I Must Be More Patient in 2015

Of course it happens.  An answer to my second letter was post marked by my newly found second cousin the day I mailed him my hand written note.  He must think my light is not on in the attic!

His hand written letter is encouraging.  “Thank you for the information.  Took me a while to get through it.”  A sigh of relief on my part having feared that the three family group sheets could have been overwhelming.  “…it was all very interesting, especially the people in Sicily who I never knew a lot about.  I also didn't know about our St. Louis connection at all.   Very interesting.”  His grandfather Vincenzo’s stated destination on the ship manifest was to visit my potential grandfather in St. Louis in 1913.

“If your ever in------- give me a call and maybe we can have a cup of coffee.  I would bring some pictures.”  [Coffee is great if I can get a swab of his cheeks first!!!]  I found this encouraging as it is a first step to making my second cousin comfortable with the DNA I mentioned in my second letter.

“Hope you have a great holiday season.”  I am going to wait until after Christmas (say 12:01 a.m. on the 26^th) to write back.  Besides the holiday letter sent will clearly give him a bigger family.  “Years ago I had friends in Sausalito and Marin County area…..Beautiful country, your very lucky.”

So my holiday season is great with this wonderful stocking stuffer of a letter!

Impatient Me!

Patience is not a virtue I neither inherited nor cultivated!  

There has not been a response to the second letter sent.  I suspect that the amount of material could have been overwhelming.  The first response was a hand written letter to which I had responded with a typed letter. 

Soooooooo I figured that it was time to write and this time a personal hand written note along with a family picture showing my paternal grandmother and her three children.  I included the annual holiday letter as it contained pictures of our current family along with its narrative. 

AND so I wait----ugh!!

An Answer Arrives

Fortunately I did not have long to wait for a response.  I had sent two letters to the last two mail address found.  Both came back the same day (irony?) one of which was from my second cousin.  Some snippets from the letter:

“You certainly have done your homework.”  I really appreciated this opening line!

“Almost my entire family moved to Calif. In 1952….”  What a great fact to have in trying to find other family members.

“Everyone has died or scattered.  I am in touch with only one cousin….”  Well here is hoping he wants to be in touch with another cousin!

“…the other names we married into were Pasavanti, Dandrea & and you know Gibilerto.”  Another great clue to do more research is provided.

He signs the letter and then after says “I wound up with all the family pictures going back to Sicily.  Many have names on the back if you ever come up with a name to look for.  I have hundreds.”  YES, I almost headed to the car to leave town to see the pictures.

However, before leaving town I wrote him back as my goal (beyond seeing family pictures) is to obtain his DNA sample.  I wrote:

I was thrilled, excited and delighted to receive your letter today.  Thank you very much for responding. We share several similar life events. 

I, too, was an only child born in Chicago in 1942.  Our family moved to California in 1956 when my father accepted a transfer from the Sunbeam Company.

At the risk of overwhelming you I have enclosed a great deal of the research I have been doing.[i]  I do hope you might find it interesting.

I have a step daughter who lives in the Highland Park area and my wife and I drive down to visit with her periodically so we have driven past your town of Sunland!  I sure would like to meet you in person if that is agreeable to you.

As part of my research I have submitted several saliva samples to determine my DNA background.  One test that is great for males is called the Y-dna test.  Perhaps you have heard of it?  It can trace the male line back through males (only) and I expect such a test could link us to our common ancestor Giuseppe Veneziano.  I have purchased a test kit and am hoping you could agree to be tested.  I have lots more information if you are interested.

I look forward to hearing from you again and I am so thrilled to have found a second cousin.  I have three cousins two of whom are adopted and that is the extent of my “blood” family!

Again, thank you very much.

As can be read I am trying to establish as much common ground as possible.

I await an answer to this second letter.

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[i] I sent Family Group Sheets for the potential Great Grandfather and his Grandparents and my Grandparents along with the Legacy Family Tree Relationship Chart illustrating our second cousiness.

Finding a Cousin Hopefully!

After trying to tie the Veneziano pieces together I thought it was time to take the plunge and send a letter to the person I thought could be my second cousin. Here is what I sent and then I waited!

