Reading over documents and written family stories, I have seen an evolution in the spelling of Carl Anderson’s name: Karl Andersen (Norway), Carl Andersen (1901) and Carl Anderson (1930). I don’t know why he changed the spelling of his name. My Uncle, Ernest Andersen, thought it may have been to “Americanize” it. In its wake, some of Karl’s grandchildren go by “Anderson” and others “Andersen...
The Family Farm Hurv to the Andersen Family in Froland, Norway
The Hurv farm was in Froland, a municipality about 10 miles north of Grimstad. It borders Grimstad and Arendal in Aust Agder county. In 1968, family members still lived on the farm. It is spelled Fróðaland (“Froo’s (farm) land”) in Old Norse. Grimstad is a coastal town in southern Norway. According to Odd Ronning Andersen, a cousin I corresponded with in 1968/1969, Norwegians used their farm...
Ed Murphy: Gay Blackmailer and Activist
Ed Murphy is not a relation, but he’s an interesting story in my life. Ed was an integral figure in the “Chickens and the Bulls” homosexual blackmail scandal in the mid-1960s. He was probably involved in a series of blackmail schemes run by the Mob out of the Stonewall Inn in New York as well. He stole, and threatened and blackmailed most of his life. He got away with it...
Mom and Dad’s Burial
Three years ago this week, on June 14, 2018, we buried Mom and Dad in Rosedale Cemetery in Linden, New Jersey. Both my parents had originally been cremated, but my sister, Sharon, and I decided to bring them back home to New Jersey for burial. Mom and Dad both grew up, met, married, and started a family in Elizabeth, a town about five miles away. There is a special closure in coming...
Frank Burton Doherty, Jr.
Frank “Doc” Doherty was my father’s older brother. He was born on July 19, 1920 in Hammond, Indiana. I’m guessing the “Doc” nickname comes from the pronunciation of “Doherty” as “Docherty,” from the original Irish, “O’Dochartaigh.” Frank Doherty was a big bear of a man: handsome, charming, with a wonderful smile. He was, like my father, a “man’s man.” One story my father told me...
Edna Nason Doherty
Edna Nason was born in Hammond, Indiana on April 24, 1898. Her father, Fred R. Nason, was born on July 27, 1861 in Girard, Pennsylvania. Her mother was Florence Curtis, or Curtiss, born in 1864. Her grandfather was David Nason, born on November 26, 1820 in Otego, New York. His wife was Eunice Godfrey of Girard, Pennsylvania. Family names were important to my grandmother. Her oldest son...
Mary Paloske
Mary Paloske died or was interred on April 9, 1947. She was 43 (or 49) years old. Easter that year was celebrated on April 6. It was her last holiday. I believe that she died from a stroke, and that her death was unexpected. Her father, Frank Paloske (or Pavlosk) deeply grieved her passing, and spent extravagantly on her funeral. Mary Paloske was born on November 27, 1904. (The 1910 U.S...
Frank Burton Doherty
Frank Burton Doherty was born on March 5, 1886 in South Boardman, Kalkaska County, Michigan. He was the son of Albert Burton Doherty and Rosetta May Rossman. He was the grandson of Alexander Andre Doherty, the immigrant from Ireland who settled in northern Michigan in the 1840s. Frank Doherty grew up on a farm near Fife Lake, Michigan. He was the oldest child and son. His brothers...
Ruth Ann Anderson Barry
Ruth Anderson was born on March 13, 1928. She was the fourth child of Clarence Anderson and Anna Pavlosk. Aunt Ruth, (“Annie Ruth” my toddler version) was my godmother, and my favorite aunt growing up. I saw her every couple of months when my parents made trips to Elizabeth for shopping and visits. Those trips always included a stop to her apartment in 331 Elmora Avenue, in the Elmora section...
Grace Monica Anderson Townsend
Grace Anderson was born on November 23, 1935. She was the younger twin. Her older sister was Gertrude Emily Anderson. Gertrude died on April 15, 1936 of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Aunt Grace said that she missed her twin all her life. Grace Anderson was the youngest child of Clarence Anderson and Anna Pavlosk. When she was born, her parents lived at 13 Atlantic Avenue, Elizabeth, New...