Mary and Frank Horsing Around

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks : Week 4 - Favorite Photo

I'm participating in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks genealogy challenge from Amy Johnson Crow. 

How can I possibly pick a favorite when I love all of my photos? This challenge gave me an excuse to spend way too much time scrolling through the pics that I have digitized. Finally, I decided on this one.

My parents, Mary (Dixon) and Frank Traina,
most likely taken in Elizabeth, NJ, some time in the 1950's.

I'm guessing that this photo of Mary (Dixon) and Frank Traina was taken some time in the mid to late 1950's. My parents were married in 1955. I don't know if that had yet happened when someone snapped this shot of them horsing around. I can't see if either of them is wearing a wedding ring. I feel certain this was taken in Elizabeth, NJ, since that's where they and their families lived. It also just feels like Elizabeth to me.

The photo isn't really in focus, but I think it's a perfect snapshot, captuing a moment just as it happens. I wonder who took it, and what they were joking about.

Mostly, I picked this photo because they look so very happy. I didn't see this picture until after my mother died and I started going through the boxes. She rarely spoke to me of my father, who died when I was six years old. They were separated at the time, so there's all of that as well. But I like to think of them before whatever troubles drove them apart, when they were a happy couple, enjoying each other's company.

So, while picking a favorite photo is, for me, nearly impossible, today I'm picking this photo to share.

Traina Namesakes

 

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks : Week 3 - Namesake

This year, 2021, I'm participating in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks genealogy challenge from Amy Johnson Crow. Hopefully, this will not only jump-start my research, but will also help me write up some of the research I've already done.

I have not done a lot of research on my father's family, fond of them as I am, since the family line jumps back so quickly to Italy, and I'm not yet prepared to delve into international research. Still, given how little I know about the family as a whole, any bit of information is a breakthrough in my eyes.

My father, Frank Joseph Traina and his siblings were all named for grandparents. I didn't realize this until I started adding them to the family tree, and then it was quite obvious. The two oldest, Frank and Frances, were named for their father's parents. Vincent (who was called Jimmy within the family) and Mary Ann, the two youngest, were named for their mother's parents. This appears to be a fairly common naming practice for Italian families, although, from what I have seen in on-line trees for the family, my grandparents are the only ones in their families who followed this formula.

 

Franceso Traina and Francesca Lorio [I've seen many different spellings, including Lorria, Lorrie.] were both born in Italy. They married there, and, at least three of their children were born there (as far as I'm aware) – Frances, Paolina, and Salvatore – were born in Italy. Some time between 1895 and 1897 they moved to the United States where they added four more children to the family –Miriam, Guiseppe or Joseph, Lillian, and Lucy.

Guiseppe Traina, my grandfather, used the English form of his name, Joseph, for most of his life. He was born on February 22, 1902 in Jersey City, New Jersey. His birth return, signed by the midwife, is shown below. It states that Francesco Traina and Francesca Lorio are his parents. Francesco's age is given as 40 on the document. Unfortunately, the image is not clear enough to see Francesca's age. 

Lillian R. Maita, my grandmother, was the daughter of Vincenzo and Marianna or Marion (Reina) Maita. I have not found any official birth record for Lillian, although I do have birth records for her siblings Carmela, Eleanor, Nancy, and Salvatore. Eleanor's birth record is shown below. Lillian appears in the 1915 New Jersey state census as Rosalie, which I assume, was her middle name.

Birth Return for Guiseppe "Joseph" Traina.
New Jersey Vital Records, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton.

Birth record for Eleanor Maita.
New Jersey Vital Records, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton.

Ida Dixon and Stephen Bruggy

What I Know So Far...

As I've been moving files and adding data into my new genealogy software, it seemed like a good idea to take time to summarize some of the research I have to date on various individuals and families. This will hopefully clarify those branches that require more research, and those that I can set aside, as least for now. If I come across more information, or decide to do further research, I'll update this page.

