Treasure Chest Thursday: "New Pension Legislation" That Could Affect Jean La Forêt

This is an article cut out of a newspaper.  It is actually two pieces that have been pasted together.  The complete piece is 3 1/4" x 21 3/4".  No date or newspaper name appears.  After some diligent searching, my best guess is that this was published in 1922, but I was unable to determine a specific newspaper from which it was clipped.  The article was pasted in the same small notebook that holds Jean's typed announcement about his life story and will.

The subject of the article is pension legislation for soldiers and sailors who participated in the Spanish-American War, April 21–August 13, 1898; the Philippine Insurrection, February 4, 1899–July 4, 1902; and/or the Boxer Rebellion, August 1899–September 1901.  Also eligible for benefits were the servicemen's widows and dependent parents.

Since this article was in Jean La Forêt's notebook, it is logical to hypothesize he was the person who clipped it.  Because it deals with pensions for three specific conflicts and he made the effort to save it, it is also logical to hypothesize that Jean must have been involved in at least one of those conflicts.

Looking over Jean's diary, it does not appear he could have been present at the Boxer Rebellion.  His stated locations between May 25, 1899 and January 20, 1902 leave no time for him to have been in China.

The Philippine Insurrection, or Philippine-American War, officially began on February 4, 1899.  Jean wrote that he reported for duty at Mare Island, California on May 25, 1899.  He might have been in the Philippines during the war, but it could have been for only a short period.

The Spanish-American War, however, looks more promising.  Jean's journal had a gap between May 24, 1897, when he sailed on the Independence, and his report date at Mare Island.  Coincidentally, the entire period of the war fits in that gap!  Maybe he was too busy to write, or maybe he didn't want to write about the fighting.  But I suspect that when I get around to ordering a copy of Jean's service file, I'll discover he fought during this war.  Perhaps he was already in the Philippines for the Spanish-American War and so was also there for the beginning of the Insurrection.

It looks as though Jean was interested in his eligibility for a pension, but so far I have seen no documents indicating that he actually applied for one, only that Emma did so after Jean died.  Even though he appears to have been feeling his mortality, maybe he just kept putting off the pension paperwork and never got around to it.

Treasure Chest Thursday: The Last Pages from Jean La Forêt's Journal

We've reached the end of the pages in Jean La Forêt's journal that have entries on them.  These pages seem to be notes rather than something organized.  Maybe these were just pieces of information Jean wanted to remember and keep track of.  None of this writing requires translation.

-- >< -- >< -- >< -- >< --

Marie Josephine Leonie Adrienne – 1 fevr. 74

Pauline – Eugen Stein
Eugen Messein.

Fred Frantz & Joe
Endert – Crescent City

63 – rue Ramey, Paris

Mabel Cornwell – Vaughan – Gallegly
Mrs. Harve A. Gallegly.
Dazey – North Dakota

Henry Pelissier – Sonoma
Lawrence Villa —

John Steiner — " —

Mrs. Curdt Elizabeth
Wellston, Mo.

Mr. Otto Villamarin
Calle Real, Paris Saloon
Cavite,

Major General Tom Barry, comdt
West-Point Military Academy

Marie Robert
rue le Regratier #8

Elisa Dudot
rue St Bernard #11

Tony Kaul
Sablon(?) – Pont-à-Mousson
Elsie Fachette

Wilson B. Morse
Athlone, St Joaquin Valley

Marion P. Mauss [sic], Gen'l

Louis Soudieux – Salonns[?]

Les Messeins  — " —

Oscar & Ferdinand Levy

-- >< -- >< -- >< -- >< --

As with the list of birthdays last week, some of these are names we've seen before, but most are totally new.  Adrienne's full name is very pretty.  About halfway down the list is Emma's mother, Elizabeth Curdt, in Wellston, Missouri.  And near the end of the list is Wilson B. Morse.  He's the man Jean visited May 14 to June 14, 1890.

Jean had a Pauline in his birthday list, but her last name was Cohen.  Maybe Pauline Cohen married Eugen Stein?  But is Eugen Stein the same man as Eugen Messein?

Some names appear to be people Jean met on his travels bu didn't mention previously.  We know he was in Crescent City and Cavite.  Considering the problems he had in Crescent City, I'm surprised he cared to remember anyone there.

The Paris address might have been Adrienne's, since the photograph of her has Paris written on it.  With no context for the other names, I have no idea who they were.  I'm sure many cities have a rue St Bernard, but maybe not as many have a rue le Regratier.  Jean has left me another mystery to work on.

Treasure Chest Thursday: Important Birthdays in Jean La Forêt's Life

While I finished last week with the chronological journal entries Jean La Forêt had in his little notebook, there are other pages in the book.  I thought I had three pages of birthdays, but the third page surprised me when I read through it.  The first two pages are almost entirely names and dates, so I am not making a separate section for the one phrase that required translation.  The third page, however, has more French and does have a separate translated section below.

-- >< -- >< -- >< -- >< --

Notes à tenir [Notes to keep]

Birthdays

Hattie – Sept. 28

Nat – " 29

Adrienne – Febry 1

Marie Davis – Fevrier [February] 2 [18]59

Annie W. – Dec. 6

Theresa  Nov. 9

Robert  fevr. [February] 4

Père [?] W.  Dec. 19

Pauline Cohen  Sept. 8

Tellie Van der Heyde  July 28 [18]84

Marie Petit  Avril 25 85

Camilla – March 19 1895

H. Petit – Jan. 5 (J. J. Thirion)

Helène Christmann – Jan. 9 (Lina)

Nettie ——"——  Sept. 2  ——

Emma – Nov. 14 – 1866

Camilla – February 19 – 1895

Marie Petit – April 23 – 1885

Eugene – June 19 – 1996 [sic]

Helen (Lina) Christmann  Jan 9th  Sept. 2nd

Annie Witz – Dec. 6th

Theresa Witz – Nov. 9th

Robt. Witz – O. M. Dec. 19

Mama Witz –

Marie Davis – Mrs. Chas. S. Johnson – Febr. 2 [18]59

Nettie Christmann – Sept. 2

Adrienne – Febr. 1st [18]74

Rosita Emma  Sept. 4 [19]09

Naissance de Rosita Emma le 4 Sept. 1909 à Versoix, Canton de Genève (sur les bords du lac Leman)

Parti de Suisse : 30/4–10
A Lyon (France, du 30/4–10 au 3/5–10
A Marseilles du 3/5–10 au 6/5–10

A Alger et Algérie : du 7 May 1910 au 13 Août 1918

via Marseilles, Paris, Brest, New York, Washington, St. Louis à Overland, Mo.

