Emma Caroline Sohn and Charles F Herman Fiske

"Immigrants: we get the job done" -- Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton

Emma Caroline Sohn married Charles F Herman Fiske in 1881-1882. Emma was the daughter of Annie C and Adam Sohn born in Maryland 1860-1862. The 1900 US Census says April 1862. Charles was the son of Anna Regina and Carl or Charles F Fiske born in Pomerania (on the Baltic Sea) 05 Mar 1858. He arrived with his parents and younger sister Martha in Baltimore on 21 Aug 1871 aboard the SS Helene out of Geertemund.

As of 1900, Emma, Charles and their children were living at 1114 North Highland Avenue. Other members of Emma's family lived nearby. Her mother Annie and her siblings Carrie and George lived at 1136, while her brother William, his wife and children lived at 1110. Charles was working as a stationary engineer.

By 1910 Annie, Carrie, Carrie's husband and children and George's oldest son had moved to 302 South Highland Avenue. I don't know if this occurred before or after Emma, Charles and their two youngest sons moved to 334 South Highland. As of 1910, Charles was working as an engineer in a brewery, while Christian was working as a druggist in a drugstore.

Emma and Charles' three older sons had all married by 1910. William had married his wife Margaret in or about 1904. George had married Helen M Deehan 16 Feb 1904 - in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Charles F W had married Marion Blanche Gordon in 1905-1907. They and their daughter were living next door to Emma and Charles at 332 South Highland as of 1910.

Emma and Charles' fourth son, Christian, married Alma L Wehe in or before 1913 and had moved to Philadelphia by 1917.

Emma and Charles' youngest son, Gustav Peter August - he appears under different combination of these three names in different records - married his wife Amelia in or before September 1918. He and Amelia were enumerated twice in the 1920 US Census, once as living with Emma and Charles at 334 South Highland and once as living in Cleveland. Only the Cleveland entry mentions their four-month-old son Herman, born in Maryland. In both entries Peter is described as working as a toolmaker in a machine shop or factory. Charles continued in his job as a stationary engineer at the brewery.

Although Emma and Charles had not moved, the boundaries of the City of Baltimore had. 334 South Highland was now in the city rather than in Baltimore County. 302 South Highland was now occupied by Emma's sister Louisa, her husband and son.

By 1930 Amelia was dead or divorced, Peter had remarried and Herman was living with Emma and Charles on Philadelphia Road in Baltimore County. Charles, now 72, was still working as an engineer at the brewery. Next door lived "August" Fiske, a machinist, his wife Marion and their daughters, Florence and Marion Jr.

Emma died a couple of months after the 1930 census, on 12 Jun 1930. Charles died 12 Apr 1938. Both are buried in the Oak Lawn Cemetery in Baltimore along with Emma's brother Peter and her sister Louisa.

Margaret and William married in or about 1904. All I know about Margaret is that she was born in Maryland 22 Oct 1882. They had three children, but one died before 1910. Their surviving children were Charles F H born in November 1905 and Richard F or L born in November 1909. As of 1910, they were living at 123 South East Avenue in Baltimore County. William was manager at a cork and seal factory.

By 1915 the family had moved to Newark, New Jersey, where they lived at 719 Mount Prospect Avenue. William was the superintendent of a cork factory, probably Imperial Stopper Co, where he was working as of 12 Sep 1918. I know that as of 1918, the family was at the same address and William gave Margaret as his contact.

Sometime between 1918 and 1920, things changed. In the 1920 US Census, William was enumerated as living as a roomer at 729 Mount Pleasant Avenue. He was working as a mechanical engineer. 719 Mount Pleasant wasn't listed among the houses enumerated, and I can't find records for Margaret and the boys.

Margaret, Charles and Richard resurfaced in 1930 in Baltimore, where they were living at 5842 Bellona Avenue. Margaret, who was divorced, was working as a supervisor in a cafeteria. Charles was working as a clerk in life insurance, and Richard as a stenographer for a steam railroad. By 1940 the trio had moved to 117 Burke Avenue in Towson. Margaret was no longer working. Charles was still working as a clerk in life insurance. Richard was a clerk for the war department.

Margaret died in Towson in June 1977. I have no further information on Charles or Richard.

