Family Stories with Ginny: September 2017

In 1910 Bertha Levy Bettendorf Immigrates to America

During the Autumn of 1910 Bertha Levy,

Wayne Bettendorf's paternal great-grandmother,

completed preparations for her immigration to America.

This was not the first time Bertha had crossed the Atlantic.

In 1907 she traveled 1st Class with her Uncle Samuel Werner, Aunt Camille,

and cousins Dolly (19), Bernard (16), and Charles (14).
Already American Citizens, they remained at their
New York City home two blocks north of Central Park

and Bertha (16) returned by herself.

In 1910 she would again travel alone, this time on the SS Cleveland,

one of the grand new ships advertised as a floating hotel.

Postcard of SS Cleveland

Bertha and her cousins had been born in Zempelburg, Poland

(and you can read more about that here).

Now a young woman of 19, she lived with her

mother Johanna in Berlin, Germany at 10 Lothringersh

and spent her days working as a Sales Clerk.

Berlin Store sometime between 1897 and 1910

As a Sales Clerk, Bertha would have been required

to present herself well. We know something about what she

looked like from fashion of the time. In both Europe and America

women wore their hair piled high in the Gibson style,

with extreme fullness shaped around the face.

Enormous hats were part of everyday life for some time still,

and one always wore gloves.

Everyday fashion for women in 1910

Grandson Wayne Bettendorf said,
"I have a recollection of her being relatively short."
From the ship manifest we know that Bertha

was 5'3" with brown eyes and black hair.

In such fashion Bertha made her way through the busy city streets of Berlin
to complete the many arrangements needed for her trip.

Notice the various forms of travel in this painting:
horse-drawn wagons and carriages, automobiles, buses, street cars, and of course walking.

Berlin Spittlemarkt by Paul Hoeniger, 1912

Of course there was her passage to book;
baggage to pack; a train ticket for transit from Berlin to Hamburg;
railway passage from New York to Ohio;
and documentation of good health from her doctor.

There was correspondence with the Werner family in New York

and with Uncle Frank Conners in Cincinnati, Ohio, her final destination.
There were also farewells to make, for this time Bertha planned to stay in America.

Notice those on board waving goodby as they lean over the rails
in this 1905 Stereograph by Underwood & Underwood, N.Y.

The Second Class accommodations that Bertha booked
were quite comfortable.

She had a spacious semi-private bedroom;

some had 2 berths, others 4 or 6.

Twenty thousand pieces of linen supplied the ship, with first and

second class berths changed daily.

This was far more comfortable than steerage where

forty to two hundred shared a room with narrow berths and walkways.

But when someone was seasick,

even the 2nd class rooms

seemed close.

This suite had an outside window that provided extra light.

Dining included menus, the elegance of china and table cloths,

and meals served by waiters.
A veritable market is stored in the ship's cavernous lower levels.
The amount of butter alone is astonishing: almost three tons.
One can only imagine the storage of oysters, partridges, pralines,
port, and champagne for first and second class passengers.
In steerage one dined simply and sat at wooden plank tables.
Each person brought their own

tin plate, bowl, cup, and utensils, and after meals

rinsed them in a common basin.

In the women's lounge one could read, chat, or play cards,

compose a telegram, or listen to someone play the piano.

It's interesting that the ship's rooms and furnishings

seem more contemporary than a century old.

In the afternoons musical ensembles, bands, and an orchestra
entertained throughout the ship.
Evenings included concerts, dances, and at least one ball.

Chairs and blankets were available on 2nd class decks so that

one could lounge and enjoy the fresh air with others

or read a book from the ship library.

There was always someone strolling along the promenade for a bit of exercise,

gazing out onto the sea,

or playing games the ship staff organized.

One need never hungry go 2nd class, for snacks were always available at the patio cafe.

And there was even a gymnasium, an exercise room!

