Selected Families and Individuals

Notes


Anthony Bologna

Anthony Bologna may have come to America in 1889 (possibly with his wife &
children). He wrote his autobiography, his grandaughters Tess, Bea and
Pauline each have a copy.


Theresa Penebre

Theresa Penebre Bologna may have come to America in 1889 (possibly with her
husband & children). Her grandaughters state that she died in an auto accident at age 74 "70 years ago."


Michael Christiano

After Beatrice died, Michael had two other wives. He had a daughter by one of his other wives.


Beatrice

Grandaughters Tess, Bea and Pauline Bologna state that she died when her daughter, Mary Felicita, was 2 years old.


Danny Christiano

Great nieces Tess, Bea and Pauline Bolgna state that Danny was younger than his sister, Mary Felicita, and that he died in World War I.


(Charles?) Clinton

Charles Cinton RIN #218
!ALL:Roseanna Clinton Boland (grandaughter), personal communication


Mary Ann Magee

Mary Ann Magee RIN #213
!ALL:Roseanna Clinton Boland (daughter), personal communication

? O'Rourke RIN #219
!ALL:Roseanna Clinton Boland (grandaughter), personal communication


Sister Xavier Clinton

Sister Xavier Clinton RIN #220
!ALL:Roseanna Clinton Boland (niece) personal communication


Sister Barameo Clinton

Sister Barameo Clinton, RIN #221
!ALL:Roseanna Clinton Boland, niece, personal communication


Louis C. Schweinberg

In 1880, 29 year old Louis Swinburger lived with his wife Mary (27) and children Joe (4), Dura (3) and John (8 mos) in Wilkins Twp., Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Louis worked in a steel mill. Neither Louis nor Mary could read or write. According to the census, both Louis and Mary were born in Ireland as were their parents. The children were born in Pennsylvania.

In 1900, Louis C. "Schurmberger" (48) and his wife Annie (42) owned the home at 417 Verona St., Braddock, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Living with them were Louis's children John (20), Louis (18), Annie L. (15), Alfred (13), Amelia M. (4), Frederick (3), and Caroline (1). Only Alfred attended school. (The four older children were born to Louis's first wife.) Louis reported that he came to America in 1852 and was a naturalized citizen. He was employed as a day laborer.


Mary Arnsberg

Alternate spelling of surname: Ernsbergh. Mary Arnsberg was not a Catholic. Christina Ann Ernsbergh (possibly a sister?) was a witness at the wedding of Mary to Louis Schweinberg.


Francis Singer

Records conflict on year of birth:
1) Delores Snider states that the church records of St. Mary in Fulda, OH give 1854 as year of birth.
2) Death certificate says 1854.
3) Gravestone says 1855.
4) 1900 census says Oct 1853.

In 1880, 25 year old unmarried Frank Singer lived and worked on his parents' farm in Enoch Twp., Noble County, Ohio.

From The Caldewell Citizens' Press on 14 Sep 1882:
Frank Singer traded lands with Fred Finch, of Middleburg. He gets 80
acres for 40, and Finch bought out Mr. Singer, and he is to keep the old
people their lifetimes.
It is unclear if keeping "the old people" means that Fred Finch will care for Frank's parents, or if Frank is supposed to care for Fred's parents.

On 21 Sep 1882, the following article appeared in the Caldwell Citizens' Press newspaper:
Frank Singer, having removed into another township, resigned his office as
constable, and Adam Raush was appointed in his place.

From The Caldwell Citizens' Press, 3 Oct 1882:
Mr. Jacob Singer and daughter, and his brother Frank, went last week to
Cincinnati to see the exhibition and visit relatives. Messrs. Ehlerman, Arnold
and Adam Raush left Monday for the same purpose.
A week later, the same paper reported:
The folks who went to Cincinnati came back well pleased with the sights
there.

From Caldwell Press, 10 Mar 1887 in the Rado section
Francis Singer, of near here, has sold his farm of 115 acres to Phillip Miller
for $3425. Mr. Singer expects to make his future home in the far west.

Frank and his family did not go far, or if they did, they returned to Noble County. Two of his children were baptized in St. Marys after the above newspaper article: Catherine in Nov 1888 and Emanuel in Sep 1890.

Frank Singer was a difficult, surly man who had trouble holding a job. He was very fond of Schnapps.

Frank, Lena and their five children moved from Noble Co., OH to Braddock, PA around 1891. They initially lived in an apartment over a store on Braddock Ave.

At the time of the 1900 census, Frank (46) and Lena (37) Singer rented a portion of a house at 17 Hickory St. in North Braddock. (The other portion of the dwelling was rented by the family of German-born 32 year old Henry (?) Miller.) Living with the Singers were their children Laura (17), Louisa (15), Joseph (13), Agnes (11), Emanual (9), Mary (7), George (4), and William (1). Agnes, Emanuel and Mary attended school. According to the census, Frank and Lena and the children over 5 could all read, write, and speak English. Frank was employed as a day-laborer.

They subsequently purchased a house on Seddon Ave. which didn't have indoor plumbing. The Singers eventually put an addition on to the back of the house that contained a kitchen (downstairs) and a bathroom and two bedrooms upstairs. The arrangement of the new bedrooms was unusual. One bedroom could be entered only by going through the bathroom. Entrance to the other bedroom was through one of the original bedrooms.