-- >< -- >< -- >< -- >< --

Birth of Rosita Emma on September 4, 1909 in Versoix, Geneva Canton (on the banks of Lake Geneva)

Departure from Switzerland:  April 30, 1910
In Lyon (France) from April 30, 1910 to May 3, 1910
In Marseilles from May 3, 1910 to May 6, 1910

In Algiers and Algeria:  from May 7, 1910 to August 13, 1918

Via Marseilles, Paris, Brest, New York, Washington, St. Louis to Overland, Missouri

-- >< -- >< -- >< -- >< --

I wonder why Jean wrote several of the names and birthdays twice.  Sometimes he didn't include the last name, sometimes he did.  I'm sure his method made sense to him.

A lot of names here are totally new to me.  Who are the Christmanns?  And the Witzes?  I don't recognize the name Marie Davis or Charles S. Johnson.  I have no idea who Nat, Pauline Cohen, J. J. Thirion, and Tellie Van der Heyde are.

We have seen the name Hattie before.  Jean acknowledged that his survival from the assassination attempt in 1889 was in part due to Hattie.  Was the woman whose birthday was September 28 that Hattie?

Marie, Camilla, and Eugene Petit are Emma's children by her first husband, Emile Petit.  It's good that Jean was keeping track of his stepchildren's birthdays, even if he had two of them wrong the first time he wrote them down (but he was close).  The dates for Camilla and Eugene are almost the same as those Emma gave when she registered as an American citizen in Switzerland — Jean wrote that Camilla was born in 1895, while Emma said 1894.  I'm guessing Emma was probably correct.  Obviously, Jean didn't really mean that Eugene was born in 1996.  And now we have a birthday for Emma's oldest daughter, Marie.  But H. Petit?  Maybe that's one of Emile's parents?

Camilla and Eugene, by the way, are almost definitely the children in the photo between Emma and Jean in yesterday's Wordless Wednesday post.

The remaining name in these lists is Adrienne.  I haven't written about her yet, but I know a little bit about her — I have a photograph of her from 1890.  Her last name was . . . La Forêt.  The writing on the photo looks more like Emma's than Jean's.  If Adrienne was born in 1874, and Jean was born in 1853, there's a good chance she was his daughter.  If that's the case, then who was Adrienne's mother?  Neither Emma nor Jean has written anything about a previous marriage.  According to Jean's first recommendation letter, in 1874 he was an instructor in Salonnes.  I guess that's where I'll start looking for information about Adrienne.

Then there's that third page.  Funny how I joked last week that maybe Jean would add Rosita's birthday out of order, as he did his marriage to Emma, and then it shows up this way.  And there's no question about the order of the pages:  These pages are still attached to each other, and the notes about travel dates definitely come after the birthdays.  But because Jean added these notes, we know he came back to the United States a little less than one year after Emma did and went to Missouri.

And my geography lesson for the day is that Lake Geneva is called lac Léman in French.

Treasure Chest Thursday: Jean La Forêt's Diary, the finale

We have reached the end of the diary entries that Jean La Forêt wrote in his small journal.  This week I have only two pages to share.  The last entry from last week's pages was dated November 12, 1906, when Jean arrived at Mare Island, California, and he begins with that date on the next page.

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1906 California – 1908

Nov. 12 1906  A Mare Island – Commissary & Quartermaster until December 25th 07

Dec. 26 1907  Retired w/30 years.

Dec. 30  10 AM. Left Vallejo

" 31  Los Angeles

Jan. 1st  Arizona & New Mexico

Jan. 2 – El Paso.  Juarez.  Mexico.

" 3 – San Antonio, Houston and New Orleans

Jan. 4  Pensacola.  Jacksonville arrived 8 – P.M.  Hotel Everett –

Jan. 5 – 6 – 7 – Hotel Everett –

Jan. 8 – Main Str 1533 – Aug. Blum.

March  A Pablo Beach – achete Neunert(?) Cottage —

Quitte Pablo Beach p. St. Louis 13–15 Avril 1909.

Quitte St. Louis (Anglum) pour Washington 20 Avril 1909

Quitte Washington p. New York Avril 4 – 1909 – May.

Marié à Jacksonville (Florida) May 7th 1908 –

Quitte New York (Str. Hamburg) pour Naples et Genoa, Italie, 11 May 1909

Arrive à Naples = 23 May 1909

" Gènes = 25 May 1909

En Suisse par le grand tunnel du Simplon, Montreux, Lauzanne, Genève, Versoix, etc. . . de Juin 1909  à Mai 1910

-- >< -- >< -- >< -- >< --

1906–1908 California

November 12, 1906  At Mare Island — Commissary and Quartermaster until December 25, 1907

December 26, 1907  Retired with 30 years

December 30  10:00 a.m. left Vallejo

December 31  Los Angeles

January 1 [1908] Arizona and New Mexico

January 2  El Paso.  Juarez.  Mexico.

January 3  San Antonio, Houston, and New Orleans

January 4  Pensacola.  Jacksonville arrived 8:00 p.m. Hotel Everett

January 5–7  Hotel Everett

January 8   1533 Main Street – Aug. [August?] Blum.

March   To Pablo Beach – buy Neunert(?) Cottage

April 13–15, 1909  Leave Pablo Beach for St. Louis

April 20, 1909  Leave St. Louis (Anglum) for Washington

April 4 1909 May [probably May 4, 1909]  Leave Washington for New York

May 7, 1908  Married in Jacksonville, Florida

May 11, 1909  Leave New York (Hamburg Street) for Naples and Genoa, Italy

May 23, 1909  Arrive in Naples

May 25, 1909  Arrive in Genoa

June 1909–May 1910  In Switzerland via the great Simplon Tunnel, Montreux, Lauzanne, Geneva, Versoix, etc.

-- >< -- >< -- >< -- >< --

These pages, as with last week's, were not difficult to translate, because the words were mostly place names or in English.  Here again Jean used both English and French.  Whereas earlier he went back and forth, here he wrote almost entirely in English until March 1908, when he switched over to French.  Maybe he was getting his brain in the right mode for his impending return to Europe.

I have to admit, I was amused to see that Jean wrote an entry for his marriage a year after it occurred.  Kind of makes you wonder why he didn't include it at the time, and why he felt the need to add it when he did.  Going by the rest of his timeline, it does seem that the marriage should have been in 1908, as it took place in Florida, and when Emma applied for a pension based on Jean's military service, she included a transcription of the marriage certificate, which gave the same date and location.