November 18, 2014

Dear Mr. Veneziano

I am writing you as I believe we are cousins.  I have been trying to identify my grandfather for the last 15 years.  I think we are related.  What follows is a lot of family research the details of which I am glad to share with you.

 Giuseppe Veneziano and Francesca Meglore of Caltanissetta, Sicily, Italy had several children.

Josephine was born about 10 January 1882 and married Sam Panichi in about 1903 in Italy.  She died in Chicago, IL on the 5^th of February 1931.

Agostino was born about 9 June 1884 and immigrated to the US on 11 April 1904.  On 27 April 1907 he married Mary Branca in St. Louis, MO.  I am descended from this marriage.  He died in Chicago, IL on 24 September 1930 and the informant on his death certificate was his brother Vincenzo. 

Vincenzo was born about 14 November 1892/94 and immigrated on 22 October 1913.  In the ship’s manifest (Verona) he is going to see his brother Agostino at 901 Franklin in St. Louis.  I believe you are descended from this line.  Vincenzo took the name James and married Angelina Giliberto.  He was naturalized in 1918 while in military service and resided in Chicago at 823 Leavitt for many years.  My guess is that he went to California in the late 1940’s or early 1950’s after being a businessman with his own grocery store.  Vincenzo died in Burbank on 5 June 1955.  His wife Angelina died 16 September 1992.

Vincenzo “James” and Angelina had three children.

Giuseppe (Joseph Michael) was born 24 March 1923 in Chicago, IL and died 10 March 1995 in Glendale, CA.  I believe this person to be your father as you were the informant on his death certificate.  At the time you were living at 1032 Linden Avenue in Glendale.  So I have sent a letter to that address.

Francesca was born 20 March 1924 in Chicago, IL and married Harry Rulo in Chicago on 6 November 1949.  Harry dies in 1971 and she may have remarried to John Noce.

Carmelo was born 20 December 1925 in Chicago, IL and died about 28 August 2000 in Chicago, IL.  He married Anne Ranieri on 20 September 1958 in Chicago, IL.  She died in 2007.

I know this is a lot of information and if you want to discuss it, my home phone number is XXX-XXX-XXXX and I have enclosed a self-addressed stamped envelope if you prefer to use it. My email address is jeffreyvaillant@hotmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you very much for reading this and responding.

VENEZIANO to VAILLANT Surname Change

What follows is a paper I had thought to use as part of the Board for Certification of Genealogists (www.bcgcertification.org) with a lot more polish than will be seen here.  However, I prefer the posting here and will find another project.

Also for those of you who cannot wait to find the conclusion (a little humor here) the answer is the summer of 1928.  You can figure out the research question!

The Veneziano family grouping consists of a father “August” (perhaps Agostino or Augustus) who was probably born about 1884 in Calasibetta, Sicily, Italy and probably immigrated to the United States in 1904. [i]. A ship manifest records that he was going to see his brother-in-law who lived at 420 ½ Clark in Chicago.  By 1908 August is found in St. Louis, MO living at 2005 Franklin.[ii] 

The mother, Mary (perhaps Franciscana Mari) Branca was probably born in Buscante, Milano, Italy between 1880 and 1882.  In the 1910 Federal census for St. Louis it is recorded that she immigrated in 1889.[iii]   A possible record of this event could be found in the New York Passenger Lists.[iv] 

She marries August on the 27th of April 1907 in St. Louis at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.[v]   The civil record of the event is filed with the Recorder of Deeds for the City of St. Louis.[vi]

In 1909 August and Mary are living at 901 Franklin [vii] where he is listed as a laborer as he was a year earlier.   On the 7th of July 1909 a daughter is born, Josephine “June” Renee whose delayed birth certificate started this research.[viii]  See separate blog entry for this document and discussion.

In the 16 April 1910 Federal census for St. Louis (see endnote 3) August appears as the 26 year old head of household who was born in Italy as were both his parents.  He is listed as immigrating in 1906 and is still an alien.  He is a laborer who does odd jobs and he is living at 901 B Franklin.  In that same census Mary appears as the 30 year old wife of August and she has been married three years and has one living child.  She was born in Italy as were both her parents.  She is unable to read or write.  Daughter “June” appears as Jose the 9/12 month old daughter of August and was born in Missouri.

