#52Ancestors52Weeks....Week 26...Family Gathering....Terry Brondolo Met Her Vesime Family in 1934

 

 I believe this is the Brondolo family.  This family picture was taken sometime between May of 1934 and September of 1934 in Vesime, Italy. My paternal grandmother, Terry Brondolo (Boothby), is the first young lady standing on the left.  This looks like a fun bunch! Even the dog made it into the picture.  Is that Pietro Brondolo pretending to play the violin?

   The theme for this week is Family Gathering.  My paternal grandmother (Nino) took a trip from San Francisco in the spring of 1934 to meet her Italian family in Vesime, northern Italy. She was 23 years old at the time,  and traveled by herself. These are some of the pictures she took of  family while she was visiting.  Unfortunately, none of the photographs were labeled or identified and the only person I recognize is my grandmother. 

Original picture. This was an oversize enlargement of the original. 

      Nino arrived in Genoa on May 20, 1934.  She wrote a little note to her mother Nona back in San Francisco to let her know she was ok.  She had planned a trip to the Consul before she traveled on to Vesime.  Her handwriting style, which was very distinctive,  stayed the same for the rest of her life.  

5" X 3 1/2" 

It looks like it was written on the back of a small notebook. 

 

  The back of her little letter gives us the name of the ship she started her trip on...the California.  In my post of 3/31/22 I shared pictures of the passport she used on her trip.  She came home on the S.S.S. Rex, arriving in New York on October 3, 1934.  In her letter she let her mother know that she was going to write or telegraph her Papa (Pietro Brondolo) letting him know of her arrival.  

Nino may have taken this picture.  It looks like the same group as above, but without her.  The picture is a little fuzzy, too. 

 

 Same outing.  The man waving his hat may have been Nino's  father, Pietro Brondolo.  

   Pietro came to America with his sons Emilio and Francesco (Uncle Frank) in March of  1913. Nino's sister Celestina came over in October of 1913 by herself at the age of 16.  Nino came over with her mother Caterina and her brothers Augustino and Guilio in 1917 when she was 6 years old.  

   Pietro and his wife, Caterina Bertanosco, separated after 1917  and Pietro went back to Vesime. I believe that Nino's older brother Guilio went back to Italy as well. Nino had not seen her extended family back in Italy since 1917 so this trip must have been very special. 

   These next pictures look like they were taken at the same home in Vesime. 

Nino is standing in the middle with unknown Brondolo  relatives. 1934. 

Same location as above picture.  1934.

Enlarged.  Nino is in the middle of the girls on the stairs.  Someone looks down from the upper story.  Two men walk by the scene. 

Possibly Pietro Brondolo on the right. Guilio would have been 27 at this time.  He may also be in the picture.  A grape arbor can be seen in the background.  This looks like it was taken on the top balcony area of the above home. 1934.

Unknown Brondolo relative. 1934.

Possibly Pietro Brondolo in the middle. 1934. Location unknown. 

Brondolo or Bertanosco family? 1934.

Unknown family member. Brondolo or Bertanosco? 1934.

Unknown family member.  Brondolo or Bertanosco? 1934.

  

A family home in Vesime.  Which one? Photograph taken in 1934. 

This could be stationery from the California

     This is a list that Nino typed up sometime around her trip.  It appears to be a list of jobs in Vesime and who held that particular occupation.  I see Mayor (podesta), pharmacist (farmacisti), electric lighting/power (illuminazione elettrica...job held by Edoardo Bertonasco), baker (panettieri), grocer (pizzicagnoli...job held by Francesco Bertonasco), tailor or dressmaker (sarti....job held by Onorina Brondolo), etc.  I hope Nino figured it all out when she got there! 

"Dearest Sister"

   Nino continued to write to her family in Italy.  I have many letters she received from Guilio Brondolo and Rosina Brondolo, but they are all in Italian.  They are probably full of family clues as well as descriptions of how life in Vesime marched on after their family gathering.  I am especially interested in how WWII affected the family. And, I would love to build out our Vesime family tree!  Who speaks Italian??? 

#52Ancestors52Weeks....Week 25...Storyteller..."My Adventures in El Salvador"...John Hansen Meets Vere and Jack in La Union

  "Hansen, Mrs. Hansen and Little Jack" written on back.

Photograph taken in San Sebastian, El Salvador, in Central America

between 1912-13.  Is John riding Fanny the mule? 

