Life after Divorce

In 1936, Rose Winterfeld filed for divorce from her husband, George Schoenberg, in Hudson County, New Jersey. The reason for the divorce was abandonment after only three months of marriage. She wrote that she had no knowledge of his whereabouts.

Ninety years later, could we find out what became of George, using records that may not have been available to Rose? Yes!

George Schoenberg and Rose Winterfeld married in Hoboken on December 7, 1926. He was 21 years old and resided at 175 Coles Street in Jersey City. She was 20 years old and resided at 212 Seventh Street in Hoboken.

Marriage record 1926
George Schoenberg and Rose Winterfeld

In the 1930 federal census records, Rose and George were not living together as a married couple.

Rose was enumerated in Hoboken with her mother and siblings. She was working as a stenographer for an insurance agent. Her marital status was single.

1930 federal census
Rosie Winterfeld, single, age 23
living in Hoboken with her mother, Fannie, and siblings

Like Rose, George returned to his family of origin. In 1930, he was listed in Jersey City in the household of his father, Simon Schoenberg, and step-mother, Clara Blumenfeld. Also residing here was his brother, Samuel. George's occupation was a salesman; Samuel's was "display art."

1930 federal census
George Sc[h]oenberg, age 23, single

In 1936, Rose filed for divorce from George. She wrote that George left her after only a few months of marriage and that she did not know where he was.

Divorce complaint 1936

"She was lawfully married to George Schoenberg, the defendant in this cause, on the 7th day of December, 1926, by Adolph Carsten, recorder of the City of Hoboken, at Hoboken, New Jersey."

"Defendant deserted her on or about February 1st, 1927, ever since which time and for more than two years last past, the said defendant has wilfully, continuedly and obstinately deserted her."

After being granted a divorce in February of 1937, Rose remarried to William Kaub in May.

1937 marriage record
William Kaub and Rose Winterfeld
Hoboken, New Jersey

Rose died in Florida in 1987. William Kaub died in 1961 in New Jersey.

Where was George Schoenberg, the estranged and missing first husband of Rose, when Rose sought a divorce in 1936?

George was 350 miles west in Pittsburgh with a new family.

In the 1940 federal census, George was married to Lillian Levey. They lived in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, with their two daughters, Ronella, age 6, and Judith, age 1. The older daughter was born before George was divorced from Rose.

1940 United States Federal Census. Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
George Schoenberg was employed as an insurance agent.

A few months later, a legal notice in the Pittsburgh Press served to notify George that Lillian had filed for divorce.

Legal Notice

To George S Schoenberg Respondent:

Take notice that the case of Lillian

Schoenberg against you for divorce a

vinculo matrimonii, at No 2146, July

Term, 1940, Common Pleas Court, Allegheny

County, Pennsylvania, will be tried at the

City-County Building, Pittsburgh, Pa,

when called, or as soon as is convenient

to said Court. I, Edward Roth, Attorney

for Libellant, 508 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, Pa.

George returned to his father's home in Jersey City, which is where he registered for the World War II draft on October 16, 1940.

Draft registration card World War II for George Schoenberg
Resided at 175 Coles Street, Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey
Born July 16, 1907 in New York.
Employed by A S Beck Shoe Company.

In 1945, Corporal George Schoenberg married Lelia Fritz in Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey. His occupation was salesman and he was divorced once.

1945 marriage record
Corporal George Schoenberg and Lelia Fritz, widow of Oliver Alder
Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey

Lelia and George moved to Florida. Lelia died in 1986. George Schoenberg died in 2006.

Here's the twist.

In the 1950 census in Pittsburgh, George's ex-wife and daughters were living with Sam Schoenberg- George's brother.

1950 federal census
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Sam Schoenberg, age 41. Lillian Shoenberg, wife, age 38.
Ronella, daughter, age 16. Judith, daughter, age 11.