In 1910-1913 August is listed as living at 901 Franklin as a laborer. [ix] (As written in another blog, his brother Vincenzo says on his ship’s manifest that he is going to St. Louis to this address to visit.)  In 1914 August resides as 1615 N 13th.[x]  At this point he seems to disappear from the St. Louis city directory.  His name was not found in the 1915 nor 1916 Gould’s St. Louis City Directories.  As written in another blog about Gloria Veneziano, it appears the family moves to Chicago about this time period.

(There is a World War I draft registration card from September 12, 1918 for a Carlo Augusto Veneziano of 514 So. Claremont St. in Chicago, Cook, IL whose birth date is recorded as August 9, 1882 making him 36 years old.  He is from Italy and is working as an electrician at the Edison Appliance Co at 2214 Ogden Ave. in Chicago.  He lists a Mrs. Mary Veneziano (wife) at 514 So. Claremont and signs the form as Carlo Augusto Veneziano.  The signature appears to be written by a right handed person whereas the signature on the wedding application appears to be by a left handed person.)  When I wrote this a decade ago I had not made some of the connections that are now found!

By 1920 the family (less August) is in Chicago, IL.  However, perhaps due to World War I there does not seem to be city directories for Chicago that can be found for 1917-1919.

In the 13 Jan 1920 Federal census for Chicago, IL [xi](11) there appears a Mary Venezina who is the 38 year old head of household who was born in Italy as were both her parents.  She is living at 1251 Oregon Avenue [which became Flournoy after 1920] and is employed as a finisher in a tailor house. [Family legend could be that she was employed by Carson Pierre Scott.]  She is listed as a widow.  She is able to speak English and is a naturalized citizen who immigrated in 1903.  My guess is that June, a ten year old might have given this information to the enumerator.

Also appearing the in same family grouping are Josephine as the 10 year old daughter of Mary who attended school and is able to read and write.  She was born in Missouri.  Both her parents were born in Italy.  Her sister Pauline Frances appears as Ida the 8 year old daughter (born about 2 April 1911) of Mary.  Pauline attended school and was born in Missouri.  Both her parents were born in Italy.  Finally, Benjamin appears as the 6 year old son of Mary (born 24 May 1913 based on his delayed birth certificate) who was born in Missouri.[xii]   He attended school.  Both his parents were born in Italy.

As I started to track this family grouping through Chicago in the 1920’s I found them living at 1223 Macalister Place in 1923 under the listing for a Mrs. Mary Veneziano. [xiii]  From 1928-1929 she is living at 4843 Palmer.[xiv]

On 28 Jan 1925, the Chicago School Board of Education [xv] lists Josephine Veneziano as completing a two-year vocational course in Stenography at McKinley High School located at 2040 W Adams Street.

On 28 Jan 1925, the Chicago School Board of Education [xvi] lists Ida P. Veneziano as graduating from the 8th grade at McLaren School.

On 27 Jun 1928, the Chicago School Board of Education [xvii] promotion list lists Ben J Veneziano as completing the eighth grade at Lloyd School located at 2103 N Lamon Avenue.  He was educated at Lane Technical High School from 1928 to 1932 which is located at 2501 W. Addison Street. [xviii]. He graduated at Benjamin Vaillant.  He was educated at the Armour Institute of Technology from 8 Feb 1932 to 11 Jun 1936 in Chicago and graduated at Benjamin Vaillant.

In the 2 April 1930 Federal census for Chicago [xix], Mary Vaillant appears as the 47 year old widow who was born in France as were both her parents.  She is renting at $45 per month and has a radio.  She has no occupation.  She immigrated in 1905 and is a naturalized citizen who speaks English.  She is living at 4843 Palmer.

In the same census June appears as June Vaillant the 20 year old daughter of Mary. She was born in Missouri and works in an office for a machinery company. Pauline appears as Pauline Vaillant the 19 year old daughter of Mary and is employed in office work at an electrical company.  She was born in Missouri.  Finally, Benjamin appears as Benjamin Vaillant the 16 year old son of Mary who was born in Missouri.  He is attending school.

