Journey to His Past

FACT	DATE	PLACE OF RESIDENCE	ENUMERATION DISTRICT/PAGE ID./DWELLING
Birth	29 Oct 1863	Havana, Schuyler, New York, United States
Census	1870	Grand Rapids Ward 3, Kent, Michigan, United States	/61/477
Census	1880	Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States	139/324A/223
Marriage	3 Oct 1885	Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States
Census	1900	Lowell Township, Kent, Michigan, United States	94/13B/293
Census	1910	Lowell, Kent, Michigan, United States	0128/1B/20
Census	1920
City Directory	1921	Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States	p384
Census	1930	Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States	79/7A/81
Census	1940	Lowell, Kent, Michigan, United States	41-23/15A/Line 27
Death	28 June 1940	Lowell, Kent, Michigan, United States

The Grand Rapids Public Library has 3 x 5 cards filed alphabetically by last name in an old card catalog file.  These surname card files have been a wealth of information for Kirk's Grand Rapids roots.   The information that I found for Corcoran, Timothy F. is a funeral notice.  In addition to the funeral notice being on the card, they put the name of the newspaper and date of publication.  I have found this to be a very useful source to check.  If you have Grand Rapids and surrounding area research to do, I recommend checking out this resource at the Main Grand Rapids Public Library on Level 4.

CORCORAN, TIMOTHY F
GR HERALD 20 APRIL 1952

CORCORAN- Requiem High Mass for Timothy F. Corcoran will be sung at 10 a.m.  The Holy Name society, relatives and friends will recite the Rosary Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock at the O'Briens Colonial Home, where Mr. Corcoran reposes.  Interment Rest Lawn Memorial Park.

Howard James Corcoran, son of Timothy Corcoran and Helen Corcoran, nee Schmitt was born 9 Feb 1907 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  He died 21 May 1960 in Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan. Howard is buried in Restlawn Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Michigan next to his parents.

You have probably heard of high school's that vote for Most Likely to Succeed, Most Talented or Most Popular, but have you ever heard of the Class Optimist?  I hadn't, but Kirk's grandfather, Bert Corcoran, was voted that in his senior year.

27 members of Grand Rapids, Michigan Boys' Catholic Central High School held a mock election.  A newspaper article reported the election results in the Grand Rapids Press 25 April 1922 edition on page 11; column 4 and 5.

Can you imagine being voted as the shark, rough neck, woman-hater, or baby?  Things have certainly changed since 1922.  High school's today would never be allowed to use derogatory labels.  The teacher in me noticed that six of the students weren't voted for anything.  I guess it isn't as noticeable in a larger school, but I wonder how they felt about being left out.  Another thing that time has changed, I guess.  They probably didn't give it another thought.


  Here is the clipping:

Transcription:
CATHOLIC CENTRAL HAS SENIOR MOCK ELECTION

Twenty-seven members of the junior class of Boys' Catholic Central High school learned Monday how classmates regard them when the annual mock election was held.  The results include:

Most Popular, William Grant;
handsomest, Ronald Chinnock;
shark, James Withey;
class pet, Harold Myler;
class pugilist, Ralph DeVries;
optimist, Bert Corcoran;
pessimist, Charles Guinon;
athlete, Francis Slattery;
fashion plate, Edward Symanski
cutup, August Annerino;
dancer, Michael McCue;
farmer, John Collins;
rough neck, Frank Holland;
woman hater, Joseph Zematis;
bluffer, Wilson Madden;
artist, Leo Van Gorp;
poet, Francis Manikowaki;
chauffeur, Gerald Joyce;
baby, Joseph Morrison;
musician, Archie Foster;
wit, Bernard Morrisey,

The family raves about Grandma Betty's, Kirk's mom, Spaghetti Sauce.  Her granddaughter, Kirsten, asked for the recipe so she could make it and loves it.  She loves how her house smells while it is cooking.  Here is the recipe for you to enjoy.  I can attest that it truly does taste delicious!

Once I find the vital records of an ancestor, I like to dig deeper into their life.  I find the details are what makes the ancestor come to life.  When my husband and I visited Downer's Grove Public Library in Illinois we were able to find information on his great-great grandfather, Quirin Schmitt, that helped put the flesh on the bones, so to speak. 

