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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