Emma Van Zandt had at least twelve grandchildren, but I don’t know how many of them knew her. If you, dear reader, knew Emma or her husband Richard, I would sure like to know it.

When I married my wife Dee, she came with a small family. Raised as the only child of an only child, Dee had lost contact with her father’s family after her parents divorced in her childhood. Dee remembers her Grandpa and Grandma Van, but they weren’t her biological grandparents.

Dee’s father Louis was the son of Richard and Emma Van Zandt. Dee never knew them and might never have known that they existed until I asked her mother Dorothy about family history. I took a few notes from my conversation with Dorothy about her knowledge of the Van Zandt family. The grandparents Dee knew were Louis and Lena Van Zandt. They took in some of Emma’s children after Richard left her with six children and limited means of support. The elder Louis (Grandpa Van) was Richard’s older half-brother.

Richard had experienced considerable family instability as a child. He was a year and a half old when he arrived in the United States with his mother to rejoin his father in Chicago. An infant sister survived the voyage but died within a few months after arrival. Richard’s father died less than two years later, followed by Richard’s infant brother born after their father’s death. Richard’s mother remarried and had additional children, but she too died when Richard was twelve.

Emma’s family background

I learned that Emma’s last name before marriage was Robash. This later proved to be phonetically close but incorrectly spelled. Nevertheless, Robash was frequently used in records. Emma’s parents, Rudolf and Alžběta Hrobař, had immigrated to Chicago from Bohemia, at that time part of Austria-Hungary. Google Translate reveals that their family name sounded a bit like Robash. When asked about their name, people were likely to record what they heard unless they asked for spelling. In Czech, a hrobař was apparently a gravedigger. Emma’s parents’ names were rendered as Rudolf Hrobar and Alzbeta Strakova when their marriage was recorded by the Cook County Clerk on January 22, 1889.^[1], [2]

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The 1900 United States Federal Census recorded their family at 2248 51^st Place in Chicago.^[3] They were listed as follows:

• Rudolph Robash, age 30, was born in December 1869 in Bohemia. He was reported as a naturalized citizen, having immigrated in 1885. He was a metal polisher by trade and had worked six months in the previous year. He owned his home free and clear. He could read and write and spoke English.
• Lizzie Robash, age 30, was born in October 1869 in Bohemia. [Elizabeth corresponded to the Czech name Alžběta.] She had reportedly immigrated in 1887. She had been married ten years and was the mother of three children, all still living. She could read and write but did not speak English.
• Annie Robash, age 10, was born in August 1889 in Illinois. She was a student, and could read, write, and speak English.
• Rudolph Robash, age 5, was born in July 1894 in Illinois.
• Emilie Robash, age 3, was born in March 1897 in Illinois.

When the next census was taken in 1910, Emma’s family was living at 2148 W. 51^st Place.^[4] Upon examination of the neighborhood in multiple censuses, this appears to have been their 1900 residence, which might have been misnumbered by the 1900 census enumerator. Emma’s father was renting part of the house in 1910 to recent immigrants from Germany. Emma’s family was recorded as follows:

• Rudolph Robash, age 42, was reported as born in Bohemian Austria. He was working as a machinist in the cutlery manufacturing industry.
• Lizzie Robash, age 42, was born in Bohemian Austria. She had reportedly immigrated in 1884. She could read and write but spoke Bohemian. Rudolph and Lizzie had reportedly been married for 24 years. She was the mother of four children, all living.
• Anna Robash, age 20, was born in Illinois. She worked as a moulder in pottery manufacturing.
• Rudolph Robash, age 16, was born in Illinois. He worked as an action maker in piano manufacturing.
• Emma Robash, age 13, was born in Illinois and attended school.
• Bessie Robash, age 10, was born in Illinois and attended school.

Building her own family

Emma married Richard Van Zandt on September 23, 1916, in Chicago.^[5] Their first child, Richard or Robert, was born two days later^[6] and died four days after birth.^[7] Both father and son were apparently recorded as Richard in his birth record and as Robert in his death record. I have not yet seen the original records. I wonder whether Richard and Emma would have married and created a family if not for this first child.

