Wednesday's Child - Alma Mary Speck

Alma Mary Speck was the daughter of Frank Speck and Elisabeth Linneman Speck and would have been the younger sister of my grandmother, Agnes Speck. Alma was born in Monessen, Pennsylvania and died just one day later. The cause of death was "premature infant" and she was buried that same day at Grandview Cemetery in Monessen.

I never knew of Alma until the Pennsylvania death certificates from 1906-1963 were made available on Ancestry.com. As most of us did when these records were released, I searched for my surnames that had lived in Pennsylvania to see if I could find death certificates for collateral relatives or ancestors whose date of death was unknown. Through these searches I have found several children that died young between census years, and had no other records of their short lives.

I asked my father about Alma and he was not aware that Frank and Elizabeth had another child. We visited Grandview Cemetery in 2007 and found the tombstone for Alma's father, Frank Speck, but did not see anything for Alma. She many have been buried in another location or did not have a headstone.

Besides finding another ancestor, I was able to learn a few more things about the Speck family from this record. They were living at 223 Alliquipa Street at the time of her death. In addition, the name Alma Mary may provide some clues for family names. Their other children seem to have been named after family members ... Agnes (Frank's mother) Elizabeth (Elizabeth and her mother Elizabeth Barbara) and Frank (Frank) Rudolph (Elizabeth's two brothers who died as children). I know the names of Elizabeth's siblings and parents, so Mary may be from her side (Maria was Elizabeth's middle name and her grandmother's name). Alma could possibly be from Frank's side of the family, as I do not know much about his family or where they were from in Germany. Maybe Alma was Frank's sister or grandmother??  Another possible clue to add to the mysterious Speck family.

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SOURCE:

Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Death Certificates, 1906-1963, No. 73103, Alma Mary Speck, 1 July 1916; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 March 2015); citing Pennsylvania (state). Death certificates, 1906-1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Friday's Faces from the Past - Wedding Day!

Fifty years. It's hard to fathom, yet not too hard to believe. Fifty years ago today, my parents were married at New Providence Presbyterian Church in New Providence, New Jersey. They had met in the church youth group a few years earlier.

My mother, the only daughter of Adolf Haberkern and Elise Gegenheimer, got ready at her parents' house in New Providence. 

It was a windy March day ... just look at the bridesmaids' veils!

I LOVE this picture of my grandmother, Agnes Speck, hugging her son after the wedding. The bride is kissing her new father-in-law, Art Cubbage. Looking on is Agnes' mother, Elizabeth Linneman. 

 They look so young! Well they were only in their early 20's.

The newlyweds spent their honeymoon in Jamaica before returning to New Jersey.

The next fifty years brought them three children ...

... two son-in-laws, one daughter-in-law, and six grandchildren!

They have ridden the waves of life's ups and downs over fifty years. We are looking forward to celebrating this summer! Happy 50th Anniversary Dad and Mom!

Black Sheep Sunday - Arrest by Prohibition Agents

I love old newspapers! I know that I have posted about them before, but I always seem to find something interesting in a newspaper search! I received an email offer from fold3 for a half-off subscription to newspapers.com. Since starting the subscription, I have been slowly going through each state to look for newspapers in the areas of my ancestors. I found The Daily Republican in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, which is only a few miles from Monessen.

In my search for Cubbage, Linneman and Speck families in The Daily Republican, I found some hospital admissions and reports of surgery, a few car accidents, a few articles about my great-grandfather's business, and this article about my great grand uncle, Christian "Christ" Linneman.

click image for a larger view

"At East Monogahela, the officers visited the East Monongahela hotel where they arrested Peter Yalch, 46, of Monongahela and Christ Linneman, of Monessen. They were released on bond in the sum of $1,000 for hearings November 20 before U. S. Commissioner Roger Knox. Beer on tap was found here, the officers say. The warrant was sworn out when a federal officer reported that he purchased four drinks at fifty cents each."

Christ Linneman was my great-grandmother's oldest brother. He never married and lived much of his life in Monessen with his mother or siblings. I have his Gesangbuch (German hymnal) and a photo of him from World War I. On several records he lists his occupation as bartender or "hotel clerk", so in some ways it was not surprising to find this article. 

A similar article ran in The Monessen Daily Independent, but Christ's name was not mentioned, just Peter Yalch (listed as Yehak). I looked in both papers after the stated November 20th hearing date, but found nothing. Next up is to see if I can locate those court records. Any suggestions? The county seat?

