I found a little gem on the San Francisco Genealogy website last week. They’ve add the San Francisco Orphans, Half Orphans, Etc. on State Aid, 1903-1910.
I looked to see if any names were in my database. I found the child of my Great Great Aunt Gertude (Jones) Burke. As the story goes, Gertrude was very pregnant when the 1906 earthquake struck. Her husband went missing at the same time. A couple weeks after the earthquake they found her husband, John “Jack” Burke dead. My Grandma said that he always wore alot of jewelry. His body had been stripped of everything but the clothes. He was buried in a pauper’s grave. I was never sure from my Grandma retelling if he died in the earthquake and fire or afterward, perhaps, in a robbery or a brawl.
I did track down one of John and Gertrude’s daughters. She was the one that Gertrude was pregnant with. She confirmed my Grandma’s story, but could not add any more details to it. I was always curious about that. But, maybe it was so tragic for Gertrude that she never talked about it.
I never could find mention of John Burke’s death in any records including newspaper accounts. I also could not find proof of the daughter’s birth. The story could be wrong, mixed up, or maybe because of the turmoil in the city, the record of records was a mess. I leaned towards latter.
I pretty much gave up on finding either and then the orphans records fell into my lap. I found three of Gertrude’s children listed in the index. They were her youngest children: Genevieve, Madeline, and Virginia.
The application was filed 18 Feb 1910. You can view it from the website. The application provides some information I did not know before. I learned that the baby, Virginia, was born 10 Jun 1906. So Gertrude was 7 months pregnant as she fled the earthquake and fire.
It states that they received aid because their Father had died on 27 Apr 1906 in San Francisco. I’ve searched for an obituary. So far, no luck.
I also learn that Gertrude and John were married 27 Oct 1897. I did not have this information in my records. There’s another blank filled in!
The application shows where Gertrude was living at when the application was filed. She was living with her sister, Alice, and her family. The three children named above are listed as being in the “care and charge” of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. I’m not clear on this, but it sound like the children were living at some sort of foster home or shelter. What would that have been like for Gertrude to lose her husband and then to have three of her children not living with her? I suspect that financially she had no choice. Gertrude did not work when John died. She lost her home as well. She would not have had the means to support her entire family.
Thanks to these new records I have been able to fill in three pieces of information I did not previously have: Virginia’s birth date, John’s death date, and Gertude and John’s marriage date.
As with all San Francisco research, patience is the key. The records you may need might have been destroyed in 1906. That does not mean there isn’t another source out there waiting to be discovered. Always keep looking, you never know when the information you need with come to light!
Hello,
I would like to see the orphans index. I am searching for information on a relative named Sam Curley, how is told to be the one survivor of his family. Mother, father, and two siblings lost. Can you help?
Patty George
4108841740
Patty, I figured out that the link in the post is dead. Here is the proper link for the Orphan record index: http://www.sfgenealogy.com/sf/orphans/sforphans.htm
Hello,
I am the great grandson of Daniel Fabian Burke who is John Jack Burke Brother.
My Great grandfather never told my grandmother much about his side of the family but she does remember him visiting a Gertrude when she was little.
I have been doing research in to the Burke side of the family tree and have found some info but not much.
Do you have a GEDCOM reader program? like family tree maker or some other family tree making software?
I have all of Gertrude and johns children’s names and some of there children.
Hope this will help you and maybe you might have something I dont.
Looking forward to hearing from you
Jason
Jason, this is really a surprise! I’ve spent years trying to figure out who John Burke’s family was. I’ve sent you an email. I hope we can exchange information.
Can you direct me to a possible source? My grandfather was orphaned in the 06 quake. One story says he was found wandering the streets and another says he was found in his crib. He was taken in by the “Bertha Home for Children” on Howard Street. I have been looking for the records for this home and I haven’t found them yet. I have contacted the descendants of the owners of the Bertha (Juilly) Home for children and they have no idea where the records have gone. My grandfather ran away from the orphanage in his teens and went to Mendocino Co., Ca. We are guessing that he was born between 1901-1904.
He used the name Edmund Boyce Juilly. After he ran off he changed the surname to Juley. We don’t know his real name, his date of birth or his date of death, or who his parents were. As an adult he was tall, slender and had blond hair. There is an Edmond Juley buried in Ukiah, Mendocino Co., Ca. We believe this to be him, but have no documentation.
Any suggestions might help.
Thank you Susan
Susan, Sorry for the late response. It took me a little while to find the records. The only source I know for those orphaned after the 1906 earthquake is the Record of Orphans 1903-1910 that are online at sfgenealogy. http://www.sfgenealogy.com/sf/orphans/sforphans.htm I notice at the bottom that this says the records are from book 1. I don’t know how many books there are.
I did check over at familysearch.org to see if they have these records under their California, San Francisco County records collection. I see that they have an index to orphans 1905-1910 and then records for orphans, same year. I would search that. It looks like their might be more records available than the ones at sfgenealogy.
Good luck with your search!
Thank you for your response. I will check out these sources right now.
My grandmother was orphaned in the1906 earthquake. She was left on the porch of Mary H Jeter on June 4,1906 and it stated she was born on May 16,1906. The note that was pinned her said that her father was killed in the earthquakes fires and her mother couldn’t afford to take care of her by herself. She was raised Dorothy G Jeter, she was a writer and went by Dorothy Winthrop. She married Samual White they had one child in 1930 (Stanley) and later divorced, she married Matthew Martin and Mr Martin adopted Stanley.
I would love to know my grandmother genealogy.
Her birth certificate called her Jane Doe, born May 16,1906 in Oakland, CA.
Linda, I’m not really sure how you would approach this. The only thing I can think of is to go through the earthquake casualty list and look for men who might be of the right age. Then, research obituaries.
If you’ve had your DNA tested, you may luck out and match someone who is related to either parent.
Good luck with your search! I hope you find them.