52 Ancestors: Out of Place

Is Louis Schwartz, my 2x great grandfather, out of place?

There has been something nagging me for quite some time and is now causing me to further explore Louis' final resting place.

Louis Schwartz

I know that Louis, along with his wife Rebecca (Steen) Schwartz (1848-1918) and their sons Marks (1873-1877) and Colman (1884-1920) Schwartz, are buried in Home of Eternity Cemetery in Oakland, California.  While I cannot say with 100% certainty that his remains are actually there, I have stood before the grave so I know there is at least a stone for him there.

Since Louis is buried with his wife and two of his sons, I think he is in exactly the right place.  But I don't know if that was always the case.

Louis died on 23 May, 1893 in Byron Springs, California.  I know that Louis had gone to Byron Springs "in search of health".  He had been "ailing for almost a year, his trouble having been Bright's Disease.'" [Santa Cruz Sentinel, 24 May 1893, Wed., page 3].

Other than the fact that Louis was only 59 years old, not too much seems out of place at this point.  I'm sure his family were devastated as they made arrangements for Louis' final resting place.  Which seems to have been Santa Cruz.  WHAT? 

Santa Cruz Sentinel, Wednesday, 26 May 1893, page 3 

Not just that, but there was a service performed and then a procession to the Jewish Cemetery in Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz Sentinel, Saturday, 27 May 1893, page 3

Louis even bequeathed $250 to the Cemetery upon his death.

Santa Cruz Sentinel, Friday, June 2, 1893, page 3

So, you'd think he would be buried at the Home of Peace Cemetery in Santa Cruz, right?

Home of Peace Cemetery, Santa Cruz, California

Was he "out of place" and moved to Home of Eternity when Rebecca died in 1918?  I know that Rebecca was living in Oakland with her brother, Samuel Steen, and his wife, Rachel (Letter) Steen, and MY GRANDMOTHER, Loraine Gunzendorfer, when she passed away on 7 Jan 1918.  So it makes sense that she was buried in Oakland.

As I was researching for this post I found some new information on Ancestry.com - the probate records of Rebecca!  Where did that come from?  I was ever so hopeful that there would be some mention of her burial but, sadly, not to be.

I've written to Temple Sinai, owners/operators of Home of Eternity Cemetery, to see if they might, just might, have some records describing when Louis was interred and who made the arrangements.  With any luck, I'll get some questions answered about whether Louis was out of place in Santa Cruz and later moved to be next to his wife of nearly 30 years, Rebecca.  I always like a good love story.

52 Ancestors: In the Paper

Just in time for this week’s blog prompt, I received this newspaper article from George, the author of my #1 Genealogical Find of 2017 Between the Redwoods and the Bay.  Now THAT was good timing.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
26 Aug 1945, page 7

What really struck me is that this article is from 1945 when Louis Schwartz, my 2x great grandfather, had been dead since 1893.  WAIT – WHAT?  I had never, ever thought about looking for newspaper articles so many years later.  But, fortunately, Louis was pretty well known in Santa Cruz and contributed to so much history that it makes sense that they were talking about him 50 years after his death.

The second thing that struck me was that the address of the house he built was 105 Mission Street – I’d always heard that the address was (and is) 222 Mission Street.  So where did 105 come in?

So I couldn’t stop there and have spent some time looking for newspaper articles about Louis after his death.  Which has led me to many different discoveries.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
30 Sep 1894, page 3

In 1894, the house was at 99 Mission Street.  So now we've gone from 99 to 105 to 222.  Puzzling.  Google Maps shows me that there is currently a 99 and 105 Mission Street but they are NOT the house Louis built as it is at 222 Mission Street.  Did the numbering conventions change along the way?  I have connected with someone who has been researching the house so I'll need to ask her what she knows.

Now this article from 1977 is interesting - a Mission Hill Historic Unit was torn down.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
24 Aug 1977, page 35

This is the part of the article that really caught my attention.

My mother once told me that she remembered a small studio behind the house where my great grandmother, Bertha "Birdie" Schwartz, used to do artwork.  When I connected with the current (now former) owner of the home a few years ago, he confirmed that the art studio was no longer in existence.  So this is probably the structure they were referring to except my great grandmother's name was NOT Rose.  Must have been a typo.  But it secretly (or maybe not so secretly) makes me happy to know that people were so angry at this historic structure being demolished.  I'll bet Louis and Birdie would have been happy, too.

