Albert Stahl Podcast

In September 1997, I went to Michigan to learn about my great-grandmother Irene Stahl and her family. While I was visiting, I saw grave sites, heard stories, saw old homes and places about the Stahl family. It was a wonderful visit. Mary Lou had wrote down memories of her childhood and of her immediate family. She gave me a copy. Last week in my blog, I wrote about what kind of information you can gain from the censuses. I wrote about my great-grandfather Albert owning a hardware store in the 1920 Census and then in the 1930 Census I found that he was a truck driver. What happened? Well, Mary Lou wrote about that time period. I put a podcast on my blog this week with bits and pieces of what she told me about her father Albert Stahl. Listen to the podcast to find out why Albert went from owning a hardware store to becoming a truck driver.

Albert Thomas Stahl

My great-grandfather Albert Thomas Stahl was born on 10 November 1887 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan to Francis Joseph (known also as Joseph F. or Frank J.) and Theresa (Damitio) Stahl. I found the Stahl family listed in the 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 United States Federal Censuses. I have reviewed the five censuses to see the growth of the family and have found the following:

In the 1880 Census, Albert's father Joseph F. age 24 and Theresa Stahl age 23 were listed with their daughter Johanna who was one year old. They lived in Hamtramck, Wayne, Michigan on the 1st of June 1880. Joseph was listed as teaching school for his occupation. Joseph was listed as born in Ohio and his parents as born in Baden. Theresa was born in Michigan and her parents were born in Michigan.¹

In the 1900 Census, the enumerator recorded Frank J. and Theresa with their five children: Johana, Joseph F., Hugo J., Albert, and Theresa. They lived at 1576 Gratiot Ave in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan on 7 June, 1900. Frank J. was the head of the household, born on October 1857 in Wisconsin and was 42 years old. Frank's wife Theresa was born on October 1857 in Michigan and was 42 years old. Johana was born on March 1879 and was 21 year old. Joseph F. was born on May 1883 with his twin brother Hugo J., and both were 17 years old. Albert was born on November 1888 and was 11 years old. Theresa was born on September 1891 and was 8 years old. All the children were born in Michigan.

Frank and Theresa were married for 23 years. They had seven children, but sadly at the time of the 1900 Census one child had died. Both Frank's and Theresa's parents place of birth was Germany. Frank's occupation was indicated as Grocery. He owned a home and had a mortgage. The census indicated that all of the family could read, write, and speak English. Theresa (the daughter) had empty boxes in the "can read", "can write", and "can speak English" categories on the census. Joseph's occupation was a grocery clerk with salesman written over the top and Hugo was also a grocery clerk. Albert was shown as attending school.²

In the 1910 Census, Frank J. and Theresa lived at 1576 Gratiot Ave, in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan on the 18th of April 1910. Johanna, Hugo, Joseph, Albert Thomas, and Teresa R. were listed as living with their parents. Frank and Theresa were married 32 years and this was their only marriage. Frank owned their home and it was free from a mortgage. Frank was a employer of a grocery store. Hugo, Joseph, Albert, and Theresa all worked at the store.³

In the 1920 Census, Frank J. and Theresa still lived at 1576 Gratiot Ave in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan on the 8th of January 1920. Johanna, Frank J., and Albert were listed as living at home with their parents. Theresa's father's place of birth was listed as France. Frank owned a grocery store and Albert owned a hardware store.⁴

Frank and Theresa are not in the 1930 Census. Frank died on 23 January 1929, in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan and Theresa died on 23 June 1923 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan. The next entry shows Albert and Irene Stahl together as a household on the 1930 Census.

In the 1930 Census, Albert T. Stahl age 42 was listed with his wife Irene A. age 38 and his children James A. age 8, Albert J. age 7, Gerald F. age 5, Mary L. age 2 and 6 months, and Elaine T. age six months at 7264 Gratiot Ave, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan on 14 April 1930. Albert was 32 and Theresa was 28 when they were married and all the children were born in Michigan. They were renting. Albert was a truck driver for the city and was a veteran of World War I.⁵

I realize all this information is a lot of dry facts that have no apparent human stories to them. As genealogists, we search for many people who have passed many years before we were even born. These documents in many cases are the only pieces of information to learn about who they were. From just these five censuses I learn facts about my family during that period of time and build a story of their lives around those facts.

