In my last Wright family post I wrote of Frederick Finck and wife Marie Antoinette. I haven't had much success with Antoinette, as variations of her last name have come up. I first came up with Maujer, as listed on a child's marriage license. Another researcher believes it is Meagher with her parents Antan Meagher (1800-?) & Katherine Vongurus of Darmstadt, Germany.
They had seven children who grew up at the Eldridge St. flat and each has an interesting story to tell. Last month I wrote about Frederick Finck Jr. (1858-1889) and his apparent suicide by jumping from a cruise ship. The next sibling is George D. Finck (1860-1917). A search of the NY Times archives shows that he was a very successful lawyer and real estate investor. Many of his notable deals were in the $250k-$500k range, which was a great amount of money in the late 1800's. One of his larger purchases involved several lots on East 19th Street and Fourth Ave. (later renamed as Park Avenue South). George and his partners developed the street, including the building where several of his family members would reside for several years, including where my grandfather George Wright, was born, 138 E. 19 St. (check out the cream colored building here on google street view). He also bought several buildings on West 86 & 87 St and Riverside Drive and was instrumental in developing them to an upscale area.
On June 23, 1892, George married a British woman named Louisa Adrianna Cameron (1860-?). Born in London, she was the daughter of land owners in British Guiana (now the independent nation Guyana) and resided there with her first husband. She is mentioned in the social pages numerous times. They had a daughter Gloria Finck (1899-1982) and they lived in different upper West Side apartments with servants over the years. Gloria married an interior designer named William Chauncey Sloan (1887-?) on July 26, 1937 and they lived in Manhattan until her death. I have not found any children for them.
Next of the siblings is Henry Ulrich Finck (1862-1898). The 1880 census lists Henry as a designer and he relocated to Chicago at some point. He met Margaret Alice Eagle (1864-1948) and they were married in September 1892. They moved to Pasadena, CA, that year and had their first child Frederick Eagle Finck (1893-1970). In 1895 Elizabeth Eagle Finck (1895-?) was born and in 1897, their last child, Margaret Finck (1897-1993) was born. The next year Henry died out in California and the family moved back east, living for a while on Staten Island. They are also listed on a couple of censuses at 189 Claremont Ave in upper Manhattan.
Their son Frederick worked for Westinghouse Electric prior to getting married in 1922 to Clara Aloysia Jones in Oyster Bay, LI. By 1930, they were living in the Los Angeles area where he died in 1970. Clara, originally from Lithonia, GA, died in Montrose, CA. in 1993. They had two daughters Clara Lousie Finck (1924-2010) and Elizabeth E. Finck (1926). Clara married Raymond Ramsower and I think they had two children, Steven (1953) and Michelle (1958) who are still living in California.
Henry and Margaret's other children: Elizabeth was a clerk at a publishing company in 1920 and was listed as living with her mother at Claremont Ave in the 1930 census. She married James Morrow in 1963 at 68 years of age. Her sister, Margaret, was listed in the 1920 census as a clerk at an advertising company. She married James Winslow McGovern (1891-?) in 1922 and they moved to Jackson Heights. She died in NY in 1993 at 96 years old. I don't know if they ever had any children.
Next post continues with the Finck descendants....
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
The rest of the Kempen Clan part 1 (Fanning Side)
In the last post I discussed the Kempens and their Yorkville upbringing. The Kempens immigrated from Germany in 1882. My great x3 grandfather, Gerdes "George" Kempen (1840 - ?), appears to come to the U.S. prior to the rest of the family. The 1910 census states that the whole family arrived in 1882, but generally the husband had to be in the country for a couple of years prior to bringing the rest of the family over. I have found the passenger manifest for the Kempen family minus Gerdes. On December 5, 1882, aboard the ship Neckar, Vendelina Helena Niemeyer Kempen and seven children arrived on the shores of the United States, but not at Ellis Island like we have been led to believe but at Castle Garden located at the Battery in NYC. Castle Garden was part of Fort Clinton and was the first immigrant debarkation in NY, in use from 1855-1890 when the federal government took over immigration affairs at Ellis Island.
Gerdes and Vendalina Kempen had seven children that I know of:
The eldest son, Folkert, was married on January 29, 1893, to Emma Kuhne (1866 - ?) in Manhattan. Folkert was a cigar dealer and the family moved to Rockville Centre by 1920. Their children were Margret (1894 - 1975) who married Robert J. Wundsam (1895 - 1979) in 1919 in Manahattan. They lived in Woodside & Flushing. He died in Stormville, NY. They had a son Robert Jr. (1925 - 1944) apparently killed during WW 2. Although he died in 1944, his body was not returned to the U.S. until 1948 and is interred at the National Cemetery in Farmingdale.
