Man rescued from fiery trap

April 13, 2020April 13, 2020 / Gail Grunst Genealogy / 1 Comment

Last week’s challenge from 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks was “fire”. I am a little late in posting this time. Today’s post is about my husband’s aunt, uncles, and cousin and the house originally owned by his grandfather.

Early on Monday March 9, 1959 a fire started in the first-floor living room of 4916 W. 32nd Place, Cicero, Cook, Illinois and quickly spread to the rest of the house. By the time the fireman arrived the fire was already eating away at the attic walls. Fire equipment was called to the scene from Morton Park, Warren Park, Clyde and Hawthorne fire stations. Bystanders alerted the firemen that a man was still in the building. They rushed in and found Eugene Jelen, a tenant, unconscious on the second floor between the kitchen and a hallway door. The Firemen carried him down a stairway to safety. Eugene suffered from smoke inhalation and second and third degree burns on the left side of his body. If the fireman had arrived a few seconds later Eugene would have died. Leo Gorski, owner of the building, was also hurt with first and second degree burns on his hand. It is not known if the others who lived there were home at time. The firemen deduced that the fire started in the first floor living room by a cigarette. The damage to the 70 year old building was $8,000 and $4,000 for the contents.[1] Leo had no insurance on the house so they were unable to rebuild. What was left of the house was sold, torn down, and a new house built by new owners. Leo and his brother Stanley rented an apartment across the alley. Constance, John, and Eugene Jelen moved to another apartment in Cicero.[2]

My husband’s grandfather, Stanley Gorski, bought the house sometime during the 1920’s.[3] Stanley emigrated from Poland to the United States in 1891 and settled in Cicero, Cook, Illinois where he and his wife Mary raised seven children.[4] Stanley worked in a stone quarry and for a railroad during his life and somehow managed to save enough money to buy a house at 4916 W. 32^nd Place in Cicero.[5]

The building was a two flat with a ground floor basement. In 1930 Stanley and his wife are living in one unit with four of their sons, Stanley Jr., Leo, Chester, and Felix. Their daughter, Constance, is living in the other unit with her husband, John Jelen, and two children, Eugene and Geraldine. Also living in the house is his married son, John, with his wife, Frances and their son, John Jr.[6] My husband said that there were rooms in the basement so perhaps that is where John, Francis, and their son lived. By 1951 the only ones left living in the house were Stanley Jr. and Leo living on the first floor, and Constance and her family living on the second floor.[7]

In Cicero the houses are close together with a gangway between them, but on one side of this house is an empty space, room enough for another house. But in 1930 – 1960 this space remained empty and was part of the property at 4916 W. 32^nd Place. The entire yard was fenced in and there was a garage in back.[8] Mary passed away in 1933[9] and Stanley passed away in 1951[10] leaving the house to his son Leo.[11] Too bad there was such a tragic end to this house that Stanley worked so hard to purchase back in the 1920’s.

Here is the original newspaper article:

img395 (2)

[1] Berwyn Life , (Berwyn Illinois), 11 March 1959, Page 5.

[2] Person knowledge from their nephew, Bruce Grunst.

[3] Year: 1930; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Page: 32A; Enumeration District: 2099; FHL microfilm: 2340233. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Year: 1900; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Page: 22; Enumeration District: 1150; FHL microfilm: 1240292 Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

[6] Year: 1930; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Page: 32A; Enumeration District: 2099; FHL microfilm: 2340233 Source Information:Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.

[7] Personal knowledge from their nephew, Bruce Grunst

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ancestry.com. Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: “Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916–1947.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Index entries derived from digital copies of original records.

[10] Chicago Tribune, (Chicago, Illinois), 18 December 1951, Page 45.

[11] Berwyn Life , (Berwyn Illinois), 11 March 1959, Page 5.

Long Line at Western Electric

January 18, 2020 / Gail Grunst Genealogy / 1 Comment

This weeks 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks prompt is long line.

img001 (4)

In 1905 Western Electric Company built a large factory complex in Cicero, Illinois. It was named Hawthorne works after the original name of the town Hawthorne, later incorporated into Cicero. Hawthorne produced telephone equipment and also some consumer products such as refrigerators and fans. The Hawthorne plant employed 45,000 people at the height of its operation.[1]

My husband had a long line of family members that worked for Western Electric that included his father, brother, aunts, uncles and cousins. Some of the family members working for Western Electric moved on to other jobs, but not his father and brother.

