Rosina (Rose) Becker Gross

In a previous post, I discussed what I new about my immigrant gg-grandmother, Rose.  Rose, although ethnically German, immigrated with her family from Lorraine, France.  The 1900 Census lists their immigration year as 1860, although the 1920 Census states that the family arrived in 1855.  I believe the latter is the correct date as I was able to locate an immigration record on the Ship William Tell that arrived in New York in 1855.  There are a few discrepancies, but most of what I know is supported by these records.



What is beyond dispute, however, is that Rose was a widow with four children by 1879.  The surviving children were:  Rose -age 15, Julius - age 14, Julia - age 12, and Eliza (Alice) - age 6.  The 1880 Census lists Rose and her four children living in the same residence as her older sister, Catherine, and younger brothers, Victor and Nicolas.  They were living at 288 W. 6th St. in downtown Cincinnati.  All but the three youngest children were listed as working in a "Stamping and Embroidery" business, apparently owned by the family.  Young Rose was also working in the store, but her brother, Julius is listed as working in a candy store.

For the times, I can imagine that the children were very fortunate.  They were raised in a home with four adults including two men who could serve as father figures.  Frequent occupations for women at the time included being a seamstress, milliner, embroiderer or similar.  Sure beats taking in laundry!

The women in my family were quite good at this.  We have a few remaining pieces of their work.  The one at the left in incomplete.  The one to the right was embroidered by the younger Rose.  It was a hat liner for her husband, James Hugh Ryan.  I'm told that Rose also embroidered beautiful flowers on her wedding dress.  It was obviously a labor of love for these women.

As far as I know, three of Rose's siblings (Catherine, Victor and Alice)never married. Victor, who was a Civil War Veteran of a cavalry unit, was listed as a "harness maker" in the 1900 Census. All are buried in St. John's Cemetery in St. Bernard, Ohio -- all in unmarked graves.



Final note: The 1900 Census lists Rose Gross living with three of her children at 851 Findlay Ave. Her siblings, Victor, Katharine and Alice are living a few doors away at 838 Findlay. By then Rose was receiving a Civil War Pension based on her husband, Charles', service in the military. By 1900, the family was using "Baker" for their surname, the "Americanized" version of Becker. It's interesting to note that by 1910, they reverted back to Becker.

Source Citation for Passenger List

Charles' Widow -- Rosina (Rose) Becker Gross

Charles C. Gross died at age 37 leaving his wife with four children to raise on her own.  In the 1910 Census, Rose is listed as the mother of seven children, with four still alive.  (Two children, Charles and Katharina, died before the age of two.  I've not been able to identify the third child).  So what is known about Rose Becker?

Rose was the daughter of Nicolaus Becker and Anna Marie Butro.  She was born in Lorraine, France.  The Alsace-Lorraine area of France is very confusing for genealogists.  The region was largely comprised of ethnic Germans.  This website does a great job of summarizing the political changes that have taken place over the centuries.

Table Credit: Website Linked Above in Narrative

When the Beckers emigrated to the United States in the 1860s, they were citizens of France (and Census records reflect this fact).  In the 1910 Census, their ethnicity is listed as German (French).  When I speak of my own ethnicity, I do not include a French component, even though the region is currently part of France.

Rose was older than her husband, Charles.  Despite inconsistent age listings for Rose, her Death Certificate lists her date of birth as May 2, 1832.  (Most other documents say she was born in May, 1831 and I believe this to be true).  That would mean that Rose was 33 years old and Charles was only 22 when they married in Cincinnati on June 21, 1864.  Charles, a veteran of the Civil War, was working as a baker.

Over the next year, the couple had seven children.  The youngest, Alice (Eliza) was born in 1874.  It was shortly after her birth that Charles became an "invalid" and was unable to work for the next four years.  We know that he died on January 3, 1879 at the age of 37.  Rose was a widow and mother of four surviving children at the age of 48.  She was a first-generation immigrant in a country where English was a second language, her husband was incapacitated living in an age when there was no such thing as Social Security.  So how did she survive?  In a word -- family!  We'll discuss this in the next post.

The Marriage of Charles C. Gross and Rosina Becker

According to the Restored Hamilton County Courthouse Marriage License Book, Charles C. Gross and Rosina Becker were married on January 21, 1864.  The Archdiocesan Archives was not able to easily identify the Church where they were married.  However, the Cincinnati City Directory lists their address as 122 W. 5th Street.  Charles was working as a baker. The Archives was able to supply baptismal records for three of their children from St. Francis Seraph Church on Liberty Street.  As the family always lived in the 5th - 6th Street area, I was surprised that they would find a parish home several blocks north. 

By the 1870 Census, Charles was the Proprietor of his own bakery.  He and Rosa were the parents of four living children:  Julius - Age 5, Rosa - Age 4, Julia - Age 3, and Catherine - Age 1. He had a net worth of $600, more than any of his neighbors. Life for these first-generation Americans appeared to be on track.

