Vasconcellos...The Meeting Place...Part 7

The Meeting Place

New Orleans Cemetery

 

New Orleans was built on a marsh.  Its highest natural elevation is only 10 feet above sea level.  With the levee the elevation had increased to 15 feet above the river bank.  But the elevation a half a mile away from the river is almost level with the sea.  Therefore, burial in New Orleans is different from other areas.  Therefore, interment burial was adopted.  Tombs were built above the ground with two vaults.  The lowered vault is for the reception of bones when the upper vault is needed for another burial.  The vaults or tombs, are bought by private families and handed down for generations.  It was in the interments at Greenwood Cemetery that became the meeting place for the Lyons and the Cellos family.  For our family it bears the name: The Family Tomb of Stephen Lyons.

 

It was on November 25, 1889, when the family gathered at the interment to say goodbye to Charles (Charlie V. Cellos), the son of Sarah and Ferdinand.  He had died in a steamboat explosion.  Solace comes to a family at such times of grief by the thought in which was inscribed on a tombstone that read: "For the virtuous there is a better and happier world."

On October 6, 1902; Ferdinand joined Charles at the meeting place.  On October 2 1902 he died from Senile Debility.  Sarah joined her husband, 2 sons, and her daughter in the  meeting place on the 17 February 1919.  She was 86 years old.

