New York City

The $75 Poodle Takes the Night Off

On 25 July 1893, the New York World published an article entitled “Where was the $75 poodle?”

The article is about a burglary that week at the saloon of Walter Noteboom, my 3rd great-grandfather.  The article states:

Burglars Robbed His Master in Park Row and He Did Not Object

When Walter Noteboom, who keeps a saloon at No. 143 Park Row, returned from Germany about four months agao he brought a poodle dog for which he had paid $75.  The poodle in Germany had enjoyed the reputation of being an excellent watch-dog.  Since his arrival in this country the poodle has slept at night in Mr. Noteboom’s saloon.

Somehow or other the poodle must have had a night off on Sunday, because burglars entered Mr. Noteboom’s place before midnight, or early Monday morning, and stole $5 in cash, seventeen boxes of cigars, some clothing and several bottle of brandy.  The burglars passed through the hallway of No. 265 William street and scaled a seven-feet fence.  Then they forced the door of the kitchen at No. 143 Park Row and cut a panel through the door leading into the barroom.

Now, one has to wonder how a burglary and a poodle made the news in 1893… At that time, Park Row was also known as Newspaper Row.  The New York World Building was located at 53-63 Park Row, just down the street from Walter Noteboom’s bar.  Maybe the editor or journalist who wrote this piece (there is no byline) was a regular patron of the bar.  Much of this area has been razed, with the New York World Building being demolished in 1955 to make way for a car onramp for the Brooklyn Bridge.  What is left of Park Row is closed to car traffic today, due to its proximity to One Police Plaza and New York’s City Hall.

Related articles

Marriage Certificates of Walter Noteboom

I just the received the marriage certificates for Walter Noteboom and his first and third wives.

The Marriage Certificate of Walter Noteboom and Beta Friederike Christiane Nullmeyer

Certificate of Marriage.

State of New York

Certificate 2042

I hereby Certify, that Wolter Noteboom [and] Beta Friederika Christiane Nullmeyer; were joined in Marriage by me, in accordance with the Laws of the State of New York, in the City of [blank] this 11th day of November 1876.

Witnesses to the Marriage,

A. Giese

[illegible] Lermann

Attest Fr. W.T. Steimle

Official Station Pastor of the German Ev. Cath. Zion Church [Zion German Evangelical Lutheran Church]

Residence 391 Jay Street

  1. Full Name of Groom, Wolter Noteboom
  2. Place of Residence, New York
  3. Age, 32 years
  4. No
  5. Occupation, Shipping Clerk
  6. Place of Birth, Winschoten, Netherlands
  7. Father’s Name, Wolter Noteboom
  8. Mother’s maiden Name, Hinderina de Weerdt
  9. of Groom’s Marriage, 1
  10. Full Name of Bride, Beta Friedericke Christiane Nullmeyer

Maiden Name, if a Widow, ——–

  1. Place of Residence, Brooklyn
  2. Age, 26
  3. No
  4. Place of Birth, Bremen, Germany
  5. Father’s Name, Albert Nullmeyer
  6. Mother’s Maiden Name, Meta Dorothea Koch
  7. of Bride’s Marriage, 1

N.B. – At Nos. 4 and 13 state if Colored; if other races, specify what.  At Nos. 9 and 17 state whether 1st, 2d, 3d, &c., Marriage of each.

Brooklyn, 11 November 1876

We, the Groom and Bride named in the above Certificate, hereby Certify that the information given is correct, to the best of our knowledge and belief.

Wolter Noteboom, Groom

Beta Nullmeyer, Bride

Signed in the presence of A. Giese

And Charles Lermann

Canarsia L T

47 - Walter Noteboom marriage certificate to Beta Nullmeyer - 1

47 – Walter Noteboom marriage certificate to Beta Nullmeyer – 1

47 - Walter Noteboom marriage certificate to Beta Nullmeyer - 2

47 – Walter Noteboom marriage certificate to Beta Nullmeyer – 2

The Marriage Certificate of Walter Noteboom and Kate Dulk

City of New York

State of New York

Certificate Number 3938

I hereby certify, that, Walter Noteboom and Katie A. Dülk were joined in Marriage by me in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, in the Borough of Brooklyn, City of New York, this 25 day of June 1901.

