Monthly Archives: January 2024

Francesco “Frank” Bivona 1904-1969 – An AI generated biography with historical context for his time…

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Francesco ‘Frank’ Bivona was born into an era when Argentina was a prime destination for European immigrants, particularly from Italy. His parents were part of a massive wave of Italian immigration that began in the late 19th century and continued through the early 20th century, driven by economic hardship in Italy and the promise of opportunity in the Americas. Mendoza, where Frank was born, had become a hub for agricultural development, attracting many immigrants to its burgeoning wine industry.

As Frank reached adulthood, the world was undergoing significant turmoil. The Great Depression (1929-1933) severely impacted economies worldwide, including the United States, where Frank would later settle. This period saw widespread unemployment and poverty. Additionally, the lead-up to World War II was marked by political instability and the rise of totalitarian regimes in Europe. Despite these challenges, New York remained a melting pot of cultures and a land of potential for immigrant families like the Bivonas.

The Brooklyn neighborhood where Frank’s family lived was emblematic of the diverse ethnic enclaves that characterized New York City at the time. Assembly districts such as the ones mentioned were often home to close-knit communities of immigrants who maintained cultural traditions while assimilating into American life. By the 1940s, the United States was experiencing economic growth due to wartime production, which provided employment opportunities for many residents, including those in immigrant communities.

When Frank passed away in 1969, it was a time of great social change in the United States. The Civil Rights Movement had made significant strides towards equality, and the Vietnam War was at its height, leading to widespread protest and societal division. It was also the year of the Apollo 11 moon landing, symbolizing technological progress and optimism for the future. Frank’s lifetime spanned some of the most transformative periods of the 20th century.

Last Name Origins

The surname Bivona is of Italian origin, derived from a place name. It likely traces back to the town of Bivona in the province of Agrigento on the island of Sicily, Italy. Surnames based on geographic locations were commonly adopted in Italy during the Middle Ages when individuals moved from their birthplace and took the name of their hometown as a means of identification. The name Bivona would have been used to signify someone who was from that particular town.

Samuel Tilden Barnes 1877 – 1909 an AI Biography

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Samuel Tilden Barnes was born into a post-Civil War America, during an era known as Reconstruction which ended in 1877. His birthplace, Bishopville, Sumter County, South Carolina, was part of the Southern United States that grappled with economic devastation and social upheaval following the war. The year of his birth also marked the end of federal intervention in Southern politics and the beginning of the ‘New South’ period, characterized by attempts to modernize the economy while maintaining traditional social structures.

Barnes’s family life unfolded against a backdrop of significant agrarian change. His father, Simeon Scarborough Barnes, would have witnessed the transformation from slave-based plantations to sharecropping and tenant farming systems. This period saw many African Americans and poor whites striving for self-sufficiency amidst challenging economic conditions and the rise of Jim Crow laws enforcing racial segregation.

By the time Samuel Tilden Barnes married Mittie Campbell in Holmes, Florida, on February 23, 1904, the United States had entered the Progressive Era, a time of widespread social activism and political reform addressing issues caused by industrialization, urbanization, immigration, and political corruption. Their marriage location suggests possible participation in the south-to-south migration patterns where individuals moved within southern states seeking better opportunities.

Samuel Tilden Barnes was born on February 6, 1877, in Bishopville, Sumter, South Carolina, United States. He was the son of Simeon Scarborough Barnes and Margaret Barnes (born Kelley). His father was born on November 20, 1852, although other records suggest a birth year circa 1851 or December 1851. His mother’s birth is recorded as February 18, 1856, with some sources indicating circa 1856 or December 1857. Samuel had seven siblings: Wilson Scarborough, Reese Algiers, Harriett Salina, Maggie Viola, Christiana, Magnolia, and Sarah Ethel.