[Update, 26 Sep 2021: I thought I was finished with the Bruggy family, but I was wrong. Having just recieved Ida's death certificate, and uncovered some additional information about Stephen, I find that the story requires revisiting. I have updated this page with Ida's death information for now, but I think to do the narrative justice I will have to do a complete rewrite. So, more to come!]

 I'm starting this series with Ida Francis Dixon and her husband, Stephen Bruggy. Sources are noted in parentheses, with the citations at the end of the page. I have created tables for those facts with conflicting data to, hopefully, make sense of things. There is also a timeline in table form at the end of the narrative, with sources for each event listed. 

If you have any information about this family that you would like to share, please let me know. Of course, photographs are always welcome!

Ida Francis Dixon was the daughter of John Dixon and Isabella Porter. (2,3,16) Information in the currently available records vary as to the date of her birth, which may have been June 1864 (5) or 1865 (19); 1866 (2, 3, 16); or 1867 (6). 1875 (7) seems unlikely. Most of these sources agree that she was born in New Jersey, and her marriage certificate states specifically that she was born in Elizabeth, which seems likely, as her parents lived there from the time of their marriage until their deaths.

Birth Date	Stated or Calculated	Birth Place	Document Date	Document
1866	calculated	NJ	June 1870	US Census
1866	calculated	NJ	7 Jun 1880	US Census
1866	calculated	Elizabethport, NJ	31 Mar 1889	Marriage Certificate
June 1864	stated	NJ	4 June 1900	US Census
June 1865	stated	NJ	10 June 1905	New Jersey State Census
1867	calculated	NJ	29 Apr 1910	US Census
1875	calculated	NJ	8 Jan 1920	US Census

Stephen Bruggy was the son of Patrick Bruggy and Eliza Grady.(16) He was likely born in Ireland in July of 1866 or 1867.(19,5,16) I disallow the information in the 1920 US Census in regards to birth information for both he and Ida, as the calculations seem to be off for both of them. Likewise, the 1930 census, when he was boarding with a woman in Texas, and there is no way of knowing who the informant was.

In the year prior to his marriage to Ida, it appears that Stephen enlisted in the U.S. Army. His enlistment date is recorded as October 29, 1888. According to that same record, he deserted the following day.(1)

Birth Date	Stated or Calculated	Birth Place	Document Date	Document
July 1866	stated	Ireland	10 June1905	New Jersey State Census
1867	stated	Elizabethport, NJ	31 Mar 1889	Marriage Certificate
July 1867	stated	Ireland	4 June1900	US Census
1874	calculated	Ireland	29 Apr 1920	US Census
1872	calculated	NJ	10 Apr 1930	US Census

Marriage Return for
Stephen Bruggy and Ida Dixon, March 31, 1889.(16)

Marriage

Stephen and Ida were married on 31 March 1889 in Elizabeth, New Jersey by the pastor of East Baptist Church. Witnesses were Mr. & Mrs. W. A. Dixon [William A. Dixon, the bride’s brother, and his wife, Mary Elizabeth (Klein) Dixon].

At the time of their marriage, Stephen, age 22, a boiler maker, was living at 222 Bond Street, Elizabethport. Ida, age 23, was living with her parents at 107 Elizabeth Avenue. It was a first marriage for both of them. (16,20,5,6,7)
 

Family Events

Stephen and Ida’s first child, Lawrence, was born in December 1889, 9 months after they married. (19,17,5,23) Their second child, John, was born in January 1894 (5,19,6,7), and their daughter, Mildred Amelia was born on September 25, 1898. (18,19,22,5,6,7,8)

In 1919, daughter Mildred, about 21 years old, is listed among the participants in the Mary Pickford look-alike contest being held at the Broad Street Theater during “Pickford Week.” Mary Pickford was starring in “The Hoodlum.” There is no indication that I could find that a list  of winners were printed in the newspaper. (12) [I have written a blog post about this event.]