Witnesses to the Marriage

Michael Dülk

Anna H.E. Noteboom

Signature of the Person performing the Ceremony

F.S. Moore

 

Date of Marriage June 25th, 1901
Groom’s First Name Wolter Noteboom
Residence 64 Van Siclen Ave.
Age 56
Color White
Single or Widowed Widowed
Birthplace Holland
Father’s Name Wolter Noteboom
Mother’s Maiden Name Henderina De Weerdt
Number of Groom’s Marriage Third
Bride’s Full Name Katie A. Dülk
Residence 168 Schenck Ave.
Age 39
Color White
Single or Widowed Single
Maiden Name if a Widow ———–
Birthplace New York City
Father’s Name Peter Dülk
Mother’s Maiden Name Anna Brill
Number of Bride’s Marriage First
Name of Person performing ceremony F.S. Moore
Official Station Rector [illegible]
Residence 122 [illegible] Ave.

 

We, the Groom and Bride named in this Certificate, hereby certify, that the information given therein is correct, to the best of our knowledge and belief.

Walter Noteboom, Groom

Katie A. Dülk, Bride

Signed in the presence of Michael Dülk

And Anna H.E. Noteboom

47 - Walter Noteboom marriage certificate to Kate Dulk - 1

47 – Walter Noteboom marriage certificate to Kate Dulk – 1

47 - Walter Noteboom marriage certificate to Kate Dulk - 2

47 – Walter Noteboom marriage certificate to Kate Dulk – 2

Related articles

Death Certificates for Walter and Christiane Noteboom

I got two death certificates in the mail yesterday – one for Walter Noteboom and one for Christiane Noteboom.

Walter Noteboom Death Certification, NYC Municipal Archives Image ©Larisa Thomas, Roots of Kinship

Walter Noteboom Death Certification, NYC Municipal Archives
Image ©Larisa Thomas, Roots of Kinship

Transcript of Walter’s Death Certificate:

Date: 14 Dec 1913
Surname: Noteboom Given Name: Walter Sex: M
Street: Schenck Avenue Street #: 247 City: Brooklyn County: Kings
State/Province: New York Country: United States
Place of Death: Lutheran Hospital
Marital Status: Married Color/Race: White Age: 70 Occupation: Retired
Birth Place: Netherlands Birth Date: 12 November 1844 Spouse: K. Noteboom
Father: Wolter Noteboom Birth Place: Netherlands
Mother: Henderina de Wirdt Birth Place: Netherlands
Informant: not listed
Cause(s) of Death: Exhaustion following operation for removal of prostate gland
Contributary Cause(s): Chronic hypertrophic prostatitis , chronic cystitis
Duration of Illness: 3 ds.
Physician: W. Haybolt Address: 114 Pennsylvania Avenue
Burial Date: 17 December 1913 Burial Place: Evergreens Cemetery
Undertaker: [illegible] Moore Address: 64 [illegible] Ave
Remarks: I hereby certify that this foregoing particulars (Nos. 1 to 14 inclusive) are correct as near as the same can be ascertained, and I further certify that I attended the deceased from Jan 1 1912 to Dec 14, 1913, that I last saw him alive on the 13 day of Dec 1913, that death occurred on that date stated above at 9am, and that the cause of death was as follows:
[see cause of death]
duration 0 yrs. 0 mos. 3 ds.
duration of contributory cause of death 15 yrs. 0 mos. 0 ds.

 

Comments on Walter’s Death Certificate

  1. Walter died at Lutheran Hospital following prostate surgery, for a condition he suffered from for 15 years, according to the Doctor’s certification.  Lutheran Hospital is now Lutheran Medical Center and is still a fully functional teaching hospital.
  2. I wonder if his dying at Lutheran Hospital is a possible indicator of his faith, or if that is just coincidence.
  3. His mother’s maiden name is spelled differently than in other records I have for her, but that may be an error of the unknown informant.
  4. I have another address for him that I didn’t previously have – 247 Schenck Avenue.  It’s still located in the general vicinity of his other properties in East New York.
  5. He is buried at Evergreens Cemetery.   FindaGrave.com and BillionGraves both had no record of his burial.  I created a memorial for him on FindaGrave.com.