When I wrote about Emma (Schafer) La Forêt's 1917 emergency passport application, I wondered when and how she had met Jean.  While nothing in Jean's journal indicates that specifically, it appears almost definite that he knew her in Vallejo and that they probably planned to be married before he left on his cross-country trek in early 1908.  Otherwise the fact that they both ended up in Pablo Beach, Florida by early May is a pretty impressive coincidence.  She might have even traveled with him, but we don't know.  On the other hand, I suppose it is possible that he left, arrived in Florida, and they missed each other so much she immediately followed him out there.  We'll probably never know the answer to that question.

However they got together, they lived in Pablo Beach (which is now Jacksonville Beach, in Duval County, Florida) for about a year and then left for Europe.  Their itinerary looks like it could have been a honeymoon.  It's also possible Jean had already been chosen for a position with a consulate and they used that as an excuse for the tourist-type trip.  I had never heard of the Simplon Tunnel, so I had to look it up.  Now I know it's a tunnel that connects Italy and Switzerland.

I noticed the short stop in Anglum, Missouri, before the departure for Europe.  My guess is that's when they dropped off Emma's children from her first marriage, who had been living with her in Vallejo.  As I discussed when analyzing Emma's registration as an American citizen in Switzerland, the kids were living in St. Louis and not with Jean and Emma in Europe; they had to be with someone, and her family members were still in Anglum.

One event that Jean did not include in his journal was the birth of his daughter, Rosita.  According to Emma's emergency passport application, Rosita was born September 9, 1909 in Versoix.  That falls squarely during the last year Jean listed.  Maybe that was another afterthought entry, like his marriage, and it was written on a page that did not survive.

Two items that stumped me in these pages are "Aug. Blum." and "Neunert."  My guess is that Aug. Blum. is a person's name, but I don't understand the context for it in the January 8 entry.  Maybe it was the owner of the address at which Jean was living?  And I'm not sure I'm even reading "Neunert" correctly.  If it's a name, maybe that's who he bought the cottage from in Pablo Beach.  More research for the future!

Treasure Chest Thursday: Jean La Forêt's Diary, section cinq

Jean La Forêt's diary holds yet more treasures to explore.  When last we left Jean, he had arrived in Valparaiso, Chile while serving with the U.S. Marines.

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Febr. 11 – 02 – Callao again

Feb. 26 – 02 – Acapulco

Mrch 5 – 02 – Pichili[n]gue Bay and La Paz –

Mrch 12 – 02 – Madalena Bay

Mrch 26 – 02 – San Diego

April 5 – 02 – San Francisco

April 7 – 02 – Mare Island à l'hopital.

Juillet 8, 02 – Quitte l'hopital

Novembre 15 – 02, A Yerba Buena ——

Nove Oct. 20, 1903  Quartermaster Sgt.

February 1 – 1905  Left Yerba Buena for Philipine Islands –

Manila – March 2 – 1905

Cavite — same day —

Olongapo — March 6 – 05

Leave Olongapo May 19 – 1906

Arrive at Cavite May 19 – 1906

Quitte Cavite Oct. 7 – 1906 – 4 ½ P.M.

Quitte Manila Oct. 9, 1906 – 2 P.M.

Quitte Mariveles Oct. 10 – 1906, 4 P.M.

Arrive à Nagasaki, Japan, lundi, Oct. 15 3. P.M.

Quitte Nagasaki, Japan Oct. 17 – 6 AM.

Arrive à Honolulu, Hawaii on Monday Oct. 30 – 9 AM.

Quitte Honolulu Samedi Nov. 3 – 5 P.M.

Arrive à San Francisco dimanche Nov. 11 –

Arrive à Mare Island Nov. 12 –

-- >< -- >< -- >< -- >< --

February 11, 1902 – Callao [Peru] again

February 26, 1902 – Acapulco

March 5, 1902 – Pichilingue Bay and La Paz

March 12, 1902 – Magdalena Bay

March 26, 1902 – San Diego

April 5, 1902 – San Francisco

April 7, 1902 – Mare Island in the hospital.

Juillet 8, 1902 – Left the hospital

November 15, 1902 – At Yerba Buena

Nove October 20, 1903  Quartermaster Sergeant

February 1, 1905 – Left Yerba Buena for Philippine Islands

March 2, 1905 – Manila

same day – Cavite

March 6, 1905 – Olongapo

May 19, 1906  Leave Olongapo

May 19, 1906  Arrive at Cavite

October 7, 1906  Leave Cavite 4:30 p.m.

October 9, 1906  Leave Manila 2:00 p.m.

October 10, 1906  Leave Mariveles 4:00 p.m.

October 15  Arrive in Nagasaki, Japan, Monday, 3:00 p.m.

October 17  Leave Nagasaki, Japan 6:00 p.m.

October 30  Arrive in Honolulu, Hawaii, Monday, 9:00 a.m.

November 3  Leave Honolulu Saturday 5:00 p.m.

November 11  Arrive in San Francisco Sunday

November 12  Arrive at Mare Island

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Nothing in these pages was difficult to translate, not only because a lot was written in English.  These entries are almost entirely a list of locations and when Jean arrived and left.  He appears to have become fluent in "franglais", that mish-mash of French and English.  He goes back and forth between the two languages and sometimes uses both in the same entry.  I took a small amount of liberty with the translations by making the format consistent for each entry:  date, then location, then day and/or time if included.

In this part of Jean's travelogue, I think the item that caught my attention the most was his three-month stay in the hospital at Mare Island, from April 7–July 8, 1902.  After all of his travels up and down the Pacific coast, he comes back to California and goes into the hospital.  Maybe it was a bug he picked up on the trip.  Obviously, another item that I hope shows up in his service file.

I'm guessing that the entry for October 20, 1903 — "Quartermaster Sgt" — means he was working in that position.  He tends to write little about his accomplishments.  I am pretty sure that Yerba Buena refers to the island in the middle of San Francisco Bay, which currently is a U.S. Coast Guard installation.  The Wikipedia page about Yerba Buena does mention that a U.S. Navy training station was established there before the turn of the 20th century.

Several of the locations Jean mentions I had not heard of previously.  I now know, however, that Pichilingue Bay (with some spelling variation) is in Baja California, as is Magdalena Bay. I guessed correctly that Cavite, Olongapo, and Mariveles are in the Philippines because of their apparent proximity to Manila based on Jean's notes.

There are additional significant gaps in time in these pages.  Between November 1902 and February 1905, Jean made only one entry, the one that says "Quartermaster Sgt."  And it seems that Jean had nothing to write about during his stay in Olongapo.  He arrived on March 6, 1905, and the next entry records his departure on May 19, 1906.  I wonder if that means he had a quiet tour there.