The Article about the steamboat explosion.  I haven't verified this to be the one that Charles was on but it exploded at the very same time that Charles was killed.  You can read it and decide for yourself.
False River, LA Steamer CORONA Explosion, Oct 1889
MANY PEOPLE KILLED
A Steamer Blown Up In the Mississippi River
The Survivors Rescued by the Crew of the St. Louis.
Another terrible disaster is added to the long list of steamboat tragedies on the Mississippi River. The steamer Corona, at about ten o'clock in the morning, when opposite False River, about one hundred and fifty miles above New Orleans, exploded her boilers with frightful effect, killing forty-six of the passengers and crew and completely wrecking the boat, which sank almost immediately.
The loss of life would have been much greater had not the steamer City of St. Louis, commanded by Capt. JAMES O'NEAL, been in the immediate neighborhood of the Corona at the time of the disaster and saved all on board or who were thrown into the water and not killed by the explosion.
L. T. MASON, Secretary of State for Louisiana, who, with his wife, was a passenger on the Corona, having got aboard at Baton Rouge, fourteen miles from the scene of the accident, states that he was in the cabin talking with MRS. E. W. ROBERTSON, widow of Congressman ROBERTSON, at the time the explosion occurred. He immediately secured life preservers and succeeded in saving MRS. ROBERTSON and another lady. There was very little time for preparation, as the boat went down like lead a few minutes after the explosion. The steamer City of St. Louis was coming down the river and was hailed. She rounded to and took on board the passengers and crew who were not lost in the river, and kindly cared for both the injured and the saved.
MRS. E. W. ROBERTSON says she was wedged in the ladies cabin as a result of the explosion, some of the debris lying across her lower limbs, but was suddenly released and found herself floating in the river. She sank twice, but was luckily picked up, escaping with a few painful bruises.
L. C. RAWLINS, the pilot of the Corona, was asleep in the Texas at the time of the explosion when it occurred he was awakened by the noise it made. He was painfully burned on both hands.
Captain BLANKS, of the Corona, was instantly killed and his body was not recovered. He lived in New Orleans and leaves a wife and family. The body of one of the barkeepers was recovered and taken to Baton Rouge. None of the passengers or crew of the Corona could account for the disaster. Captain BLANKS was in immediate command of the boat at the time, and everything was working smoothly when the boiler suddenly collapsed.
The Corona left New Orleans for the Ouachita River with a cargo of general merchandise the value of which is unestimated. The boat had recently been put in thorough repair for the winter trade and was valued at $30,000.
Many of the crew were on the steamer John H. Hanns, which was destroyed by fire at Plaguemine, La., last Christmas morning, with a loss of forty-five of the passengers and crew.
Captain T. C. SWEENY, one of the owners of the line, who assumed command on the orders of Captain BLANKS says the explosion was not due to a too high pressure of steam. He had just had occasion to examine the gauge and is positive there was not a pressure of more than one hundred and thirty-five pounds. The boat had a moderate cargo. She was in midstream, just below the landing at Arbroth, and had just whistled to pass the City of St. Louis, fortunately coming down at the time. The explosion had a downward tendency and blew out the bottom of the boat, causing her to sink immediately.
The cabin was torn in two, the rear portion floating down stream and bearing a number of the saved. Captain SWEENEY happened to be forward, and started at once to put out the flames which began to burn at several places. He says the boat would undoubtedly have burned had she not gone down immediately. None of the books, papers or other valuables were saved.
The City of St. Louis, which was about 500 yards above, at once put out her boats, and she did noble work in saving lives. The Anchor Haer (?) stayed there several hours, rendering all the assistance possible and taking on board the rescued passengers and crew. When nothing more could be done she went to Baton Rouge, where physicians were summoned and everything possible done for the injured.
 A RIVER HORROR.
FORTY PEOPLE KILLED BY A BOILER EXPLOSION.
THE STEAMER CORONA BLOWN UP.
FRIGHTFUL DISASTER ON THE MISSISSIPPI -- LISTS OF DEAD AND WOUNDED.
New Orleans, La., Oct. 4. -- The steamer Corona, of the Ouachita Consolidated line, which left this city Wednesday evening for the Ouachita river, exploded her boilers at False River, nearly opposite Port Hudson, about noon yesterday, causing the loss of the steamer and about forty lives. The Anchor line steamer, City of St. Louis, happened near by, and her crew saved many lives.
Names of the Lost.
The following is a list of the lost so far as known:
Crew -- J. W. BLANKS, captain; J. V. JORDAN, first clerk; CHARLES C. EILES, second clerk; SWIMP HANNA, third clerk; FRED DANKLE and FRED VERMON, barkeepers; PAT RYAN, steward; DICK CURTIS, fireman; TOM SHOOK, engineer; HENRY DOYLE and JAMES SWIPE, porters; _____ TATE, barber; HENRY DAVIS, deck hand; TOM COOK, sailor; BILLY YOUNG, second mate; SAM STEEL, a boy from Texas; both captains of the deck watch, and eight roustabouts.
Passengers -- DR. ATWELL, a chiropodist, and four negro musicians traveling with him; ____ SCOTT, of Sinftbland, La.; MRS. DAVIS, of Stockman, Tex.; MR. KOENCH; MRS. HUFF, of Opeloussa; MRS. KAUFMAN'S nurse and oldest child.
The Wounded Victims.
The following are wounded: Capt. B. G. CORNWALL, slightly; _____ BAUGHMAN, residing on Black River, hurt in side, not dangerous; MR. COMSTOCK, of Donaldsonville, slightly; J. J. MOORIDGE, of Columbia, La., slightly; WAYNE, a little son of HENRY BLACK, slightly hurt about the face; CHARLES A. PEACE, of New Orleans, scalded. None of the wounded are expected to die. Pilot ROLLINGS is badly scalded on the hands. Capt. T. C. SWEENY is slightly hurt by flying timbers.
The Boat Torn to Pieces.
MRS. E. W. ROBERTSON is slightly hurt. She says that when the Corona arrived opposite False River landing, sixteen miles below Bayou Sara, one of her boilers exploded, tearing the boat to pieces, when she sank in deep water in a few seconds. MRS. ROBERTSON was wedged in the ladies' cabin with some of the debris lying across her lower limbs, but was suddenly released and found herself floating in the river. She sank twice, but luckily was picked up and escaped with only a few painful bruises.
A Passenger's Statement.
Hon. L. F. MASON, secretary of state, who was a passenger on the Corona, states that he was in the cabin talking to MRS. ROBERTSON about 10 o'clock yesterday morning when the explosion occurred. He escaped with life preservers and assisted in saving MRS. ROBERTSON and another lady. There was very little time for preparation for escape, as the boat went down like lead a few seconds after the explosion occurred. As the steamer City of St. Louis came down she was hailed and took on board all the passengers and crew who were not lost in the river. No one was able to give any explanation as to the cause of the sudden disaster.
Not Due to High Pressure.
The Picayune Baton Rouge special says: "Capt. T. C. SWEENY, one of the owners of the line, who assumed command on the death of Capt. BLANKS
says the explosion was not due to a too high pressure of steam. He just had occasion to examine the gauge, and is positive there was no a pressure of more than 150 pounds. The boat had a moderate cargo. She was in mid-stream, just below the landing at Arbroth, and had just whistled to pass the City of St. Louis, fortunately coming down at the time. The explosion had a downward tendency, and blew out the bottom of the boat, causing her to sink immediately. The cabin was torn in two, the rear portion floating down the stream and bearing a number of the saved. Capt. SWEENY happened to be forward, and started at once to put out the flames, which began to burn in several places. He says the boat would undoubtedly have burned had she not gone down immediately. None of the books, papers, or other valuables were recovered.