 

Christiane Noteboom Death Certification, NYC Municipal Archives Image ©Larisa Thomas, Roots of Kinship

Christiane Noteboom Death Certification, NYC Municipal Archives
Image ©Larisa Thomas, Roots of Kinship


Transcript of Christiane’s Death Certificate:

Date: 9 Oct 1900
Surname: Noteboom  Given Name: Christiane  Sex: F
Street: Van Siclen Avenue Street#: 64  City: Brooklyn  County: Kings 
State/Province: New York  Country: United States
Place of Death: 64 Van Siclen Avenue
Marital Status: Married  Color/Race: White  Age: 48 years, 3 months, 12 days  Occupation:  Housewife
Birth Place: Germany  Years in the U.S.: 25 years  Years in City of New York: 21 years
Father: August Nullmeyer Birth Place: Germany
Mother: Dora Nullmeyer Birth Place: Germany 
Informant: not listed
Cause(s) of Death: Cerebral Apoplexy
Physician: W.P. Hickok Address: 114 Pennsylvania Avenue
Burial Date: 10 October 1900  Burial Place: Evergreen
Undertaker: Louis Bacler  Address: 477 Liberty Avenue
Remarks: I hereby certify that I attended the deceased from Oct. 7, 1900 to Oct. 9, 1900 that I last saw her alive on the 9th day of Oct. 1900, that she died on the 9th day of Oct. 1900, about 4:15 o’clock P.M., and that to the best of my knowledge and belief, the cause of her death was as hereunder written. [see cause of death]

 

Comments on Christiane’s Death Certificate

  1. Details of her age match other records I have that list her date of birth as 27 June 1852.
  2. The birth index I found lists her father as Albert Nullmeyer, while this record names him August Nullmeyer.  Given the time and distance, and without knowing who the informant on the death certificate is, I would argue that Albert is probably the correct given name for her father.  But this is an area I will have to research further.
  3. I had thought she might have died in childbirth, but this clearly is a stroke.  That means, it is probably his first wife, Beta, who died in childbirth.  I have found little to no records of Beta’s actual existence, so this will be another area of research.
  4. She is buried in Evergreens Cemetery in Brooklyn.  FindaGrave.com and BillionGraves both had no record of her burial.  I created a memorial for her on FindAGrave.com and linked it to Walter’s memorial.  I would like to get a photo of both of their gravesites.
  5. The number of years she’s was in the United States differs from the number of years that she was in New York City.  This means that she likely entered the United States either through Canada or in a different port of entry, such as Baltimore or Philadelphia.  This gives me another clue for finding her immigration records, as I had previously been unable to find her on New York Passenger Lists.

52 Ancestors #3: Anna Henrietta Noteboom
Gerald Thomas and Anna Noteboom
Mae and Anna Thomas, circa 1935, probably in Hempstead NY
Mae and Anna Thomas, circa 1920, probably in Brooklyn
Anna Noteboom and Francis Thomas at Rockaway Beach

Anna Henrietta is my 2nd great-grandmother, on my father’s maternal line.  She was an incredibly tough woman, who experienced some very difficult times her in her life, having to raise three children on her own after her husband disappeared.

64 Van Siclen

64 Van Siclen
Image Capture: Nov 2007 © 2015 Google

Anna was born on Halloween, October 31, 1880 in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Walter and Christiane Noteboom.1 By 1892, she is living with her family in the 26th Ward in Brooklyn.2 The 26th Ward in Brooklyn encompassed the East New York/New Lots area of Brooklyn, and was mostly farmland. In his letter to his daughters, Gerald Thomas wrote about cows coming up to his mother’s kitchen windows.3 In 1900, Anna is a young woman, still living at home with her parents, and working as a dressmaker. Their home was located at 64 Van Siclen Avenue.4

In 1905, Anna was married to Francis Theodore Thomas and had two small children, Gerald and May.  Francis worked as a shirt ironer and Anna’s occupation was listed as housework.5  But, just a year later, Anna would be left alone, with three small children aged 5 and younger.  In August 1906, Francis left to pick up his paycheck and go for a swim at Rockaway Beach.  He was never seen again, and no sign of him was found.

Anna Noteboom Thomas, with her children, Gerald, Mae and Frank Thomas. Year unknown. From the collection of cousin Paul.

Anna Noteboom Thomas, with her children, Gerald, Mae and Frank Thomas. Year unknown. From the collection of cousin Paul.

Anna had been estranged from her family following her marriage to Francis.  Her father, Walter Noteboom, did not approve of him and disowned her.  Following Francis’s disappearance, Anna reconciled with her father.  Walter owned a saloon and gentleman’s hotel in Manhattan, along with at least two homes in Brooklyn.  While Anna worked as a housekeeper and laundress to earn a living, her father helped support her by paying for their winter coal and contributing to their rent.