From May 19, 1906 through the last page shown here, the entries were written first in pencil and later copied over in ink.  I wonder if Jean was the person who wrote over the entries to make them darker, or if that was the work of Emma.

Treasure Chest Thursday: Jean La Forêt's Diary, fourth section

This Thursday we continue on with Jean La Forêt's diary.  Since only a small portion of the next page was needed to finish the last entry translated, I'm counting this week's first page (above) as a complete one.  Remember, as of last week's episode, Jean is no longer in the U.S. Army but has joined the Marines.

-- >< -- >< -- >< -- >< --

Janvier 15 – 92

Changeons de quartier – Caserne nouvelle bâtie trés confortablement.

Avril 5 – 1897

Pars de Sitka et d'Alaska avec "Topeka" – Arrive a Victoria Avril 11 – 97  Seattle – Avril 11 – 12 – 13/97  Retourne a Victoria 13/97  Arrive à San Francisco Avril 18 – 97 – a Vallejo même jour

A Mare Island Avril 20 – 97 – 3h. P. M.

A l'"Independence" Mai 24 – 1897 ——

May 25 – 99 – Quitte Independence and report for duty at Mare Island.

Juillet 1 – 99 – Prend charge de l'office de Quartier Maître.

Août 31 – Prend in[s]cription pour Gunner – Passe examen Sept. 1 – 99;

Sept. 1st 1900 – Décharge

Oct. 3 – " – Prend saloon à San Francisco.

Nov. 19 – " – revends

Nov. 30 – " – Rentre dans Marine Corps.  Congé 6 semains.

Jan. 15 – 01  Report for duty at Mare Island, Cal.

Febr. 4 – 01  U.S.S. "Wisconsin" put in commission – Reported aboard as 1st sergt of Marine Guard — In commission at 2 P.M.

March 9 – 01  Left at noon for Magdalena Bay (Mexico)

March 15 – 01  Passed "Philadelphia" off Guadaloupe Island

March 17 – 01  Arrived in Magdalena Bay

March 28 – 01  Arrival of "Mohican"

April 11 – 01  Left about 4 P.M. for San Francisco

April 15 – 01  Arrived in San Francisco Bay 1 P.M.

May 28 – 01  Left San Francisco Bay for Puget Sound, Wash.

June 1 – 01 – Bremerton at 5 AM.

June 12 – 1901 – San Francisco.

June 29 – Port Angeles, Wash.

July 2 – 01 – New – Whatcom –

July 23 – 01 – Bremerton

Oct. 23 – 01 – Honolulu

Nov. 1 – 01 – Passe l'équateur.

Nov. 5 – 01 – Tutuila Island

Nov. 20 – 01 – Pago-Pago – Apia – Samoa

Dec. 1 – 01 – Honolulu

Dec. 25 – 01 – Noel – Acapulco Mexico —

Jan. 3 – 02 – Passed under Equator again

Jan – 7 – 02 – Callao, Peru

Jan. 9 – 02 – A Lima

Jan. 20 – 02 – Valparaiso Chile

-- >< -- >< -- >< -- >< --

January 15, 1892

We change quarters – new barracks built very comfortably.

April 5, 1897

Leave Sitka and Alaska with the Topeka – Arrive in Victoria April 11, 1897  Seattle April 11-12-13, 1897  Return to Victoria [April] 13, 1897  Arrive in San Francisco April 18, 1897 – in Vallejo the same day

In Mare Island April 20, 1897  3:00 p.m.

On the Independence May 24, 1897 ——

May 25, 1899 – Leave the Independence and report for duty at Mare Island.

July 1, 1899 – Take charge of the Quartermaster's office.

August 31 – Apply for Gunner – Pass exam September 1, 1899;

September 1, 1900 – Discharged

October 3 " – Buy a saloon in San Francisco.

November 19 " – Resell it

November 30 " – Return to the Marine Corp.  Six weeks leave.

January 15, 1901  Report for duty at Mare Island.

February 4, 1901  U.S.S. Wisconsin put in commission – Reported aboard as 1st Sergeant of Marine Guard – in commission at 2:00 p.m.

March 9, 1901  Left at noon for Magdalena Bay (Mexico)

March 15, 1901  Passed Philadelphia off Guadaloupe Island

March 17, 1901  Arrived in Magdalena Bay

March 28, 1901  Arrival of Mohican

April 11, 1901  Left about 4:00 p.m. for San Francisco

April 15, 1901  Arrived in San Francisco Bay 1:00 p.m.

May 28, 1901  Left San Francisco Bay for Puget Sound, Washington

June 1, 1901 – Bremerton at 5:00 a.m.

June 12, 1901 – San Francisco.

June 29 – Port Angeles, Washington

July 2, 1901 – New Whatcom –

July 23, 1901 – Bremerton

October 23, 1901 – Honolulu

November 1, 1901 – Pass the Equator.

November 5, 1901 – Tutuila Island

November 20, 1901 – Pago-Pago – Apia – Samoa

December 1, 1901 – Honolulu

December 25, 1901 – Christmas – Acapulco Mexico —

January 3, 1902 – Passed under Equator again

January 7, 1902 – Callao, Peru

January 9, 1902 – To Lima

January 20, 1902 – Valparaiso, Chile

-- >< -- >< -- >< -- >< --

This man surprised me again.  He enlisted in the Marines on August 26, 1890.  He was discharged on September 1, 1900, one year after he passed the Gunnery Sergeant exam and with a little more than ten years service.  He didn't stay out even three months before he re-upped (but at least he had six weeks leave before reporting again).  I'm sorry, but I just don't understand.  He had the saloon in San Francisco for only a month and a half before selling it.  Maybe he just had a love-hate relationship with the military and couldn't stay out.

He seemed to be pretty successful in the Marines.  He was in charge of the Quartermaster's office; he passed the Gunnery Sergeant exam.

Jean apparently became more comfortable with English during this period, because about half the entries are in that language.  He still goes back and forth, though.

He definitely saw a lot of the world while he was in the Marines.  Up and down the Pacific coast, around the Pacific Ocean — that's a nice travelogue.

I was very disappointed to see the gaps in dates in these pages.  Whatever the reason, Jean did not write between November 1890 (from last week's installment) and January 1892, January 1892 and April 1897, and May 1897 and May 1899.  That's eight years we don't know what he was doing, the bulk of this tour in the Marines.  Who knows where else he went during that time?  Maybe he was on classified missions and couldn't write.  I hope those periods are documented in his service file.