 

  

Vasconcellos...Better Days...Part 6

A Milk Delivery Cart in 1880



It was June 4, 1880 when P.J. Glynn began his census taking on Chestnut Street, eight blocks east of the Mississippi River.  His responsibility was listed as "Enumeration District 83" in the 12th Ward of Orleans Parish, in Louisiana.  It was a hot and balmy day of 94 degrees by the time P.J. arrived at Ferdinand and Sarah's (Cellos).  Ferdinand was proud to report that he was a Steamboat Captain, as five others in the neighborhood also reported.  The Cellos family had recovered from the miserable reconstruction period after the war and now they were living in a nice neighborhood with the merchants, cabinet makers, grocers, tin smiths, and the Superintendent of New Orleans Gas Company.  Although, they weren't the only up and coming families that lived close by, there were also lawyers, stock traders, and money brokers.

The neighborhood was considered one of the more established areas as most of the businessmen were in their late 40's or 50's.  Life expectancy was on the average 42 for men and 44 for women.  But these are averages and our family usually lived a long life considering the hardships.  But this area was beating the averages by far.  Most had large families and that was the case for Ferdinand (50) and Sarah (48) at the day the census was taken.  They had seven children, with the oldest daughter at 25 years of age and the youngest, Henry, age 3 (this would be Sally's (Sarah Cellos Malrose) father. 

Another sign of the affluence of this area was reflected by the fact that most had live-in help.  Ferdinand and Sarah had a live-in servant that was 50 that helped with the children and the housework.  The stock trader had seven children and he was doing so well that he could afford four servants, a cook, a gardener and a coachman.  The hardware dealer also was doing quite well with four extras to help their household.  It is interesting to note that the families that couldn't afford servants always had broaders living with them.

This was a contrast from the hard days of the Reconstruction Era when extended family members all helped one another out by living together to cut expenses and help each other to regain their health and occupations.  It was almost impossible during those hard years to establish a household on your own.  As such the older children had to find menial occupations: laborers, clerks and cotton weighers.  And some could not find work at all and just stayed "at home."

It is evident that the social norm of the time was to have the wife and mother in the home.  All married women without exception reported their occupation as "keeping house."  And all the children without exception were "at school."  All the children older than 8 years could read and write. 

Most of the prominent businessmen in this area were born in Louisiana but their parents were immigrants from Germany, Bavaria, Switzerland, Prussia, and France.  But I don't know why in 1880 that Ferdinand didn't report that his father was from Portugal.  Maybe it was because he was the only one in that district with Spanish heritage.  Many of these upper-class families were soon to be getting electricity.  And the family would often walk to the levee in the evenings to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of New Orleans in the 1880's.





