Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Charles John King ......."Having Referance to My Trip to America"


  Having Referance (reference) to My Trip to America


 After making full preparation which lasted several days & employing all the female skill that we were in possession of at home. The day of departure  eventually arrived for my final farewell to all things that I had become familiar with at home and according my own wish I determined to break the trying ordeal of parting with those friends who had become dear to my heart. I had been timed to leave home at 3 o clock pm on Thursday April 26th 1894, up to this time I had kept from my Darling child as far as possible the secret of my departure from her & in order to carry this out we had arranged to send her away to a friends house with her great aunt to spend the afternoon. I shall remember for a great while that last kiss, she came to me full...

....full of childish (innocence?) to say goodbye not knowing that on her return in the evening her father would be many miles away, her dissapointment (sic)  no doubt will be told  to me on the first occasion that I receive a letter from my Darling wife...As nearly as possible to the time appointed I reluctantly & with tears took my parting with Mother & sister & with my wife (began?) the journey on foot for a short distance...for it had been arranged previously that we should be picked up about 2 miles from home by a waggonet(t) that had been  previously ordered to drive us to Lostwithiel with a friend & my luggage that walk being the last I had taken with my wife at home...I shall remember it for a very long time. Having been overtaken as appointed we were not long making the distance to Lostwithiel...We were very kindly entertained for the time we were waiting by a friend & it was here that...
 I took my parting with my wife.  Of all the partinings this was the most heartrending that had taken place between us during the whole time we had been married, for events had not called upon us to separate for long together but now through no fault of our own we were called upon to wrench ourselves asunder.  God knoweth the hearts of all men & I trust that day when he cometh to judge the quick and the dead, that it will be found that I had done what I could to avert the calamity that had overtaken us.  I think it wise to dwell no longer on the events that transpired at this time.  They are treasured up in our hearts & come what may nothing can erase them whilst we are separated & I trust when the time of our reunion arrives...I left Lostwithiel  by the 6:57 pm train to Bristol & arrived at North road Plymouth...I found it necessary to change carriages & shortly resumed my journey to Bristol where I arrived...
...at about 12:35 am from which place I rebooked to Liverpool but by some mistake due to the booking clerk I discovered on arrival at Birmingham by the Midland Railway about 4'30" am that because my ticket was via Birmingham L.N.W. (London North Western?) I was doomed to wait at Birmingham 1 1/2 hours which time I whilst in going around Birmingham that part which lies in the vicinity of the Railway station & from what I saw I should say that it was a very nice place, although I was struck with the number of offices that were apparently idle which I thought did not look very healthy for business in the city...I left Birmingham at 6 o clock am & after a run of about 4 hours through very fine country arrived at Liverpool (Lime St) about 10 am...I had my luggage put in the cloakroom & had a wash & brush up in the lavatory of the station for which I paid 2 (?) & was very...
...much benefitted thereby...My next exploit was to find Messers Fairburn Martin and Fleets establishment, the brokers with whome I had booked my passage which did not prove altogether an easy task for it seemed to me as though no one knew where they lived.  On my way however I called into a barber shop & had a shave which if my wife could seen me when I came out would have said disfigured me.  I however felt that recognition under the circumstances would be more difficult hence my object in doing it...I had at length reached the place that I had been in search of & was relieved of my few traps for the time being & after enquiring after the ship, the Alaska of the Guiron Line I took a walk down around the docks & wharfe...The ship was then lying off in the river taking in cargo & coal & was looking in pretty good trim...Nothing particular of note ocurred whilst I was in Liverpool except I wrote a letter to my wife in which I told her of my safe arrival...
...at Liverpool in the evening of the same day several men from Cornwall arrived by train 3 men & two lads was going out by the same ship whilst one other man & a woman & child was going by the "Umbria" of the Cunard Line.  I found that this person with her child was traveling to Los Angeles in Lower California & seeing that our interest was so identical it was agreed that we should meet again in New York & commence the journey overland together. The three Cornishmen before alluded to were disposed to the same room in the ship as myself. On the following morning we were (?) early & breakfasted at about 8 o clock in preparation for embarking which was to take place at 9 am but although we were on the pier at the time appointed we found that wait was the order so that by the time we got on board it was quite 11 oclock but even then the cargo was not all in & so it proved to be 4 oclock before we left our anchorage. Dinner was...
...served up on board at about (1 ?) o clock which consisted of soup roast beef or  mutton & rice pudding vegetables.  Shortly after (?) pulling anchor & getting under way the Umbria was seen to be moving & although we began our journey at a fairly good pace it was not long before the Umbria passed us on her way to Queenstown.  Tea was provided on board at 5 o clock & consisted of corned beef bread & butter pickles & marmalade. Supper at 9 pm of biscuits & cheese.  I retired at about 9.30 pm & was aroused for breakfast before seven as we were nearing Queenstown I expect on Sunday morning we did not however arrive here until about 12 am & we found that the Umbria had not yet left but at about 12 45 pm she went out of harbour we took on board passengers at Queenstown chiefly steerage although a few were second...(steerage passengers vs. second class passengers) I think our compliment of second was fairly complete. We left Queenstown of Sunday April 29th at about 1 pm and between 4 & 5 hours later we lost sight completely...