Thinking again about Emma La Forêt's 1917 emergency passport application, where she said that Jean had lived uninterruptedly in San Francisco from 1884 to 1909, we now have more data.  Based on these diary entries, Jean appears to have been in Sitka from 1890–1897.  He wasn't in San Francisco an entire day before he went to Vallejo.  The longest he might have been in San Francisco was while he owned the saloon, not even a month and a half.  Emma was certainly stretching things when she filled out that application.  Or maybe she really meant "the San Francisco Bay area."

Treasure Chest Thursday: Jean La Forêt's Diary, la troisième partie

It's Thursday, so it must be time to learn more about Jean La Forêt's experiences in the U.S. Army!  I hope this week's segment lives up to the excitement of last week's bounty on Jean's head.  Because the last entry on the fourth page rolled over to the next page, I've included that piece this week.

-- >< -- >< -- >< -- >< --

1889

Juillet – 2  Arrive à San Francisco

" – 4 – Grande parade à S.F.  Saluons le "Duquesne" bâtiment de guerre français, Amiral Lefèvre.  Marseillaise par la musique du Regiment.

Juillet. 8. Quittons San Francisco pour Monterey, passant par Boots Parc, San Matéo, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Saratoga, Alma, Soquel, Watsonville, Castroville.

Juillet – 18 – Arrivons à Monterey

Août – 11 – Quitte l'armée.

Août – 16 – Quitte Monterey pour San Francisco.

Août 19 – Quitte San Francisco pour Hoopa Valley.

Août 24 – Quitte Hoopa Valley pour Requa où j'arrive le 28 avec Rust, agent général (H. N. Rust)

1889

Sept. 18  Je prends charge de la cannery et du store de Bourkoff(?) et Co. comme surintendant et comptable

Oct. 19  Un parti de six assassins essayent de m'assassiner.  Je dois la vie à mon revolver et à mon sang froid, mais aussi un peu à Hattie.

Dec. 24  Mes ennemis essayent d'acheter un indien pour me tuer d'embuscade.  L'indien a peur et me prévient.

1890 – Fevrier 19 – La compagnie s'écroule ruinée par mauvaise saison et la malhonnetété du principal.  Je quitte Requa pour

1890

Crescent City où j'arrive le 22 –

Mars – 1 – Quitte Crescent City pour San Francisco où j'arrive le 2(?) Mars.

Mais – 14 – Vais à Athlone avec Mr. Wilson B. Morse je reste sur sa proprieté jusqu'en Juin 14.

Juin – 15 – A San Francisco

Juin 20 – A San José retourne S.F. le 22.

Juillet 28  à San José retourne à S.F. le 31

Août – 26 – Entre le Corp de la Marine à Mare Island et j'y reste jusqu'au 1er Novembre.

1890

Nov. 1  Pars de Mare Island pour San Francisco pour l'Alaska.  Embarque à San Francisco le 1er 10h. du matin sur l'"Umatilla" avec détachement de cinq marines et six marins.

Nov. 4  Arrivons à Port Townsend, Washington d'où nous repartons le 7 Nov. avec steamer "City of Topeka".

Nov. 14 – Arrivons à Sitka, Alaska où nous restons jusqu'à nouvel ordre, sous les ordres de Capt. Fahrenholt, du navire de guerre "Pinta".  Les marines vont à bord et nous restons à terre, cantonnés dans un vieux bâtiment appartenant autrefois au gouvernement Russe.

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1889

July 2  Arrive at San Francisco

" 4 – Big parade in San Francisco.  We welcome the Duquesne, a French warship, Admiral Lefèvre.  "Marseillaise" with music from the regiment.

July 8.  We leave San Francisco for Monterey, passing through Boots Parc, San Mateo, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Saratoga, Alma, Soquel, Watsonville, Castroville.

July 18 – We arrive in Monterey

August 11 – Quit the Army.

August 16 – Leave Monterey for San Francisco.

August 19 – Leave San Francisco for Hoopa Valley.

August 24 – Leave Hoopa Valley for Requa, where I arrive on the 28th with Rust, general agent (H. N. Rust)

1889

September 18  I take charge of the cannery and the Bourkoff store and company as manager and accountant

October 19  A party of six assassins tries to kill me.  I owe my life to my revolver and my composure, but also a little to Hattie.

December 24  My enemies try to pay an Indian to kill me in an ambush.  The Indian is afraid and warns me.

1890 – February 19 – The company collapses, ruined by a bad season and the dishonesty of the owner.  I leave Requa for Crescent City, where I arrive on the 22nd –

March 1 – Leave Crescent City for San Francisco, where I arrive March 2(?).

May 14 – Go to Athlone with Mr. Wilson B. Morse I stay on his property until June 14.

June 15 – To San Francisco

June 20 – To San Jose return S.F. the 22nd.

July 28 – To San Jose return San Francisco the 31st

August 26 – Enlist in the Marine Corps at Mare Island and stay there until November 1.

1890

November 1  Leave Mare Island for San Francisco and then Alaska.  Embark in San Francisco on the 1st at 10:00 a.m. on the Umatilla with a detachment of five marines and six sailors.

November 4  Arrive at Port Townsend, Washington from which we leave on November 7 with the steamer City of Topeka.

November 14 – Arrive at Sitka, Alaska where we stay until new orders, under the command of Capt. Fahrenholt, of the warship Pinta.  The marines go on board and then stay ashore, billeted in an old building that formerly belonged to the Russian government.

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I promise I had not read these journal entries before I wrote the intro paragraph to this post, where I said that I hoped this week would live up to last week's excitement.  But it sure did!  Six assassins tried to kill Jean?  And then an Indian is hired to kill him, but is afraid and tells him about it?  How in the world did this man survive to marry Emma?

Moving past that, Jean left the Army on August 11, 1889 and went right back to Requa, which he had left on June 22, not even two months earlier, apparently after a court case that didn't go his way.  And then he took a job running a company there.  This sounds kind of squirrelly to me, but it might have all been aboveboard.  Maybe it wasn't, and that has something to do with the assassination attempt.  But his separation date from the Army was exactly five years after his enlistment, so that may have been the term he signed up for.  When Emma applied for a pension, she said he was discharged on August 10, a minor discrepancy.

Five months later the company fell apart.  Jean bounced around for a while, staying for a month in Athlone before returning to the San Francisco area.  And then what did he do?  He joined the Marines on August 26, 1890.  Maybe he missed military discipline (and a regular paycheck and meals).

Something intereresting to note is what Jean did not write in his diary.  According to Emma's 1917 emergency passport application, Jean was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in San Francisco on March 22, 1890.  Yet Jean doesn't mention that at all.

