Foot prints in the past

Mom.................

Sylvia Lucette Abrams Jones

circa 1945, New York

It was always a curiosity to me that she had a middle name of Lucette. I never thought to ask her how she got that name.

But if it is true that Lisetta Stern, a widow born in Darmstadt in 1831, was in fact the mother of our Ida Stern, born in 1862 in New York, whom we know for sure becomes the mother of our Michael Abrams, who was born in 1890, who was, we know for sure, the father of our Sylvia Lucette Abrams, who was born in 1920, well, it all makes perfect sense!

Did I lose you?

You see, in the Jewish tradition of naming your child with a name that begins with the first letter of a dead relative, Sylvia Lucette may have been given the middle name of Lisetta Stern, her grandmother!

It's just all too cool!

Stay tuned............

Pieces of a puzzle

I've always loved puzzles, savoring moments: finding that corner piece finally, the last piece of the tree in the lefthand corner, like that.

And I've always been nuts about genealogy, looking for the pieces of our own genetics puzzles.

We are the heirs of generations of unnamed folks. By naming them, one by one, putting together pieces of their stories, fitting them into world history events........Well, I don't know how to finish that sentence exactly. It just tickles me to find a new generation.

So, here's a census page from 1880, New York, New York. On the line numbered 18 98 is a widow, Lisetta Stern, with her kids, and the 18yr old girl Ida I believe to be my great-great grandmother!

Because in 1910, I find "Lizzie Stern",79, as "mother-in-law" living with Nathan Abrahms and his wife Ida. Nathan and Ida we know to be our ancestors. All the birthplaces, ages, names match! Pretty good clues.

We'll see what else I can dig up!

1880 United States Federal Census about Lisetta Stern

Name: Lisetta Stern Home in 1880: New York City, New York, New York Age: 50 Estimated birth year: abt 1830 Birthplace: Darmstadt Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head) Father's birthplace: Darmstadt Mother's birthplace: Darmstadt Neighbors: View others on page Occupation: Keeping House Marital Status: Widowed Race: White Gender: Female Cannot read/write: Blind: Deaf and dumb: Otherwise disabled: Idiotic or insane: View image Household Members: Name Age Lisetta Stern 50 Isaac Stern 24 Solomon Stern 22 Ida Stern 18 Minnie Laurens 23