At some point before 1920, Stephen and his sons are working in a second-hand store. In the 1920 census Stephen is listed as “proprietor” and the boys as “handymen.” (7) It is possible that this is the second-hand/antique furniture store that Ida’s father, John Dixon, owned.

1920 appears to be the last year that the family is together. [Steven also appears in the 1920 US Census in Galveston, Texas, boarding with Minnie Butterawe. The census date is Jan.1, so he must have left in 1919.] By 1921, Stephen is found in the Galveston, Texas city directory. (15) It is unclear what happened to cause his move, but in 1924 Ida is listed as “widow of Stephen” in the Elizabeth directory.(24)

Sometime around 1924, younger son John marries. By 1930 he is living in Linden with his wife and their first two children.(25)

In 1930, Ida is living with Mildred and her husband, William Hance, at their home in Elizabeth. Her marital status in the census is first marked “widow,” but that is crossed out and replace with “married.”(8)

Meanwhile, Stephen is still living in Galveston, Texas in 1930, at the same address he is listed at in 1921. This is the home of Minnie Butterawe, a widow. Stephen was a boarder there.(9)

In 1932, Stephen is admitted to St. Mary’s Infirmary in Galveston. He dies there of pneumonia on October 1. The death certificate indicates also that he was “insane.” He is buried in the Paupers’ Field, Oleander Cemetery. There is no indication that his family is notified of his death, or that they learned what had happened to him. He had been gone from Elizabeth for eleven years.(20)

At this time, January 2021, I do not have a date of death for Ida. 

Ida Dixon Bruggy died on 28 April 1941 at Greystone Park, a state hospital in Morris County. My best estimate is that Ida was around 76 years old when she died. Her exact date of birth is unclear, but I'm basing this on the assumption that she was born in 1866. (24)

On May 1, 1941, Ida was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Elizabeth. (24)

Timeline of Family Events

Year	Date	Event	Source
1889	March 31	Stephen and Ida marry.	16
1889	Dec 15	Lawrence Bruggy born, Elizabeth, NJ	19, 17, 5, 23
1894	Jan	John Bruggy born, Elizabeth, NJ	5, 19, 6, 7
1898	Sept 25	Mildred Amelia Bruggy born, Elizabeth, NJ	18, 19, 22, 5, 6, 7, 8
1919	Sept 25	Mildred participates in Mary Pickford look-alike contest at the Broad Street Theater.	12
1920	Jan 8	Stephen and his sons are working in a second hand store; Stephen is listed as propriety, the boys are handymen. It is possible that this is the antique/used furniture store owned by Ida’s father, John Dixon.	7
1921		Stephen is living in Galveston, Texas, where he is boarding in the home of Minnie Butterawe	15
1924		Ida and her two sons are living at 1085 Elizabeth Ave. She is listed in the city directory as “widow of Stephen”	24
1924		Sometime around 1924 John Bruggy marries	25
1930	Apr 12	Ida is living with her daughter, Mildred and her husband, William Hance; 1082 Anna St. Elizabeth, NJ. Ida’s marital status is first marked “Widow” but is crossed out, and “married” is written in its place.	8
1930		Stephen is still living at the same address in Galveston, working as a laborer doing roofing.	9
1932	Oct 1	Stephen dies at St. Mary’s Infirmary in Galveston. Cause of death is listed as pneumonia/insane. He is buried in the Pauper’s Field/Oleander Cemetery.	20

Further Research

As soon as the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, I will request a search for Ida's death certificate. 

[Update 26 Sep 2021. I have recieved Ida's death certificate. See above.]

Unless something comes up requiring further research into this family group, I think I'll consider this family group done for now. If any additional material comes my way, I'll update this page.

Sources

1. "U.S., Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914 [database on-line]", digital image, The National Archives (http://www.ancestry.com), page 109, 1888 enlistments. 670, 2. Bruggy, Stephen, Enlisted 1888, Oct 29, New York City.
   