Vasconcellos...Trials and Recovery...Part 5

The next ten years, were hard years for all those in the South.  The people of New Orleans had to begin again.  Family tradition states that after the War, Ferdinand received his steamboats back from the Union Army.  This allowed Ferdinand to earn the income that was need to provide for his large family.

Before the War, Ferdinand and Sarah had three children.  Virginia was the oldest and she was born in 1853 in Louisiana.  She went by the name "Jenny."  Charles was the second child, having been born in 1857.  He was called Charlie.  Then they had a third some that was named after his father, Ferdinand born in 1859.  He went by Ferdi.  Next they had another daughter named Minnie who was born in June 1861.  That must have been very hard for Sarah to have a child born at the beginning of the Civil War.  But that didn't stop her as she had Gardner in 1863 and a son named Lee in 1865.  Lee didn't live long though and he died in 1868 of Cerebral Meningitis.  Before Lee passed away, Sarah had a daughter born in 1867 which they named Secissia.  But this girl also died in January 3 1868 of Cholera at 6 months old.  What a sad time this must have been for the family.  And it is also telling of the severe economic times that good food and necessities were hard to come by.  But still the trials were not over for this dear family.  In 1871 on June 25, Sarah gave birth to a stillborn child.  The sex is not known.  The war certainly took its toll on the Cellos family.

It appears that from here things got better.  In 1870, Ferdinand continued to be a steamboat Captain.  Sarah was at home with her five children and she had a person staying with her to help her out named Hattie Cara.  It seemed life was slowly getting back to normal.  Two more children were born during this decade.  Mae V. Cellos was born in May 1873 and Henry (Harry) (Gloria Alice's grandfather) was born 18 April 1878. 

 



Henry Brown Cellos

Sally (Sarah Colma Cellos) Malrose's Father



1922...A year of happiness together

Lee & Sally at the beach

 

The beginning of 1922 brought the realization that the Malrose family would be just three children.  Sally had complications after the birth of her third child and had to have a complete hysterectomy to save her life.  But with the three beautiful children and the deep love they shared for each other that sounded fine to them.  

 

Sally & Lee

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDrTaB5U3KeBk&v=rTaB5U3KeBk

 

 

Chicago felt young and full of life with plenty of adventure in 1922.  The clothing became less modest and more glamours.  The song "Chicago--That Toddling Town" will give you a feel of what it was like at that time to be young and to live in a major metropolitan city.  They dressed for it.  They worked for it.  And most of all they loved to play in their beautiful city. 

 

New Orleans was also enjoying more lavish times, although with a more swagger.  Listen to "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" to make a comparison which also came out in 1922.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwFvxWd0fu0

 

1922 was the year that radio broadcasts were started all over the country.  From Spokane, Washington to Fort Worth, TX; to Detroit MI, Saint Louis, MO; Buffalo, NY; Atlanta GA and of course Seattle wouldn't be left behind.  I can't even imagine a time when there wasn't a radio to listen to.  I know as I grew up the radio was my life-line.  I loved music.  I will have to do more research to learn what was played on the radio in 1922.  I know when I was growing up the radio turned off at 11:00 pm and there was no rock-n-roll on Sunday.   

 

Sally

 

The first Reader's Digest came out in 1922.  Walt Disney started his first film company called "Laugh-O-Gram.  And James Joyce, an Irish poet and author published "Ulysses'" in Paris.  It was banned in America till 1934.  And to every one's delight the 1st Eskimo Pies came out this year.

 

As for politics the extremes of Europe & Russia were gaining momentum.  Stalin was appointed General Secretary of the Communist Party on April 3.  Germany and Russia signed a treaty in Italy.

Lenin suffered a stroke but survived. 









