Not My Frank Lee – Take 2

In the midst of potty training & the holidays, I finally got a little piece of exciting mail. I received a letter from the Mayes County (OK) Genealogy Society yesterday. A copy of the following obit & a sticky note saying they “finally got the obit”. So here reads the blurry obit…

“Frank Lee, School Land Donor, Die; Funeral Thursday

(there is no date… nice of them huh? but math says it in 1976’ish)

Frank Lee, 81, pioneer resident of Lee Square community, eleven miles

southeast of Nowata ,died Monday at 4:00 p.m. after an extended illness.

Mr. Lee came from Indian Territory in 1895 from Springfield, MO.

He was well known throughout this area, and donated the acre of land

for the building of Lee Square school, which also served as a community center

for many year. He was active in and enjoyed the local singing conventions,

many of which were held at Lee Square.

Funeral services will be conducted Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Benjamin Funeral Home,

with Rev. Harvey Hardin, pastor of First Christian Church in Chelsea, officiating.

Interment will be in the Ball Cemetery.

Survivors include the wife, Mrs. Ella Lee, of the home, three sons,

Tony Lee, Springfield, MO, Florance Lee, Beneca, MO, and Frank Lee, Bartlesville;

five daughters, Mrs. Jim McMatin, Cody’s Bluff, Mrs. Paul Milam, Bartlesville,

Mrs. F. C. Myers, MIdland, TX, Mrs. T.O. Mason, Manhattan, KS, and Mrs. Edna Grant, Wollard, MO;

one sister, Mrs. J.C. Weaver, San Gabriel, CA, and one half-brother, Guy Murray.

Casket bearers include Louis Nitters [?], Lonnie Allison, Mayden Marney,

Georger Frauenberger, Bob Cox, and Lon Myers.”

Well, I can say this is NOT our Frank Lee. Good news is that this little piece of paper saves me a lot of endless unproductive research. The above Frank Lee, buried at Ball Cemetery with his first wife Maude P[auline] Lee. The above Frank has a son Frank of Bartlesville, OK in 1976’ish who was born 1922,… our Frank Lee was born 1900 & was definitely not living in Bartlesville, OK in 1976’ish. Our times lines don’t match up at all!

The 1895 date out of “Indian Territory” jumped out at me, but they came from Springfield, MO. That isn’t what we have known to this date.

The truth is that our Neuhaus family connection moved from Milwaukee, WI to Chicago, IL, at the same time that their mysterious “daughter” would have been pregnant with our Frank Lee b. 1900. They would have had to have met in Milwaukee or Chicago before any move to OK.

My research now turns to the old-fashioned way of requesting death records from the Cook County Clerk. Both daughters & the wife of Emil Neuhaus died before him. There has to be a record of something somewhere… and a lot of Chicago papers to search. I also need to track down the correct marriage for our Herman Neuhaus & see if there is any living cousins that can give us a helpful hint :)

I am going to work this Lee year to the very end :D

The Lee Brickwall Update

So after months of research & return of many “checks”, it boils down to this:

1. I still know nothing of the Herbert Frank Lee said to be born about 1875 in Milwaukee, WI; the father of Frank Herbert Lee born 22 September 1900 in Pryor Creek, OK.

2. I was able to locate the Neuhaus family & verify the spelling of their name. However, one daughter remains “unknown” & still the very possible mysterious “wife of Herbert Frank Lee”.

3. However, after much research on dates & exact location at the exact dates, I do believe that if indeed the family story is true (& so far has been able to prove most of it) then Herbert Frank Lee & “Mysterious” Neuhaus did indeed meet in Milwaukee, WI, before 1900! There are many Lees in the area  & I can locate the Neuhaus family in Milwaukee from their immigration until their move to Chicago in 1899.

But the question that remains, besides who is Herbert Frank Lee & “mysterious” Neuhaus wife, but why did they go to Pryor Creek, OK, prior to statehood in 1907 & not with the Neuhaus family into Chicago if she was pregnant? Was it the land rush? Was he Cherokee, as the family story holds?