Samuel Tilden Barnes married Mittie Barnes (born Campbell) on February 23, 1904, in Holmes, Florida, United States. Mittie was born on June 6, 1882, in Georgia. Together they had one son, Eugene Ludlow Barnes, who was born on August 5, 1906. However, there are conflicting records suggesting another marriage to Mary Letha Galloway, born on November 20, 1879, with whom he reportedly had a daughter named Aletha, born on January 12, 1902.

The early years of Samuel and Mittie’s son, Eugene Ludlow Barnes, were marked by the burgeoning Progressive Movement, aiming to improve living conditions and reduce the gap between rich and poor. However, they also faced the realities of the pervasive Jim Crow laws and the increasing entrenchment of white supremacy in the South, which would have shaped their daily lives and societal interactions.

Samuel Tilden Barnes passed away at the young age of 32 in Columbia, Marion, Mississippi. His death came just one year after the Panic of 1907, a financial crisis that affected many American families and businesses. He was laid to rest in a nation on the cusp of great changes, with the advent of World War I only five years away, which would dramatically alter the United States’ role on the world stage and its internal dynamics.

An AI generated biography of Henrietta Spruhan Hess

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Henrietta S Hess was born on January 31, 1894, in Illinois, United States. She was the daughter of Henry Joseph Spruhan, who was born on March 3, 1857, in Crawfordsville, Montgomery, Indiana, United States, and Caroline Spruhan (born Baur), whose birth took place on October 12, 1863, in Washington, Clark, Indiana, USA. Henrietta had three siblings: Mary, Garret Denny, and Josephine.

On June 25, 1921, in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA, Henrietta married George Kellogg Hess, Sr., who was born on September 6, 1891, in Benton Harbor, Berrien, Michigan, United States. Together they had two sons: George Kellogg Jr. and Robert Lawrence.

Throughout her life, Henrietta lived in various places. In 1910, she resided in Hoboken Ward 2, Hudson, New Jersey, USA. By 1930, she had moved to Chicago (Districts 1251-1500), Cook, Illinois, USA . From at least 1935 until 1940, she lived in Benton Township, Berrien, Michigan.

Henrietta passed away on September 20, 1984, at the age of 90 in Saint Cloud, Osceola, Florida, United States. She was buried in Osceola Memory Gardens, Kissimmee, Florida, United States.

Historical Context

Henrietta S Hess was born into the dawn of the Progressive Era, on January 31, 1894, in Illinois—a time when the United States was undergoing rapid industrialization and urbanization. Her parents, Henry Joseph Spruhan and Caroline Baur, were part of a society that was experiencing significant social and economic changes. The late 19th century had seen a surge in immigration, and cities like Chicago, where Henrietta would later marry, were bustling with diverse communities and booming industries.

When Henrietta married George Kellogg Hess, Sr., on June 25, 1921, the nation was at the height of the Roaring Twenties. This period was marked by a post-World War I economic boom, cultural flourishing with jazz music and flappers, and significant technological advances. Their marriage coincided with an era of optimism and prosperity before the onset of the Great Depression at the end of the decade.

Henrietta’s various residences reflect the mobility of many Americans during her lifetime. In 1910, she lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, which was part of the greater New York City area—a primary destination for immigrants and migrants alike. By 1930, she had moved to Chicago, aligning with the timeline of the Great Migration, where millions of African Americans relocated from the rural South to northern cities in search of better opportunities. Later, settling in Benton Township, Michigan, she witnessed the state’s automotive industry become a cornerstone of American manufacturing.

Henrietta passed away on September 20, 1984, in Saint Cloud, Florida, having lived through two World Wars, the civil rights movement, and the space age. Her life spanned a period of profound transformation in American society, including women’s suffrage, the rise and fall of Jim Crow laws, and the technological revolution. She was laid to rest in Osceola Memory Gardens, Kissimmee, Florida, as the nation continued to grapple with its evolving identity.

Last Name Origins

The surname Spruhan is not a common name, and its origins are somewhat obscure. It appears to be of Irish origin, possibly derived from an Anglicized form of a Gaelic name. However, without specific genealogical or historical evidence linking the name to a particular region in Ireland or to a Gaelic root, it’s challenging to provide a definitive origin for the surname Spruhan. Further research into Irish records and family histories might shed more light on the etymology and geographical distribution of this uncommon surname.

