Thriller Thursday - Granny was a Bootlegger

Giovanna "Jennie" Trunzo nee Ferraro

Prohibition in the United States. It was called "The Noble Experiment" and many prohibitionists believed that banning the manufacture, purchase, and sale of alcohol would lower crime rates and boost the economy, but they found the opposite to be true. Gangsters profited greatly from the manufacture and sale of illegal alcohol. People suffered and died from drinking unsafe and unregulated liquor/spirits. Unemployment spiked as businesses that sold or manufactured alcohol closed. Is it any wonder why granny would bootleg liquor for some cash when it was so profitable for others? Of course granny was more likely than not to be the one to get busted for it. The big guys knew what they were doing.

My mom told me that some of her great-aunts bootlegged during Prohibition, but isn't that a typical family history story? Everyone had a bootlegger in the family. Not much by way of proof generally turns up though. That doesn't mean they weren't bootlegging it just means that we haven't proven it. I'm sure there were plenty of people that were ignoring that particular amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In the case of my step-dad's grandmother though we have proof.

The Indiana Gazette, 10JUN1930, pg 14

"The case of Jennie Trunzo, of Beyer, charged with selling and possessing intoxicating liquor was before the court when court adjourned at 5:45 o'clock and testimony was still being heard when court convened at 9:00 o'clock this morning."

Now I perused a page on Prohibition via History.com and learned a few things I didn't know. I didn't know that this movement had been underway for a very long time. There were states that had prohibition laws in place well before the 18th amendment passed and after the 21st amendment repealed the 18th there were some states that held on to their prohibition laws until the 1960s! I also didn't realize that the law didn't actually ban the consumption of alcohol. That was technically still legal. You just couldn't purchase, sell, or manufacture it.

The first article on granny Jennie (Giovanna Trunzo nee Ferraro) talks of her being in court for her prohibition violation. The second article gave me a chuckle at how light her punishment was. It almost wasn't worth the court's time...

The Indiana Progress, 09JUN1930, pg 1

"Jennie Trunzo, violation of the liquor laws - sentence suspended on payment of the costs."

Granny didn't get much punishment for her crime. The dates are correct on them both. Note that they are from different publications but the one that shows her punishment was printed a day prior to the newspaper that reported on her merely being in court. I guess it took the Gazette a bit to get that small story together.

Did everyone get off so easily? The other crimes listed on that page of the Progress showed assaults, destruction of property, and another liquor law violation. Jennie got off easily...no jail time. The others got time in the county jail ranging from 60 days to 6 months (three months for the other liquor violation). Why the difference in sentencing? Was it simply because she was a woman? Were there no facilities in the county jail for a woman? Did they take pity on her because her husband was no longer in America and she was taking care of her family alone? All of their children were grown, but I know that my step-dad would be living with her before the end of that decade. Whatever the reason what these liquor laws did was turn people that would have normally been law-abiding citizens into criminals.

Leader-Times, Kittanning, PA
09OCT1964, pg 17

What was the result on Granny Jennie's reputation? I doubt she was looked on as much of a hardened, dangerous criminal. She was buried on church grounds in St. Bernard's Cemetery and had more than one priest assisting in her burial mass. Not exactly a hushed up ceremony either. Good for granny though. She did what she had to do. I've posted her obituary previously, but I thought I'd share her funeral notice and FindAGrave memorial along with her court appearances.

"TRUNZO - Solemn requiem high mass for Mrs. Jennie Trunzo, Sagamore, who died Wednesday (Oct. 7, 1964) in Armstrong County Memorial Hospital will be intoned at 10 a.m. Monday by the rev. Carl P. Milano in Sacred Heart RC Church, Saxonburg. He will be assisted by the Rev. John Kavanaugh and the Rev. Nicholas Mitolo. Burial will follow in St. Bernard Cemetery, Indiana.* Friends are being received from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Bowser Funeral home, Plumville."

*Indiana referring to Indiana town/city in Indiana county in Pennsylvania...not Indiana.

Sunday's Obituary - Charles Dart

Algoma Record-Herald, 21JUN1935, pg1

I had to do a double-take when I read his obituary and went to verify it with my family tree. This is my Charles. I looked up his obituary to get more information, but I had his wife down as "Kate" in the family tree. Do you know what else? His wife's name is Kate.

