52 Ancestors: Namesake

There are a lot of instances in my family tree of one ancestor being named for another - it's fun to follow the bread crumbs.  But one namesake that means the most to me is.......ME.

My mom always told me that my middle name, Ann, was given to me in honor of her Aunt Ann, the woman she lived with for some amount of time (how long?) while her parents were going through their divorce.  Somehow I learned that Aunt Ann was really Anna Teresa (Fitzgerald) Sronce, who was really her great aunt as she was the younger sister of Mom's grandfather, Edward Fitzgerald.  And I also knew that Aunt Ann lived somewhere around Berkeley or Oakland, California.  And even now I don't know much more than that.  And once again, I could just KICK MYSELF for not asking more questions.

Anna Teresa Fitzgerald was born 27 July 1883 in Woodland, Yolo County, California.  She was the seventh (and last) child of Mathew and Julia (Horgan) Fitzgerald.

I found what looks to be two entries in the 1900 census for Anna.

The first was enumerated on 7 Jun 1900 where she was in Fresno with dad Mathew and siblings Nick, Mary, and Joseph.  Mom Julia died shortly after Anna's birth so this all checks out.

The second entry was just a week later on June 12-13 where I found Anna in Woodland.  She was a lodger in the Delia Morrison household and was "at business college".  This Anna was born July, 1883 so it also looks to be her.  However, this shows that both her father and mother were born in New York when, in fact, they were both born in Ireland.  Maybe it was easier just to say your parents were born in New York?  Or, Delia didn't know where they were born so just said New York?

On 14 Aug 1902, Anna married Robert Hartsel Sronce.  And together over the next few years they had three children - Robert, Hartsel, and Elizabeth.

In 1910, Anna and Robert lived on G Street in Sacramento.  Young Robert and Hartsel had now joined the family, as had Aunt Elizabeth Sronce.  I don't have any record of a sister named Elizabeth but I also don't see a brother (making her a sister-in-law).  More research needed.  In this census it states that both parents were born in New York.

By 1920, Anna and Robert were living at 1600 Bancroft in Berkeley.  Again, both parents were born in New York.  And now not only were Robert, Hartsel, and Aunt Elizabeth in the home, but daughter Elizabeth had joined the family.

1930 found Anna and Robert at 754 61st St in Oakland.  In the home were son Robert and daughter Elizabeth and a "relative" Sarah.  Google maps shows the house in February, 2019:

754 61st Street, Oakland, CA  - google maps

Was this the home that Mom lived in with them?  She remembers Elizabeth living in the home so this could make sense.  Or not.  Ugh, WHY DIDN'T I ASK?

By 1940, they had moved to 1509 Edith in Berkeley.  With Robert and Anna were daughter Elizabeth and her husband, Malcom Bell.  Mom, did you live here?

1509 Edith, Berkeley, CA - google maps

I went back and researched some other things and found that Mom remembered living with them at 1441 Milvia Street in Berkeley.  But I don't find ANYTHING (other than Anna's death certificate) that showed them ever living there.

1441 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA - google maps

I know that in 1940 Mom and her mother were living in a hotel on Harrison Street in Oakland (my grandmother was the Hotel Manager) so I think Mom must have been living with the Sronce's in the mid 1930's.  How long did she live with them?  Was it a week, a month, years?  I guess I'll never know.  AND I DIDN'T ASK!!!

Anna died on 2 May 1950 in Alameda County.  Based on the death certificate, she died of an acute myocardial infarction at her home on Milvia Street.  She is buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland.

I know I can't beat myself up but geez, why didn't I ask more questions???

52 Ancestors: In the Census

This week’s prompt is “In the Census”.

I can’t believe it’s been nearly 6 years since the 1940 census was made available and thanks to a mighty effort but thousands of volunteers, it was searchable pretty quickly.  My main goal with the census was to find my mother, Geraldine Martin, since she wasn’t 100% sure where she even was at that time.  I’m sure that seems hard to believe but it was about that time that her parents divorced and she spent some time with her mother, some time with her grandparents, and some time with her great aunt, Anna Theresa Fitzgerald Sronce.  So many places to look – I even blogged about the clues I had HERE. 

My mother didn’t talk much about her childhood but once I started on this journey, she seemed to remember more and more details and if pressed, would even share them with me.  I wish I’d pressed her more.

One place I knew she wasn’t was with her father, Earle Martin.  I think the photo below was taken in 1937 and I believe it wasn’t too long after that her parents divorced.   

Geraldine Martin and Earle Martin, c. 1937

When I first started looking nearly 6 years ago, I was unsuccessful in all of the places I suspected she would be.  Thankfully, Mom was still living at the time so I called her and asked the obvious question “Mom, where were you in 1940?”  I don’t remember the exact sequence of events (darn, I should know not to count on my memory) but at some point I think she said “I must have been at the Hotel in Oakland”.  HOTEL???

Turns out she was right!  Lo and behold, there was my mother, along with her mother, at a hotel on Harrison Street in Oakland.



Of course it’s hard to see them here (they are the last two entries), so I’ve cropped it here.



Oh boy, that’s still small.  On the top line it shows Clara Martin, Head, Female, White, 36 years old, Divorced, born in California, lived in Fresno, California in 1935 and her occupation was Hostess Manager.  And underneath is Geraldine Martin, Daughter, Female, White, 11 years old, Single, born in California, lived in Fresno, California in 1935.  That all checks out!

It might be the first time I’ve really studied a census like I did this one.  And because of that, I learned some new information.

In 1939, Clara’s income was $1500.  I would guess they got reduced, or maybe even free, board as part of Clara’s compensation as the Hostess Manager.  But $1500 in one year to take care of yourself and an 11 year old child?

In 1939, Clara worked 50 weeks of the year and worked 40 hours per week.

Clara’s highest school grade completed was 3 years of high school or 11th grade.  So she didn’t graduate from high school?  How did I not know that and, more importantly, WHY DIDN’T I ASK MY MOTHER WHEN I FOUND THIS?

Looks like Mom was in the 6th grade.  Would that be right?  She turned 12 in June, 1940 so I guess that makes sense.

One question asked was what the work status was during March 24-30, 1940.  Clara was at work for pay or profit and Gerry was in school.  Which school did she go to?  And, more importantly, WHY DIDN’T I ASK MY MOTHER?

I did find a link with a map of where the property was located and found this:

Hmm, that looked so familiar.  Turns out my paternal grandmother, Loraine Gunzendorfer, lived with her mother’s brother, Sam Steen, and his wife in the 1918 time period at 1733 Harrison Street which would have been just a few blocks away.  Hear the Twilight Zone music in the background? 

Geraldine Levy – c. 1940-1943

Just think – only 4 more years and the 1950 census will be released!