Black Sheep Sunday - Murder-Suicide Makes Headlines Nationwide

Daily Capital Journal - 16AUG1950, pg2

The not so booming metropolis of Hazleton/West Hazleton made national news when my great uncle's wife was murdered in a bar. The news clipping mistakenly lists the location of the "taproom" as being in Hazleton, but it was West Hazleton. I suppose that's not really a significant error. They're right next to each other. You blink and you've left Hazleton and entered West Hazleton or vice versa.

Here is a clipping distributed through the Associated Press and landed in the Daily Capital Journal in Salem, Oregon.

"Two Killed in Hazleton Bar

Hazleton, Pa., Aug. 16 (AP) - A 60-year-old man shot a woman to death in a Hazleton taproom early today and then killed himself, Police Chief Carl Meiss reported.

Miss said the man, Andrew Harvilla, a retired coal miner from nearby Treckow (sic), entered Beltz's cafe shortly after the woman, Mrs. Helen Bronsavage, 33, and asked her to have a drink with him.

She refused, Meiss said, and asked Harvilla to call a taxi. Then she went to a table. Miss said the man walked to her table, drew a .38 caliber revolver from his pocket and fired a bullet into her head. Then, the police officer said, he walked eight feet away and fired a bullet into his own head.

Mrs. Bronsavage was acquitted of murder charges last October. She was accused of firing the shotgun charge that killed Louis Broton, 34, at a cabin near Freehand last May 1."

I've blogged about Helen Bronsavage nee Sabulash previously (see below), but I never realized how far her murder was broadcast. It made national news when she killed a man, claimed self-defense, and got off. Perhaps that's why this was picked up by the AP. Her murder happened less than a year after her acquittal. I had been looking for information on my Bronsavage line on Newspapers.com when this article (and several others like it) popped up.

I always get a bit angry when I read about her. I think that's why I share the articles/information. It's a way to vent. In my opinion she was a terrible mother and wife and got her just desserts. Her husband was in a wheelchair and she went around with other men. She didn't divorce him, she just screwed around on him. She had a little girl at home too that she apparently wasn't taking care of. How different their lives could have been if she hadn't decided to do the things she had done. I suppose that's true with everything though.

Related posts:
Thriller Thursday: Some People Just Can't Be Good, Part I
Thriller Thursday: Some People Just Can't Be Good, Part II
Thriller Thursday: Some People Just Can't Be Good, Part III

Wednesday's Child - Nancy May Bronsavage

The Plain Speaker, 28SEP1944, pg 20

This clipping is another of those that I had the choice of it being too small to read or ridiculously large but legible. I chose the latter.

Newspapers.com sent me an automated email one day letting me know that there were some new additions to their collections that included some of my saved searches (I love that!) so when I got to the "Bronsavage" link this was one of the articles I saw and I was surprised and grieved.

"Girl At W.H. Killed By Car

Nancy May, five-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs Michael Bronsavage, of 107 East Cranberry avenue, West Hazleton, was fatally injured at 6:15 last evening by an automobile operated by Albert Miller, of 207 East Broad street, West Hazleton.

She was taken to the State Hospital by Miller and Raymond Schneider, driver for the West Hazleton Fire Company, at 6:22 and succumbed three minutes later from a fractured skull.

According to Chief of Police Carl O. Meiss of West Hazleton, Miller, who is constable of the First Ward in that borough, delivered a prisoner to the West Hazleton lockup.

Coming out of the building he drove around it to Clay avenue where the accident occurred near the girl's home.

According to Miller he did not see the girl but when he noticed another girl standing nearby with a frightened expression he stopped his car and found the injured child in the street.  The West Hazleton authorities are checking today to ascertain whether she was hit crossing the street or ran into the side of the car. No dents were found on the auto.

Chief Meiss was assisted in the investigation by Lieutenant Edward Waitkus and Patrolman Andrew Scheagan.

Miller appeared before Justice of the Peace John Nensteil, of West Hazleton and furnished bail in the amount of $2500 on a charge of involuntary manslaughter by automobile.

Deputy Coroner John J. Salvator, Jr., was called and after investigating, issued a certificate of death cause by automobile accident.

The child is survived by the parents.

The child's mother is the former Helen Krupko (sic), of Coxeville.

The funeral will be held Saturday at 9 a.m., from the family home. Mass of the Angels will be held in Ss. Peter and Paul's Lithuanian Church at 9:30 a.m.

Interment will be made in the parish cemetery."

I knew Nancy May Bronsavage existed. I may have even been told that she died young, but when people tell me things in passing with no proof I tend to let them go in one ear and out the other. Not to be rude, but because there are so many things going on in my mind regarding genealogy that as Sherlock said "I have to delete something."