She's Kate on their tombstone. She's Kate in every stinking census record. I also have Kate's obituary (which I'll post later) that confirms it, although it lists her husband's death as June 10th not the 11th. Kate's maiden name was Jadin, so why she's listed as Desira is beyond me. Perhaps I'll figure that out one day.

As for Charles he was born on November 10, 1874 in Tonet to Eugene and Josephine Dart nee Hermans. He was the second oldest of 12 children. He was married on September 12, 1900 to Catherine Jadin (I've got the marriage certificate to prove it), and died June 11, 1935. He is my husband's great, great uncle.

"Charles Dart, Tonet Farmer, Dies of Cancer

TONET - Charles Dart, 61 years of age, a resident of Tonet, died Tuesday, June 11, after an illness of about eight months. Cancer of the liver was given as the immediate cause of death.

The funeral services for Mr. Dart were held from the St. Martin's church in Tonet at 10 o'clock last Thursday. The Rev. L. A. Dobblesteen conducted the services and interment was made at the Tonet cemetery.

Born in Tonet, Charles Dart resided there all his life. He died on his Tonet farm which was being rented and operated by his son, Fred, and family.

Deceased was married to Desira Jadin at the St. Martin's church in Tonet.

Surviving are: One son, Fred, living on the Dart farm in Tonet; one daughter, Mrs. John (Libbie) Mandarin, Lincoln; five brothers, August, John, William, all of Tonet, Eli, Bay Settlement, and Wilbur, Walhain, and three sisters, Mrs. Victor Laurent, Mrs. Louis Vandenhouten, both of Tonet, and Mrs. Mathy, Michigan. Three grandchildren also remain."

Funeral Card Friday - Eli Dart

Memorial Card - Eli J. Dart (reverse)

Memorial Card - Eli J. Dart

Eli Dart was the 11th of 12 children born to Eugene and Josephine Dart nee Hermans. He was born on September 21, 1894 and passed on February 21, 1982. He married Edith (maiden name unknown) on November 11, 1919 in Tonet, Kewaunee County, Wisconsin.

Eli passed away in Luxemburg, Kewaunee, Wisconsin according to the SSDI, but is buried in Green Bay, Brown County in The Shrine of the Good Shepherd Mausoleum in Nicolet Memorial Gardens.

Since I don't know his wife's maiden name I'll be pulling Eli and Edith's obituaries when I go home unless I happen to find it hidden away in my files before then. I've seen someone list Edith's maiden name as Laurent on a family tree on Ancestry, com, but there is no supporting documentation. I'm not willing to run with that on someone's word, but I'll find out if it's true or not when I check the newspapers.

Rest in peace, Eli.

Wedding Wednesday - Cayemberg/Villers Golden Wedding Anniversary

Golden Wedding Anniversary of Eli and Florence Cayemberg nee Villers

Eli Cayemberg and Florence Villers were married on April 24th 1886 in Rosiere, Wisconsin. Their 50th anniversary would have been in 1936. Eli would pass on three years later. Together they had 14 known children Emily, Eugenia, Frank, John, Martin Joseph, Henry, Lucy, Louis Felix, Alice, Ella, Wilfred, Anastasia, Patrick, and Walter. Eli and Florence were my husband's great grandparents.

A very special thank you to Wendy Cayemberg and Fern Gouin nee Cayemberg for allowing me to post this photo!

Tombstone Tuesday - Sylvester and Bertha Gaedtke nee Dart

Marker for Sylvester and Bertha Gaedtke nee Dart in the Shrine of the
Good Shepherd Mausoleum, Green Bay, Wisconsin

I took this photo of the Gaedtke marker in the Shrine of the Good Shepherd Mausoleum in Nicolet Gardens, Green Bay, Wisconsin well over 5 years ago. It was before my father-in-law passed and I was walking through the mausoleum with my in-laws and they were pointing out to me family markers. Gaedtke didn't mean anything to me at that time although I'm sure he explained who Bertha was. It was all sensory overload though so I didn't retain it. Too much information at once.