Then tragedy struck.  According to the Case History of Male and Female Patients for the Longview Asylum, Charles became insane.  He was admitted to the hospital on May 8, 1876 as the result of an illness now in its fourth year.  His condition upon admission is as described:

The duration of the present attack is four years, this being the 1st attack.  The supposed cause of insanity is some four years ago, he was overheated at his work and since then has been an invalid. Patient has hallucinations described as follows:  Imagines that he must kill himself and family, can't sleep of nights and roams around the streets coming home always in an excited condition of mind.  Patient has shown a disposition to injure himself and others, but not to be destructive.  He has made two attempts to hang himself.  He has not been addicted to the intemperate use of alcoholic drinks.  Has not been subject to epilepsy.  The disease is not hereditary.  (Typed as recorded).

No record of treatment is included between May and September 20th.  It seems as if Charles suffered greatly from his kidney disease for three days in September.  His medical record includes the following:        

September 20, 1878 - Complains of a very severe headache and pains in his bowels.  He has likewise considerable difficulty in passing his urine, which is very high-coloured and has a strong ammonia odour.

          September 21, 1878 - Has had no passage from his bowels for a couple of days.       

September 22, 1878 - Had one operation this morning.  Has less difficulty in passing his urine and it is more natural in appearance.  His face is pale and very much puffed-up and so it is with his hands and feet.  Eats well and sleeps quietly. 

The next entry in Charles' record is a notation that he died in the evening of January 3, 1879 at 9:00.  Cause of death:  Bright's Disease.

The 1879 and 1880 Cincinnati City Directories list Rosa as living at 288 1/2 W. 6th Street. Her occupation is listed as "widow selling confectioners articles." Once again one of my female ancestors is listed as a widow by about the age of 40 with the total responsibility for the care and raising of four children. As I've said many times before. I am descended from a long line of STRONG women.

Note to family:  I have copies of many documents related to the above post.  Let me know if you have need of them.

Kathy

Charles C. Gross - My Maternal 2X Great-Grandfather

Note:  This post will predominately be of interest to the "Ryan" side of my family.

First things first -- how is Charles Gross related to me (and by extension, you)?  I've included a chart for clarification.

Charles Gross was born in Wuerttemberg, Germany about 1842.  I am still researching his German roots and trying to locate an immigration record.  According to one record, he came to Cincinnati about 1858.  I first became interested in him when I was researching ancestors who served in the Civil War.  Charles is one of them.

It's been an interesting journey.  One challenge of family historians is to compile as many facts as possible about an individual and then try to put "flesh on the bones."  So here is a list of the facts:

• Charles was born about 1841-42 in Wuerttemberg, Germany.
• Emigrated to the United States about 1858.
• Listed in the 1860 Cincinnati City Directory as a "laborer" living at 830 Western Row
• Enlisted in the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 10th Regiment, Company I at Camp Dennison on June 3, 1861 for three years of service at the start of the Civil War.
• 10th Regiment engages in a battle at Carnifex Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia) on September 10, 1861. (I think Charles probably engaged in this battle). Union victory.
• Muster rolls for October, 1861 report Charles "absent without remark."
• Muster rolls for November to December 1861 report Charles "absent - left in hospital at Charleston, West Va on November 2nd.
• Muster rolls for January and February 1862 report Charles "absent in hospital in West Va.
• Records report that he is "not present for any payment" through August of 1862.  Cause of absence in hospital not stated.
• On September 26, 1862 the unit returned to Cincinnati and Charles was sent to the Main Hospital in Cincinnati.  He was issued a Surgeon's Certificate of Disability on September 27, 1862 for "Bright's Disease of kidneys" -- stricture of urethra for six months standing.
• Returns to occupation as a baker.
• Marries Rosina Becker aka Rose Baker on June 21, 1864 in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio. Rose immigrated from Lorraine, France.  Although a French citizen, she is ethnically German.
• Charles and Rose become parents of six children:  Rose (02 may 1865), Julius (18 May 1866), Catherine (March 1869), Carl (Nov 1872), Eliza "Alice" (Sept 1874), and Julia (24 Dec 1877). Catherine and Carl die before age 2.
• Charles is admitted to Longview Asylum on April 4, 1878 suffering from Bright's Disease and "insanity".  Cause of insanity listed as becoming "overheated at work" resulting in him becoming an invalid.  What may have been heat stroke occurred in 1874.
• Dies on January 3, 1879 in Longview.  Age 37.
• Buried in an unmarked grave in Spring Grove Cemetery in Section 48, Lot 76.
• Civil War Pension Index lists his physical description as 5'7",  fair complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair.  Occupation:  Baker.
• Certificate of Death states that Charles was a resident of Cincinnati for 21 years at the time of his death.

So those are the documented "facts."  But the facts really don't tell us WHO Charles was.  Over the next few posts, I will try to put "flesh on those bones."  I encourage family, in particular, to let me know if your interpretation of the "facts" differs from mine.