Ricke Bollwage
You're probably wondering why all of a sudden 'Ricki' has changed to 'Ricke.' Well, that isn't the only change I've settled on since researching into the woman with the fur shawl. It seems that whoever labeled the photo made a mistake in accuracy: Ricki Bollwag is actually Ricke Bollwage.This discrepancy is actually an exemplar of the interesting way foreign names become Anglicized, or Americanized, over time. Ricke, with a German pronunciation of 'Ree-ka' (proven with census data that on one occasion spelled Ricke's name 'Reaka') likely eventually came to be pronounced phonetically, like Ricki, which explains why whoever labeled the photo thought 'Ricki' was the correct spelling. Through research, I also found 'Bollwag' had an 'e' at the end as well.
So who exactly was this Ricke Bollwage? This blog entry is an attempt to answer that question. Far from only being a resource to reunite photos with their rightful heirs, this blog is a project in giving life to the remnants of the past. I want the Forgotten Faces Project to prove that the past is always with us: not only through photos, but through place-names that exist today or through relationships and life events that we will always be able to relate to. These people aren't just faces in old photos - they are us, and we are them.
So who was Ricke? I'll run you through my research.
I start my search with broad parameters on Ancestry.com from the information I am given by the photo. Last name: Bollwag. Location: New Jersey.
The first results I am presented with are numerous individuals with the surname "Bollwage" in the 1900 census. Henry, Fredricka, William, Emma, Augusta...and there it is. Rieke. A Rieke Bollwage (probably written Ricke but when transcribed for digital databases, someone misread and entered Rieke) living in New Jersey in 1900 - around the time the photo appears to have been taken - is too much of a coincidence not to be our Ricki.
Scrolling down, I come across another search result, this time from the 1940 census. A Ricke Bollwage who was born about 1876 in New Jersey, and who in 1935 resided in - yes, you guessed it - Elizabeth, New Jersey, just as the stamp on the back of her photo suggests. This census entry states that she lived with an Augusta Bauer, listed as sister (likely the former Augusta Bollwage in the 1900 census). In 1940, Ricke is 64, single (not widowed?) and living at 745 Murray Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey. Her highest education level was 8th grade.
Now that I know a Ricki/Ricke/Rieke Bollwag/Bollwage indeed lived in Elizabeth New Jersey, I refine my search a few times, to more specific parameters (Ricke Bollwage, born about 1876, residing in New Jersey) and more broad parameters (Bollwage, residing in New Jersey). This time I am met with 1905 and 1915 New Jersey State Censuses, a 1930 census, and a Social Security Death Index. It seems Ricke died in 1967 in New Jersey, yet FindAGrave comes up with nothing remotely similar to our Ricke.
So I start to put all the pieces together and make a timeline. The earliest census data I find - 1900, shown above, lists Ricke as 24, living with parents Henry and Fredricka, and siblings William, Emma, and Augusta at 617 Elizabeth Ave.
1905
The 1905 Census is the one mentioned above in which Ricke's name is spelled 'Reaka'. In 1905, Ricke was 29 and still residing with her parents and sister Emma. She was working as a dressmaker, which she had also been working as five years earlier, in 1900. Interestingly, it appears Ricke, Emma, and their parents Henry and Fredericka are listed as a second family in the same home as William Bollwage, ostensibly Ricke and Emma's brother. William, his wife Adele, and Adele's mother Anna Waelehli (sp?) all live with Ricke, Emma, and parents Henry and Fredericka at the same address where the family lived together in 1900: 617 Elizabeth Ave. From this, we can assume that in those five years, William found himself a wife and moved her and her mother into his family home.
I had trouble finding a 'Ricke,' 'Reaka,' or 'Rieke' in a 1910 census, so I turned to someone with an easier name: Emma. I searched for an Emma Bollwage residing in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and discovered that Ricke's name in fact isn't Ricke, but is short for Friederica (or however it should have been spelled - census takers are notorious for misspelling names). So our Ricke was probably named after her mother, Fredricka (or Fredericka, depending on which census you read).