Tiger, Bobby and Dearest



Bobby caught off guard, I guess 

 Bobby excited about something

 

Vasconcellos, The Civil War, Part 4



The Civil War Years

In an interview with Sally (Colma Cellos) Malrose, we spoke briefly of the families involvement in the Civil War.  She said that President Lincoln took the Confederate money leaving the soldiers with nothing.  She remembered the story of Ferdinand making coffee from potato peelings.  She said the real reason for the Civil War was not only the slave issue, but the money involved with the cotton and the ginning which the North was charging too much for.  I actually found this same hypothesis in a book I was reading as well.  I guess there always is more than one side of a war and what caused it. 

Nevertheless, the war began and Ferdinand and Sarah were greatly affected by it.  The preceding poem was found with Ferdinand's things.  This poem has touched me deeply and it will touch you as well, as you realize that there are not really winners in war.  There is just a lot of dead and many broken hearts on both sides.

The Blue and the Gray   

 by Francis Miles Finch   

By the flow of the inland river,

Whence the fleets of iron have fled,

Where the blades of the grave-grass quiver,

Asleep are the ranks of the dead;

Under the sod and the dew

Waiting the judgment day,

Under the one, the blue, Under the other, the gray.

Those in the gloom of defeat,

All with the battle-blood gory,

In the dusk of eternity meet;

Under the sod and the dew,

Waiting the judgement day,

Under the laurel, the blue,

Under the willow, the gray.

From the silence of sorrowful hours

The desolate mourners go,

Lovingly laden with flowers,

Alike for the friend and the foe;

Under the sod and the dew,

Waiting the judgment day,

Under the roses, the blue,

Under the lilies, the gray.

So with an equal splendor,

The morning sun-rays fall,

With a touch impartially tender,

On the blossoms blooming for all;

Under the sod and the dew,

Waiting the judgment day,

'Broidered with gold, the blue,

Mellowed with gold, the gray.

So, when the summer calleth

On forest and field of grain,

With an equal murmur falleth

The cooking drip of the rain;

Under the sod and the dew;

Waiting the judgment day,

Wet with the rain, the blue,

Wet with the rain, the gray.

Sadly, but not with upbraiding,

The generous deed was done,

In the storm of the years that are fading,

No braver battle was won;

Under the sod and the dew,

Waiting the judgment day,

Under the blossoms, the blue,

Under the garlands, the gray,

No more shall the war cry sever,

Or the winding rivers be red;

They banish our anger forever,

When they laurel the graves of our dead!

Under the sod and the dew,

Waiting the judgment day,

Love and tears for the blue,

Tears and love for the gray.

 

Ferdinand entered the service in May 1863, as a private in Company B of the Red River Scouts Battalion, sometimes called the Red River Sharp Shooters or the Steamboat Battalion.  His company was formed at Shreveport in 1863, by the mounting of men who had served as crewmen on steamboats at Alexandria.   



 

General Edmund Kirby Smith formed the companies to act as rangers or pickets along the Red River.  On November 3, Company B, received orders to report to General Richard Taylor at Alexandria.  Taylor stationed Company B on the north side of the river to help scout out the vicinity of the lower Black and Quachita rivers.  By early March, 1864, most of Company B moved across the Red River, but a small detachment made up part of the garrison of Fort DeRussy when Union forces captured them on March 14.

 

Ferdinand V. Cellos, a private of Captain James Cassidy's company, who was a resident of New Orleans, appears on a roll of prisoners of war in the detachment of troops of the Confederate States Army, commanded by Major J.K. Gourdain, surrendered at New Orleans, LA., by General E.K. Smith, C.S.A. to Major General Canby, on May 26, 1865, and paroled at Alexandria, LA., in June 1865.

Ferdinand's brother, Felix Cellos, enlisted in the service June 7, 1861, as a private of Captain Rickety's Company G, of the 7 Regiment of Louisiana Volunteers.  Felix was discharged by reason of Surgeon Certificate of disability due to being wounded in battle.