I did however, get this great little letter that said that though she found nothing in Pryor, OK, for the Frank Lee I requested, she found these individuals:

“There is a Frank Lee buried in Nowata Co., OK, at the Ball Cemetery. His dates are 1868-1950. This is probably not your Frank. He is buried next to Maud Pauline Lee 1874-1937. There are three other Lee’s in that same cemetery, Bert S. Lee 1891-?, Bonnie Lee 1898-1970, and Larry Allen Lee (stillborn in 1942). I found several references to the Neuhaus family in Chicago.”

Very interesting! There is no Lees that we are aware of in our family that go by the names aforementioned. However, the references to the Neuhaus family in Chicago has peaked my interests.  What do you think?

1950 Lee “Homecoming”

I found this of the Mansfield, OH Newspaper this evening. It’s a great clipping putting together a whole circle of the Lee family: Clarence (C.H.), his daughter Diane,  his mother “Mrs. Carl Burkett”, his brother Frank (Raymond) & his father Frank (Herbert) Lee.

Article reads (including the bad grammatical errors & wrong middle initial): 

“Homecoming –

  There’s been a lot of reminiscing done in several Mansfield homes recently with the return of one member of family and his daughter for a visit here. Clarence Lee and his daughter, Diana, of Somerville, Mass, are visiting at the home of Lee’s mother, Mrs. Carl Burkett, 321 East First St, and his brother, Frank Lee, and family of 971 Burger Ave. Lee’s visit here marked the first time he and his brother Frank, had seen each other in five and a half years, since both men spend six years, in the Navy. The family circle was completed when Frank E Lee, of Toledo them men’s father, visited both of them here. Lee and his daughter also have been visiting relative and friends in Willard.” 

That’s Not My Frank Lee

After much rereading of the cover letter & reading between the lines of the information I received the other day, I opted to search out the Frank Lee that was a clerk in the Milwaukee City Directory.

It turns out this Frank Lee was born about 1877 in Connecticut. He also claims his parents were born in the same state. In the Wisconsin State Census in 1905, Frank Lee is single as well. Not widowed or divorced, but single. So this Frank Lee is not my Frank Lee.

1900 Federal Census in Mount Pleasant Racine, WI, I also found a Herbert Lee, also single, born September 1874 in WI, his parents were both listed as born in England. No occupation listed, nor any other clues. This isn’t my Frank Lee either!

I find a Frank & Clara A Lee in Portage, Columbia, Wisconsin in the 1900 Federal Census. He as born in WI, father born in Germany, & mother born in England. Clara was born in WI, both parents were born in Germany. Things seem to be adding up… they have two children, daughters, Mrytle & Ethel. Things were looking promising until the 1910 & 1920 Federal Censuses where they never moved from Columbia County & there is never a son born to them :( So this is not my Frank Lee either!

How & why would my Frank Lee manage to slip off the grid of any paper trail unless he was “native american” as the family history claims? (Open to any suggestions!) 

Who’s The Expert?

Oh man! I finally have gotten bits & pieces of my mail from Japan to the States! In my mailbox was a thick self-addressed envelope from the Milwaukee Historical Society! How exciting!

I of course, when I found the time, tore into the envelope with much anticipation! I couldn’t wait to see what clues lied ahead for me….

Emil Neuhaus… Ok… I forgot that I had requested additional information on Emil. I was disappointed it wasn’t Frank Lee, but I still was hoping there was something on his the third child I haven’t identified….

WHAT?! I was so upset :( After looking over 8 pages of Ancestry census printouts, state census print outs, immigration card (from Ancestry) & a small list of directory listings (not as complete as mine)… I was ready to just light it with a match!