In the 1928-1929 Lakeside Annual Directory for the City of Chicago [xx] June is working as a stenographer with the J H Day & Co as June Vaillant AND she is listed with the same occupation as June Veneziano.  Her residence at 4843 Palmer[xxi]  lists her from 1928-1929 as both June Vaillant and June Veneziano.  Subsequent listings [xxii] list her as Miss June Vaillant first at 4843 Palmer (1932), then at 4105 Fletcher (1933-1940).

In 1932, Miss Pauline Vaillant resides at 4843 Palmer [xxiii] and from 1933-1940 she is at 4105 Fletcher[xxiv] . 

Benjamin Vaillant in 1937 is living at 4105 Fletcher [xxv].

My conclusion is that the oldest daughter sat her siblings and mother down at the kitchen table or maybe in the living room in the summer of 1928 and explained that being a young Italian woman in Chicago was not advantageous so that they would be using the Vaillant surname going forward.  And they did!

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[i] A “List or Manifest of Alien Passengers for the U. S. Immigration Officer at Port of Arrival” for the S. S. Marco Minghetti sailing from Palermo, 22 March 1904 arriving at Port of New York April 11th 1904 lists an Agostino Veneziano, age 20, male, single, who is a laborer, who is able to read and write.  His nativity is Italy, his race or people are Italian South, his last residence is Caltanisetta and his destination is Chicago, Ill for which he has a ticket to get there which he paid.  He has $12 and has not been to the United States.  (Six other men all in their 20’s apparently have left the same Italian location and all are headed to Chicago, one of which has been to the United States previously.)

[ii] FHL Microfilm 1,605,973, Gould’s St. Louis Directory for 1908, page 1880.

[iii] The “Thirteenth Census of the United States: 1910 Population” for the State of Missouri, St. Louis, Ward 5, enumerated on 16 April by Albert Horst, Enumeration District No. 84, Sheet No. 2A, line 14 lists Mary as a 30 year old wife of August who has been married 3 years and immigrated in 1889.  August is listed as immigrating in 1906.  Both dates could be two years in error?

[iv] At ancestry.com there is a listing for a M Branca who arrives 11 May 1887 as a 3 year old female from Genoa (Italy) on the ship Elysia.  Needs more research.

[v] St. Charles Borromeo microfilm (FHL Film 1870931) viewed 18 May 2005.

[vi] Application No. 134097 for License to Marry was issued on 23 April 1907.   It states” I, Augusto Venezian of 1532 Wash St and State of Mo desiring to procure a license to marry Miss Maria Branca of 934 N. 6th St and State of Mo do hereby solemnly swear that I am of the age of 24 tears; that I am single and unmarried, and may lawfully contract and be joined in marriage; and that I, Maria Branca, the person above named, do hereby solemnly swear that I am of the age of 27 years, and that I am single and unmarried, and may lawfully contract and be joined in marriage.  The Marriage License was issued and returned certifying to a marriage by a Catholic Priest on the 27th day of April 1907, Father Caesar Spiganli (sp?) of 2901 Locust Street.

[vii]  FHL Microfilm 1,605,973, Gould’s St. Louis Directory for 1909, page 2082.

[viii] Delayed or Special Certificate of Birth, No. 246584, State Board of Health of Missouri, Bureau of Vital Statistics, dated Feb 23, 1944.  One record cited is the baptismal record from St. Charles Borromeo Church in St. Louis, MO.

[ix] FHL Microfilm 1,605,973, Gould’s St. Louis Directory for 1911, 1912 and 1913, pages 2071, 2032 and 2095 respectively.

[x] FHL Microfilm 1,605,973, Gould’s St. Louis Directory for 1914, page 2147

[xi] The “Fourteenth Census of the United States:  1920 Population” for the State of Illinois, Cook County, Ward 19th, enumerated on 13 January, Enumeration District 1070, Sheet Number 15, lines 47-50.

[xii] Delayed Standard Certificate of Live Birth, State of Missouri, Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, dated 22 July 1940 (which he states he observed is own birth as the Father!).

[xiii] The Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago for 1923, page 2674.

[xiv] The Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago for 1928 and 1929.

[xv]  CPS Alumni (http://www.cpsalumni.org) website for the Chicago Public School’s alumni index listing of graduations.  NOTE this site was assessed in 2005 and regrettably is no longer current.  I did print the listings for my files!