   
2. 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, New Jersey, Union, “1870 United States Federal Census” [database on-line] ; Elizabeth Ward 1; Page No. 7. John, Isabella, William, Ida, Larra, and John Dixon..; NARA microfilm publication M593, roll M593_890; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). 

    
3. 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, New Jersey, Elizabeth, 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Page: 40C; Enumeration District: 164. Original data: Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. Page No. 23, Lines 49-50, John and Isibela Dixon; Page No. 24, Lines 1-8, children: William, Ida, Laura, John, Mary, Lillia, Maybell, and Maud..; NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 

   
   
4. 1885 census of New Jersey, New Jersey State Archive; Trenton, New Jersey, United States; State census of New Jersey, 1885; Film Number: 42. Union County, First Ward, Elizabeth, page 52. John, Isabella, Ida, Laura, Jakob, Mary, Lillie, Mabel, Maud, Alfred Dixon; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). 

    
5. 1900 U.S. census, population schedule, New Jersey, Elizabeth, Sheet No. 8 A; Precinct 1, Elizabeth, New Jersey, 4th Ward. SD 4, ED 99. Lines 42-47, dwelling 111, household 155, Stephen Bruggy..; NARA microfilm publication T623, roll FHL microfilm: 1240996; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). 

    
6. 1910 U.S. census, population schedule, New Jersey, Union, Elizabeth Ward 9, Union, New Jersey; Roll: T624_910; Page: 20A; Enumeration District: 0074; FHL microfilm: 1374923. Ida Bruggy, son John, and daughter, Mildred..; NARA microfilm publication T624, roll T624_909; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). 

    
7. 1920 U.S. census, population schedule, New Jersey, Union, 9th Ward, Elizabeth; SD 5th NJ; ED 93; Sheet 7A. Lines 2-7; Bruggy– Stephen, Ida, Mildred, Lawrence, John.; NARA microfilm publication T625, roll T625_1069; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). 

    
8. 1930 U.S. census, population schedule, New Jersey, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey; Page: 19A; Enumeration District: 0075; FHL microfilm: 2341122. 

    
9. 1930 U.S. census, population schedule, Texas, Galveston, page 10 A; ED 0015. Bruggy, Stephen, age 58, born New Jersey.; NARA microfilm publication T626, roll FHL microfilm: 2342068; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). [Source citation includes media item(s)] 

    
10. Cook & Hall's Elizabeth City Directory for 1883-84, Cook & Hall (1883), Page 87. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). 

     
11. Cook & Hall's Elizabeth City Directory for 1888-9, Cook & Hall (1888), Page 104. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). 

     
12. Elizabeth Daily Journal, Elizabeth, New Jersey, online images (http://www.elizpl.org/ LocalHistoryResources.html).
    Bruggy, Mildred; 25 Sep 1919 in Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey, USA; Competes in Mary Pickford look-alike contest at movie theatre. 

     
13. Elizabeth Daily Journal, Elizabeth, New Jersey (print edition). 24 May 1927, Evening Edition, p. 10, col. 3. William Dixon...born in Elizabeth, son of the late John and Isobelle Dixon; lists surviving siblings and children. 

     
14. Find a Grave, database and images, Find a Grave, digital images (https:// www.findagrave.com), Find a Grave Memorial No. 78330163, citing Ocean County Memorial Park, Toms River, Ocean County, New Jersey, USA. Lawrence S Bruggy (15 Dec 1889-26 Sep 1969).
    
    
15. Galveston City Directory 1921, Morrison & Fourmy Directory Co., Inc. Publishers R.L. Polk & Co., Compilers (1921), Page 183. Bruggy Stephen L.; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com).

     
16. New Jersey Vital Records, Marriage Records; [Stephen Bruggy, 1889] New Jersey Vital Records, May 1, 1848 to December 31, 1915. NJSA microfilm roll 64. Stephen L Bruggy and Ida Francis Dixon, 31 March 1889.; New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey.