At the time I described that passport application, I questioned Emma's statement that Jean had lived uninterruptedly in San Francisco from 1884 to 1909.  I'm only up to the end of 1890 in Jean's diary, and so far he lived in New York (where he enlisted in the Army), San Francisco, Requa, and Athlone.  The first time he was even in San Francisco was July 10, 1886, and he left after four days.  So yeah, Emma pretty much blew that one.  Maybe that's what Jean told her?

Captain Fahrenholt, under whose command Jean came in November 1890, was Oscar Walter Fahrenholt, who later became a rear admiral in the Navy.  I'm still working on just who H. N. Rust was.

Treasure Chest Thursday: Jean La Forêt's Diary, part deux

Last week I began the transcription and translation of Jean La Forêt's diary with the first four pages.  It's a new week and time for another four pages.

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1887 – Jan. 1 – Deuxième warrant.

" Mai 1 – Retourne à Hoopa Valley où je reste jusqu'au 10 Octobre.

" 10 Octobre – Retourne à Requa avec six hommes et un sous-officier pour arrêter troubles.  Capitain Dougherty avec nous.

" Oct. 12 – Arrivons à Requa embouchure du fleuve Klamath où je reste en charge de la Reserve Indienne du Bas Klamath et commandant du Poste militaire.

" Decembre 12–14 – Premier conflit avec les authorités civiles de Del Norte Co.  Mandats d'arrêts lancés contre moi – Affaires McKenzie et Hume.  Un Detachment militaire est envoyé à mon secours et nous tenons tête.  Authorités civiles recrutent une petite Compagnie pour forcer mon arrêt.  Grand revue-ménage à Crescent City, Capitale de Del Norte.

1887 – Decembre 22–23 – Le sheriff arrive et entre en pourparlers.  Pas de resultat, mes ordres étants de tenir tête jùsqu'au dernier homme et j'ai des gaillards décidés avec moi.

1888 – Janvier 2–3 - Chassés de nos quartiers par l'innondation, Le Klamath detruit maisons et proprietés le long de ses rives.  Embouchure fermée et s'ouvre dans le coin nord.

" Janv. 3 – Je quitte Requa avec six hommes d'escorte pour Fort Gaston où je reste jùsqu'au 27 février.

1888 – Février 27 – Retourne à Requa pour reprendre mon Commandement.  Des mandats d'arrêt son de nouveau lancés contre moi et un recompense de $250 ou douze cent cinquante fres est offerte à quiconque me livrerait, viviant ou mort.  Soldats et indiens me sont dénoncés et je puis rire au nez des imbéciles.

Les journaux me déchirent, surtout ceux de la côte du Pacifique; ceux de l'Est me défendent légèrement.  Honnêts gens et Armée de mon côte.

1889. Juin. 1 – Envoyé de plus en plus par authorités de Del Norte.  Pars de Requa par Hoopa pour conférer avec Capt. Dougherty; il me donne le conseil de voyager pour quelques temps jùsqua'à ce que la Cour a décidé.

" Juin 4 – Je pars pour Eureka de là à Arcata et Trinidad où je reste jùsqu'au 20 Juin.

Juin 20 – Reçois l'ordre d'abondonner la Reserve et de ramener Detachment et propriété du gouvernement à Hoopa Valley.

Juin 22  Quitte Requa avec Detachment et arrive à Fort Gaston le 27 Juin.

Juin 28  Pars pour San Francisco avec Co. à l'encampement d'été.

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1887 January 1 – Second warrant.

" May 1 – Return to Hoopa Valley where I stay until October 10.

" 10 October – Return to Requa with six men and a noncommissioned officer to stop unrest.

" October 12 – We arrive at Requa at the mouth of the Klamath River where I am in charge of the Indian Reservation of the Lower Klamath and commanding officer of the military post.

" December 12–14 – First conflict with the civil authorities of Del Norte County.  Arrest warrants issued for me – McKenzie and Hume business.  A military detachment is sent to save me and we hold position.  Civil authorities recruit a small company to force my arrest.  Grand jury inquiry in Crescent City, capital [county seat] of Del Norte.

1887 December 22–23 – The sheriff arrives and begins negotiations.  No change, my orders being to hold position to the last man, and I have determined men with me.

1888 January 2–3 – Chased from our quarters by the flood, the Klamath destroys houses and property along the length of its banks.  The river mouth is blocked and opens to the north.

" January 3 – I leave Requa with a six-man escort for Fort Gaston, where I stay until February 27.

1888 February 27 – Return to Requa to resume my command.  Arrest warrants are again issued for me and a reward of $250 or 1,250 "fres" to whomever delivers me, alive or dead.  Soldiers and Indians inform me, and I laugh in the face of the fools.

Newspapers rip me up, especially those from the Pacific coast; those from back east slightly defend me.  I have honest men and the Army at my side.

1889 June 1 – Sent away increasingly by Del Norte authorities.  Leave Requa for Hoopa to discuss with Capt. Dougherty; he recommends I travel for a while until the court makes a decision.

" June 4 – I leave for Eureka and from there to Arcata and Trinidad, where I stay until 20 June.

June 20 – Receive orders to abandon the reservation and to take the detachment and government property back to Hoopa Valley.

June 22  Leave Requa with detachment and arrive at Fort Gaston 27 June.

June 28  Leave for San Francisco with company for the summer encampment.

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I believe what Jean means by "second warrant" is that he was promoted on January 1, 1887.  He seems to have been doing well in the U.S. Army.

On the other hand, he definitely ran into problems in Del Norte County.  He doesn't explain the back story of the unrest, but these pages say that Dougherty (or perhaps Jean, as his agent) expelled John McKenzie and R. D. Hume from the Klamath Indian Reservation, and that Hume sued Dougherty and Jean.  And he had a bounty on his head!  This is going to be a fascinating story to research!  I wonder if I'll be able to find some documentation of the bounty offer (or what 1,250 "fres" was) . . . .

As if that weren't enough to deal with, in the middle of the court problems, the Klamath River flooded the post!  The 1888 flood is mentioned in this report (look at the bottom of the link page, 3-10) on the Klamath Hydroelectric Project.

Jean didn't record in his journal the court's decision, but since he abandoned the post and brought everything back, I'm guessing it went against him and Dougherty.  I'll just have to wait until I'm finished going through my entire "treasure chest" to find out.

This man had an interesting life well before he met Emma!

