Kathleen: The People

Kathleen’s mother’s family are involved in Kathleen’s life. This includes Ella’s mother, Alice (Merrick, 1868-1938), and her two younger brothers, Harry Stanley (1892-?) and Edwin Patrick (1896-1961).

There isn’t much information available about Ella’s mother. She and Ella’s father, Anthony, were both German immigrants and their surname is spelled differently in documents. I think these two reasons are why it is difficult to find any information about them. Had Harry and Ed not been mentioned by Kathleen in the Diary, I wouldn’t have known to go looking for them. I do know that Alice was born on October 23rd, 1868 in Germany. All three of her children were born in Saginaw, Michigan, so she immigrated there before 1890 when she was 21. She is still near there in 1927 because she visits Kathleen and the family a few times during the writing of the Diary, and even goes swimming with Kathleen. Alice died on November 28th, 1938, in Detroit.

Harry was born on February 5th, 1892 in Saginaw. By his 21st year, he was living in Cleveland, Ohio, and was a Department Clerk in the Municipal Court there. He married Anna (Luntz, 1892-1973) in 1921 and they had their only child, Charlotte Marie (1925-?), on February 17th, 1925. Anna’s parents were immigrants from Czechoslovakia, so perhaps they shared similar 1st generation experiences. Harry only had a 6th grade education; in the 1930 census, Harry is listed as an Iron Worker, and in 1940, he was a custodian in a Women’s Hospital. ​​I don’t know when Harry died, but Anna died in Cleveland in 1973. Charlotte went on to attend The Ohio State University and marry James Charles Carver, an Industrial Engineer.

Ed was born on March 17th, 1896, in Saginaw. He was drafted into WWI in 1917 and, while I don’t know much about his experience, I know that he came home from Brest, France, in May of 1919. In June of 1926, Ed married Mary Winifred (Fookes, 1902-1985), they settled in Detroit, and had four children. The first of the children, Mary, was born in 1927 and Kathleen remarks about it in the Diary. Ed was an Advertiser in a retail store in 1930 and in 1940, he was working as a Dry Cleaner, seemingly at his own business. Around 1954, Ed and Mary moved to Albuquerque, along with two of their sons. Ed died in 1961 and Mary died in 1985.

Anna May Douglas (1910-2004) was born to Albert (1883-1975) and Ethel (Crawford, 1888-1986) on February 1st, 1910. She had one brother, Arthur, that was born two months premature in 1991, and he died after only one month. In 1929, Anna married Charles Mcallen; he was a laborer that did odd jobs. Their son, Douglas, was born in 1931, but the marriage didn’t last long after that. Anna and Charles were divorced in 1934, with Anna citing cruelty as the cause. Just a year and a half later, Anna married Daniel Sabin (1903-1975); he was a farm laborer. Daniel had also been married previously and had a daughter named Dolores, but I don’t believe that she lived with Anna and Daniel. They lived in Lansing, Michigan, and Anna kept their home. Daniel died in 1975 in Lansing, and Anna died many years later in 2004 in Meridan, Michigan.

Julia Eleanor James (1910-1971) was born to Edward (1862-1937) and Elizabeth (Stephenson, 1864-1939) on September 8th, 1910. She was the youngest of 12 siblings. After graduating from Saginaw High School with Kathleen, she took a job as a stenographer and bookkeeper, skills that she likely acquired in high school, before marrying George Miller (1908-2002) in 1930. They then moved to Flint, Michigan, and then to Algona, Iowa, where their only child, Elizabeth Jean “Beth” (1931-2004) was born. George worked as a contractor. I can’t find documentation of the divorce between Julia and George, but Julia got married for a second time to Elmer Borgaard in 1965 in Junction City, Oregon. Unfortunately, Elmer died just a few years later in 1969. Julia died in Fresno, California on August 12th, 1971.

The La Fontaine family are friends with the Willard family. They are Edmond (1879-1934) and Mabel (Anderson, 1883-1962) and their six children- Lorna (1909-1965), Lucille (1911-1986), John “Jack” (1914-1969), Ruth (1917-1999), Helen (1921-1929), and little Mary (1923-1924). Edmond was born in Canada and is a tailor. Lorna is one year older than Kathleen and they are close friends. Lorna graduated high school in 1927, and then became a Salesperson in a grocery store. In 1938, she married Joseph Sartor (1906-1977), and they had one daughter. She died in Alma, Michigan, in 1965. The rest of the siblings lived and died around the same area of Michigan.

Ethel Schwartz (1909-1983) is the only child of Ernest (1883-1919) and Anna (1881-1952). Ernest and Anna married in 1908 and he was a Bookkeeper in a bank. Tragically, just a few years after returning from WWI, he died of influenza when he was just 35 years old and Ethel was just 9 years old. After that, Anna and Ethel remained very close. Kathleen and Ethel are the same year in school and both lived on 12th Street in Saginaw. After graduating from high school, Ethel became a Bookkeeper and Typist and Anna worked in a grocery store. They lived together until at least 1948 in the same home on 12th Street. Anna died in 1952. Ethel never married and died in 1983 in Saginaw.