     
17. "New Jersey, U.S., Births and Christening Index, 1660-1931 [database on-line]", database, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com), FHL Film Number 494215. Lorenz Bruggy, b. 15 Dec 1889; parents Stephan Bruggy, Ida F Dixon. 

     
18. "New Jersey, U.S., Births and Christening Index, 1660-1931 [database on-line]", database, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com), FHL Film Number 494242. Mildred Bruggy, b. 25 Sep 1898, parents Stephen Bruggy, Ida Dixon.

     
19. State Census of New Jersey, 1905 [database on-line] (Lehi, UT, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017), New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey, Reference Number: L-15; Film Number: 40; Sheet 13 B; Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey. Stephen Bruggy, Ada [Ida], Lawrence, John, and Mildred.

     
20. Texas, Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Death Certificates, Registrar’s No. 695; Galveston; #42234. Steven Bruggy, born New Jersey; wife Ida, died 1 Oct 1932.; Ancestry.com, Lehi, Utah.
[Source citation includes media item(s)]

     
21. "New Jersey, U.S., Death Index, 1901-2017 [database on-line]", database, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), Mildred A Hance, d. 3 Dec 1993.

     
22. "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database on-line]", database, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), Mildred Amelia Hance; Mildred Amelia Bruggy; b. 25 Sep 1898, d. 3 Dec 1993. Bruggy, Mildred 

     
23. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. "U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 [database on-line]", database, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), Laurence Bruggy, b. 15 Dec 1889, d. 25 Sep 1969.
    
    
24. New Jersey, Bureau of Vital Statistics, death Certificate, 1941, Ida Bruggy;  New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey.
    

Beginnings

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks : Week 1 - Beginnings

Just start at the very beginning
That's a very good place to start...

This year, 2021, I'm participating in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks genealogy challenge from Amy Johnson Crow. Hopefully, this will not only jump-start my research, but will also help me write up some of the research I've already done. Here goes...

"Beginnings" is a broad topic when it comes to genealogy. Every birth, wedding, or event signals the start of something. So rather than focus on one of my ancestors' beginnings, I thought I'd write a bit about my beginnings as a genealogist. Because, really, that is the crux of this proverbial biscuit that I call "Rooted in Elizabeth."

For this story, we need to go back to the 1970's, I think, and a reconnection of sorts between my grandfather, Wally Dixon, and some of his 1st cousins, once removed, on his mother's side of the family. Wally's mother, Mary Elizabeth (Klein) Dixon, had a sister named Ida (1868-1935) who married a man named Herbert Decker. Their grandchildren by their son, Daniel, are the cousins I'm writing about.

Younger than my grandfather by about 25-30 years, the siblings would have been children at a time when my grandparents had started their family and had children of their own. By their own account, the Decker children did not have an easy early life, but that is not my story to tell. My story starts, as I said, in the late 1970's when the Decker siblings reconnected with my grandparents, an event that, I know, pleased my grandparents greatly, and I hope was a happy reunion for the Deckers. I didn't see the Deckers often, but I recall them as good-humored and kind. They were certainly very kind to my grandparents and my mother.

Joanie, who I believe was the only sister among the six siblings, had an interest in genealogy and family history. My grandfather was pleased to share what he knew about the family with her, and Joan, in turn was pleased to share some of her research with me when I expressed an interest. Her family group sheets were the foundation of the very beginnings of my family history research when I finally decided to dive in to genealogy.

So Joanie planted the seed which, admittedly, took a very long time to germinate. I finished high school, headed out to Missouri for college, moved to Virginia, married, divorced, married again, and settled into everyday life, as one does. My grandfather died in 1984, but the Deckers stuck by my grandmother, and my mother too, when she moved in to help look after Gran. And when my grandmother died in 1996, the Deckers were still there. My gratitude, though no doubt poorly expressed at the time, is eternal.