     My great grandfather, John Hartwig Hansen, boarded the steamship "City of Para" in San Francisco and sailed for the Central American port of La Union on June 25th, 1910.  He was on his way to take a job as a mining foreman for the San Sebastian Mine owned and operated by the Pullinger and Butters Co. He spent three years there and eventually wrote (in story form) of his many adventures in San Sebastian.  The family has his original manuscript, as well as his letters from various editors declining the stories for publication (but that is another story)...

 

 The Morning Union June 23, 1910

Grass Valley, California

  Cousin Gay Hansen Sandberg transcribed and edited his manuscript into a book many years ago, and it remains a unique family treasure.  In his memoirs John told of his many adventures from almost drowning in a raging river during a rain storm to being given death threats by the locals. He related stories of native wildlife from mules to monkeys to iguanas to scorpions.  We were told of murder in the mine and chaos at the cantina.  

   When you read his stories you get the feel of his ability as a story teller.  He wrote with  lots of description, emotion and a subtle sense of humor.  You can almost hear him chuckling in the background.  You wouldn't believe that he came to America in the 1880's speaking only Norwegian!  

   He was a natural storyteller all of his life.  I have written extensively about his family and adventures (see the links on the right for John Hartwig Hansen and Bad Monkey).  It is always fun to revisit his stories.  This story today is taken from his memoirs, and tells us  how his wife Vere (he calls her Clara in the story) and small son Jack arrived in La Union for an extended visit to San Sebastian. The photographs taken of the family during this time make this story extra special. Enjoy! 

  

 John Hartwig Hansen wrote....

 "House where author lived" written on back 

(enlarged) John Hansen on left with little Jack seated. Vere put her gardening skills to use and grew flowers in her temporary home, and saved seeds as well to take back home to Grass Valley. John called her  the "Central American Botanist". Until that fateful day when the army ants ate everything up. But that's another story. 

 Jack Hansen contracted Panama Fever on the way to El Salvador.  He thankfully recovered. 

The Morning Union August 3, 1912 (Grass Valley, California)

Morning Union, 6 August, 1912 LITTLE JOHN HANSEN RECOVERS FROM FEVER...Another letter has been received in this city from Salvador in which the news is given that little John (Jack) Hansen has recovered from the attack of fever  which the little fellow suffered while en route on the steamer for Salvador.  He was a very sick boy for awhile, but treatment he received by the boat physician and also upon his arrival caused the fever to leave and Mrs. Hansen stated in her letter that the lad was able to run about as usual.  Mrs. Hansen and child will visit with Mr. Hansen at Salvador for several months. 

 John Hartwig Hansen wearing his wide Panama hat.  San Sebastian, El Salvador. 1910-1913.

  

   

 John Hansen, Vere Hansen and Jack Hansen.  John gave the parakeet to his son Jack. The bird could say a few words in Spanish (!)  Vere did not want the bird come home to Grass Valley with Jack (but what exactly happened to the poor bird is another story).  

San Sebastian, El Salvador 1912-1913

Postcard of the San Sebastian mine 1910 to 1913

    Vere and Jack stayed almost 8 months with John, enjoying parties, dances, receptions and moonlight rides through the jungle.  When the president of El Salvador was assassinated in February of 1913 and martial law declared, the Hansens thought it was time to head for home. On the day of their departure they threw silver coins to the locals and Jack's little friends he had made. But getting out of the country was another story....

    When John Hansen left for El Salvador, my great grandmother Vere was pregnant with my grandfather Harold,  who was born in October of 1910.  She was staying with her three boys at her mother's home in Oakland.  What possessed her to take her oldest son and join her husband for almost 8 months in the wild jungles of Central America? They must have missed each other very much.  And Vere must have had a great sense of adventure just like her husband.  But what an adventure!  

Relationship Reference:

Me->Margaret Hansen Boothby->Harold Hansen (older brothers Robley and Jack)->John Hartwig Hansen m. Clara Vere Burrows Hansen

#52Ancestors52Weeks....Week 24...Hard Times...John Washington Crawford Died In the Home of the Incurables

 

 John Washington Crawford

b. February 23, 1820 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

d. August 15, 1914 San Francisco, California

Picture kindly shared with permission by BCrawford 

      John Washington Crawford was my great great great grandfather.  I have been researching the Crawford family for the last several months and in that process I was able to connect with a dna cousin through Ancestry.  Our common ancestors are John Washington Crawford and Sarah Byerly Crawford, which makes us 3rd cousins (once removed)!   I shared pictures of the Crawford Family Bible and other documents with this Crawford family and they in turn shared the few pictures they had in their possession.  