I stopped & reread the cover letter to see that they had also researched for Frank H. Lee, born 1875 Milwaukee, upon my requests & found nothing. Nothing on the birth index from 1870-1880, nothing in the marriage index for grooms from 1890-1905, no naturalization papers, noting in the Milwaukee Sentinel Newspaper before 1890…

The did find the same city directory listing I had, however, mine were more conclusive with a nationality mark or indication. There appears to a Frank H. Lee that appears around 1894, a clerk, living at 26 29th in Milwaukee, WI. the last listing for this same Frank H. Lee was in 1899, the same year in which Emil Neuhaus & his family moved to Chicago, IL.

I guess it’s time for me to seriously contemplate the point in which I am a professional genealogist. I mean I already had everything in this “packet” I received on Emil Neuhaus. Hmmm…..

Still can’t seem to pinpoint a positive match Frank H. Lee & a Neuhaus daughter together in the same location…

Wilbert Raymond Tuttle Connections

Out of curiosity… I opted to seek out & understand the man who gave such pivotal information on Frank Herbert Lee’s Delayed Certificate of Birth…

Mr. Wilbert Raymond Tuttle, born 9 October 1871 in Illinois.

“Bert” as he was known, was only a distant attachment to our Lee family, but left a lasting impression. Reports & stories have left “Bert” as a mere “acquaintance” to the Lee family as a whole, but he was closer than that I believe, especially with his marriage to Miss Marie Neuhaus.

Because the Lee family hasn’t clearly expressed a understandable connection with Bert, this detachment might be reality now. However, though his marriage to Marie Neuhaus lasted only about 8 years, it was when Frank Herbert Lee was a teenager becoming a man in our society…a truly impressionable time. Wilbert isn’t reported as being an accepted father figure to Frank Herbert Lee, but rather a “family friend”. However, it has been said Frank would refer back to him over time: “Bert is doing… Bert said…, etc.” He must have been much closer than believed… Especially since he was contacted & provided information for Frank 20 years after Marie died!

Secondly, Wilbert was the last living “relative” Frank had been close to by 1950…

In my research, I found I was quickly stonewalled again with Mr. Tuttle. After & before the 1920 Federal Census, he’s nowhere to be pinpointed. Immediately I wonder what these Lees & Mr. Tuttle have in common! Why are they missing in common records?

That was until a late night google search landed me in the hands of Cindy. Her listing online was a simple excerpt of some family facts surrounding Mr. Tuttle & his first wife, stating that Wilbert Raymond Tuttle was born 1869…

This was partly the issue I kept running into… a birthdate that wasn’t matching up. I could find a Wilbert Tuttle born 1869 or 1871 but never the acclaimed 1873… However, I was committed to my whim & contact her via her online page. Turns out Cindy had been stonewalled with Wilbert Tuttle after 1900!

We shared a few stories, including Bert’s hard personality & commonly disliked demeanor :) After a full night of research I was able to link up our Wilbert Raymond Tuttle to “Cindy’s” Wilbert Raymond Tuttle, via his brother Rollo Tuttle who seemed to go by Robert Tuttle in the end, & his children throughout the census years until I found them in the same household with John Milton & Eliza (Lyda) Tuttle in 1880. Bert remained close to his Mother & his Brother’s family, even a Taylor member (Joseph Taylor) was rejoined with the Tuttles in 1930 in Chicago, IL, solidifying all our doubts in belief.

Turns our that our Wilbert Raymond Tuttle was married prior to Miss Marie Neuhaus, at age 22, to Carrie Taylor. He had three children (May, Pearl, & Earl) whom, after Carrie died about 1903, were left in the care of her parents in Wisconsin, and was hardly heard from again while he finished out his life in Chicago, IL,…

Where we pick him up in our Lee family :)

I personally can’t account for Bert’s hard personality. However, losing two wives so young in each marriage had to be hard to accept. Living with his mother always so near & a father that died early in his life had to also play a role in demeanor. He is believed to have died around 1953 in Chicago, IL… He seems to have outlived everyone around him…

Thank You Cindy for Sharing!

Earl Tuttle with his father Wilbert Raymond Tuttle.

The Folds of Time

You have to be kidding me! Is this really possible? I’m pretty sure it’s illegal in some natural set of laws!!