In 1941, Allegheny County issued a license to marry to Samuel Schoenberg and Lillian Levey Schoenberg. Her previous husband is not named, but she clarified that she was divorced November 30, 1940. The decree was included in the images in this collection at Ancestry.

In 1951, Samuel Schoenberg and Lillian were divorced.

Divorce Proceedings

Divorces granted Thursday were:

SCHOENBERG, Lillian from Sam

In 1974 Lillian remarried to George Burkett. She died in 1979.

Samuel Schoenberg died in 1988.

George had a history of going missing. In 1910, when he was a toddler in Jersey City, he wandered off with his younger brother, Sam.

1910 newspaper article September 21, 1910 Jersey City
George, aged three, and Samuel, aged two
wandered away from the front of the grocery store-residence

Adopted Daughters of Philip Duryee and Mary Amelia Brown

I found these flat markers for Clara Dunlap (1885-1966) and Edgar N Dunlap (1878-1955) in Mount Hebron Cemetery in Montclair, New Jersey.

flat marker
Clara L Dunlap 1885-1966

flat marker
Edgar N Dunlap 1878-1955

The woman on this stone is Clara Louise, the adopted daughter of Philip Duryee (1848-1936) and Mary Amelia Brown (1852-1931). Most of the prior generations were buried at Grove Church Cemetery in North Bergen, Hudson County, New Jersey.

Here they are in the 1900 federal census at 400 Columbia Street, Town of Union, Hudson County, New Jersey. Philip and Amelia have two daughters: Luela (or Lulla?) Duryee, age 14, and Mary Hazard, age 12.

1900 federal census for Town of Union, Hudson County, New York:

Philip Duryee, head; born Sept 1848 in New Jersey, age 51; married for 12 years.

Mary Duryee, wife; born Nov 1852 in New Jersey, age 47; married for 12 years; has two children, both living.

Luela Duryee, daughter; born Oct 1885 in New Jersey, age 14; single.

Mary Hazard, daughter; born Nov 1887 in New Jersey, age 12.

Anna Jacob, boarder; born Dec 1882 in New York, age 17.

Clifford Morton, boarder; born Jun 1875 in Pennsylvania, age 24.

(The Town of Union was dissolved in 1898. Don't quote me on this, but I think that Columbia Street became 21st Street, then 66th Street, in the Town of West New York.)

In the 1910 census, "Lula" is the adopted daughter, while Mary retained the surname Hassard.

1910 federal census: 400 Columbia Street, Union City, Hudson County, New Jersey.

Phillip Duryee, head; age 61; married for 22 years.

Mary A Duryee, wife; age 57; married for 22 years; no children.

Lula Duryee, adopted daughter; age 24; single.

Mary G Hassard, cousin; age 22; single.

Philip Duryee was discussed in an earlier post. He disappeared before his wedding ceremony in 1887. He returned and married Mary Amelia Brown, daughter of James Nathan Brown and Charlotte Amelia Gardner (1826-1891).

At first, I did not know how these two children related to Philip and Amelia. I found no birth record for Luela or Lulla Duryee circa 1885 and none for Mary Hazard circa 1887.

After happening upon the gravestone of Clara, I renewed efforts to uncover the identity of these two "adopted" daughters. 

New Jersey has indexes online for its marriages. One of the issues is the 1920-1929 index, which spells out a bride's name but only includes initials of the husband. The marriage certificate is not online, so you cannot immediately confirm the groom from home.

New Jersey, U.S., Marriage Index, 1901-2016
Ancestry.com

1922 marriage record
Clara Louise Hassard and Edgar Newton Dunlap

In 1922, Clara Louise Hassard married Edgar Newton Dunlap. She listed her parents as William R Hassard and Clara Sears. Philip Duryee was a witness.

1925 marriage record
Mary Gardner Hassard and James Aloysius Bergin

In 1925, Mary Gardner Hassard (died 1973) married James Aloysius Bergin (1887-1958). She listed her parents as William Hassard and Clara Sears.

Thus, the parents of these two adopted children were identified.