The last name Hess is of German origin and is a regional name for someone who came from the region of Hesse in Germany. The name Hesse itself comes from the tribal name of the Hessi. In medieval times, people were often identified by their place of origin, so surnames like Hess would have been used to distinguish individuals who had moved away from their original home territory. Over time, these locational names became hereditary, passing from one generation to the next. The spelling variations of Hess include Hesse, Hessen, and others, reflecting the dialectal differences within the German language.

These are links to other blogs that I have created about my paternal grandmother.

https://wordpress.com/post/tellinglifestories.org/2010

https://wordpress.com/post/tellinglifestories.org/175

An AI generated autobiography for Norbert “Nick” D Wiesner 1920 – 1999

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Norbert D. Wiesner was born on October 5, 1920, in Wisconsin, United States. He was the son of Jacob Johann Wiesner, who was born on December 20, 1878, in West Bend, Washington, Wisconsin, United States , and Emma Wilhelmina Caroline Wiesner (born Bork), who was born in 1880 in Germany . Norbert had six siblings: Ellemeda Johannah, Clarence, Florence, Anita, Adaline, and Milton William [1].

He married Joyce Lucille Wiesner (born Shaw) who was born on June 25, 1922, in Ohio, United States .

Throughout his life, Norbert resided in various places within Wisconsin. In 1930, he lived in Nasewaupee, Door, Wisconsin. By 1935, he was living in the same house as recorded earlier. In 1940, he continued to reside in Nasewaupee Town, Door, Wisconsin. Records from May 3, 1950, indicate that he lived in Sturgeon Bay, Door, Wisconsin, United States. Later in life, he lived in Saukville, Wisconsin 53080, USA

Norbert D. Wiesner passed away on April 1, 1999, at the age of 78, in Saukville, Ozaukee, Wisconsin, United States.

Historical Context

Norbert D. Wiesner was born into the interwar period on October 5, 1920, in Wisconsin, a time when America had just come out of World War I and was about to enter the Roaring Twenties, an era characterized by economic prosperity and cultural change. His father, Jacob Johann Wiesner, was a native Wisconsinite with roots dating back to the late 19th century, while his mother, Emma Wilhelmina Caroline (born Bork), brought her heritage from Germany, reflecting the diverse immigrant fabric of the United States at that time.

Marrying Joyce Lucille Shaw during the thick of World War II, Norbert’s personal milestones were set against a backdrop of global conflict and national mobilization. Their son Eugene Norbert was born in 1944, as the Allies were making significant advances in Europe and the Pacific, leading towards the end of the war.

Throughout his life, Norbert’s residences reflected the typical Midwestern American experience. The Great Depression of the 1930s would have been a formative part of his early years, influencing community life in places like Nasewaupee and Sturgeon Bay. By 1950, post-war optimism fueled economic growth and suburban development, which may have contributed to his move to Saukville, where he eventually passed away.

Norbert D. Wiesner died on April 1, 1999, in Saukville, Ozaukee, Wisconsin. His lifetime spanned monumental changes including the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the dawn of the Information Age, all of which shaped the world he lived in.

Last Name Origins

The surname Wiesner is of German and Ashkenazic origin. It is a topographic name for someone who lived by a meadow or a patch of open land, derived from the Middle High German ‘wīse’ meaning ‘meadow’, ‘pasture’. In some cases, it may also be an occupational name for a person involved in the maintenance of a meadow or pasture. The suffix ‘-ner’ indicates ‘inhabitant of’ or ‘one associated with’, thus making Wiesner mean ‘inhabitant of a meadow’ or ‘person associated with a meadow’. This surname was likely given to individuals or families based on their residence near such geographical features.

This AI BiographyTM was created by MyHeritage using AI and includes data from MyHeritage and content generated by OpenAI.