Now that I've seen the article in black and white I'll most likely never forget it again. Seeing it is different than hearing that they had a daughter that died young. The details make it real. Having children myself makes it even more real. Losing a child is every parent's worst nightmare and you feel it even when the loss you read about is someone else's.

According to Michael's obituary Nancy May was the only child Michael and Helen Bronsavage nee Krupka ever had which makes this even more tragic.

I hadn't been able to find Michael, Helen, and Nancy Bronsavage in the 1940 census previously, but this article told me that they lived in ward 1 of West Hazleton. That narrowed it down to 34 pages to scan through on Ancestry.com and I found them quickly. Their surname was transcribed as "Bronavage".  Only the "s" was missing so I would have expected the Ancestry search engine to have picked that up, but it didn't. Living with them was Michael's brother, Anthony Jr., and his surname was transcribed "Bonarrigo". I submitted correction for all of them and linked the record to my family tree.

Nancy May Bronsavage was born on May 21st 1939 and died on September 27th 1944. She was buried in Saints Peter and Paul Lithuanian Roman Catholic Cemetery on September 30th 1944 and has a memorial on FindAGrave. She is my first cousin once removed. Rest in peace sweet, little girl.

Medical Monday - Annie Bronsevitch

I suppose this post could have gone under a Wednesday's Child post, but as I've been reviewing death certificates I have posts I want to write that involve more than just children. Since many people care about the medical aspect in genealogy (is there insanity in my family? Alzheimer's? Breast cancer? Any cancer?) I decided to start a "Medical Monday" series. I'm not a medical professional, but most genealogists aren't. There is a lot of great information that can be found online when you can actually make out what the cause of death is. Often times it's illegible and the terms are dated or confusing. Doing a little research may answer some of these questions.

I was going through the Pennsylvania Death Records online (you've probably noticed a trend in many of my posts by now) and I was looking for records for my Bronsavage/Bronsevitch line. It was more painful than I expected. With a surname search for "Bronsavage" I got hits for my grandmother, Florence, my great uncle's wife, Helen, and my 1st cousin once removed, Nancy May, who died when she was about five. There was one other hit for someone I had never heard of...Julia Dagis...her mother was also Julia and her maiden name was Bronsavage. Could be a relative, but I have no connection yet. What I was looking for was my great grandparents, Anthony and Cecelia Bronsevitch (I should probably mention that Bronsavage is a variant), but didn't find them. Boy is that another post because sometimes these unusual names don't produce the easiest results.

Birth information

Anyway, I changed my search parameters, did some tweaking here and there with what information I included and what I omitted and I came across the record for an Annie Bronsevitch.

When I looked at the certificate I saw that she was definitely a Bronsevitch/Bronsavage of mine. Of course as far as I know almost any from Hazleton/West Hazleton should belong to me. Seeing her parents (my great grandparents) confirmed it. She was the daughter of Anthony and Cecelia Bronsevitch nee Kozlowski and she lived to be 7 months old.

Seeing stuff like this always makes me sad. To experience the loss of a child is not something any parent should have to experience, but we all know it happens and it is heart-breaking. My mind immediately turned to why she died.

Cause of death

When my mother and I saw the cause of death as "auto-infection or (self poisoning)" we were confused. Did the baby get into something that she shouldn't have? No doubt baby-proofing homes wasn't at the standard of today. Sometimes I'm amazed we all survived our childhoods. As I sometimes do I fixated on the "auto-infection" and stopped reading. I need to retrain my brain to quit doing this. Still, when I researched auto-infection I was rewarded with some good information:


"Autoinfection:
-An infection by disease organisms already present in the body but developing in a different body part.
-A reinfection by microbes or parasitic organisms."

That made me feel better than the child having ingested poison. As is par for the course it was then that I continued analyzing the rest of the diagnosis and saw the mention of cholera. Even though I had a definition of auto-infection that seemed satisfactory I adjusted my search and focused on cholera infantum:

"Cholera infantum
A nonspecific term meaning either:
-Summer complaint - An obsolete term for severe, prostrating gastroenteritis in infants occurring in hot weather and caused by unknown pathogens, possibly Shigella and Salmonells spp; or
-Infantile gastroenteritis."

That ties in well with the contributory causes of "Season, climate, food." I suppose this wasn't completely unheard of in the early 20th century and it's certainly something we take for granted today although it is still cause for concern in countries where sanitation is primitive.

So with this post and what was initially a surprising cause of death I remember Annie. She is buried in Ss. Peter and Paul's Lithuanian Catholic Cemetery in Hazleton, Pennsylvania along with her mother, father, and a brother.

