelly, makes it for her Thanksgiving dinners as well. Cousin Kelly calls it her grandma's recipe. Her grandma and my grandma were sisters, dishing up the same recipe. Grandma told me it was the stuffing her grandma made so for Kelly and I that would be great-great grandma's recipe. Again, pretty Ms. Agnes above.

Grandpa Earle would cut off a thick slice of that stuffing and put in between two slices of bread, sometimes with turkey or cranberry sauce, but usually just on its own. Now that I could get on board with. Liverwurst sandwiches however, not my bag. 

Liverwurst & Grape Jelly Sandwiches

My dad loves liverwurst. I can't even bring myself to look at it. To each his own though. That is until we talk about Cousin Ernst. His real first name is Tom but my dad just calls him Ernst, which was his last name.

I don't know where Cousin Ernst is or even if he is still with us but Cousin Ernst is my father's second cousin. Ernst's mother, Flora Lou Childres-Ernst (October 3, 1926 - March 14, 2010), lovingly called Aunt Sis, was my grandpa Earle's first cousin. Their mothers, Ethel Losee-Earle (February 14, 1896 - May 27, 1960) and Marion Losee-Childres (July 1900 - December 3, 1949) were the only sisters among their parents' six children.

There was a brief time when Cousin Ernst lived with my grandparents and my dad when dad was in his teens. One story that stands out, of course, is that Cousin Ernst like liverwurst and grape jelly sandwiches. Oh. My. God. I can't. Ugh. 

Poutine

Now, it's not a road trip unless Cousin Kelly and Cousin Pete and I are chowing down on some poutine. 

If you are not familiar with the dish, here on Long Island it is similar to what we call Disco Fries; French fries with cheese and gravy. Oh it's so good. Poutine emerged from Quebec and there they use cheese curds and brown gravy. The dish has really become a symbol of Québécois culture and the province of Quebec itself, but man, we have eaten it all over Canada. Some of the best I've had was at the Canadian Potato Museum & Antique Farm Machinery Museum in Prince Edward Island. Yeah, I've been to the Potato Museum. 

52 Ancestors Challenge Week 18: "Social" - Family in the Freeport Fire Department

I am not much of a joiner, that is to say that I don't belong to a lot of clubs or organizations. The few organizations I do belong to I do so just in name really. For the most part, I pay my dues for the benefit of receiving whatever publications the organization provides its members or to have access to some database or discounted service. In short, I'm not one looking to lead. I do enjoy attending a conference or two though. Such events provide opportunities to be social.

I don't find many records for my ancestors being active in clubs or organization either except my paternal grandmother's parents, Charles Henry (March 26, 1896 - June 14, 1949) and Anna Marie Sauer-Henry (July 19, 1899 - May 8, 1986) who were leaders in their Rabbit Club and Goat Club. I wrote about the goats a few times in my blog. 

But then there is my paternal grandfather's dad, Abram "Abe" Earle (January 13, 1891 - November 18, 1973), who, along with his brother-in-laws, was active the the Freeport (NY) Fire Department.

Amongst the family treasures that have been bestowed to me overtime, there are photos that once belonged to Abe and his wife, my great grandma, Ethel Mae Losee-Earle (February 14, 1896 - May 27, 1960), that show some organizational gatherings. Some of the photos show Ethel's brothers and Abe in their fire department dress uniforms gathered around the company's trucks.

This image was included in an Images of America book about Freeport, New York. It was written by Cynthia J. Krieg, who is affiliated with Freeport Historical Society, and Regina G. Feeney, a librarian at Freeport Memorial Library.  My grandfather's maternal uncle, Luman Losee (June 26, 1894 - January 13, 1954) is in the front row #4 from the right. I think her brothers, Fredrick Losee (About 1903 - May 5, 1926) and Forest Losee (August 11, 1897 - February 2, 1945) are also in this image but I can't pick them out. My grandpa knew his Uncle Forest but my father didn't; Forest died very young. Uncle Fred died even younger. He died in an accident, he fell off a roof. Again, though I suspect all 3 brothers, Luman, Fred, and Forest Losee are in this picture below.