These censuses show my great great-grand parents lived in the same area for over fifty years. I know of members in the family that still live in the same area today. Remarkably the Stahl family has lived in this area for 132 years. (The two family homes listed above have been demolished because a six lane highway was built through the neighborhood. You can see the location today from the web links.) My great great-grandfather Frank taught school and owned a grocery store. He had his children work in the store. Frank's parents came from Baden, Germany and Theresa's parents lived in Michigan. Frank and Theresa lost a child and must have felt all kinds of sorrow over the death of their child. Albert owned a hardware store in 1920, was a truck driver in 1930, and was a veteran of World War I. These facts become their story.

¹ 1880 U.S. Census, Wayne County, Michigan, population schedule, Hamtramck, enumeration district (ED) 253, p. 139B, dwelling 11, family 13; Joseph F. Stahl; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/ : accessed 18 February 2012).

² 1900 U.S. Census, Wayne County, Michigan, population schedule, Detroit Ward 15, enumeration district (ED) 162, p. 10A, dwelling 158, family 188; Frank J. Stahl; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/ : accessed 18 February 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication T623.

³ 1910 U.S. Census, Wayne County, Michigan, population schedule, Detroit Ward 15, enumeration district (ED) 0223, p. 3A, dwelling 38, family 40; Frank J. Stahl; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/ : accessed 18 February 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication T624_687.

⁴ 1920 U.S. Census, Wayne County, Michigan, population schedule, Detroit Ward 15, enumeration district (ED) 467, p. 9A, dwelling 149, family 204; Frank J. Stahl; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/ : accessed 18 February 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 814.

⁵ 1930 U.S. Census, Wayne County, Michigan, population schedule, Detroit, enumeration district (ED) 82, p. 24A, dwelling 254, family 1, Albert T. Stahl; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/ : accessed 18 February 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication T626 roll 1050.

The Joseph Henry and Mary Ann (Schultz) Petipren Family

In August of 1997, I visited my grandfather's two sisters in Michigan to learn about the Stahl and Petipren families. While I was there, I was able to make copies of some of the pictures they had of the Petipren family.This is one of those photos. There was no date on the photo so I do not know when it was taken, but the names of each individual was printed on the back of the photo. One of my grandfather's sister's shared some things about Joseph Henry Petipren and commented that he "was a handsome man - [and she could still] remember his snow white hair and mustache." She also stated that "he was retired from the grocery business - he owned a store in Anchorville, Michigan, and moved his family and business to the Detroit area." I think this is a great photo of my 2nd great-grandparents and their family.

Back Row (Left to Right):

Marion, Edna, Alice, Andrew, Irene, Edgar, Aldine, Agnes

Sitting Row (Left to Right):

Father Roy, Joseph Henry Petipren, Mary Ann Schultz

Sadly, two of their children are not included in this photo. They both died before this photo was taken.

Ceila Petipren was born on 9 October 1899 in Ira Twp, St. Clair, Michigan, and died on 27 April 1909 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan.

Elmer Clarence Petipren was born on 10 April 1910 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, and died on 2 May 1910 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan.

Irene Petipren Record of Birth

Irene's birth record can be found in the Michigan Births, 1867-1902 for Irene Adele Petipren at the Family History Library, microfilm film number 2,322,379. The record spans two pages and shows her birth date as 22 December 1892 in Ira, St. Clair County, Michigan.

The original record states Irene's name as being Annie Pettiepren and her father as Joseph Pettiepren and her mother as Mary Pettiepren. After reporting their decision to name their daughter Annie to the State of Michigan, Irene's parents apparently changed their minds from calling her Annie to Irene Adele. I wonder why? What caused them to decided on Irene Adele instead of Annie?

The original record indicates an affidavit was filed on March 9, 1943, to correct the original record from Annie Pettiepren to Irene Adele Petipren; her father Joseph Pettiepren to Joseph Henry Petipren; and her mother Mary Pettiepren to Mary Schultz (her maiden name). The "Occupation of Father Field" on the second page of the record was originally filled in with the word Merchant. The occupation title of housewife for her mother is the only entry filled in on the page for a mother and the darker color of the ink suggests the word housewife was added with the affidavit correction. If the record had not been changed, this birth record would have been put into question as to whether or not this was her actual birth certificate.

I do not know the reason for the name change but I am glad her name was changed. I love the name Irene Adele. I used the middle name of Adele for my own daughter's middle name. Every time I call my daughter Adele I think of my great grand-mother and for one moment it brings to my mind both generations and how much I love them both.