Helmuth Voigt’s story in this blog and that argumentative caption about his life captivated a lot of readers. In that post, I outlined the photo clues in the image then presented what I found. Solving a photo mystery sometimes requires help so I asked for assistance solving the following questions:
- When and where did Helmuth marry Minnie/Mary Boyd? Could there be another marriage?
- What happened to Helmuth’s first wife Jennie? Were there any children?
- Where is the evidence for Helmuth’s businesses?
- Why is daughter Lillian stating her maiden name as Ehle?
- Why isn’t Helmuth in the 1900 U.S. Census?
Frankly, sometimes it takes another set of eyes to see what you’ve missed. With documents available on a variety of sites, overlooking the obvious happens.
Relationship Clues for Solving Photo Mysteries
Deborah Kline pointed out the relationship could be different than I thought. “It’s possible one of the writers, especially the top writer, was not a child of Helmuth Voight, but rather a daughter-in-law or son-in-law. Some refer to their father-in-law as Dad, and like in this case, do so with the name.” She’s right. In family, we can refer to in-laws with terms we reserve for biological family. For instance, my husband calls my mother, “Mom.” She loves it.
A Missing Document
A big thank you to newsletter reader Annette Bowen for spotting a gap! She saw that I mentioned Helmuth’s naturalization in Waterbury, Connecticut in 1889. I found that on Ancestry.com but the actual naturalization papers aren’t on Ancestry.com only the indices. The full papers are on FamilySearch. She sent me a link to the exact document. You can view it here. (You’ll need a free FamilySearch account to see the document)1
A man named Frank Ehle was a witness for the 23-year-old Helmuth’s naturalization. There was a note added to the bottom. “Known him for 7 years in the country and he was under 18 years.” Helmuth immigrated at 16 which means that Ehle knew him the whole time he was in this country. Now I’m wondering if Helmuth spent his early years here with Ehle in Waterbury, Connecticut. There is a gap between his immigration in 1882 and naturalization in 1889.
A quick search on Ancestry.com turns up two Frank Ehle’s in Waterbury. Father and son. The elder Frank, a German immigrant, was born in 1834, and his son, Frank E. Ehle, was born in 1873. It’s likely the elder Ehle witnessed the naturalization.
Anne’s addition to the story answered the question of why Lillian referred to herself with the surname Ehle.
Frank E Ehle married Minnie Boyd on September 2, 1903. They had a daughter Lillian, born May 24, 1905. Unfortunately Frank died June 20, 1906. These three events took place in Waterbury, Connecticut.2
In 1907 Helmuth Voigt appears in the Waterbury City Directory. In the 1910 Census, Helmuth and Minnie state they’ve been married for two years. Minnie’s husband Frank Ehle died in 1906 and according to the census data, it appears (if correct) that Helmuth and Minnie married in 1908. Unfortunately, they do not appear in the Connecticut marriage index.3
Many of the questions listed above persist but solving a photo mystery can take time and patience.
An Identification and a Few Answers
Elizabeth Ahlemann emailed me some surprising information about Helmuth and who else might be in the picture. Get ready. This is a big reveal.
In 1907, we know that Helmuth was employed at the Elton in Waterbury, Connecticut, but he boarded at 51 Wood St. Who else lived there? Turns out he was boarding with Christina Ehle, mother of the late Frank E Ehle and Minnie Boyd Ehle’s mother-in-law. 4.
Genealogist Jennifer Zinck found Minnie and Helmuth’s marriage record for June 11, 1908 in Waterbury, Connecticut.
Let’s go back to the image. I mentioned it was taken circa 1900. In 1903 Helmuth was living in Brooklyn, New York at 1157 Fulton St. It was the Fulton Hotel and Cafe (which also had a bowling alley and shuffleboard courts0. The proprietor was George Bomermann and the manager was his son, George John Boemermann. Elizabeth found this by searching Newspapers.com. Also at the same address and owned by the same family was the Kaiser Haus hotel and restaurant and The Ormonde, a restaurant/banquet hall. 5
A Big Reveal
George Boemermann had a brother Henry who also owned a restaurant in Brooklyn. When he died, the newspaper ran a photo of him. Does he look familiar?
Elizabeth has a theory and it’s a good one. I surmised this photo might be a work image with members of the Boemermann family members and valued staff. I still wonder if it isn’t Helmuth on the far right. He was an employee. Perhaps the photo dates from 1903.
Now I’m looking for more information on the Boemermann’s to see if I can turn up other pictures of them. It’s possible. This photo mystery is full of twists and turns.
Endnotes
- Connecticut Naturalization Records, 1795-1942,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3SQ-Y9PL-N?cc=3238391 : 4 June 2020), > image 1 of 1; citing NARA microfilm publication M1299 (Boston, MA: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3SQ-Y9PL-9?cc=3238391&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AC2YR-Z13Z
- Connecticut State Department of Health; Hartford, CT; Connecticut Vital Records — Index of Marriages, 1897-1968 Vital Records — Index of Marriages, 1897-2001 https://www.ctatatelibrarydata.org/marriage-records/; Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015; Ancestry.com. Connecticut, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
- MyHeritage.com, U.S. City Directories, Waterbury, Connecticut 1886-1889, 1906-1907..com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Year: 1910; Census Place: Schenectady Ward 7, Schenectady, New York; Roll: T624_1078; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 0199; FHL microfilm: 1375091
- Ancestry, U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Waterbury Connecticut, 1907, p. 128 and 308.
- Obituary of George Boemermann, The Standard Union (Brooklyn, New York), 2 December, 1909, p.2.