For those of you unfamiliar with the series, Images of America, published by Arcadia Publishing, they are kind of like photo albums of a specific community. Each image is captioned though, however, there isn't a lot of text to these books. These aren't heavy history books. They're really kind of fun. They're a great way to introduce novices and young people to the history of their community. There might be one about your community, if not, think about creating one. I understand Arcadia is very easy to work with. 

There is also another book in which the above photo appears; An Illustrated History of the Freeport Fire Department, 1893-2008 by Miguel Bermudez and Donald Giordano published in 2008. I am not acknowledged in the book, nor is credit given to my family's photo collection but I did give digital images to one of the authors of all the Freeport Fire Department photos in my family's possession and they appear on pages 111 - 113. Including this one below of what my grandmother calls a ragamuffin parade. The image horrifies me as it shows several member in black face; a truly racist imagery. 

In the Illustrated History, this image is captioned identifying Luman as the drum major and Forest as the tuba player as well as my great grandpa, Abe, as the clarinet player, kneeling # 3 from the right. Now I can pick Abe out based on other photos I have seen of him. I know his son, Allen, played clarinet, as did I in school. However, I didn't know Abe played clarinet as well. I believe the clarinet that belonged to his some, Allen Earle (March 17, 1916 - November 8, 1956), is still in the possession of my Uncle Thomas, now if that clarinet was also Abe's clarinet, pictured above, I have no idea. Anyway - - horrifying image, right?

These parades were an annual occurrence in many communities in the New York metropolitan area. Typically they were held around Halloween and featured children in their costumes, but obviously, this wasn't just a children's activity and I do not know when it took place because the photo is not labeled but it has to be after April 30, 1923 when the Russell Park section of Roosevelt, Long Island, New York was annexed into the town of Freeport. I can tell from the band's drum.

There were ragamuffin parades and then there was also Ragamuffin Day, which was something else entirely that my grandmother has told me about. Begun around 1870, Ragamuffin Day was once part of Thanksgiving celebrations which my grandmother recounted participating in to me on several occasions. Much like Halloween, it involved children going door-to-door dressed as beggars seeking candy and playing tricks on non-complaint homeowners; soaping windows, ringing doorbells and running away, and similar shenanigans. Grandma said that she and her siblings didn't just beg for candy but preformed little skits, sang songs, or did some dance for the neighbors who provided them with sugary treats or change.

The racist image of the ragamuffin parade in Freeport disturbs me, but it also reminds me a little bit of a much less scornful social practice that still takes place in Newfoundland, where my great grandpa Abe was born. There they have Mummers.

 

Creepy as all get out Mummers go mummering or mumming. It is a Christmas-time, house-visiting tradition in which groups of friends or family member dress in disguise and visit neighbors. If welcomed in, the mummers often do an informal performance followed by the homeowner having to correctly guess the mummers' identities. Once identified, the mummers remove their disguises and spend some time eating and drinking with the hosts before traveling on as an even bigger group to the next house.

One thing about that Russell Park section of Roosevelt/Freeport, that is where my family lived long before Lillian Russell for whom the section was named. Lillian Russell, an incredibly well-known actress of her time, lived in the area. She was born Helen Louise Leonard and the Illustrated History states Leonard Avenue in Freeport was named after her. I beg to differ. I am certain Leonard Ave is named after the man who originally owned the property, that would be my 4th great grandfather, Leonard Losee (January 21, 1817 - November 21, 1886). Let me show you.

Here is a map from 1914. The green box represents the original size of the property owned by my Losee family. The red box indicates the last bit of Losee Family property sold to local developer and politician, Albin Johnson, in 1912. The street highlighted in yellow shows Luman Street. Luman? Sound familiar? It no longer bears his name but prior to WWI and the family's sale of their property, the map shows the first 1500 feet of the western end of Independence Ave was called Luman Street after my grandpa's uncle. The blue boxes show two homes owned by Losee family members on Stevens Street, once known as Losee Place. The northern blue box was owned by F. Losee, could have been Forest Losee but might have been Frederick, and the lower blue box was owned by Georgianna Losee (July 19, 1866 - November 29, 1935), the sister of my great-great grandfather, John M. Losee Jr. (August 17, 1841 - February 10, 1918). 