Treasure Chest Thursday: Jean La Forêt's Diary

Wow!  This is truly a treasure, even if it isn't for my family.  I do wish I had something like this for my own ancestors, though.  Among the items I received in my "treasure chest" is Jean La Forêt's diary (or journal), with entries running from May 19, 1884 to May 11, 1909.  The book is not complete; it is missing the front and back covers, and a small piece of the page preceding the first one shown here is still attached, so I know I don't have the beginning.  The pages appear to have been perfect bound originally with twine; each page has four small indentations/holes where the binding would have been.  The pages are 3 1/2" x 5 7/8" and lined.  They're a yellowish tone that might be faded from white.  Most of the entries are in French.  I've decided to transcribe (and translate, where needed) four pages per post.

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Souvenirs personnels

1884 Mai 19 – Quitté Dieuze pour Sarrebourg par train 5 h. matin.  Même jour de Sarrebourg à Strasbourg.

" Mai 20 – Quitté Strasbg. a 1 P.M. pour Metz par Haguenau x Sarreguemines.

" Mai 21 – Quitté Metz à 2 A.M.  Arrivé à Ostende à 10 A.M.

" Mai 23 – 10 h. matin embarqué sur la "Louise Marie" pour Douvres.  Beautemps.  Débarqué 2 h. P.M.  Parté immédiatement pour Londres.  Arrivé à Londres 6 P.M.  Descendu à l'hôtel Halifax.

" Mai 27 – Midi – Quitté Londres.  Arrivé à Southampton à 4 h. du soir.  Hôtel de la Providence.

1884. Mai 29 – Embarqué 4 h. soir sur "Southampton" pour rejoindre la "Werra", mouiller à quelques milles au mer.  Embarq[ué?] sur "Werra" a 5 h. P.M.  Cabin 93.

" Du 29 Mai au 6 Juin 7 h. soir – au mer – Beautemps – Comme(?) Mad.(?) Dr. Helène Baecker – Boston; Misses Jenny Lührs, New-York; x Constance Specht. Brèuve(?)

" Juin 6 – Débarqué à Hobocken

" Juin 7 – A New-York.  Summit Hotel.  Cor. Canal x Bowery.

" Juin 19 – A Philadelphia; descendu à l'Hôtel Lafayette.

" Juillet 5 – New York.  Pris chambre 25 Horatio Street.

1884 Juillet 10 – Niagara; de là en Canada chasser avec Dixon.

" Juillet 20 – New-York par New-Port – Ensuite à Philadelphia, Washington, Richmond, etc . . . Beaucoup voyagé jùsqu'à fin du mois.

" Août – 1 – A New-York.  Pris chambre 25e rue 138 W. et pension Restaurant de Beuf Maison française Dupré.

1884 – 11 Août.  Dans l'armée comme instituteur 1st Infanterie

" 16 Août – Quitté New-York pour Fort Grant - Arizona

" 21 Août – Arrive à Fort Grant 7 h. soir.

" 22 Août – Loge avec la Sergt. en charge de la musique – Attaché à l'Etat-Major.

1884 – Sept. 15 – Clerc au Quartier Genal

" Nov. 19 – Bibliothécaire du Poste.

1885 – Mai à Novembre – Exped. en O.(?)

1886 Fevrier 8 – Rejoins Co "B" Capt. Dougherty (W. E) commdt

" Mars . 1 – Sous-officier.

" Juillet 7 – Quitte Fort Grant Arrive San Francisco le 10.  Partons de S. F. le 14 – à bord du "City of Chester"; arrive à Eureka le 15 et à Hoopa Valley le 18 même(?) nous(?).

1886 Octobre 22 – Quitte Fort Gaston dans Hoopa Valley pour Requa – Klamath comme(?) Commandant du Detachement militaire et sous Agent indien.

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Personal Memories

1884 May 19 – Left Dieuze for Sarrebourg by train at 5:00 a.m.  Same day from Sarrebourg to Strasbourg.

" May 20 – Left Strasbourg at 1:00 p.m. for Metz via Hagenau and Sarrequemines.

" May 21 – Left Metz at 2:00 a.m.  Arrived at Ostend at 10:00 a.m.

" May 23 – 10:00 a.m. boarded the Louise Marie for Dover.  Good weather.  Disembarked at 2:00 p.m.  Left immediately for London.  Arrived in London at 6:00 p.m.  Stayed at the Hotel Halifax.

" May 27 – Noon left London.  Arrived at Southampton at 4:00 p.m.  Hotel Providence.

1884 May 29 – Boarded 4:00 p.m. the Southampton to meet the Werra, anchored some miles out to sea.  Boarded the Werra at 5:00 p.m.  Cabin 93.

" from 29 May to 6 June at 7:00 p.m. – at sea – good weather – [— —] Dr. Helene Baecker, Boston; Misses Jenny Lührs, New York; and Constance Specht, [—]

" June 6 – Disembarked at Hoboken

" June 7 – To New York.  Summit Hotel.  Corner of Canal and Bowery.

" June 19 – To Philadelphia; stayed at the Hotel Lafayette.

" July 5 – New York.  Took a room at 25 Horatio Street.

1884 July 10 – Niagara; from there around Canada hunting with Dixon.

" July 20 – New York via New Port – Then to Philadelphia, Washington, Richmond, etc.  A lot of traveling until the end of the month.

" August 1 – To New York.  Took a room at 25 West 138th Street and board at a beef restaurant (?) the Dupré French house

1884 11 August – In the Army as an instructor – 1st Infantry

" 16 August – Left New York for Fort Grant, Arizona

" 21 August – Arrived at Fort Grant at 7:00 p.m.

" 22 August – Rooming with the sergeant in charge of music – attached to the General Staff

1884 September 15 – Clerk for the Quartermaster General

" November 19 – Librarian at the post.

1885 May to November – Expedition(?) in the west(?)

1886 February 8 – Rejoined Company B, Captain W. E. Dougherty Commanding Officer

" March 1 – Noncommissioned officer

" July 7 – Left Fort Grant.  Arrived San Francisco the 10th.  We left San Francisco the 14th aboard the City of Chester; arrived at Eureka the 15th, at Hoopa Valley the 18th, same(?) [—].

1886 October 22 – Left Fort Gaston in the Hoopa Valley for Requa, Klamath as commanding officer of the military detachment and Indian agent.

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I love the detail in Jean's diary.  He wrote the exact times things happened, the names of ships, even the hotels where he stayed.  There are definitely gaps in the timeline, but who cares?  This is great stuff!

We know from the third reference letter that Jean left his last positions in Dieuze on May 1.  It looks like he did so planning to go to the United States, because two and a half weeks later he left Dieuze on his multistage journey.  It took almost a month from his departure from Dieuze to his arrival in Hoboken, New Jersey.  This is pretty close to what Emma stated on her application for an emergency passport.

