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Greenock Family History: Chapter 2

Greenock Family History: Chapter 2
The children of Robert and Jane Redpath Greenock.

JOHN  GREENOCK
    born 28 May l870 in Glasgow, Scotland
    died 19 July 1947 in Des Plaines, Illinois (age 77)

We will be addressing the John Greenock descendancy in Chapter 3.

THOMAS R. GREENOCK
    born 7 September 187l in Glasgow, Scotland
    died l956 in Indiana (age 85)

John and Thomas Greenock, circa 1943

Tom Greenock, Jane Redpath Greenock, John Greenock,
Ethel Greenock Cohen, Flora, Jesse Greenock
Thomas R. Greenock married Jessie Morgan (born 21 October l873) on 9 June l897 in Chicago.

With the help of the Lake County (ILL) Genealogical Society we were able to locate the gravesites of Thomas, Jessie and Ethel (Kohn) Greenock.  They are buried at the Avon Centre Cemetery in Round Lake Beach, IL (which is located just east of Route 83, on the north side of Shorewood Road).  We learned that we had been working with a misspelling of Ethel’s married name (Cohen instead of the correct spelling Kohn).

We know you have all heard the phrase ‘etched in stone.’ In doing our research we have found that just because the headstones read a particular date, it isn’t necessarily accurate.  In Jessie Morgan Greenock’s case the headstone shows her born in 1874, when indeed cemetery records show her born in 1873.   Thomas and Jessie were known as Nonie and Papa to their five grandchildren.  Jessie died on 19 September 1946 of what they called cerebral hemorrhage.  She and husband Tom had just walked the two blocks to their daughter Ethel’s home to see Jessie (Kohn) Bledsoe’s wedding presents, and upon returning home, Thomas was helping Jessie to remove her coat, and she passed away.  Bob Kohn recalls Jessie’s death a little differently.  He heard that Thomas and Jessie were seated at the kitchen table.  Thomas was playing solitaire and Jessie put her head down on the table and died.  Whoever gets to Heaven first, please get the details and Fax me!  Thomas passed away of cerebral hemorrhage in 1956 in Indiana.

Thomas R. Greenock served with the Civilian Engineers Unit during the Spanish American War at age (approximately) 27.  We have not as yet been able to obtain his military records.  He also served in World War I in France, however, he was working as a builder for the Army and was not part of the military forces.  His son, Harry, served with the military in France during this same time period.  Their side won this war and both returned to the U.S.  Thomas worked in Chicago with the Orpheum theater chain.  He was a contractor / carpenter / inventor.   In later life, he owned apartment buildings in Chicago (at one time they had a four flat at 84th and Ada) and in addition to managing those he had a workshop in a rear building where he came up with many inventions.  Kept himself busy with his inventions, but never took them beyond his own workshop.  Small in stature, never without his pipe, strongly opinionated; especially opposed to  consumption of alcohol.  Thomas loved to sing (sounds like he was a happy man).  Around 1940 Thomas and Jessie moved to Round Lake, Illinois where Ethel and husband Erwin Ernest Kohn lived.  At this time, their son Robert, his wife Florence  (nee Jones) and their young daughter Judy lived with them.  Jessie passed away in September of 1946 at age 72.  She had been seriously injured in an auto accident in 1939.  Robert, Florence, Judith and Thomas (the father) all moved to Greenfield, Indiana in 1948.


Thomas and Jessie Morgan Greenock's children:

HARRY E. GREENOCK
    born 27 June 1899 in Chicago, IL
    died 25 August 1971, buried in Greenfield, IN (age 72)

There isn’t a very good paper trail for Harry, however, we do know that he served in the military during World War I, with honor, and was awarded several medals, including the purple heart.  He married Juanita Mae Ammerman in 1927 or 1928, and was divorced in the early 1950s.  One child, Jocelyn L. was born 1 November 1931.  Harry married two more times; second marriage lasted approximately a year.  Third marriage was to a lady named Betty.  There is a rumor that the third marriage happened without advantage of divorce from the second wife.  Harry liked to bowl and he was a pipe smoker (like many of the Greenock men).  Harry died of a massive stroke on 25 August 1971 in Greenfield, Indiana, at age 72.  He is buried at Park Cemetery in Greenfield, Indiana (next to his brother Bob).