 ...of the coast of Ireland and consequently Great Britain.  During the evening many of the passengers were sea sick but although I felt very queer I managed to get to bed that night without sickness.  About 9 pm on Sunday we had for dinner roast fowel  & mutton & vegetables & for tea meat & pickles butter and marmalade.  On Monday April 30th I got up about 7. 30 & was very sick & continued so all day & was unabled to take any food...We passed two steamers one homeward bound & one outward bound. At 1 oclock the log was taken & it was found that we had travelled 356 miles from Queenstown in less than 24 hours.  I retired shortly after five having attempted to eat a small portion of food but was unable to...On Tuesday May 1st I awoke very much better than when I retired on the previous night...I ate a small breakfast, after which....                                                                                           
...I went on deck and remained there all the morning. We had dinner at 12 oclock of roast pork or beefsteak pie cabbage & potatoes soup, & rice & rhubarb.  We passed a large sailing ship about 4 oclock homeward bound & in full sail, the log was taken & it was found that we had travelled 368 miles since the previous day at one oclock.  After tea we passed another large sailing ship homeward bound...I retired about 7.30. On Wednesday May 2nd I got up about 7.30...the weather was a little rougher than on the previous day & the day began with sea sickness with many of the passengers. I ate a little breakfast of coffee & bread & butter & went on deck where I remained until dinner time...Nothing of note occured (sic), dinner was soup roast beef potatos (sic) & mashed turnip & rice pudding & current cake...at one oclock the log was taken & it was found that we had travelled 375 miles. The wind...

...has been blowing very strong from the S.W. & the sea is rougher than it has been since leaving England.  Nothing noteworthy has taken place today beyond several (steerage?) passengers being sea sick...I had tea at 5 oclock & after spending 2 or 3 hours on the deck I deemed advisable to return which I did at nearly 8 oclock feeling rather poorly & was terribly afraid I should be bad through the night but I thank God was not...Thursday morning after rather a rough night I arise just after seven it had been smart rain just an hour or so before...I went down to breakfast of boiled eggs or pork chops.  I ate a little bread & butter & drank a small quantity of coffee but was too bad to stay long at the table long so in a very few minutes was on deck again where I remained all the morning...I have been slightly sick twice...

...although not very much  yet I feel bad. I read my scripture lesson portion as I always manage & have also read the first ten chapters of Hebrews together with other scrap gleanings from the word. I was unable to go down to dinner today although rabbit & roast mutton was the fare today. I shall feel heartily thankful when I arrive in New York for it seems to me that almost anything on land is better than the monotony of life on board ship. I have been thinking a great deal about my darling wife & child & I have concluded that it will be very much better for them when they come to take passage on a fast boat for it seems to one that to save a day only of this dreary monotonous life is a distinct gain.  About 12 30 pm we passed a large steamer on the north side of us, she was homeward bound & I believe belong to the Allen (sp. Allan) Line probably returning from Canada. The weather continued rough throughout the afternoon & it was with difficulty that I kept myself from... 

...being sea sick. As it was I was very far from being well.  At 5 oclock I went below for tea but was unable to do justice although I had scarcely anything for the day...I ate a small piece of cold beef & bread & a scone & marmalade.  I went on deck again & read the remaining chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews & commenced to read the Epistle to James. Our ship up to 1 oclock had traveled 358 miles so that we had covered more than half the journey on the sea. I sat on deck until after 8 oclock when I retired feeling very poorley (sic); but was not properly sick.  I took 2 doses of Belladonna during the day & I think that tended to revive me.  On Friday May 4th I woke early & was feeling very much better & was up before 7 oclock & went on deck...the sea was much calmer but it was a thick...

...fog & a pelter of rain & did not look up to much for a pleasant day.  I however walked the deck listening to the fog horn & watching the changing atmosphere which however did not prove uninteresting.  I saw many species of flying fish spring up out of the sea & flying for some distance...they did not however raise very high above the surface of the sea. I should think they were from 6 to 9 in long & had the appearance of large swallows flying close to the water. At 8 oclock I came down to breakfast & for the first time for several days I ate a fairly good meal.  Beef steak & salt herrings was the fare... I did not quite understand what was said so I ordered herring but soon discovered that it was not to my taste & I immediately set the mistake right by ordering a piece of steak which with some boiled potatoes with their jackets I ate with relish &
 ...enjoyed  a good breakfast... 
hot rools (rolls?) & butter & coffee being the accompaniment ...how quickly one is able to tell a change in the weather at sea for when it is a bit rough the table is scantily full but this morning many turned up for the first meal. The fog continued on without much abatement & so the hours up to noon passed without incident of any kind.  Consequent upon the fog the air became much colder & people were hanging about in the saloon more than I had seen them on any other day.  Today we had for dinner boiled beef or fish soup potatoes turnip & rice & rhubarb.  I may say that this is a peculiarity I had not seen any where except on this ship...Boiled rice & stewed rhubarb the two are very nice together & invaribly (sic) when rice is served up a small light pastry is served somewhat in the shape of a very small rool (roll?). 
  ...The ship run today 365 miles...  The fog continued nearly all day & the fog horn was kept going nearly all the time.  Tea was served up as usual at 5 oclock which consisted of much the same fare.  There was nothing else of consequence took place & I went to bed about 9.30...On Saturday I got up at about 6 45 am...It being a splendid morning...  The fog cleared up late the night before & the sea was beautifully calm & the sky clear with a distant (?) on two ships passed early in the morning before breakfast...Breakfast was served at 7.30 am consisting of beef steak or minced collops potatoes bread butter coffee & c. (cream). The morning was passed very pleasantly in promading (promenading?) the upper deck & conversation.  We also passed a fine steamer going homeward & dinner...

