In the Beginning

I have been working on the PETZINGER Family Genealogy for several years with the intention of having my software generate a wonderful book.  Yeah, that probably will not happen, so thought I'd share snippets of family history as I work on them through this blog.


So, unlike the title of this post, I will not start at the beginning.  Instead, I opened my genealogy software, Family Tree Legacy and found myself looking at Grandma MAAS' first husband, Edward FitzGerald GORDON. 


I believe Grandma met him while working at the Prudential Life Insurance Company in 1905.  He worked as a clerk in the 1901-1905 timeframe, according to the Newark City Directories of the time.  He was born in Stillwater, New Jersey in 1868, while Grandma was born in 1886, so he was 18 years older.  According to Shirley Gordon in her book, "On Becoming Alijah" had spent time in Uruguay and Argentina working as a building contractor in the 1890s and was a bit of an outcast to his family before returning to America around 1900.


Edward and Catherine Emma SCHULTZ, known as Katie, were married August 5, 1905 in a church in Manhattan nicknamed, The Little Church Around The Corner according to a newspaper clipping, but I have not yet been able to obtain the marriage license.  According to Shirley, they kept the wedding a secret from his family for three months because he was concerned about his family's acceptance of Katie.  They started their married life in Newark, moving to Irvington in 1913 and returned to Newark by 1916. Their first child, Clarence (Uncle Pat) was born August 14, 1907, followed by a second son, Edward FitzGerald, Jr., who died on March 22, 1910.


He went on to open a real estate office in 1908 and, at the same time, advertised as a "mason builder." He was involved in starting a company that specialized in concrete and masonry work in 1911.  The Gordon Brothers Company was incorporated in Newark on September 11, 1911 with $1,000.  Michael J. Quigley is listed as "Agent" on the Newark Corporations listings.  Edward was listed as Treasurer of the company in the 1917 Newark City Directory.


According to Shirley, Grandma had been severely ill with the start of turberculosis in 1910, probably part of which was due to the loss of her second son.  Edward was very ill and had an unknown operation in 1912, all of which contributed to severe financial difficulties. 


Edward was killed in an auto accident on October 30, 1917. Although he left Katie was considerable debts and mortgages, he also left significant properties in the Newark area. I have not found where he was buried. 


In 1920, Katie was living with family friends, the Atkinsons and running a nursery called Hilton Dahlia Farms.  More on her later!