In 1910, however, we discover that the Bollwage matriarch has passed away. Emma and Ricke live with their father Henry, who has the fateful 'w.d.' listed next to his name: widowed.
However, we also learn there is a new addition to the household: William and Adele have a daughter, also named Adele, who is four.
We also learn a new fact about Ricke's job as a dressmaker. The 1910 census has a column for 'General nature of industry, business, or establishment in which this person works,' not previously included in the 1900 Federal or 1905 State censuses. For Ricke, in this column is listed as 'home.' From this we learn that Ricke wasn't a dressmaker at a factory - what I had assumed until now - but in fact made dresses at her own home. Perhaps a personal business?
In the five years between 1910 and 1915, there seemed to be some changes in the Bollwage household - at least, as shown by census data. We see that everyone still lives together at 617 Elizabeth Ave, with the exception of Emma. We also see that William and Adele had welcomed a new addition to their family: Ruth, who is one year old.
Interestingly, Ricke (or 'Fredericka' as it is written) is no longer listed as a dressmaker, but rather a house keeper. This makes me a bit sad for Ricke: she is 39, still single and living with her family, and ostensibly has given up the profession she held for at least the last 15 years.
Finding Ricke in the 1920 Federal Census proved to be a difficult task, but with some digging, I found Ricke, living in the same situation as five years previously. Whoever the enumerator of the 1920 Federal Census in Elizabeth, New Jersey was seemed to make some serious mix-ups. William, Adele x2, Anna, Ruth, Fredericka, and Henry still all live at 617 Elizabeth Ave, but their relations are all wrong. Fredericka is listed as William's wife (but with Adele's age of 40 rather than 43 and birthplace of Switzerland), the elder Adele is listed as Henry's daughter rather than William's wife, and Anna is listed as Henry's mother-in-law rather than William's.
I wonder how these relationships got mixed up so badly. After all, it is the Head of the household's job to relay the information to the census-taker, who is only responsible for writing it down. Despite the false information, I am still certain this is our Ricke (or Fredericka), whose profession is now listed simply as "none".
1930
In 1930, we find Ricke living with her sister Augusta, husband Gustaf Bauer, and their children Dorothy and Helen at 745 Murray Street. Ricke is 54, still single, but working again as a dressmaker, this time in a business rather than at home.
And so we arrive at 1940, the year of one of the first censuses in which I found Ricke at the beginning of my research, still living with sister Augusta. As the 1950 census records will not be released until April 2022, it seems we won't know where Ricke lived the decade before her death in 1967, but my assumptions lead me to believe that it was probably in the same area, if not house.
The Social Security Death Index lists Ricke's DOB as 28 Jan 1876. She died at age 91, in April 1967, her last place of residence being Roselle Park, Union, New Jersey. FindAGrave is unhelpful in the search for Ricke's resting place, and an obituary search returns no results. Because Ricke filed for Social Security using her maiden name, we know for certain that she was never married.
We'll likely never know why Ricke remained single. Certainly coming of age at the turn of the 20th century and never finding a suitable husband must have meant Ricke was faced with at least some - if not a good amount - of social stigma. But I hope that Ricke took pride in her dressmaking, and the absence of a family of her own was made up by spending time with her many nieces and nephews, and living alongside her father and siblings.
So I start to put all the pieces together and make a timeline. The earliest census data I find - 1900, shown above, lists Ricke as 24, living with parents Henry and Fredricka, and siblings William, Emma, and Augusta at 617 Elizabeth Ave.