In around the year 2000, my mother, her dog and 9 cats, moved to Virginia to live near us. As we were packing up for the move, we naturally came across boxes of old photos and some of the information Joanie had given to my grandfather. They got packed in a box, like everything else in the house. Sadly, my mother and her menagerie didn't get enjoy life here in the mountains for very long. She passed away in 2002.

I inherited the boxes. Also the cats and the dog - but that's a story for another time.

When I finally had the gumption to start sorting things out, I came across the boxes of photos, the scrapbooks, and all of the ephemera that had accumulated through the past two generations. Of course, the normal reaction, which I'm sure some of you reading this have had when finding yourself in a similar situation, was "what do I do with all this stuff?!?"

For me the question was more "Who are all these people?" There were so many unfamiliar faces among those photos, and for me, first and always, it's about the photos.

So, here is how it all started, in roughly this order:

• I need to do something with these photos.
• If I sort them by date, maybe I can figure out who these people are.
• But I can't figure that out unless I know who the possible candidates might be.
• I need to make a family tree, and look! Joanie already started one!

And that, my friends, was the beginning. The beginning of my very happy journey down the genealogy rabbit hole. The beginning of my new career as a personal photo manager. The start of what I know will be a life-long passion to tell the story of my family and continue to learn about those people in those photographs.

 

A handwritten note from cousin Joanie, found in the papers of Wallace B. Dixon.
John George Klein was his grandfather.
Now, if I could just find the source for that 1862 citizenship...

Pickford Week!

EVERY EVENING DURING PICKFORD WEEK / PRIZES IN GOLD TO THE WINNERS

If You Think You Resemble Mary Pickford Don't Hesitate --Enter the Contest Now

 It's odd how random bits of information about ancestors comes to you. 

I was working on the family of Ida Dixon and Stephen Bruggy, just going through the material I had and adding it to the new software when I came across Stephen's death certificate. I'll write more about that in another post. But the certificate raised some questions and I thought I'd just have a quick look in the Elizabeth Daily Journal through the Elizabeth Public Library's website.

So I ran a search on "Bruggy" for the years I was interested in. I got a lot of hits for Frank Bruggy, who was an athlete of some note, and nothing at all for Stephen. (I didn't stop to find out if Frank and Stephen are related in some way.)

But then the name of Ida and Stephen's daughter, Mildred Amelia, popped up in a result, and while I know you're not supposed to get distracted by the bright shiny objects, I followed this one down a delightful little rabbit hole that led to some fun bits of information, and an hour or so of silent film viewing. 

In this clipping from the Journal on September 22, 1909 we see that the Broad Street Theater is having "Pickford Week" featuring two films, The Hoodlum, starring Mary Pickford, and Burglar By Proxy, starring her brother, Jack Pickford.

But, more important to our glimpse into family history, the theater was also promoting a Mary Pickford look-alike contest. And what young woman wouldn't want to have her resemblence to Mary Pickford, the attractive young star of stage and screen, recognized? 

Miss Mildred Bruggy - a Mary Pickford Look-Alike?

To be clear, I have no idea what Mildred Amelia Bruggy (b. September 1898) looked like.  I've never seen a photograph of her, or anyone in her immediate family. I suppose the main point is that she thought she looked like Mary Pickford, and the manager at the Broad Street theater thought the resemblance was sufficient to allow her to appear on the theater stage in the competition.

I wonder if she did her hair up in Pickford-style curls? 

 

As you can see from the photo on the left, Pickford was a beauty. She was also a great talent, an astute business woman, and a philanthropist. I've included some links below if you'd like to know more about this cinema pioneer.

 

The manager of the Broad selected eleven young ladies to go on stage to be compared to the star of the show. According to the article that appeared toward the end of Pickford Week, the film program and the contest were a great success. Unfortunately, try as I might, I never did find out who won the contest!

The Hoodlum

The feature film for "Pickford Week" was the second made by Mary's production own company. In January 1919 Mary, Douglas Fairbanks, Chalie Chaplin, and D.W. Griffith joined together to form United Artists Corporation, and Mary formed The Mary Pickford Company, producing films to be exclusively distributed through Unite Artists.