Felix was indebted to the Confederate Army for one jacket, one pair of pants, one pair of drawers, and one pair of socks.  He was paid for service from July1, 1861-October 24, 1861.  Felix was paid $42.81 minus $6.55 which had been deducted for his clothing he wore home!

There were others in the family which also participated in the Civil War.  Lark McNeill was Ferdinand's brother-in-law.  He served at Port Hudson under General Frank Garrison.  Also, William Bartelle, a Nephew served with Company B of the Crescent Rigles in Charley Dreux's Battalion.

But a deep loss came to the family when Sarah's (Lyons) brother, Stephen Lyons, was killed on Confederate Ram Tennessee, in Mobile Bay, Alabama.  Stephen would have been 27 years old when he died.

It should also be mentioned that while the brothers, sons, and fathers were fighting the women of New Orleans, were busy with holding the family together, running the household and farms, and for displaying great acts of patriotism.

 

At noon on April 24, 1862, the Union Admiral entered New Orleans.  In the dismay and excitement, it was decided to burn the cotton so that it would not become "booty for the Yankee's."  Over $1.5 million dollars worth of cotton was burned that day. 

At that time, General Ben Butler was placed in authority over New Orleans.  He was a very course and brutal man that had no compassion for the broken hearted people of New Orleans.  His display of harshness was manifested to its worst degree in the order he set against the women of New Orleans.  He said, "As the officers and soldiers of the United States Union Army had been subjected to repeated insults from the women, calling themselves ladies, it was ordered that thereafter when any woman should by word, or gesture insult or show contempt for any officer or soldier she was to be regarded and held liable to be treated as a woman of the town."  Order #28 was not well received!





 

 

1921...The Family goes to New Orleans

 1921

A trip to New Orleans 

Grandmother Catherine Heigle Leithman

Bobby, Junior, & Gloria Alice Malrose & Dorothy Leithman

 

Catherine Heigle Leithman

(when she was younger)

 

Bobby, Gloria Alice, & Junior



 

This was a year of independence for countries that had been occupied for various reasons.  Mongolia declared independence from China; Rwanda ceded Great Britain, Afghanistan also achieved independence from Britain.  It was also the year that brought the beginnings of history that would later in the coming years change the world forever and even lead to world war.  Lenin started his New Economic Program (NEP) which was a small relief to the Russian people as they were able to have a small part in freedom of trade.  Just to imagine what it had been prior can be heard by the excitement of Andrei Platonov:

At first he thought the Whites must be in town.  At the station was a cafe where they were selling white rolls without ration cards.  In the shop he came across all the normal equipment of trade, once seen in his long forgotten youth: counters under glass, shelves along the walls, proper scales instead of steelyards, courteous assistants instead of supply officials, a lively crowd of purchasers, and stocks of food which breathed an air of well-being.

Professor Albert Einstein lectures in NYC on his new theory of relativity in April.

 

Mussolini's Fascists obtained 29 seats in Italy's Parliament and the National Fascist Party is formed.  While in Germany, Adolf Hitler became the leader of the National Socialist German Worker's Party.  Austria votes to join German.  While in America, J. Edgar Hoover becomes Assistant Director of the FBI.  And Franklin D. Roosevelt is stricken with polio. These are all people that play major roles in world history in the years to come. 

 

On November 13, the United States, France, Japan and the British Empire signed the Pacific Treaty.  This was an agreement to respect the rights of one anothers countries...it was called the Four Power Pact. 

 

The first year of new decade appeared to be busy as new alliances were being formed, as well as, ultra Nationalist were forming parties and choosing leaders.  But what was happening with Lee, Sally, Bobby, Gloria Alice and Junior?  They spent hours at the beach.  Sally and the children had a wonderful time in New Orleans with the family meeting the children and Lee stayed home so that he could cintinue his commerical artist work. 

 





Lee Malrose in Chicago

 



 Bobby & Lee

 

Gloria Alice in New Orleans

 

Gloria Alice ready for Mardi Gras

 

Little Gloria Alice always ready to go!