[xvi]CPS Alumni (http://www.cpsalumni.org) website for the Chicago Public School’s alumni index listing of graduations.

[xvii] CPS Alumni (http://www.cpsalumni.org) website for the Chicago Public School’s alumni index listing of graduations.

[xviii] CPS Alumni (http://www.cpsalumni.org) website for the Chicago Public School’s alumni index listing of graduations.

[xix] The “Fifteenth Census of the United States 1930 Population Schedule” for the State of Illinois, Cook County, Ward 37, Precinct 4, Block 343, enumerated on 2 April, Enumeration District 16-1309, Sheet 1B, lines 54-57.

[xx] The Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago for 1928-29, page 2674

[xxi] The Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago for 1928-1929

[xxii] Illinois Bell Telephone Company Directory for 1932

[xxiii] Illinois Bell Telephone Company Directory for 1932

[xxiv] Illinois Bell Telephone Company Directory for 1933 to 1940

[xxv] Illinois Bell Telephone Company Directory for 1937

DELAYED OR SPECIAL CERTIFICATE OF BIRTH for Aunt June....

DELAYED OR SPECIAL CERTIFICATE OF BIRTH

The document that started me on the hunt to understand my surname change was the one filed by “June Vaillant” who you have met in another posting.[i]  On February 8, 1944 June filled out the State Board of Health of Missouri, Bureau of Vital Statistics form.  She stated her birth as July 7, 1909.  She is a white female who was born in St. Louis, MO.  Her father’s full name was August Vaillant, born in New York and her mother was Mary Branc born in France.  And she signed declaring “upon oath that the above statements are true”.  Her address was 6227 N. Leader in Chicago, Ill.[ii]  The top of the document was notarized.  What follows is an ABSTRACT OF SUPPORTING EVIDENCE.

The items of evidence are:

1.       Registration record from Seattle, Wash dated July 23, 1943

2.       Baptismal record from St. Charles Borromea Church, St. Louis, MO dated Aug. 10, 1909

3.      Marriage record from Chicago, Illinois dated June 6, 1936

4.      Affsgd[iii], Mary Vaillant (mother) Chicago, Ill dated Feb. 8, 1944

There follows a section INFORMATION CONCERNING REGISTRANT AS STATED IN DOCUMENT.  The first column is headed Birth date or age, the second column is Birthplace, the third column is Name of Father and the fourth column is the Full Name of Mother.  The first document has her age as 34.  The second document has a birth date of July 7, 1909.  The third document has her age as 26. And the fourth document has her birth date as July 9, 1909.  The first, second and fourth documents have the birthplace as St. Louis, MO.  The column for Name of Father is blank and the full name of mother is the fourth document being Mary Vaillant.

The STATEMENT OF REVIEING OFFICIAL is “I hereby certify that I have reviewed the evidence recorded above and that the information contained therein is as noted in the preceding abstract.  The signature of reviewing official is Daisy Bellman and the document was filed Feb 23, 1944.

In some ways the family surname of Vaillant is lies, lies and damn lies!!![iv]  Two of the four items of evidence I have obtained.  The marriage to Michael J. Poeltl was on the 6^th of June, 1936 as stated and on that document she is recorded as “June R. Vaillant”. (On the 24^th of December, 1943, she marries Bernard Church Larrabee in Seattle; however that marriage license has her as “June Poeltl.)

Fortunately, the baptismal record was microfilmed and obtained from Kenrick Seminary for viewing.[v]  Line 6 has an entry for Francisco Giusephena Veneziano.  The date of birth is 7 July 1909.  The date of Baptism is 15 Aug 1909.  The names of the parents are Augustis Veneziano and Maria Branca.  The names of the witnesses are Salvatore Campione and Angelina Brusca.  The priest was Fr. Buonainte.  If a copy of this document was submitted as implied for Item 2 in the abstract of supporting evidence how the column for Name of Father can be left blank in the Information Concerning Registrant as stated in Document is a mystery!!

The use of the surname Veneziano is consistent through the 1910 and 1920 Federal Census.  It is starting in the 1930 and 1940 Census that Vaillant appears.

To be continued………….

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[i] I obtained a copy of the document on July 7, 2000—slight irony as that is June’s birthday!  It has taken about 14 years to sort out the facts from the fictionJ.