And just by searching on Louis Schwartz, I found some other interesting articles about Birdie and her husband, Abraham Gunzendorfer, and their living arrangements.  This one is COMPLETELY new to me - I thought Birdie and Abe lived in Monterey until Abe died in 1944.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
27 Jul 1943, page 3

I assumed the corner of Jeffenson and Larkin Streets was in Santa Cruz since this was a Santa Cruz paper.  But, I couldn't find anything like that currently.  I also tried Jefferson - no luck.  But after further review, I found a corner of Jefferson and Larkin in Monterey.  I guess it was big news in Santa Cruz since Birdie grew up there.

And just shy of a year later, Abe died and left Birdie on her own.  I knew she spent the last years of her life in a hotel - looks like she moved there in 1948.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
4 Jul 1948, page 12

The 1948 San Francisco City Directory, page 788, shows Birdie at 490 Geary which was either the Hotel Maryland or Hotel Warwick.   I'm fairly certain she lived there until her death in 1950.  It's crazy how many people in that time period lived in a hotel.  I'm sure it was safer for an elderly, single woman to be a resident with so many people just a step away to help her.

I just love to peruse newspapers - it sure tells us a story of the details of their lives.

Louis Schwartz Home
99 or 105 or 222 Mission Street
Santa Cruz, California
Birdie on the left, Louis on the right behind the fence

Top 10 Genealogical Finds of 2018

Photo by Pierce Place

It’s been a quiet year here at Who Knew? central, but I’ve managed to tuck away a few discoveries.  I participated in the 52 Ancestors Challenge, which sure helped by providing blog prompts and I’m looking forward to participating again in 2019.  Also, putting this post together reminds me of so many things I’ve started and need to get back to.

As 2018 winds down, I’d like to step back and reflect on what I’ve learned over the past year.  So in my best David Letterman voice, I bring you my annual Top 10 genealogical finds of 2018.  You can read my previous years’ discoveries here. 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012.5 2012 2011

Number 10:  In 2014, I wrote about the home in Santa Cruz that was built for my 2x great grandfather, Louis Schwartz.  Based on the timing of some of the facts I’ve learned, I’m fairly certain that not only was my great grandmother, Birdie Schwartz, born in that house but also my grandmother, Mildred Loraine Gunzendorfer.  So a pretty special house to me.

Imagine my surprise when I received a message via newspapers.com this year from a historian in Santa Cruz who noticed I’d clipped quite a few clippings about Louis Schwartz and the family.  Turns out she had an acquaintance who was hoping to buy the home, which they did, and she was going to research the history and started with me.  We’ve had some e-mails back and forth and this post has reminded me to get back to corresponding with her to see what she’s found.

If you’re interested in seeing the listing (and the inside of the house), you can view it here SCHWARTZ HOUSE LISTING.  One of  my photos of the family in front of the home is even in the listing!

That’s Birdie on the left and Louis Schwartz standing behind the fence on the right.

Number 9:  Last year’s #1 genealogical find was the publishing of a book I had the honor of contributing to and which referenced many of my ‘peeps’ in Santa Cruz.


How exciting to know that George is now working on a walking tour and history of the Jewish Cemetery in Santa Cruz, Home of Peace.  I’m anxious to see the finished product and, hopefully, find some of my ancestors interred there.


Number 8:  The blog prompts this year encouraged me to write about ancestors I hadn’t spent much time with.  One of those ancestors was Colman Schwartz, the youngest brother (and sibling) of my great grandmother, Birdie Schwartz.  As part of that research, I even learned what a monologist was as Colman practiced the art.  How sad that he died at just 36 years old.


Number 7:  Another blog prompt had me researching my grandmother’s cousin, Mervyn Gunzendorfer.  I knew that Mervyn and my grandmother’s brother, Wilton, were the last of the Gunzendorfer line and it was nice to learn a little more about Mervyn.


Number 6:  I don’t know a lot about my maternal grandfather, Earle Martin, as he and my grandmother divorced when my mother was about 10 and he really wasn’t a part of her (or our) life after that.  He is still a bit of a mystery to me so as part of the Father’s Day prompt, I did some research and found some new information.  I also briefly connected again with Earle’s youngest child.  I’d sure love to learn more about Earle and that part of the family.


