“At Christmas Time”

“At Christmas Time” is a hand-painted card made by Gerard William “G.W.” Helbling. He most likely made this

for his wife, and the Arts & Crafts style suggests it was done in the early 1900s. (Click to enlarge.)

Helbling Family (Click for Family Tree)

– and all our wonderful Heritage Ramblings blog readers!

Just a quick post to wish all our good readers health, joy,and love this Holiday Season, and always!

Notes, Sources, and References:

More to come in another post about this card painted by1.G. W. Helbling (1882-1971), likely for his wife, Anna

May (Beerbower) Helbling (1881-1954). From the Arts &Crafts style used and knowing their family history, itprobably was painted after 1904 when they married andbefore 1920 or so.

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Original content copyright 2013-2021 byHeritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercialpurposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websiteswith ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the largegenealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in

violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the informationon their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit andcite the information properly, i.e, reference this blog. Please contact us if you have any questions about the copyright or use of “Heritage Ramblings” blog material.

A Christmas Eve Gift of Love:G.W. Helbling to Anna MayBeerbower Helbing, 1916

Cover of a Christmas card from G. W. Helbling to his wife, Anna May (Beerbower) Helbling,

Dec. 24, 1916. (Click to enlarge.)

Helbling Family, Beerbower Family (Click for Family Tree)

As many are ‘wrapping up’ their holiday shopping today, one ofour ancestors helps to put gift-giving into a different light.

Gerard William “G.W.” Helbling (1882-1971) was a talentedartist as well as a very loving husband. He married Anna “May”

Beerbower (1881-1954) on November 24th, 1904.

Drawings done by Gerard William “G.W.” Helbling as frames for pictures of himself and the love of his life,

Anna May (Beerbower) Helbling. They both appear to be pretty young- maybe high school age? (Click to

enlarge.)

G. W. had a sign painting business during his younger yearsand then again in later years of his life. He also madebeautiful cards, paintings, and even scrapbooks for hisgrandchildren. Within all he painted for family, his love camethrough, most especially in those treasures for his dear wife.

It would be wonderful to have the color version of G.W.’s cardso that we could better tell if it was a manufactured card(the flower section does look pre-printed) or if he hadpainted part of the image; we also do not know what was inside

the card or on the back of it. We are, however, grateful tohave this black and white copy of the card front, and theletter inside, from an early, miraculous contraption called a“Xerox machine.” (Introduced in 1959, these copiers were notwidely available for individual use for another 5-10 years,and copies were expensive when one was finally located.)

What was the Helbling family tradition as far as Christmas Eveand Christmas Day, and gift giving? Devout Catholics, it islikely they attended a Christmas Eve church service and againanother on Christmas morn. Did the two exchange their owngifts within the sweet adult quiet later on Christmas Eve,when the children were in bed, or wait until the morning whentheir children, 8 year-old Edgar Bradley Helbling (1908-1994),5 year old Anna “May” Helbling, later Reilly (1911-1985), and3 year old Viola Gertrude Helbling, later Carrigan(1913-1971), would excitedly unwrap a gift or two stashedunder the decorated tree? Perhaps they waited until thechildren were engrossed in their new toys and then G.W. andMay could share a moment together.

From left: Vi Helbling, May Helbling, and Edgar Helbling, in front of their home at 5136 Page in St. Louis,

Missouri, on June 14, 1917. (Click to enlarge.)

G. W., or “Dard” as May called him, would have handed thisenvelope sweetly to his beloved wife:

Envelope from a Christmas card and letter from G.W. Helbling to his wife, Anna May

(Beerbower) Helbling, Christmas Eve, 1916. (Click to enlarge.)

“Merry Christmas

to my dear pal”

May would have pulled the card out of the envelope, feastingon the beautiful card that was a gift in itself.

Inside the card was something even more precious- a sweetletter detailing G.W.’s gift for Anna:

A Christmas letter/gift from G.W. Helbling to his “darling wife” Anna May (Beerbower)

Helbling, Christmas Eve, 1916. (Click to enlarge.)

