OTWELL Family Photos on Flickr

Niagara Falls, 1921
Barney CRAIG, Edna and Gertie OTWELL, Lillian CRAIG

Visit:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/29363572@N07/albums/72157675105060460

Oh You Kids! Children of Edwin and Mary OTWELL

Edna and Lillian, Aug 1929
Photo courtesy of Aunt Delores S.



Edna’s Siblings

Lillian Edith CRAIG (1892-1977) had a 5th grade education. She married Byron CRAIG (1888-1947) before 1916 and settled in Lackawanna, Erie County, NY. Byron was a brakeman on the New York Central Railroad’s Knickerbocker and Missourian passenger trains and he died suddenly one day while taking a nap. They had at least 3 children (Robert, James and  Byron Jr.).  On the 1930 census we also found a Fred Craig, age 4, listed as a son.  Fred is not listed on the 1940 census and would not have been born to be on the NYS 1925 Census.  Further research is needed.  She and Byron are interred at Hillcrest Cemetery, Hamburg, NY.

Visit Lillian's on-line memorial.

Gravestone -Photo courtesy cousin Tracy O.

Irene Alice MCMAHON (1894-1920) married Howard MCMAHON (1893-1931) before 1914 and had at least 3 children (Howard, Catherine GROFF and Edith May). She died of influenza at the age of 26 and is interred in the OTWELL family plot at Ridgelawn Cemetery. Their children were reared by the MCMAHON grandparents.

Visit Irene's on-line memorial.

Gertie and Jack SIM (with a bowl haircut)
Niagara Falls, 14 July 1929

Gertrude Emma O’CONNELL (1895-1962) had an 8th grade education. She married Joseph O’CONNELL (1892-1968) on 18 June 1928 and they settled in Buffalo. Joseph was an apprentice at a wallpaper factory in the 1940 census. No children. They are interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Lackawanna.

 Visit Gertie's on-line memorial.

Marian (1897-1898) died in infancy. We have not found any documents for her. She is listed as a sibling in Lillian’s obituary. We have not been able to locate her grave.  



Edna, Fred, Olive, Harold and Gertie, circa 1915
On the back is written "The Gang" and "Oh You Kids!"
Photo courtesy of Aunt Pat H.

Harold (1898-1976) had a 9th grade education. In his 1917 WWI draft card, he is described as short and slender with blue eyes and brown hair. In the 1920 census, he was living in his aunt Mary HALEY’s household in Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan. His grandmother Jane ASH was living there at the time, too. His occupation was timekeeper at a forge company. He returned to Buffalo and married Hazel M. GARRISON (1901-) on 26 September 1924 and they lived with Hazel’s brother according to the 1925 New York State census and 1930 federal census. No children. They were divorced by the 1940 census and Hazel later remarried. In the 1940 census, his occupation was watchman for the city parks system and his brother Fred was living with him. Harry enlisted in the military during WWII. He died at age 77 of a heart attack on 12 July 1976 and was interred in the OTWELL family plot at Ridgelawn Cemetery.

Visit Harry's on-line memorial.

Lillian, Olive and Edna, Woodlawn Beach, 1929
Photo courtesy Aunt Pat H.

Olive and friend Aunt Mazy
Family Picnic, Chestnut Ridge

Olive May MCKENNA (1900-1985) had a 6th grade education. She married James MCKENNA (1893-1953) on 20 September 1922 and they settled in Buffalo. James’ occupation on the 1940 census was oiler at a construction job. They had at least 3 children (Frederick, Arlene ROLA and Janet SIEKMAN).

Visit Ollie's on-line memorial.

Fred OTWELL, 1923
Photo courtesy of cousin Jim O.

