What if moving away from one disaster only set you on a collision course with another?
In This Episode--
Weather and Historical Parallels: Kick off the episode by discussing the recent rains and drawing a parallel to the infamous Johnstown Flood of 1889. This catastrophe reshaped the lives of many, including my own ancestors.
Family History: Share the harrowing story of my second great aunt, Julia Pfeiffer Rohr, and her miraculous escape during the Johnstown Flood. Her survival eventually led my family to relocate to Chicago, where another tragedy awaited.
Eastland Disaster Connections: Highlight how the Eastland Disaster isn't just a Chicago story. Many families, including the Willig, Cruse, and Larsen families, moved from New York and New Jersey to Chicago due to opportunities with Western Electric.
Survivor's Tale: Read a poignant letter from Martha Willig, a survivor of the Eastland disaster, to her sister. Warning: Martha's detailed and graphic account provides a rare and personal perspective of the tragedy.
Historical Context: Provide background on Hoboken, New Jersey, and its significance during the early 20th century. This context helps us understand the origins of the families involved in the Eastland disaster.
Family Updates: Trace the lives of the Willig and Larsen families post-disaster, detailing their resilience and the legacy they left behind.
Reflection on Storytelling : Reflect on the importance of sharing these stories, the responsibility we have to keep history alive, and the unique tradition of storytelling and respect for the departed ingrained in my family's heritage.
Upcoming Stories: Tease next week's episode, where I'll discuss another tragedy similar to the Eastland disaster and correct some historical inaccuracies from this episode.
What if moving away from one disaster only set you on a collision course with another?
In This Episode--
Weather and Historical Parallels: Kick off the episode by discussing the recent rains and drawing a parallel to the infamous Johnstown Flood of 1889. This catastrophe reshaped the lives of many, including my own ancestors.
Family History: Share the harrowing story of my second great aunt, Julia Pfeiffer Rohr, and her miraculous escape during the Johnstown Flood. Her survival eventually led my family to relocate to Chicago, where another tragedy awaited.
Eastland Disaster Connections: Highlight how the Eastland Disaster isn't just a Chicago story. Many families, including the Willig, Cruse, and Larsen families, moved from New York and New Jersey to Chicago due to opportunities with Western Electric.
Survivor's Tale: Read a poignant letter from Martha Willig, a survivor of the Eastland disaster, to her sister. Warning: Martha's detailed and graphic account provides a rare and personal perspective of the tragedy.
Historical Context: Provide background on Hoboken, New Jersey, and its significance during the early 20th century. This context helps us understand the origins of the families involved in the Eastland disaster.
Family Updates: Trace the lives of the Willig and Larsen families post-disaster, detailing their resilience and the legacy they left behind.
Reflection on Storytelling : Reflect on the importance of sharing these stories, the responsibility we have to keep history alive, and the unique tradition of storytelling and respect for the departed ingrained in my family's heritage.
Upcoming Stories: Tease next week's episode, where I'll discuss another tragedy similar to the Eastland disaster and correct some historical inaccuracies from this episode.