Folkert's middle child was George F. Kempen (1896 - 1963). According to his WW 1 registration card, he was employed by the Harvard Co. as a mechanic and lived at the 1669 3rd Ave address. He served as an Army Corporal during 1918. 1920 census reports he worked for a dentist and lived on Driscoll Ave in Rockville Centre. On June 22, 1924, he married Mary E. Hilderbrand (1901 - 1953) in Manhattan and they moved to Woodside, Queens, where George worked for Ford Instrument Co. He died in 1963 and is buried at the National Cemetery in Farmingdale. I have not found any children for George and Mary.
The youngest child of Folkert and Emma is William Theodore Kempen (1900 - 1975). The 1920 census also shows him living at Driscoll Ave, Rockville Centre and he was married to Lucy "Lulu" (1905 - 1989) but I do not know when. William is listed in several local directories as a Nassau County Police Detective. They had two sons, William Jr. (1928 - 1998) and George Russell Kempen (1938 - 1976). I have not found too much about Willam, but in a previous post I did highlight the life and death of George, also a Nassau County Police Officer. He was killed in the line of duty while trying to apprehend a car thief. George was married to Bernice (1940) and they have a son George C. (1965).
I find much of this mildly ironic since so much of the Fanning family is connected to the areas where this family resided yet we never knew them. I have two uncles who married into the family who grew up in Woodside and my wife's family is from Astoria & Elmhurst. I lived in a neighboring town to the Kempens that lived in Rockville Centre. I will continue with the other Kempens in the next post.
Passenger list for the steamship Neckar on Dec. 5, 1882. Kempens are 6 lines down.
Gerdes and Vendalina Kempen had seven children that I know of:
- Folkert George Kempen (1864 - ?)
- Bernhard H. Kempen (1866 - 1915)
- Heinrich Kempen (1869 - ?)
- Felix Kempen (1872 - ?)
- Gerhard Kempen (1875 - ?)
- Rinsie (?) (1876 - ?)
- Charles "Carl" Kempen (1880 - ?)
The eldest son, Folkert, was married on January 29, 1893, to Emma Kuhne (1866 - ?) in Manhattan. Folkert was a cigar dealer and the family moved to Rockville Centre by 1920. Their children were Margret (1894 - 1975) who married Robert J. Wundsam (1895 - 1979) in 1919 in Manahattan. They lived in Woodside & Flushing. He died in Stormville, NY. They had a son Robert Jr. (1925 - 1944) apparently killed during WW 2. Although he died in 1944, his body was not returned to the U.S. until 1948 and is interred at the National Cemetery in Farmingdale.
Folkert's middle child was George F. Kempen (1896 - 1963). According to his WW 1 registration card, he was employed by the Harvard Co. as a mechanic and lived at the 1669 3rd Ave address. He served as an Army Corporal during 1918. 1920 census reports he worked for a dentist and lived on Driscoll Ave in Rockville Centre. On June 22, 1924, he married Mary E. Hilderbrand (1901 - 1953) in Manhattan and they moved to Woodside, Queens, where George worked for Ford Instrument Co. He died in 1963 and is buried at the National Cemetery in Farmingdale. I have not found any children for George and Mary.
The youngest child of Folkert and Emma is William Theodore Kempen (1900 - 1975). The 1920 census also shows him living at Driscoll Ave, Rockville Centre and he was married to Lucy "Lulu" (1905 - 1989) but I do not know when. William is listed in several local directories as a Nassau County Police Detective. They had two sons, William Jr. (1928 - 1998) and George Russell Kempen (1938 - 1976). I have not found too much about Willam, but in a previous post I did highlight the life and death of George, also a Nassau County Police Officer. He was killed in the line of duty while trying to apprehend a car thief. George was married to Bernice (1940) and they have a son George C. (1965).
I find much of this mildly ironic since so much of the Fanning family is connected to the areas where this family resided yet we never knew them. I have two uncles who married into the family who grew up in Woodside and my wife's family is from Astoria & Elmhurst. I lived in a neighboring town to the Kempens that lived in Rockville Centre. I will continue with the other Kempens in the next post.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
The Finck Family (Wright Side)
To stay along the same vein as the previous Wright family post, I will share what I have learned of the Finck family. The Fincks are from my maternal grandfather's (George Godfrey Wright) branch of the tree. His mother was Marie Antionette Finck (1874-?). She was last recorded in the 1930 census living with her husband, Frederick Harriman Wright (1863-1933), and family at 344 West 72 St near Riverside Drive. She was born in NYC of parents Frederick Finck (1830-1899) and Marie Antionette Meujer or Meagher (1834-1915).