Frederick (1902-1992) had an 8th grade education, was a brakeman for the South Buffalo Railway and a member of the St. Patrick’s Club. He purchased the speakeasy on 17 Wadsworth from John SIM (see previous post). After his father’s death in 1920, he became the head of the household according to the 1930 census. In 1940, he was living in his brother Harry’s household and listed as married though his wife was not residing there. He had married Elizabeth GRIFFITH and they had 9 children (James, John, Maureen, Kevin, Thomas, Eileen, Kathy, William and Faith). In 1965, he was injured when the bus he was travelling in overturned near Toledo, Ohio during a tornado. He filed suits against the bus company and the railroad claiming permanent disability. He died in 1992 and was cremated.

Visit Fred's on-line memorial.

Edwin James Jr. (1905-1915)-see previous post about Edna’s twin brother.

Dorothy's gravestone, Photo courtesy cousin Tracy O.

Dorothy (1907-1908) died in infancy of “Acute and Supp. Adenitis” according to the Ridgelawn Cemetery card. Adenitis is the inflammation of a gland.

Visit Dorothy's on-line memorial.

17 Wadsworth, Buffalo, NY

George and his associates
17 Wadsworth, Buffalo, circa 1926

Photo courtesy Uncle Jerry

During Prohibition (1920-1933), residents were allowed to keep all of the liquor that they stockpiled, but once that was gone, that was it.  Saloons and the 20 Buffalo breweries were closed and this resulted in the illegal manufacturing and distribution of liquor.

Because Buffalo was so close to the Canadian border, it was tempting for people to smuggle liquor to sell on the black market.  Canada had its own temperance movement in the late 1880s, but that was repealed.  Smugglers were called “rumrunners”.  And, they often employed boats across Lake Erie to deliver the goods to drop off points along Lake Shore Road outside of Buffalo.  The liquor was then distributed to local illegal taverns or “speakeasies”, which were often fronted by “soda shops”.  According to the Buffalo Mayor’s 1922 Annual State of the City Address, there were 8,000 soda shops inside Buffalo.

There were also microbreweries established during this period.  Many bakeries had the connections to obtain the needed large quantities yeast and grain and would set up breweries in their back rooms and cellars.

Amateurs would also produce “bathtub gin” where grain alcohol was diluted with water and juniper berry juice in a bathtub; gin being the preferred drink in the late 1920s.  The government even had a program in which toxic chemicals were added to industrial alcohols to prohibit their use in this activity.  Over 10,000 people died and it is suspected that George’s death in 1941 from aplastic anemia may have been a result of ingesting tainted liquor.

Both the manufacturers and traders of illegal liquor were known as “bootleggers”; a word that dates back to colonial times when traders hid liquor in their tall boots to sneak it into dry colonies.

***

From the following news article, we know that John W. SIM owned the “soda shop” at 17 Wadsworth as early as May 1926 (Buffalo Courier).  He also purchased a fire arm in January 1927 after George was stabbed (Buffalo Evening News).

 

George SIM’s stabbing occurred in December 1927 (Read the 10/18/16 post).  It is suspicious that the attacker was let go with no penalties. 

George's stabbing put 17 Wadsworth on the police radar.  On February 3, 1928, John W.’s bail was set at $1,000.00 after the saloon was raided (Buffalo Courier Express).  More liquor was seized on the 7th (Buffalo Courier Express) and John W. was arrested again on the 8th (Buffalo Evening News).  He was held for further reading on the 18^th (Buffalo Evening News).

 

 

George and his brother-in-law, Fred OTWELL, were summoned for liquor law charges in May 1928 and it was established that George had sold the speakeasy to Fred by that date.

In October 1928, Fred is raided (Buffalo Courier Express).  He is fined $200.00 in November (Buffalo Evening News).

 

Soon after, Fred sold the fixtures from the bar according to this advertisement. (Buffalo Evening News)

John W. went on to establish another speak-easy on Grant Street.  It appears there were no raids at that location. 
The next owner turned the location into a furniture store and later, it became a children’s dance studio.  Today, it is an apartment.

Patrick B., 17 Wadsworth, Buffalo, 2013

Photo courtesy cousin Patrick B.