A couple of years ago I started to do sideway research on my paternal side. My great grandmother had a brother (possibly a half brother) named Gustav Blum.
Finding Uncle Gustav
The first hurdle I had to overcome was thinking that Gustav had a sister named Gussie Blum. One day while discussing my research with my mother she started laughing and said that Gussie would be a boy's nickname for Gustav!
Since Gustav's mother's obituary mentioned he was in the Navy at the time of her death I decided to short cut my research and request his file from the National Archives. Imagine my surprise when I received the file and found that he had left the service a few years BEFORE his mother's death.
As researchers we are used to finding errors in obituaries or family stories but this one felt different. Going back through various newspapers stories over the years, Gus was always referred to as being 'in the Navy'.
New York Naval Militia
Using everyone's favorite search tool I started to use Google to figure out my mystery. From various newspaper stories and the Federal Census I knew that Gustav lived in Manhattan in 1910. I also had the name of the ship he was supposed to be serving on at the time of his mother's desk. In a short time I found out that New York had its own Navy!
The New York Naval Militia is Federally recognized and dates back to 1890. It seems that Gus was a secretary in the New York Naval Militia after his service in the Philippine-American War.
Lesson Learned
What did I learn?
*Sometimes a piece of information that appears completely wrong can have a nugget of truth.
*There IS more than one 'Navy' in the United States
*Gustav Blum had a complicated life with a very tragic end. If you click on his name it will take you to his memorial on FindAGrave.Com.
Take Care,
Pattie
Showing posts with label blum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blum. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Sunday's Obituary - Gustav Adolph Blum
Gustav Adolph Blum
Born: October 14, 1881 - Germany
Died: December 12, 1914 - New York
Brother of Johanna Pahlke
Barrington Review - December 14, 1916
Suicide of Former Citizen
Chicago evening papers of Wednesday published the account of the suicide
in New York City of a former Barrington boy, Gustav Blum, aged about 35, who enlisted in the U. S. Navy when he was about 18 years old. His only remaining relative in this community is Mrs. August Pahlke of the Schoppe farm, southeast of town, who is in Barrington today trying to get by telegraph more definite details of her half-brother's death.
The press item states that Mr. Blum shot his son John, aged 10 years, and daughter Elsie, aged 4 years, and then killed himself. Two weeks ago he wrote to Barrington telling of his hard life at present, for his wife has been in an insame aslym for a year and his children were boarding away from him.
He was very despondent because there seemed no hope of his wife recovering her reason; her grandmother and other relatives were also insane.
Mr. Blum was born in Germany but came to Barrington when a young boy with his mother, Mrs. Matilda Schumacher; who lived on North Hawley street and died four years ago. He always called in Barrington when on shore leave and was here to his mother's funeral.
For several years he had been stationed, as secretary, on the U. S. S. Granite, at the foot of 96th Street, New York harbor. He is favorably remembered here and old friends are sorry that life for him was so tragic. He always took the home paper and kept track of Barrington affairs.
Born: October 14, 1881 - Germany
Died: December 12, 1914 - New York
Brother of Johanna Pahlke
Barrington Review - December 14, 1916
Suicide of Former Citizen
Chicago evening papers of Wednesday published the account of the suicide
in New York City of a former Barrington boy, Gustav Blum, aged about 35, who enlisted in the U. S. Navy when he was about 18 years old. His only remaining relative in this community is Mrs. August Pahlke of the Schoppe farm, southeast of town, who is in Barrington today trying to get by telegraph more definite details of her half-brother's death.
The press item states that Mr. Blum shot his son John, aged 10 years, and daughter Elsie, aged 4 years, and then killed himself. Two weeks ago he wrote to Barrington telling of his hard life at present, for his wife has been in an insame aslym for a year and his children were boarding away from him.
He was very despondent because there seemed no hope of his wife recovering her reason; her grandmother and other relatives were also insane.
Mr. Blum was born in Germany but came to Barrington when a young boy with his mother, Mrs. Matilda Schumacher; who lived on North Hawley street and died four years ago. He always called in Barrington when on shore leave and was here to his mother's funeral.
