Lemon Hill Research

Genealogists rely on the kindness and hard work of strangers. So much of what we learn frequently comes from those incredible acts of kindness we experience as anonymous transcriptions or responses to [e]mailed and phone requests for records, details, *anything* that will provide clues as we follow the trail of our fascinating forebears. Today’s example comes from the kindness of some faraway church administrators who gave me some incredible stuff.

Some months ago I sent an email request to the administrators of the First Latvian Baptist Church in Philadelphia for any information they might have about my fathers maternal grandparents, Rosalie Purweet and Gustav Inke, or their  relations. I knew they were Latvian Baptists, and that at least one of Gustav’s brothers was a Baptist missionary who had led a mission with two thousand (give or take) Latvian Baptists to Varpa in Brazil. Gustav and Rosalie had settled in Philadelphia, and I’d hoped the church might have some record of their attendance.

I was not prepared for the amount of information these kind and wonderful people had, and shared with me so generously! It turned out that Rosalie and Gustav had been founding members of the Latvian Baptist Church in Philadelphia, and the church had quite a few records, newsletters from the Brazilian mission, and even an old Latvian newspaper containing an advertisement for Rosalie Inke’s Latvian Women’s Hat Shop in Philadelphia.

According to their translation, it reads:

Latvian Women’s Hat Store
I accept and fulfill all orders pertaining to this store for very acceptable prices.
I accept Ostrich feathers for cleaning, coloring and ?
Funeral suit accessories on your first request.
Accurate and professional work.
This is the only Lavian women’s hat store in Philadelphia.

How cool is that?

This information led me to search through old City directories, which led to the discovery that Gustav and Rosalie lived in both Philadelphia and (in 1903-04) Camden, New Jersey. These also gave me details about Gustav’s occupations; in Camden he was working as a driver, then in Philadelphia he ran a candy shop.

The administrative staff scanned, translated and related some amazing stuff. I am so thankful to have the experience of such wonderful, generous people!

I have so few family treasures, I feel truly blessed to be able to see this.