After much clicking & back clicking & redefining my search perimeters… I find an immigration document for…wait for it… No…wait…are you ready?

 

Who is the third child? Who!?

Clara Neuhaus,… Herman, & Marie… but who is the one in the middle… in the folds?

On my photo editing software & some manipulation of my computer screen I tried to see whatever I could see, but I still can’t make out much of anything other than there is another person with them… uggh! To me it appears to be… Heinrichs Emil…. The father? This is definitely not “Gladys”… Is the third child lost in the folds & age of time?

What’s your opinion? Think there’s another lost in the folds of time?

The 1900 Census said 3 children were all still living… Who is #3?

In 1884 even the eldest child would have still been too young to be left behind in Germany,… And it appears to be a single number, possibly “9”. Thats definitely not Emil’s age….

The manifest was folded & looks to have been very well weathered, so the crease of the fold is dark & can’t be opened completely, thus the scanned microfilmed image lends no help ;Q

Many families experienced what we call “chain immigration” where a family member comes first, or a few come, then a few more, or the rest of the family until they are all immigrated to their new homeland. However, Emil & his family were able to travel together.

You’re probably wondering why Clara is listed as head of household & not Emil, huh? Clara on many records is 10 years Emil’s senior, making her the eldest family member. Usually when making a list of persons they were listed in age/birth order.

Emil & his family arrive in New York on the 18th of October in 1884. [sic: Emil claims he came to America in 1885 on both his census & January 1885 on his naturalization card…which I presume is when he reached Wisconsin.) The family is said to have originated for this trip from Saxony (Kingdom State). They departed from Bremen, Germany, where the ship came up a large river & then made its way back down this channel to the open sea setting sail for their new homeland… America of freedom & riches.

They made a stop at Southampton, England before making it to New York. They embarked with 874 passengers on board to make about a 19 day journey aboard a steam liner with 4 masts. Can you imagine?

Why did they end up in Wisconsin? What lead them to America in 1884, besides the obvious world wide wave of propaganda? Was there more family in America that they met up with? So many questions… And when does this get us back to Frank Lee & his family?

Always A Little Proof In The Pudding

After finding Marie Neuhaus Tuttle’s death certificate, I finally had a clue as to her parents & her family prior to the Lee or Tuttle connections.

The family story held Frank Herbert Lee was raised by “family” in Chicago, IL…on his mother’s side. They were “German” & were “printers” there in Chicago. Remember, every family story is like a good game of “operator” or “telephone”, but there are always hidden facts in the story :)

With Emil Neuhaus, wife Clara, from Marie’s death record, I went hunting!

 

A German Printer in Chicago, IL

TADA! The 1900 US Federal Census shows that Emil Neuhaus was living in Chicago, IL with his wife, Clara, and one son, Herman. They were all born in Germany! And the men are working as printers!!

It also notes that Clara was the mother of 3 children in which all 3 are living in 1900. Three? Well Marie is one, Herman is two, … who is number three? Is that our mysterious “Gladys” on Frank Herbert Lee’s (1900) marriage record to Mardell Beamer?

After further research I find a 1895 Census for the Sate of Wisconsin with Emil Neuhause & 2 males & 3 females living in Milwaukee, WI! So the other child is a female, this has to be our “Gladys”, biological mother of Frank Herbert Lee? And in Milwaukee? Could it be that Frank Lee & Gladys actually meet in Milwaukee & married, then went to OK, where they had their son in Pryor Creek, OK?

So how did Clara Marie Neuhause get on Frank’s delayed birth certificate? I am “hypothesizing” that it was twisted with Wilbert Tuttle. A man in his 80’s at the time of the affidavit, was probably a little confused. Having met & married Marie Neuahaus with Frank already in her care, to him she was always his mother. She was most likely born Clara Marie, named after her mother. To keep the name confusion to a minium she went solely by Marie Neuhaus. Marie was indeed born in 1882. These are all facts that were hidden in the family story line.