[ii] Same address cited in Francisco Vaillant’s World War II Draft Registration contained in a separate blog.

[iii] It appears that this may mean an Affidavit and Signed as separate items.

[iv] The surname change was a secret between mother Mary and siblings June, Pauline and Benjamin never revealed while they were alive.  Countless hours of research were done by Benjamin’s wife Virginia trying to tie the Vaillant surname to his family—to no avail!!

[v] Kenrick Seminary, St. Louis, Mo, Roll 49, Vol,4—St. Charles Borromeo, St. Louis, MO Baptism records from 24 March 1907 to 17 October 1909 labeled LIBER BAPIZATORUM IN ECCLESIA, Page 96 that I viewed about March 2001.

Josephine “June” Renee VENEZIANO Vaillant Poeltl Larrabee 7 July 1909 – 8 March 1973

Aunt June was a lively one full of smiles and energy when I came to observe her in the late 1950’s.  Our family would take my father’s two week vacations annually and head to Seattle where she, her sister and mother lived.  Those vacations started in the early 1950’s.  It really wasn't until I was in high school that I appreciated her sense of adventure.  One day when both my parents were at work and it was time for me to attend high school she suggested that I drive there.  Never having driven a car before how could I say no!!  Off we went and you can read here that it was an experience I have carried for almost 60 years.  Aunt June’s start to life was an adventure; however, it was an adventure filled with challenges.

June’s delayed Birth Certificate listed her birth as 7 July 1909 in St. Louis, MO.[i]  In the delayed birth document June claims her father to be August Vaillant (born in New York) and mother Mary Branc (born in France).[ii]  Before she was 10 years old she welcomed a new sister, Pauline[iii], a new brother, Benjamin[iv], a visit from her Uncle Vincenzo[v] and a new sister, Gloria[vi].  The events around Gloria indicate that the family relocated from St. Louis, MO[vii] Gloria’s Death Certificate says she was born in Chicago and we do know that she died there in early 1917.  So June experienced relocation (St. Louis to Chicago) and a family death (Gloria) before her 10^th birthday.

June experienced being abandoned by her father before her 10^th birthday.  It appears that “August” who registers for the World War I draft on 12 September 1918 with a wife Mary recorded and files his Intention for Naturalization on 2 April 1919 as an unmarried male left his wife and three small children to strike out on his own.

In 1920, June is living with her mother and sister and brother at 1251 Oregon Avenue in Chicago.[viii]  Her mother Mary is listed as a 38 year old widow who immigrated in 1903 and is a naturalized citizen.  Mary is working as a finisher at a tailor house[ix] and is able to speak English.[x]  I think that as the oldest child, June had to take on much responsibility.  Her education is taking place at McLaren School located at 1500 Flournoy Street where she is registered as Josephine F. Veneziano.[xi]  She continues at McKinley High School located at 2040 W. Adams Street where on 28 January 1925 she completes a two year vocational course in Stenography.  She is 15 and half years old.  Those years between August leaving the family and June's ability to work were tough. Dinner would be a piece of bread with tomato paste spread on it.

She works as a Stenographer for the J. H. Day Company[xii] by 1928 and resides at 4843 Palmer.[xiii]  June is at 4843 Palmer for the 1930 census along with her mother and siblings.[xiv]  She is recorded as June a 20 year old white female single who was born in Missouri and works in the office of a manufacturing company.[xv]

Along with her sister Pauline, June is initiated into the Delta Zeta Chi Sorority[xvi] on 23 January 1931.[xvii]  Their residence is listed as 4843 Palmer.  In 1933 June and the family would move to 4105 Fletcher where they would remain until 1940 or a little later.  The Chicago Telephone Books would list her as June Vaillant, phone number PAL 7021.[xviii]

A month before her 27^th birthday, June marries Michael J. Poeltl, Jr. on the 6^th of June, 1936.[xix]  “Mikey” was the love of June’s life as I heard many times in family conversations. Unfortunately, he would die of either cancer or TB about the 16^th of April 1940.[xx] 