Sunday's Obituary - Leonard Lewis Tabor

Leonard Lewis Tabor, Hazleton High School
Senior Class Picture

My uncle passed away about two and a half years ago. I was in and out of my blog around that time and I never got to memorialize him with more than just a photo. Fortunately my godparents sent me a copy of his obituary back in November 2012. As I was going through items that needed to be sorted I came across it and decided that it was long past time to memorialize him.

"Leonard L. Tabor

Nov. 12, 2012

Leonard L. Tabor, 68, of Hazleton passed away Monday at Mountain City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center; Hazle Township.

Born in Scranton on March 10, 1944, he was the son of the late Clarence and Florence (Bronsaviage) (sic) Tabor. He was a 1962 graduate of Hazleton High School and spent all of his life in Hazleton.

Hazleton Standard Speaker - 26NOV2012, A2

Leonard was employed as a truck driver for Central Penn Transit and was a member of St. John the Baptist Polish National Catholic Church, Hazleton. He served with the U.S. Army Reserves, Hazleton; was an avid hunter, fisherman, and fan of NASCAR and the Chicago Bears. Surviving are his brother, Paul, West Hazleton; nieces, Michele Ranzan, Saylorsburg; Cherie Cayemburg (sic), Colorado; and Aimee Inama, Iowa; an aunt, Lillian Rominski, Scranton; and cousins, Carolyn Smith, Lillian Hasenzahl, and Shirley Leach, all of Scranton; Barbara Holtzman, Lake Ariel; Stanley Rominski, Clark Summit; Barbara Bronsavage, Ewing, N.J.; and Mary Ann Billig, Hazleton.

A Memorial Mass will be held at a later date in St. John the Baptist Polish National Catholic Church, 748 N. Church St., Hazleton. The Rev. Bogdan Janiec will celebrate the Mass. Interment took place privately in Mountain View Cemetery, West Hazleton, where the Rev. Janiec gave the final blessing.

Harman Funeral Homes and Crematory Inc. (West), 1265 Rock Glen Road, Rock Glen, assisted the family with the arrangements. Online condolences can be entered and more information is available at www.harmanfuneral.com."

A pretty poor obituary and my uncle deserved better. I got to call and say good-bye to him just days before he passed. He couldn't talk anymore. Just listen, but my boys and I got to tell him that we loved him one last time. He was such a good man. I loved my uncle very much. Seeing his obituary just made me ask so many questions and make so many snarky comments. Snarky in that Bronsavage was spelled wrong in regards to his mother's maiden name, but correctly for his cousin. My surname spelled incorrectly as well. Did no one proof-read this article before it was run? Questions regarding his military service...as in...really he served? I've never seen a photo of him in uniform. I've never heard it discussed. The statement that he served in the Army Reserves with no rank or when he served is a big thing to overlook as far as this veteran is concerned.

Maybe I'm just being grumpy. You see the whole "private" interment that took place was nonsense. The obituary was published in the Hazleton Standard Speaker on November 26th 2012. So none of his nieces knew he died until he was buried. My uncle had the surviving family mentioned in the obituary, but they didn't see him regularly. Were they called and given the opportunity to go to the interment? He lived in Pennsylvania almost his entire life. Plenty of people never escape that city. Would people he went to high school with have wanted to attend? Would coworkers from Penn Transit have wanted to? Whether they would have gone or not will always be a mystery because his brother decided to make the burial "private."

I guess there's no use crying over dysfunctional family members. At least I've been able to visit his grave. I go each time I return home. My uncle is "on my rounds" for placing flowers. He's next to his mom and dad and I see that the gravestone has room for my dad when he goes too. I've created a FindAGrave memorial for him too so others that may be interested in saying goodbye to this loving man can do just that.

I hope to find a picture of him in uniform someday, but I'm not overly hopeful. Maybe someone will come across this blog that served with him and be able to share one so I can put him in my Veterans Day post properly. Although until I know details about his enlistment it won't really be properly noted.

Nothing makes a genealogist/family historian grumpier than a dysfunctional family with a poorly written obituary.

Tabor tombstone at Mountain View Cemetery, West Hazleton, PA

Sunday's Obituary - Clarence Frank Tabor...Frank? What?

Hazleton Standard-Speaker,
29NOV1974, pg24

I remember pulling this obituary years ago. I don't remember the exact date or anything. I just remember finding the obituary exactly where it should have been in the local newspaper and saying to myself, "Frank? What? His middle name was Paul!"