Once I have identified an ancestor, I start my research by finding the ancestor I am researching in the census records.  Usually, I start with the most recent census date and work backwards.  I am creating tables for each ancestor with the census information.  This helps me to see where I am missing information and what next steps I need to take in my research.  Below is the table for Kirk's great grandmother, Helen Schmitt, who married Timothy Corcoran.  I have been unable to find Helen Schmitt in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census.  She was not recorded in the home of her father and she wasn't married yet to be included with Timothy Corcoran.  I have added that to my to do list and hope to locate her one of these days.

FACT	DATE	PLACE OF RESIDENCE	ENUMERATION DISTRICT/PAGE ID./DWELLING
Birth	16 Aug 1882	Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States
Census	1900	Unable to locate; not in father’s home
Marriage	5 June 1900	Pullman, Cook, Illinois, United States
Census	1910	Monroe, Newaygo, Michigan, United States	113/2B/22
Census	1920	Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States	82/3B/63
Census	1930	Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States	41-79/10B/159
Census	1940	Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States	86-145/5A/107
Death	10 Apr 1949	Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States

FACT	DATE	PLACE OF RESIDENCE	ENUMERATION DISTRICT/PAGE ID./DWELLING
Birth	27 Oct 1876	Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States
Census	1880
Census	1900
Census	1910	Monroe, Newaygo, Michigan, United States	113/2B/22
Census	1920	Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States	82/3B/63
Census	1930	Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States	41-79/10B/159
Census	1940	Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States	86-145/5A/107
Death	17 Apr 1952	Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States

Transcription:

QURIN SCHMITT OLD RESIDENT OF VILLAGE, PASSES

Was Born in France in 1853 and Came to Downers Grove 50 Years Ago

Funeral services were held Monday morning at St. Joseph's Catholic church in North Main street, for Quirin Schmitt, who passed away Saturday morning, March 12 at the home of his daughter, Miss Lucy, in East Maple avenue after a long illness.  Solemn requiem mass was said by Dr. Eneas B. Goodwin, pastor of the church and burial was made at SS Peter and Paul Cemetery, Naperville at the side of his first wife who died twenty eight years ago.  Mr. Schmitt has been ill since last November and for many weeks was a patient at the Hinsdale sanitarium. Four weeks ago he was removed to the home of his daughter.  

Quirin Schmitt was born April 30, 1853 at Freisenheim, Alsace, France, the youngest of seven children of Raymond and Theresa Schmitt.  He attended the French schools and came to the United States with an older brother, George, when he was twenty years of age.  Landing in New York, he lived there for a year and then came to Downers Grove where he has lived for fifty three years.

Shortly after coming to the village he worked at the wagon makers trade for a man by the name of Walters whose shop was at the southeast corner of Maple avenue and Main street.  Later he and Peter Wertz went into business.  This was in the building at Maple and Main now occupied by the blacksmith shop.  They moved their business to Grove street, west of Main and were in business together a number of years.

Mr. Schmitt is known to most of the people of the community probably better as a liveryman than as a wagon maker.  He bought the livery stable in Grove street from George Mochel, who now lives in Hinsdale, and conducted it for a number of years before selling out to Chas. Baker.  After Mr. Baker purchased a location in West Railroad street and erected a building of his own, Mr. Schmitt again entered the livery and boarding stable business and conducted it until the growing popularity of the automobile made it no longer profitable.

He was married in 1874 to Miss Barbara Schumpp and four daughters, all of whom survive, were born to this union.  They are Mrs. Eugenia Pfaff, of Benton avenue; Miss Lucy Smith, Miss Ida Smith, and Mrs. Helen Corcoran of Grand Rapids, Mich.

Mrs. Schmitt passed away twenty eight years ago and in 1902 Mr. Schmitt was married to Bernice Carpenski, who with one daughter, Miss Antionette, survives him.

He also leaves a brother, George, of Forest Park and a brother, Amand, whose home is in Besanson, France.

This obituary is one of the great ones in my genealogy collection.  Prior to this obituary, I hadn't know much about Quirin Schmitt, Kirk's great, great grandfather.  Kirk and I, on one of our trips to visit our daughter, Kirsten, in Chicago, decided to take a side trip to Downers Grove, Illinois.  We went to the Downer's Grove library and did a little research.  It is here that I found Quirin's obituary.  I found other information that corroborates much of what was in his obituary.  Quirin Schmitt was an early resident of Downer's Grove and information on him can be found in early histories of the area.

I was able to research Quirin further from the information in his obituary.  I found marriage, census, death and cemetery records using the information above.  I was able to research his wives and children, too.  It doesn't get much better than that.

Do you have an obituary that is filled with genealogical treasures?  I don't have many as complete as this one, but the ones I do have, I cherish.