Meanwhile, William had remarried. His second wife was Bertha Lusk, the daughter of Minnie Mason and William Lusk born 14 Jun 1887 in New York, probably in Palmyra. She appears in various records as Bertha R, Bertha B and Bertha Ella. She may have been married previously. Asked on the 1930 US Census for their ages at their first marriages, William said 34, i.e., in or about 1919. That sounds more like the year of his second marriage. But Bertha said 22, i.e., in or about 1909. That might really be her first marriage, as I can't find her under Lusk in the 1910 US Census, the 1915 New York State Census or the 1915 New Jersey State Census.

Bertha and William had a daughter Betty B born in New Jersey in or around 1921. By 1930, however, the family was living on Drake Road in Webster, Monroe County, New York. William was working as a labourer at odd jobs. By 1935, they moved to South Olive Street in Los Angeles. William opened his own repair shop and garage. As of 1942, they were still living in LA but at 437 South Grandview Street.

William died 17 Jul 1959. Bertha died 04 Jul 1986. Both are buried at Rose Hill Memorial Park in Whittier, Los Angeles County. I'm not sure what happened to their daughter Betty, but there's an Elizabeth Anne Simmons born 19 Jul 1922 who died in Ventura County, California, 09 Jun 1997. Her mother's last name was Lusk, and her father's last name was Fisk.

Helen M Deehan and George H Fiske married in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, 16 Feb 1904. Helen (possibly originally Ellen) was the daughter of Mary Battle and Patrick Deehan or, in 19th century Irish records, Deighan. She was born in Culleens in the parish of Kilglass in County Sligo. I wasn't able to find her birth record, but I found records for five of her older siblings born 1865-1873, suggesting that Helen/Ellen was born in or after 1874.

When Ellen set sail for the States in 1896 aboard the SS Teutonic out of Queenstown, she gave her occupation as servant and her residence as Ballina. Presumably this was Ballina in County Mayo, 16 km southwest of Culleens. She arrived in NYC 02 Sep 1896. Following three of her older siblings, she headed for Cleveland. As of 1900 she and her sister Annie were living in Cleveland with their sister Winifred Deehan Ehrler and Winifred's husband and daughter. The months and years of birth they gave on the 1900 US Census will illustrate the problem of establishing Helen's birth year. Winifred - "Winny" in the Irish civil registration records - was born 31 May 1869 but told the census enumerator she was born in October 1873. Annie, born 20 Jun 1871, was enumerated as being born in December 1874. Helen claimed to have been born in December 1881. If she really was seven years younger than Annie and eight years younger than Winifred, that would put her birth year at 1877-1878. This agrees with her age on the 1896 passenger manifest. (To make things even more confusing, there was a record for a different Ellen Deighan born at Culleens 11 Sep 1878, the daughter of Margaret Doherty and Owen Deighan.)

Helen and George had two daughters, Helen Winifred born 19 Aug 1905 and Emma or Emelyn A born 15 Jul 1907. As of 1910 the family was living at 7609 Superior Avenue in Cleveland. George was working as a railroad engineer. The family was to remain at the same address through 1930, but George changed jobs a few times. In 1918 he was a shop foreman for the Knutson Motor Car Co. In 1920 he was a repairman in a garage, and in 1930 he was foreman in a truck repair shop. By 1930 the daughters had gone to work as well. Winifred was an assistant pay master in a steel mill, while Emelyn was a stenographer in an autobody factory.

Helen was mentioned in two immigration records in the 1920s. One of her brothers, Patrick, had emigrated from Ireland not to the States but rather to Scotland. By 1901 he had married and was living in Kirkintilloch, Dumbartonshire, 13 km northeast of central Glasgow. On 04 Dec 1922 his son John landed at Ellis Island. John's contact in the States was his aunt, "Mrs. Helen Fiske" at 7609 Superior Avenue in Cleveland. Having settled himself in Cleveland, John then returned to Scotland, got married and brought his wife back. They landed at Ellis Island 10 Nov 1924. Again, Helen was their contact. John later helped several of his siblings immigrate to Cleveland as well as, in 1933, his parents. The 1940 US Census found Helen's sister Annie living with two of her Scottish nieces and their children; all three of the women were widows.