The Hoodlum is the story of a spoiled rich girl who ends up living in the slums of New York City, and learns to get along with the various residents, and, naturally, finds love. It is a charming film, which I watched without the musical accompanyment that theater goers would have enjoyed. Miss Pickford was a great actress, and I think, a comic genius. You can view the film here, but be advised that it is a silent film. 

 

 

Learn More About Mary Pickford

 Schmidt, Christel. "Mary Pickford." In Jane Gaines, Radha Vatsal, and Monica Dall’Asta, eds.  Women Film Pioneers Project. New York, NY: Columbia University Libraries, 2013.  <https://doi.org/10.7916/d8-nkzz-e525>.

Mary Pickford Foundation, https://marypickford.org.

Wikipedia contributors, "Mary Pickford,"  Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mary_Pickford&oldid=995549713(accessed 22 December 2020).

Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Mary Pickford." Published 25 May 2020. <https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Pickford>, accessed 22 December 2020.

 

Images on this page:

Pickford Week advertisement, Elizabeth (New Jersey) Daily Journal, 22 September 1919. Elizabeth Daily Journal Archive, images on-line; Elizabeth (New Jersey) Public Library. Downloaded 21 December 2020.

"Pickford Week Scores," Elizabeth (New Jersey) Daily Journal, 25 September 1919. Elizabeth Daily Journal Archive, images on-line; Elizabeth (New Jersey) Public Library. Downloaded 21 December 2020.

Mary Pickford Portrait; Wikimedia Commons contributors, "File:Mary Pickford cph.3c17995u.jpg," Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository,https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Mary_Pickford_cph.3c17995u.jpg&oldid=518451029 (accessed 22 December 2020).

 First National Pictures, advertisement for the film The Hoodlum (1919); 30 August 1919, page 25.  Exhibitor's Herald, June - September 1919 on the Internet Archive; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Hoodlum_(1919)_-_9.jpg; viewed 22 December 2020.

 

 

 

Family Legends

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 2 - Family Legends

This year, 2021, I'm participating in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks genealogy challenge from Amy Johnson Crow. Hopefully, this will not only jump-start my research, but will also help me write up some of the research I've already done. Here goes...

Honestly, I'm stumped on this topic. I haven't researched any new family legends, mainly because we just don't have that many. That I know of, anyway. Neither my mother's family (Dixon) or my father's (Traina) were big talkers about their past.

I guess what happens in Elizabeth, stays in Elizabeth.

I sort of feel like I'm underachieving here, but I've got enough current research that needs writing up, so I don't feel like I need to go looking for new stories just now.

Anyway, I've already written about all the legends I can think of, so I'll link back to those here in case you missed them the first time. Also, I've added a short list of stories that I've uncovered that should have been family legends, but weren't. Granted, two of those aren't from my direct line, but hey, cousins count, right?

First, a recap on the family legends I've already covered:

Wallace B. Dixon: Name Changer, pt. 1

You can call me Wally

Wallace B. Dixon : Name Changer, pt. 2

Where did "Theodore" come from?

Wally's Confectionary

My Great-Grandmother Owned a Monkey

 

 

Here are some stories that should have been family legends, but were never spoken of, as far as I recall:

Bernard Dixon Sinks for the Third Time

Captain Kid's Treasures (not my direct line)

Asa Dixon, "Rogue or Angel?" contest winner (also, not my direct line)

 

 

Do you know any family legends? Feel free to share in the comments!

Happy New Year!

Lets Make 2021 a Better Year.

No pressure, kid. It's a pretty low bar.

I'm told that this is my father, Frank Joseph Traina.
He was born on June 14, 1925, in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

I like to start each year here on the blog with a baby photo from my collection. It's out with the old and in with the new! 

Wishing everyone a happy, HEALTHY, and prosperous New Year.

With warm regards,

Liz