Hello, I'm Natalie Zett and welcome to Flower in the River. This podcast, inspired by my book of the same name, explores the 1915 Eastland disaster in Chicago and its enduring impact, particularly on my family's history. We'll explore the intertwining narratives of others impacted by this tragedy as well, and we'll dive into writing and genealogy and uncover the surprising supernatural elements that surface in family history research. Come along with me on this journey of discovery. Well, hello there. This is Natalie Zett, and welcome to episode 64 of Flower in the River podcast. So it's been raining here for quite a few days, kind of making up for the winter. We didn't get Very unusual for this area, by the way, and yesterday's deluge reminded me of another deluge that took place a few years back, may 31st 1889 to be exact. That was when a gentle rain fell over Johnstown, pennsylvania, transforming into an unforgiving deluge that threatened the tranquility of the Connemaw Valley. Far above the town, the South Fork Dam, an aging structure holding back the waters of Lake Connemaw, groaned under the relentless pressure. By mid-afternoon, the dam could no longer withstand the force and, with a deafening roar, it gave way, releasing a wall of water that thundered down the valley like an unleashed beast. As the floodwaters rushed toward Johnstown. They swept away everything in their path trees, houses, railroads and bridges. The town's residents, many unaware of impending doom, were caught in a terrifying wave of destruction. Within minutes, the once bustling industrial town was reduced to a scene of unimaginable devastation Buildings crumbled, fires ignited from overturned stoves and debris choked the streets. When the waters finally receded, over 2,200 lives had been lost and Johnstown was left to grapple with the profound loss and the daunting task of rebuilding from the ruins. Unlike the Eastland disaster, those of us from Johnstown recount the flood's harrowing details as if we were there. We don't need reminders because it's ingrained in our identity. Several of my family members were caught in the torrent, most notably my second great aunt, julia Pfeiffer Rohr. In the chaos, she snatched up her two-month-old daughter Anna. She snatched up her two-month-old daughter Anna, wrapping her tightly in her apron. As the current threatened to sweep them away, a farmer heroically grabbed Julia by her long hair, hauling her and the baby to the roof of his barn. There they waited out the storm, surviving against the odds, and Julia and baby Anna were reunited with Robert, julia's husband. Perhaps it was that close brush with death that convinced Julia and her husband to heed the call of other family members who found refuge in Chicago, members who found refuge in Chicago. They persuaded Julia's brother, my great-grandfather and his family to leave Johnstown and join them in the Windy City, hoping to escape the shadow of disaster. But well, yes, fate had other plans. Their daughter, my great-aunt, martha Pfeiffer, perished in the Eastland disaster.
Speaker 1:
The coincidence of my family being involved in two major water-related disasters is haunting. It's as if the current of fate carried us from one tragedy to another, intertwining our personal history with these profound national calamities. The waters that once threatened to engulf us in Johnstown. They seemed to follow us, reshaping our legacy in the depths of the Chicago River. So that's how my family ended up in Chicago River. So that's how my family ended up in Chicago, and in this episode I'm going to tell you about some other families who also relocated to Chicago around the same time. When we think of the Eastland disaster, we often picture it as purely a Chicago event. After all, the tragedy took place on the Chicago River, forever etching itself into the city's history. However, the Eastland disaster has roots that extend way beyond the Windy City, reaching all the way to New York and New Jersey.
Speaker 1:
In the early 20th century, between 1900 and 1915, western Electric, a prominent player in the telecommunications industry, maintained a significant presence in New York City. Their main facility at 463 West Street in Manhattan bustled with activity, mirroring the rapid industrial growth and urbanization that characterized that era. But as time passed, western Electric found itself at a crossroads. The company's expansion and increasing production demands necessitated a change in strategy. A change in strategy. The Hawthorne Works, a state-of-the-art facility in Chicago, emerged as the perfect solution, offering a centralized location and ample space for growth. From 1910 to 1915, western Electric began relocating many of its New York employees to Chicago. The city's logistics and transportation infrastructure made it an ideal choice for large-scale manufacturing. Moreover, the move coincided with the nation's industrial boom and preparations for potential wartime needs, adding an extra layer of importance to the transition.
Speaker 1:
The rise of the Hawthorne Works created a wealth of opportunities for Western Electric employees. Those who embraced the chance to relocate from New York to Chicago found themselves at the forefront of innovation, working in a cutting-edge facility that represented the future of the company. There were those already living in Chicago who took advantage of this opportunity, but people came from all over to work for this company and by 1915, a substantial number of Western Electric employees had made that journey from out east to the promising shores of Lake Michigan. Little did they know that their lives would soon become intertwined with one of the most tragic events in Chicago's history. For this part of the podcast, I'm going to focus in on one group of people in particular, although there were quite a few families and individuals from mostly New Jersey who were working in New York and later Chicago who were affected by the disaster. But for this episode we are going to meet members of the Willig, cruz and Larson families. Most of these folks were born in New Jersey or New York between the 1880s and 1890s, and this was an eclectic group with ancestors from Ireland, england, germany and Norway. As they became young adults, many of them worked for Western Electric or the telephone company in New York City. By 1910, many had moved to work for Western Electric's Hawthorne Works in Chicago.
