Last night over at Geneamusings, Randy Seaver had for his Saturday Night Genealogy Fun a game of ancestor roulette. The ancestor he landed on was his great-grandmother about whom he had this to say:

I called her “Nana” – as did my mother. She was the earliest born person that I remember being with.

She was born in 1868, so I was impressed by that. The earliest born person I remember is my Great-Uncle Milt who was born in 1900. I had some great-uncles born in the 1890’s whom I probably met but don’t remember. My Uncle Milt had no other family living besides us. He never had children and his only brother, my grandfather, had only my mother. So, Uncle Milt would join us for Thanksgiving and other holidays. When he passed away, I went with my mom to his house and it was like stepping into another time. I came away with a penny from 1919, an old fountain pen and three old 78 records. None of those things have survived to present day, I am sad to report.

Compared to 1868, 1900 is not that long ago. My grandmothers were born in 1904 and 1905 and I knew them better than Uncle Milt. Through the stories of my grandmother Naomi Carman Garrison especially, the early twentieth century was not so far removed.

What about my grandmother? Who was the oldest person she knew? My mind went immediately to her grandmother Catherine Hornef Carman. This was not likely the oldest person in her family my grandmother ever met, but she is the only one my grandmother told me about. It is not much, but this may be all that is ever “remembered” about my 2nd great-grandmother. My grandmother told me she remembered her grandmother as a large, happy German woman and remembered her cooking in the kitchen. My grandmother was only seven years old when her grandmother passed away, so one can forgive the vagueness.

Some things I have learned about Catherine Hornef Carman since:

• She was born 1 July 1845 in Otterberg, Germany to Jacob Hornef and Katharina Faber.
• She was christened at the Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche in Otterberg shortly thereafter.
• They immigrated to Philadelphia when she was a baby and they left Germany “secretly.”
• She had two sisters Eva Amelia who married Andrew Mahla and settled in Marcus Hook and Mary who has proven elusive.
• Her sisters were both born in Pennsylvania.
• She was married in 1862 to Elon Carman at the First Independent Christian Church in Philadelphia.
• She died 9 April 1913 and is buried in Mt. Moriah cemetery in Philadelphia¹

I thought I would try something fun and post pictures of family pets on Fridays. Pets have always been important members of our family and as I’ve been going through old photos I have found they show up more often than some of my ancestors.

Naomi Carman & cat, circa 1910’s

This is the oldest pet photo I have come across so far. Probably taken in Philadelphia where my grandmother lived.

This post is part of the Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month.

Today’s prompt is: “Working girl: Did your mother or grandmother work outside the home? What did she do? Describe her occupation.”

As far as I know, my father’s mother did not work after she married, but like most everyone else in her neighborhood she worked in the hosiery factories before then. My mother was a Registered Nurse and worked in a hospital before I was born and in a nursing home when I was in high school, and later in home health care.

It was my mother’s mother who I always thought of as a working woman. She did stay home with my mother for about a decade, but the rest of her pre-retirement adult life was spent working.

She worked at a book bindery and at least part of her time was spent packing boxes for shipping and she became an expert at that. If you needed items packed in a box wasting the least amount of space, she was the woman to ask. She could eyeball it and get it all in there on the first try.

I recently rediscovered this interesting piece of ephemera in my family documents:

It details all the pays scales and benefits negotiated for by her union. It even has raises built in with separate tables of pay for 1965, 1966 & 1967. This being the 1960’s there are different pay scales for men and women, even if they had the same job title, e.g. Male Helpers, Female Helpers, Journeymen, Journeywomen. Someday I plan to scan the whole booklet. It’s a fascinating look at the time period and industry.

Being the youngest in my family I am sensitive about telling family stories accurately. Growing up it always seemed that everything happened before I was born or was old enough to remember, so everyone else in the room remembered the story better than I did. So, while I enjoy reporting facts and finds on this blog, I have for the most part avoided telling stories about my family history. I do not want to get it wrong.

