52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 44

Since we just celebrated Halloween, this week’s writing prompt is Frightening. Though we just had a television show with ghosts filmed in our house, we have not experienced any paranormal activity here nor have I heard of any ghost stories in the family. I did have a creepy experience in a cemetery when I was young though.

Price Hill United Jewish Cemetery

My Grandma and Grandpa Crusham lived on the north end of Rosemont Avenue in Cincinnati. The area was known as West Price Hill. Not too far past my Uncle Charlie’s house, which was easy walking distance from my grandparent’s home, was the entrance to Price Hill United Jewish Cemetery. Going through the cemetery was a short-cut to Rapid Run Park. As there was not much to do at Grandma’s, my brother, cousins and I would head to the park to play.

One day we stayed a little too long at the park, and it grew dark. As we were walking through the cemetery, one of my cousins began telling ghost stories. All of a sudden we heard a strange noise, and it wasn’t coming from any of us. Tha-wunk, tha-wunk, tha-wunk! What in the world could it be?

We began to walk faster, but it seemed we were heading towards the noise and not away from it. Our imaginations ran wild as we envisioned grave robbers opening a crypt, or murderers digging into the ground to dispose of a body. We began to run.

As we rounded a corner we came upon several boys approaching us. One of them was using a baseball bat like a walking stick. Tha-wunk, tha-wunk, tha-wunk! We laughed nervously as we passed them, and made fun of each other for being scared in the first place. But after that we made sure we were always on the way back to grandma’s house way before it got dark.

Family History Writing Challenge Day 16

On her application for a marriage license on 23 July 1912, Lillian Hungler stated that she was living at 928 Wells Street, which was the home of her grandparents Michael and Anna (Willard) Cramer. Wells Street was in the East Price Hill neighborhood. She listed her employment as a saleslady. She further indicates that she was 18 on 22 October 1911, which was inaccurate. In fact, she was just 16 on that date. While it is possible she did not know her birth year, it is more likely she put that on the application in order to avoid the issues that came along with being a minor trying to get married.

Joseph Kubler, on the same application, was living at 1523 Cutter and his occupation was a conductor. Cutter was located in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood near downtown Cincinnati. As the city directories show him to be employed as a clerk, it is probable that he was a band conductor as opposed to a conductor on a train. Joseph was quite musically inclined, and involved with musicians throughout the years.

The newlyweds set up their household at 525 David Street in the Over-the-Rhine district, and on 5 September 1913 daughter Ethel joined the family. This child was no doubt named for Joseph's baby sister who died when she was 10 months old.  Just one month after the birth of his first child, Joseph lost his mother Louisa. The family stayed in this home for three years before moving to 509 Clinton Street, and during the years on David Street, Joseph was employed as a driver.

A son, LeRoy, was born on 29 June 1917. By the 1920 census, they lived on 15th Street and Joseph was employed as a traveling salesman in the shoe polish industry. Between 1921-1926, Joseph was an insurance agent. Daughter Mary Jane was born on 10 April 1925, and by the 1930 census the family was on Bauer Street and Joseph was again employed as a salesman, this time for the coffee business. Later that year the baby of the family, Gloria, was born.

1937 flood

Like most of America, Cincinnati had its share of problems during the great depression of the 1930s. But other cities did not have to also cope with a major natural disaster at the same time. The Cincinnati flood of 1937 was the result of record-breaking rainfall amounts. The Ohio River crested at 79.9 feet. Flood stage for the river is 52 feet. One-fifth of the City of Cincinnati was under water. No matter what Joseph was selling in his job at that time, between the depression and the flood things must have been tight for the family. Fortunately they had moved out of the downtown area to Price Hill by this point, so their home was not impacted by the flood.

Lillian and Joseph in 1958

In the 1940 federal census Joseph was still showing salesman as his occupation. But inside he always had a desire to own his own business. An opportunity came his way when Jim's Pony Keg went up for sale. Somewhat unique to southwestern Ohio, a pony keg was a small store tucked away in a neighborhood that sold beer, wine, tobacco products, pop, candy, chips and other small items. Located at 112 Monitor in the Sayler Park community, Joseph operated a delicatessen in the location as well. He held onto the store until 1965, selling it when he was 74.

Joseph and Lillian celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1962. Mass was said at St. William Church in Price Hill, and a reception followed in the church hall. All of their children, grandchildren, and many relatives and friends came to congratulate the couple on a momentous milestone in their lives.

50th wedding anniversary

Joseph's stone

On 29 June, 1969, his son LeRoy's birthday, Joseph died of congestive heart failure at the age of 77. He had been hospitalized for 5 weeks for the condition. His attending physician was his daughter Mary Jane's husband, Kevin McGann. Joseph's highest education completed was 8th grade, yet throughout his working years he always managed to keep a roof over the head of his family, and food on the table. He was very good with people, which lent itself well to working in sales and ultimately owning his own business. He was greatly mourned when he passed.

Note: Joseph's headstone has the incorrect year of birth. He was born in 1891.

Family History Writing Challenge Day 9

Michael and Mayme's first child Marie was born on 28 March 1912. A son, Edward, followed on 22 September 1913. Sadly he only lived one month, passing on 21 October 1913. It is interesting that Michael broke tradition by not giving the name Michael to his first-born son. By 1914 the small family had moved to 915 Armory Avenue in the West End of Cincinnati. Perhaps the move was done in preparation for the arrival of another daughter, Stella, who was born on 18 October 1914.

Armory Avenue was renamed Derrick Turnbow Avenue in 1991. The old buildings are no longer standing. However, below is a picture of the 400 block of Armory for illustration of what the buildings on the street might have looked like when the Crushams lived there, minus the decay of course.

Armory Avenue, perhaps in the 1970s

1238 Rosemont circa 1980s
Marie Crusham is on the porch

Michael was doing well with his job as a pressman, and on 26 April 1915 he and his wife purchased property from Emanuel Iseman. The home was located in Price Hill, at the time a popular and distinctive suburb for those wishing to escape the pork production and industrial areas of downtown Cincinnati. The rapid transit system was extended into Price Hill in 1894, contributing to its growth.

Iseman owned Lots 487 and 488 of the Cedar Grove Land & Building Association's Subdivision No. 1, as recorded in Plat Book No. 4, page 220. He sold the Crushams Lot No. 488, with said lot being designated as 1238 Rosemont Avenue. Iseman's property was 1236 Rosemont.

The house at 1238 Rosemont was built in 1910, and was constructed in what is referred to as "shot-gun" style. You entered into the living room, and had to pass through the dining room to get to the kitchen. There was a very narrow, curved stairway off the kitchen that led to the second floor where you had the same three room layout, passing through the middle bedroom to get to the front bedroom. Michael and Mayme had the back bedroom over the kitchen, but none of the upstairs rooms had doors on them. There was running water in the house, but the outhouse was in the backyard, where the family also kept chickens. At some point the family put a toilet and a shower in the basement.

What should have been a happy time in the family was no doubt marred by sadness in the summer of 1916. On 10 August 1916, a female infant was stillborn. The official cause of death was listed as ruptured hydrocephalus, which is caused when there is an excessive accumulation of fluid on the brain. Michael and Mayme had already endured the death of two babies in the first five years of marriage. What was next for this young couple?