In 1910,  they were living at 465 Belmont Avenue and shared the home with Edwin and Frances Hardcastle.  The census that year confirms that she was working as a housekeeper for others and she still claims to be married for 9 years. After her father’s death in 1913, she inherited approximately $4000.  Her brother, who was the executor of the estate, took the rent and coal money out of her share of the inheritance.6

While raising her children, Anna did what she could to make ends meet, taking in laundry, cleaning houses, and on some occasions borrowing money.  Fortunately, members of the community were willing to help out the family.  Her best friend, Bertha Happ, was a school teacher, and help Anna keep her children from being placed in a home, which was connected with a church on Wyona Street.  Schmidt, the butcher, loaned her money, and Mrs. Henning employed her to clean her home.  Gerald and May would help her by delivering laundry around the neighborhood.  When Gerald was 12, Mr. Henning offered him his first job, pumping the organ at church on Sundays.  He was paid $2.50 per month, of which he gave his mother $2 and kept $.50 for himself.  By 14, he went to work for Barrett & Nephews, a local dry cleaners.  He made $5.00 a week.  He would quit that job to work for Schmidt, the butcher, who paid him $5.oo a week to take care of his horse, but he didn’t have to pay for carfare or lunch.  Then, he went to work for Mr. Henning, at V. Henning & Sons, earning $7.00 per week.  He earned a large raise at his next job for Meyer & Lange wholesale grocers, who paid him $18 per week.  Later, Anna would meet a veteran of the Spanish American War named George Reilly, who wanted to marry her.  However, he did not get along with her oldest son, so she turned him down.7

2762 Atlantic Avenue Image Capture: June 2012 © 2015 Google

2762 Atlantic Avenue
Image Capture: June 2012 © 2015 Google

In 1915, the family had moved to 2762 Atlantic Avenue, and they had taken on a boarder.  Anna was 34 years old and working as a housekeeper.  All three children were in school.  The boarder, Alice Cokely, worked as a seamstress.  Also living in the house are Rose Sparks and her daughter Mildred. 8 Five years later, they are still living at the Atlantic Avenue home, along with Herbert Sparks and his children, Charles and Mildred, and Frank and Margaret Walsh. Anna was still a housekeeper, but now both of her older children were also working.  Gerald was a “Helper” in the Chauffeur industry, and Mae worked as a typist in the Insurance industry.  Frank was age 12 years, and still in school.  Anna was listed as a widow by this time.9

By 1925, Anna and her son, Frank, have moved to 172 Miller Avenue.  A number of families lived in the building, including the Schmidts, Burcke, Atkins, Hurleys, and two separate Speth families.  Anna was still doing housework, and Frank was then working as a printer.10

Mae and Anna Thomas, circa 1935, probably in Hempstead NY

Mae and Anna Thomas, circa 1935, probably in Hempstead NY

In 1930, Anna moved in with her oldest son and his family.  By that time, he had married Louise Schillinger, and they had two daughters, Ethel and my grandmother Marion.  In the census that year, she is listed as Elizabeth, which is strange, because her name was Anna Henrietta, and this is the only record that records her by this name.  Her occupation by then is that of a cook for a convent.11

Later, Anna would move in with her daughter Mae and her husband John F. Stamm.  In 1940, they are living at 14 Plymouth Street, Hempstead, Nassau County on Long Island. She was no longer working at that time, and was supported by her daughter and son-in-law.  John Stamm was working as a printer and earning $5000 a year.12

She lived with Mae and John for the rest of her life, dying in January 1967 at the age of 85.13

Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database].  Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2006.  Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census.  Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1910.  Census Place: Brooklyn Ward 26, Kings, New York; Serial: T624, Roll: 977, page 3B, Enumeration District: 0783, FHL microfilm: 1374990.

Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database].  Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2010.  Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census.  Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1920.  Census Place: Brooklyn Assembly District 22, Kings, New York; Serial: T625, Roll: 1179, page 9a, Enumeration District: 1409, Image: 968.

Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database].  Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2002.  Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census.  Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930.  Census Place: Brooklyn, Kings, New York; Serial: T626, Roll: 1540, Page: 13A, Enumeration District: 0483, Image: 563, FHL microfilm: 2341275.

Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database].  Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2012.  Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census.  Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940.  Census Place: Hempstead, Nassau, New York; Serial: T627, Roll: 2689, Page: 11a, Enumeration District: 30-178.

Ancestry.com. New York State Census, 1892 [database]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: New York State Education Department, Office of Cultural Education. 1892 New York State Census. Albany, NY: New York State Library.

Ancestry.com. New York State Census, 1905 [database]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original Data: New York State Census, 1905. Population Schedules. New York State Archives, Albany, New York. Election District: A.D. 21, E.D. 19, City: Brooklyn, County: Kings.