Emma’s and Richard’s second child, Evelyn, was born October 17, 1917, in Chicago.^[8]

The 1920 census found their family renting a home at 1750 West 14^th Place in Chicago.^[9] They were recorded as follows:

• Richard Van Zandt, age 30, was identified as an alien (not naturalized), born in Belgium, who had immigrated in 1890. He worked as a teamster in the coal business. He could read, write, and speak English.
• Emma Van Zandt, wife, age 22, was born in Illinois. She could read, write, and speak English.
• Evelyn Van Zandt, daughter, age 2 3/12, was born in Illinois.

Emma’s and Richard’s third child, Richard, was born June 15, 1920, in Chicago.^[10]

Their fourth child, unnamed at birth, was Dee’s father Louis. He was born October 24, 1921, in the Cook County Hospital, Chicago.^[11] Louis filed a supplemental report of birth in 1945 to add his name to his certificate of birth.^[12] At the time of Louis’s birth, his father Richard was living at 2816 Arthington Street in Chicago and was working as a teamster. Emma was recorded as living at 2248 W. 51^st Place, apparently her parents’ home. She was working as a feeder in a printing shop. Emma was reported as the mother of three children, including this child, all still living.

Emma’s and Richard’s fifth child, Jeanette, was born December 29, 1923, in Chicago.^[13]

Their sixth child, Dorothy Ann, was born November 21, 1926, in Chicago.^[14] She was initially named Isabelle, but Emma changed her name on December 3, 1926. Note Emma’s signature authorizing this change.^[15]

Their seventh child, Elizabeth, was born December 3, 1929, in Chicago.^[16]

In 1930 Emma and Richard’s family was recorded at 1319 14^th Place in Chicago:^[17]

• Richard Vanzandt, 44 years old, rented their family home, valued at $15. He was reported as naturalized, having been born in Belgium where his native language was said to be German [actually, it was Flemish]. His occupation was chauffeur of a city truck, but he was currently unemployed. I have not seen naturalization records for Richard.
• Emma Vanzandt, 34 years old, was born in Illinois but recorded as naturalized.
• Evelyn Vanzandt, age 12, attended school.
• Richard Vanzandt, age 10, attended school.
• Louis Vanzandt, age 9, attended school.
• Janett Vanzandt, age 6, attended school.
• Anna Vanzandt, age 4, did not attend school.
• Elizabeth Vanzandt was age 0.

Emma’s scattered family

Richard left the family home sometime in the 1930s. Dee’s mother Dorothy thought Betty [Elizabeth] was an infant at the time. Dorothy didn’t meet Dee’s father until around 1943.

It’s hard to imagine how Emma could deal with this. She apparently tried to keep her oldest children, Evelyn and Richard, while Louis, Jeanette and Ann were placed in a Catholic orphanage and Betty was taken into foster care. Dee’s Grandpa and Grandma Van, Louis and Lena Van Zandt, took in Evelyn and Richard. Dee’s father reportedly lived with Louis and Lena after Evelyn left their household.

In 1940, Emma was living with her widowed father at 2148 W. 51^st Place in Chicago.^[18] Emma’s sister Bessie Souhrada and her husband Ernest rented part of the house as a separate household. Emma worked as a stuffer in the meat packing industry and had received $588 in wages the previous year. She had lived in the same house in 1935. Emma was recorded as married, but I know not where Richard was.

Emma’s children were recorded in 1940 as follows:

• Evelyn was living with her husband Melvin Radenz at 3123 Augusta Boulevard in Chicago.^[19] She had been living in Elmhurst, DuPage County, in 1935.
• Richard and Louis Van Zandt were living with Louis and Lena Van Zandt at 408 W. Second Street in Elmhurst, DuPage County, Illinois.^[20]
• Jeanette and Anna Van Zandt were lodgers in the household of Ella McEvoy at 2019 Racine Avenue in Chicago.^[21]
• Betty Lou, age 10, was living as a daughter of Roy and Marie Pedersen at 4427 N. Melvina Avenue in Chicago.^[22] Marie was Richard Van Zandt’s younger half-sister and thus Betty’s aunt. Marie’s and Richard’s mother was born Monica Meert.