Perhaps lying about middle names was a family tradition. My father told me his middle name was Christopher. I believed for a good majority of my life that it was. My sister told me the truth a few days before I went to MEPS to join the Army. Considering I was going for a security clearance it probably wouldn't have looked good to get my father's name wrong. I get it though. My dad hated his middle name, although it was his dad's name so I didn't get the whole dislike of it. As for my grandfather fibbing his middle name, well who knows? Paul isn't a bad name so why give a false one.

As it turns out it was a nickname he used for the same reason that my dad lied about his middle name being Clarence. Apparently they both hated the name. Although if Clarence hated it why would he give it to his son? Goodness only knows. I know that when he snuck away and joined the Army he was known as "Corp" to his buddies. No doubt a nickname for "corporal."

"Clarence (Frank) Tabor

Clarence (Frank) Tabor of 837 Alter St. died late Tuesday evening at the Hazleton State General Hospital following a lingering illness.

He was born in Scranton a son of the late Adam and Jadwiga Tabor. His wife, the former Florence Bronsavage (sic), died in 1962.

The deceased was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Hazleton.

Prior to his retirement seven years ago he was employed as an assembler at the L.F. Grams Co. in Allentown.

He is survived by two sone: Leonard, at home; and Paul of Hazleton; two sisters: Mrs. Leo Zener and Mrs. Stanley Romanski (sic) of Scranton; and a brother, Adam of Scranton. Three grandchildren also survive.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. from the Turnbach Funeral Home with the Rev. Ghulam M. Nasrani officiating. Interment will be in the Mountain View Cemetery, West Hazleton.

Friends may call tonight from 7 to 9."

Tombstone Tuesday - A New Tabor Tombstone

Mountain View Cemetery, West Hazleton, PA

I've shared (or at least I think I have...hmmm I'll have to check on that!) the tombstones for my paternal grandmother, Florence Tabor nee Bronsavage, and my paternal grandfather, Clarence Tabor, before.  Sadly, on November 12th of last year my uncle, Leonard Tabor, passed away.

I remember years ago talking with my father and uncle about where they wanted to be buried (grim conversation, but not to a genealogist).  My father wanted to be buried with his dad, and my uncle wanted to be buried with his mom.

My uncle had made plans.  He knew he was dying.  The funeral and the tombstone had been planned and paid for before his death.  When I went back to Pennsylvania this summer, I visited the cemetery where they were buried.  The separate tombstones for my grandparents were gone and there was one tombstone set in its place.

It was weird seeing the old tombstones gone.  It was painful to see my uncle's name on the tombstone and know that I wouldn't get to see him again, but it was made a little easier knowing that he was buried with family as he wanted.

Sunday's Obituary - Discovering Nana through Maurice Blum's Obituary

What a handsom man he was!

I never had the pleasure of meeting Maurice Blum and he's not a relative of mine, but I wanted to share his obituary because he is special to me and my family.  How you might ask?  His wife, Hazel Blum nee Hill, was all I ever knew of a grandmother.  My paternal grandmother, Florence Tabor nee Bronsavage, died a decade before I was born and my maternal grandmother, Mary Ann Brown nee Quirk, died 2 years before I was born.  I love both of them, but I never had them in my life.  Hazel was my surrogate grandmother.

I've mentioned Hazel in previous posts, but nothing really concrete.  I never really knew much about my "Nana".  She taught my sisters and I how to knit and crochet.  She loved watching soap operas while she did her yarn-work.  She embroidered and cross-stitched and even reupholstered the covers on some dining room chairs with her needlework.  She lived in the house next door to us.  It was a house that she grew up in and lived her entire life.  It was the house she eventually shared with her husband, Maurice Blum.

I had always wanted to find out more about Nana, but like many things, I procrastinated and never followed through until I got a lovely email and phone call from a sweetheart named, Debbie, that came across one of my posts on Nana.  I'm not going to tell Debbie's story here.  She's going to be writing a book about it and when it's out I'll let you all know so you can see for yourself, but Debbie asked for some information on my Nana and I was so disappointed to admit that I knew little of value about a woman I loved dearly...so I started some research.  Research for me to find out more about the woman that meant so much to me and research for Debbie because I was touched by the connection her family had with Hazel and Maurice Blum.

So having just returned from a trip to Pennsylvania I'm going to share the information I found starting with Maurice's obituary today.  Maurice died a year before I was born, but Nana mentioned her husband frequently.  Like a typical 11 to 14 year old, the information just never really made and impression and apart from his name and a couple other details I can remember nothing.  It's really a shame because, as you'll see, he was an extremely impressive man.  So much so that his death made the front page of the Hazleton Standard Speaker.