Ancestry.com. New York State Census, 1915 [database]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: State Population Census Schedules, 1915. Albany, New York: New York State Archives. Election District: 44, Assembly District: 22, City: New York, County: Kings, Page: 43.

“Anna Noteboom”, Stamboom Dusseljee, Geneaologieonline, http://www.genealogieonline.nl/en/stamboom-dusseljee/I1423.php, accessed 7 January 2015.

  1. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database].  Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2004.  Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census.  Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900.  Census Place: Brooklyn Ward 26, Kings, New York; Serial: T623, Roll: 1064, page 2A, Enumeration District: 0467, FHL microfilm: 1241064. ↩
  2. Ancestry.com. New York State Census, 1892. ↩
  3. Letter from Gerald Thomas to his daughters, April 1979. Photocopy in collection of author. Original location unknown. ↩
  4. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census. ↩
  5. Ancestry.com. New York State Census, 1905. ↩
  6. Letter from Gerald Thomas.
    Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census. ↩
  7. Letter from Gerald Thomas. ↩
  8. Ancestry.com. New York State Census, 1915. ↩
  9. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census. ↩
  10. Ancestry.com. New York State Census, 1925. ↩
  11. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census. ↩
  12. Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census. ↩
  13. Letter from Gerald Thomas. ↩

52 Ancestors #2: Francis Theodore Thomas
Francis and Anna Thomas

Francis and Anna Thomas, from the collection of 2nd cousin 1x removed Paul, posted to Ancestry.com

I’ve written about Francis Theodore Thomas in the past – see “The Missing Thomas” -but I have chosen him again because I’ve learned more about him since the last post, largely in part because I connected with my 2nd cousin, 1x removed, Paul.  He had some photos and a letter from my great-grandfather, Gerald Thomas, that filled in some of the details about Francis Theodore Thomas.

Francis was born in circa 18811, the son of William Thomas and Emma J. Fredericks.  He had four older siblings: Kate, William, May and Maud.2

 

172 Miller Avenue, Brooklyn Image capture: Oct 2014, © Google

172 Miller Avenue, Brooklyn
Image capture: Oct 2014, © Google

In 1905, he was living at 172 Miller Avenue with his wife Anna and his oldest two children, Gerald [age 3] and May [age 2].  There were six other families living in the building, which stands the block of Miller Avenue between Fulton Street and Atlantic Avenue.  He was working as a shirt ironer, and at 24 years old, was supporting his family of four.3

According to the letter my great-grandfather wrote to my grandmother and her sister, Francis met my 2nd great-grandmother through her brother, Walter Noteboom, Jr.  He was an orphan by the time they met, and “she felt sorry for him”.  They were married in 1901 against her father’s wishes, and she became estranged from her family for several years as a result.4

Snippet from letter - Anna and Frank marry

Snippet from letter – Anna and Frank marry

When things happened…

Anna Noteboom and Francis Thomas at Rockaway Beach

Anna Noteboom and Francis Thomas at Rockaway Beach

My 2nd great-grandmother Anna always referred to 1906 as the time when things happened.  In August 1906, Francis went to Rockaway Beach for a swim and never came home.  No body was every found, nor were any of his belongings.  He went to get his paycheck, and then to the beach.  After things happened, the family didn’t talk about it much and Anna was left to raise three children, ages 5 and under, on her own.  She borrowed money from the local butcher, and took to cleaning houses and washing clothes to make ends meet.  It was only after Francis disappeared did she reconcile with her father.5

Not much is known about Francis’s family.  Gerald writes in the letter that he had a brother William, who was murdered on the Brooklyn waterfront.  His sister Kate married Thomas Bouse, and Mae married Jack Gardner.  His mother’s maiden name was Fredericks, and she had a sister who married a Captain Hall, who served during the U.S. Civil War.  He is buried at Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn.  His father is said to have ancestors who were Pennsylvania Quakers.6

  1. Ancestry.com. New York, State Census, 1905 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.  Original data: New York, State Census, 1905. Population Schedules . New York State Archives, Albany, New York.  State Population Census Schedules, 1905; Election District: A.D. 21 E.D. 19; City: Brooklyn; County: Kings, Page 48. ↩
  2. Ancestry.com.  Devine-Thomas Family Tree. Posted by pxdbrewer. ↩
  3.  Ancestry.com. New York, State Census, 1905. ↩
  4. Letter from Gerald Thomas to Marion Reilly and Ethel Furia, photocopy in my collection, original unknown, April-May 1979. ↩
  5. ibid. ↩
  6. ibid. ↩