Meanwhile, Helen and George's daughters had both married. Helen Winifred married Charles Krotine in Cuyahoga County 16 Aug 1930. Charles was the son of Austrian immigrants Anna Svetta and Charles Krotine (Krovatis, Krovatin) born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, 31 Oct 1903. His family moved to Cleveland sometime during the 1920s.

Emelyn married Herbert Henry Narovec in Cuyahoga County 24 Apr 1935. Herbert was the son of Bohemian immigrants Catherine Serikup or Soukup and Joseph Narovec born in Cleveland, 15 Apr 1905.

Sometime between 1930 and 1935, Helen and George moved to 16603 Eldamere Avenue in Cleveland. As of 1940, George was doing truck repair for a motorman trucking company. Winifred and Charles had moved into 16703 next door some time after 1935 with their daughter Winifred M, born 13 Nov 1935. Also living with them as of 1940 were two of Charles' siblings, Ann and Walter. Charles was working as a purchasing agent in the shipping and trucking industry. Ann was working as an accounting clerk in autobody manufacture, and Walter was working as a credit clerk in wholesale electrical appliances.

Emelyn and Herbert were living at 2424 Fenwood Road in University Heights. Herbert was working as a civil engineer in illuminating, while Emelyn was a secretary for a brush manufacturer. Their marriage didn't work out. A divorce was granted 09 Jul 1943 due to cruelty on Herbert's part. Herbert remarried in 1947. I lost track of Emelyn after the divorce.

Helen Deehan Fiske died 30 Apr 1957. George Fiske died 22 Jun 1964. They're buried next to each other in the Calvary Cemetery in Cleveland.

Winifred Fiske's husband Charles Krotine died 21 Jul 1969. He's buried in the All Souls Cemetery in Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio. He was survived by his wife, his daughter Winifred Krotine Croft and three grandchildren. After his death Winifred remarried, her second husband's last name being Fink. He may or may not have been Frank A Fink, the son of Joseph Fink and Rose Petschauer born in Cleveland 01 Nov 1908 and deceased May 1995. It's interesting that Winifred's sister-in-law Ann Krotine had married Rudolph Fink by the time of Charles' death. However, Frank and Rudolph don't seem to be directly related, although both were the sons of Austrian immigrants from the Gottschee area, now in Slovenia.

Winifred herself died 05 Nov 2002. She's buried in the All Souls Cemetery next to Charles rather than with her second husband.

Winifred and Charles' daughter Winifred married Henry Croft, the son of Marie Marek and Henry J Croft born in Cleveland 26 Dec 1934. He died 06 Dec 2002 and is buried with his parents in the All Saints Cemetery in Northfield, Summit County, Ohio.

Marion and Charles married 1905-1907. Marion was the daughter of Lorraine and Nathaniel Gordon born in Virginia in February 1886. She and Charles had two children: Evelyn Blanche born 02 May 1907 and Carl Gordon born 20 Oct 1910.

As of 1910, Marion, Charles and Evelyn were living next door to Charles' parents at 332 South Highland Avenue in Baltimore County. Marion's younger sister Mabel Estell, born 1897-1899, was living with them. (She was to marry four years later.) Charles was working as a machinist at a cork factory. By 05 Jun 1917, however, the family had moved to 508 Virginia Avenue in Richmond, Virginia. Charles was working for the Coca Cola Bottling Works.

By 1920, Marion, Charles and their two children had moved again, this time to 553 Spruce Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Charles was working as a manager for a bottling company.

Evelyn married Harold Jenoras Richardson 15 Apr 1929 in Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia. Harold was the son of Jenora Mason Fleming and Harold Batemand Richardson born in Washington County, Maryland, 07 Nov 1896. "Jenoras" was something of a family name - Jenora Mason Fleming's father was Dr Jenorous or Jenorus K Fleming. Harold Jenoras had been married previously and divorced before he married Evelyn.

1930 found Marion, Charles and their son Carl in Washington, DC, at 4309 13th Place NE. Marion and Charles were to remain at this address at least through 1942. Both Charles and Carl were working for Coca Cola in 1930, Charles as a "procu. mang." and Carl as a subforeman.

Carl married Edna Gertrude Foster some time before 1936. Edna was the daughter of Emma M Watson and George Edmund Foster born in DC 08 Oct 1914.