Here is a transcription of the letter:

G. W. HELBLING

LONG DISTANCE UNDERTAKER KINLOCH, DELMAR

PHONE LICENSED EMBALMER 2518-J

MOTOR AND CARRIAGE SERVICE3930 ST. LOUIS AVE.

ST. LOUIS

Christmas Eve 1916

My darling wife: ~I’m wishing you anotherMerry Christmas, of the many happyyears we have spent together, Iam bringing to you nothing thatcould be less customary as a giftat such a time, but a gift thatI feel will better suffice to showmy love for you, and the tendernessand protection which it is ever myone thought to surround you with.

Living, I love you, and beyond-thus it is that my Christmas greetingto you this year will be an additional$1000. Insurance policy in your name.

Again, dear pal. Merry Christmasand happy New Year.

always yourDard

The family did not have much income for holiday presents andeven daily expenses, but G.W. knew that the cost of a lifeinsurance policy would help to provide peace of mind for the

unthinkable- his death. Working as an undertaker at that timewould have likely influenced him to choose his “lesscustomary” gift. The policy was one of the best gifts he couldgive his wife, especially as their family grew. What a lovinghusband!

Notes, Sources, and References:

Family treasure chest of photos and ephemera. It is1.unknown where this copy came from, or where the originalis today. If someone reading this has the original, wewould love it if you would share a color copy, and letus know more about the card itself. Thanks in advance!G. W. Helbling was sometimes listed instead as William2.Gerard Helbling, especially in his earlier years. Hispaternal side was German, and in many German families itwas very common for a person to use their middle name ona daily basis, rather than their first given name.Thankfully May never had to use the insurance policy3.(unless they cashed it in) as G.W. survived to fatherthree more children with her (their first child had diedin infancy). Anna May passed away in 1954, and G.W.lived another 17 years.

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We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thankyou for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence andpersistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for thepublic good instead of spamming our little blog.

Original content copyright 2013-2021 by

Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercialpurposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websiteswith ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the largegenealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in

violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the informationon their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit andcite the information properly, i.e, reference this blog. Please contact us if you have any questions about the copyright or use of “Heritage Ramblings” blog material.

Edith M. Roberts and thePrairie City High SchoolClass of 1918

1918 Prairie City High School Graduating Class, Prairie City,Jasper County, Iowa. Edith M. Roberts is standing 2nd from

left. (Click to enlarge.)

Roberts Family (Click for Family Tree)

The year was 1918, and the world was changing rapidly. Thestudents in the photo above were born 1899-1900, the turn of acentury that went from candles to gas lights for reading anddoing homework, to electricity that eventually would power thelighting in their rural Iowa homes, and later computers. TheUS Post Office started the world’s first air mail deliverythat year, with time zones and daylight savings time becomingofficial. World War I would finally end that November afterfour years of global bloodshed, but the first “Spanish flu”case was seen in nearby Kansas- that epidemic would take evenmore lives, a large number of them young people. Mechanizationon the farm was improving although farming was still a hardand time-consuming job- note that there is only one malestudent in the graduating class. Other young men had likelydropped out of school by the 8th grade or even before, as theywere needed on the farm or in the family business, thinkingfurther schooling would not prepare them any better for thecareer they had ahead of them. Some of the young men mighteven have been in France or somewhere else in Europe, fightingin World War I.

Edith Roberts

(later McMurray,

t h e n L u c k ) ,

cropped from 1918

Prairie City High

School Graduating

Class, Prairie

C i t y , J a s p e r

County, Iowa.(Click to enlarge.)

Edith Roberts (later McMurray, then Luck) is the studentstanding second from the left. Her parents, George AnthonyRoberts, Sr. (1861-1939) and Ella “Ellie” Viola (Daniel)Roberts (1866-1922), and her siblings, George A. Roberts, Jr.(1889-1965) and Ethel Gay Roberts (later Robison) (1891-1969)lived on the family farm in Mound Prairie Township in JasperCounty. Edith paternal grandparents were living at 108 N.Sherman in Prairie City while she was in high school. Perhapsshe stopped by to see them after her classes some days, ortook them some of the fruits and vegetables she, Ethel, andtheir mother had canned, or the delicious butter that Elliemade and sold in the local stores. Her grandmother, ElizabethAnn (Murrell) Roberts died in 1917, and her grandfather JohnRoberts (1832-1922) may have moved in with his son WilliamEdward Roberts who lived with his family on Jefferson Streetby the time Edith graduated.