   The above picture was shared with me; it can also be found on John Crawford's Find A Grave memorial which was added in April of this year.  It looks like it was taken sometime in the 1880's.  John Washington Crawford was in his 60's when this picture was taken and was still working as a teamster/drayman in San Francisco as of the 1880 census. His wife Sarah passed away in 1884. 

    By 1890 John was living on O'Farrell Street in San Francisco, working as a cigarmaker.  At the age of 70 this job was much less strenuous than that of a drayman, driving a team of horses delivering goods around the city. But, he was still working.  He could be found in the 1897 City Directory living on O'Farrell and working in the cigars and tobacco industry on Washington Street (2.5 miles from his home).  The O'Farrell address was not the home of any of his relatives, so he must have been living alone, possibly in a boarding house of some type.  

  The first decade of the 1900's was a time of loss and change for John.  His daughter Mary passed away in 1903.  He must have experienced the Great 1906 Earthquake in some fashion, along with the rest of his family. Did he loose his home?  His son George Byerly Crawford passed away in 1909 at the age of 58.  By the 1910 census John was living with his daughter Sallie and her husband Franklin Hayes on Twenty Second Street. He quite possibly had been living there since the earthquake.  He was in his 80's.  He had worked hard all of his life to provide for his family and for himself. It was time to let others take care of him. 

     John Crawford passed away in 1914 at the age of 94.  The last few years of his life were difficult, not only for himself, but for his remaining family.  A diagnosis of senility brought about circumstances that landed him in the Home for the Incurables where he died on August 15.  If John had been living in our modern times he might have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's or some type of dementia.  Taking care of elderly parents can be one of life's greatest challenges, no matter if it was in the past, or if it is in the present.  My great grandmother Sallie Hayes watched this reality unfold as she tried to take care of her aging father. 

  I was lucky enough to come across several letters written to my great great grandmother Sarah "Sallie" Crawford Hayes in 1911 and 1914. 

  The envelope that contained the letters to Sallie Hayes. Unknown handwriting. Found in the papers of Lester Hayes. 

The letters were written by Sallie's granddaughters Emma Crawford Basney and Varena Crawford Pidwell.  They were the daughters of George Byerly Crawford, Sallie's older brother.  They give a sad glimpse of what John experienced and what the family was going through at this time.  For whatever reason, Sallie (or someone else) thought the letters were important enough to keep. 

  The George Byerly Crawford Family 

San Francisco, California 1890

George Byerly Crawford (left, seated) and Sarah Maddox Crawford (middle, seated).  Emma is standing, aged 16 and Varena is standing, aged 13.  George Dudley is seated on the right, aged 9.  Clarence is the youngest, standing between his parents aged 1 1/2.  

The George Byerly Crawford Family picture kindly shared with permission by BCrawford.  

    John Washington Crawford was found on the 1910 census living with Sallie and Franklin Hayes in their home on Twenty Second street in San Francisco.  Taking care of elderly parents was a common expectation of children years ago, so it is not surprising to find John in the home of his daughter by this time.  But, caring for an aged parent can become emotionally and physically draining fairly quickly.  The hard truth is that it can be challenging, stressful and at times overwhelming.  I believe Sallie was dealing with this situation, as by 1911 she felt the need to put her father into an institution of some sort in the city. She probably came to the conclusion that she could not care for her father at home.  Was his state of mind to difficult to deal with? Was he physically sick? Was he apt to wander? Did he become a danger to himself or the family? There are not enough clues in the letters! Her granddaughter Emma tried to visit Sallie to assess the situation which in turn caused tension in the family. Emma wrote two letters trying to mend fences with her grandmother. 

     Emma had visited her grandfather in this place (we don't know what institution he was in the first time), possibly without letting Sallie know first which immediately caused friction.  Emma was not invited to Sallie's home after that, so Emma wrote a letter relating what she experienced on that visit and what her concerns were...

 Letter written by Emma Crawford Basney October 6, 1911 to Sallie Crawford Hayes.  Page 2 front. 

 "Did you know he was about eaten up with body lice while out there.  I couldn't understand why Grandpa looked so shabby until they told me they had to burn his clothes on account of the lice.  They stopped me from sitting on his bed for fear I might get them.  My heart ached for him." 

   Emma went on to say she felt the grandchildren shouldn't interfere in the situation but that  her heart ached for her grandfather.  She understood that a complaint had been filed at the office (presumably at the institution where John was for several months) but she hadn't heard that anything had come of it. She hoped that Grandpa wouldn't be away for very long. She even offered to help if Sallie needed a break when he came back home. 