Street naming business aside, all these aforementioned social practices give me a sense that my great grandparents generation, often referred to as the Lost Generation (those born from 1883 to 1900 who came of age during World War I and the Roaring Twenties), were involved in their communities and socialized with their neighbors in a way that I have not experienced in my lifetime. Sure I belonged to Girl Scouts as a kid and sold cookies door-to-door. I marched with the Junior High and High School bands on Memorial Day playing my own clarinet too, but I don't think I experience "community" quite like they did. And, honestly, I'm a bit jealous that I don't have that sort of natural inclination to be part of my community. 

52 Ancestors Challenge Week 15: "How Do You Spell That?" - My Third Great Uncle, Private Benjamin F. Losee

All genealogy researchers have encountered errors in spelling. I don't like to call them errors really. I prefer to call them alternative spellings, but let's face it, April, sometimes it's just wrong. Anyway, it can be very hard sometimes to convince novice researchers that spelling is not a big deal. Just because a name is spelled differently than what you are expecting to see does not mean that record ... or headstone ... does not belong to your specific person. That's right, a headstone.

Early on in my foray into genealogy I encountered Benjamin Franklin Losee's name recorded on a Civil War Memorial plaque at Freeport Memorial Library in Freeport, New York which is on Long Island. For many years I worked to learn my connection to Ben and details about his life and death in the American Civil War. I knew I had to be related to him. My Losee family lived in Freeport for many generations, as did my Smiths but Losee is not Smith. It is not nearly as common a surname.

Ultimately, I came to learn that Ben was my 3rd great grandfather's brother. During his lifetime he lived on the Losee Family property which is now Stevens St. in Freeport, right near the border of Roosevelt on the east side of Main St. 

I only have an approximate date of birth for Ben. However, I know for sure he was a private in the 139th New York Infantry, Co. A. From his military pension file I know he died of disease in Point of Rocks, Virginia but even the U.S. War Department did not have an accurate date of death for him. I also struggled for years to find where he had been buried.

His remains were interred in City Point National Cemetery, Hopewell, VA. According to some papers, he died in the Fall of 1864. Other documents state he died October 1, 1864. However, his new headstone says December 5, 1865. Oh yes, a new headstone.

Part of the reason it took me forever to determine Ben's burial location was because he was buried under a headstone with the surname "LOSA" even though his military files, which contain handwritten letters signed by Ben himself, clearly say LOSEE. 

It also took me forever to get the headstone replaced.  It was quite an ordeal. A letter to my congresswoman got it corrected though. However, I had to supply the government with proof of the correct spelling by submitting to them copies of Ben's signed letters straight form the government's own files. Oy! But here it is though - - the original stone as it appeared in about 2000 and the new one that I believe was erected in 2004.

52 Ancestors Challenge Week 11: "Flowers" - 3 generations of my Earle grandmothers' heirlooms

This is an adaptation from an earlier post published in March 2013; but when you say "flowers" in relation to my family history, I think of these objects among my family's heirlooms.

Shortly after my Grandpa Earle passed away in June of 2000, my grandmother (otherwise known as Nanny) gave me an Earle family heirloom as a birthday gift; a hand-painted plate. Nanny told me she was given the plate by my grandpa's Aunt Susie Earle-Gilvey (12 June 1877 - 28 June1965). It is a plate that Aunt Susie brought with her on her immigration from Newfoundland to New York in about 1900. The plate, we believe, was hand-painted by my great-great grandmother, Sarah Samms-Earle-Bromley (13 October 1857 - 20 March 1899). 

As a painter myself with a deep interest in family history I think it was a very appropriate gift.  I am not sure if Great-great Grandma Earle considered herself an artist but hand-painting plates was a popular hobby for women of her time.

This is not the only hand-painted Earle family heirloom that Nanny has given to me. Several birthdays later, Nanny gave me this canister which was painted by my great grandmother, Ethel Mae Losee-Earle (14 February 1896 - 27 May 1960).

There is something profoundly impacting about touching an object that was once held by someone you only know through stories and documentation. The next woman in this chain of Earle grandmothers, though, is my Nanny. She just turned 93 on February 27.