[Recent history removed]

Apparently Harry did not share his father’s strong opposition to alcohol.  He was a brick mason and did beautiful work, when he worked.  While he lived in Chicago he drove a truck for Wonder Bakery.  In Indiana he worked with his brother Bob as a brick mason.  When work was slow in Indiana, both Harry and brother Bob drove cabs in Highland Park, Illinois working with Dorothy and Ed Morley.

We had several stone masons in our family.  It would be so nice to be able to trace our ancestors back to the Civil War period to see if any helped in the building of Washington D.C.   Scottish and French stone mason talents were utilized for several cathedrals as well as the Capitol Building where the Statute to Freedom sits atop the Capitol Dome.  Bagpipes played at the recent re-setting of this statute atop the Dome.  It was fitting, as descendants of families that had a part in creating the beauty of our capitol still reside in the area.  Seeing as we weren’t invited, maybe our ancestors didn’t participate in the building of the Dome.

ETHEL JESSIE GREENOCK
    born 13 June 1904
    died 15 April 1957 (age 53)

Erwin and Ethel Greenock Kohn
Ethel Jessie Greenock married Erwin Ernest Kohn in Chicago 29 September 1924.  They resided there until 1928, moving then to Dowagiac, Michigan.  Erwin was in sales and traveled the Midwest.  They returned to Illinois in the mid-1930s and lived in Round Lake, Ill.  In 1947 they moved to Marquette, Michigan where Erwin owned a department store.  They returned to Illinois in 1948 or 49.  Ethel passed away of cancer on 15 April 1957.  She had been hospitalized in 1944 for several months with serious medical problems, and in 1956 she lost a kidney to cancer.  While she was in the hospital for this surgery, her father Thomas passed away and Ethel’s brother Bob brought her flowers from the burial service.  She maintained her lifestyle until January of 1957 but then succumbed to cancer in April.  Erwin later remarried and moved first to St. Louis, MO and then to Palm Beach, Florida where he passed away in 1985.  He is buried at Temple Judea Cemetery, just outside of West Palm Beach.  There is a marker on his grave.

ETHEL & ERWIN KOHN CHILDREN:
  • JESSIE ELLEN KOHN, born 11 February l927
  • ERWIN E. (BUD) KOHN, JR., born 16 March l929, died 1978 (age 49)
  • ROBERT F. KOHN, born 24 August l93l
Jessie, Bud and Bob Kohn

JESSIE ELLEN KOHN

We were so pleased to have finally found Jessie (Kohn) Bledsoe, living in Bernardsville, NJ.  We had telephoned several Cohen’s (later to find this was a wrong spelling!), and a couple of Bledsoe families in the Round Lake area, and were lucky to have gotten a correct address for her.  She cheerfully shared names, addresses, dates and places with us for the Thomas Greenock family line.

Jessie Kohn married William Bledsoe on 21 September l946.  They have two children (both adopted): Mark William Bledsoe, born on 7 February l954, and Susan Ethel Bledsoe, born on 21 September l957.  In l960 they moved to Pleasantville, NY and in l969 to New Jersey.  Jessie and Bill divorced in l977.   Jessie had worked with her husband in industrial construction and in 197l started a career as a Real Estate Broker.  In l983, she joined AT&T and worked in Human Resources doing personnel work and training for the Real Estate Division of AT&T.  She enjoyed her work but retired in July of 1994 to spend more time with her family, her home, yard, the pool, walking, meeting new people, and doing some work with the elderly.