 Letter written by Emma Crawford Basney October 6, 1911 to Sallie Crawford Hayes.  Page 3.

  "I trust Grandpa is well and that he will give you no trouble.  If at any time you wish to go away and I am going to be at home I will keep him for you." 

 She ended her first letter with the sentiment that she hoped "You and Uncle Frank would never have to go through what Grandpa has in the past three months". 

  In Emma's letter written on December 18, 1911 it looked like John was back at home. Emma was still willing to "let bygones be bygones" and mend the relationship with her grandmother; it appeared that Sallie was not ready to talk things over. 

Letter written by Emma Crawford Basney to Sallie Crawford Hayes December 18, 1911. Back. 

    On July 19, 1912 John was admitted to the Home of the Incurables in San Francisco.  The home took its name from the International Order of King's Daughters which was an international Christian organization started in New York in 1886.  The home in San Francisco began in 1890.  A newspaper article from 1895 described the home and how it worked, as well as the high demand for services. (The high demand for elderly care still holds true today).   It may have been located on Francisco Street and then moved to Golden Gate Avenue until 1917.  It was described as a home for those suffering from "incurable diseases other than contagious". It was open to all denominations and when the family was able to pay they were charged $10-$14 per month.  We do not know the conditions John experienced in this home, but he died there in 1914.

 Lester Hayes provided information for John's death certificate. He was Sallie's son, and my great grandfather.  This document was ordered by my Auntie Claire in the 90's when she was doing her research on the family. 

  The feud between Sallie and her granddaughters continued, as the next letter, written by Rena, was written after John died.  Apparently Sallie did not inform Rena that her grandfather had died and Rena did not find out until she read it in the newspaper.  Rena wrote that "...it is a source of great regret to us all, that we were thus deprived of the privilege of at least paying our last respects".... That letter was written August 23, 1914. 

   

   When reading through these letters it appears that Sallie did not deal with her granddaughters in a very loving manner (hence I won't publish the letters in their entirety).  It was a very private and personal feud. Maybe Sallie did not like other family members interjecting their opinions on the care she was providing or with her choice to move her father out of the home. Did she feel guilt for moving him?  Fulltime caregivers sometimes experience burnout which can cause feelings of being overwhelmed, sleep disturbances, resentment or anger, loss of patience and social withdrawal. Was Sallie experiencing these symptoms? There are so many possibilities arising from this situation,  and we will never know all the details.  All we can do is extrapolate from the evidence and treat the situation with sympathy.  It is my hope that relationships were eventually repaired. 

 John Washington Crawford's Obituary.  This was glued to the top of Rena's letter dated August 23, 1914. 

    

These were in the possession of Lester Hayes, my great grandfather. John Washington Crawford was buried at Cypress Lawn Cemetery in Colma, California. 

https://cypresslawn.com/resources/memorial-park-resources/locate-a-gravesite/

https://cypresslawn.com/resources/memorial-park-resources/locate-a-gravesite/

  

     Researching ancestors who experienced hard times in their life can be emotionally difficult.  We feel sympathy for family members and can often relate to the situations they were in.  Many of the issues that occurred over 100 years ago remain the same today.  All we can do is work to analyze the data and interpret it in such a way as to understand the situation more fully.  And,  learn from the past.  It remains a part of our own, unique family history. 

   

    References: 

The Charities of San Francisco: A Directory of Benevolent and Correctional Agencies.  Prepared by C.K. Jenness, M.A. Published for the Department of Economics and Social Science, Leland Stanford, Jr. University, 1894  Google Books

The King's Daughters Home for the Incurables by Dan Brekke Nov. 29, 2011 Infospigit: The Chronicles.  https://infospigot.com/2011/11/29/the-kings-daughters-home-for-incurables/

Relationship Reference:

Me->Margaret Hansen Boothby->Margaret (Betty) Hayes Hansen->Lester Hayes->Sarah "Sallie" Crawford Hayes->John Washington Crawford and Sarah Byerly Crawford

Flag Day....June 14, 2024....Jack and Bob Hansen Parade the Red White and Blue

   Jack and Robley (Bob) Hansen 

Photograph from Vere Hansen's Album

Taken around the summer of 1910 in Grass Valley, California. 

    It is Flag Day today!  On this day 246 years ago Congress created our national flag by commemorating Betsy Ross' creation of the Star Spangled Banner.  It is just too windy at my house to fly my Stars and Stripes this afternoon so I will instead share this little photograph from a page in my great grandmother's photo album.  My great uncles Jack and Bob were out in the yard that day proudly parading the Red White and Blue when either John or Vere Hansen took their pictures. It may have been taken on July 4th.  I can imagine Vere lovingly gluing the picture in with the others as she created this page in her album.  