I’ve realized however that I do hold some things in my head that possibly no one else still alive knows. Writing family history is in some ways an attempt at immortality for our ancestors. Even if what I remember is not entirely accurate, I can share my imperfect memories of my family and through that they might live on a little longer before fading into that obscurity to which we all will inevitably succumb.

In that spirit, I am going to share what my grandmother told me about the picture below which happens to be my favorite photograph of her. She told me this story many years ago, so my telling is in my words not hers.

My grandmother, Naomi Carman (left) & best friend Marie, 1922

My grandmother and her best friend Marie were hanging out in their neighborhood in Philadelphia. Two young men happened by. They were in a musical group and had their instruments with them. Someone had the idea that it would be fun to take a photo of my grandmom and Marie posing with the instruments. And why not wear the young mens’ hats as well? My grandmother laughed as she told me this story, saying that neither she nor Marie had any idea how to play. This story and the photo gave me a glimpse in to a happiness I did not always see in my grandmother. And looking at that smile, how could this not be my favorite photo of her?

1850 Census: PA Phila
Penns Dist., p128
Date 25 Jul 1850

670 806 Carman, Charles R. 39 M Stone Mason PA
                  Caroline ?? F             PA
                       Eli  9 M             PA in school
                 Josephine  7 F             PA in school
                 William P. 5 M             PA in school

1860 Census: PA Phila
19th Ward, p172
Date 7 Jul 1860

1253 1374 Charles Carman 49 M Stone Mason 200 PA
                Caroline 48 F                 PA
                  Joseph 20 M                 PA
               Josephine 18 F                 PA
                 William 16 M                 PA in school
                   Sarah  8 F                 PA
         Eliza Hendricks 51 F Widow           PA

1870 Census: PA Phila
83rd Dist., p93
Date 18 Jun 1870

247 267 Carman, Charles 52 M W Bricklayer ___ 200 PA
               Caroline 50 F W                    PA
           Hoy, Michael 34 M W Boatman            IRE 
                    Father & Mother foreign born
              Josephine 27 F W                    PA
                Charles  8 M W                    PA 
                    Father foreign born In School
                Michael  5 M W                    PA 
                    Father foreign born
                   John  2 M W                    PA 
                    Father foreign born

1870 Census: PA Phila
18th Ward, 56th Dist., p454
Date 9 Jun 1870

307 335 Carman, Elon    29 M W Bricklayer       ___ 100 PA      
                 Mother foreign born
           Catherine    24 F W Keeping House            Bavaria 
                 Father & Mother foreign born
               Jacob     7 M W Attending School         PA      
                 Mother foreign born
            Caroline 10/12 F W                          PA      
                 Mother foreign born  Aug(month born)

1880 Census: PA Delaware
Lower Chichester, ED34
Date 18 Jun 1880

298 307 Carman, Elon W M 39 Head Married Bricklayer       
                  6mths unemployed PA PA PA
           Catherine W F 35 Wife Married Works in Hosiery                  
                                            Baden Baden Baden
               Jacob W M 17 Son  Single  Laborer                           
                                            PA PA Baden
              Joseph W M  8 Son  Single  At School                         
                                            PA PA Baden

1880 Census: PA Phila
ED538, p12/317
Date 8 Jun 1880

166 Tioga
89 96 Carman, Wm P. W M 36 Head    Married Bricklayer PA PA PA
          Mary Jane W F 42 Wife    Married            NY NY NY
 Huntley, Rennie E. W M 10 Stepson         At School  NY NY NY

1900 Census: PA Phila
ED351, p2
Date 1 Jun 1900

1649 Eyre Street                                               immig
26 26 Carman, Elon Head  W M Sep 1840 59 M  38     PA  PA PA           
             Bricklayer R H
         Catharine Wife  W F Jun 1845 54 M  38 3/2 Ger Ger Ger 1846 53 
          Jacob H. Son   W M May 1861 39 Wd 14     PA  PA  Ger         
             Bricklayer
         Joseph E. Son   W M Apr 1873 27 M   5     PA  PA  Ger         
             Bricklayer
        Wilhelmina GDau  W F Jan 1890 10 S         PA  PA  Ger         
             At School
         Joseph E. GSon  W M Dec 1891  8 S         PA  PA  Ger         
             At School
          Annie M. DauIL W F Jan 1876 37 M   5     PA  PA  Ger
         Catharine GDau  W F Apr 1878 22 S         PA  PA  Ger
[Annie is wife of Joseph E. Granddaughter Catharine was actually 2, 
born 1898, Annie's mom was actually born in England. BP of mom of 
Wilhelmina and GS Joseph unknown]