Her son Mark and wife Priscilla have three daughters, Janell Lynn, Stacey Elizabeth and Lauren Marie.  Stacey has suffered with an illness for the past three and a half years.  She was finally diagnosed as having lyme disease and for a long while was treated with massive doses of antibiotics (at a cost of $l000 per day!).  The family and the community rallied around this little girl in an effort to keep her alive and work toward gradual improvement.  Twelve volunteers work with her with patterning, exercise, and flash cards, and the family and volunteers are with little Stacey 24 hours a day.

Jessie’s daughter Susan and husband Bob Ulm have three daughters, Emily Louise, Melissa Ellen and Jennifer Robin.  All make their home in New Jersey.  Emily and Melissa’s father is David Dolgos.  Susan and David divorced in 1984.

ERWIN E. (BUD) KOHN JR.

Bud served in the Korean War as a Medic in the 101st Airborne Division.  After being discharged, he became a medical and x-ray technician.  After a few years he went into sales and spent the rest of his life as sales representative for various companies.  Bud married Dorothy Tismer on 6 September 1952 while still in the service.  He and his wife Dorothy have five children; Gary, Gregory, Jeffery, Pamela and James.

[Recent history removed]

ROBERT F. KOHN

Bob and wife Roberta (nee Kohls) have two children; William Frederic, born 12 December 1962 and Elizabeth Ruth, born 10 September 1964 -- both in Detroit, MI (neither have married as of this writing).  After serving 12 years in the military, Bob worked in the police-related field as a bank guard, was also with the Michigan State Police and later was a security officer at a hospital in Lansing.  He is a deacon in the Presbyterian Church.  His hobbies are good music and he also collects fine crystal.  Bob and Roberta travel quite a bit and have been to Scotland several times.  Bob and Roberta report that the address in Glasgow that Grandpa Greenock gave us (123 Sydney) is now a parking lot.  This whole area had been heavily bombed during World War II.

Both Bud and Bob served in the army during the Korean War, both with distinction in Korea.  Bud was in the Medical Corps.  Bob joined the Army in August of 1948, went to Japan in June of 1949 and was at Headquarters Battery 61st Field Artillery, First Cavalry Division and was awarded the Bronze Star and several Purple Hearts for acts during combat.  He then was sent to Korea where he was a forward observer until June 1951.  At one point, he was reported missing in action.  The Scottish 1st Black Watch Battalion managed to save Bob’s life when he was wounded in Korea.  (So you see that our Scottish heritage continues to impact our life.)  After his service in the Army, he joined the Navy as a medical corpsman and served aboard aircraft carriers.  He left military service in January of 1960.

An aside: the Scottish Black Watch was established in 1739-40, after the Battle of Culloden and was so named because of their dark tartans and as a contrast to the red coats.  For a period of time, they worked policing parts of Scotland.  It is said that this was as ‘punishment’ for their part in this uprising against the British and bonnie Prince Charlie.   This regiment has been in existence ever since.  Balhousie Castle in Perth now houses the Black Watch museum (established in 1962).  During World War I the Germans called the Black Watch Battalion ‘the ladies from hell’, with the eerie sound of bagpipes as they approached the battle site, they were a very intimidating force.  They do not go into battle quietly.

There had been a previous marriage for Bob. Upon his return from Korea (he was 19) he married Rosezella Wait (who was 16 at the time).  Three children were born: Robert Jr., Kathleen, and Debra.

[Recent history removed]

ROBERT JAMES GREENOCK
    born 11 July 1908 in Chicago, Illinois
    died 26 August 1964, in Indianapolis, Indiana

Robert James Greenock and Florence Jones married on 27 August 1932.  Their only child, Judith, was born in Chicago.

[Recent history removed]

Robert worked as a bricklayer and building contractor.  Florence worked for the Federal Government for 25 years, and retired in 1971.   Robert passed away at age 57 on 26 August 1964 of myocardial infarction and is buried in Park Cemetery in Greenfield, Hancock County, Indiana (next to his brother Harry).  Robert was tall and muscular, and weighed 175 pounds.  Florence married Victor Wolf in 1971.  They were married six years when he passed away in 1977.  Florence passed away 29 January 1995 of cancer.

