While I work on the final post for the Engram Family which will be my grandfather, Jacob Jr., I wanted to share something I received from my new second cousin, Brian.
This is a letter from my grandfather Jacob, Jr to his sister, Brian’s grandmother, Tess. He is in France at the end of World War I. The war ended on November 11, 1918 and now he is writing on November 18, 1918. He talks of writing letters every week, sometimes two and three, but not receiving any letters. He thought he’d receive more. He says they’re told they’ll be home soon, but things keep changing, and he hopes it will be soon. I’ve roughly transcribed the letter but it’s fun reading the original.
Letter from Jacob Jr, to sister Tess November 28, 1918
Brian is the grandson of Barbara Theresa Engram Murphy, oldest child of Jacob Sr, and Katherine (Duy) Engram. Since his mother, Irene, was also the oldest of her family and cousins and lived in the same home for many years, she was the keeper of the family memories.
A few years ago, Brian shared many photos with my Aunt Joanne and me. A lot of them are from the Murphy side, but there were also many Engram family photos and newspaper clippings.
Brian is visiting Connecticut from his home in Florida is going through the family photo bin and I am planning on meeting with him to sort through it and help put names to faces if I can!
We started off our story about my mother’s paternal grandparents and their family here, and continued their story to 1930 here, carried on with Theresa, Kathryn, and Louise here, and finished off with Elizabeth and Hannah here. There was an extra story about Elizabeth here.
Jacob Sr, my great grandfather, spent his entire adult life as a farmer in the Bronx, which sounds a little unreal knowing the present day Bronx. He originally settled in New York City where he was living when he and Katherine were married and when Theresa was born. From 1895 until his death he lived in Westchester, which was part of the Bronx, across the bay from Queens, Pelham Parkway between White Plains and Williamsbridge Road. Theresa, his oldest daughter, lived her married life on City Island so she was fairly close to him, and Jacob, my grandfather, lived with him after World War I, until 1930 when he began farming in Flushing Queens, across the bay from the Bronx.
By the 1940 census, he was living with his daughter Elizabeth, her husband Albert, and their two children. He was 79 and not working but I mentioned in Elizabeth’s story he was employed as a groundskeeper at Woodlawn Cemetery and mapped out it was about 10 minutes from their home. It’s very likely Jacob lived with Elizabeth and Albert because by this time Jacob Jr. was married. Since they had lived with Jacob Jr on the farm, he might have helped them in some way with their home in Yonkers so they would take in their father. Aunt Joanne said in an email: “My father made sure his father was cared for throughout his life.”
Jacob was eighty-four years old when he died September 4, 1944. Whether that’s his real age is unknown because this death certificate say he was born in 1859 but census reports, and the ship manifest ages given equal 1862.
The stories I’ve been told tell me he wasn’t a very nice man. He was an alcoholic who was abusive to his wife and possibly his children.
My aunt Joanne shared in an email: ”though my Dad never spoke of his father being brutal…my cousin Addie shared a story of Dad being chased by his father with a pitchfork.” Could that have been during the time she and her parents, Elizabeth and Albert, lived with Jacob Jr.?
In Kathryn’s letters to her niece Irene, Theresa’s daughter, she said: ”I have always felt cheated that we did not know more of my father’s background. I know because of his ‘problem’, he alienated members of his family. I remember the last time I saw my Aunt Juliana, my father insulted her and she left in tears and never came again. She was extremely attractive and had on a very stylish dress, which she made. She was a designer of clothing. I couldn’t take my eyes off that dress, it was beautiful. My mother used to tell us my father’s relatives told her my dad had a wonderful mother.”
Sadly, this is all the information I have on my great grandfather. I wish there was some happy information too. These pictures came from my 2nd cousin Brian. His mother was Irene, the daughter of Theresa and George Murphy.
Jacob, Theresa, and IreneTheresa, Irene and George Murphy (front); (maybe) 2 Engram sisters, and Jacob
In honor of Veterans Day, I’m sharing the story I wrote in June of 2024 for the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge. It’s called, The Effects of War. There are links within that story that share the details of their time served.
Beginning with World War I, there was my biological maternal grandfather, Jacob Engram and my paternal grandfather, Charles Jakiela.
My Great Uncle Bronislaw Liro went back to Poland before World War I broke out, fought for the Austrian Army, was captured, and escaped from Siberia.