The last trace of Emma’s husband Richard Van Zandt that I have heard of or seen occurred sometime in the 1940s. Dee’s mother recalled being at a baseball game with Louis when he spotted his father. According to Dorothy, she and Louis abruptly left the ballpark.

In 1950, Emma lived downstairs at 2148 51^st Place in Chicago.^[23] Her sister Bessie Souhrada lived upstairs with three children. Emma was recorded as Emma Banzandt and Bessie as Bessie Douhard. Emma’s marital status was ‘separated.’ She worked as a meatpacker in the wholesale meat industry.

Emma was in the news in April, 1952, when a young man apparently attempted to rape her. Fortunately, a passing police officer witnessed the struggle and put an end to it.^[24]

Emma died January 20, 1972.^[25] Her death notice leaves more questions. It mentions children Jeanette Balter, Ann Heichert, Louis Van Zandt and Evelyn Van Zandt, and a grandchild named Robert McNichols. Jeanette, Robert’s presumed mother, might have provided this information, but her only child living in 1972 that I know of was Michael L. McNichols. Interestingly, Michael had married a McEvoy, born in Ireland. Was she related to Ella McEvoy, Jeanette and Ann’s landlady in 1940? Jeanette might have been estranged from the McNichols family, having acquired a Balter husband and child before 1950. Was Ann the source of this information? Jeanette’s and Ann’s married names were known, but Evelyn’s married name was not given. Whoever provided this information seemed to have no knowledge of what had become of Betty. Louis, on the other hand, had participated in Betty’s wedding.

How many of Emma’s grandchildren ever knew her? That is one of many mysteries. Her family had been scattered and fractured, but Emma should be remembered.

Notes

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^[1] Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1968, FamilySearch.org, record of Rudolf Hrobar and Alzbeta Strakova, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7D2-6QH, accessed March 4, 2024; from Cook County Clerk, Chicago, Illinois.

^[2] U.S., Newspapers.com™ Marriage Index, 1800s-current, record of Rudolf Hrobar and Alzbeta Strakova, https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/325877079:62116, accessed February 13, 2024; from Chicago Tribune, Wednesday, January 23, 1889, page 8, column 4.

^[3] 1900 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 30, Enumeration District 924, sheet 24A and B, lines 50-54, household of Rudolph Robash, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6P47-JNL, accessed February 13, 2024; from U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 1900 United States Census, Enumeration District 924, Chicago, Ward 30, Cook County, Illinois, Population Schedule, sheet 24A and B (stamped 318).

^[4] 1910 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 29, Enumeration District 1287, sheet 7B, lines 83-88, household of Rudolph Robash, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RV2-NXX, accessed February 13, 2024; from U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 1910 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 29, Enumeration District 1287, Population Schedule, sheet 7B.

^[5] Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1968, FamilySearch.org, record of Richard Van Zandt and Emma Robash, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7ZK-5XT, accessed February 14, 2024; from Cook County Clerk, Chicago, Illinois.

^[6] Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949, FamilySearch.org, record of Richard Van Zundt [sic], https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N795-HDQ, accessed February 14, 2024; from Cook County Clerk, Chicago, Illinois.

^[7] Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1871-1998, FamilySearch.org, record of Robert Vanzendt [sic], https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2MQ-BYVG, accessed February 14, 2024; from Cook County Clerk, Chicago, Illinois.

^[8] Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949, FamilySearch.org, record of Evelyn Van Zandt, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N79Q-W4Y, accessed February 16, 2024; from Cook County Clerk, Chicago, Illinois.

^[9] 1920 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 10, Enumeration District 633, sheet 7B, lines 57-59, household of Richard Van Zandt, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJ3X-XQ8, accessed February 16, 2024; from U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 1920 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 10, Enumeration District 633, Population Schedule, sheet 7B.