Speaker 1:
This article that I'm about to read is from the Hudson Observer, that's in New Jersey. The date is July 28th 1915. Before I read this letter from Martha Willig, which was reprinted in the Hudson Observer in 1915, I want to warn you that the account you are about to hear is that of someone who survived the Eastland disaster and it's very graphic, so if that type of thing disturbs you, please don't listen and scroll through to the end of the podcast. And I want to share something significant. Martha, who was just 19 years old and working for Western Electric when she boarded the Eastland, has never been mentioned in any literature or any website about the disaster that I could find and I actually went as far as looking in the Wayback Machine that's a site that has old archived websites and information on the internet to see if I could find anything about her, and I could not. So if somebody has already published this, I've not seen it, but the fact that it was so difficult to research in the first place tells me that this may be outside of the first time it was published, the second time this story has been shared in over 100 years. So, as always, it is an honor to share these stories, and I want to share Martha Willig's story with you today, the headline Survivors's Tale of Eastland Disaster.
Speaker 1:
Miss Martha Willig, formerly of Hoboken, was on doomed boat Local victims. A thrilling description of the disaster is contained in a letter which was sent to Mrs E F McKenna of 1209 Washington Street, hoboken, by her sister, martha Willig of 4108 West 25th Street, chicago. Louis Cruz and Otto Larson, both formerly of Hoboken, were on the vessel at the time she went over. All of them, with the exception of Louis Cruz, were saved. Otto Larson, who resides at 911 Garden Street, hoboken, was on a visit to his fiancée, miss Martha Willig, the writer of the letter. The letter is as follows Chicago, Illinois, sunday 25th 1915. Dear Sister Lou, I suppose you have heard about the excursion by this time. Rose and Jen and the children did not go. There were four of us.
Speaker 1:
We started out early in the morning for the first boat and no more than we got on, the accident happened. It was so crowded, one couldn't move. We reached the first deck, one couldn't move. We reached the first deck and that is where Lewis said he would wait for Bill. As Bill came with Otto and myself to find seats, we just went up the other deck from where Lewis stood and were only there four or five minutes when the boat started to go over. We thought it was only a joke, until it was almost on top of us. Then we knew what was coming. All we could do was to hold on to the rail of the boat. It just happened that we were on the side going up. It just kept going over. Otto kept climbing up the deck until we reached the top. When she turned over, we were on her side. Bill jumped overboard and was rescued by a tugboat just as he was sinking.
Speaker 1:
We saw no more of Lewis as he had no chance down in the lower part of the boat until he was found in the morgue at 4 am today. It was the worst sight anyone would want to see. If it had not been for Otto, I would have never been saved, as I just held onto his arm. Both of his arms are sore, but otherwise we are all right. Lou, you cannot imagine what it was. I thought it was my last minute on earth. The people screamed and tore each other apart. We saw women and children go down all around us and we could not do anything for them and we could not do anything for them. All my girlfriends from work are drowned. There are a dozen people dead on every block. Girls from my floor were found without any clothes on.
Speaker 1:
We haven't Louis's body as yet, but Otto went to see about having it brought home. They say it is not marked to see about having it brought home. They say it is not marked. Rose is almost crazy over it. Lewis was trapped right in the cabin with no chance to get out. Bill didn't know how to swim at all, but he jumped for his life. He did not feel very good yesterday but feels a little bit better now. I can't realize that Otto and I got out, but he just held me tight. I can never forget the way he stayed with me. They say there are 2,000 people dead. It must be true. Every home around us is in sorrow.
Speaker 1:
Rose wanted to go to the excursions so badly. The people upstairs were going to mind her children, but Rose changed her mind in the last minute. It must have been terrible for poor Louis, as he was out of his mind at the time. It was enough to put anyone out of their minds. Otto had to just hold me up. I could not stand on my feet any longer. We waited in the water for about an hour before anyone came for us. We lost everything we had.
Speaker 1:
As soon as we were rescued, we made for the car without hats. We did not look half as bad as some of them. My hair was all down and I had only one slipper on. But we can thank God we are alive. Bill told me that.
Speaker 1:
Mr Wolcott, from 1209 Washington Street, right next to you on the same floor, you know the man who came out here. Well, he and his wife are dead. I was standing on one side when she was going over and my two bosses were standing right across the deck. Both of them went under, leaving families. I can always see the sight before me. It was one day we will remember.
Speaker 1:
I do not know what Rose will ever do. I thought maybe you would come out, but it would be a quick trip. Well, I have to close, hoping to hear from you right away. My regards to Ed and Ethel. Don't mind writing. Sister Martha, and now there's a PS here. We do not know when Louis will be buried. Rose is trying to keep him until Wednesday, but we do not know if we can Answer soon. So that's the conclusion of Martha's letter to her sister. And this is the rest of the article. Again probably was written by the staff at the Hudson Observer.