I did not find a marriage record for William Hassard and Clara Sears. William died in Jersey City in 1889 from meningitis. He was 34 years old.

Clara Sears died in the Town of Union in 1893 from pulmonary tuberculosis. She was 36 years old.

Luella, who became known as Clara Louise, and Mary were the only children of this couple who survived their parents.

Mary Amelia Brown, the wife of Philip Duryee, was a first cousin of William Hassard, the father of Luella and Mary. The common ancestors were James Gardner and Mary Earle, born around 1790 in New Jersey.

James Kittson's Medicine

While researching the life of Augusta Luther (1892-1956) (my first cousin, three times removed), an advertisement in a newspaper from 1922 surfaced featuring a supposed testimonial for the "medicine" Tanlac by her husband, James Kittson.

"Gains 25 pounds and says it saved his life."
Perth Amboy Evening News. July 7, 1922.

They resided in Harrison, Hudson County, New Jersey in the 1920s.

Family of James Kittson in the 1920 federal census.
Harrison, Hudson County, New Jersey.
Gussie, wife. James, son. Martha [Luther] (born Klindt), mother [in-law]. Pyron Getz, boarder.

A search for Tanlac from the 1910s through the 1940s produces many advertisements in the form of these personal testimonials presented as news articles. The ingredients of Tanlac are omitted from these ads. Modern-day regulations would not permit this level of secrecy, nor would Tanlac be described as a "medication." The main ingredient was wine, around 17% or 34 proof. Other ingredients included herbs and glycerin. It was touted as a digestive aid among other uses.

Description of the ingredients of Tanlac
Journal of The American Medical Association
June 5, 1915

For all its popularity, I did not find many photographs online of the bottle or packaging for Tanlac.

Drawn advertisement for Tanlac- A Splendid Tonic and System Purifier.
The world's greatest tonic. 25,000,000 bottles sold.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bottle_of_Tanlac_patent_medicine.jpg

I was curious as to why James many have weighed so little. I checked his death certificate. He died from cancer, specifically laryngeal with metastases. But this was in 1934, twelve years after his testimonial for Tanlac. Perhaps consuming wine daily, in the form of medicinal Tanlac, made him feel better.

Augusta Luther (1892-1956), Her Marriages and Death

Augusta "Gussie" Kittson signed in 1926 to receive her inheritance from her uncle, Herman Lutter (1860-1924).

Release signed by Gussie Kittson in 1926.
Estate of Herman Lutter, died 1924, Monmouth County, New Jersey.

While reviewing these recently acquired documents, I realized that I did not know what had become of Gussie.

Gussie began life with no name. She was born April 29, 1892 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey to Otto Luther and Martha Klindt.

Birth certificate of baby girl Lutter.
Born April 29, 1892 in Newark, New Jersey.

In 1912, Gussie married James John Kittson. His parents were Robert Kittson and Mary J Payne.

Marriage certificate of James J Kittson and Augusta Luther.
Married February 17, 1912 in Harrison, New Jersey.

They had one child, James Mike Kittson, in 1919. (More on him in a future article.)

Birth certificate of James Mike Kitzens [Kittson].
Born August 11, 1919 in Harrison, New Jersey.

James Senior died in 1934. According to his death certificate, he was cremated at Rosehill Cemetery in Linden, New Jersey. I do not know what became of his ashes.

Death certificate of James J Kittson.
Died November 29, 1934 in Harrison, New Jersey.

In the 1940 census, Gussie was a widow in Harrison, Hudson County, New Jersey with her son, James Kittson. I had nothing beyond this on her.

1940 United States Federal Census
Gussie Kittson, head; age 49; widowed; born in New Jersey.
James M Kittson, son; age 20; single; born in New Jersey.
Patrick Kennedy, lodger; age 56; single; born in New Jersey.

While reviewing Lutter and Luther marriages, I found a possible remarriage for Augusta in 1947 to Donald MacDonald. (This index is available at Ancestry.)