His father, Elmer Grunst, started working for Western Electric in 1918.[2] He started out as a draftsman and worked his way up to supervisor in the equipment engineering department at the Canal Street location in Chicago. He was active in the science and the flower and garden clubs. He was a member of Hawthorne Chapter, Telephone Pioneers of America.[3] Elmer retired from Western Electric in January 1962 after 43 years of service. A retirement party was held at the American Legion Hall in Riverside, Illinois, and in spite of 10 degrees below zero weather over 200 people showed up.[4]

Elmer, Gary, Bernie Grunst 1971 (2)

Elmer’s son also named Elmer went to work for Western Electric shortly after serving in WWII. Elmer as a newcomer in 1946 scored 11 points for the Western Electric Engineer’s basketball team. Further down in the same article his cousin Elmer Weis is mentioned, another example of a family member working for Western Electric.[5] Throughout his years he played on many teams for the Western Electric. In addition to basketball, Elmer played baseball, football, boxing, golf, and bowling. There may even be some other sport that I have forgotten. Elmer was a very athletic person. If my memory serves me right, Elmer retired from Western Electric shortly before it closed in 1983.[6] Elmer retired with about 37 years of service.

The two Elmer’s combined worked at Western Electric 70 years.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_Works

[2] Berwyn Life (Berwyn Illinois), W.E. To Honor 40-Year Vets, 7 December 1958, Sun, Pg.6

[3] Ibid.

[4] Brookfield Citizen (Brookfield, Illinois), 25 January 1962, Pg. 13

[5] Berwyn Life (Berwyn, Illinois), Four way tie in W. E. Cage Loop, 1 March 1946, Fri, Pg 8

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_Works

Finding Albert Grunst in the Census Records

February 2, 2018February 2, 2018 / Gail Grunst Genealogy / 2 Comments

Albert Grunst and Family Albert Grunst was born in Jugelow, Pommern, Germany (now Poland) on 5 June 1853[1] to Henrich Grunst and Wilhelmina Greinke.[2] He came to the United States around 1881[3]or 1882[4] and married Anna Schmerling on 2 October 1886 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.[5] Albert became a Citizen of the United States in 1890.[6] Albert and Anna had seven children, Albert Jr.,[7] [8] Emma,[9] Theodore,[10] Walter,[11] [12] Lillian,[13] [14] Alma[15] [16] and Elmer[17] all born in Illinois.[18] [19]Albert and Anna resided in Chicago[20] and sometime between 1902[21] and 1910 moved to Cicero, Illinois.[22] Albert worked as laborer for a lumber company,[23] and Anna kept house and raised the children. Only five of the seven children grew to adulthood.[24] [25] Emma and Theodore died young.[26] Alma was a sealer in a coffee house,[27] Albert Jr. worked as a house painter, Lillian worked a comptometer at Western Electric Company, Walter was a Laborer in a Piano Factory, and Elmer was a Draftsman at Western Electric Company.[28] Anna died 22 April 1926 at age 61 years, 3 months and 24 days in St. Mary’s Hospital, Chicago, Illinois.[29] By 1930 Albert was living at the Altenheim Old People’s Home[30] in Arlington Heights, Illinois.[31] My husband has some vague memories of visiting his grandfather in the old people’s home. He had to be six or under when he visited, and all he remembers is a big grandfather clock ticking. He doesn’t remember his grandfather. Albert lived at Altenheim until his death 8 February 1947at age 93 years, 8 months, 3 days.[32] [33] Anna and Albert are buried next to each other in Bethania Cemetery in Justice, Illinois.[34]

Above is a short biography of Albert Grunst. As with any non-fiction writing, the sources are cited at the end. There were many sources used, however the census records were used the most to put together this snapshot of Albert’s life. Unfortunately, there are no family stories of Albert or his wife Anna. Census records were used to find the following information:

Year of immigration
Place of birth
Names of Children
Place of birth of Children
Approximate birth Years
Approximate date of marriage
Approximate age at marriage
Approximate date of naturalization.
Occupations
Places of work
Addresses
Approximate dates of address changes
Approximate death date
Name changes of institutions.

By getting some approximate dates from census records 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940, this helped me to find other records with more exact information. In some cases, I just had to be satisfied with the census records. If interested, see the full citations below.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

________________________________________________________________________________________

[1] Ancestry.com. Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: “Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916–1947.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Index entries derived from digital copies of original records.

[2] Neu Jugelow, Kreis Stolp, Pommern, Germany, Birth and baptismal records from the Evangelical church parish of Lupow, Kreis Stolp, Germany for 1846. (Now Lupava, Poland) From the Polish State Archives in Koszalin

[3] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[4] Year: 1920; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T625_359; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 54

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

[5] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Marriages Index, 1871-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: “Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871–1920.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Illinois Department of Public Health records. “Marriage Records, 1871–present.” Division of Vital Records, Springfield, Illinois.

[6] Year: 1920; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T625_359; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 54

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

[7] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: “Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009. Illinois. Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.

[8] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[9] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: “Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009. Illinois. Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.

[10] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: “Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009. Illinois. Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.