In the Wheelroom, or Bridge, the captain is assisted by

a second captain, four lieutenants, and a pilot.

Here the sextant, with its telescope, mirrors, and moving arm,

measures latitude and longitude. The chronometer measures time and

can determine longitude by celestial navigation.

The ship's captain is assisted by a second captain,

four lieutenants, and a pilot.

These men are working in the ship boiler room.

On this voyage they worked 2 days longer than the normal

9 days for the cross-Atlantic journey.

The turbine control room wall is simply elegant.

On the 23rd of November the S.S. Cleveland arrived at Ellis Island.

Bertha had arrived at her new home,

the United States of America.

In other posts we will learn about Bertha's ship manifests,
arriving in Ellis Island, New York City in 1910,

and Cincinnati, Ohio, the final destination listed for Bertha ship manifest.

I hope you enjoy learning about Bertha's journey.

Thanks for visiting! See you next time.

What We Learn About Bertha Levy Bettendorf From Her 1910 Ship Manifests

Ship: SS Cleveland of Hamburg-American Line

Departure: 12 Nov 1910, Hamburg, Germany

Arrival: 23 Nov 1910, Ellis Island, New York, USA

Vintage Postcard of SS Cleveland

In addition to the New York arrival manifests for Bertha, I was also able to find her departure manifest from the Hamburg-American line. From the Hamburg departure information we learn that Bertha worked as a Shop Keeper and that she traveled Second Class.

New York arrival manifests are two pages. While first pages are readily available on many search engines, the Ellis Island site allows one to move on to the second page for a great deal more information. Also, if the passenger being researched is listed on the first or last line--as we find several times in our family--it is important to read the previous or subsequent pages where any additional family members will be listed. In Bertha's case there are two sets of arrival manifests.

Hamburg departure Second Class manifest information for Bertha: weiblich (female), 19, ledig (single), from Berlin, German, and Kaufmann (Sales Clerk).

New York arrival manifest List D, page 1:
Levy, Bertha; 19; female; single; occupation, none; Nationality (country to which one is subject), Germany; Race or People, Hebrew; Last Permanent Residence, Berlin, Germany; Address of Closest Relative, mother Johanna Levy at 10 Lothringersh, Berlin; Final Destination, New York, New York.
Notice also: Bertha's line is not stamped "Non Immigrant Alien."

New York arrival manifest List D, page 2:
Has ticket to final destination; Passage Paid by mother; Whether in Possession of $50, or if not how much is Brought, yes ($50); in United States Before in 1908, New York; Joining Uncle S. Werner 111th Street New York; Health, good; Not Deformed or Crippled; Height --; Complexion --; Hair --; Eyes --; No Identifying Marks of Identification; Birthplace, Zempelburg, Germany.

New York arrival manifest List L, page 1:
Levy, Bertha; 19 years; female; single; no occupation; can read and write; Nationality (country to which one is subject), Germany; Race or People, Hebrew; Last Permanent Residence, Berlin, Germany; Address of Closest Relative, mother Johanna Levy at 10 Lothringersh, Berlin; Final Destination Cincinnati, Ohio.
Notice also: Bertha's line is not stamped "Non Immigrant Alien."

New York arrival manifest List L, page 2:
Has ticket to final destination; Passage Paid by uncle; Whether in Possession of $50, or if not how much is Brought, $14 written over $40; in United States Before for 6 months in 1908, New York; Joining Uncle Frank Conners, 7th and Main Streets, Cincinnati, Ohio; Health, good; Not Deformed or Crippled; Height, 5'3"; Complexion, fair; Hair, brown; Eyes, brown; No Identifying Marks of Identification; Birthplace, Zempelburg, Germany.

Why are there two arrival manifests?

It is unclear why there are two arrival manifests. However, they do provide us with a rare opportunity for there are a few differences that provide additional information about Bertha and her family.

The unused manifest is most probably List D, the one with many names (including Bertha Levy) that have been struck-through.