Speaker 1:
Continued it is now known that at least 12 of the victims of the Eastland disaster were formerly residents of Hudson County, that's New Jersey. Reports of the narrow escapes of eight others who were on the vessel when she keeled over, have also been received. So far as it is known, all of these people were employed by or connected with the Western Electric Company and moved from Hudson County when that company went to Chicago. Those who are known to have perished are Mrs Ella Remy and her daughter Florence, formerly of 108 Hudson Avenue, west Hoboken. Mr and Mrs Wolcott, formerly of 1209 Washington Street, hoboken. Anna Hillman, niece of Mr and Mrs Fred Mikey, formerly of 917 Willow Avenue, hoboken. Martin Judge and his son, also formerly of Hoboken. George Philip Recton, formerly of 620 Hudson Street, hoboken. Mr and Mrs George C Schneider and their son Leslie, formerly of 207 Bowers Street, jersey City, and John Camper, son of Henry Camper of 83 Lake Street, jersey City. The bodies of several of the local victims were brought home last night for interment and arrived at the Pennsylvania Station in New York. The body of the little boy Martin Judge and his father were both brought on this train. Funeral services were held this morning at St Joseph's Church, hoboken, and the interment followed at the Holy Name Cemetery. Among those who were saved from the vessel were Martha Willig, a sister of Mrs E F McKenna of 1209 Washington Street, hoboken. William Willig, brother of Mrs McKenna. Otto Larson of 911 Garden Street, hoboken, and Mr and Mrs Kelly, charles Kelly and Jenny Kelly of the Hudson City Section. Miss Rose Cruz formerly Miss Rose Willig, sister of Mrs McKenna of Hoboken was not on the excursion. So what happened afterward with these people?
Speaker 1:
First of all, let me tell you a little bit about Hoboken, if you're not from the United States or if you've never spent any time out east Hoboken. New Jersey is actually a really interesting and lovely place. Like Chicago, it boasts a rich history and it's deeply tied to its strategic waterfront location across the Hudson River. It's directly across from Manhattan. At the turn of the 20th century, hoboken's docks were bustling with activity, supporting industries like shipbuilding, warehousing and railroads, and the city's proximity to New York City made it an ideal location for manufacturing, including the production of Wonder Bread that's right which became a household staple and provided numerous jobs for residents. Hoboken is always significant in the history of baseball, hosting the first recorded game in 1846 at the Elysian Fields, laying the foundation for America's pastime. Adding to Hoboken's cultural richness is its connection to the legendary singer and actor Frank Sinatra, who was born there in 1915. The city's rich industrial heritage, combined with its contributions to sports and entertainment, showcases the diverse and dynamic history of Hoboken.
Speaker 1:
Now let's go on to the Larson and Willig families, otto Larson and Martha Willig, who were on the ship together and, as you know, martha credits Otto with keeping her alive. Well, they married in 1916 and they settled in Hoboken before moving to the quaint village of Downsville, new York. They raised two sons and two daughters, with Otto working first as an iron worker in the New Jersey shipyards before eventually becoming a bartender. Otto passed away in 1971, followed by Martha in 1975, and unfortunately I couldn't yet locate their obituaries. But nonetheless their legacy lives on through their children who remained on the East Coast until their own passings.
Speaker 1:
Martha's sister Rose. She was married to Louis Cruz who was killed. Well, she endured that heart-wrenching loss of her husband. But going back a few years before, in 1910, rose and Louis were living in Chicago with their daughter Rose and Rose's brother Bill, and both of these men were employed by Western Electric. By 1920, rose had returned to Hoboken with her daughters she had three and by 1930, she was working at a school, was working at a school. Rose never remarried and passed away in 1939, leaving behind a story of strength and sorrow.
Speaker 1:
William Bill, who was the brother to Martha and Rose. He also survived the disaster, but he remained in Chicago continuing his work with Western Electric, marrying having a son and two daughters. He eventually retired to Mountain Home, arkansas, where he died in 1963. His obituary made no mention of the Eastland, yet the shadow of that tragedy surely lingered in his life, in all of the lives of those who survived. The impact of that fateful day undoubtedly followed them throughout their lives. It's a poignant reminder of how history's ripples touch personal lives in ways that are seen, and I would dare say, mostly unseen.