She doesn't paint but she does handcraft afghans and shawls of which I own a few. For a time she did ribbon embroidery of flowers but I do not have a piece of her flower work. Instead, here is a photo a blanket she crocheted for me. As a child it covered my bed. There was also an accompanying blanket she made for my doll. It had a similar pattern and was made in the same colors; my favorite, pink and green. I wish I still had that doll blanket. I don't know where it went.

God willing, I will be able to care for and maintain these artifacts long enough to hand them down to the next "Earle" grandmother or keeper of the family heirlooms.

 

52 Ancestors Challenge Week 6: "Maps" - 4th great grandmother, Lydia Ann Smith-Losee

I shared this map a few weeks ago. 

It is an 1873 map of the northern end of Freeport in a section that was once known as Greenwich Point. Now the area is Roosevelt. My 4rd great grandfather Leonard Losee and his son Leander Losee owned large tracts of land clearly indicated on the map; towards the bottom on the right side of the map.

Leonard's wife, Lydia Ann Smith-Losee, my 4th great grandmother, was born May 15, 1820 and died on December 31, 1887. She lived her life in what is now Freeport and Roosevelt, Long Island, New York. She married Leonard L. Losee (21 January 1817 - 21 November 1886) and together they raised 5 children: Mary Jane, John M., Benjamin Franklin, Leander L., and Sarah Elizabeth; all born between 1840 and 1856.

Many years ago it was brought to my attention that there was a Losee Family bible. I don't remember the cousin who had the bible in her possession. It was one of my Grandpa Earle's second cousins; that much I recall but I have photocopies of some of the pages of the bible that contained family history notes. 

They aren't good photocopies. These were made for me back in the early 1990's; back before people had scanning technologies in their own homes. Remember when you had to go to a place called a copy center, places like Kincos, and pay like a quarter to get a copy? What I wouldn't give to get my hands on that bible now. If for no other reason than to digitize these pages. 

Among the notes scrawled in that bible was a description on Lydia Losee's passing and funeral which included a list of her pallbearers. Rich detail. 

My photocopy looks like this:

Don't even try to read it. I cleaned it up digitally to look like this:

It reads:

Freeport Dec. 31/87
Lydia A. Losee departed 
this life at half past twelve
in the day the last day of the 
year of the month & week sat.  
funeral Jan 3 /88 at half past 
twelve at W. B. Seaman's house

This hair was taken from 

mothers head Dec 31/87

Greenfield Cemetery 

Mon Dec 19/87 mother commenced 

to feel bad went to bed wed 

21st 7 31 = Died & Mr Pesell 

tended the funeral services at 

Paulbarers Nelson Smith &

Mothers     Strangers

hair lite      Daniel Terry 

                  Noah Terry 

                  Henry Rhodes 

                  Alexander Smith

What does that have to do with the map? Well, this map shows where those bottom 4 pallbearers lived in proximity to the Losees. Pallbearers names are circled in red. Lydia's husband's property is circled in blue.

If you ask me, is very cool and says something very profound about community and the kindness of neighbors.

52 Ancestors Challenge Week 3: "Favorite Photo" - 3rd great grandpa John Losee Sr.

I love this photo.



The little boy is my Grandpa Earle's brother, Allen Preston Earle (17 March 1916 - 8 November 1956). The older man is his great grandfather, my 3rd great grandfather, John M. Losee Sr. (17 August 1841 - 10 February 1918).

Aside from the fact that not too many people have an image of their 3rd great grandparent, I know almost exactly where and when this photo was taken. That is part of why is it one of my favorite photos.

It was taken at either present-day 56 or 60 Stevens Street in Freeport, Long Island, New York. If I thought the owners would let me wander around their properties to line up a recreation of the photo, I bet I could find the exact spot.

The Losee family owned that property for a long time and that house is still standing. John Sr.'s father, Leonard Losee, owned that property as far back as 1873 according to a historic map of the area. That block is very close to a dividing line between the towns of Roosevelt and Freeport, but at one time the area was called Greenwich Point. I suspect they may have owned it even longer than that but that is the oldest map I have seen.