On 5 January 1937, in the application for a social security account number Josephine Veneziano Poeltl living at 4105 Fletcher Street in Chicago, Illinois and working for the J. H. Day Company applies as a 27 year old whose birth date is July, 7, 1909 in St. Louis, MO and father was August Veneziano and mother Marion Branca.  June is a female, white and signs her application Josephine Veneziano Poeltl.  It is interesting to note that after taking on the Vaillant surname in the summer of 1928 she uses her birth surname of Veneziano for this government document![xxi]

In the 1940 Federal Census taken on 7 April 1940, June is listed as Mrs. Michael Poeltl and the daughter of Mary.  June is a female, white 30 year old married who has completed three years of high school.  She was born in Missouri.  She has lived in the same house in 1935.  She has worked for 40 hours March 24-30, 1940.  She is listed as stenography in machinery mfg. working 52 hours and earning $1100. The person providing the information is her sister Pauline.  June is listed at 4105 Fletcher in the June 1940 Bell Telephone Directory at page 1393 as Miss June Vaillant.

When Francisco Vaillant[xxii]  registers for the World War II Draft in 1942, he cites Mrs. M. J Poeltl at 6227 N. Leader in Chicago as the person who will always know his address.

It appears that June moves to Seattle by 23 July 1943 when she makes an application for a Delayed Birth Certificate with the State of Missouri as that date and place is one of the documents she cites in her application.  She certainly is in Seattle as she gives her address as 3205 15^th W on the 14^th of December in her marriage to Bernard Church Larrabee[xxiii].   Bernard is living at 1623 Taylor.  They are married by Joseph G Weber a Justice of the Peace at 1230 E 89^th Street at 10:25 P.M.!  This marriage would last until 1948.

June would remain in Seattle until her death the 8^th of March 1973 at the age of 63 from heart disease complications.[xxiv]  The informant is her daughter who states June’s father was August Vaillant and mother Mary Branc.  June was widowed and worked as a secretary in the insurance business.  June died at Ballard Community Hospital and was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Seattle on March 12, 1973.

She would have been in the same home for 15 years. In her Last Will and Testament she directs all her debts and funeral expenses be paid, that her real and personal property go to her sister Pauline if she survives her (she does) otherwise to her daughter and the executrix be her sister or in the case of her demise her brother Benjamin or his wife Virginia.  The executrix or executor can act freely and without bond in settling her estate.  The will was signed on the 8^th day of February 1973.[xxv]

What I recall of this period is the surprise I had at the “estate” of June and Pauline.  These two sisters, one could almost say joined at the hip they had been together so long, had what appeared as modest jobs as secretaries; HOWEVER, they were extremely astute business women flipping houses (as we call it now) and keeping houses as rentals.  As I recall there were some 30+ properties that needed to be sold to settle the estate.  That is another story!

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[i] State of Missouri, City of Jefferson, State Board of Health of Missouri, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Delayed or Special Certificate of Birth, Number 246584, file February 8, 1944 and approved February 23, 1944, copy obtained July 7, 2000.

[ii] Not trueJJ

[iii] Pauline VENEZIANO Vaillant O’Rourke 2 April 1911 – 7 November 1974.

[iv] Benjamin VENEZIANO Vaillant 24 May 1913 – 24 December 2002.

[v] Vincenzo VENEZIANO arrives in New York on 22 October 1913 with his going to see his brother Agostino at 901 Franklin.  See separate blog for more details.

[vi] Gloria VENEZIANO 29 September 1915 – 5 February 1917

[vii] See separate blog about Finding Gloria.

[viii] 1920 Federal Census, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, Enumeration District 1070, Sheet 15A, Lines 47-50 at ancestry.com assessed 20 June 2012.

[ix] http://www.genealogyinc.com/encyclopedia/jobs/#F says a “FINISHER - operated machine giving final touches to a manufactured article in various trades”

[x] Unfortunately we do not know who supplied the information to the enumerator.  The family surname in the 1920 Census is spelled “Venezina” and both parents are listed as born in Italy.  This will all change by 1930.

[xi] There was several years ago a website listing Chicago graduates.  The site is no longer available-drats!

[xii]See http://www.littleford.com/0501_ribbon.htm for details on the J. H. Day Company.

“Today’s powder mixing processing technology was born and driven to world prominence by John Howard Day, in 1887.