Frederick Finck was a businessman who immigrated around 1835 from Darmstadt, Germany according to a census report, however, his obituary says it was 1849. There are a few conflicting records from this era but one record states that they were married in 1850. They had seven children:
Politics in NYC were wrought with corruption back then - think Tammany Hall - and the elder Finck was caught up in a bribery scandal involving the development of the Broadway Railroad. He, along with 17 other aldermen, were indicted and arrested in 1886. Luckily, Frederick had a son who was a fairly prominent attorney in NYC. George Finck (1860-1917), the eldest living son of Frederick, was able to get the indictment dismissed in 1890. Frederick passed away on March 2nd, 1899 and is buried at the Finck family plot in Woodlawn cemetery.
I will give the run down on the children in the next Wright post. Most seemed to have married into some prominent circles & have been interesting research.
Frederick Finck was a businessman who immigrated around 1835 from Darmstadt, Germany according to a census report, however, his obituary says it was 1849. There are a few conflicting records from this era but one record states that they were married in 1850. They had seven children:
- Frederick Finck (1858-1889)
- George Finck (1860-1917)
- Henry Ulrich Finck (1862-1898)
- Emily Finck Elliott (1864-1924)
- Adam Finck (1867-1922)
- John Finck (1869-1951)
- Marie Antionette Finck Wright (1878-?)
Politics in NYC were wrought with corruption back then - think Tammany Hall - and the elder Finck was caught up in a bribery scandal involving the development of the Broadway Railroad. He, along with 17 other aldermen, were indicted and arrested in 1886. Luckily, Frederick had a son who was a fairly prominent attorney in NYC. George Finck (1860-1917), the eldest living son of Frederick, was able to get the indictment dismissed in 1890. Frederick passed away on March 2nd, 1899 and is buried at the Finck family plot in Woodlawn cemetery.
I will give the run down on the children in the next Wright post. Most seemed to have married into some prominent circles & have been interesting research.
Monday, October 31, 2011
The Kempens - 1669 Third Ave (Fanning Side)
I hope to alternate every week with entries from opposing sides of the family tree. This week I am back to the Fanning side and will continue along the Kempen branch.
Henry "Henny" Kempen (1897- 1969) was my great-great grandfather. He was married to Marion Scully Kempen (1898-1971). I haven't been able to find the date they were married but I reason that it was either late 1920 or early 1921. Marion is not listed with Henny on the 1920 census. My grandmother, Veronica Kempen (1921-1989), was born in November 1921 and they are all listed in the 1930 census residing at 1667 Third Ave, East 93 to 94 St.
Born May 6, 1897, the first reference I have found for Henny was in the 1900 census. He lived at the 1669 Third Ave address as the oldest child with his parents Heinrich "Henry" Kempen (1869 - ?) and Anne Dertinger Kempen (1876 - ?) along with sister Catherine Kempen (1899 - ?). Heinrich was employed as a conductor with the surface railroad (subways had not been completed yet).
Also living in this building was Heinrich's brother, Folkert (1864-?), and his family: wife, Emma Kuhne (1866-?), daughter Margaret Kempen (1894-1975), and son, George Kempen (1896-1963). Their son William hadn't been born yet, who was the father of George R. Kempen (1938-1976). George was the Nassau Co. Police officer who was killed. Also listed in this census was 15 year-old Minnie Kuhne (1885-?) who may have been the cousin or sister of Emma.
The family affair at 1669 3rd Ave continues with Anne Dertinger Kempen's sister, Mary Catherine Dertinger Gaukel (1881-?) residing there, too. She was married to Charles Gaukel (1875-1942). They did not have children at this point but they did live with Catherine "Kate" Lyons Dertinger (1843-?), mother of Annie & Mary Catherine. Annie & Mary Catherine were both born in New York City. Momma Kate was born in Ireland and immigrated to the US somewhere around 1860. The various census dates are conflicting. Charles Gaukel was a butcher and immigrated to the US in 1890 from Germany with his parents. I know it gets confusing... a view of the family tree while reading this will help you follow along.
Henry Kempen lived at this building for many years. The 1930 census shows he was living here with Marion & Veronica. They were paying $29.00 a month rent and was employed at a brewery as an electrician. The rest of the extended family had moved to Astoria, Queens by 1930.