World War II saw my Uncle Connie and my dad enlist in the Army Air Force and my Uncle Walt and Uncle Mal in the Navy. My Uncle Walt lived through the horror of Pearl Harbor 3 weeks fresh out of Navy radio school.
While cleaning out my aunt’s home, I found a letter from my Great Uncle Antoni written in 1947 describing the aftermath of World War II.
My father in law Harold served in the Korean War as a cook, his brother Ronald as an infantry tank driver, and my step father in law Paul was in the motor pool.
It’s an honor to have these brave men in my family.
In my last post, I told you about the short marriage of Elizabeth Engram to Barney Mishkind. It lasted less than a year and then she went on to marry Alfred Klein, except she didn’t marry him until they were approaching their “25th wedding anniversary”.
Someone with Barney in his family tree alerted me to court documents under Elizabeth Mishkind. I was surprised to see that the information matched court documents under her father’s name. Because they are over 100 years old, I was able to download them through the Bronx Court Records website.
Court documents
They were the court proceedings for Elizabeth to receive an annulment from her marriage to Barney and contained interesting information.
Her grounds for an annulment were that she was not yet 18 when she got married, that she didn’t voluntarily cohabitate with him after she turned 18 years old, and she married without the knowledge of her parents.
The first step was on April 8, 1918, her father, Jacob Engram was appointed her legal guardian, because she was not 21. (I continue to go back and forth with “Ingram or Engram” because the documents and even their own signatures use both!).
Elizabeth’s sister, Kathryn, served Barney with the summons and complaint on April 9, 1918 when she met him at 25 Lenox Avenue in New York. Although he had 30 days to respond, he never did.
Exhibits in the online file included:
a note from the reverend of St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Bronx confirming that Elizabeth was born on November 1, 1899 in New York. This lists her name as Catherine Elizabeth Engram.
Her baptism certificate from Holy Family Church in the Bronx
The marriage license from Wednesday, June 6, 1917 for a service performed by rev. William Hesskamp of the Methodist Episcopal Church in New York
1841 Bathgate Avenue Bronxpresent dayMarriage LicenseBaptism recordConfirmation of birth (I’ve never found a birth certificate for her online)
In late June of 1918, Elizabeth sat for testimony in court. She said after they were married, he brought her back to the hospital where she worked and lived, and he went home to his people. Whenever he came back to New York, they hired a furnished room. But, she claimed, after she turned 18, she didn’t “voluntarily cohabitate” with him. “He treated me brutally”, she said. Q: what did he do? A: Why he beat me.
Next on the stand was her father Jacob. He lists his residence as Pelham Parkway between White Plains and Williamsbridge Road, which is more defined than at any other information I’ve found. His testimony was limited to her date of birth and when he found out she was married, which he said was March of 1918.
Engram Farm in 1918 somewhere within this area between White Plains Road and Williamsbridge Road
Kathryn had the most information. She said she knew Barney for a little over a year and met him a week or two before he and Elizabeth were married. They met when the three of them went to the cemetery to Kathryn and Elizabeth’s mother’s grave. The conversation of marriage must have come up because Elizabeth said they had no intention of marrying, but later Barney told Kathryn he did have the intention of it. When Kathryn found out a week of two later that they were married, she didn’t tell her father because her mother had only been gone five months and “it would only make him feel very bad at the time”. (Don’t forget, Kathryn was the sister who stayed home and took care of Elizabeth, Louise, and Hannah under unbearable, alcoholic conditions).
She continued her testimony telling the court that she told Jacob in March of 1918 because Barney was treating Elizabeth “brutally” and “I could not stand for it anymore.” At the time, Barney was back in New York and they were living in a furnished room on Corlear Avenue. Kathryn said Elizabeth was there against her will. “He compelled her by death”, “he said he would kill her if she didn’t go with him”.
Elizabeth got back on the stand and said while Barney was in New York for 2 weeks, she gave up her employment at the hospital (never named) and he threatened her. The court asked her in a variety of ways whether, after her 18th birthday, they lived “as husband and wife”. She claimed no, and that she was there because he said he’d beat her, and he did during that time.
I just have to interject here that she grew up in a family with an alcoholic father who beat her mother and here she is in the same situation. It’s no wonder Kathryn and Louise never got married and Hannah had two short marriages.