This was the only article that I have found about Christ's involvement with alcohol during Prohibition. I did perform a quick search on Peter Yalch in those papers and found a few other arrests, one after a raid on his "speakeasy" in Monessen. I guess it was hard to be a bartender during Prohibition!

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SOURCES:

"Dry Agents Hit Six Places In District," The Daily Republican (Monongahela, Pennsylvania), 12 November 1928, p. 1, col. 1; digital images, Newspapers.com (http://newspapers.com : accessed 31 January 2014).

"County Detectives and Federal Officer Make Raids Over Week-end," The Monessen Daily Independent (Monessen, Pennsylvania), 12 November 1928, p. 1, col. 7; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 31 January 2014).  

"Six Monessen Buildings Hit By Dry Agents," The Daily Republican (Monongahela, Pennsylvania), 16 December 1932, p. 1, col. 6; digital images, Newspapers.com (http://newspapers.com : accessed 31 January 2014).

Happy Birthday and Happy New Year!

Happy Birthday Pop-Pop! 

I love this picture of my grandfather, Art Cubbage, taken on New Year's Eve 1959. This was probably taken at a neighbor's house in New Providence, NJ. Art's mother-in-law, Elizabeth Linneman Speck Merz is on the far left and I believe the other two women lived on the same street. My grandfather was born on December 31, 1912 in Swissvale, PA. Since his birthday was on New Year's Eve, he always had a party!

Thankful Thursday - Happy Birthday Nanny!

Agnes Elizabeth Speck Cubbage, my grandmother, was born on 26 September 1915 in Monessen, PA. She was the daughter of Frank Speck and Elizabeth Linneman. This picture was probably taken around 1930 in or near Monessen. Agnes is with her younger brother Frank.

Sentimental Sunday - Corky's Birthday!

Happy Birthday Dad! This is a picture from Corky's 4th birthday party! Corky is boy on the left sitting in the front, sort of looking around another boy. His brother Jeff is being held by an unknown woman.

 

Corky's father was still in Norfolk in the Navy at this time, so he and his brother Jeff, and his mother Agnes Speck Cubbage were living on Thelma Street on Pittsburgh's North Side with Agnes' mother, Elizabeth Linneman Speck Merz.

 

 

 

I wasn't sure what year it was, but I was able to zoom in on this picture and count the candles ... four!! The birthday party was in the backyard of Elizabeth's house and probably included many of the kids on the street.

 

 

 

I love this picture of Agnes looking up while she cuts the birthday cake, surrounded by all of the kids.

Happy Birthday Dad!

 

 

 

Military Monday - Armed Forces Day

In recognition of Armed Forces Day, which was Saturday, May 18th, I am posting a few images in honor of my military ancestors.

 

 

Christian Linnemann

World War I, Pvt. 3rd Co. 1st Btn. 155th DB 

 

 

 

Frank Rudolph Speck

US Maritime Service 

 

 

 

William Arthur Cubbage

World War II, Yeoman Second Class, US Navy 

 

 

 

Charles G Schwenk

Civil War, Sgt, Co. C, 82nd PA Vol
(I don't have any pictures of Charles, this is an image of his re-enlistment papers)

 

 

 

Gerhard Linnemann

World War I, Cook, Quartermaster Corps

Treasure Chest Thursday - Christian Linnemann's Gesangbuch

 

I saw my parents last weekend and they gave me a little book ... my great grand uncle Christ's Gesangbuch! They know that I have been researching our Linnemann line for some time and wanted me to have it!

The first page ... "Ach bleib mit Deiner Gnade." According to Google Translate, this means "Oh stay with your grace."

Christ's name is written on the back of the first page. The first two pages appear to have been repaired with some white tape that covers the end of his name and part of the next  page. The next page is printed with "Widmung" which means "dedication", but nothing is written on that page.

Christian Linnemann, known as Christ, was my great-grandmother's oldest brother. He was born Christian Fasel, but his father died shortly before he was born and his mother later married Gerhard Linnemann. I also posted a picture of him when he was in the Army and his tombstone.

The title page ... "Evangelisches Gesangbuch für Rheinland und Westfalen" which translates to "Protestant hymnal for Rhineland and Westphalia." Christian was born in Gelsenkirchen, which is in the state of North Rhein-Westfalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen). His mother's religion was Catholic on Christ's birth record, but by the time his sister Elisabeth was born, she and her husband were both Protestant (Evangelishes).

The bottom of the page has what I believe is the publisher (W.Crüwell) in Dortmund, dated 1897. The Linnemann family came to America in 1904. My father only met Christ a few times as a child, but remembers him as very quiet and was often seen sitting reading his Bible or this hymnal.

