Ginny Zender Album

From: Ginny Zender [mailto:ginnyzender@gmail.com]

Sent: Friday, September 21, 2012 2:38 PM

To: Brian Donahoe

Subject: Another fabulous tid bit or two from that tour

I think I mentioned the carnation story, apparently Helen Reinberg's brother Peter was once the KING OF CARNATIONS .. lol. You'll love this interview for sure. There is also some stuff on the founding of Chicago Title and Trust which came up in a discussion of the early settlers, I'm finding out why exactly this was brought up--but sending the links in case I lose them, and they become relevant later on.

And thirdly, in some of Helmut's geneology research, I noticed he mentioned the words Rose Hill. I couldn't tell if he was referring to the cemetery near my childhood home on Bowmanville, or maybe the fact that there was an area called this. Well, this woman was also able to turn up precise information on that scenario.

I'm still not certain if ancestors are buried there, but I do love the place. Enjoy these finds!!

As a point of information. David Fortman still lives 'on the Ridge'--in what I think is the last surviving early settler house, and it's a beauty. A few of us are going to visit him and his 'Victorian' stunner. I'll let you know when that happens (in Oct.) in case you want to peel off an hour or two, see the gang, and pick his brain. He's quite the historian himself ..and has very good recall.

The info below is from the Tour Leader: GLENNA

_________________________________________

The carnation story is taken from the March 1928 interview of Joseph Fitch, who acted as the legal advisor to the Village of West Ridge. I've transcribed the pertinent part of the interview and it follows here:

Documents

History of West Rogers Park Community, Chicago

Prepared for The Chicago Historical Society and the Local Community Research Committee, University of Chicago

Research under the direction of Vivien M. Palmer, Staff investigator, Beatrice Nesbit

History of West Rogers Park Document #4a

Informant: A man who acted as the legal advisor to the Village of West Ridge (identified by Mary Jo Doyle as Joseph Fitch), Interviewed March 1928

Excerpt from p.4. and p.5.

“…It was Pete Reinberg, as his friends called him, who started and lead in the greenhouse business. He inherited his land from his father. Pete was a Prussian, but his wife was a Luxemburger. His brother George and he were given a farm. I think Pete’s land was from the railroad to Lincoln, and Rosehill Cemetery to Balmoral. He and Henry Kransz got the idea of growing flowers in the greenhouses and at one time Pete was the largest grower of carnations and roses in the world. He had a large force working for him and when he started out in politics they gave him a large vote. He just drifted into politics like any man does. I think there was some small election and he and another man got in a tussle about who would be elected so he took off his coat and went into it. After awhile he was made alderman. Some of his campaigns were hard ones and a friend of his suggested that he give away carnations. He knew that no matter whether the man had voted or not he couldn’t refuse a carnation. It seemed like a funny thing at first but it made such a hit that we did it for several elections. I helped give them away at elections once. They were fresh from the greenhouses you know and were so pretty no one could go away without one. Then Reinberg got to be president of the Board of Commissioners. Henry Kransz was one of his appointees. They worked out the forest preserve system together. Pete is an example of the type of man that can come to America and become a successful American citizen.”

I was unfamiliar with the origin story David (Fortman) told about The Chicago Title and Trust Co. I've found a few articles on the web; here are the links:

http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/272.html

https://www.ctic.com/History.aspx

http://www.theruckerfamilysociety.org/V18_N1.pdf

and now, OMG, I'm seeing a link between Rucker and the Pinkerton Detective Agency...

Here's the story of "Roe's Hill" that became Rosehill Cemetery from Dave Wendell, the past Rosehill Cemetery

historian: http://graveyards.com/IL/Cook/rosehill/

I have another oral history from a WR farmer who helped relocate the graves from Lincoln Park; I'll find that and transcribe it.

From: Ginny Zender [mailto:ginnyzender@gmail.com]

Sent: Monday, December 03, 2012 1:34 PM

To: Brian Donahoe

Subject: My mom's &your dad's FATHER's info (joseph) to compare against what you have WHEN THERE"S TIME-New to me is info about Joseph's brother Edward

Hi Again Brian. You know there's no hurry on any of this, but if I don't send it as neatly as I can...when I get it--it will be lost..

You might remember there's a picture in my book and on your site---of Joseph and his very Irish looking brothers. My mom loved that picture, one was a priest.

Anyway, some of this latest helmut info, helps me make sense of things that you may already be clear on. I always knew about that new york connection, (But I only knew of Utica) and the subsequent relocation to rogers park. Seeing these dates I now realize my Mom was only FOURTEEN when she lost her dad, and that had a major and sad impact on her. she was off traveling around the world at sixteen (on the ocean liners) with her mother. such strange times.

So Joseph (another relative I never knew... might have been nice to have had ONE grandparent, but I digress) was only about 64 when he died. Yikes... that's scary, considering my age. AND HE WAS SLIM.

