Out of the blue, an actual picture appears of Frank and Elizabeth.
My Father, the Anchor Baby
My father enters the record books — 15 days old and in the New York State 1925 Census.
1930 and all SEEMS well
All seems well in 1930 for the family of four at 70 First Avenue in Manhattan.
The 1940 Census - WTF?
Just when I thought everything seemed OK with this genealogy project, our WTF moment.
A Certificate of Lunacy
Frank slips into the abyss and lands at the Rockland Asylum.
Yikes. Rockland?
The Rockland Asylum would appear to be a pretty scary place.
Official Diagnosis = Dementia Praecox
The official diagnosis is in — dementia praecox
A BOGO Commitment Offer
I initially thought this must be some sort of mistake. What are the odds? TWO unknown and mysterious grandparents who BOTH wind up in the Asylum?
Did My Father Know Any of This?
How does a child cope with the loss of BOTH parents?
75 Years Apart, Elizabeth and I Visit Buffalo
My grandmother likely spent a lot of her life here; I got two nights in a luxury room.
Can You Experience the “Loss” of Someone You Never Knew?
I won’t pretend that the loss of unknown grandparents is on the level of the death of someone you love. After all, we didn’t even know these people. But it is something.
Eugenics and Shame
The spirit of the times + new Immigrant + shame = family secrets