Bride Index. State of New Jersey. 1947.
Augusta Luther married Donald MacDonald.

I copied this marriage record at the State Archives in Trenton. Augusta had indeed married again. On January 18, 1947, Augusta Luther married Donald MacDonald in Harrison, Hudson County. He was born August 27, 1877 in Glasgow, Scotland, to Archibald MacDonald and Annie Struthers.

Marriage certificate of Donald MacDonald and Augusta Luther.
Married January 18, 1947 in Harrison, New Jersey.

Still I could not find a date of death for Augusta under the name Lutter, Luther, Kittson, or MacDonald. I found a possible entry in the marriage index again. Anna A Lutther married John J Scanlon in 1952. 1948 is the most recent available year of marriage records at the Archives, so I cannot see this record yet.

Bride Index. New Jersey. 1952.
Anna A Lutther married John J Scanlon.

City Directories for Harrison are online at Ancestry. The wife of John J Scanlon also went by "Augusta."

City Directory. Harrison, New Jersey. 1952.
Scanlon John J (Augusta) h rear 109 S Fourth H

The New Jersey Death Index contained a possible entry for Augusta Lutter: Anna Augusta Scanlon in 1956. This record I could copy at the Archives. This is the correct person. I don't know why she switched to using "Anna" as a first name. She died August 26, 1956 in Harrison. She was buried at Arlington Memorial Park in Kearny, Hudson County, New Jersey.

Death certificate of Anna Augusta Scanlon.
Died August 26, 1956 in Harrison, New Jersey.

How did Augusta's marriage to Donald MacDonald end? The New Jersey Death Index has gaps and restarts in 1949. I searched the certificates at the Archives for 1947 and 1948- no good matches for Donald MacDonald. The 1950 census is appearing in Ancestry's index as I type this. I found Donald and Augusta in Harrison.

1950 United States Federal Census
Harrison, Hudson County, New Jersey
Donald McDonald, head; age 72; born in Scotland.
Anna McDonald, wife; age 57; born in New Jersey; works as waitress in cafe.

I returned to the Death Index and looked at 1950, 1951, and 1952. I found a possible match: Donald McDonald, not MacDonald, in 1951. I will view this record during my next trip to the Archives.

New Jersey Death Index, 1951
Donald McDonald died in June 1951.

Next: more information on Augusta's son, James Kittson.

John Magai 1843-1916 Civil War Veteran

A stone for a veteran of the Civil War surfaced at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Montclair, New Jersey.

The stone is inscribed: SERGT JOHN MAGAI  CO I  4 U.S. CAV.

I wanted to find out more about this soldier. He was in a family plot. Locating him in a census with his family would help to identify him.

LLOYD OTTO MAGAI

1893-1953

ANN E MAGAI

1902-1986

John Magai, age 39, born in Austria (probably present-day Slovenia) was living in the Town of Union, Hudson County, New Jersey, in 1900 with his wife, Eliza [Gutberlet or variation], and their many children, including Loid [Lloyd], born in 1893. This fits the Lloyd on the tombstone next to John.

The Town of Union became part of Union City in 1925. Lewis Street became 38th Street.

John may have returned home in Europe a few times. He applied for a passport in New York in 1873, listing his birthdate as May 14, 1843.

An obituary for John Magai appeared in the Jersey Journal on August 18, 1916. He was a veteran who served the 5th New York Cavalry, which does not match the stone.

Next I viewed records at Fold3. John Magai, also known as Johannes Maggai, served in Company E of the 5th Regiment from 1864-1865, then Company I of the 4th Regiment of the New York Cavalry from 1865-1868.

For some reason, the 4th Regiment is on the gravestone, while the 5th Regiment is mentioned in the obituary.

John and Elizabeth probably married as he completed his service. The children were born from 1869-1893. All but Lloyd appeared to have been born in New York.

Lloyd served in the Army in World War I. His application for a headstone can be viewed in color at Ancestry.com.