Jean did some sightseeing in the U.S. and Canada, and then a mere two months after his arrival he enlisted in the Army.  There's nothing in the diary to indicate if that had been his intention from the beginning, but it's a pleasant surprise to see that the enlistment date he wrote is exactly the same as the one Emma gave when she applied for a pension based on his service.

There's also nothing in Jean's diary to explain why he wanted the three reference letters (here are the first and second letters).  They were written in December 1884, which is skipped over in the diary (one of those gaps I mentioned).  It doesn't seem likely that they were for a promotion, unless the promotion took a year and a half to process.  When I get around to ordering his complete service file, maybe it will include something about the reference letters.  With the specific information about units, dates, etc., I shouldn't have much of a problem finding his service records.

But how in the world will I figure out who the Dixon is with whom he went around Canada?

World War I Diaries, an Irish World War I Soldier, Holocaust Survivors, and More

It seems there are always more projects looking for volunteers, doesn't it?  The fact is that genealogy relies heavily on volunteers.  These are some projects that I've learned about recently.  Maybe there's something here that you can help with.

The National Archives of the United Kingdom have digitized World War I unit war diaries and are now turning to crowdsourcing to help make the information in them searchable.  They are looking for volunteers ("citizen historians") to go through the digital files, classify the types of pages in the diaries, and tag important data.  The idea is to create a detailed index rather than a full transcription.  The home page for Operation War Diary has a prominent link to a tutorial.  After completing the tutorial you can get started.

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Private James Brown, from an Irish family that migrated to England, enlisted with the 1st Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers when World War I began.  He died during the war on a battlefield near Comines-Warneton, Belgium.  It is believed that his body is among six sets of remains that were found near the village in 2010.  The Ministry of Defence is looking for relatives of Private Brown so they can test for a DNA match and positively identify the body.  An article on the Irish Independent Web site has information about the family's background.

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Amy Smith, the Ben and Zelda Cohen Fellow at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and a Ph.D. candidate at Yale, is conducting research on the lives of Holocaust survivors, specifically the experiences of survivors who created families after the war, spent time in DP camps, and immigrated to the United States or Canada.  If you are a survivor, or the child of a survivor, who fits these criteria, please contact Amy at amy.smith@yale.edu.

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Thomas Macentee posted about a grave marker found on some property in Portland, Oregon.  The names on the marker are Manin, Smith, and Templeton.  Death years of 1974 and 1975 are listed for two of the names.  More details are on the Geneabloggers site.  The hope is that the marker can be returned to family members.

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The current editor of Die Pommerschen Leute ("The Pomeranian People"), published by the Pomeranian Special Interest Group (PSIG) of the Immigrant Genealogical Society, will step down after the publication of the Summer 2014 issue.  PSIG is looking for a volunteer to be the new editor beginning with the Fall 2014 issue.  The editor solicits and edits articles and stories that deal with the history of the former Baltic duchy of Pomerania and the culture, traditions, and way of life of its people. The editor handles the layout and design of approximately 10 pages of content for each of the four yearly issues.  The "Die Vorfahren" section of DPL has its own editor.

All editorial duties can be accomplished over the Internet, so the editor can be based anywhere. MS Publisher has been used in the past.  The new editor could begin working immediately with the outgoing editor to get oriented and would have the next eight to ten months to work on the Fall 2014 issue.  This is a good opportunity for someone who would like to work on a publication about the history and culture of the Pomeranian people.

If you are interested, contact Toni Perrone, the president of PSIG, at tperrone2@verizon.net. She will discuss the editor's duties and responsibilities.

Family History at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

Sometimes as family historians, we are fortunate enough to have documents our family members left behind, and we invariably wonder how we can use them to help tell our family story.

Longtime San Francisco genealogist Judy Baston was able to preview some films from the upcoming San Francisco Jewish Film Festival (July 19-August 6) and told me that among the lineup are a quartet of documentaries that take as their theme family history, secrets, and the significance of what is left behind:  photographs, home movies, a memoir, letters, and even a family business in the old country.

In The Flat, Israeli filmmaker Arnon Goldfinger sifts through his grandmother’s apartment after her death and finds old German newspaper front pages with the story of a Nazi leader’s visit to Palestine in the 1930's.

British filmmaker Daniel Edelstyn’s discovery of his grandmother’s tattered journal takes him to their ancestral town in Ukraine and a vodka distillery that once belonged to her family, in How to Reestablish a Vodka Empire.

For Argentinian filmmaker Gaston Solnicki, hundreds of hours of home movie footage of his grandparents (survivors from Lodz) and other family members become the film Papirosen.

And Israeli documentarian David Fisher’s Six Million and One begins with his discovery of the diary that his father Joseph kept during his time in a labor camp in Austria.

Of this quartet, to Judy, The Flat and Six Million and One are the two stand-out films.  Along with the newspaper articles detailing the trip to Mandate Palestine of Nazi official Leopold Von Mildenstein, accompanied by German Zionist leaders Kurt and Gerda Tuchler, filmmaker Goldfinger found caches of old letters sent between the Von Mildensteins and the Tuchlers and tried to come to grips with how his grandparents and the man who was Adolph Eichmann’s predecessor in the SS could have had what appeared to be a cordial--and even warm--relationship.  The film includes a trip to Austria in which Goldfinger’s mother meets Von Mildenstein’s daughter, both of whom are trying to fit their own personal perceptions of their parents into the broader historical context.  (July 26, 3:50 p.m., Castro Theater, San Francisco; July 29,  4:25 p.m., Roda Theater, Berkeley; August 2, 4:20 p.m., Cinearts Theater, Palo Alto)

In Six Million and One it is also a trip to Austria--scene of the former Gusen work camp detailed in Joseph Fisher’s diary--that provides the film its strongest scenes.   It is not the visit itself that makes the film unique and important, however, but rather our opportunity to eavesdrop on the exchanges between four of Joseph’s children who make the trip:  David, his two brothers, and a sister. They each bring very different perceptions--of their father, of the Shoah, of their relationship to history--to the trip, and it is the exchange--sometimes hesitant, sometimes angry, eventually heartfelt--between the second-generation members of this family that makes this a “don’t miss” film for family historians.  (July 21, 12:00 noon, Castro Theater, San Francisco; July 28, 11:30 a.m., Cinearts Theater, Palo Alto; July 29, 12:00 noon, Roda Theater, Berkeley; August 4, 12:00 noon, Rafael Theater, San Rafael)

The festival will have showings around the Bay Area, in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, San Rafael, and Palo Alto.  For a complete schedule of showings, visit http://www.sfjff.org/.