The hymnal doesn't open very far, but it is a beautiful little book filled with German hymns. Thank you Dad and Mom for this wonderful gift!!

Sentimental Sunday - Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! Here are a few pictures of our favortie Moms:

 My grandmother, Agnes Speck Cubbage with her mother, Elizabeth Linneman Speck Merz

November 1954

 

My father (middle) with his brother Jeff and mother, Agnes Speck Cubbage

August 1959

My mother and her mother, Elise Gegenheimer Haberkern

circa 1955

Here I am with my Mom, along with my sister and brother!

Tombstone Tuesday - Gerhard Linneman

Gerhard Linneman was my great grand uncle. He was born in Germany and died in Pittsburgh, PA, although he lived most of his life in Monessen, PA. He was buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Sheraden, PA, just outside of Pittsburgh.

Workday Wednesday - Nurses

 

 

In 1926, my great-grandmother Elizabeth Linnemann Speck graduated from the Memorial Hospital Training School for nurses, located in Monongahela, just north of Monessen. The Charerloi Mail (left and The Monessen Daily Independent (right) both ran articles about the commencement ceremony. Elizabeth was 29 years old and her children were 11 (Agnes) and 8 (Frank).

 

This is the only time I find any mention of her nursing background. In both the 1930 and 1940 census, Elizabeth has no occupation listed. In 1942 when she married her second husband, her occupation is listed as "Manager, Specks Transfer". This was her first husband's business. I don't know if Elizabeth ever worked as a nurse, or did and it was never recorded anywhere. In 1931, the newspaper reported that a nursing student from the Cannonsburg Hospital was recuperating from surgery at the home of Elizabeth and her husband Frank.

 

In 1963, Agnes Speck Cubbage (Elizabeth's daughter) became a nurse at Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ. Agnes and her family had been living in New Providence for about 10 years. She was 48 years old and both of her children had graduated from high school.

 

 

Here is Agnes receiving her nurse's cap at Overlook Hospital.

 



Fearless Female - Elisabeth Barbara Nilkowski

I have written and posted pictures about some of the Fearless Females on the branches of my family tree. Another of these strong women was Elisabeth Barbara Nilkowski, my great- great-grandmother.

I don't know too much (yet) about Elisabeth's childhood. From her marriage record I have learned that she was born on 15 April 1865 in Alt Muensterberg which was at the time in West Prussia in Germany (that area is now in Poland). Her parents were Johan Nilkowski and Maria Schild.

On 4 November 1886, Elisabeth married Christian Fasel in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Her first son, also named Christian, was born on 24 August 1887 also in Gelsenkirchen. His birth record states that his father Christian had died on 8 June 1887 (I do not know how, but he was a miner). So Elisabeth was widowed at age 22, just a few months before her first child is born.

Sometime before January 1889, Elisabeth married Gerhard Linnemann. Between 1889 and 1899, Elisabeth and Gerhard had six children in Gelsenkirchen. Two of their children (both named Rudolph) died as young children.

Gerhard Bernard (1899)

Wilhelm Julius (1890)

Rudolph (1893-1896)

Georg Adolf (1895)

Elisabeth Maria (1897)

Rudolph (1899-1891)

In 1904, Elisabeth travel from Bremen to the America to meet her husband (who left in December 1903). The picture above was probably taken in the year before they left. I don't have many details about the Linnemann family during their early years in the America. They spent time in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and settled in Monessen, PA.

By 1915, her son William had moved to Chicago, and the remaining Linnemans had moved the Monseen. Children George and Elisabeth had married. In 1918, her husband Gerhard committed suicide while the family was out for a walk. This strong woman had to endure yet another tragic loss and was widowed again at age 53. The newspaper article stated that he had been injured in a coal mining accident years ago and had "seemed irrational as a result" and would "take to spells of anger and brooding".

Elisabeth Barbara with her daughter Elisabeth and grandchildren Agnes and Frank in Monessen

In 1920 she was working as a Stuart at Turner Hall in Monessen, as was her son Christian. Elisabeth (who also went by Barbara) lived with her sons Christian and Gerhard, both never married, for the next 17 years. She died in her sleep of a heart attack in 1935 at the age of 70 and was buried next to her husband in Grandview Cemetery in Monessen.

Elisabeth was known as "Mem" to her grandchildren (her daughter's children). Below are a few snapshots of Elisabeth from our family memorabilia. I have yet to find a picture of her smiling, but thinking of her life and losses, she may have become one tough woman.

 

 

 

 

Fearless Females - Girlfriends!