Hazleton Standard Speaker, 21MAY1971, pg 1

"Dr. M.L. Blum, Prominent Civic Worker, Is Dead

Dr. Maurice L. Blum, local optometrist and one of the community's most active civic workers and leader in veteran affairs, died at 11 a.m. yesterday in the Hazleton State General Hospital following a lengthy illness.

Dr. Blum, who resided at 701 W. Diamond Ave., was a veteran of World War One, and was a charter member of American Legion Post 76, which he served as commander in 1928, and for many years as chaplain of the veterans' organization.

Dr. Blum served for 22 years as head of the National Firm's Division for the annual campaigns of the Hazleton Chapter of the American Red Cross.

He also served as general chairman of the United Fund Campaign, and headed divisions in other years.

Dr. Blum served as chairman of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, was a past president of the Hazleton Lions Club and served in various capacities with the Hazleton Tuberculosis and Health Society, the Anthracite Council of the Boy Scouts of America (now part of the Penn Mountain Council), and other local organizations.


Arranged Programs

21MAY1971, pg 14

For many years he arranged programs for patients in the White Haven State Sanitarium and continued the service for the White Haven State School and Hospital.

He was also one of the organizers and an active member, until his illness, of the committee of veterans in the Greater Hazleton Area who visited hospitalized veterans in St. Joseph and the State General Hospitals.

In July 1965, Dr. Blum was selected to a life membership in the American Optometric Association, and prior to that honor was awarded life membership in the state organization and in the Anthracite Optometric Association in 1960.  He aided in the organization of the anthracite group in September 1929, and served as its secretary-treasurer for 25 years.

State Chairman

In October, 1931, he was general chairman of the State Optometric Association Convention, which was held in Hazleton, at which time he was selected to serve a two-year term as secretary of the state organization.

In May, 1954, the Regional Association held a special dinner marking Dr. Blum's 25 years of service as secretary-treasurer, during which he was awarded a plaque for that service.

He has been the recipient of numerous local awards, among which were the designation of "Outstanding Citizen" by the Greater Hazleton Jaycees in 1957.  He was also recognized by the American Legion, the Boy Scouts of America, Salvation Army, Heart Association, White Haven State School and Hospital, Greater Hazleton Veterans' Association; Unico Club and the Community Chest.

American Legion Post 76, in April 1969, awarded Dr. Blum a life membership for his outstanding service to the organization [sic].

Dr. Blum is survived by his wife, the former Hazel Hill, and ane [sic] sister, residing in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Services Sunday

Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Sunday from the Temple Beth Israel, with Rabbi Abraham Ruderman, spiritual leader of the Temple officiating.  Interment will be in Beth Israel Cemetery.

Viewing will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Joseph and Mary Fierro Funeral Home.

Pallbearers, all members of the Hazleton Lions Club, will be President David Schwarz; Third Vice President Louis Fierro, and Past Presidents Carl Ambrosio, Edward Scarp, Angelo Sist and Peter Forliano."

I read this and all I could think was, "WOW".  I never imagined that Nana was married to such a man.  She was so quiet and reserved...shy even.  I could hardly picture her at his side at these events, but perhaps that wasn't expected at the time.  I read this obituary and realized that Nana's life must have been so different than what I imagined...or was it?  I wish I had paid attention to all her stories.  She and Maurice never had children so who is there to remember them now?

FOLLOW UP - It didn't take long after posting this that something occurred to me...there's no age or date of birth for Maurice.  All that great information and it isn't mentioned.  It's not impossible to find clues to a birth for him (military records, burial, SSDI) but it was just plain surprising that with all the great information in there nothing on his birth.  Heck...very little on his family in general!

Tombstone Tuesday - Thomas and Leona Dougherty

Thomas and Leona Dougherty nee Ganss, Calvary Cemetery, Drums, PA

When I visited Pennsylvania last summer I went looking for the grave of my great aunt Helen Elizabeth "Betty" Bronsavage.  She was hard to find, but as I searched I took the opportunity to take pictures of tombstones with family names on them.  I don't know if any of them are members of my family though. Most of my family members were buried in Hazleton city's cemeteries and this cemetery was in Drums (close to Hazleton, but no cigar).  We guessed that Helen was buried out there because none of the Catholic cemeteries in the city would want an adulteress and murderer buried there.  In fact she was buried in unconsecrated ground, which has since her burial been consecrated.  Anyway, that was a tangent.  This post is on Thomas and Leona Dougherty after all, and the Dougherty surname is one in my family tree.

