Sunday, 1 September 2019

The Brooklyn Bethel family in 1910 and 1913


This article could be subtitled: Did they have a crèche?

A review of the 1910 Brooklyn census reveals the names of those then living in the newly established Brooklyn Bethel. What is unusual by modern-day standards is how many children were living there.

There were fifteen married couples living there, and nearly double that number who were single people. But the married couples included a number of children.

For example, the Brenneisen’s (Edward and Grace) had two children, Susan aged 10 and Ralph aged 7. The MacMillans (Alexander and Mary) had two children, Albert aged 2, and Goodwin aged 1/12, which I assume means one month. It might explain why MacMillan disappears from view at times in the Society’s history – he could have been outside Bethel handling family responsibilities for while.

The Sturgeons, (Menta and Florence) had a son, Gordon, aged 11. The Parkepiles (Don and Blanche) had a daughter, Mildred, aged 11. The Horths (Frank and Lilian) had a daughter, Marie, aged 15. And the Keuhns (J G and Ottile) had a daughter, Mildred, aged 16, as well as four adult children living there.

Addenda: The census was dated April 29 and 30. There is a supplemental page dated May 14 with some extra names, which include Joseph and Mary Rutherford, and their son, Malcom (then aged 17).

We could well ask, did they have a crèche?

Moving forward two and one half years we find that the Bethel family still had a number of children living there.

The occasion was the trial in January 1913 of Charles T. Russell vs. Brooklyn Daily Eagle (commonly called the “miracle wheat” trial). In the trial, witness Menta Sturgeon was asked to name all those who were currently part of the Bethel family, either living in or working there regularly. He was asked first in direct examination, when he outlined mainly the married couples and families there, and then in cross examination when he added those who were single. I am providing the full list here. They have been alphabetised according to surname. Sometimes Sturgeon gives a first name or initial, but often he does not. Of course, this is not as accurate as a census return; it is all down to his memory on the witness stand, so there may be omissions.

Miss Alexander
Miss Allen
Mrs Ambler
Mr and Mrs Bain and son
Mr and Mrs William T Baker and son
Miss Bebout
Miss Bourquin
Mr and Mrs Brenneisen and child
Mr and Mrs A Burgess
Mr Cohen
Mrs Cole
Mr and Mrs Cook and two daughters
Miss Darlington
Mr Davidson
Mr John DeCecca
Mr and Mrs F Detweiler
Mr Dockey
Miss Douglas
Mr Drey
Mr Edwards
Mr Emmerly
Mr Ferris
Miss Fitch
Mr Gaylord
Miss Gillet
Mr and Mrs Glendon and son
Miss Hamilton
Mrs Hartsell
Mr Heck
Mr Holmes
Mr and Mrs Isaac Hoskins
Miss Edith Hoskins
Miss Elizabeth Hoskins
Mr Howells
Mr Hudgings
Mrs James
Mr Jansen
Mr and Mrs H F Keene
Mr and Mrs John Keene and three daughters
Mr Knox
Mr and Mrs A H Macmillan and one child
Mr Mayer
Mr and Mrs McGregory and daughter
Mr William Miller
Mr and Mrs Mockridge
Mr Myers
Mrs Nation
Mr and Mrs Nicholson
Miss Niland
Miss Blanche Noble
Miss Virginia Noble
Mr W Obert
Mr John Perry
Mr and Mrs Peterson
Mr Plaenker
Mr and Mrs Raymond and daughter
Mr and Mrs Ritchie
Mr and Mrs Robinson
Mr and Mrs Rockwell
Pastor Russell
Mr and Mrs Schuler
Mr Seary
Mr Shearer
Mr Stamball
Mr Stevenson
Mr and Mrs M Sturgeon and son
Miss Taft
Mr Thompson
Miss Tomlins
Mr Totten
Mrs Wakefeld
Mr and Mrs A G Wakefield

It is interesting to note how many families still lived there. Where the children were of adult age they appear to be listed separately as working there in their own right. But those listed as sons and daughters and uncategorised children may well have been minors.

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