Now to try & find the Neuhause immigration & migration to the US, WI, & IL. Where is the missing child? Is she “Gladys”? Where in Germany are they from? Why did they come to America? And how did they get to Wisconsin & then to IL to become printers?

Death of Marie Tuttle

FamilySearch.org wins my heart this week! Another happy dance!

While I am still waiting on the official copy from the state of Illinois, Familysearch.org just gave me a visual copy of Mrs. Marie Tuttle’s Death Certificate!

According to this death record, Marie Tuttle was born Marie Neuhaus on April 14, 1882, in Germany. Her father was Emil Neuhaus & her mother was Clara Neuhaus, both also born in Germany.

Most likely she was also Clara [Marie], but to keep the name confusion down she went solely by Marie.

Marie died November 13, 1921 in Chicago, IL, due to peritonitis [sic; abdominal pain] with complications from salpingitis [sic: inflammation of the fallopian tubes] at 6:40 PM. She was buried at Arlington [Heights] Cemetery on November 16, 1921.

The informant was Wilbert Raymond Tuttle, her husband from the 1920 Census.

It is appearing that Marie Tuttle is our Clara Marie Neuhaus Tuttle, listed on Frank Herbert Lee’s delayed birth certificate. This doesn’t help the mystery of Frank’s parents, but when put into a timeline perspective, Wilbert Tuttle was in his 80’s when he gave that affidavit of personal knowledge to Frank’s birth. Any amount of confusion could have set in…

The fun part… my husband’s line definitely has a strong German lineage from various sides of this Lee line!

Off to find Emil & Clara Neuhause… :D

Delayed Certificate of Birth

One of the greatest joys of genealogy is finding the documents that verify your lineage & give you clues to the next generational line. I usually get a document & do a “happy dance” for a few minutes, before catching my breath, & sitting down to scour it for all the obvious & hidden information.

Image provided by a relative :) Thank You!

Delayed Certificate of Birth by 51 YEARS!

When it came to Frank Herbert Lee (the son) born 1900 in Pryor Creek, OK, I was certain that his birth certificate was the key to his elusive parents: Frank Herbert Lee (1875) & Clara Marie [sic: Gladys] Nuahause. That was until I got it…

His birth certificate is a Delayed Certificate of Birth… by 51 YEARS! 51 years? WOW!

My immediate first question is: “Why 51 years later?” My second question is: “Where’s the first or original certificate of birth?”

Frank Herbert Lee had to go through a lot of effort to accomplish this feat. He had to have a lot of documentation & witnesses to quasi prove his birth. So the mystery remains in tack about the events that lead to his brith in Pryor Creek, OK, 1900.

What I found even more interesting than a need for a delayed birth certificate just a few years before his death (1955), was that he was able to serve in the US Army without a birth certificate?! I quickly looked to my husband (Navy dude himself) & asked if & how this was even possible. He asked me if there was a war going in during his enlistment…. Yes, of course! World War II. He then assure me, it was possible. (As I still frown & scrunch up my forehead in doubt…)

Another interesting point is that the affidavit of personal knowledge was given by “Wilbert R. Tuttle”. The same man he was boarding with in 1920 in Chicago, IL, right before his marriage in OH the same year. Though some information seems incorrect on the census, & he is listed as just a “boarder” to Wilbert Tuttle, could this be the family he was living with in IL? I presume Wilbert Tuttle had to be close to Frank Herbert Lee to provide an affidavit of personal knowledge, right?

Also all his “witnesses” are from about 1920 in his life & onward. So, is all his family & close family friends dead by 1920? So, how “factual” is a 51 years delayed birth certificate?

I suppose the “original” certificate of birth may have never existed. Oklahoma wasn’t a state until 1907, therefore, before 1907 there was no law mandating vital record reporting. Another possible scenario is if he was indeed part Cherokee, his record of birth wouldn’t be with the state at all.

What I do know is a stork didn’t just drop him off & he wasn’t born from dirt under a rock. He has a story I can’t wait to uncover!

NOTE: this is a document to prove birth first & foremost when it was created, not his lineage. Thus, the mystery continues….