Differences in the arrival manifests:

Whether Bertha's uncle (List D) or mother (List L) paid her passage.
Whether she brought $50 (List D) or $14 (List L).
Whether her final destination was Uncle S. Werner, 111th Street, New York, New York (List D); or Uncle Frank Conners, 7th and Main Streets, Cincinnati, Ohio (List L).

We learn from manifest List L that Bertha stayed about 6 months during 1908 when she came over with her Uncle Samuel Levy and his family; and that she had a fair complexion, was 5'3", and had black hair and brown eyes.

I hope you enjoy exploring these ship manifests for Bertha.
Thanks for visiting! See you next time.

Tennessee Life for Robert Fleming Campbell Family

There once was a young man, Robert Fleming Campbell,

who lived in the beautiful green hills of Tennessee.

(I will put in italics our GGG...Grandparents.)

The Campbell family he had relatives all across Tennessee,

Virginia, and North and South Carolina. Large groups of the

Campbell Clan had emigrated to America by sailing across the

Atlantic Ocean from Scotland and from North Ireland.

(If you wish to read that post click here.)

The Campbells lived near the French Broad River in Jefferson County, Tennessee.

Both of Robert Fleming’s grandfathers and one of his great-grandfathers

served in the Revolutionary War and helped this land to become the United States of America.

Some interesting things about
Robert Fleming’s grandparents:

George Washington at Valley Forge

Revolutionary War Soldiers:

His Grandfather Archibald Campbell

was a Revolutionary soldier under

Colonel Campbell;
His father James Campbell was a
Private in the Revolutionary War
and a Waggoner at Valley Forge;

His Grandfather Robert Means
was a Revolutionary soldier

at Guilford House.

This means that you are what is
known as a Son or Daughter
of the Revolutionary War.

Pocahontas:

His Grandmother Betsy Robertson Means:

The legend was that Betsy was a

descendant of Pocahontas.

This means that you also could
be related to Pocahontas.

Childhood home of Jane Means in North Carolina

In 1796 James and Jane (Means) moved to Jefferson County, Tennessee where they bought 100 acres north of the French Broad River, just over three miles from the town of New Market. On the first day of May, 1804, their youngest child Robert Fleming was born in the story and a half log home they built there. He grew up on the family farm with his brother Archibald and his five sisters Elizabeth, Mary, Nancy, Margaret Emma, Jane.

It was to Robert Fleming that their parents would leave this farm as well as “all farming utensils, to be possessed by him and his heirs forever.”

(If you wish to read their wills, each written in their own beautiful handwriting, along with a transcription click here.)

On January 25, 1832, Robert Fleming married Jane C. David in Jefferson City. They had six children and made their home on the family farm that Robert Fleming had inherited. There were some years when the crops flourished. But that is not always the case, as the many, many farmers in our family know, and as we shall soon see in this story.

The couple had been married for nine years when Jane became pregnant with their sixth child. Barely 40 years old, she died eight days after giving birth to Archibald David. We don’t know the details, but pregnancy and childbirth were times of much greater risk than today. And so on November 28, 1841, the six children found themselves without a mother; Robert Fleming began to raise the children and manage their farm as a single parent of William Lafayette (9), Lodemia Ann (8), Serepta Ellen (5), James White (4), Margaret Emma (2), and Archibald David (8 days).

He was not alone, though, in the household and field work. Children on a farm begin to help in practical ways at an early age, and now they surely took on additional chores. Some of the help came from slaves, including Jake and Aunt Aggie; we shall hear more about them in another blog.

The days would have been busy for the children. What chores might they have had? Did they have pets? Did they go to school? Listed below are some of those activities. Which ones might you enjoy?

Archibald David was 8 years old in the Spring of 1850.

Springtimes were busy on the family's farm by the

French Broad River in Jefferson County, Tennessee.

So much to do!