...was served at 12 oclock at noon...Today it consisted of roast beef potatoes parsnips or sea pie & vegetable with rices & stewed prunes as dessert...soup as usual first.  The weather remained clear & beautiful all the afternoon although toward evening a slight breeze from the NW with a very little sea sprung up. A large steamship passed on the north side of us homeward bound.  Tea at 5 oclock of corned beef cold roast beef bread butter pickles marmalade and c. (cream). Toward night expectation was high as to the probability of the passing of the Lucania of the Cunard Line homeward  bound (bound crossed out)  which was timed to leave New York at 6 am but no sight or sign of her appeared up to 9 pm.  Supper was served at 9 pm of biscuits & cheese...at 9 30 I retired...
    ...Sunday May 7th at 6 30 am I began to arouse & was up at about 7 am after dressing & cleaning went on deck tho, the weather was fine, but a dense fog had set in during the night & the fog horne (sic) was kept constantly blowing as a warning to approaching vessels, several pelt (?) boats were in the vicinity although we were now over 300 miles from New York, but being so far from land, none was taken on board.  The Lucania was supposed to have passed us during the night some time but I don't think she was sighted. We had breakfast at about 8 am which consisted of bacon & eggs or beef steak bread butter boiled potatoes & coffee. Nothing of consequence transpired during the morning but the conversation was in the main upon the subject of our arrival in New York, & this...

...was sufficiant (sic) with many to fill up a good bit of spare time...Dinner at 12 noon of soup boiled fowel or roast beef potatoes sauce bread & plum pudding... after dinner I walked about on deck for an hour or so & layed down on my berth & slept for a couple of hours as the weather was so cold & damp that there was no inducement offered to move about on deck. We had several showers of rain during the day...our run was given as 379 miles & also at 390 miles but I cannot say which was correct but however it leaves us with a little over 200 miles to run which ought to be done by the early morning. Tea at 5 oclock of corned beef cold roast beef bread butter pickles marmalade...
 

...current buns & tea.  This I anticipate will be the last tea I shall take on the ship but do not know what may transpire ere another 24 hours passes.  






*********************************


 And here we come to the end of Charles King's journey to America from England in the spring of 1894.  He disembarked from the Alaska in New York and made his way to San Francisco, California.  Several months later he was reunited with his wife Anna and his daughter Emma after they made the voyage over on the Majestic. Thank you PamM for initially transcribing Charles King's writings and sharing the original manuscript.  

 Relationship Reference:  Me->Margaret Hansen Boothby
->Margaret (Betty) Hayes Hansen->Emma Lavinia King Hayes Van Duzer->Charles J. King

Did you know? 


Minced Collops

Meat and Meat Dishes
Historic

Minced beef with onion and seasonings. The word 'collop', in use from at least the 14th to the late 19th Centuries refers to a cut piece of meat, ready for cooking as the modern 'steak' or 'rasher'. The use, in these two receipts, to indicate a very finely cut, or minced, meat, is unusual and seems to occur only in Northern England and the Borders.



http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/mincedcollops.htm


Original Receipt in 'English Housewifry' by Elizabeth Moxon, 1764 (Moxon 1764)

454. To make MINC'D COLLOPS.
Take two or three pounds of any tender parts of beef, (according as you would have the dish in bigness) cut it small as you would do minc'd veal; take an onion, shred it small, and fry it a light brown, in butter seasoned with nutmeg, pepper and salt, and put it into your pan with your onion, and fry it a little whilst it be a light brown; then put to it a jill of good gravy, and a spoonful of walnut pickle, or a little catchup; put in a few shred capers or mushrooms, thicken it up with a little flour and butter; if you please you may put in a little juice of lemon; when you dish it up, garnish your dish with pickle; and a few forc'd-meat-balls.
It is proper for either side-dish or top-dish.




Original Receipt from 'Lancashire Evening Post' - Wednesday 23 October 1935

MINCED COLLOPS

Required; 1 lb minced fresh beef, one very small onion, salt and pepper, some white stock, a dessertspoonful of oatmeal.

Bring a little good dripping to boiling point, and put in the onion, finely minced. Cook for a minute or two, but do not let it get too brown. Put in the meat and beat until all the lumps Into which it may form are smooth; then add the stock, and the salt and pepper, cover and simmer very gently for about an hour, stirring it now and then. Then put in the oatmeal (to thicken it) and cook until you judge that this is done. Many people use water instead of stock, because the meat makes its own stock as it cooks. In Scotland this is always served with a border of boiled rice, and oatmeal Is not Inevitable. You can omit it if you like. The rice, when ready, should be rather grainy and dry.











Sunday, September 4, 2022

A New Beginning......A Trip to Egypt and Back with Charles John King on a New Blog!

 



  I will be starting a new project....a stand alone blog to publish Charles King's memoirs of his 1884-1885 trip to Egypt and back. You are invited to come on this journey with me (and my Great Great Grandfather...)!  The new blog address is:


     toegyptandback1884.blogspot.com




1908 Watercolor of the Aswan, Nile, Egypt
Conrad Hector Rafaele Carelli (1869-1956), and English watercolorist and painter. Pinterest.com

Sunday, July 3, 2022

John Hansen Marching in the Fourth of July Parade, Grass Valley, California......

    I am sharing a series of pictures taken at a Fourth of July parade held in Grass Valley, sometime in the mid 30's (I don't know the exact year of this particular parade...).  The parade route started at West Main Street and turned the corner onto Mill Street.  These pictures are from the Hansen family collection.  
 