His efforts created the world recognized, J.H. Day Company, producing what is called today a “Ribbon Blender”. J.H. Day’s products, frequently shortened to simply “Day” have been sold worldwide for more than 100 years, becoming the backbone for basic powder processing in the western hemisphere.

J.H. Day Company, also known as Day Mixing, being located in Cincinnati, Ohio was ideally situated servicing the dramatically growing food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries of the mid to late 1900’s. The Ribbon Blender and Day became synonymous because of the thousands of units sold, clearly superior engineering design, reliability and Day’s outstanding service provided to customers.

During this same time frame, another well-known American company – Littleford Bros., expanding upon their 100+ year Cincinnati industrial fabricating background, entered the process equipment industry at the forefront of high speed sophisticated mixing, drying and reacting for their customer’s processing applications.

In 1981 Littleford Bros. acquired the J.H. Day Company. This blend of two great companies – created a new company capable of identifying process solutions, understanding customer’s needs and proving process refinements in their extensive lab. This new company’s mission “Where Processing Ideas Become Reality” created the premier name in the industry – Littleford Day.

The new company leads in the manufacturing of high quality, price effective processing and plastic equipment while providing superb world class after sales service with more experience than any anyone in the world. Continuing the century + of traditions of total excellence, Littleford Day proudly presents the Day Ribbon Blender.”

[xiii] The Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago.

[xiv] 1930 Federal Census, Chicago, Cook Illinois, Enumeration District 16-1309, Sheet 1B, lines 54-57 at ancestry.com assessed 20 June 2012. And here is where the story gets interesting as the family is listed as “Vaillant” with the mother Mary born in France and immigrating in 1905 and is a naturalized citizen.  The children’s birthplace remains as Missouri.  This will be the subject of a separate blog!

[xv] Pauline is 19 years old and working in the office of an electrical company.

[xvi] http://www.deltathetachi.org/aboutus.html. “This Sorority is a non-profit fraternal corporation. Its purpose is to promote cultural education, to foster personal development and good citizenship, to form a nation-wide fellowship, to attain a broader outlook and enjoyment of contact with those of similar purposes and ideals… Delta Theta Chi Sorority was originally organized in 1920 in Chicago. Six of the seven charter members are known: Hope Barkley of Radcliff College, Cambridge, MA; Esther Cejnar of the University of Nebraska; Miriam Brewer of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL; Edith McKay of the University of Montana; Myrtle Raymond of the University of Nevada and Lela Scopes of the University of Chicago.

By 1930 the rapid growth of our Sorority warranted a national entity and the officers applied to the State of

Delaware, where most sororities and fraternities are incorporated, for a state charter granting national

privileges.”

[xvii] Southtown Economist, Chicago, Illinois, Friday, January 23, 1931, page 4 at Newspaper Archives (http://newspaperarchive.com/us/illinois/chicago/southtown-economist/1931/01-23/page-4?tag=vaillant&rtserp=tags/?psi=37&pci=7&ndt=by&py=1930&pey=1932&pl=vaillant) assessed 6 November 2014 because I did not do this initially!

[xviii] Illinois Bell Telephone Directory, September 1933 on page 1137, June 1934 on page 1155, December 1935 on page 1220, September 1936 on page 1260, June 1937 on page 1295, December 1938 on page 1313 and September 1939 on page 1335 viewed at the California Genealogical Society, 2201 Broadway, LL2 in Oakland, CA 94612 (www.californiaancestors.org) on site.

[xix] State of Illinois, Cook County, Marriage License and return, document numbered 1490913.

[xx] Finding his death record remains challenging.  He is buried at St. Joseph Cemetery in River Grove, Cook, Illinois in Lot E1/2 of 338, Section KK.

[xxi] U. S. Social Security Act, Application for Account Number, dated Jan, 5, 1937, Copy obtained from SSA under FOIA.

[xxii] See separate blog about Francisco Vaillant

[xxiii] Bernard Church Larrabee 30 April 1894 – 4 April 1965. He was previously married and divorced.  His middle name was his mother’s surname.

[xxiv] Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Health Services Division, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death, number 2097, copy obtained November 3, 2000.

[xxv] Superior Court of Washington for King County, file number E214052, Order establishing the will filed 3-14-73 and a new administrator appointed 12 November 1974 (after sister Pauline’s death).