The Losees sold the property to a developer, Albin Johnson, in about 1912 but family resided on the land well into the 1930s. That is where John Sr.'s daughter, Georgianna Losee, was living at the time of her death on November 29, 1935 at the age of 69.

As for the date on which this photo was taken, there is a very small window as to when it could have been taken. Allen was born on March 17, 1916 and John died on February 10, 1918. Only 696 days have lapsed between those 2 dates. It looks to me as though Allen is over a year old. He's not in summer clothes, in fact, they are kind of bundled up; John has gloves on. So I am guessing it was taken in the Fall of 1917 or a nice warm winter day shortly before John's death.

What I really love about it is the fact that its a casual, candid photo of a smiling little one hanging out on a log with his great grandpa and a dog. Just chillin'.

52 Ancestors Challenge Week 1: "Foundations" - Aunt Jeannette

I try to set a genealogy research goal for myself every year. Some years are more successful than others. This year I am already failing in that I can't even come up with a goal. I blame it on COVID-fatigue. Oh, that's a real thing for sure!! I surely have had enough of it. Haven't you? I can't really focus on anything. The "plan" is constantly changing. I feel scattered and confined all at once. Anyway...

In my search for a genealogy goal for 2022, I came across the "52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge" set forth by professional genealogist, Amy Crow Johnson. Each week she present a theme which the participants can interpret anyway they chose to. This week's theme is "Foundations."

The first recollection I have of having any interest in my family history was when I was about 10. I was a Girl Scout and I had a workbook full of badges to pursue and one of them was for genealogy. 

I loved making a tree. Something about the organization of the information and the collection of data just gave me strength. I don't know how to explain it better than that. It made me confident in myself that I could ask the right questions to get all these names and birthdays and death dates and visually lay it out in a consistent format on a sheet of paper for everyone to see and understand. It is really no surprise to me that I am a cataloging librarian today. I like to keep shit in order. Librarian was not a childhood career goal, though. I was well into my 30s by the time I chose this career. Like many, I just sort of stumbled on to it my career path. All modesty aside, I am really good at it. I am also pretty fabulous at puzzles. Give me an impossible jigsaw and I can get that done in a few days, no sweat. I do love a good mystery too, although I often figure them out long before the final chapter. Only really good writers can surprise me. I think I am more a genealogist than a librarian.

I blame the foundation of my genealogy addiction on a family reunion I attended in my teens. I think I was about 15 the first time I attended a Losee Family reunion with my paternal grandparents, Ed and Clare Earle. Losee was Grandpa Earle's mother's maiden name; my great grandma was Ethel Mae Losee-Earle. 

I could say Ethel was the foundation or root of my interest in genealogy but nope, sorry Ethel, it wasn't really her. For that honor, I point to my great aunt, Jeannette Alice Losee-Henry. Jeannette wasn't especially interested in genealogy, nor was she a central figure in my life. I never even really spent much time with Aunt Jeannette but it was at that reunion that I learned I was related to Aunt Jeannette in 2 ways. Yes, 2 ways. Blew my mind. 

I knew Aunt Jeannette was married to Grandma Earle's brother, Richard Henry, making her my great-aunt by marriage. But it was at that Losee reunion that I learned she was related to me biologically as well. She was my grandfather's cousin.  Mind blown. Jeannette was born a Losee. 

I couldn't get my head around it and it is what really started my research. I needed to understand how she was related to both my Grandma Earle AND my Grandpa Earle. I needed to visually see it on a tree. And neither Jeannette or my grandfather could draw it out for me. Grandma tried but I had to do it myself.

The revelation sparked me to inquire how the couples met. "So did grandpa introduce his cousin to grandma's brother or the other way around?"

The response I received was confounding. It wasn't until Richie brought Jeannette home to meet his parents, Great Grandpa Charles & Great Grandma Anna Henry,  that Jeannette's connection to my grandfather was brought to light. My grandparents were already married at the time. At Richie & Jeannette's engagement party, grandpa, who we all called Poppy, simple asked Jeannette what her last name was. To which he reacted with, "That's my mother's maiden name too."

The family sorted out the connection then, again, I had to figure it out on my own to really get it. So this confusing little diagram totally makes sense to me.

