52 Ancestors: Solo - Rosalind Steen

This week's blog prompt, Solo, reminded me of someone who was an only child.  My mother and mother-in-law both fit that description but I wanted to focus on someone I have not researched much - Rosalind Steen.  Rosalind was my first cousin, 3 times removed - her father, Samuel, was the brother of my 2x great grandmother, Rebecca (Steen) Schwartz.

Rosalind was born in San Francisco on 10 May 1885.  At the time of her birth, she was not an only child as her sister, Hazel, was just one year old when Rosalind was born.  I can imagine the girls spent many hours together and kept their parents busy.

Since the 1890 census is unavailable, the only "proof" I have of Rosalind alive is the 1900 Federal Census when the family lived at 310 Hyde Street.  Interesting that the family was enumerated as the Samsteen family.

1900 United States Federal Census, San Francisco, California
Roll 105, Page 9A, Enumeration District 0188, FHL Microfilm 124105

Sometime later in 1900, the family moved to 1276 Eddy Street in San Francisco.  And on 17 April 1902, in that house, Rosalind was gone.

California, County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1849-1980

At the age of 16 years, 11 months, and 8 days Rosalind Steen died from acute pulmonary tuberculosis.  Of course more than 100 years later, we can't even fathom anyone dying from tuberculosis but I'm sure it was not abnormal then.

Rosalind was buried in Hills of Eternity Memorial Park in Colma, California.  At the time of her death, she was buried near her aunt, Dena Steen (sister of my 2x great grandmother Rebecca (Steen) Schwartz) but she was, for the most part, solo.

Hills of Eternity Memorial Park, Plot A, Sec. 5, Lot S/9

You can see behind her another stone inscribed with STEEN - this is where her aunt, Dena, now lies with her mother and Rosalind's grandmother, Hannah (Plotzky) Steen, who died in 1909.

Years later Rosalind's parents and sister were all interred in Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland leaving Rosalind "solo" from her immediate family.

Rosalind, you are not forgotten.  Rest in peace.

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.