1910 Census: PA Phila
ED283, p10B
Date 21 Apr 1910

1823 Memphis Street
225 230 Carman Elon Head    M W 69     M 48     PA PA  PA  
               Bricklayer              W   No 0 Y Y R H
          Catharine Wife    F W 64     M 48 3/2 PA Ger Ger 
               None                             Y Y
            Elon J. GrSon   M W 18     S        PA PA  PA  
               B??? Boy/ ????? Factory W   No 0 Y Y
   MacBeth, John C. GSonIL  M W 26     M  3     PA PA  PA  
               Retail Dealer/Groceries Emp      Y Y
         Wilhelmina GrDau   F W 20     M  3 1/1 PA PA  PA  
               Saleswoman/Groceries W  No     0 Y Y
            John J. GrGrSon M W 1 9/12 S        PA PA  PA  
               None

1910 Census: PA Phila
ED551, p13A-B
Date 20 Apr 1910

2762 Martha St.
251 244 Carman, Joseph Elon Head M W   38 M        PA PA PA 
                          Bricklayer/Building W No 17 Y Y   R H
                      Annie Wife F W   34 M 15 8/6 PA PA PA 
                          None                        Y Y
                  Catherine Dau  F W   12 S        PA PA PA 
                          None                        Y Y Y
                   Florence Dau  F W    7 S        PA PA PA 
                          None                        Y
                     Joseph Son  M W    9 S        PA PA PA 
                          None                        Y
                      Naomi Dau  F W    5 S        PA PA PA 
                          None
                      Jacob Son  M W    3 S        PA PA PA 
                          None
                     Robert Son  M W 8/12 S        PA PA PA 
                          None

1910 Census: PA Phila
ED388, p12A
Date 29 Apr 1910
Park Street
228 234 Carman, William P. Head    M W 65 M2 11     
                       PA PA PA                 None O F H
                   Mary B. Wife    F W 58 M2 11 0/0 
                       PA PA PA                 None
       Marks, Alexander A. Boarder M W 76 Wd        
          PA Switz(germ) Switz(germ) Farm Laborer General Farm W

1920 Census: PA Phila
ED1706, p4B
Date Feb 1920

3859 Coral St
82 84 Carman, Joseph Head R M W 46 M PA Eng Eng Bricklayer Houses    
                Anna Wife   F W 42 M PA PA  Eng Clothmill           
            Florence Dau    F W 16 S PA PA  PA  None
               Naomi Dau    F W 14 S PA PA  PA  Knitter Hosiery Mill  
                   Attended School
               Jacob Son    M W 12 S PA PA  PA  None                   
                   Attended School
              Robert Son    M W 10 S PA PA  PA  None                   
                   Attended School
             Anna M. Dau    F W  8 S PA PA  PA  None                   
                   Attended School
               Alice Dau    F W  6 S PA PA  PA  None

1930 Census: PA Bucks
Bristol Twp, ED9-15, p11A
Date 14 Apr 1930

Christie Ave
244 246 Carman, Joseph E. Jr. Head R 18 M W 29 M 18 PA PA PA 
                    Driver Truck 
                 Helen C.     Wife      F W 29 M 19 PA PA PA

1930 Census: PA Montgomery
Conshohocken Borough, p15A/82
9 Apr 1930

West Sixth Avenue
239  255  295  Culp, Alvin B.  Head    0  4000  M W 72  Wd PA PA PA  
              Carman, Mary B.  Sister           F W 78  Wd PA PA PA
              Culp, George D.  Son              M W 47  M  PA PA PA  
                    Painter