A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future,

the key to sanity in a totally insane world. ~Lois Wyse

 

In honor of Women's History Month and our Fearless Females, I decided to post a couple girlfriend pictures! (click on any image to enlarge) Above is my great-grandmother, Elizabeth Linneman Speck, circa 1920. She is flanked by two friends and they appear to be dressed up for something. At the top her daughter wrote "cowgirls? or cowboys!"

 

 

Girlfriends and sisters, Marian and Minnie Cubbage, circa 1935. These great-aunts had three other sisters: Leah, "Babe" and Marge. 

 

Agnes Speck mugging for the camera with girlfriends, circa 1937.

Elizabeth Linneman Speck (left) and Agnes Speck (3rd from left), my great grandmother and grandmother. The back of the photo has "Neptune Cottage 1939" written on it.

Agnes Speck Cubbage with neighbors Irene and Virginia, New Providence, NJ, 1955.

 

 

 

Matrilineal Monday - Elisabeth Maria Linnemann

Elisabeth Maria Linnemann is my great-grandmother on my paternal side. She was the only grandparent that my father knew - his other grandparents died in 1938, 1939 and 1940, shortly before he was born.

Elisabeth was born on 12 June 1897 in Schalke, Germany which is a part of Gelsenkirchen in North Rhine-Westphalia. Elisabeth was the fifth of six children, and the only daughter born to Elisabeth Barbara Nilkowski and Gerhard Linnemann. Two of those children, both named Rudolph, died in Germany. Elisabeth Barbara also had another son with her first husband who died before the baby was born.

In 1904, when Elisabeth was seven years old, her mother and five children boarded the SS Cassel in Bremen and arrived in Baltimore, Maryland on August 31st. This photo was probably taken in the year before they left Germany.

Elisabeth's father Gerhard arrived in Baltimore in December 1903. The family was meeting him in Windber, Pennsylvania. At some point over the next ten years, the family lived in Pennsylvania and West Virginia and settled in Monessen, PA around 1915.

Elisabeth (who was now Elizabeth Linneman) married Frank Friedrich Speck on 18 January 1915 in Pittsburgh. Her marriage license application states that "Lizzie" was 22 (she was 18) and that she was living in Sprigg, WV. I do not know how she and Frank met. This picture was probably taken around the time of their wedding.

Elizabeth and Frank had a daughter just nine months later. Agnes Elizabeth Speck was born on 26 September 1915 in Monessen. A son, Frank Rudolph was born on 2 May 1918. This is a picture of Elizabeth with one of her newborn children. Just six weeks after Frank's birth, Elizabeth's father Gerhard committed suicide.

The Speck family raised their children in Monessen and lived on Donner Avenue for about 20 years. Elizabeth's mother and three of her brothers lived in Monessen as well. Frank owned a moving and storage company and they were active in the community. Their travels, parties and life events were often listed in the "Locals" section of The Monessen Daily Independent.

On 7 April 1940, Elizabeth's husband Frank died suddenly of a heart attack. She continued to run Franks' moving business for a few years until she remarried. On 18 July 1942 she married Charles August Merz, also widowed, in Winchester, Virginia. She moved from Monessen to the North Side of Pittsburgh to Charles' home on Thelma Street.

 

Elizabeth's daughter Agnes married William Arthur (Art) Cubbage, moved to Ohio and had two children (Corky and Jeff). In 1944, not long after Jeff was born, Agnes and her boys moved to Pittsburgh to live with Elizabeth and Charles while Art was in the Navy. Agnes and her children would move back in with Elizabeth again around 1950 while Art was working in New York and living in New Jersey.

 

 

During this time, Elizabeth's son Frank married Elizabeth (Libby) O'Brien. They lived in the the same neighborhood on the North Side and eventually bought the home next to Elizabeth and Charles. In 1953, Agnes, Art, Corky and Jeff moved to New Jersey permanently.

 

 

Over the next ten years, Elizabeth and Charles would live for long periods of time in New Providence with Agnes and her family, and then return to Pittsburgh. They had a room upstairs in the Cubbage home and enjoyed being close with their grandsons. This is a picture of Elizabeth and her grandson Corky working on a tree in the yard!

 

 

On 30 June 1964, Charles Merz died in New Jersey and was buried at the Presbyterian Church Cemetery in New Providence. Less than two years later on 20 April 1966, Elizabeth died in Pittsburgh. She was buried next to her husband in New Providence. This is a picture of her (far left) at her grandson Corky's wedding in March of 1965 - one of the last pictures taken of her.