In 1910, 56 year old Frank Singer lived in a mortgaged house at 415 Seddon Ave in North Braddock with his 48 year old wife, Magdelena, and seven of their ten surviving children: Agnes (21), Emanuel (19), Mamie (17), George (15), William (13), Raymond (11), and Madeline (6). Frank worked in the American Steel and Wire Mill and later as a janitor in the hose house (fire station) across the street from their home. He slept there and only came home for meals.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Obituary (date and source unknown)
Frank Singer, 60 years old, died in Braddock Hospital yesterday
after a short illness. He was born in Noble County, Ohio and
came to Pittsburgh about 30 years ago. He had been a resident
of Braddock and North Braddock 21 years. He was a member of
St. Joseph's Catholic Church and of the Knights of St. George. He
leaves three sons and three daughters.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[In reality, Frank Singer left five sons and five daughters when he died in 1914.]


Magdelena M. Hartman

From the Fulda Locals column of The Caldwell Citizens' Press, 10 Feb 1881:
Last Thursday Frank Singer was married to Lena
Hartman at the Catholic Church here.

Lena Hartman Singer is remembered as a much-loved, good, kind woman who severed as the anchor for her extended family. She often hosted large family gatherings at which she served her signature dish of chicken and noodles. Lena was a midwife both in Noble County, OH and later in North Braddock. PA.

Lena spoke English, but she never learned to read or write the language. After women were granted the right to vote in 1920, Lena's daughter Laura Singer Schweinberg accompanied her mother into the voting booth at each election to read the ballot to her mother.

Lena had ten children who survived to adulthood. The first six were born in Noble County, and the last four were born in North Braddock, PA. The older children were fluent in German, but the younger children spoke only English. Even as adults, the older Singer siblings would lapse into German when they were discussing subjects they didn't want their younger siblings to hear. This irked the younger siblings to no end.

At the time of the 1920 census, Lena M. Hartman owned the home at 415 Seddon Ave. in North Brunswick. Living with her were her children William A. (21), Raymond (18), and Madeline A. (16), and Lena's mother, Mary Hartman (80). None of the children attended school. Both boys were employed outside the home, but none of the women were. The 1920 census is the only known document in which Lena's middle initial is identified.

In 1930, Lena's home at 415 Seddon Ave. was valued at $6000. She lived there with her nephew, Eugene Bruggeman (son of her younger deceased sister, Juliana), and two boarders: Elizabeth Stebick and Dennis Dowds.

Dolores Snider's "St. Mary's -- 150 Years -- Fulda, OH" gives her name as Helen.


Christina Singer

The following appeared in The Caldwell Citizens' Press on 5 Jan 1882:
Birth, Dec. 26, to Frank and Lena Singer, a daughter.

From the same paper on 7 Sep 1882:
The infant child of Frank Singer died last Wednesday,
having been sick about a week.


Francis Gilbert Miller

Francis Miller was known as Fran or Frannie to his friends. He is remembered as a very intelligent, kind man.

He worked as an executive for Anchor Hocking Co. in Connellsville, PA. After he was hired by Anchor Hocking, the company repeatedly asked Fran for a copy of his resume for their personnel files. He constantly put them off and made excuses... he didn't want to let them know that he was not a college graduate.

Although Fran made a very good living at Anchor Hocking, his wife often said that he made his real money playing poker.


Mary Margaret Kearney

In 1930, 21 year old Mary Kearney lived with her widowed mother and younger siblings in the family home on Schoyer Ave. in Swissvale. Mary was employed as a telephone operator, as was her younger sister Alice.

Mary was a lively, spirited woman who was frequently seen wielding a cigarrette in one hand and a bourbon and coke in the other. One time, Mary attended the wedding of one of Frank's realtives wearing a respectable dress to the church ceremony. She changed her clothes in the car and showed up at the reception in a drop-dead sexy dress.

Her niece, Audrey Schweinberg Coleman, remembers visiting the Millers frequently at their home on the hill in Connellsville. Audrey was the oldest of the Kearney cousins. One time, when Audrey was about 12 years old, her Aunt Mary, taking drags on a cigarette, told her, "Audrey, <drag> take the girls and tell them the facts of life. You know... <drag> tell them what's going to happen." Poor Audrey, a bit bewildered, was left to instruct her younger cousins about the changes that would shortly occur to their bodies.


Florence Frances Kearney

In 1930, 20 year old Florence Kearney lived with her widowed mother and siblings in the family home on Schoyer Ave. in Swissvale. Florence worked as a store clerk.


Joseph O'Sullivan

Buddy has not had any communication with the family for many years. His whereabouts are unknown.


John Joseph Kearney Jr.

Alice Keraney Schweinberg remembers that Chirstmastime was a special time of year. One year, probably around 1920, Elizabeth scrimped and saved to give each of her daughters a doll with a porcelain head. Jack got a hammer. Before the holiday was over, WHACK! Down came the hammer on Florence's doll, smashing it to bits. Poor Florence was left without a doll, and, of course, Jack was relieved of his hammer.

When he was older, Jack enjoyed going out with his friends for a night on the town. Often he would come home late at night, creeping into the house ever-so-quietly, tip-toeing up the stairs, not even daring to look up. As the top step came into his field of view, he would frequently see a pair of feet there, topped by a nightgown -- his mother, tapping her foot, wondering what he'd been up to.


Helen

Helen (?) Kearney RIN 254

ALL: personal communication with sister in law Alice Kearney Schwienberg
Rahway, NJ 1988. (grandmother of submitter).


Dennis Kearney

Dennis Kearney RIN 255

ALL: personal communication with aunt Alice Kearney Schwienberg, Rahway, NJ
1988. (grandmother of submitter).