Rather than just throwing up the tombstone for Thomas and Leona, I decided to do some quick research.  After all, I'm trying to see if they are any relation...not just someone that shared a surname.  The first place that popped up was the 1940 US Federal Census.  Gosh, I'm loving that it's been indexed (Thanks indexers!).  In 1940 Thomas and Leona was living in Hazleton on Wyoming Street and had two children:  Thomas (Jr), and Conrad.  There was gold in that thar' census (although not for my line)...in the form of a 76 year old gentleman living with them by the name of Conrad Ganss.  Conrad is listed as Thomas' father-in-law.  So now we know (theoretically) that Leona's maiden name was Ganss.

Thomas' tombstone have a military marker for 1941-1945, but I found no enlistment records for him.  I also did not find him in Hazleton in earlier census records and frankly he would have been in his fifties during WWII.  A possibility, but WWI would have been a better fit.  That doesn't mean he wasn't there (or didn't move there after 1930)...and I'll be the first to admit that I only did a cursory search.  If he is one of my Doughertys then he would have (most likely) lived in the Hazleton area.

Leona, was found in other census records and was living in Hazleton with her parents, Conrad and Catherine.  Conrad and Catherine had (at least) eight children:  Rosal, Anna, Conrad, Walter, Catherine, Hilda, Albert, and Leona.  Judging by the 1900 US Federal Census Conrad and Catherine had 2 children (names unknown) that died young.

No connection with my family in this quick search, but that too is information to a genealogist!

Wedding Wednesday - A Murky Piece of Family History

My grandpa during Army days

My beautiful grandma with my dad & uncle

My grandparents were Clarence Paul Tabor and Florence Genevieve Bronsavage, and I had always been told that Florence was pregnant when they married.  I always believed it, and it is still possibly true but the story is a bit murky.  It's a bit off.  A little history.

Clarence had married Catherine Gluoknis on January 14, 1931...and divorced in October 1935.  I had been told that she was a mean, nasty person, but I have to look at this with a grain of salt.  We all know how people tend to view their exes.  Either way though, Clarence was apparently unhappy with his choice of bride.  As far as we know Clarence and Catherine didn't have any children together although I don't have any confirmation of this.  They were married for four years so children are possible.  

Clarence, now a single man, met Florence and they fell in love, but being Catholic, Clarence wanted an annulment so that he could remarry in the church.  I was told that Clarence paid approximately $500.00 for an annulment that never came to be and that it was because of the lack of annulment (and Florence now being pregnant) that caused them to leave the Catholic church to be married.  Then I found this Certificate of Marriage as I was sorting files.

Sure it's possible that Florence could have been pregnant when they got married.  It would certainly be close.  I know this without calculation because I got pregnant beginning to mid-May with my oldest and he was born on his due date in January and his due date is one day before my father's birthday.  So yes, she could have been pregnant and gone into labor early (not the norm for first children, however, but it is possible) or she would have been just pregnant and unless they were already planning the church wedding and just sped things up the story doesn't make complete sense.  As you can see from the marriage certificate they were married at Saint John the Baptist Polish National Catholic Church.  Yes this isn't the Roman Catholic Church, but it not only is a "Catholic" Church (broken away from the Roman Catholic Church), but it is a Polish National Catholic Church and to the best of my knowledge, Clarence's parents, Adam and Jadwiga, went to a PNCC.  

So why the big family history story?  Perhaps Florence wanted to get married in the Roman Catholic Church?  She was Roman Catholic.  But my father wasn't raised in a PNCC...or a Roman Catholic church.  He was raised Methodist, so Clarence and Florence changed churches, and religions, for a second time.  Perhaps there was no PNCC in Hazleton.  There is one there now although I don't know how long it's been there.  In fact, I believe, my uncle (Clarence and Florence's 2nd son) goes to the PNCC in Hazleton. So I'm not sure why the change in religions...or why the annulment story.  I may have to do some more research into the PNCC and see if perhaps they permitted divorce/remarriage without an annulment...and as for Florence being pregnant, well that would be hard to disprove, but it would be close.

So the family history surrounding their wedding and the change of faiths that my grandparents had is made murky by a little piece of paper.  A little piece of paper that I should have given a closer look about 5 years ago!

Remembering Veterans & Veterans Within My Family

(A follow up post from last year with the addition of a new-found cousin who serves our country.  Thank you for your service, JoAnn!)

I want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who has served honorably in our Armed Forces. Without our service members past and present our country would not be where it is today. We would not have gained our independence, we would not have unified a divided country, we would not have stopped the atrocities of 2 World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. There are many conflicts not mentioned which do not make light of the sacrifices that servicemen and women made in them. Sometimes the sacrifice was in time away from family and long hours. At times it was witnessing the horrors of those wars or even succumbing valiantly to them.