  A parade float going down West Main Street and past Alpha Hardware.  Note the gasoline pump in front of the store. 


A float from The Unique... 


Advertisement for Grass Valley stores, 1935. 





 A marching band going down West Main Street past the Holbrook and the Grass Valley Cafe. 


 This float had just turned the corner from West Main onto Mill Street.  The First National Bank is in the background.  


This is what West Main Street looked like in the 1930's! 
From the Nevada County Historical Society PIC 4 GR 767





  John Hansen marching in the Fourth of July Parade.  The parade just turned onto Mill Street from West Main Street.  He was wearing his Spanish American War Naval uniform. 

  "John Hansen volunteered for duty with the U.S. Navy during the Spanish American War... (he served as a seaman in 1898). Though being an immigrant from Norway, he was fiercely proud of his adopted country, became a citizen, and served as Grass Valley counsilman and later as Mayor. His American flag was put out each morning and taken in each evening at his home on West Main Street.  He marched in many parades in his uniform, even into later life."  quote from Margaret Hansen Boothby shared on the FaceBook site You Know You're From Nevada County if You Remember.... June 29th, 2022. 


Above photograph enlarged.  



 John and Vere Hansen's home at 418 West Main Street taken July 17, 1942.  Their sons Jack, Bob and Harold Hansen were serving in WWII at that time.  The American flag was proudly displayed from the front porch.

Happy Birthday America!  




Relationship Reference:  Me->Margaret Hansen Boothby->Harold Hansen->John and Vere Burrows Hansen
 



Monday, June 6, 2022

Burrows Working Tree.......Adam Burrows and The Sligo Union Workhouse


 Sligo Union Workhouse Map from workhouses.org.uk/Sligo/


  Adam Burrows was born sometime around 1842  and was the older brother of my Great Great Grandfather Alexander Burrows.  I know a bit of his life history from the previous letters I have shared in earlier posts.  For some reason, Adam was not able to live by himself and was dependent on his family to take care of his needs.  He ended up living and working in the Sligo Union Workhouse after his father, Alexander Burrows of Drum, died in 1889.  Adam lived there until his death in 1915.  How did he end up there? What kind of life did he experience? I was fortunately able to find quite a bit of information online and DNA cousins added other resources to help with Adam's story. 

  Adam was at home in Drum as late as August of 1890 when both Jane White and Emy Burrows wrote to Alexander in Grass Valley, California.  Drum House was in a state of disarray and Adam was not able to get his meals; he went to Crawford's farm next to Drum House to eat.  He was sleeping alone at night. At this point, it looks like the family had no one to take care of him at home, and the house was to be sold.  Adam's appointed guardian, his brother Tom, was not in the area and though expected home, apparently never came back to take over his responsibilities. Sister Emy was already planning on going back to New York.  Sisters Jane White and Margaret Porteus lived a distance from Drum and had homes of their own to take care of. Adam's brothers Alexander and John had been living in America for quite some time.  Adam's life was in the hands of the Reverend Thomas Moulsdale, the executor of Alexander of Drum's will and the Rector of Ballysumaghan Church.  

    By December 1890, when Jane White last wrote to Alexander, Adam was "in the poor house..his legacy is doing him little good...Moulsdale won't allow anyone to interfere with him..".  The Reverend Moulsdale had placed Adam in the Sligo Union Workhouse. 

  The new Sligo Union Workhouse was erected in 1840-2 on a nine acre site a mile to the north of Sligo. Designed by the Poor Law Commisioner's architect George Wilkinson, the building was based on one of his standard plans to accommodate  1,200 inmates.  (see map above). The buildings in the Sligo Workhouse followed Wilkinson's typical layout.  An entrance and administrative block at the south contained a porter's room and waiting room at the center with the Guardian's board room  on the first floor above. The main accommodation block had the Master's quarters at the center, with male and female wings to each side.  At the rear, a range of single story utility rooms such as the bakerhouse and the washhouse connected through to the infirmary and idiots' wards via a central spine containing the chapel and dining hall. Adam was most likely living in the idiots' ward.


Floorplan of a typical Irish Workhouse findmypast.com



An enlarged section.  The Idiots Ward is at the bottom left hand corner. findmypast.com


   The Workhouse housed the poor, sick and starving of Sligo during the Great Famine in the mid-1840's, and there is now a memorial to those buried in the workhouse graveyard that you can visit.  The fever hospital is the only building left of the workhouse.  The site is now the home of St. John's Hospital.  (Information taken from The Workhouse in Sligo, Co.Sligo https://www.workhouses.org.uk/Sligo/). 

  Note the location of the Famine Graveyard in the map below (in green letters).   I also noticed the location of the St. Joseph's Special School nearby.  It currently serves children ages 5-18 with profound to moderate to mild learning disabilities. Also note the location of the Clayton Hotel Sligo to the right.  It was the location of St. Columba's Hospital in the mid to late 1800's through 1922 and was the county asylum. 


Google Maps St. John's Hospital location Sligo, Ireland.  

  By the second half of the 19th century the makeup of the workhouse population reflected the changing role of the institution.  At the end of the 1800's around 75% of the inmates in Ireland's workhouses were officially classified as sick or as "other", a group which probably comprised mostly the elderly and the infirm. (thestoryofireland.blogspot.com).   Adam was around 48 years old when he went into the workhouse at the end of 1890 and was 73 years old when he died there in 1915.  What exactly was his infirmity? 