^[10] Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949, FamilySearch.org, record of Richard Van Zandt, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7QG-79B, accessed February 16, 2024; from Cook County Clerk, Chicago, Illinois.

^[11] Illinois, Cook County, Registration District 3104, Certificate of Birth, Registered Number 47372, unnamed Van Zandt; certified copy from Cook County Clerk, Chicago, Illinois.

^[12] Illinois, Cook County, Registration District 3104, Supplemental Report of Birth, Registered Number 47372, Louis P. Van Zandt; certified copy from Cook County Clerk, Chicago, Illinois.

^[13] Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949, FamilySearch.org, record of Jeanette Van Zandt, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV3G-F7QT, accessed February 19, 2024; from Cook County Clerk, Chicago, Illinois.

^[14] Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949, FamilySearch.org, record of Dorothy Ann Van Zandt, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKMW-DL6X, accessed February 19, 2024; from Cook County Clerk, Chicago, Illinois.

^[15] Illinois, Cook County, Registration District 3104, Certificate of Correction, Registered Number 53567, Isabelle Van Zandt; uncertified copy from Cook County Clerk, Chicago, Illinois.

^[16] Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949, FamilySearch.org, record of Elizabeth Van Zandt, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKDC-L36N, accessed February 19, 2024; from Cook County Clerk, Chicago, Illinois.

^[17] 1930 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 26, Enumeration District 16-925, sheet 4B, lines 69-76, household of Richard Vangandt or Vanzandt, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSG6-JBV, accessed February 20, 2024; from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 1930 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 26, Enumeration District 16-925, Population Schedule, sheet 4B.

^[18] 1940 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 15, Enumeration District 103-1001, sheet 10B, lines 71-72, household of Rudolph Hrobar, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWYB-FWL, accessed February 20, 2024; from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 1940 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 15, Enumeration District 103-1001, Population Schedule, sheet 10B.

^[19] 1940 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 31, Enumeration District 103-1990, sheet 1B, lines 78-79, household of Melvin Radenz, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KW1F-C3Q, accessed February 20, 2024; from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 1940 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 31, Enumeration District 103-1990, Population Schedule, sheet 1B.

^[20] 1940 United States Census, Illinois, DuPage County, Elmhurst, Ward 2, Enumeration District 22-4, sheet 29A, lines 15-18, household of Louis Van Zandt, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KW42-VZ9, accessed February 20, 2024; from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 1940 United States Census, Illinois, DuPage County, Elmhurst, Ward 2, Enumeration District 22-4, Population Schedule, sheet 29A.

^[21] 1940 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 43, Enumeration District 103-2712, sheet 11A, lines 4-6, household of Ella McEvoy, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4MX-RZR, accessed February 20, 2024; from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 1940 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 43, Enumeration District 103-2712, Population Schedule, sheet 11A.

^[22] 1940 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 41, Enumeration District 103-2618, sheet 1B, lines 43-47, household of Roy W Pedersen, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4M8-5X3, accessed February 20, 2024; from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 1940 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Ward 41, Enumeration District 103-2618, Population Schedule, sheet 1B.

^[23] 1950 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Enumeration District 103-1533, sheet 12, line 5, Emma Banzandt, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6X12-TCFJ, accessed February 21, 2024; from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 1950 United States Census, Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Enumeration District 103-1533, Population Schedule, sheet 12.

^[24] Newspaper clipping, Newspapers.com, ‘Held to Jury in Attempted Rape of Widow,’ Chicago Tribune, April 25, 1952, page 38, column 2, https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-attempted-rape-of-widow/132628923/, accessed February 21, 2024; from Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Illinois, April 25, 1952.

^[25] Newspaper clipping, Newspapers.com, Death notice, Emma Van Zandt, Chicago Tribune, January 25, 1972, page 25, column 5, https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-death-notice-emma-van-z/132676791/, accessed February 21, 2024; from Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Illinois, January 25, 1972.