Number 5:  Since my mother was an only child (other than half siblings whom we never knew) and my dad had only one brother, the ‘maiden aunt’ prompt looked to be difficult for me.  However, it was then that I remembered the Stubblefield sisters who lived next door to my grandparents for many years.  Since neither of them ever married or had children, it was a nice to remember them.  Maybe, just maybe, there is a descendant of some sort who has been looking for them.

I think this is Ethel and Gertrude with my grandmother (on the right)

Number 4:  The ‘Going to the chapel’ prompt was the perfect opportunity for me to research my maternal grandmother, Clara Fitzgerald, and her marriage to the man I knew as Grandpa, Sheldon Hunter.  They owned a chicken ranch as we were growing up and I have such wonderful memories of spending time at the ranch.  Not just chickens but so many warm Fresno afternoons listening to Grandma’s beloved San Francisco Giants.

The last photo I have of the two of them – my wedding day March 9, 1974

Number 3:  When the ‘Cause of Death’ prompt appeared, I ventured outside of my own family and did some research on my husband’s 2x great grandmother, Julia O’Reilly Gorham Post.  Was she murdered?  Or did she accidentally fall on that darned hatchet?  Who knew?


Number 2:  I’ll take any opportunity to write about my 3x great grandfather, Emery Waller.  For those of you who have followed along for most of my ‘blogging life’, you’ll remember he was the ancestor I found in an unmarked grave and was able to mark the grave so he will never be forgotten.  You can read about my quest HERE. 
When thinking about the ‘Conflict’ prompt, my first thought was a conflict between family members.  While I have a few of those, I took the opportunity to write about Emery’s military service during the Civil War.  Out came the pension record again and I was able to learn even more about this man.


Number 1:   This could be my Number 1 genealogical find every year – COUSINS! 

In early December I learned that my 2nd cousin had recently passed away.  His grandfather, Herb Levy, was my grandfather’s oldest brother.  While I had not connected with this cousin over the course of my journey, I had connected with his brother, Bob, so I sent him an e-mail expressing my condolences.  It turns out that Bob shared some family information with his two nieces and, thus, we have now connected and will be sharing (I hope) information.  Welcome to the family, my two new 2nd cousins, 1x removed!

And then right before Christmas, I took a peek at my DNA results and noticed a new match from my Gunzendorfer line.  Since this family is so small, I’m always excited at the possibility of meeting a new Gunzendorfer relative – AND I DID!  Her great grandmother, Sarah (Goldstein) Eisner, was the sister of my great grandmother, Fannie (Goldstein) Gunzendorfer.  And while 3rd cousin, 1x removed might seem a bit distant, to prove that the world is very, very small we found quite a few similarities.  We grew up about 1 mile from each other, graduated from the same high school just a few years apart, and attended the same Temple.  How did we not know about each other, even thought our fathers did?  Welcome to my family, C!

It’s always fun to look at the top visited blog posts for the year.  While some made both lists, there were a few that didn’t.  Here’s my top five blog posts for 2018:

#1  Wanted: Herman Levy (not just for the year but ALL TIME)
#2  52 Ancestors: Cause of Death
#3  52 Ancestors: Youngest
#4  52 Ancestors: Thankful
#5  52 Ancestors: Heirloom

And that’s what I’ve been up to in 2018 – thanks for following along with me!

52 Ancestors: Travel

This week’s blog prompt, Travel, causes me to focus on my 2x great grandfather, Louis Schwartz.  I’ve recently been reviewing the information I have on Louis and his wife, Rebecca Steen, as I have connected with someone who has an interest in the history of the house Louis built in Santa Cruz in 1865.

I know quite a bit about Louis, yet there is so much that I don’t know.  Fortunately, I’ve had some help along the way and have been able to piece together more and more every day. 



I was fortunate to come across a book, The History of Santa Cruz, California, by Edward Sanford Harrison, Pacific Press Publishing Co., 1892, that provided me with details of Louis’ early life.  Additionally, the book Between the Redwoods and the Bay, by George Fogelson, has given me so much perspective about not only Louis, but the Jewish community in Santa Cruz in the early days.  You can read a little about it HERE. 