[11] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: “Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009. Illinois. Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.

[12] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[13] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: “Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009. Illinois. Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.

[14] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[15] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: “Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009. Illinois. Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.

[16] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[17] Year: 1910; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_238; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 1539; FHL microfilm: 1374251

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.

[18] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[19] Year: 1910; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_238; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 1539; FHL microfilm: 1374251

[20]Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[21] Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

[22] Year: 1910; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_238; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 1539; FHL microfilm: 1374251

[23] Ibid.

[24] Year: 1910; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_238; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 1539; FHL microfilm: 1374251

[25] Year: 1920; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T625_359; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 54

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

[26] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[27] Year: 1910; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_238; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 1539; FHL microfilm: 1374251

[28] Year: 1920; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T625_359; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 54. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

[29] State of Illinois, County of Cook, City of Chicago, Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Standard Certificate of Death, Registration Dist. No. 3104, Registered No. 13052.

[30] It appears that “Altenheim Old People’s Home” name was changed to “Evangelical Lutheran Old Peoples Home” (See 1940 Federal Census) and by 1978 it was the “Lutheran Home and Service for the Aged” according to a letter written to Mrs George Schwarz, a relative also researching Albert, dated March 9, 1978 and shared with Gail Grunst.

[31] Year: 1930; Census Place: Wheeling, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 499; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 2105; FHL microfilm: 2340234

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.

[32] Year: 1940; Census Place: Wheeling, Cook, Illinois; Roll: m-t0627-00777; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 16-162. Source Information:

Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

[33] Ancestry.com. Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.Original data:”Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916–1947.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Index entries derived from digital copies of original records.

[34] Cemetery records of Bethania Cemetery, 7701 S. Archer Road, Justice, Illinois, 60478, Burial record of Anna and Albert Grunst Lot 9 Sec 2 Division 3.

The Mother-In-Law

January 6, 2018January 8, 2018 / Gail Grunst Genealogy / 4 Comments

Alice and Elmer Grunst

Back in 1975-76, I Started to fill the blank spaces on the family tree in my children’s baby books with names, and noticed mine was almost filled and my husband’s almost empty. Both sets of his grandparents died before he was born or when he was a young child and he didn’t know very much about them. I went to my mother-in-law and asked about her parents. The first thing she asked, “Why, are you going to write a book?” At the time, I thought it was a funny question because writing a book had never crossed my mind. All I wanted was some names and dates. She very reluctantly gave me her parent’s names, birth dates, and death dates. I wrote them in the baby books and forgot about it for a while. Then in 1979 I Started to do genealogy, and I made family group sheets for them and filed the information away. For years it has sat in my filing cabinet while I have worked on my own side. I don’t think my mother-in-law would like it, if she knew I was writing about her now. But here goes anyway!

Alice Gorski[1] was born at the turn of the last century on 27 March 1900[2] in Cicero, Cook, Illinois[3] to Stanley Gorski[4] and Mary Witkowska.[5] Both of Alice’s parents emigrated from Poland.[6] Her father came to the United States in 1891[7] and her mother in 1893.[8] Stanislaus Gorski and Maryanna Witkowska were married in Chicago, Cook, Illinois on 28 May 1894.[9] Stanley worked in a stone quarry[10] and for the railroad[11] to support eight children while Mary worked at home raising the children, cooking, and keeping house.[12] Alice, along with her siblings, Joseph, John, Stanley, Constance, Chester, Leo and Felix[13] grew up in Cicero, Cook, Illinois.[14] In 1900 when Alice was born there were two uncles, John Gorski and Adam Gorski, living in the household.[15] Alice had an 8th grade education and after completing the 8th grade[16] worked in a Snuff factory.[17] On 24 November 1920, Alice married Elmer Grunst also of Cicero, Cook, Illinois.[18] They were married at St Mary of Czestochowa church in Cicero, Cook, Illinois.[19] Alice and Elmer had five children, Elmer Jr. in 1921,[20] Harry in 1922,[21] Dorothy in 1923,[22] Lester in 1936,[23] and Bruce in 1941.[24] Around 1929 Elmer and Alice bought a home in Berwyn, Cook, Illinois.[25] There they raised their five children and spent the rest of their lives in the same house on Kenilworth Ave.[26] Alice was the typical stay at home mother of the times.[27] Elmer worked for Western Electric in Cicero, Illinois as a draftsman working his way up to a supervisor.[28]