By 1940 Marion and Charles were on their own at 4309 13th Place NE in DC. Charles was an assistant manager at Coca Cola. Nothing had changed by 1942 when Charles registered for the WWII draft. I don't know what happened to Marion after this. Charles died in Maryland in October 1963.

Evelyn Blanche Fiske Richardson and her husband Harold were also living in Washington, DC, in 1930, at 2308 Ashmead Road. Harold was a lawyer and clerk in the district public service. Evelyn was a stenographer for the US government. By 1935 they'd moved to Kensington, Montgomery County, Maryland. As of 1940 and 1942, Harold was working as an examiner for the assessor's office of the DC government. Evelyn apparently wasn't working in 1940. The 1940 US Census doesn't supply a street address, but as of 1942 Harold at least was living at 138 Frederick (Avenue? Place?) in Kensington. I don't have any evidence that Evelyn wasn't living with him except that he gave his mother - by then, Jenora M Stone - as his contact inside of his wife.

Harold died 16 Mar 1956. He's buried in the Parklawn Memorial Park and Menorah Gardens in Rockville, Montgomery County, where his mother is also buried. Evelyn then remarried. Her second husband was Joseph W Elliott, the son of Bessie Lee Whitmore and Oden William Elliott born in Virginia in April or May 1918. They married in Warrenton, Fauquier County, Virginia, 15 May 1960. Evelyn, 11 years older than her husband, knocked seven years off her age on the marriage record. Both parties had been married previously - Evelyn was widowed, Joseph was divorced.

That's the last information I have for Joseph. With or without him, Evelyn was living in Colusa, California, in October 1979 when her brother Carl died. She herself died 09 Jan 1989.

As of 1940 the family was living at 138 Grand Avenue, Takoma Park, Montgomery County, Maryland. Charles was working as a carpenter for a builder. By 1942 they'd moved to 6905 Prince George Avenue Takoma Park; this was the addressed supplied by Edna's father George when he gave her name as his contact on his WWII draft registration.

Carl was to live in Takoma Park the rest of his life. He joined the volunteer fire department in 1943 and the city's Public Works Department in 1949. He died 17 Oct 1979 and is buried in the George Washington Cemetery in Adelphi, Prince George's County, Maryland. Besides his wife, children and sister, he was survived by ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Edna, also a member of the volunteer fire department, died 26 Mar 2011 and is buried with Carl. Besides her husband, she was predeceased by her daughter Katherine Lennie, her son Carl Gordon II and one of her grandchildren. She was survived by ten grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 14 great-great-grandchildren.

Carl Gordon II died in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, 20 Mar 2010. He was predeceased by his wife, Patricia Lee Gray. He was survived by his son, one of his grandsons whom he'd adopted as a son and two stepdaughters.

Marion Evelyn married, her last name after marriage being Brown. She died 13 Jun 2013 and is buried with her parents.

Charles J F married at least twice, his last wife being Shirley Janet Pangle Miller Racey. They married 18 Jun 1938, each bringing several children to the relationship. I know Charles had two sons and he may also have had one or two daughters. Shirley died 05 Apr 2008.

Katherine Lennie married, her last name after marriage being Borgwardt. She died 10 Feb 2002 and is buried in the First Lutheran Cemetery in Bowie, Prince George's County, Maryland, with other members of the Borgwardt family.

Alma L Wehe and Christian Fiske married in or about 1913. Alma was the daughter of Louisa and Gustav Wehe born in Maryland 31 Aug 1894. She and Christian had a daughter, Margaret S, also born in or about 1913, possibly 11 Dec 1913.

As of 05 Jun 1917 Alma, Christian and Margaret were living at 6336 Saybrook Avenue, Philadelphia. Christian was working as a tool setter. By 1920, however, they'd moved to Cleveland, where Christian's older brother George had been living since at least 1904. Alma, Christian and Margaret were living at 8017 Linwood Avenue. Christian was working as a machinist at a shi? works. (The fourth letter is unclear.) 1930 found the family back in Philadelphia at 1341 Tabor Road. Christian was working as a manager and Margaret as a secretary. The nature of their employers' businesses isn't provided.