Published 7 Nov. 1896 Unknown source/newspaper

According to this newspaper article written on the 7th of November, 1896, Adam was classified as an imbecile as well as a lunatic. The term imbecile implied someone of limited mental ability who was unable to manage themselves or their own affairs (comparable now to an IQ of 25-50 or someone with a moderate learning disability).  In the 1911 Irish Census, Adam was classified as someone with dementia.  Dementia was also used interchangeably with the term imbecile on that census. (Ireland Census 1911).   We can safely say that Adam had some kind of mental deficiency which prevented him from living by himself or taking care of himself.  The court was being petitioned to have him declared a lunatic.  According to the Lunacy Regulation (Ireland) Act of 1871 ..."the word 'lunatic' shall be construed to mean any person found by inquisition idiot, lunatic or of unsound mind and incapable of managing himself or his affairs.." (www.irishstatutebook).   Robert Porteus, the husband of Margaret Burrows, was asking the court to take control of  Adam as a lunatic and that his trust be used by the court for his continued maintenance. As of 1896 Robert had become Adam's guardian, most likely because Tom was in South America. 

  Why had the family given up responsibility for Adam? In the letters of 1890 both Emy and Jane mentioned the difficult circumstances at Drum after their father had died.  Emy mentioned her "sufferings in Drum" and how she suffered as her "poor mother did, which you are well aware of".  Perhaps she was referring to taking care of Adam at home. Adam asked her to stay, but she said "that I dare not do". Taking care of a family member with disabilities can be extremely difficult, especially without help. She also mentioned that her older sister Margaret wanted Adam to go to the asylum.  Once Emy left for New York, there was only the Rev. Moulsdale looking out for Adam's interests. Why wasn't Moulsdale fulfilling his duties pertaining to the will? 

  Two years earlier, the Sligo Champion Newspaper reported the death of Reverend T H P Moulsdale on the 26th of May, 1894.  He unfortunately met with a serious accident at cemetery hill in Carraroe Townland as his trap overturned while he was passing another horse and cart on the lane on the 19th of May.  Thomas did not survive the accident. His wife Amy Moulsdale was injured in the fall, but survived. The newspaper article described Thomas Henry Platt Moulsdale as being "exceedingly popular in Ballysumaghan where he had resided for more than eight years past.  He had previously been in Manorhamilton for a considerable time and was there also much respected and esteemed".  He was buried in the Ballysumaghan graveyard along with several other Burrows family members.  (Thank you, KKelley for sharing this article). 



"In loving memory of Thomas Henry Platt Moulsdale for 8 years rector of this parish who died on the 19th of May 1894 aged 47 years 'Father in thy gracious keeping leave we now thy servant sleeping'...." Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives/Sligo Headstones

  It is sad to think that after all the planning Adam's father had done to make sure he would be taken care of Adam would end up living in the workhouse with provisions from the will under control of the court. His family was no longer willing to watch over him and the Rev. Moulsdale was dead. What little legacy Adam had left to him was just enough to maintain him in the workhouse, the place where the most vulnerable in society ended up. 

   What were conditions like there?  The British Medical Journal published reports on workhouse conditions in Ireland in 1895-6, including the Sligo Workhouse Infirmary.   Adam would have been housed there during their commission  visit. I have taken excerpts from the report to share here  (you can see the entire report on the Sligo Workhouse at workhouses.org.uk/Sligo/ under BMJ Reports on the Nursing and Administration of Irish Workhouses and Infirmaries, 1895-6).  Using our modern era to compare levels of care it was very difficult to read this report.  

..."There is an average of 140 patients, who were thus distributed:  the men in the hospital proper, where also we found the female lunatics placed at one end of the block and the male lunatics at the other.  In this block there were about 70 beds....At the time of our visit there were 70 women and 38 men...."

..."The patients in this hospital included a cretin of 23 years of age, who in size and general appearance resembled a child of 5 or 6.  The poor little creature seemed to be a general pet in the ward, or perhaps we should rather say that he furnished some amusement to the inmates.....The bedsteads in this division are "harrow" frames, with straw ticks and pillows; a board let into the wall forms the bed head.  The majority of the cases were helpless old age and chronic diseases..."



Harrow beds were wooden frames or platforms for bedding with a walkway in the middle.

  ....."There is no night nurse for these patients.  The day staff is quite inadequate, and, in the words of Dr. Murray's report, 'the night nursing is in the hands of paupers.' ....The listless, apathetic air of the idiots and epileptics (in the female ward) showed that nothing was done in the way of occupation for the lightening of their unhappy lot. The male lunatics are slightly better off; they have the use of an airing court, such as it is, some of them find occupation about the house, and they are not so overcrowded.  As the workhouse is close to the county asylum the more dangerous inmates are removed thither as there is room in the asylum..."

...."It is the same old tale, almost nauseating in its iteration, of the entire absence of anything like decency or sanitation, when we come to the conveniences provided for the inmates.  Outside are privies on the waggon system; indoors, bucket, pails and commodes are used in the infirm wards...a basin and a round towel are provided for common service among the sick, and a bath or two, without hot water.  Every drop of water has to be carried to the wards for use, and carried away when used, and when warm water is required it must be heated in a kettle or fetched from the main kitchen..."

   Starting in 1899 the Sisters of Mercy provided the nursing staff in the workhouse infirmary in Sligo.  The Roman Catholic Religious Order was associated with their care for the poor and sick, and were also employed as teachers.  They were used in other workhouses around Ireland as well.  Hopefully, the conditions in the workhouse improved with the addition of the more qualified nursing staff.  