ROBERT B. GREENOCK, JR.
    born 27 August l874 in Glasgow, Scotland
    died 19 December l936 in Chicago, IL (age 62)

Robert Greenock, Jr.
Robert married Agnes D.E. Johnson on 29 November l905 (he was 3l years old).  One child, Robert III, born in San Francisco on 28 September l907.  We have experienced some frustration in tracking this family, however, we will share with you what we know for sure.

Robert Jr. served in the Dandy First Unit, llth Calvary during the Spanish American War.  We have been unable to find any reference to ‘Dandy First’ - even in a dictionary of nicknames for various military units.  We believe when a troop unit was largely made up of men of Scottish descent, they called themselves, the Dandy First!

As documented in the enlistment papers on the next page, Robert enlisted in the U.S. Infantry on 26 April l898, and was discharged on 17 November l898. He was 5 foot 5 and a half inches tall, weighed l49 pounds and was 25 years old at the time. He listed his occupation as bricklayer. He was single and listed his mother (who was then living at 79l6 Union Ave., Chicago) as next of kin.

Robert served as a corporal in Company l, Illinois Infantry.  As you may recall, the Spanish American War was sixteen weeks long (thanks to Teddy Roosevelt and Robert Greenock).  Cuba (and the Philippines) had been fighting for freedom from Spain for several years.  When the U.S.S. Maine was blown up in a Cuban harbor in February of l898 the American people were outraged.  The call for retribution (and freedom for Cuba) was rampant throughout the country.  Recruiting offices had lines of men wanting to volunteer, and many recruits were turned away.  (Unlike subsequent wars, where conscription of troops was put in place.)  War was declared on Spain in April of l898, and was effectively over on 19 July l898, however, U.S. occupation forces remained in Cuba until l904.  Was Robert one of those that took the saying “Remember the Maine!” to heart?  Or was it difficult for him to find employment, thus the military seemed attractive?

There was a practice started during the Civil War that continued through the early l900s.  Many volunteers signed up for 90 days, usually during cold winter months.  They became known as ‘snow birds’ and you’ll note that military pension records ask the question ‘did you serve more than 90 days?’  This was to separate the regular volunteers from the ‘snow birds’.

We have reviewed his war records (however, not for the Spanish American War) at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.  He volunteered for the Philippine Insurrection at Fort Douglas, Utah on 30 August l899 (it is our belief he was mustered out of the Spanish American War at this location on 17 November 1898 and remained in the Salt Lake City area until he re-volunteered in 1899).

During the Philippine Insurrection, Robert saw duty in Manila where he contracted malaria.  He was mustered out of the military in Presidio, San Francisco, California on 30 June l90l.  According to his military records, he did not see action.

The l9l0 census of San Francisco, CA shows Robert Jr. (age 35), his wife Agnes (age 26, born in Indiana) and son Robert, age 2 (born in California).  Also living in the household was a brother-in-law, Joseph M. Johnson, l9 years of age (born in Indiana).

The 1920 Census of San Francisco, CA shows Robert, age 45, Agnes, age 36 and Robert Jr. age l2, living there.  Sometime after that they made their way back to Chicago.

It appears Robert stayed in San Francisco after his military service, met and married Agnes.  He died in Chicago, Illinois on 19 December l936, and his flag draped casket was taken to Presidio National Cemetery in San Francisco for burial.  The Certificate of Death shows him living at 2053 E. 68th Street, Chicago, IL, where he had lived for 12 years.  He worked until December of 1934.  He died of a cerebral hemorrhage.  Agnes passed away 13 April l946 (unknown where) and her cremated remains are buried in the same plot as her husband.