The 1940 US Census is interesting because Alma and Christian were enumerated twice - on the same day, 09 Apr 1940. In one set of records, they were living in DC as of 1935 but by 1940 were living at the Hotel Waukesha in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Christian was working as an engineer for manufacturing machinery. In the other set of records, Alma, Christian and their daughter Margaret were living in Waukesha in 1935 but by 1940 had all moved back to Baltimore, where they were living at 3110 Presstman Street with Margaret's husband Roland J Fink and her daughter Christine L Fink, born in or about July 1939. Christian was an erecting engineer for bottle-washing machines, while Roland (born in Maryland in or about 1909) was a finisher for nurses uniforms.

By 1942 Alma and Christian had moved to 25 Oxford Drive South in Mitchell, Kenton County, Kentucky.

Christian died in Baltimore 28 Apr 1968. His obituary mentions that besides Alma, he was survived by his daughter Margaret Fiske O'Keefe and by two granddaughters, Christine L Himes and Judith I [z,euer?].

Alma died in Baltimore 23 Dec 1976. Her obituary gives her daughter's name as Margaret Fiske Longley and also mentions that she was survived by two granddaughters, five great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.

Margaret may or may not be the Margaret F Longley born 11 Dec 1913 who lived at least for awhile in Catonsville, Maryland, and who died 28 Jan 1993 in Cantonment, Escambia County, Florida.

Gustav Peter August and Amelia married in or before June 1917. All I know about Amelia is that her middle initial was U or possibly V and that she was born in Maryland 1900-1902. Her parents were also born in the United States, probably in Maryland.

AS of 12 Sep 1918, Amelia and Peter with living with his parents in Baltimore at 334 South Highland Avenue. They were enumerated twice in the 1920 US Census, once at 334 South Highland and once at 2188 East 79th Street in Cleveland, where Peter's older brothers George and Christian also lived. Only the Cleveland entry mentions Amelia and Peter's four-month-old son Herman August, born in Maryland 25 Aug 1919. In both entries Peter is described as working as a toolmaker in a machine shop or factory.

By 1930 Amelia was dead or divorced. Peter had remarried, his second wife being Marion W Warfield. Marion was the daughter of Catherine Louise Gover and Winfield Scott Warfield born in Maryland, possibly in Howard County, in March 1893. The 1930 US Census asked residents for their age at the time of their first - not their current - marriage. Peter said he was currently 32 and had been 19 when first married, i.e., that he'd married in 1917. This sounds as if he's referring to his marriage to Amelia. Marion knocked a few years off her age and said that she was 34 and had been married for the first time when she was 22. That would be either 1918 (based on her reported age) or 1915 (based on her real age).

Marion and Peter were living next door to Peter's parents on Philadelphia Road in Baltimore County with their two daughters, Florence, age 10, and Marion, age 7. Florence's age suggests that she was born sometime between April 1919 and March 1920, i.e., that she was conceived while Peter was still married to Amelia. She may have been Peter's daughter by de facto adoption. Peter's son Herman from his first marriage, Herman, was living with Peter's parents. Peter was working as a machinist in a shop.

I lost track of Florence and the younger Marion after 1930. By 1935, Marion, Peter and Herman had moved to Kenwood Avenue in Baltimore County. Marion and Peter had also had two more daughters: Helen Louise born in or about 1932 and Betty June born in or about 1933. At some time between 1935 and 1940, Marion's parents Catherine and Winfield moved in with them as well. As of 1940, Peter was working as a toolmaker, while Herman was working as a truck driver for a hauling company.

After 1940 I lost track of Marion, Peter, Helen Louise and Betty June. I know that Marion's mother died 29 Sep 1942 and that her father died 10 Jun 1944 at the home of Marion's sister, Grace Warfield Yingling in Ellicott City, Maryland.

Herman enlisted in the US Army 14 Jun 1941. He married Gertie Mae Hensley 06 Mar 1943 in Comanche County, Oklahoma. Gertie Mae was the daughter of Cora Lee or Lou Crane and Eli Thomas Hensley born in Oklahoma 27 Apr 1922. She and Herman had at least one son, Richard Pat, born 18 Mar 1945 in Wichita, Texas.

Richard Pat predeceased both his parents, dying 14 Jun 1978 in Waco, McLellan County, Texas. Herman died 23 Feb 1993. He's buried in the Fairfax Cemetery in Fairfax, Osage County, Oklahoma. Gertie Mae died 15 Mar 1994 in Oklahoma City. I don't know where she's buried.

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In memory of Janet A Werner, 1931-2015