Then Bertha passed away in 2010 five days after my father-in-law. I saw in her obituary that her maiden name was Dart and I finally recalled the connection.

As I mentioned in a post about her parents, Bertha passed away on May 20, 2010. Her husband died on November 3, 2009. This photo was taken before either had passed so there are no death dates on it. I'll have to see about stopping by the mausoleum sometime and getting a new picture. I'm sure by now they've been added.

Rest in peace, Sylvester and Bertha.

Sunday's Obituary - Wilbert Dart

Green Bay Press-Gazette
12JUN1984, pg C-6

Ha! Did I say I needed to pull Wilbert Dart's obituary the next time I was home? I take it back. I pulled it right out of my "Dart" file. It was just sitting there waiting for me to enter it into my blog and family tree. Done! This is one of the main reasons I'm slowly going through my files trying to sort it all and into my tree properly! Not only will my tree be sourced properly and with all the research I've already done, but it will actually make my research more effective because I won't be wasting time looking for things I already have!

"Wilbert Dart

Wilbert Dart, 87, Rt. 4, Luxemburg, died Monday evening at a Kewaunee nursing home. He was born Feb. 18, 1897 in Tonet to the late Eugene and Josephine (Hermans) Dart.

He served with the United States Army during World War I and married Alice Delveaux Dec. 30, 1920 at St. Francis Church, Duval.

His wife preceded him in death Dec. 15, 1976.

He operated a farm at Walhain until his retirement 22 years ago. Mr. Dart was a member of the World War I Barrack No. 3240 Kewaunee and the American Legion, Ralph Kline Post 262 of Luxembourg. He served 18 years on the Walhain school board.

He is survived by one daughter and son-in-law, Bertha and Sylvester Gaedtke, Rt. 4, Luxemburg; one granddaughter and grandson-in-law, Jill and Randy Bosman, Rt. 4, Luxemburg; two great grandsons, Barry and Bradley Bosman, Rt. 4, Luxemburg, and one sister-in-law, Mrs. Lucy Delveaux, Algoma.

He was preceded in death by one infant son, six brothers, and six sisters.

Friends may call at the McMahon Funeral Home, Luxemburg, from 2 to 9 p.m. Wednesday. World War I Barracks Memorial service at 4 p.m. Wednesday. American Legion memorial service 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Rosary 8 p.m. Wednesday. Wake service at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. Funeral 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Amand Church, Walhain, with the Rev. Christian O'Brien officiating. Entombment in The Shrine of the Good Shepherd Mausoleum.

American Legion military rites will follow services at the church."

The obituary for his wife, Alice Dart nee Delveaux, was posted previously.

Funeral Card Friday - Wilbert W Dart

Memorial Card - Wilbert W Dart (reverse)

Memorial Card - Wilbert W Dart

So far I've only found a handful of Dart memorial cards in my collection. Wilbert was already in my family tree with a good amount of source materials and research already done. What I don't have is an obituary for Wilbert but this memorial card is one of the places I can get a date of death from.

Wilbert is buried in the Shrine of the Good Shepherd Mausoleum in Nicolet Memorial Gardens, Green Bay, Wisconsin (FindAGrave memorial). The best place for me to look is going to be in the Green Bay Press-Gazette because he's being buried in Green Bay so he must have had family (or a reason) to choose Green Bay. According to the SSDI and the Wisconsin Death Index he died in Luxemburg, Kewaunee County, so if I don't find anything in the Press-Gazette I know where to check next.

Wilbert was a veteran of World War I. I'd love to have a distant cousin contact me and be willing to share a photo of him in uniform or a better photo in general than the two I have. One is from this memorial card and the other is from a newspaper clipping of his Golden Anniversary. With a photo of him in uniform or just a better one I'd be able to put him in my annual Veterans Day tribute. A gal can dream.

So Wilbert has a WWI Draft Registration Card on Ancestry.com, but that doesn't mean he served. What tells me he served was the BIRLS Death File entry that gives his dates of service from August 8, 1918 to September 2, 1919 and that he served in the Army (wish I had a rank too).

I have one child for Wilbert and Alice Dart nee Delveaux in my tree and her name is Bertha who passed away May 20, 2010.