To achieve this goal of mapping out how Grandpa Earle was related to Aunt Jeannette Losee-Henry, I made several trips to the Freeport Memorial Library. I was told the Losee Family were early settlers of Freeport. Little did I know how early, but I digress. I thought the Freeport Memorial Library might have some more information for me. 

On my first research visit to that library, I was taken into what they called the History Room. While I waited for the librarian to pull some books for me from their closed stack, I wandered around the room with my Grandma Earle reading the plaques on the walls. 

I learned the room I was standing in was the original library building and that it was built as a Civil War Memorial. Up on a plaque, honoring the town's residents who died  in the Civil War, was the name Benjamin F. Losee. And so my first lesson in genealogy research was learned; that every answer leads to more questions. Now I had to figure out how Aunt Jeannette was related to Poppy AND how I must be related to Benjamin F. Losee. 

30+ years later, I am still at this genealogy game and I still have more questions before me.

Thanks, Aunt Jeannette.

#52ancestors

Ethel's Citizenship

There was a period in U.S. history that if a natural born U.S. woman married a foreign man, she lost her U.S. citizenship. 

It's true!

Starting on March 2, 1907, an American woman, by birth or naturalization, lost her citizenship when she married an alien. She thereby took on his nationality. She could regain her U.S. citizenship if and when her husband naturalized. His naturalization required a total of 5 years residency in the U.S. including 1 year of residency in the state of application and 2 years between his declaration of intent to naturalize and the submission of his naturalization petition.

On September 22, 1922 the Cable Act was passed. This Act made it so that women could no longer be naturalized through derivative citizenship; meaning that she herself had to apply for her own citizenship. She didn't just get it automatically when her alien husband naturalized. 

It also made it so women no longer lost their U.S. citizenship just because she married an alien. However, the women who had previously lost their citizenship due to marrying an alien were only made eligible to naturalized. They didn't just get it back. They had to go through the process of applying for citizenship.

On June 25, 1936, it changed again so that women who were native born U.S. citizens that lost their citizenship due to marriage an foreign man prior to September 22, 1922 could be considered a citizen again if she took the oath of allegiance AND her marriage was terminated by either death or divorce of her spouse. So in other words, she could be come a citizen on her own as long as that guy wasn't her husband anymore.

It wasn't until July 2, 1940 that those women who lost their citizenship through marriage between 1907 and 1922 could be considered a citizen again. She still had to take the oath of allegiance, but it didn't matter if her husband was dead or alive anymore, she could do it on her own. The one caveat being that she had to resided in U.S. for the duration of the marriage.

So that brings me to my great grandmother, Ethel Mae Losee-Earle. Ethel was born on St. Valentine's Day, 1896 in Freeport, Long Island, New York, where 8 previous generations had all been born after her 7th great grandfather, Edward Raynor settled the area in the mid 1600s.

By all accounts, Ethel never left Long Island. Maybe she ventured into Manhattan or up to New England for some excursion but she never traveled abroad. 

On June 5, 1915, she married Abram Thomas Earle in Freeport. Abram was born in Twillingate, Newfoundland which at the time of his birth was a British colony. Newfoundland only became a province of Canada on March 31, 1949. So when Ethel married Abe, she too became a British citizen. She had never been there. Never planned to even visit. Yet, she was no longer an American.

Now maybe in 1915 that didn't seem like a big deal but I wonder how she felt in 1920 when American women were finally able to vote and she couldn't.

Until very recently I had no reason to believe Abe had ever naturalized. I believed wholeheartedly that he had died a British citizen. Although, I don't know what becomes of your citizenship status when your place of birth changes its status like Newfoundland did by joining Canada in 1949. When Abe died in 1973 would he have been considered British or Canadian?

Ugh, well I don't have to answer that because, lookie here:

Abe naturalized on January 10, 1925, before my grandfather Ed was born in August of that year.

And guess what - - So did Ethel.

I was so happy to see her Certificate of Naturalization. I find the whole business of one loosing her citizenship so shameful. As if marrying someone outside of your national origin is a sign of disloyalty to your nation.

Love is love, people.