For several years he had been stationed, as secretary, on the U. S. S. Granite, at the foot of 96th Street, New York harbor. He is favorably remembered here and old friends are sorry that life for him was so tragic. He always took the home paper and kept track of Barrington affairs.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Sunday's Obituary - Matilda Mueller Schumacher
Born: Matilda Mueller
Date: August 18, 1848 - Salzuften, Lippe-Detmond, Germany
Married: Herman Henrich Strunk on April 24, 1872 - Evangelisch, Salzuflen, Lippe, Germany
Married: Andreas Blum on March 21, 1880 - Evangelisch, Salzuflen, Lippe, Germany
Married: Henry Schumacher - June 22, 1889 - Cook County, IL
Died: January 9, 1914 - German Evangelical Deaconess Hospital, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Barrington Review - January 15, 1914
Mrs. Schumacher Dies of Cancer
Mrs. Mathilda Schumacher of North Hawley Street died in Chicago at the German Evangelical Deaconess hospital at noon last Friday, January 9 and was brought to Barrington for burial. The funeral was held Sunday at St. Paul's Evangelical Chuch on Main Street with Rev. Eugene Wilking conducting the service. Interment was in Main Street Cemetery.
Mrs. Schumacher had been ill since last spring and was taken to Chicago on November 30 for an operation which could not be performed on account of her weak condition. She was suffering from cancer of the liver.
Two months ago her son, Gustav Blum, who is in the United States Navy and is stationed on the battleship, Granite State, at the foot of the 96th Street, New York City, came here to see his mother and with his sister Johanna Pahlke who lives east of town, decided to send the mother to the city for treatment. He then returned east. He arrived in Barrington again Sunday for the funeral.
Mathilda Muller Schumacher was born in Salzuften, Lippe-Detmond, Germany,
on August 18, 1848. When a young woman she was married to a Mr. Blum and they were parents of five children of whom three died when young. Mr. Blum died, and as a widow of 40 years, Mrs. Schumacher came to this country in October 1888. She has sinced lived in Barrington. For two years she was the wife of Henry Schumacher.
Besides the son and daughter mentioned the other relatives are six grandchildren, two in New York and the four Pahlke children.
The Grauenverein of St. Paul's Church, of which Mrs. Schumacher was the treasurer, attended the body.
Date: August 18, 1848 - Salzuften, Lippe-Detmond, Germany
Married: Herman Henrich Strunk on April 24, 1872 - Evangelisch, Salzuflen, Lippe, Germany
Married: Andreas Blum on March 21, 1880 - Evangelisch, Salzuflen, Lippe, Germany
Married: Henry Schumacher - June 22, 1889 - Cook County, IL
Died: January 9, 1914 - German Evangelical Deaconess Hospital, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Barrington Review - January 15, 1914
Mrs. Schumacher Dies of Cancer
Mrs. Mathilda Schumacher of North Hawley Street died in Chicago at the German Evangelical Deaconess hospital at noon last Friday, January 9 and was brought to Barrington for burial. The funeral was held Sunday at St. Paul's Evangelical Chuch on Main Street with Rev. Eugene Wilking conducting the service. Interment was in Main Street Cemetery.
Mrs. Schumacher had been ill since last spring and was taken to Chicago on November 30 for an operation which could not be performed on account of her weak condition. She was suffering from cancer of the liver.
Two months ago her son, Gustav Blum, who is in the United States Navy and is stationed on the battleship, Granite State, at the foot of the 96th Street, New York City, came here to see his mother and with his sister Johanna Pahlke who lives east of town, decided to send the mother to the city for treatment. He then returned east. He arrived in Barrington again Sunday for the funeral.
Mathilda Muller Schumacher was born in Salzuften, Lippe-Detmond, Germany,
on August 18, 1848. When a young woman she was married to a Mr. Blum and they were parents of five children of whom three died when young. Mr. Blum died, and as a widow of 40 years, Mrs. Schumacher came to this country in October 1888. She has sinced lived in Barrington. For two years she was the wife of Henry Schumacher.
Besides the son and daughter mentioned the other relatives are six grandchildren, two in New York and the four Pahlke children.
The Grauenverein of St. Paul's Church, of which Mrs. Schumacher was the treasurer, attended the body.
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