Fractioned Census Entries

Below is an article from the Newark Evening News from 1892 about participation of my great great grandfather, Herman Lutter, in the German Singing Society. I was unaware of any musical talent he may have had. 

German Singing Society

The twenty-second anniversary of the German Singing Society Frohsinn was celebrated in Ester’s Park yesterday. The society sang several appropriate songs under the direction of A. Webner. The United Singers were present in a body, and the Tailor Harmonie Society of Brooklyn joined in the singing. The arrangements were made by Frank G. Geisler, Herman Lutter, William Erber, Oscar Guensch, Ernest E. Von Ende, Charles Schott and John Letzerig.

I looked into the other members of the singing society (FAN Method). One of the other participants was Frank G Geisler. Frank owned the house at 70 Elm Street in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. Herman Lutter rented a room in this house from around 1895-1915.

Frank Geisler was born around 1848 in Austria and died in 1937 in Los Angeles, California. His wife, Anna Helf, died between the 1910-1915 (no death index for New Jersey in these years).

In the 1900 federal census, Herman was listed as a boarder at 70 Elm Street, but no landlord or owner was with him. Frank Geisler was two pages back. For some reason, this household was not enumerated together on the census. This is why you need to check the pages around your entry of interest.

1900 Federal Census: owner of 70 Elm Street, Frank Geisler

1900 Federal Census: boarders of 70 Elm Street

FAN: Friends, Associates, Neighbors

Hunting for ancestors results in thousands of names, dates, and locations, but you need even more than just "family members."  You should also be looking at, and recording, the people who lived next to your persons of interest; worked with them or owned businesses with them; witnessed wills and marriages; sponsored religious ceremonies, and so on.

This is called the FAN Method:  Friends, Associates, and Neighbors.

In the 1855 New York State Census (images available at FamilySearch.org), George W Duryea (1823-1864) and his family are living in New York City, 19th Ward.  With them is a servant, Mary Walpole, age 28, born in Ireland.  This Irish servant later married George's brother, Jacob Duryea (1824-1899).  This shows us how Mary Walpole probably crossed paths with Jacob Duryea.

Mary died in 1915 in Jersey City.  She was buried at Hoboken Cemetery in North Bergen, Hudson County, New Jersey.

Unlike other sources, Mary's death certificate gives her place of birth as England, not Ireland.
Her parents are listed as John Wallpole and Mary Brazil.