Louis Schwartz was born in Schildberg, Prussia on January 5, 1834.  His father (who might be Bendel or Bendusch Schwartz) was a cattle dealer and butcher.  While in Prussia, Louis was learning the trade of baker.

Louis left home when he was just seventeen years old and by the time he was eighteen, went to Hull, England and then to London.  There he learned to make mackintoshes (rubber coats).  After close to a year, Louis traveled on the Henry Clay, from Liverpool to New York.  The voyage was uneventful and once he arrived in America, he gained employment in a clothing store at Roundabout on the Hudson.

The following year (1854), he sailed for California on the steamer Northern Light via the Isthmus.  From the Isthmus to San Francisco he boarded the steamer Uncle Sam and arrived in San Francisco with just $7.00 (remember that figure) to his name.  In 1855 he moved on to Santa Cruz and opened a general merchandise store under the name of Schwartz & Brownstone.

Louis opened many businesses over the years – general merchandise and lumber yards, primarily.  He was a prominent stockholder and Director of the Bank of Santa Cruz County – I believe my dad held stock in the bank until his death which is now starting to make sense.  Louis was also a leading stockholder in the Butcher’s Union and the Pajaro Valley Bank of Watsonville.  He served a term as councilman for the Second Ward, was a member of a number of fraternal and social organizations, was Master of the Blue Lodge, F. and A.M. (ten years High Priest of the Chapter), Past Noble Grand of the I.O.O.F., Past Dictator of the Knights of Honor, and Past Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias, holding the position of District Deputy Grand Chancellor.  Much like his great grandson (my dad) years later, it seems that Louis was involved in just about anything he could be and still have time to sleep.

Louis was married on October 15, 1865 to Rebecca Steen, daughter of Hannah Plotzky and Joseph Steen, Louis' business partner.  Their marriage resulted in eight children, only four of whom lived into adulthood (Joseph, Bertha, Milton, and Colman).  He lived in a residence on Mission Street, which he built in 1865, until his death in 1893.



I love old newspapers!  I found this article from the Santa Cruz Sentinel, April 30, 1881, page 3.



So what (or who) was in Europe?  I’ve been able to piece together a brother, Kaufman Schwartz, and a sister, although I have been unable to find her name.  Did he visit them?  Were his parents still alive at that time?  Where in Europe did he go?

In 1893, Louis and Rebecca went to Byron Springs resort, Contra Costa County, where he had gone for his health.  He died 23 May, 1893 from Bright’s (kidney) Disease – he was just 59 years old.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel reported on 26 May, 1893 that Louis’ remains had arrived back in Santa Cruz.



Later that day his funeral, one of the largest ever in Santa Cruz, was held.  Flags flew at half-staff over many buildings and the home on Mission Street was crowded with many friends and family.

Rabbi Marcus Friedlander of Temple Sinai, the First Hebrew Congregation of Oakland, delivered an eulogy, some of which is included here:

“Louis Schwartz had traveled for sixty years on that free high-road of life which is dug with the principles of moral character, paved with elements of human greatness, and fenced with these conditions which indispensably result in honest achievements, that is, integrity, modesty and family affection.  These qualities which combine the traits of a good Jew, a loyal citizen, a true friend, a devoted husband and an affectionate father, may justly be recorded in the history of Louis Schwartz.

When yet a boy, Louis Schwartz left his home, his kindred and his country, to face the world’s good and evil friends and enemies, prosperity and adversity…..For over a quarter of a century he stood with a devoted heart and uninterrupted kindness by his beloved wife, who will forever mourn his loss.  He was most affectionately attached to his children.  They were the pride of his home and the joy of his heart.  There was nothing too much or too difficult for him, which, he thought, might add to their perfection and tend to their future happiness.

As a citizen Louis Schwartz was for thirty-six years intimately identified with the financial development and public improvement of this city.  He was entrusted with an honorable, responsible public office.  He was a member of the volunteer fire department; he was a director of a bank; and was always found the same honest, active and ostentatious aspirant.  His modesty, gentleness and sincerity won for him the good will and friendship of all those who knew him.

His honesty inspired confidence, his modesty won hearts, and his readiness to assist those in distress or difficulty gained gratitude  He was a devout and liberal-minded conservative Jew, and with his death one of the strongest pillars of this Jewish community has been removed  He lived and died with God in his heart and the Jewish confession of faith on his lips  Cheerfully and happily did he lull himself asleep with Jewish anthems, when, alas! he was kissed into eternity and entered into the enjoyments of immortality.”

