Class of 1925, Part 6

Here is another section of the DePaul University Academy, Class of 1925. I will continue posting pictures of groups of graduates over the next few weeks.

In the section above, the top row, from left to right, includes R. I. Prindiville, H. N. Spahn, J. T. Nangle, and J. F. Wulff. The bottom row includes T. Reid, J. D. Z. Lock, M. F. Nangle, and G. Ludes.

Class of 1925, Part 5

This is another part of the DePaul University Academy, Class of 1925. I will continue posting pictures of groups of graduates over the next few weeks.

In the section above, from left to right, are E. Gannon, W. F. Tangney, R. C. Murphy, and F. J. Bogner. In the second row are J. Quinlan, V. Cholewcynski, V.d. Goonan, and W. B. Murphy.

Looking Beyond the Indexes

Have you ever looked at an index and thought, "Well, the name looks close but that can't be my ancestor because the (fill in religion, race, sex, etc.) is wrong"? I used to think that too. But I have found errors in indexes on several occasions. So I've learned that it is always a good idea to look beyond the indexes and view the documents themselves. The document above is my latest example of this lesson.

Ancestry.com has posted and indexed the World War II draft registration cards for Illinois. These are the cards from the fourth registration of World War II, known as the "old man's draft." Those required to register were men between the ages of 45 and 64. I searched for grandpa under the most common spelling of his name and found him indexed as follows:

Name Anton W Skrobul
Birthdate 18 Mar 1884
Birth Place Sany, Lithuania
Residence Beckemeyer, Illinois
Race Negro (Black)

Now if grandpa had a common name and lived in a big city, I might have thought, "This can't be grandpa, he wasn't "Negro"." But, let's face it, how many Anton Skrobuls do you know? So I was pretty sure this was him. And in looking at the image, everything else looked correct.



Page 2 of the document contains more information, including 7 categories to indicate race, such as light, dark, freckled and black. (Note to self: See if any of my Irish relatives were freckled.) The page 2 associated with Anton W. Skrobul indicated he was dark, not black. But apparently an indexer made a mistake and decided "dark" meant "black" which was indexed as Negro. I doubt that Anton identified himself as black, and he looks rather fair-skinned in his photos. So if his skin looked dark the day he registered, it may have been due to coal dust from working in the mine, and not his ethnic heritage.


Here is a photo of Anton with his two sons. From left to right, Anthony, Anton and Stan Skrobul.

Class of 1925, Part 4

This is part of the DePaul University Academy, Class of 1925. I have a class picture hanging on my wall. I will continue posting pictures of groups of graduates over the next few weeks.

In the section above, from left to right, are W. J. Stark, R. L. McWilliams, T. Maloney and J. L. Purcell. In the second row is C. Merlo.

Class of 1925, Part 3

This is another part of the DePaul University Academy, Class of 1925. I have a class picture of the graduating class hanging on my wall. I will continue to post pictures of groups of graduates over the next few weeks.

In the section above, from left to right, are R. T. Shaughnessy, F. E. Ward, B. I Cashion and E. J. Murkowski.

Patrick Whelan's Disability

Here is another affidavit given by Patrick Whelan, concerning the causes of some of his disabilities.

Claimants Affidavit
State of Wisconsin, County of Milwaukee, SS:
In the matter of Patrick Whalin Co. G. 90 Ill. Vol. Inf. clf. 50,355

On this 9 day of March A.D. 1890, personally appeared before me, a Notary Public in and for the aforesaid County, duly authorized to administer oaths, Patrick Whalen aged 78 years, a resident of National House in the County of Milwaukee and State of Wis. whose post-office address is National House Wis. well known to me to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who, being duly sworn, declares in relation to the aforesaid case as follows: I am the claimant above cited and I hereby declare that rupture of right side cause an ? about 12 years ago while working in Chicago Ill. but I can not say what caused it, loss of middle finger left hand was incurred before the War of the rebellion it was caused by blood poisoning my disabilities are not due to any bad or vicious habits, as I am a man of good moral character sober, peaceable and law abiding. I can not furnish eye witnesses to above disabilities, and ask the commissioner of Pensions to accept of the evidence of my 2 comrades as to my sober and peaceable habits I am 78 years old and totally disable.

His Post-office address is National House Wis.

Patrick his X mark Whalen signature of affiant

James Drennen
M. E. Regan

If affiant signs by mark, two witnesses who can write sign here

Class of 1925, Part 2

Here are 4 more members of the DePaul University Academy, Class of 1925. I have a picture of the graduating class, and I will continue to post sections of it here.

In the section above, are from left to right, A. J. Harrison, T. Brangan, and B. F. Brizzolara. In the second row is W. F. Clow.

Catherine Landy's Deposition

Deposition H
Case of Mary J. Whalin, No. 773265

On this 19th day of May, 1903, at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Ill, before me, J. H. Stibbs, a special examiner of the Bureau of Pensions, personally appeared Catherine Landy, who, being by me first duly sworn to answer truly all interrogatories propounded to her during this special examination of aforesaid claim for pension, deposes and says: I am 60 years of age, am the wife of Pierce Landy & reside at 181 Milton Ave, Chicago Ill.

I knew this claimant when she first came to Chicago. She had been living in Buffalo, N.Y. & she came from there with her uncle Peter Lynch who was a Lake Capt, & she went to Lynches house to live & there I got acquainted with her. ? a few months she went out to work, & she & Pat Whalin got acquainted, & they got married. So far as I knew she was a young unmarried woman up to that time.

I did not know Pat Whalin until he came back from the war. He lived with his mother on Siegel St, & it was my understanding that he had never been married.

I was present & saw them married at Church of Immaculate Conception. That was about the 2nd or 3rd year after he came from the war & they always lived together after that, never were divorced or legally separated, & she has not remarried since his death.

I am not interested in her claim.
The above has been read to me & is correct.
attest. Hannah Landy
P. Landy
Catherine her x mark Landy