This article could be subtitled: Did they have a crèche?
A review of the 1910 Brooklyn census reveals the
names of those then living in the newly established Brooklyn Bethel. What is
unusual by modern-day standards is how many children were living there.
There were fifteen married couples living there, and
nearly double that number who were single people. But the married couples
included a number of children.
For example, the Brenneisen’s (Edward and Grace) had
two children, Susan aged 10 and Ralph aged 7. The MacMillans (Alexander and
Mary) had two children, Albert aged 2, and Goodwin aged one month. It might
explain why MacMillan disappears from view at times in the Society’s history –
he could have been outside Bethel handling family responsibilities for while.
The Sturgeons, (Menta and Florence) had a son,
Gordon, aged 11. The Parkepiles (Don and Blanche) had a daughter, Mildred, aged
11. The Horths (Frank and Lilian) had a daughter, Marie, aged 15. And the
Keuhn’s (J G and Ottile) had a daughter, Mildred, aged 16, as well as four
adult children living there.
In a supplemental
census a few days later, the names of Joseph and Mary Rutherford, with son
Malcom aged 17 were added.
We could well ask, did they have a crèche?
Moving forward two and one half years we find that
the Bethel family still had a number of children living there.
The occasion was the trial in January 1913 of
Charles T. Russell vs. Brooklyn Daily Eagle (commonly called the “miracle
wheat” trial). In the trial witness Menta Sturgeon was asked to name all those
who were currently part of the Bethel family, either living in or working there
regularly. He was asked first in direct examination, when he outlined mainly
the married couples and families there, and then in cross examination when he
added those who were single. I am providing the full list here. They have been
alphabetised according to surname. Sometimes Sturgeon gives a first name or
initial, but often he does not. Of course, this is not as accurate as a census
return; it is all down to his memory on the witness stand, so there may be
omissions.
Miss
Alexander
Miss
Allen
Mrs
Ambler
Mr
and Mrs Bain and son
Mr
and Mrs William T Baker and son
Miss
Bebout
Miss
Bourquin
Mr
and Mrs Brenneisen and child
Mr
and Mrs A Burgess
Mr
Cohen
Mrs
Cole
Mr
and Mrs Cook and two daughters
Miss
Darlington
Mr
Davidson
Mr
John DeCecca
Mr
and Mrs F Detweiler
Mr
Dockey
Miss
Douglas
Mr
Drey
Mr
Edwards
Mr
Emmerly
Mr
Ferris
Miss
Fitch
Mr
Gaylord
Miss
Gillet
Mr
and Mrs Glendon and son
Miss
Hamilton
Mrs
Hartsell
Mr
Heck
Mr
Holmes
Mr
and Mrs Isaac Hoskins
Miss
Edith Hoskins
Miss
Elizabeth Hoskins
Mr
Howells
Mr
Hudgings
Mrs
James
Mr
Jansen
Mr
and Mrs H F Keene
Mr
and Mrs John Keene and three daughters
Mr
Knox
Mr
and Mrs A H Macmillan and one child
Mr
Mayer
Mr
and Mrs McGregory and daughter
Mr
William Miller
Mr
and Mrs Mockridge
Mr
Myers
Mrs
Nation
Mr
and Mrs Nicholson
Miss
Niland
Miss
Blanche Noble
Miss
Virginia Noble
Mr
W Obert
Mr
John Perry
Mr
and Mrs Peterson
Mr
Plaenker
Mr
and Mrs Raymond and daughter
Mr
and Mrs Ritchie
Mr
and Mrs Robinson
Mr
and Mrs Rockwell
Pastor
Russell
Mr
and Mrs Schuler
Mr
Seary
Mr
Shearer
Mr
Stamball
Mr
Stevenson
Mr
and Mrs M Sturgeon and son
Miss
Taft
Mr
Thompson
Miss
Tomlins
Mr
Totten
Mrs
Wakefeld
Mr and Mrs A G Wakefield
It
is interesting to note how many families still lived there. Where the children
were of adult age they appear to be listed separately as working there in their
own right. But those listed as sons and daughters and uncategorised children
may well have been minors.
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