 Jack and Bob at various ages.  Uncle Bob's baby pictures are in the middle.  There is an unknown little friend or cousin with Uncle Jack in the pictures on the top and bottom right hand of the page.  

     How do you celebrate Flag Day? 

Relationship Reference:  Me->Margaret Hansen Boothby->Harold Hansen (older brothers Jack and Bob)->John and Vere Burrows Hansen

    

#52Ancestors52Weeks....Week 23 Theme....Health....Grandma Was Administered the Necessary Antivenom For Rabies

 Newspaper article from the Sacramento Bee, Monday, August 27, 1934

Newspapers.com

      This week's theme is Health.  I came across this little article a few months ago on Newspapers.com.  I had never heard any stories about my grandmother being  bitten by a rabid dog when she was little!  And neither had Mom.  This story was just too incredible.  I had to do some more research...

      At first,  reading this article didn't make any sense.  Grandma (she was Betty Hayes, but went by Van Duzer after Nana remarried) was not quite 17 when she was bitten that summer.  So, the description of her as Emma Van Duzer's small daughter just didn't fit.  I did some more digging in the local paper, The Morning Union.  

 The Morning Union August 23, 1934

Newspapers.com

    So, the real story was that Grandma was bitten by a small dog.  The paper in Sacramento had gotten a few details wrong, taken from the article below, as it turned out.  What was going on in Grass Valley that summer? 

   The Morning Union August 23, 1934

Newspapers.com

     This reporter described Grandma as a small child. Which wasn't quite true.  But, the story peaked my interest.  How did people survive rabies 100 years ago? 

 Margaret Elizabeth Hayes Van Duzer 

November 7, 1917-March 26, 1991

This was Grandma's 1936 high school graduation picture, taken a year after her rabies scare. 

 

The Morning Union August 25, 1034

Newspapers.com

     Nowadays we vaccinate our pets against rabies and incidents in humans are rare, thank goodness.  But 100 years ago that wasn't the case.  How did doctors treat exposure to the fatal viral disease? What treatment did Grandma experience?  

  "Notice:  This Rabies Vaccine Treatment will comprise a total of 21 doses, to be administered in numerical order, one dose each day for 21 days"....

National Museum of American History

Outside of a rabies vaccine outfit from the 1920's.

 The inside of the rabies vaccine outfit from above.

National Museum of American History

   

 The vaccine, syringe, and plunger from the museum's rabies vaccine kit. 

National Museum of American History

    Louis Pasteur developed the first rabies vaccine in 1885, and getting treatment was difficult for most people as it was not widely available.  People had to travel great distances and spend time and money receiving treatments in "Pasteur Institutes".   By 1911 a new rabies kit was developed which could be shipped directly to doctors making treatment not only affordable, but widely available.  

  The treatment itself (in 1911) consisted of 25 injections of rabies vaccine: three on the first day, two on the second, two on the third, and one each day after for 18 days.  This helped the body build up immunity to the virus.  By 1920 the treatment had been reduced to 21 injections.  Injections were given in the stomach. This is what my grandmother had to experience! 

   Today, the post exposure treatment for rabies consists of four doses of vaccine over a two week period, given in the arm.  Which is what my daughter and son-in-law experienced this spring after waking up to a bat in their bedroom!  It turns out this is standard protocol for someone who wakes up to a bat in their room.  Apparently it is difficult to tell if you have been bitten or not.  Doctors still take extra precautions, as once you've been bitten and symptoms develop the mortality rate is nearly 100 percent. 

    Rabies remains a serious disease, although it is more prevalent in Asia and Africa where vaccines are often inaccessible or unaffordable to marginalized populations.  It causes 30,000-70,000 deaths a year, world-wide. 

   I am thankful that Grandma had a treatment available to her in August of 1934, although I couldn't  imagine going through 21 days of injections in my stomach.  It was something that had to be endured, as it would have been her only option aside from experiencing a very painful, early death.  I have to wonder why this very scary incident of her teenage years was not passed down.  It was a very interesting story to me, anyway! 

Resources: 

National Museum of American History: Surviving Rabies 100 Years Ago    By Diane Wendt, NMAH October 28, 2013

World Health Organization: Rabies June 5, 2024

Relationship Reference:

Me->Margaret Hansen Boothby->Margaret Hayes Hansen (Betty)->Emma King Hayes Van Duzer