1905
The 1905 Census is the one mentioned above in which Ricke's name is spelled 'Reaka'. In 1905, Ricke was 29 and still residing with her parents and sister Emma. She was working as a dressmaker, which she had also been working as five years earlier, in 1900. Interestingly, it appears Ricke, Emma, and their parents Henry and Fredericka are listed as a second family in the same home as William Bollwage, ostensibly Ricke and Emma's brother. William, his wife Adele, and Adele's mother Anna Waelehli (sp?) all live with Ricke, Emma, and parents Henry and Fredericka at the same address where the family lived together in 1900: 617 Elizabeth Ave. From this, we can assume that in those five years, William found himself a wife and moved her and her mother into his family home.
1910
I had trouble finding a 'Ricke,' 'Reaka,' or 'Rieke' in a 1910 census, so I turned to someone with an easier name: Emma. I searched for an Emma Bollwage residing in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and discovered that Ricke's name in fact isn't Ricke, but is short for Friederica (or however it should have been spelled - census takers are notorious for misspelling names). So our Ricke was probably named after her mother, Fredricka (or Fredericka, depending on which census you read).
In 1910, however, we discover that the Bollwage matriarch has passed away. Emma and Ricke live with their father Henry, who has the fateful 'w.d.' listed next to his name: widowed.
However, we also learn there is a new addition to the household: William and Adele have a daughter, also named Adele, who is four.
We also learn a new fact about Ricke's job as a dressmaker. The 1910 census has a column for 'General nature of industry, business, or establishment in which this person works,' not previously included in the 1900 Federal or 1905 State censuses. For Ricke, in this column is listed as 'home.' From this we learn that Ricke wasn't a dressmaker at a factory - what I had assumed until now - but in fact made dresses at her own home. Perhaps a personal business?
1915
In the five years between 1910 and 1915, there seemed to be some changes in the Bollwage household - at least, as shown by census data. We see that everyone still lives together at 617 Elizabeth Ave, with the exception of Emma. We also see that William and Adele had welcomed a new addition to their family: Ruth, who is one year old.
Interestingly, Ricke (or 'Fredericka' as it is written) is no longer listed as a dressmaker, but rather a house keeper. This makes me a bit sad for Ricke: she is 39, still single and living with her family, and ostensibly has given up the profession she held for at least the last 15 years.
1920
I wonder how these relationships got mixed up so badly. After all, it is the Head of the household's job to relay the information to the census-taker, who is only responsible for writing it down. Despite the false information, I am still certain this is our Ricke (or Fredericka), whose profession is now listed simply as "none".
In 1930, we find Ricke living with her sister Augusta, husband Gustaf Bauer, and their children Dorothy and Helen at 745 Murray Street. Ricke is 54, still single, but working again as a dressmaker, this time in a business rather than at home.
William and family no longer live at 617 Elizabeth Street, but rather at 727 Pennington St with another family (although I believe William is the owner of this home, as the value of property is listed next to his name rather than the 'head' of the other family). This leads me to believe Bollwage patriarch Henry had passed away.
And so we arrive at 1940, the year of one of the first censuses in which I found Ricke at the beginning of my research, still living with sister Augusta. As the 1950 census records will not be released until April 2022, it seems we won't know where Ricke lived the decade before her death in 1967, but my assumptions lead me to believe that it was probably in the same area, if not house.
The Social Security Death Index lists Ricke's DOB as 28 Jan 1876. She died at age 91, in April 1967, her last place of residence being Roselle Park, Union, New Jersey. FindAGrave is unhelpful in the search for Ricke's resting place, and an obituary search returns no results. Because Ricke filed for Social Security using her maiden name, we know for certain that she was never married.
We'll likely never know why Ricke remained single. Certainly coming of age at the turn of the 20th century and never finding a suitable husband must have meant Ricke was faced with at least some - if not a good amount - of social stigma. But I hope that Ricke took pride in her dressmaking, and the absence of a family of her own was made up by spending time with her many nieces and nephews, and living alongside her father and siblings.
Ricke Bollwage, the dressmaker from Elizabeth, New Jersey. Pleasure to meet you.
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