At the end of this, Elizabeth’s lawyer states that Barney has never responded to the summons and complaint and so an attorney is appointed to represent him.
The files include a deposition from Elizabeth’s attorney Barney Levy, who says he was informed that Barney is in the military as a private in the 105th field Artillery and is stationed at Camp Stewart in Newport News Virginia and he does not intent to object or contest and is willing for the marriage to be annulled.
Barney’s military record – furloughed February 19 to March 1, 1918 (the 2 weeks he was in New York forcing Elizabeth to live with him)
Back in court, the lawyer assigned to Barney is deposed and says he mailed him a letter asking for information as to whether he objected but received no response. The lawyer spoke with Barney’s mother who said both she and her son had no objection to the annulment. The lawyer spoke with Barney’s father on July 21, 1918, who said “the facts alleged are perfectly true” and he had a serious conversation with his son and know there are no objections and in fact, Barney though the annulment was already done.
The lawyer presents a letter he was handed from Barney’s father, allegedly from Barney that acknowledges the facts and has no objection whatsoever to the granting of the decree for annulment. Probably because Elizabeth has been receiving his service pay as his wife!
Letter from Barney to parents
The letter says: Dear Folks, I just received your letter and was glad to hear from you especially about the case. Everything is fine, but you must get me a duplicate degree (decree) and sworn and signed by a notary and send to me at once as I must send it to the War Department or else Ma will not get my pay for some time. But go up to see Eliz about the 23 of July and ask Eliz for my money and have the lawyer tell her that she is receiving money under false pretenses and will be put (?) in Jail (?) as… that is the extent of the letter copied.
On July 26, 1918 the judge rules that Elizabeth is entitled to a judgement of annulment and “after three months a final judgement may be entered”.
November 12, 1918, the final judgement is granted and Elizabeth Mishkind is once again Elizabeth Engram.
I mentioned in my previous story that on June 6, 1917 at 19 years old, Elizabeth married Barney Michkind who was 24 years old. This was only a year after her mother passed away and she is still living at the family Pelham Parkway home. But then, in the 1920 federal census, she is listed as living with her sisters on West 128th Street in Manhattan and Single. Hmmm.
I did a little digging on Barney and found a military record. He enlisted in the military on July 11, 1916 and mustered on July 11, 1917. Remarks on this particular form say: AWOL August 16/17 to Aug 23/17 incl (something) Aug 28/17. Sent to 10 day confinement at hard labor and forfeit pay for like period. Served overseas for June 30/18 to March 13/19.
World War I service record
So, it seems, they got married and he was leaving.
The next record for Elizabeth is the 1925 New York State census in Bronx New York. She is listed as a wife to Albert Klein, an electrician, and they have a daughter Adeline, who was born in 1922. She gave birth to a son, Robert in 1927.
The 1930 Federal Census tells me they are living in Queens with her brother Jacob, and Albert is working for Jacob on his farm.
In the 1940 Federal Census they are now living in Yonkers, New York and Albert is working as an electrician for an oil burner installation company. Adeline is 17 and Robert is 12. The census also tells me that they were there in 1935 because in the city column it says “same house”.
It makes my curious for the reasons why they left the Bronx where Albert was working as an electrician and move to Queens to a farm for Albert to work as an assistant to his brother in law and then move again to Yonkers and back to his electrician job.
Elizabeth’s father, Jacob Sr., 79 years old, is living with them. The census says he has no job but says “OT” which stands for other work. Joanne wrote, “my grandpa was employed as a groundskeeper at Woodlawn Cemetery, on the border of Bronx and Westchester. I know he lived with my Aunt Betty and Uncle Al at the end of his life…I’d say thru the influence of my dad.” Woodlawn Cemetery by today’s travel is 2.1 miles and 10 minutes from 61 Kettell Avenue Yonkers via Yonkers Avenue. Jacob Sr died in 1944 at the age of 84. His story will come later.
A funny thing happened when Elizabeth and Albert’s family wanted to throw them a 25th wedding anniversary. They had to confess, they were not married! What?! Which begs the question – did Elizabeth ever get a divorce?