They all would have received one of these beautiful envelopesin May of 1918:

Envelope from graduation announcement, 1918 Prairie City HighSchool Graduating Class, Prairie City, Jasper County, Iowa.(Click to enlarge.)

Within would be the announcement of Edith’s graduation, alongwith the names of her classmates:

1918 Prairie City High School Graduating Class announcementwith list of graduates, Prairie City, Jasper County, Iowa.(Click to enlarge.)

Commencement exercises would take place at the Opera House inPrairie City on Friday, May 24th, 1918, at 8pm. Those whowould walk across the stage and receive their hard-earneddiploma were:

Ruth V. Schakel Bessie M. Krohn

Edith M. Roberts Blanche A. Peery

Lora L Wooddell Marjorie N. Graham

Beth M. Anderson Berlin P. Ballagh

Lillian C. PannenbackerIt would be interesting to follow up and learn more about thelater lives of Edith’s classmates. As for Edith, she attendedthe University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. She began withinterest in a degree in music and teaching, however graduatedin June of 1923 with a B. A. in Zoology- very unusual for awoman in those years! She did take courses in the science ofeducation and psychology, so also received a certificate fromthe School of Education so that she could teach. She valuededucation her whole life, enjoying any chance to learn andimparting that love to her son and grandchildren.

Notes, Sources, and References:

Family treasure chest of photos and ephemera.1.There are ten persons in the class photo, but only nine2.are listed as graduating. Perhaps one of the women isthe teacher for the class? The reverse of the photo doesnot list names.

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Original content copyright 2013-2021 byHeritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

Maurice Max Broida- What??

“Maurice Max Broida”- World War II ‘Old Man’s Draft”registration card, via National Archives and RecordAdministration/Ancestry.com partnership for public records.

BROIDA Family (Click for Family Tree)

Our beloved Max Broida, AKA Buster Brodie (1886-1948), shouldnever surprise me- but somehow he always does. So it seems heis still entertaining people…

This was an exciting find- we had found no World War I or IIdraft cards for Max despite searching for years. The suddenappearance of this card was actually more than surprising–astoundingly, somehow we have had his name wrong all theseyears??? His real first name was… “Maurice”???

No, we have never seen that on a census, voter’s list, in amovie set of credits or database. No family records known tous show his name as anything other than ‘Max Broida’ or‘Buster Brodie.’ No portrait has that name on the back, eventhe lovely portrait he shopped around to studios that had allhis details written on the back, by Max/Buster himself.

We know this is “our” Max/Buster because the handwritingmatches and he listed Joseph J. Broida in Pittsburgh as theperson who would always know his address. Joseph was theoldest of the seven Broida brothers, and the address Max gavefor him matches up with Joseph’s own WW II draft card for 1942

and the 1940 census. The home address Max gave, 5640 SantaMonica Blvd. in Hollywood, California, is a known residencefor him. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was listed as hisbirthplace- check- and his birthdate as Oct 11, 1885. Oops-1886 is the year listed in most of his records, and there wasno advantage re: the draft for him to make himself a yearolder. (If you are noticing the math doesn’t work, good mathskills, but Max- er, Maurice, er, Buster- registered in Aprilof 1942, so had not yet had his October birthday when he wouldturn 57.)

On the back of the draft card his height was listed as 4′ 9½”and weight 122 lbs.- “our” Max was a small person, with hisheight 4′ 10″ and weight 107 lbs on the back of his studioportrait, when he was much younger. The box for “Bald” waschecked, and that fit our Max perfectly, since he often billedhimself as, “The Hairless Man.”

The Registrar of the local draft board in Los Angeles,California would have been there as Max completed the card,and there were penalties for falsifying information, so itseems that Max- er, Maurice, er, Buster- would have filled thecard out truthfully.