Their son Robert died 16 December 1954 in San Mateo County, Daly City, California.  He had worked as an international representative for the American Newspaper Guild.  His cremated remains are at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in San Francisco.  He had had a stroke in 1952, and was hospitalized at Villa Sanitarium for more than a month before he passed away of a cerebra thrombosis.  He was only 47 when he died and had been treated for generalized arteriosclerosis and hypertension for over two years.  His wife’s name was Annabelle R., however, it is unknown at this time if he had any surviving children.  All of the above information was taken from his death certificate.  I had found a Robert Greenock and a Sarah Greenock who died in California (different counties) in 1954.  After much ado, and believe me, California is great at ado - I received the requested certificate.  It appears that Sarah is not one of the Greenocks I am looking for, however, she is a descendant of William Greenock (more about this in ‘Other Family Members).

In 1925 or 1926 Robert III made application to work with a law firm in Chicago where my mother was working at the time.  (He didn’t take the job.)   We now know that he worked as a newspaperman in San Francisco.

I would love to obtain military records for Thomas, Joseph, and Harry Greenock who all served in World War I.  Draft records are the only accessible records for World War I.  Other records for World War I and afterwards are kept in the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.  Because of the Privacy Act of 1974, there are restrictions to acquiring the records to military personnel for World War I and afterwards.  These records can only be furnished to the veteran or next of kin, if the veteran is deceased.   John Greenock was unable to serve in the military as he had lost his right eye in a toy cannon accident when he was only l7.


ELIZABETH S. GREENOCK
  born 24 January l876 in Glasgow, Scotland
  died in l876, interred in The Necropolis, Glasgow, Scotland

The Glasgow Necropolis previously served as a park with a magnificent city panorama and is located on a hill behind a Cathedral and the Royal Infirmary. This graveyard is so splendid that it is visited by many. Elizabeth Greenock is one of 50,000 buried there.  First interment there was in 1832.  It is no longer the prestigious place it once was. Depredations of time and vandalism have taken their toll.  We do not know what Elizabeth died of or if there is a marker on her grave. We assume Elizabeth was stillborn.

REBECCA D. GREENOCK
  born 8 January l877 in Glasgow, Scotland
  died  25 November l933 in Oak Forest, IL  (age 56)
Flora Greenock, Jane Redpath Greenock,
Rebecca Stewart

Rebecca Greenock married Roderick Stewart.  Four children were born, but only Jeanie grew to be a young adult. According to the record entitled Premature & Still-Birth Burial Permit (State of Illinois) Mt. Greenwood Cemetery, Baby Stewart died 12 May l912 and was interred 29 May 1912 -- no name or sex of child given.  The child is buried in the Stewart family plot.  The child was born at St. Barnabus Hospital.  The family was living at 7111 Normal Boulevard when request was made by Rebecca to have the child’s body moved to the family plot in 1928.  Rod Stewart worked with the railroad in several locations: Cheyenne, Wyoming; Danville, IL; Brazil, Indiana, and Oak Forest, ILL.  Rebecca Stewart died 25 November 1933 at their residence 15445 Larimore Ave., Oak Forest, ILL. of cancer of the right breast, and is buried in Mount Greenwood Cemetery, Section 34, Mt. Greenwood, ILL.  Unfortunately, the photo we have of Rebecca, seated in front, is not as close up as I would have liked. Flora Greenock is on the left and Jane Redpath Greenock is behind Rebecca.
Rod Stewart

Rod Stewart passed away 7 December l945 and is also buried in Mount Greenwood Cemetery.  Rod died at age 72 years, 9 months and 8 days at the Psychopathic Hospital.  Jeanie Greenock (Aunt Toots - his sister-in-law) was listed as the next of kin.  Rod, Rebecca (called Auntie Re) and Toots (Jeanie) lived together through the years.  Jeanie, Rod and Rebecca’s daughter, (born l9ll) died 6 January 1928 at age l7 in a streetcar switching accident at 79th and Halsted, Chicago, and is buried with her parents.  She was an honor student at Calumet High School at the time and was on her way to an honors assembly when the accident occurred.  There are no survivors of this line.