Not everyone serves their country as a Veteran does and not everyone can or should. You are unique, respected and given a burden that many would not be able to bear. Whether you served many months or many years in our Armed Forces makes no difference. You served. Thank you!

I'd like to now pay tribute to my family members who have served (I hope I didn't miss any!).

Thriller Thursday - Some People Just Can't Be Good, Part III

The Plain Speaker, afternoon edition, August 16, 1950

Here it is!  The last installment of "Some People Just Can't Be Good".

"Betty Bronsavage Shot And Killed In West Hazleton Cafe; Slayer Suicide; Woman Figured In Freeland Death

Double Shooting Occurred at 12:40am - Couple Had Quarreled

Mrs. Betty Bronsavage, 33, of this city, who was acquitted of murder in the shotgun slaying of her common-law husband in Freeland on May 1, 1949, was shot to death early this morning in Beltz' Cafe, West Hazleton.

Her slayer, who police said was Andrew Harvilla, 60, a retired miner of Tresckow, then killed himself.

The murder and suicide is believed, police authorities said, to have been the result of a separation and quarrel between the two, who had been going together the past several months.

Deputy Coroner John Salvator, Jr. and Cpl. Frank Burtner, of the Hazleton detail, State Police, said that Mrs. Bronsavage, whose full name is Helen Elizabeth Bronsavage, entered the cafe alone.  Harvilla came in shortly after, and, with both standing at the bar, asked if he could buy her a drink.

Woman Refused Drink

Police said she was reported as having refused the drink, but that she asked Harvilla to call a taxi, after which she walked to a table and sat down on a chair.

Harvilla, after calling a cab, then walked to where she was sitting, pulled a .38-calibre revolver from his pocket, and fired one shot at her head, according to authorities.

As the victim sprawled into a grotesque position, apparently killed instantly, Harvilla walked away about eight feet, put the revolver to his head and fired again.

Autopsies on both bodies were performed this morning at the State Hospital by Dr. Jules Foldes, staff pathologist.

Results Of Autopsies

Deputy Salvator in releasing details of the autopsies, said Mrs. Bronsavage's death, a homicide, was due to a .38-calibre bullet severing the jugular vein and carotid artery.  It entered on her left cheek and left the body on the right side of the neck.  Harvilla's death, called a suicide by the coroner, was due to a bullet of the same calibre, which entered the head at the right temple and lodged in the brain, where it was found at the autopsy.

Mrs. Bronsavage, was the center of a sensational case last year.  Louis Broton, 30, of Harleigh, with whom she had lived for seven months, was found dead, the victim of a shotgun blast, on the early morning of May 1, 1949, in a small two-room house on Butler Terrace, west of Freeland, which the two had rented only a few hours earlier.

The woman told state police that Broton had committed suicide, but after continued questioning, allegedly admitted that she shot him in his sleep.  She told police Broton had threatened to kill her several times and that night had brought the shotgun home.  In fear of her life, because of the threats, she killed him.

Was Acquitted Nov.1

She was indicted for murder by Luzerne County Grand Jury August 31, 1949 and was brought to trial.  The jury, believing her story of self defense, acquitted her on Nov. 1

After her acquittal she lived in McAdoo and the moved to Hazleton, residing in several boarding houses here.

Harvilla Was Retired

Harvilla who retired from mining work several years ago, had worked in Jeanesville.  He was born in Europe but came to this country as a young man and resided in this section ever since.  His wife died about two years ago.  There are no survivors in this country, but (unk) people said he had two brothers and two sisters living in Europe.

Police said this morning that Harvilla sold his home several months ago, and had been seen in the shooting, which occurred at approximately 12:40 o'clock.

Mrs. Bronsavage is survived by her husband, a crippled miner, from whom she was separated; a daughter, and several brothers and sisters.

Coroner Salvator released Harvilla's body to the Jupina funeral establishment in McAdoo.  The funeral will be held at a time to be announced later.

Up to press time, no one had claimed the body of Mrs. Bronsavage."

"2 Victims of Tragedy Were Buried Yesterday

The two victims of a tragedy, a murder and sucide [sic] at a West Hazleton cafe at an early hour on Wednesday morning, went to their final rest yesterday afternoon.

Andrew Harvilla, 60-year-old Tresckow widower, who fired the shot that killed Mrs. Betty Bronsavage, 33, and then turned the gun on himself, was buried in the Mount Laurel cemetery.  The body had been at the Jupina funeral home in McAdoo.  Mrs. Bronsavage was laid to rest in Calvary cemetery at Drums.  The body was at the Conahan Funeral Home on North Vine street after the Catholic Charities had directed that such provision be made.  As the body was laid to rest in unconsecrated ground.  Rev. A. P. Malony intoned a final blessing."