  What was Adam doing in 1901?  The 1901 Census of Ireland is the earliest complete census to survive the Public Records Office explosion during the Irish Civil War.  Adam was listed on this census, number 28 at the bottom....


Census of Ireland, 1901 Form 1 Return of Lunatics and Idiots in Public Institutions (top)


Adam Burrows, Irish Church, Cannot Read, aged 59, Occupation/None, not married, born in Co. Sligo, Imbecile. How long affected? 50 years. 


   Adam was also found on the 1911 Census.  His age at the time was 70 years, and his occupation was listed as labourer.  It is not known what kind of labor he performed, but at least he was able to perform some kind of work by this point.  His disability was now listed as "dementia". 

  The Sligo Champion reported on the 8th of May, 1915 that there was to be a public auction of  "Four Houses in the town of Manorhamilton in the matter of Adam Burrows, a Lunatic". Two of the four houses were vacant and two were being let to tenants at a gross rental of L10. It is not known why this part of Adam's legacy was being auctioned off at this time. Adam may have been in poor health and not expected to live much longer.  



  Adam died in the Sligo Union Hospital on the 19th of December, 1915.  He was 73 years old. 



Adam Burroughs (Burrows) of Ballysumaghan, male, bachelor, 77 years, Occupation/none, Chronic dementia, years (duration of illness), exhaustion.  He died while living at the Sligo Workhouse.  I believe his age was closer to 73, not 77. Exhaustion refers to the fact that his lengthy infirmity drained him of strength. 

  
    Was anyone left to mourn Adam's passing?  Margaret Burrows Porteus had died in 1903.  Jane Burrows White was still alive but would be gone by 1918. My Great Great Grandfather Alexander had died in San Francisco in 1904. John Burrows passed away in 1914 in Oklahoma. Emy had passed away in New York in 1905. It is not known when Tom passed away, or where he was living.  I do not know where Adam was finally laid to rest, but it was most likely somewhere in Sligo. 

   
   At the time Adam was living in the Sligo Union Workhouse there was also another county asylum in the area.  The St. Columba's Hospital was located in the same general area as the Workhouse, and was an imposing building.  Adam may have not had adequate funds to be placed here, or he was just not a danger to himself or others as were the inmates housed there. It appears that his disability was primarily cognitive, and not mental.  St. Columba's became the Sligo Mental Hospital in the 1920's, closed in 1992 and reopened in 2005 as the Clarion Hotel. It was rebranded as the Clayton Hotel in 2021 (wikipedia St. Columba's Hospital)

St. Columba's Hospital/Clayton Hotel Sligo

   Adam Burrows' story was a sad one, and should not be forgotten.  My Great Great Grandparents,  Alexander and Elizabeth Jane Burrows, also had a son who ended up being institutionalized in the Napa State Hospital in California.  Herbert Spencer Burrows spent most of his adult life in Napa as a patient, also with an unknown disability. I still need to spend time  researching his life as well.  I would surmise that Herbert's care in that institution was somewhat better and more humane than the treatment Adam received in Ireland.  

  What would Adam and Herbert's lives be like today, with the educational support and services we provide now to those with lesser abilities?  How would they have flourished with a supportive family behind them?  As a former Special Education teacher for 30 years I know that they would have done very well functioning in our current society if given the chance. I am truly sorry they were not blessed with that chance. 

**************************************************************************


This is the current Burrows Working Tree listing the children of Alexander Burrows of Drum and Frances "Fanny" Elliott.


1. Margaret Burrows 1836-1903 (married Robert Porteus) of Clara/Claragh Irish
*daughter Frances "Fanny" Porteus Graham 
*daughter Jane Elizabeth "Jenny" Porteus Golden/Goulden

2. Jane Burrows 1838-1918 (married Adam Elliott White) of Sligo.  The White family lived at WhiteHall (Whitehall), County Leitrim, Ireland.
 *son Robert Alexander White born at Whitehall, County Leitrim, Ireland.

3. Adam Burrows 1841-2 to 1915 (was living in Drum in 1890; lived at the Sligo Union Workhouse sometime after that. Adam died in 1915 in the Sligo Workhouse Infirmary.)

4. Alexander Burrows  1847-1904 (married Elizabeth Jane Hurd in America) my G G Grandparents; they lived in Grass Valley, California.

5. John Elliott Burrows 1849-1914 (came to America) m. Margaret O'Leary in St. Louis. Children Frances Burrows Riley and Thomas A. Burrows.

6. Thomas Rutledge Burrows  (bequeathed house and land in Drum and was to look after Adam per will of 1889.  Left for America shortly after his father's death).  m. Georgina Foster b. 1871 d. 1890.  Per marriage index Ireland, Civil Registration of Marriage, she married Thomas in 1888 in Ireland.  This relationship was also mentioned in Emy's letter of 24 June, 1890.  The death of Georgina and their two children were mentioned in Jane White's letter of 4 December 1890. I currently have no information on where Thomas lived or died after 1890, other than he was in South America in 1896. 

7.  Ismena  "Emy" "Emma" Burrows (spent time in America in 1889 but went back home to Ireland to claim her inheritance, per letters written in 1890. Left for America again in September of 1890.) Per letters from New York, New York in 1893, 1905 and 1906 Emy Burrows married Hermann Bucher and went by Emma.  She and Hermann married 7 Nov. 1892. Emma died on 14 December 1905. 

Saturday, May 28, 2022

Burrows Working Tree.....Letters From New York Help Solve the Mystery of Emy Burrows....