I contacted an individual who had Barney in his family tree but didn’t have his marriage to Elizabeth listed. I gave him a copy of their marriage license and he directed me to a court document he found in a search using the name “Elizabeth Mishkind”. It’s filed under “divorce and civil case records” and dated April 9, 1918. Elizabeth is the plaintiff and “in re” the defendant. AI tells me “its use for the defendant indicates that the proceeding was likely uncontested or did not have a formally adversarial (opposing) party. So basically, an uncontested divorce. This person also told me that Barney was a featherweight boxer, competing under the name Barney Williams in his youth. He was married two more times after Elizabeth, in 1922 and in 1937.
Elizabeth and Albert did make their marriage official in 1947, 25 years after the birth of their daughter Adeline! I hope they had that 25th anniversary party.
Elizabeth, Hannah/Joan, and Louise 1940s Florida
They all moved again prior to the 1950 federal census but they stayed in Yonkers. By now, both Elizabeth and Albert were 50. He was a trouble shooter for an oil company, likely still an electrician and she was now a nurses aide at a hospital.
Adeline in her 1940 high school graduation picture
Their daughter, Adeline, married Frank Rinaldi in January of 1943 and they had a son Frank Jr, 5, and a daughter, Elizabeth, 3, in 1950 and are living with her parents in 1950. He served in the Navy during World War II.
Their son, Robert, married Constance Olsen in Yonkers in May of 1951. The 1950 census for both has them working at a restaurant. She as a waitress, he as a chef so that’s likely where they met. I don’t have any additional information for them.
Unfortunately, in August of 1969, Robert passed away. His obituary says it was after an extended illness, and he died at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, so I’m going to assume it was cancer. Cancer has definitely visited the Engram / Duy family more than I’ve seen in any other part of my family. By this time, 18 years later, he is divorced from Constance, but he does have two children. He served in World War II, lived in Florida for 10 years as a chef in Pompano and Miami, and had returned to Yonkers in recent years.
Elizabeth and Albert continued to live in Yonkers New York. Unfortunately, Elizabeth suffered mental health issues and “spent many years in various state mental institutions” according to my Aunt Joanne.
Anna Winner Engram, Joanne (5), Jacob Jr., Hannah/Joan, and Elizabeth Engram Klein 1950 Florida
Albert Klein passed away in October of 1974 after a long illness and he was residing at Rosary Hill Home in Hawthorne, New York. He was 75 years old.
Six months later in May of 1975, Elizabeth passed away following a brief illness. Her obituary says “she had lived in Yonkers hospitals until her husband Albert died last year.” Aunt Joanne shared this with me, “Aunt Betty died from choking on a bone (while she fought off her son-in-law who was trying to help her.)”. What a sad and tragic way for her life to end.
By this time, her sister Katherine (Kitty) was the only sibling living as is her daughter Adeline. Elizabeth also has five grandchildren (although I only have 4), and three great grandchildren! I wonder if they are as interested in their ancestors as I am?
Hannah
Hannah was the youngest of the siblings, born in 1906 and was 10 years old when her mother passed away. She lived with her sisters in the city and went to school. I told you in the Engram Family Part 2, Hannah, now know as Johannah, and later, Joan, was married to Anton Zeiss Jr. when she was 20 years old in 1927. They were living in Pennsauken, New Jersey in the 1930 federal census. Unfortunately, by August 22, 1934, they were divorced in Bronx County.
In the 1940 federal census, she is living at 58 West 56th Street in New York and is working in “magazine makeup” for American Legion Magazine which I think means she was involved in the set up and publishing of the magazine. She was 33 years old and one of 8 lodgers.
However, in September of 1944, she’s in Florida getting married to George G. Woods. They got married 8 days after the death of her father Jacob in Yonkers, New York. But less than 4 years later, Hannah and George are divorced.
Hannah 1940s
Hannah remained in Florida, and is living alone in the 1950 federal census. She is 43 years old and a secretary at a printing company.
In the early 1950s, Hannah was diagnosed with colon cancer. She had a colostomy and Aunt Joanne said it changed her life forever.
Early 1950s – Anna Engram, Joanne, Jacob Jr, Hannah (around the time of her surgery), and Elizabeth
She died in December of 1967 but it’s unknown whether she died of cancer or another cause. I can’t find any death record or newspaper notice. At the time of her death she left behind Jacob Jr., Katherine, and Elizabeth. She had no children with her first or second husband.
It's All About Family 