Even without all this cross-checking, it so obviously has tobe “our” guy- at the very top of the card, Max- er, Maurice,er, Buster- added, “Known as Buster Brodie.”

He also listed his mailing address as being the same as hisresidence, but then added “Buster Brodie (for mail).”

We have one last section that confirms it all:

“Maurice Max Broida”- occupation information on his World WarII ‘Old Man’s Draft” registration card, via National Archivesand Record Administration/Ancestry.com partnership for publicrecords.

This confirmation of occupation, plus he also signed his nameas “M Max Broida” in addition to Buster Brodie.

And then, not one to stop researching, a look at the SocialSecurity record for Max- er, Maurice, er, Buster- noted hisbirth year as 1885. So it is more likely that year was correctas compared to census information, etc.

And then another surprise. Under the Social SecurityApplications and Claims Index on Ancestry.com, the transcribednotes (no original images) stated that in Jan 1937, his namewas listed as Buster Brodie- and also, Maurice Max Broida.

Well, this skeptic is sold- nice to meet you, Maurice MaxBroida, AKA Buster Brodie. I am off to review yet again thosecensuses and voter registrations that listed a “Max M. Brodie”[middle initial possibly for Maurice?] living in Los Angeles.We have not found other persons in the census in that areathat could be Maurice-Max-Buster, so have wondered for yearswhether that salesman job was the pay-the-rent persona ofMaurice/Max/Buster. Stay tuned!

Notes, Sources, and References:

Various draft cards, censuses, city directories, etc.,1.found at Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, etc. Seeprevious posts on Max Broida for more details.

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We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank

you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence andpersistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for thepublic good instead of spamming our little blog.

Original content copyright 2013-2021 byHeritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercialpurposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websiteswith ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the largegenealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in

violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the informationon their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit andcite the information properly, i.e, reference this blog. Please contact us if you have any questions about the copyright or use of “Heritage Ramblings” blog material.

Buster Brodie- The FamilyClown, Literally!

“Buster Broidie”, AKA Max Broida, as a clown. Date and otherdetails of this image unknown. From the “Broida FamilyCollection circa 1850-2009” at the Saul Brodsky JewishCommunity Library in St. Louis, MO. Kindly used with thepermission of the family and the library.

BROIDA Family (Click for Family Tree)

Regular readers will note that this is yet another post aboutMax Broida, who used the stage name “Buster Brodie” for hiswork in vaudeville and the movies.

Max has been interesting to research- from a character thatsome family members were not even sure existed, we havelearned that he ran away as a teen (or maybe younger) to jointhe circus. He likely learned the ropes and jokes as a clownthere, and honed those skills and his comedy timing when hemoved on to vaudeville. Next were silent movies and then the‘talkies.’ Always a bit player and never truly the star, wehave been surprised that Max has lived on in so many hearts.We have heard from movie historians and people who bought hispicture at an antique store just because they liked it, andthen they sent it on to the family via this blog. Max isincluded in books and images sold through ebay, etc.- he is animportant part of the cult following of the 1932 film, “Islandof the Lost Souls.” And we know he is one of the FlyingMonkeys in “The Wizard of Oz” though it is hard to tell which,so his work remains as well.

At only 4’9-1/2″ and ~120 lbs. himself, Buster would not havebeen as intimidating to little kids- he was not too far fromkid-sized! He probably had little trouble being the lastsqueezed into the clown car!

We don’t know if Max ever had a wife or children, so the aboveimage is especially sweet.

To read more details about Max, click here.

Notes, Sources, and References:

A current as-of-this-post listing of Max Broida/Buster1.Brodie articles. Please use the search box in the futureto see any added. —https://heritageramblings.net/?s=buster+brodie.

Click to enlarge any image. Please contact us if you would like an image in higher resolution.

We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thankyou for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence andpersistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for thepublic good instead of spamming our little blog.

Original content copyright 2013-2021 byHeritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercialpurposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websiteswith ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the largegenealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in

violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the informationon their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit andcite the information properly, i.e, reference this blog. Please contact us if you have any questions about the copyright or use of “Heritage Ramblings” blog material.