Jeanie Stewart, circa 1928
We reviewed Census records for the counties around Cheyenne, Wyoming for the years l900, l9l0 and l920.  We were unable to find the Stewart family.  Could be many reasons: they simply weren’t there when the census was taken  in June of l900; April l5 of l9l0 and January l of l920.  Grandpa Greenock’s story tells us there were several children born to Rebecca and Rod in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The 1900 Census of Cook County, Ill. shows Rebecca living with her parents (she was 23).  Rebecca was not living with her widowed mother according to the 19l0 Census of Cook County.  Their years in Cheyenne would have to have been between 1900 and 1910, but before 1912, as we know they were in Chicago when an infant child died and was buried. Or, they could have been in Cheyenne between 1912 and the early 20s.  We know they were in Danville, Illinois in 1923.  It is our intent to write to the cemeteries around Cheyenne to see if we can find record of burials of the Stewart children.

JANE R. GREENOCK (I)
  born 18 November l878 in Glasgow, Scotland
  died  l800, interred in Falkland Cemetery, Freuchie, Scotland
  a year previous to the family’s emigration

We do not know what Jane R. (I) died of, however, in the late 1800s infant mortality in Glasgow was higher than in any other city of the British Commonwealth.  Tuberculosis was a major killer, followed by typhus, scarlet fever and diphtheria.  Mostly attributed to bad sanitary conditions. 

JOSEPH R. GREENOCK (I)
  born 21 March l883 in Chicago, Illinois
  died 22 January l885, interred at Oakwood Cemetery, Chicago

Joseph R. Greenock (I) died at age one year and l0 days of pneumonia.  He was the first of the five children born to Robert and Jane in America.  A single plot was purchased at Oakwood Cemetery, Chicago (67th and Cottage Grove).  The archives at this cemetery show two Greenocks buried there, listing both as ‘James.’  The ink used in l885 had faded, and they were unable to decipher the name ‘Joseph,’ thus listed both infants as James.  Remember, before 1920 people made their own ink and it was a long time before ‘permanent’ ink was introduced.

JAMES R. GREENOCK
  born January l885 in Chicago, Illinois
  died 10 May l885

James died at age four months and 9 days of enteritis, a problem with the intestines.  How very difficult it must have been for this family who had buried another little one just five months previous!  He is in plot A4-240 at Oakwood Cemetery, Chicago.  His brother Joseph is in plot A4-237.  Not side by side, but close by.  Again, a single plot was purchased for this youngster.  These are the only two Greenocks buried in this cemetery.  At the time of James R. death, his parents were living at 4058 LaSalle.  This area of Chicago was then known as the Town of Lake.

GEORGE FLAWS GREENOCK
  born 11 January l886 in Chicago, Illinois
  died 18 October l9l9 in Joliet, Illinois (age 34)

George Flaws Greenock
We found an article in the Joliet Sunday Herald News, dated 19 October l9l9 indicating George Flaws Greenock  had died the day previous.  He was a fireman on the Rock Island Railroad, and died at his home at 106 N. Nicholson Street of a rupture of the abdominal aorta following a long illness (luetus infection).  It is unknown when he married May.  (She was born 25 October 1887.)  He is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Joliet (off Route 30 and Cass Avenue).  The newspaper article indicated he was the brother in law of Mrs. Bertha Campbell, then police matron for Joliet.

We visited Oakwood Cemetery and found it in total disrepair.  It adjoins Mt. Olivet Cemetery; clearly different facilities without being separated by a fence.  Mt. Olivet is a Catholic cemetery, with paved roads and well-kept grounds.  Oakwood is very old, grass overgrown, headstones overturned with paths for roads.  A group of volunteers had been working to try to maintain the cemetery until all of their equipment was stolen.  We were unable to locate the gravesite and at this time do not know if there was even a headstone.  Iverson Florists, ll37 E. Cass, Joliet, Ill 6043l, are caretakers of the information about those buried here.  George and wife May are buried on the western half of lot 129, block F, graves 4 and 5.  Graves 1 through 5 were purchased by May Greenock in 1919.  Graves 1,2 and 3 remain vacant.  My assumption is that May purchased all five with the intention that her mother and sister would also be buried there.