I had heard some stories about Henny over the years, none of which were favorable. He had abandoned his wife and daughter at some point and moved out to Suffolk County. Social Security death records show he died January 20, 1969 in Hampton Bays and is buried at National Cemetery in Farmingdale, LI. I have not found any evidence that he ever remarried but family lore is that he spent his later years with a women named Consuela. He has always been rumored to have been a bit of a con artist.
I did not know that he served in the US Army as a "wagoneer" during the end of WW 1 in France. Dennis Fanning provided me with a photo of him when he was overseas. He is the one holding the wine bottle!
I have not been able to find much about Marion Scully's family. She was born August 29, 1898 in New Jersey to Michael H. Scully (1866-1908) and Annie O'Neill Scully (1873-?). Census reports show he was born in NJ and Annie immigrated from Northern Ireland 1893. They married 1897 in NJ I presume, since Marion was born in NJ. In 1900 they lived at 109 West 46 St, NYC and Michael was employed as a masseuse. After Michael died in 1908, Annie & Marion had moved to 340 East 49 St and was employed as a restaurant cook by 1910. She also had her nephew, John O'Neill, living with them at the time. The 1920 census lists Annie as a 'laundry ironer' and they lived at 223 East 53 St. I have not discovered when she died.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
My first noteable discovery on the Wright side
When I first began researching the Wright family tree, I had a basic tree that my mother had received from Grandma Madeleine. It listed Marie Antoinette Finck (conflicting DOB either 1878 or 1874 depending which census & unknown death date) married to Frederick Harriman Wright (1863-1933). I found Marie, the youngest of seven, listed in the 1880 census and it listed her siblings names. They resided at 170 Eldridge Street between Delancy St. & Rivington St. in Manhattan's Lower East Side.
The NY Times has a good digital archive and I started popping names into the search engine. One of the first to get a result was my great-great-uncle Frederick Finck (1858-1889). The article I found tells of a sickly man who suffered from "consumption" (tuberculosis) and dyspepsia (impaired digestion). He was a trader on the produce exchange and was also employed by George Fowley & Co., which was a large provisions house based in Kansas City.
In mid-August, 1889, Frederick booked himself on the steamship Norman of the Windsor Line and was last seen August 19 while the ship was off the coast of Atlantic City. It appears that the 31 year-old jumped to his death.
The article was not only important to me because it shed some light on my great-great uncle's life, but it also listed his father, Frederick Finck Sr. (1830-1899) and identified him as a NYC Alderman. I will get to that notable story in another post.
Friday, October 14, 2011
George Russell Kempen
I had sent out an email recently regarding the Kempen family and told of their arrival in 1882 on the ship Nekkar from Germany. As I listed some the descendants of Gerdes and Vendalina Kempen, I wrote of a William Kempen who was born in NY and subsequently moved to Delaware. He & his wife had 2 sons George and William who attended US Army Academy at West Point and the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, respectively. George was killed in action while serving in Korea. However, this family appears to be the wrong one that is related to us. Coincidentally, I have located another William Kempen (1900-1975) who had 2 sons, William and George, too. I have confirmed that this is the correct branch of the Kempen family.
William Theodore Kempen is the son of Folkert George Kempen (1864-?). By 1920 Folkert and his wife, Emma Kuhne (1866-?), had moved to Rockville Centre, NY. Their son, William Theodore, is listed on the 1920 census residing with them. Folkert was a dealer of cigars. William became a Nassau County police officer and later is listed as a detective. William married Lucy "Lulu" (1905-1989) and they had sons William (1928-1998) and George Russell (1938-1976). Little did any of us know that George (my 2nd cousin twice removed) lived and died as a hero police officer. In 1960, he joined the Nassau County Police Department in his father's footsteps. He was also a member of the US Air Force and appears to have been a reservist through the 1960's.
On November 14, 1976, George was working not far from his home in North Merrick when a call for assistance came from a NYS Parkway Police Officer on the Southern State Parkway. The officer was wrestling with a suspect who had stolen a car when George arrived on the scene. While trying to restrain the suspect the officer's gun discharged striking George as he ran to his aid fatally wounding him. He was survived by his wife, Bernice (1940- ) and an eleven year old son, George (1965- ), who would be my third cousin.
Officer Down Memorial Page - Kempen
William Theodore Kempen is the son of Folkert George Kempen (1864-?). By 1920 Folkert and his wife, Emma Kuhne (1866-?), had moved to Rockville Centre, NY. Their son, William Theodore, is listed on the 1920 census residing with them. Folkert was a dealer of cigars. William became a Nassau County police officer and later is listed as a detective. William married Lucy "Lulu" (1905-1989) and they had sons William (1928-1998) and George Russell (1938-1976). Little did any of us know that George (my 2nd cousin twice removed) lived and died as a hero police officer. In 1960, he joined the Nassau County Police Department in his father's footsteps. He was also a member of the US Air Force and appears to have been a reservist through the 1960's.
