Leatha Mae “Laurel” Ward Burton

Leatha Mae “Laurel” Ward Burton was born on 22 May 1908 in Herrin, Williamson, Illinois. Her parents were Charles Joseph Ward and Leatha Jane Wells. After their marriage in 1898, Charles and his wife Leatha quickly became the parents of a large family and Laurel, a middle child, soon found herself with six brothers and six sisters. Laurel married Lonnie Burton on 4 October 1924 in Herrin at the young age of 16. The young couple both had come from an extended family who had a history of working in the local coal mines. Laurel didn’t want her children to have to work in the mines as many of the workers developed “black lung.” In order to give their family a better life, Laurel, Lonnie, and their young children migrated from Illinois to Los Angeles, California in the 1930s. The above picture was taken on her first day of school in Herrin, Williamson, Illinois.

The Mattmann Family and the Astoria Silk Works

Theodore Joseph Mattmann and Charles Coelestin Mattmann emigrated from Switzerland in the late 19th century. Merchants by trade, the brothers spent the first few years after their arrival in the U.S. trying their hands at one commodity and then another. Charles Mattmann finally achieved success working as a silk manufacturer for the Astoria Silk Mills in Astoria, Queens, New York. Charles’ son, who was also named Charles, later followed him into the business and became secretary, treasurer, and manager of the company.

Incorporated in 1888, the silk mill manufactured of velvets, plushes, and piece dyed silks and had over 350 looms and 150 employees. By 1920, the demand for the products of Astoria Silk Works had become so high that an expansion of the company was imminent.

An additional factory location was sought in the surrounding area of south-eastern New York and the West Point Foundry in Cold Springs, Putnam, New York became the company’s newest acquisition. Built in 1817, the foundry had originally been built as an iron casting business for ordnance and domestic production.

Like most large factories of the day, the Astoria Silk Works experienced occasional struggles between the management and the laborers which generally resulted in the laborers choosing to strike. Two of these occurrences have been documented in printed sources. The first lasted from November to December in 1893 [1]. The other, in 1897, received notice in The New York Times.

During its lifetime, the Astoria Silk Mills employed hundreds of people and supplied many more with needed commodities and products. From the dawn of Astoria's industrial revolution in the mid-1800s, weaving was always an important part of society and the economy. The Astoria Silk Works was part of this 150 year tradition that only recently ended in 2004 when the last of the Silk Mills announced that it was moving out of the area [2].

1. U.S. Committee of Finance. “Replies to Tariff Inquiries, Schedule L, Silk and Manufactures Of.”  Bulletin, Issue 54, Part 1, Number 6255. Washington: 1894.
2. “Queens Timeline.” Greater Astoria Historical Society. March 1894. 

Amos Webb (1789-1854)

One of the most enjoyable parts of our profession is being able to work with countless different genealogical documents. Vital records, land records, tax records, probate records, etc., all have some role in our research. Of course, some ancestors have left more numerous written records of themselves than others have. One of these individuals is Amos Webb who was born on 25 May 1789 in North Carolina. Soon after his emergence into adulthood, Amos made a name for himself as a Louisiana slave trader. All of his transactions in that profession were carefully recorded and are available for our use today. Amos married Charlotte Adams, the daughter of a rich plantation owner, on 11 June 1811 in Wilkinson Mississippi. After her father's death in 1816, Amos and Charlotte purchased their own plantation and quickly began the process of acquiring and developing land for cotton and sugar production. All this is documented in the conveyance records of several Louisiana parishes. The document below is a land survey for 531 acres owned by Amos and Charlotte in 1826. Amos died a very rich and influential man on 31 March 1854 in Saint Landry Parish, Louisiana. 

Jacob L. Runk (1825-1908)

Our person of interest this week is Jacob L. Runk. Jacob was born on April 29th, 1825 in Virginia to John Runk and Elizabeth Miller who were farmers. He married twice during his lifetime. His first wife Martha Patterson bore two children. Unfortunately, the two little ones died shortly after their births and Martha followed them in death not long after. A young widower, Jacob married second Paulina W. Teel. The couple had had ten children together and remained married for over forty years until Paulina died in 1898. 

During his lifetime, Jacob began the J. L. Runk company which manufactured farm implements.  The company was very successful, manufacturing between two to three thousand plows annually along with wagons and other tools. Jacob was the first inventor of the gang sulky plow and won numerous awards for his invention. However, because of mismanagement by those assisting him, John Deere was the one who eventually ended up owning the patent for the invention. Jacob fought for the rights to the patent until his death on January 13th, 1908.

Praise for Jacob's Gang Plow made it all the Daily Illinois State Journal in 1864.

Jacob's Obituary

Sophie M Mattmann Baldwin (1864-1952)

Our genealogical research highlight for the week centers on Sophie M Mattmann. Sophie immigrated with her parents from Switzerland around 1867. Her father quickly became an important figure in New York society and the family enjoyed the financial comforts that came from him being the manager of the Astoria Silk Mill. Sophie married George Partridge Baldwin on 24 Oct 1885 in the Madison Street Presbyterian Church and the couple went on to have two sons although their youngest one only lived five days. Sophie and George divorced in 1903 and she returned to live with her parents in Queens where she continued her role as a woman accustomed to mingling in high society. The following article from the New York Times dated August 31, 1907 relates what happened at one of the many society parties held at the Mattmann home. We hope you enjoy it.