Louis was buried in Home of Eternity Cemetery (the Jewish portion of Mountain View Cemetery) in Oakland and was later joined by his wife, Rebecca.



On June 2, 1893, the Santa Cruz Sentinel posted details of Louis’ estate.  Remember that $7 that Louis arrived with in his pocket?  In just 39 years, that number grew to about $150,000, or just over $4 million today! 



Just think where I’d be (or not be) if Louis had not set out on his journey at the young age of 17.  And, I am so fortunate to have so many photos and ephemera of Louis’ – once again, I’m thankful that my ancestors were packrats!

52 Ancestors: Another Language – Joseph Steen

This week’s prompt for the challenge is Another Language.  Not sure where to start or what to write, my brain churned for an inspiration.  While I assumed that many of my ancestors spoke another language since they came from Poland, Germany, and other countries in Europe, I don’t know that any of them spoke or understood another language.

But wait – being 50% Ashkenazi Jew meant there was sure to be some Hebrew or Yiddish, right?  And then I remembered that my 3x great grandfather, Joseph Steen, was buried with a beautiful Hebrew inscription on his headstone.



And, fortunately, I have a transcription.

Moshe Yosef 

HERE LIES
A noble and a faithful devoted man to God
Died on the eve of Shabat on 15 Av and was buried on 17 Av.
A man of integrity and honesty,
Hard worker and with clean hands and heart.
Never gossip nor lying.
From this world you departed but peace with God you found.

While I don’t know specifically that Joseph or his family spoke Hebrew, it was obviously important enough for them to inscribe his headstone with the words in Hebrew.

Joseph was born in Poland in about 1826 or 1827 and emigrated from Posen to England in about 1850.  With him when he emigrated were his wife, Hannah Plotzky, and his daughter, Rebecca (my 2x great grandmother).  Another child was born before they found their way to New York where son Samuel was born in 1855.  Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Santa Cruz where Joseph opened a bath house and five more children were born.

I don’t know much about Joseph’s short life.  He was enumerated in 1860 in Santa Cruz where he lived next door to Louis Schwartz, Rebecca’s future husband and my 2x great grandfather.  And next door to Louis and his business partner, Solomon Fisher, was the Barnet family.  I have a lot of research to do on this family but I do know that daughter Grace graduated from Santa Cruz High School with my great grandmother, Bertha Schwartz, and served as a bridesmaid in Bertha’s wedding to Abraham Gunzendorfer.  As I’ve started to research them, I found someone with a family tree on Ancestry that also shows up as a DNA match for me.  So maybe, just maybe, I’ll find that the Barnet family is in some way related to my family.

Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.Original data - 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records

In 1863, Joseph was listed on the IRS Tax Assessment List.  I have zero experience with this type of list so it’s all Greek to me.

Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.Original data - National Archives (NARA) microfilm series: M603, M754-M771, M773-M777, M779-M780, M782, M784, M787-M789, M791-M793, M795, M1631, M1775-M1776, T227, T1208-T1209.

Uh-oh, he’s back on the list in October, 1864.  Is this a good thing or a bad thing?


Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.Original data - National Archives (NARA) microfilm series: M603, M754-M771, M773-M777, M779-M780, M782, M784, M787-M789, M791-M793, M795, M1631, M1775-M1776, T227, T1208-T1209.


In 1864, Joseph lost a stock certificate of 10 shares of stock.  I sure wish I knew if this was ever found.

Santa Cruz Weekly Sentinel, 12 Nov 1864, Sat, page 3

And then his life was cut short.

Santa Cruz Weekly Sentinel, 4 Aug 1866, Sat, page 2

Consumption is an old term for wasting away of the body, particularly from pulmonary tuberculosis.  It has been said that tuberculosis was known as a “good death” as the slow progress of the disease allowed the patient to arrange their affairs.  I can’t imagine a 39 year old man with a young family facing the task of arranging his affairs.

To read the story of how I found Joseph’s grave (the same cemetery as my father!), click HERE for my #2 genealogical find of 2012. 

מנוחה בשלום, יוסף
Rest in peace, Joseph.