Anna Louise Gumm Masterson
Photo taken: abt 1908
Photo found: Big DC Flea, Chantilly, VA
Status: looking for family
Previously, we researched the lives of Frederick and Anna Gumm, a couple featured in alongside two other husband-wife duos. At the same flea market vendor, I found a picture of the whole Gumm family, and wrote a post on each of the Gumm children.
Well, that same vendor had another photo that caught my eye, of a smiling little girl perched upon the knee of a beaming woman.
I originally purchased the photo with hopes of researching the woman - a nurse - but then I realized I recognized the surname of the little girl. It was the same surname listed on the other two photos I had bought: Gumm.
After researching each of the Gumm children, I came to find that the little girl sitting on the nurse's lap was none other than the granddaughter of Frederick and Anna Gumm, through their son, Albert.
And so here begins our story of Anna Louise Gumm.
As we learned in the last post, Anna Louise was the only child of Albert Gumm and Anna Bell Morris. Our Anna was born on March 30 1903 in Paris Township - same as her father and her grandparents - in Illinois. According to the biography we found about her father, she was distinguished by her talent in music and was educated in music and dancing:
In the 1920s, Anna was part of the Chicago Civic Opera Company, which operated until 1931 before falling victim to the Great Depression. According to her obituary, she also owned and operated the Anna Louise Gumm Schoo of Dance in Paris, IL.
By 1930, Anna was married to Fred Masterson, who was actually a distant cousin to Anna. Remember in the first photo of the three couples, featuring Anna's grandparents, Frederick Gumm and Anna Graf? Well, one of the other women in that photo was Mary Catherine Gumm, Frederick's sister. She was posing with her husband, Gustave Steibler. Together, Gustave and Mary Catherine had a daughter named Anna, who married a George Masterson... to whom our Fred Masterson was born. Thus, our Anna and Fred were second cousins.
Anna and Fred made their home in Chicago, where Fred worked as a manager at an electrical equipment store. Anna and Fred would have two children: Frederick Masterson, born 1938, and Mary Anna Masterson, born 1940.
Anna's husband Fred would die in 1979, and Anna would live another two decades, until 1998 when she passed in Rising Sun, MD.
Photo found: Big DC Flea, Chantilly, VA
Status: looking for family
Previously, we researched the lives of Frederick and Anna Gumm, a couple featured in alongside two other husband-wife duos. At the same flea market vendor, I found a picture of the whole Gumm family, and wrote a post on each of the Gumm children.
Well, that same vendor had another photo that caught my eye, of a smiling little girl perched upon the knee of a beaming woman.
I originally purchased the photo with hopes of researching the woman - a nurse - but then I realized I recognized the surname of the little girl. It was the same surname listed on the other two photos I had bought: Gumm.
After researching each of the Gumm children, I came to find that the little girl sitting on the nurse's lap was none other than the granddaughter of Frederick and Anna Gumm, through their son, Albert.
And so here begins our story of Anna Louise Gumm.
As we learned in the last post, Anna Louise was the only child of Albert Gumm and Anna Bell Morris. Our Anna was born on March 30 1903 in Paris Township - same as her father and her grandparents - in Illinois. According to the biography we found about her father, she was distinguished by her talent in music and was educated in music and dancing:
In the 1920s, Anna was part of the Chicago Civic Opera Company, which operated until 1931 before falling victim to the Great Depression. According to her obituary, she also owned and operated the Anna Louise Gumm Schoo of Dance in Paris, IL.
By 1930, Anna was married to Fred Masterson, who was actually a distant cousin to Anna. Remember in the first photo of the three couples, featuring Anna's grandparents, Frederick Gumm and Anna Graf? Well, one of the other women in that photo was Mary Catherine Gumm, Frederick's sister. She was posing with her husband, Gustave Steibler. Together, Gustave and Mary Catherine had a daughter named Anna, who married a George Masterson... to whom our Fred Masterson was born. Thus, our Anna and Fred were second cousins.
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| Gustave Steibler and Mary Catherine Gumm on far left |
Anna's husband Fred would die in 1979, and Anna would live another two decades, until 1998 when she passed in Rising Sun, MD.
And what about the nurse, who once held little Anna Louise on her lap?
The 1910 census shows us that Bessie Ross worked as a nurse at the Paris Hospital in her early 20s, but it is unclear where her life led her afterwards.
The 1910 census shows us that Bessie Ross worked as a nurse at the Paris Hospital in her early 20s, but it is unclear where her life led her afterwards.
Wow! Frederick Alvin Masterson was my grandmother‘s brother. My great uncle. I remember my grandmother talking about Anna Louise (her sister-in-law) often.
ReplyDeleteI have several photos of Mastersons, and a great one of Jennie Gumm’s 90th birthday with 18 people in it. As well as a news article about the celebration. Aunt Jennie lived to be 97 years old!
I would be happy to share photos if you are interested.