The Statue of Liberty 1890 from the Library of Congress
Emmy Burrows would have seen the iconic symbol of freedom on her way into New York Harbor in 1890. 




     I have three more letters that were written to the Burrows family in Grass Valley, California. These are the last letters from the packet of letters that I discovered at Cousin Skip's house this past summer. 

  The first letter was written in 1893 to my Great Grandmother Vere Burrows, who was 11 years old at the time. It was written from New York and was was signed by E. Bucher. It was a sweet, short  letter written to a young niece clear across the country.  

  The last two letters were written to my Great Great Grandfather Alexander Burrows in 1905 and 1906, and unfortunately arrived too late as the author of the letters, Hermann Bucher, did not know that Alexander had passed away in 1904.  In these letters, Hermann referred to his wife, Alexander's sister, as "Emma". These letters were also written from New York, New York. 

    Who was E. Bucher?  

  

Page 1 front, letter begins on right hand side. The closing of the letter is on the left, signed by E. Bucher...
 
Page 1 back


  

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  (Page 1 front, right hand side)


                                                                 383 10th St.

                                                                  March 20th "93"

My Dear Niece,

                    Words cannot express how happie [sic] glad (crossed out) I was to receive your letter also photo which I can never tire looking at.  You look very much 


(Page 1 back, right side)

 like your cousins some Fanny Porteus and Jane White.  I would [?] think you so like your papa. [?] your fair head, I must say you make a lovely picture.  I only wish I could have the pleasure of seeing you personaly [sic].  I wish you would come to New York for a while.  I would be so glad to see you[.] please tell papa send me his picture he is promising it [to me?]

(Page 1 front, left hand side) 

this [?] time when I get [mine?] [taken?] I will send it to you.  please write to me soon & many thanks for your photo.

With love to papa & all thy[?] family 

I remain your fond Aunt E. Bucher


***********************************************************************************


   This letter was written by someone I initially thought was Elizabeth  Butcher, based on information I discovered when researching Adam Burrows.  In an 1896 Irish newspaper article describing the court action for Adam Burrows his next of kin were listed as... "Thomas R. Burrows, residing in South America, John Burrows of St. Louis USA, Alexander Burrows of California, Jane White, wife of Elliott Adam White of Whitehall, Dromahair, Elizabeth Butcher Burrows, wife of Haman Butcher of New York, and Margaret Porteus, the wife of Robert Porteus of Clara"....

   Hermann Bucher had initially written to Alexander Burrows in 1905 to inform him that his wife, Alexander's sister, Emma, had passed away. He was obviously the Haman Butcher in the article. Who was Emma?  Was she the E. Bucher that signed the above letter? Was she also the Elizabeth in the newspaper story?  The newspaper had  obviously gotten  Hermann Bucher's name wrong (referring to him as Haman Butcher).  So, the possibility of getting Elizabeth's name wrong was strong also. I suppose Ismena could be construed as Elizabeth by a lazy reporter or court recorder.  Or, Haman used Emma as his nickname for Elizabeth. 

  Here was the mystery. I thought it was interesting that the article did not mention an Ismena or Emy Burrows, who I knew had gone back to America in September of 1890.   When I looked at the 1889 will of Alexander Burrows of Drum, I could not find mention of an Elizabeth or Emma Burrows.  300 pounds was willed to Esmenia or Amy (that is how these names were transcribed; they referred to Ismena or Emy), but an Elizabeth was never mentioned.  I knew from previous letters signed by Ismena/Emy that she did indeed exist, as she wrote about going back to Ireland from America to claim her inheritance. Who was Elizabeth?  I was working on the theory that she was another Burrows sister, living in New York with her husband Haman, and was not listed in the will for some reason.  Who was Ismena/Emy?  I was working on the theory that she was a separate Burrows sister who was a spinster taking care of her father until she left for America. Sometimes theories get in the way of reexamining what clues you have right in front of you....

   As I looked more closely at the above letter (as in enlarging certain letters and words), it became clear to me that the writing in this letter matched the writing in the letters written by Ismena/Emy in 1890.  Could Ismena/Emy and Elizabeth/Emma be one in the same person??  



Emy's signature written in 1890.





E. Bucher's signature written in the top letter 1893. 






Emy's handwriting of "Jane White" in 1890



E. Bucher's handwriting of "Jane White" in 1893




   These are just a few samples comparing handwriting styles. Many more letter formations are similar.   I believe that Esmenia/Amy/Ismena/Emy/Elizabeth/Emma are one in the same person.  The only mention of Elizabeth is in the newspaper article, which also got her husbands name wrong. She may have never gone by Elizabeth.  

  So, the mystery of what happened to Emy after September 1890 has been solved! 

  Now that I knew who Haman Butcher really was, I could go back and research Hermann Bucher in New York. I found a marriage record for a Herman Bucher and an Emma Burrows.  Emy had gone back to New York, married Hermann Bucher on 7 November 1892 as Emma Burrows in Manhattan (Ancestry New York, New York US Extracted Marriage Index 1866-1937) and wrote this letter to her niece Vere Burrows on March 20th of 1893.  She signed it E. Bucher. Emma Bucher. Or, did she still think of herself as Emy? Ismena was a name from her past; possibly Emy was too. Emma was her new identity in a new country. 

  

  The next two letters help finish the story of Emma Burrows Bucher.  


Front 
                                                                                       417 East 25th Street N.Y.

                                                                                                  Dec. 26th '05

        A. Burrows, Esq.

                        Grass Valley, Cal.