On November 14, 1976, George was working not far from his home in North Merrick when a call for assistance came from a NYS Parkway Police Officer on the Southern State Parkway. The officer was wrestling with a suspect who had stolen a car when George arrived on the scene. While trying to restrain the suspect the officer's gun discharged striking George as he ran to his aid fatally wounding him. He was survived by his wife, Bernice (1940- ) and an eleven year old son, George (1965- ), who would be my third cousin.
George R. Kempen
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Welcome to my family tree blog!
I have been working on my family tree for the past couple of years. What I thought would be a simple tree with mother & father listed and so forth has turned into quite an amazing journey through history with several discoveries. Rather than relay my discoveries through emails to family members, I have decided to share them here and you can read them at your leisure.
I began the research for a few different reasons. I had heard the stories that we, on my mother's side of the Wright family, were related to Commodore Isaac Hull (1773-1843), commander of the USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides. Originally, the story was that he was a great-great etc grandfather. However, quick research eliminated that rumor since the commodore did not have any children. I have not been able to make the connection to Isaac but I have found my 3rd great-grandfather is a Hull. John M. Hull (1810-?) to be precise. Born in New York and married to Sophia Kelley (1815-?). The 1850 census listed him as merchant who owned property valued at $8000. A decent sum in those days. The 1860 census narrows his business ventures down a bit and tells us he was an iron dealer to the railroads that were becoming the veins of this country as the industrial revolution took hold.
The second Wright family lore that I wanted to prove or disprove was a possible relation to William Averell Harriman, former governor of NYS, US Secretary of Commerce, and presidential hopeful in 1950's. The only connection I have found is that he shares his last name with the middle name of my maternal great-grandfather, Frederick Harriman Wright (1863-1933).
Lastly, I have always identified and enjoyed my Irish heritage being in the bagpipe band and the Emerald Society but knew little about where we came from. I have discovered names in my lineage such as Scully, Hurley, Kelley, Carroll, Hickey, and Duncan. Thanks to some research done by some other family members several years back, we know that my paternal great-grandfather, Joseph Patrick Fanning (1887-1948), was born in Dublin and traveled to New York at an early age with his parents. Irish records were not well maintained and I continue to search for more information for that side of the family.
Some of the things I have learned may not be news to you. There are factoids I have learned that are items some individuals already knew, while others had no idea. Like any other family, I suppose, we have heroes and scoundrels and I hope you enjoy the discoveries I have made as I relay them through my eyes and emotions.
I began the research for a few different reasons. I had heard the stories that we, on my mother's side of the Wright family, were related to Commodore Isaac Hull (1773-1843), commander of the USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides. Originally, the story was that he was a great-great etc grandfather. However, quick research eliminated that rumor since the commodore did not have any children. I have not been able to make the connection to Isaac but I have found my 3rd great-grandfather is a Hull. John M. Hull (1810-?) to be precise. Born in New York and married to Sophia Kelley (1815-?). The 1850 census listed him as merchant who owned property valued at $8000. A decent sum in those days. The 1860 census narrows his business ventures down a bit and tells us he was an iron dealer to the railroads that were becoming the veins of this country as the industrial revolution took hold.
The second Wright family lore that I wanted to prove or disprove was a possible relation to William Averell Harriman, former governor of NYS, US Secretary of Commerce, and presidential hopeful in 1950's. The only connection I have found is that he shares his last name with the middle name of my maternal great-grandfather, Frederick Harriman Wright (1863-1933).
Lastly, I have always identified and enjoyed my Irish heritage being in the bagpipe band and the Emerald Society but knew little about where we came from. I have discovered names in my lineage such as Scully, Hurley, Kelley, Carroll, Hickey, and Duncan. Thanks to some research done by some other family members several years back, we know that my paternal great-grandfather, Joseph Patrick Fanning (1887-1948), was born in Dublin and traveled to New York at an early age with his parents. Irish records were not well maintained and I continue to search for more information for that side of the family.
Some of the things I have learned may not be news to you. There are factoids I have learned that are items some individuals already knew, while others had no idea. Like any other family, I suppose, we have heroes and scoundrels and I hope you enjoy the discoveries I have made as I relay them through my eyes and emotions.
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