All the children would have helped:

William (18, an adult now), Lodemia (16),

Serepta (14), James (12), Margaret (10),

and even the youngest, Archibald David (8).

By the time a young man

was eight or nine years old

he was plowing fields with a

walking plow led by one or two mules.

The family vegetable garden had to be planted;

sheep had to be shorn;

corn had to be planted

as well as wheat and oats,

Irish potatoes and sweet potatoes.

This hand held garden plow belonged to your Great-great-grandmother Hattie Campbell

How do we know that the family planted corn? It would be a good educated guess since corn is easily grown. Corn was as helpful for farmers as it had been for the Indians; it provides more nourishment per acre than most any other crop, stores well over winter months, can be used in a wide variety of tasty recipes, and can also serve as animal feed.

And we actually know that 1000 bushels of Corn were produced on the Robert Fleming Campbell farm “in the year ending June 1, 1850.” Again: How do we know that? From a special census: The 1850 United States Agricultural Census.

Line 34, 1850 Agricultural Census: 13th District, Jefferson County, Robert Campbell

Can you find the column for corn? Mules? Sheep? What else?

Since the chart is difficult to read, here is a transcription (full census page at the bottom of this post):

125 Acres of Land Improved
100 Acres of Land Unimproved
$160 Cash Value of Farm
$180 Value of Farming Implements and Machinery
6 Horses
11 Asses and Mules
5 Milch Cows
2 Working Oxen
2 Other Cattle
50 Sheep
35 Swine
$1031 Value of Live Stock
100 Bushels Wheat
Rye
1000 Bushels Indian Corn
600 Bushels Oats
Rice
Tobacco

What questions do you have when exploring the census? Here are a few I had and some of what I learned.

Why so many more pigs than cows? Pigs, or swine, took little care. They were generally left loose to wander in nearby forests where they foraged roots, fruits, and nuts.

Sheep? The 30 sheep on the farm produced 60 pounds
of wool in 1849. They would be sheared again this Spring, and any wool that was not used by the family could be bartered or sold at nearby town markets or could be shipped along one of the many Tennessee rivers as trade had continued to increase in other states and even Europe.

Milch Cows? Any kind of dairy cow.

Why so many mules? Mules work better in hot weather than other draft animals: they do not overeat or over-drink, have fewer digestive problems and can eat cheaper, coarse
food. They accept hard work easily, are less nervous than horses, and do not need an experienced person to guide them.

Would you enjoy guiding mules as they pull a field plow?

1850 US Agricultural Census: 13th District, Jefferson County,
Page 2 Line 34, Robert Campbell

Transcription:

Ginned Cotton
60 lbs Wool
Peas and Beans

100(?) Bushels Irish Potatoes
60(?) Bushels Sweet Potatoes

Barley

Buckwheat
Value of Orchard Products

Wine

Value of Market Gardens

20 lbs Butter
Cheese

13 Tons Hay

Clover Seed
Other Grass Seeds
Hops
Hemp Dew Rotted
Hemp Water Rotted
Flax
Flaxseed
Silk Cocoons
Maple Sugar
Cane Sugar
Molasses
Beeswax
$ 20 Value of Homemade Manufactures

$140 Value of Animals Slaughtered

But even the family’s 11 hard working mules could not help the family farm through weather disasters. It was flooding that would destroy the family’s crops that year. Such is part of the rhythm of farming life; times would be hard, but not impossible.

That year also brought a series of family changes. Robert Fleming married Mary Ann Hoffer on June 19, 1850, and the children went home to a new mother. Just after Christmas and New Years they welcomed a seventh child; on January 2, 1851 Henry was born.

And perhaps the biggest change of all:

in late spring of 1852

the Robert Fleming Campbell family

decided to move to Texas.

1850 US Agricultural Census

13th District, Jefferson County, Tennessee

Census taken 11 November 1850

Year ending 1 June 1850

Page 1, Robert Campbell, line 34