  Frankg Member Username: Frankg Post Number: 1 Registered: 08-2007 |
Hi, this is an interesting and challenging research question. I am trying to find a newspaper article about an explosion at the Jersey Creamery, at 3765 Field Avenue, sometime in the early 1930's. The explosion knocked out the windows and porch of the house across the street at 3754 Field Avenue. The newspaper article supposedly has a photo occupants of that house, Martha Bieke with her son Jack on her knee. Martha Bieke had apparently been in a feud with the Creamery about the noise, smell, and flies from the Creamery. There are three competing theories about the cause of the explosion: 1) it was simply an accident, 2) a labor dispute, or 3) someone did it to get back at Martha Bieke. Does anyone know anything about this incident? Are there any better ideas than simply scanning 5 years of microfilmed newspapers to find this article? Would you suggest first looking in the Detroit Times, Free Press, or News, and why? Thanks for your help. Frank Goeddeke, Jr. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 1745 Registered: 01-2005 |
The 1920 and 1930 census reports do not show any Martha Bieke (or son, Jack) There is one Bieke family in Detroit in those years, though. The head is Alois, wife Mary, and a number of children. In the 1920 census, they are living on East Grand Boulevard. In 1930, the image of the report is badly smeared and the stree they live on is unreadable. However, it shows they own their home and it is worth $20,000, no small piece of change in those days. Alois is a retail grocer, owning his own business. For what it's worth. | ||
Frankg Member Username: Frankg Post Number: 2 Registered: 08-2007 |
Thanks for checking into this, Ray, but I have a copy of the 1920 census that clearly shows a Daniel and Martha Bieke at 866 Field Avenue (3754 Field Avenue after the city-wide re-numbering) with a house full of children. I have also seen them in the Detroit City Directory through this time in the 1930's. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1050 Registered: 12-2005 |
Welcome to the Forum, FrankG. And BTW, I like your blog and I think a lot of the posters here will too. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 1747 Registered: 01-2005 |
"but I have a copy of the 1920 census that clearly shows a Daniel and Martha Bieke at 866 Field Avenue" Okay. The Ancestry.com entries have likely mis-spelled the last name on the transcription, which is why they don't come up. Anyway, you're a step and a half ahead of me! |
