Monday, September 2, 2024

You Missed

I found this article about my grandfather, Clifford Lutter (1915-1980), in the collection of online newspapers hosted by the Newark (New Jersey) Public Library. In October of 1948 Clifford was 33 years and lived on Chester Avenue in Newark with his wife, Beulah Cook (1921-2003), and two small sons. Their third son (my father) arrived the following month.


Without digitization, this gem would have never been found. I was looking for an obituary for a different person and stumbled upon this mention.

Research tip: When searching digital collections, be mindful that the collections themselves are usually not complete and some damage has afflicted individual pages. Also, letters can be read as other letters, such as r and n, b and h, e and o.

Clifford Lutter presented with a certificate, purpose unknown.
The other two men are not identified on this physical photograph.

Clifford worked many jobs during his lifetime. His professional photos are displayed at this link. Most are not labeled, so maybe a family member can discover a picture of a loved one from long ago.

Group of men in police uniforms posing for picture indoors
Clifford Lutter is seated on the far right of this photo.



Group of men in police uniforms posing for picture indoors. United States flag with 48 stars in background.
Note the 48 stars on the flag in the background.
This picture was taken prior to 1960.



Joseph Alexander McGrail registered for the draft for World War II in 1940 in Newark. The notations on this document illustrate the trouble he often found himself. "Caldwell Pen 40 days 2/15/45" and "15 days County Jail. He had addresses in Newark: 289 Sherman Avenue, 12 Court Street, 70 Green (or Queen?) Street, and a rural delivery address in Underhill, Pennsylvania.

Note: the county jail no longer has facilities in Caldwell- only in Newark. See this link for some photographs of the penitentiary in Caldwell.


What became of Joseph has not been discovered as of this writing.



Text of above article:

‘FBI Man’ Misses
Uppercut Smashes Window as Policeman Ducks

A man who insisted he was an FBI agent smashed a plate glass window of Cowburn’s Store at 255 Market street last night with a right-hand uppercut which he had aimed at a special policeman.
Special Officer Lutter said he saw the blow coming and stepped aside. The man’s fist then went through the store window.
Lutter identified his assailant as Joseph McGrail, 38, homeless. McGrail had been refused drinks in a nearby bar, according to Lutter. The special officer escorted him from the bar, with McGrail warning that “J. Edgar Hoover won't like this.”
After the wild swing McGrail was led off to City Hospital to have stitches taken in his right hand. He still insisted he was an FBI agent. Patrolman Mandall aided Lutter.

The Newark Evening News
October 10, 1948
Page 18



Saturday, August 24, 2024

Married Twice Eight Years Later

While figuring out the connection with a DNA match, I came across two marriage records for a couple.

On September 12, 1942, Joseph De Figlio (1920-1984) and Anita Whitley (1924-1998) were married in Irvington, Essex County, New Jersey. "Remarried 7-15-50 Newark" was written on this Certificate of Marriage. The officiant was William Lawrence Siebert (1876-1949), a German Evangelical Lutheran minister.

Joseph DeFiglio and Anita Whitley married September 12, 1942 in Irvington, Essex County, New Jersey.
Groom's parents- Anthony De Figlio and Mary Cavateca.
Bride's parents- William Whitley and Mary Shalvoy.
Witnesses- Henry Bosset and Mrs R L Russomanno.
Officiant- William L Siebert.


Reverend William L Siebert in the 1942 Newark city directory, 42 South 12th.


Five children were born to this couple in the 1940s.

The remarriage was on July 15, 1950 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. They were both listed as single, never married before. The officiant this time was a Catholic priest, John D Kearney (1909-1989).

Joseph C De Figlio and Anita C Whitley married July 15, 1950 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey.
Groom's parents- Anthony De Figlio and Mary Caropezza.
Bride's parents- William Whitley and Mary Shalvoy.
Witnesses- Wilbur Leicht and Mary Leicht [born Whitley].
Officiant- Dr John D Kearney, OP.



Why did they remarry? Did they need to have a ceremony in a Catholic church? Renewing vows?

Note the remark on the first record from 1942, that the couple remarried. Where was this document kept that someone was able to return to it and write a note about the second ceremony?

Also note the file number. It begins with the number 9. The index of marriages is available on Ancestry and Internet Archive (thanks to Reclaim the Records), but the certificates are not. It is helpful to know that remarriages are given file numbers that start with the number 9.

Index of Marriages, 1950 New Jersey.
File numbers beginning with 9 indicate a remarriage, though not necessarily to each other.
Place of marriage is not the zip code. See Bring Out Yer Dead for the legend.



Microfilm containing marriage records, 1950 New Jersey.
Remarriages were filmed together and begin with the number 9.
Available at the New Jersey State Archives for in-person viewing.



Sunday, July 14, 2024

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