Anthony Bronsavage Jr

She abandoned her family leaving a husband, severely disabled from a mining accident to care for their small child. Anthony Bronsavage Jr did have some help from family to care for their daughter, but their abandonment is inexcusable.  Perhaps ironically she was in turn abandoned...by her religion.  While Catholic Charities appeared to have claimed the body, she was buried in unconsecrated ground.  This is no doubt a result of her sensational trial from the previous year as well as her habitual infidelity.

Why was she buried in unconsecrated ground?  Now I was always taught that if you were naughty, you were buried in unconsecrated ground, but no additional explanation of what unconsecrated meant was ever given.  I did some research and found a pretty good explanation as to who did not have a right to a "Christian burial" on www.newadvent.org.  It went on to state in a particularly long article on burials, "notorious sinners who die without repentance, those who have openly held the sacraments in contempt... and who showed no signs of sorrow..." were not entitled to Christian burial.  OK...very naughty.

Anyway, enough of that.  So what is the significance of consecrated ground vs. unconsecrated?  Something that has been consecrated takes on a new significance and now falls under "Divine protection".  Consecration is permanent and is only performed once (unless something becomes desecrated), while a blessing is not and may be done over and over again.  

What does this essentially mean? There are many details about the Catholic faith, dying in mortal sin instead of in a state of grace, and the determination of heaven and hell to briefly state the significance.  However, I would think that the blessing was done out of the belief to pray for the dead even though it was probably the belief that her soul was lost.  I will actually have to talk to my priest about this one!  Acquitted of murder, abandonment of her husband and child while sleazing around...I don't think they thought much of her soul, but prayed for it none the less.

Too bad little miss Betty just couldn't be good...

Thriller Thursday - Some People Just Can't Be Good, Part II

Williamsport News 17NOV1949

"Mrs. Bronsavage Faints On Stand In Murder Trial

WILKES-BARRE (AP) - Mrs. Helen E. Bronsavage of West Hazleton fainted Wednesday during her trial on charges of murdering her common-law-husband, Louis Broton.

The 39-year-old woman told the jury Broton beat her "unmercifully" the night before he died from a shotgun blast.

She related how she went to his room and saw a gun beside him.  She said he was asleep and she reached for the gun.  But then he took hold of it and it went off, killing Broton, Mrs. Bronsavage testified."

Now it sounds a bit more like Roxy Hart Chicago style drama.  

As I mentioned last Thriller Thursday, Mrs. Bronsavage is my great-uncle, Anthony Bronsavage's, wife.  I don't know exactly when they were married (not my direct line so I didn't shell out the $$ for the record, but this is all pretty interesting so I may have to do that). Sadly, I have discovered since last Thriller Thursday the court records were lost in the flood brought on in 1972 by Hurricane Agnes, and that the courts at that time didn't keep the minutes from the trials. 

So Helen is on trial for murder.  The man she murdered is referred to as her "common-law-husband".  Hmm...I'll have to check into that one since I was fairly certain that she needed to be divorced before that reference could be used.  Perhaps it was just easier than to call her a trampy chick that was sleazing about, living with another man while married...anyway, outcome of the trial:

The Gettysburg Times, 18NOV1949

"Acquit Woman in Murder Case

Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Nov. 18 (AP) - Mrs Helen Bronsavage, 39, was acquitted last night in the shot-gun slaying of her common-law husband Louis Broton, 34, in a two-room cabin on the outskirts of Freeland.

A jury of nine women and three men brought in the verdict after receiving the case from Judge Thomas M Lewis shortly after noon.

The commonwealth sought a first degree murder verdict District Attorney Leon Schwartz built the state's case largely on five statements which police claimed Mrs Bronsavage made shortly after Broton was found dead last May 1.

Broton's skull had been shattered by a blast from a shotgun which lay near him in the shack.

Mrs Bronsavage said on the witness stand that Broton beat her "unmercifully" the night before he was slain.

She said she went to Broton's room and saw a gun beside him.  She testified Broton was asleep but as she reached for the gun he awakened and took hold of the weapon."

Seriously, I'm waiting to hear Richard Gere sing, "We Both Reached For The Gun"!  I'm a bit suspicious of the number of women on the jury as well.  I mean 3/4 of the jury was women who would be more empathic to an abusive partner.  In my opinion she quite literally got away with murder.  Not saying that she wasn't abused, but she's no angel either, which I will touch on in next week's conclusion, because as the title implies, "Some people just can't be good"...and she wasn't...TO BE CONTINUED...