          Dear Sir,

I am very sorry to let you know, that my wife, your sister Emma, died last Monday, Dec. 14th---Had I known your address, I would have let you know before, but I only found letters of you lately.  She had a complication of diseases, and although I had two physicians 


(back, right hand side)

...attending to her, I could not save her life.
  I lost my best friend and mourn her deeply.   Whether or not she had any money belonging to her I don't know; we never spoke about that.  I certainly can not find any papers or Bank Books to that effect.  If you should be able to give me any information, I would thank you very much.  By all means do I expect to hear from (left hand side) you soon, you may please advise me, what to do. 
   Meanwhile I remain most respectfully yours

                     Hermann Bucher

Although I often times persuaded Emma to write to you or some of her relations, she positively refused to do so, in fact she acted very queer lately--do not blame me for it. 

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  The address for Adam White was written on the left hand side of the front page of the letter.  The handwriting could be Vere Burrows Hansen's handwriting.  She probably wrote to the Whites informing them of Emma's death, or wrote back to Hermann as he requested addresses for the Whites in his next letter. 

Hermann Bucher wrote again several weeks later....

Front with envelope 

                                                                                                    417 East 25th st.
                                                                                             N.Y. Jan. 14, 1906

Mr. A. Burrows
     Grass Valley, Cal.

Dear Sir,

  About two weeks ago, I had the sorrow task of informing you of your sisters death and up to this time I have waited in vain of some line of you.
  Will you kindly let me know the address of some of the White's?  I can

   .....not communicate with any of them as I am ignorant of their whereabouts.
  It being only a simple favor I am asking of you, I earnestly hope to receive answer soon

                                         I remain
                                    yours most respectfully
                                       Hermann Bucher

***********************************************************************************
    
      Judging from Emy's past letters she was not happy with how her father or her family treated her.  She left Ireland for America for the first time in 1889 shortly before her father's death.  After spending some time with Jane at Whitehall back in Ireland while she claimed her inheritance in 1890 she went back to New York as soon as she was able.  Jane White even wondered if Emy was planning on getting married when she went back to New York.  Did Emy already know Hermann from her first trip to America?  She married Hermann in 1892, and they were married for 13 years.  He called her Emma and she was his best friend.  She was around 45 years old when she died.  Whatever the truth was, I hope that Ismena/Emy/Emma finally found the freedom and happiness she was so desperately looking for in New York.  

  It was up to Hermann to let Alexander know of Emma's death. He had no way of knowing that  Alexander was no longer alive as it appeared that Emma stopped corresponding with him sometime before her death.  Hermann's letters ended up in the hands of Vere Burrows Hansen, my Great Grandmother.  Vere took care of all the paperwork and correspondence relating to the death of her father Alexander in San Francisco in 1904. She lived in Grass Valley with her husband John Hansen, so the letters would have eventually been delivered to her by the post office.  

  I believe I have found a death date for Hermann Bucher.  He may have died on July 27, 1907 in New York (Ancestry New York, New York, US Extracted Death Index, 1862-1948).   He may have been from Switzerland.  There were several Hermann Buchers living in New York at the time which makes confirmation difficult.  The 417 E 25th Street address is now the home of Hunter College and its dormitories.  It is located on Manhattan Island, within several blocks of the East River. It must have been a beautiful little neighborhood at the turn of the century. 
  
  When I combined Ismena/Emy/Emma into one person, everything fell into place. There was no Elizabeth.  The will made more sense, the newspaper article made sense and the letters made sense. I want to thank my DNA cousins for helping me piece together this puzzle. This has been an ongoing group project that I am sure will continue to add more to the Burrows tree in the future!
  
    **************************************************************************

This is part of the working tree.  I am just focusing on my GG Grandfather and his siblings here, as I am combining Ismena and Elizabeth into the same person.  There are now 7 Burrows siblings, children of Alexander Burrows of Drum and Frances "Fanny" Elliott. 

1. Margaret Burrows  (married Robert Porteus) of Clara/Claragh Irish
*daughter Frances "Fanny" Porteus Graham 
*daughter Jane Elizabeth "Jenny" Porteus Golden/Goulden

2. Jane Burrows (married Adam Elliott White) of Sligo.  The White family lived at WhiteHall (Whitehall), County Leitrim, Ireland.
 *son Robert Alexander White born at Whitehall, County Leitrim, Ireland.

3. Adam Burrows (was living in Drum in 1890; lived at the workhouse in Sligo sometime after that. )

4. Alexander Burrows (married Elizabeth Jane Hurd in America) my G G Grandparents; they lived in Grass Valley, California.

5. John Elliott Burrows (came to America) m. Margaret O'Leary in St. Louis. Children Frances Burrows Riley and Thomas A. Burrows.

6. Thomas Rutledge Burrows (bequeathed house and land in Drum and was to look after Adam per will of 1889.  Left for America shortly after his father's death).  m. Georgina Foster b. 1871 d. 1890.  Per marriage index Ireland, Civil Registration of Marriage, she married Thomas in 1888 in Ireland.  This relationship was also mentioned in Emy's letter of 24 June, 1890.  The death of Georgina and their two children were mentioned in Jane White's letter of 4 December 1890.

7.  Ismena  "Emy" "Emma" Burrows (spent time in America in 1889 but went back home to Ireland to claim her inheritance, per letters written in 1890. Left for America again in September of 1890.) Per letters from New York, New York in 1893, 1905 and 1906 Emy Burrows married Hermann Bucher and went by Emma.  She and Hermann married 7 Nov. 1892. Emma died on 14 December 1905.