George Flaws Greenock
circa 1915
In the l9l0 Census of Cook County, George F. (age 24) is shown living with his widowed mother, so in the nine years before his death he had married and moved to Joliet.

George Flaws Greenock registered for the draft in Joliet on 12 September 1918.  He was classified 1A.  I doubt he served in World War I.

The 1920 Census of Will County (Joliet) shows May E. Greenock, age 3l living with her mother, Marsha Burgess, 73 years old, a widow, and with her sister Bertha Campbell, 42 years old, also a widow, who was working as a police matron of the city jail.  May was listed as not working.  They were living at 134 Linden Avenue.  Social Security records indicate that May passed away in August of 1982 in Dayton, Ohio.  She is buried next to her husband at Oakwood.  May had not remarried. 

JOSEPH R. GREENOCK II
  born 23 November l888 in Chicago, Illinois
  died 13 October l946 in Chicago, Illinois (age 58)

Married Ethel Caroline Long (born 25 June l890) on 13 October 1917.  One child, Joseph Harvey Paul, born 3 August 1923 in Chicago.  The Harvey came from his mother’s side of the family.  Joe never liked the name Harvey, so when he was confirmed, he took the name of his favorite Uncle, Father Paul Smith, and from that time until his death his legal name was Joseph Paul Greenock.

Joseph R. Greenock
Ethel Long Greenock

Joseph R. Greenock enlisted in the Army in W.W.I, First Regiment, Dandy First Unit, Aviation Bureau (he was approximately 25 years old).  He was a Corporal, with Detachment No. 8, Air Service when he was discharged on 13 February 1919.  His chosen profession was as an upholsterer with the Pullman Company, however, after his military service he became a Chicago policeman.  I wonder if the Pullman work stoppages, and treatment of Pullman employees in the early 1900s helped Joseph R make this decision!  Joseph R. had been ill for five years before he died on 13 October 1946.  He is buried in the Long family plot, Section 34 at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Chicago, Ill.  The death certificate indicates chronic myocarditis as the cause of death.  Ethel Long Greenock died in July of 1958 and is also buried here.  Joseph R. became a Roman Catholic before he married Ethel Long.


The 1920 Census shows Joseph R. living at 6432 Drexel.  He was 32.  Ethel, his wife was 31.  They were living with his mother-in-law, Mary Long.  At this time he listed his occupation as a foreman in a box factory.

My mother recalls when she was a youngster, Joseph R., his brother Tom, the McGraths, and other friends would come to John Greenock’s home and play cards.  They took turns going for a bucket of beer, which was called ‘rushing the can’ at that time!  None of these men drank much, but they had lots of fun.  Mom said one time when Joe had taken his turn at ‘rushing the can’ the waiting group of men filled a can with silverware and placed it above the door.  When Joe opened the door, there was quite a clamor!

[Recent history removed]

JANE R. GREENOCK II
  born 16 October 1889 in Chicago
  died 16 April 1973 in Lake Worth, Florida (age 83)

Jeanie "Toots" Greenock
Last born of the children of Robert and Jane - known as Aunt Jeanie (or Toots), moved to Florida after retiring from the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad where she had worked as a stenographer.  In the mid-50s, she moved to Lake Worth, Florida to be closer to her very dear friends, Mildred (Johnson) and John Schmitt.  The Schmitts had a pony ranch in Florida and Aunt Toots rented a bungalow on the property where she lived until early 1971. At that time, she moved in with the Schmitts so that she could care for her life long friend, Mildred (Johnnie). Johnnie passed away in 1971, and Toots’ health began to decline. She would wander away from home and have to be brought back by the police. She was placed in a nursing home in 1972 and she passed away there.

Aunt Toots was an ardent Jehovah’s Witness. What do we know about those that call themselves Jehovah’s Witnesses? We know they do not celebrate any of the common Christian holidays; their interpretation of the Bible is subject to dispute by other religions; they do not salute the flag; they are opposed to blood transfusions. Dorothy Greenock Wolf said her father in law, Tom Greenock, was offended by the mailings he received from ‘Toots’. Harry Greenock, his son, visited with her in Florida and kept in close touch.

