Uncle Charles 1893-1915

Cousins and Uncle El:  I found another picture of Uncle Charles (the name sake of Charles Harold Van Zee) and wanted to share as Uncle Elbert had asked for pictures of him.  He was a handsome man and I can feel for Grandma Mae as she lost her brother when he as 22 years old.

Uncle El gave me a copy of a page that shows Uncle Charles was born in 1893 and died in 1915 (22 yrs old). Grandma Mae was born May 5, 1891 and died Oct 29, 1970.   I believe Uncle Clarence, their brother,  was older than Grandma Mae.   

Cousins:  Uncle Harold was named after U. Charles as you probably know. He died in Sacramento from heat stroke, or so I remember being told.    

Grandma Anna VZ Ford brought Grandma Mae, U. Charles and U. Clarence from East Orange, N.J. to Orangevale, CA possibly around 1900.  Grandma Anna lived with her sister Margaret Van Zee Nakken on her family's orchard.   Margaret VZ Nakken is buried near Grandma Mae at East Lawn.  Anna and Margaret were two of the "seven sisters" born to Peter DeForkett Van Zee and his second wife.  

And Grandma Anna and Grampa Anthony were brother and sister; that's how Grandma Mae and Grandpa Bill were first cousins.  There is a picture of them all holding infant Uncle Harold in front of the house the G. Bill and G. Anthony built on 34th Street in Sacramento.  

I also posted on the blog a copy of Grandpa Bill's birth certificate, born August 26, 1887 at his parent's home,  243 Franklin Ave., Brooklyn, NY.  And a picture of William "Will" Wood Van Zee, age 25, and his father (me) standing in front of that house.  William lived in this same neighborhood of Brooklyn (called Bedford Stuyvesant) during his four years attending Pratt Institute art school, and now lives a few blocks away.  

I'll try to draw a family tree diagram.

Peter deForkett Van Zee->Anthony VZ (1852- Oct. 19, 1924)->William Anthony Van Zee->C.Harold, KenW., ElbertFord, Audrey DeLancey

->Anna VZ Ford (1863- 1944)-> Mae Ford Van Zee (married William Anthony Van Zee 1918) 

->Margaret VZ Nakken (1848-1931)

->five other sisters and five other brothers (some died at birth or early childhood). 

Lots of Van Zee and May family history in Brooklyn and East Orange N.J. that we may have lost now.  Ken and Maxine drove Grandma Mae to N.J when John was 1, in 1953.  We may not have made a connection since then. 

William and father Cal in front of W's namesake birthplace, 243 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NYAma

Amazing that this house is still standing. William went to school at Pratt Institute a few blocks from this house and now lives a few blocks away.  This was taken in Oct, 2014.   William now goes by "Will" which is what Grandma Mae called Grandpa Bill.   

Grandpa Bill's birth certificate

Grandpa Bill's birth certificate- where he is named Anthony Van Zee, Born Aug 26th, 1887. Place of birth, 246 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY.  Mother- Harriet E. Van Zee, madien name Harriet May (as  Grandma Mae was originally named and later changed the spelling), age 33, birthplace U.S. Father Anthony Van Zee, occupation, carpenter, age 34, birthplace, U.S. 

 

Uncle Charles at Lake Tahoe- unknown date