The first time I met my future mother-in-law was in 1970 when she invited Bruce and I to dinner. I guess she wanted to meet the girl her son was going to marry. She was a spry 70 years old. She cooked a great meal of stuffed Cornish hens. I think it was the first time I ate a Cornish hen. During the meal brother Harry came home, and he was feeling no pain, if you know what I mean. But Harry is a story for another time. After that meal, I had many more meals there during our courtship and early married life. I loved some of the things she made, and my very favorite was her homemade Polish sausage. I have never tasted Polish sausage as good as she made. Her sister, Constance, would come over to her house and they would spend the day making sausages. When we got married she paid off Bruce’s car for him. She helped us with a down payment on our first house and bought us the refrigerator, washer, and dryer. She could be very generous; however I think she wanted me to keep working to help support us. When we announced that we were expecting our first child, she commented, “Oh no, now you will have to quit working.” In 1974, women were just beginning to have both a career and a family. I probably could have tried to do that, but I chose to stay home. It took her a while; however she did to warm up to the idea because she called my mother to say, “Congratulations Grandma.” Alice was already a grandma 6 times, so this was not a new experience for her as it was for my mother. I must say that she sure did love our sons.

When our first son was about six months old, we took a trip up to northern Wisconsin to visit relatives with Alice and Harry. We stopped at a rest stop on the way to eat lunch and feed the baby. I fed him almost a whole jar of baby food (his normal meal). Grandma (as I referred to Alice after the kids were born) said, “You are feeding him too much food, and he is going to get sick.” I told her, “No, I always feed him this much.” Well, guess what? He did get sick in the car and oh the smell and mess. We were on the express way and had to wait until we could find a spot to pull over and clean him up and the car. She didn’t say, “I told you so!” But I bet she was thinking it.

Alice never saw any sense in traveling just to sight-see. She believed the only reason to travel was to visit family or friends or do something like fishing. Whenever we traveled anywhere she would ask, “What’s there?”

I asked my husband the other day, “What’s your favorite memory of your mother?” His answer was, “Coming home from school for lunch. I liked talking with her as I ate.” In 1978, Alice took a fall in her home and broke her hip. Unfortunately, she was never the same after that. While she was recuperating from hip surgery, she had a stroke which left her paralyzed on the opposite side of the repaired hip. She had both sides that did not want to work, and she never walked again. She spent the last three years of her life in a nursing home. We would visit her every week no matter how difficult or inconvenient it could be at times. She was so depressed and would tell us that she wanted to die. It was so sad and difficult to hear her say that. Before the fall, she was cleaning house, cooking, going up and down the basement stairs to wash cloths, grocery shopping, etc. I thought she was so healthy and spunky that she would live to be in her 90’s. But that was not to be. Alice passed away on 9 February 1981[29] just shy of her 81st birthday. She is buried in Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Stickney, Cook, Illinois.[30] She was quiet, shy, and a nice person who has been missed the past 37 years and loved deeply by her children and me. Now that Alice has made her final trip, I have one question for her and that is, “What’s there?”

#52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

____________________________________________________________________________________
[1] On the 1900 and 1910 Federal Census’ Alice’s name is Polly and on the 1920 Federal Census it is Pelagia. We don’t know if her middle name was Alice or if she changed her name.
[2] Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011. Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.
[3] Told to author, Gail Grunst, by Alice Grunst in 1979.
[4] Ibid.
[5] “Illinois Cook County Marriages 1871-1920,” Index, FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Illinois Department of Public Health Records. “Marriage Records, 1871-Present.” Division of Vital Records, Springfield, Illinois.
[6] Year: 1920; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T625_359; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 65. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid.
[9] “Illinois Cook County Marriages 1871-1920,” Index, FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Illinois Department of Public Health Records. “Marriage Records, 1871-Present.” Division of Vital Records, Springfield, Illinois.
[10] Year: 1900; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 292; Page: 22A; Enumeration District: 1150; FHL microfilm: 1240292. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.
[11] Year: 1920; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T625_359; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 65. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Year: 1900; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 292; Page: 22A; Enumeration District: 1150; FHL microfilm: 1240292. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.
[16] Year: 1940; Census Place: Berwyn, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T627_772; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 16-5. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.
[17] Told by Alice Grunst to her son Bruce.
[18] State of Illinois, County of Cook, Chicago, Marriage License 888953, Cook County Clerk’s office.
[19] State of Illinois, County of Cook, Chicago, Marriage License 888953, Cook County Clerk’s office.
[20] Year: 1940; Census Place: Berwyn, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T627_772; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 16-5. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.
[21] Ibid
[22] Ibid
[23] Ibid.
[24] State of Illinois, Springfield, Department of Public health, Division of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Birth Reg. # 106, Reg. dist. # 176.
[25] Ibid.
[26] Personal knowledge from son of Alice Grunst (husband of author).
[27] Ibid.
[28] Ibid.
[29] State of Illinois, Springfield, Illinois Department of Public Health, Office of Vital Records , Medical Certificate of Death, Reg. Dist. 16.21, Reg. No. 134.
[30] Ibid.