Ma's Biz | life is like trying to fight a grizzly bear..

Was The Glassblower Robbed?

They don't write 'em like that anymore.

"William Meyers, a professional glassblower who has been giving exhibitiions at South River claims that he was robbed in this city during a visit here on Sunday night. He says that while in a saloon on Somerset street a man took a roll of bills from his poccket and that when he complained the bartender of the placed biffed him in the eye. The police tried to find the bartender but were unsuccessful and he was given 10 cents for fare back to South River."

December 03, 1901

NEW BRUNSWICK DAILY HOME NEWS, NEW BRUNSWICK NEW JERSEY

Secret Marriage Revealed

"The secret marriage of Miss Elizabeth Webber, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Webber of Talmadge street to Lawrence Stark has been announced. The young couple were married by Rev Charles E. Phelps, on Thanksgiving day. The wedding was revealed on Saturday when the bride went to her home and taking her clothing and other things, moved to the home of her husband.

She is 18 years old and the bridegroom is 22 years old. She worked formerly in the cigar factory and he is employed at Janeway & Company's wall paper factory."

What they don't reveal is probably more interesting! My gramma got married on a Thursday, went home on Saturday. Was her Mom frantic about were she was? Why the elopement? Did my great-grandparents disapprove? How did they meet? Where was Mr Stark's home? Questions never to be answered, alas.

Grandma's Kitchen

Second from the stove is "Mr Lawrence Stark" sitting between his two sister-in-laws. Annie on the left, Sophie on the right. The lovely Miss Elizabeth Webber is next sitting next to their daughters, Mildred and Catherine. This photo was, of course, taken many moons after they revealed their secret marriage. No date on photo, but may have been 1951, their 50th Wedding Anniversary.

"Subsequently,

...he got so drunk that what he said was not at all reliable." Nor do they write 'em like that. The news article story of my Grandpa Stark's father and brothers drowning will appear here shortly.

Gone But Not Forgotten

The back of this photo says "For Mary Alice Mariano from Mother". Mom lists the 4 children sitting in the wagon, but not her brother, John leading the horse, or the year it was taken. She's the little one with the big lapels. Her sister Mary is standing, next to brother Francis with Mildred next to him. Spent long hours helping Mom sort and organize her photo's. As years went by she simply could not remember dates, often unsure who the people in photographs were.

Wipper

When my Grandma Stark's parents left Germany, to live in the United States, their surname was Wipper. It's unclear how it was changed to Webber or Weber. It's listed both ways on old records. It may have been the person recording their arrival at Ellis Island in NYC didn't understand their accent, or someone didn't understand the person's writing. The only conversation I remember having with Grandpa Stark was the one we had on his porch one late sunny afternoon. He wanted to give me a quarter. Raised to be polite said "no thank you". After passing the quarter back and forth I finally accepted it, not knowing he'd die that night. Kept that quarter in a secret compartment in my wallet to treasure forever & ever as a momento. Will tell the tale of what happened to that quarter some other time.

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