The Shaddeau family and the Willard family are friends. They are Benjamin (1888-1985), Fanchon (Hare, 1895-1976), and Mary Jane (1919-2006). Benjamin and Fanchon were married in 1913. He was a Machinist before being drafted in WWI. Soon after getting hime, Mary Jane was born and Benjamin started his career at General Motors; he would work there for 42 years. Mary Jane worked as a Stenographer and, later, a Clerk at Chevrolet, and Fanchon kept their home. Benjamin and Fanchon moved to Florida around 1966 and Mary Jane ended up there at some point as well. They may have moved there at the same time since Mary Jane never married. Fanchon died in Florida in 1976, Benjamin followed in 1985, and Mary Jane in 2006. They are all buried in Saginaw.

The Teysen family and the Willard family are friends. They are Harry (1886-1960), Grace (1878-1971), and Kenneth (1921-2014). Harry was born in France and arrived in the US in 1904. In 1910, Harry was in Cleveland working as a Chef in a hotel and Grace was in Detroit working as a Waitress in a hotel. In 1920, they married in Lansing, and their only child, Kenneth, was born soon after. They moved to Mackinaw City in 1926 and then opened a restaurant together. The trio moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, briefly in the early 1950’s, and this is where Harry died in 1960. Grace and Kenneth moved back to Michigan after, and Grace died there in 1971.

Florence Bates Barnard (1872-1961): Saginaw High School’s Assistant Principal. Florence was born in Saginaw, Michigan, to Joseph (1840-1910) and Myra (Bates, 1846-1926), and had three younger sisters- Edith Alice (1874-1962), Sarah Olive (1876-1964), and Anna Morrell (1879-1963). She was a teacher in Saginaw for her whole life. She lived with her parents until her father died, and then boarded in other people’s homes or rented homes. Florence died in Saginaw on July 28th, 1961.

Richard Brennan (1890-1973): Typewriting Teacher. Richard was born in Saginaw on February 6th, 1890. He, unlike his female colleagues, could be married and be a teacher; he married Gladys Leah (Raymond, 1895-1969) in 1917 and they had four children- Marie (1922-2011), Billy (1924-?), Glada (1928-2013), and Richard (1931-1982). Richard was a veteran of WWI, and became a teacher after returning home. He, Gladys, and their children lived in Saginaw until at least 1951. Gladys died in Florida, however, in 1969, and Richard died there as well in 1973.

Majel Brooks (1899-1986): French Teacher. Majel was born in Knowlesville New York on May 13th, 1899 to Charles (1871-1931) and Ellen “Nellie” (Keith, 1872-1961). Charles was a minister and Nellie looked after their three daughters. She was the oldest of three girls, along with Gladys Doane (1900-1954) and Frances Opal (1907-1988). The family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, for a few years before moving to Europe, where Majel was educated. She studied at the Sorbonne in France and later received her master’s degree in French from Barnard College in New York. She taught in New York and around New England, including in Saginaw, before teaching at Bucknell Junior College in Pennsylvania. There, she met her future husband, Dr. William Miller (1902-1985), who was a mathematics professor there. When they were married in 1938, she was studying for her doctorate degree. The two made their home in Maryland. William died in 1985 and Majel died just over a year later in December of 1986.

Frances Burnham (abt 1865-1940): English Teacher. There isn’t much information about Frances. She was born in New York around 1865, was a teacher in all the documentation that I could find, and was almost done teaching in 1927 when Kathleen had her for English class. Frances died on March 6th, 1940.

Katherine “Kitty” Casey (1888-1968): Clothing Teacher. Katherine was born in Saginaw on February 12th, 1888 to Patrick (1824-1894) and Julia (Lyman, 1847-1924) and she was the youngest of four children. Katherine’s father died when she was only five years old; he had married her mother when he was 53 years old, and was 70 when he died of unknown causes. Still, this left Julia with four young children to care for alone. Perhaps this is why Katherone got married when she was only 17 years old to Edward Lamirand Jr. in 1906. The marriage would be short, however; Katherine filed for divorce in 1908 citing “willful desertion” as the cause. After that, she took back her maiden name and started to teach. She remained single and teaching in Saginaw for the rest of her life. She died in 1968 and is buried in Saginaw.

Anna Finlay (1881-1947): Clothing Teacher. Anna was born in Saginaw on December 27th, 1881 to Alexander (1854-1925) and Lucy (Kirshal, 1853-1911). She was the second oldest of five siblings and the only girl. She began teaching right after she got done with her schooling, and lived with her father until his death. After that, she bought her own home, continued to teach, and died in Detroit in 1947.

Stephen Henry Lyttle (1889-1962): Principal. Stephen was born in Shelby, Michigan, on November 15th, 1889. His father died when he was only 12 years old, so he started his young adult life as a farm laborer on his family farm. In 1916, he married Ruth Winifred (Marshall, 1890-1937). After his service in WWI, they started their family and had three boys- Douglas (1919-2017), Marshall (1921-1947), and Robert (1923-2002). By 1920, he was working in the public school system, and became a Principal in Saginaw not long after. In 1937, Ruth died of a cerebral hemorrhage, which left Stephen with three teenage boys. Just two years later, Stephen got remarried to one of Ruth’s sisters- Lena (Marshall, 1894-1981). Lena had been a teacher in Lansing, so perhaps they bonded over a love of their professions. Stephen died in 1962 in Saginaw and Lena died there as well in 1981.