Speaker 1:
As always, I like to let my subjects speak for themselves. In fact, when I began this journey, I thought I really don't want to editorialize unless I have to, and in this case Martha Willig did a fine job of recounting that day. I am so grateful to have found this eyewitness account of what it was like not to observe the Eastland, but to be on the Eastland when it capsized Again. These histories are invaluable and thinking again of the impact of being born in a place like Johnstown, pennsylvania it's not just me. This history is written into all of us from Johnstown and we have a massive Facebook group and whether we're discussing the flood of 1889, which I can assure you, none of us were involved with, or the later one in 1936, my mother was involved with that or the even later one in 1977, people keep that history alive because we do. We all have different memories and the memories are those memories that were shared with us by our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents.
Speaker 1:
There's a flood museum in Johnstown, and so there's a way where certain places and certain types of events are kept alive. And I can tell you, johnstown is beautiful. To me it's one of the most beautiful places on earth. Not that I've been all over the earth, but it is because I love it and people love Johnstown. It is beautiful with its hills, it's right in the Laurel Mountains and it's gorgeous. But it's filled with sorrow. But it's filled with sorrow, it's filled with hard times, industries that left everybody hanging. It's filled with the lives of early immigrants, most of whom were from Eastern Europe, central Europe, italy. History of the Johnstown flood and the history of Johnstown will go on past all of our deaths, because again there are so many younger people who are intrigued with this. The history is kept alive, not through effort, but it's shared amongst all of us. Humans are built for storytelling and story keeping, storytelling and story keeping and because, I have to say, as a group, we Johnstown folks are so good at sharing our various stories, that's what stays with us and that's what continues into the future.
Speaker 1:
One of the other gifts of being born in Johnstown, but into the family I was born into, is the profound respect for the departed, not just visiting the graves, which we did, and recounting the history, the story of the Johnstown flood, which was done all the time to the point where we were sick of it as kids. It's like, oh, not again the flood story, oh God, but we needed that flood story and the adults didn't care if we were bored of it. Because you need to hear this, you need to know this, because someday you will rely on this story. The other thing too, being born into this family and being very heavily influenced by my father's wonderful zany relatives from Eastern Europe, is the tradition of folk magic, is the tradition of talking to the dead, is the tradition of connecting to the ancestors. And let's just say we had some lively times in my grandmother's house, my dad's mother's house, when they would conduct seances and talk to the dead and do what they would do.
Speaker 1:
And the one thing I learned too, besides respecting the dead, is don't mess with the dead. What that means is that a history like the Johnstown flood or like the Eastland disaster, it belongs to all of us and it's something that's meant to be shared amongst all of us. I think we're given a responsibility, whether we acknowledge it as a responsibility or not, and the other thing is that, yes, we do own it, but we don't possess the history. If that sounds paradoxical as well, maybe it should. You can't possess something like this, you can't be the only interpreter of it, and that is, I think, one of the reasons why the Johnstown story continues.
Speaker 1:
As for the Eastland disaster, well, obviously, based on the last few months, there are a lot of stories that have yet to be discovered, and, again, the biggest thing is making sure they're discovered but also shared with everyone, with anyone who might need them. And the other thing that's happened as the result of doing this research is that I've run across other tragedies that have a lot in common with the Eastland. There's one in particular that I ran across this past week. I'll talk about that specific one next week, and I will give you an update on the other people who I mentioned, because there are some inaccuracies, but that's not a criticism. I think that the journalism of that time was extraordinary. Based on the technology that they had available, they were pretty much on top of things, but there are a few things that need to be corrected and updated and I will share that as well with you next week. So I know this was a huge cognitive load for people because it is quite a story, which is why I only wanted to include this one letter from Martha, but next week we will continue. Take care and have a good week.
Speaker 1:
Hey, that's it for this episode and thanks for coming along for the ride. Please subscribe or follow so you can keep up with all the episodes, and for more information, please go to my website, that's wwwflowerintherivercom. I hope you'll consider buying my book, available as audiobook, e-book, paperback and hardcover, because I still owe people money and that's my running joke. But the one thing I'm serious about is that this podcast and my book are dedicated to the memory of all who experienced the Eastland disaster of 1915. Goodbye for now.