Jeanie "Toots" Greenock, on the left.
There was a gravesite for Aunt Toots next to her parents at Mt. Greenwood Cemetery, however, she is buried in Florida. She died on 16 April 1973 in the Medicana Nursing Home in Palm Beach Florida.  She was buried in Palm Beach Memorial Park, 3691 Seacrest Blvd., Lantana, FL (33462) in the Masonic Garden, 58-C-2. There is no marker on her grave. There was a graveside service. John Schmitt had purchased the grave and vault.

We have been in touch with Mr. Ronald Schmitt, son of John & Mildred Schmitt (5240 Wiggins Rd., Lake Worth, FL 33463). He told us Aunt Toots had cared for his mother (Johnnie) for many years and that she ended up living with them. When Toots retired and moved to Florida, she gave the Schmitts $2500 so that she could live in a small bungalow on their pony ranch until such time as she was no longer able to take care of herself, but in the early 70s moved in with the Schmitts. Mildred (Johnson) Schmitt (born in 1917) passed away in 1971. Aunt Toots then moved to the Medicana Nursing Home, where she passed away in 1973.

In the early 1970s part of Aunt Toot’s right heel was amputated, thus walking became very difficult for her. She wrote poetry and loved to travel and had visited Scotland in the early 1960s. She was very petite and very religious. She didn’t believe in dancing or movies, and was very loving and kind, truly an Auntie to the Schmitt sons. She attended the Witness’ meetings on Sunday and one of the Schmitt sons would pick her up and bring her to the ranch to spend the day. The Schmitts no longer have the pony ranch, however, Ron (approximately 45 years old) has several ponies he takes to birthday parties, etc. to entertain small children. Ron has been extremely cooperative in getting information regarding Toots to me for this story.  He said Toots had a lot of the Rebecca & Rod Stewart memorabilia including the Stewart Family sword, which is framed and mounted.

Previous: Chapter 1: Robert and Jane Redpath Greenock
Next: Chapter 3: John and Flora Rebman Greenock

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Thomas Steven Quaid and Mary O'Day were my great grandparents. They're also the last truly Irish couple in my family history. Even though they were married in Chicago. And even though she was, in fact, Canadian. Mary O'Day and Thomas Quaid, with oldest children Rose Marie and Charles. Probably taken in 1902. A long time ago I met an Irish woman, and when I said that I was Irish she gently drew a distinction between the phrase "I'm Irish" meaning that "I have some Irish ancestry", and meaning that "I am actually, you know, from Ireland." She was Irish; I just had an Irish name. I suppose Thomas and Mary embodied the transition between those two senses of the phrase for our family. Thomas in Limerick Thomas Quaid was born in Limerick on December 15th, 1865 to Charles Quaid and Mary Nealon. Charles grew up on a farm in nearby Ballymacamore  and Charles and Mary's first child had been baptized there, but a few years before Thomas was born t

Ralph Shelton and Mary Daniel

While Ralph Shelton Senior lived his whole life in Middlesex County, Ralph Shelton Junior was constantly on the move. He was born in Middlesex County, Virginia , next to the Atlantic, and died in Patrick County, Virginia , further west and down on the border with North Carolina. I don’t know what drove that relentless movement, but it passed down into subsequent generations. It seems to me that if you had a comfortable life you wouldn’t keep moving, so the going may have been tough for this line of Sheltons, constantly seeking better prospects. What’s Happening? What was going on when Ralph and Mary Shelton started their adult life around 1730? War broke out between Maryland and Pennsylvania . Philadelphia was found to be in Maryland, leading to much embarrassment and ultimately the Mason-Dixon survey. Benjamin Franklin co-founded Library Company of Philadelphia (in Maryland, I guess) Robert Walpole became the first real Prime Minister of Great Britain. James Bradley calculated the