And you'll see there's also a little info about his brother Edward. You're about the only one who knows what I'm talking about!

I didn't know Edward died in 1937 in CHICAGO. So my mother must have known him quite well. That's the year she got married. So sadly he was probably on her mind at that time. She saw all her brothers and uncles die before her.

And again, I know a lot of this is repetition, but I'm sending it for comparison and for the occasional new nugget.

FROM HELMUT

your Grandfather Joseph P. Donahoe was born on 22. Aug. 1862 or 63 in Seguoit, New York. He diet on 30 May 1926 in Evanston and was buried on 2 June 1926 there. GINNY: Did you know Joseph was buried in evanston. i wonder where her dad went? I wonder what Sequoit New York was like, and how they ended up there for a time. (off the boat of course, but was this a super pac irish 'hood' ? who knows

AND IS JOSEPH SOMETIMES CALLED JOHN? At Jiggs' funeral service, his sisters were saying he was John the fourth??

Is the P -- for Peter, Patrick... hmmm.

He had a brother named Edward J. who was born on 28 Dec 1867 or 68 in Liechfield, New York. Edward diet on 6 Feb 1937 in Chicago and was buried on 9 Feb 1937 there.

Edward was married with Leetitia and they have these kids -- Ruth, Florence and Mildred. This last sentence I don't understand, do you? He wrote: The Parents from this boys are Michael Donahoe and Anne Pauls. Both are from Ireland........

GINNY sidebar. It's kind of funny that I always call my julie Leticia (as a nickname, no idea why! )

o

From: Ginny Zender [mailto:ginnyzender@gmail.com]

Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 8:10 AM

To: Brian Donahoe

Subject: Re: More info on Michael Donahoe .. now I see he's the DAD of my grandfather, and his brother Edward. You may already know this, but jobs are listed

oh great. are you saying you haven't been able to see any of the attachments in the past week.

what a shame.. good stuff. I am pasting the info from this one because it's got unusual stuff like the occupations.

Here's what was contained in these two attachments.

DOCUMENT ONE

The two documents both pull up michael donahoe, in relation to Joseph and his brother Edward (their dad) so that's neat to see what jobs were listed, yes? way too many Edwards, joes and johns. give me a lambert any day. This is Mom's Uncle's dad and of course my grandfather's dad. Far removed from me. But hey it turns up more family occupations, Grampy was a tool foreman, and mom's uncle edward was an insurance agent

Michael Donahoe in entry for Edward J.

Donahoe, "Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947"

name: Edward J. Donahoe

titles and terms (original):

death date: 06 Feb 1937

death place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois

gender: Male

marital status:

race or color:

age: 69

estimated birth year: 1868

birth date: 28 Dec 1867

birthplace: Litchfield, N.Y.

father: Michael Donahoe

father's titles and terms (original):

father's birth place: Ireland

mother: Ann Paul

mother's titles and terms (original):

mother's birth place: Ireland

occupation: Insurance Agent

residence: Chicago, Cook, Illinois

street address:

spouse:

spouse's titles and terms (original):

spouse's birthplace:

burial date: 09 Feb 1937

burial place: Cook Co., Illinois

cemetery: Mt. Olivet

informant:

additional relatives:

digital folder number: 4152582

image number: 1986

film number: 1952628

volume/page/certificate number: rn 4232

Citing this Record

"Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947," index, FamilySearch

(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NQSZ-KRQ : accessed 03 Dec 2012), Michael

Donahoe in entry for Edward J. Donahoe, 06 Feb 1937; citing reference rn 4232, FHL

microfilm 1952628.

Search Results — FamilySearch.org Seite 1 von 1

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NQSZ-KRQ 03.12.2012

DOCUMENT TWO

Michael Donahoe in entry for Joseph P. Donahoe, "Illinois, Deaths and

Stillbirths, 1916-1947"

name: Joseph P. Donahoe

titles and terms (original):

death date: 30 May 1926

death place: Evanston, Cook, Illinois

gender: Male

marital status:

race or color:

age: 63

estimated birth year: 1863

birth date: 22 Aug 1862

birthplace: Seguoit, New York

father: Michael Donahoe

father's titles and terms (original):

father's birth place: Ireland

mother: Anne Pauls

mother's titles and terms (original):

mother's birth place: Ireland

occupation: Foreman Tool Dept.

residence:

street address:

spouse: Mary Foster Donahoe

spouse's titles and terms (original):

spouse's birthplace:

burial date: 02 Jun 1926

burial place:

cemetery:

informant:

additional relatives:

digital folder number: 4008177

image number: 469

film number: 1613364

volume/page/certificate number: 19144

Citing this Record

"Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947," index, FamilySearch

(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NQSV-M56 : accessed 03 Dec 2012), Michael

Donahoe in entry for Joseph P. Donahoe, 30 May 1926; citing reference 19144, FHL

microfilm 1613364.

Search Results — FamilySearch.org Seite 1 von 1

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NQSV-M56 03.12