Flower in the River: A Family Tale Finally Told

After the Eastland: Shadow over Polish Chicago

• Natalie Zett

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Sparkling Start with a Star-Studded Tale: We kick off with a dazzling story! I share how a simple email of gratitude opened doors to an incredible opportunity - being a guest on “Love’s a Secret Weapon” podcast. The host? None other than the iconic Donna Loren, a gem from the 60s! We’re talking a whirlwind of memories from her shining moments in “Playhouse 90,” her groovy times with “The Monkees,” to her splash in the “Beach” movies. Get ready for tales from “Dr. Kildare,” “Batman,” and her rocking beats on “Shindig.” This episode (release date, TBD) Will be a trip down memory lane, where Donna drops pearls of wisdom while I dive into discussions about my book.

🚢 Unearthing the Eastland Disaster: Our historical odyssey continues as we explore deeper into the mysteries of the 1915 Eastland Disaster. It’s a century-old story, but new revelations keep surfacing! Highlights of this episode’s exploration promise to be enlightening.

📖 Literary Interlude - Sketching an Unlived Life: Get ready for an emotional journey with a short reading from Chapter 6 of “Flower in the River.” The excerpt features Zara, a character deeply intertwined with her ancestors’ connection to the Eastland disaster. Here, she struggles with how to understand 1915 Chicago. This narrative goes perfectly with the theme of this episode.

🔍 Genealogical Gems and Puzzles: We’ll navigate the intricate maze of tracing family histories, with a spotlight on immigrant communities of mixed ethnic backgrounds. I’ll share intriguing aspects of my family saga, highlighting the unique challenges and fascinating discoveries in genealogy.

🇵🇱 Chicago’s Polish Heart in 1915: Step into the past as we uncover the impact of the Eastland Disaster on Chicago’s Polish communities. We’ll sift through Polish language newspapers from 1915, seeking insights into the community’s response to this tragic event. Plus, poignant obituaries from the Polish community add a personal touch to our historical journey.

⚙️ Western Electric’s Controversial Connection: The episode wouldn’t be complete without touching on Western Electric’s controversial role in the Eastland disaster. We’ll discuss the nuances, including the debate over forced ticket sales for the fateful excursion.

🪦 Virtual Memorial - A Find a Grave Discovery: We share a remarkable find - a Virtual Cemetery on Find a Grave dedicated to Eastland Disaster Victims. 

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Natalie Zett:

Hey everyone, this is Natalie, and I'm back with a new episode which continues our ongoing journey into the past. If you were here last week, you learned that my research uncovered another under-told story of some Eastland disaster victims, and these two are possibly new relatives. I don't have any news on that, but I'm still researching that. So what I did was I stepped back and took that as a nudge to continue expanding this history beyond my immediate family, because I want to learn what other stories might have been neglected through the years. But before we dive into this week's episode, I have some fun thing to share, and I wrote this on Facebook, so this is a variation on my posting. So brace yourself for a fangirl moment. You know how they always say, don't meet your heroes. Well, sometimes that's happily off base. A few weeks back, I shot off an email of gratitude to Donna Lauren for the magic she spends on her podcast Love's a Secret Weapon. And what do you know, she invited me on her podcast to talk about my book and I was awestruck. It was just amazing. But she is one of those people who makes you feel like you're her friend immediately.

Natalie Zett:

A lot of people might not know who she is, but if you've watched anything from the 60s, you've probably seen her. She started really young. She's got a tremendous singing voice and speaking voice, for that matter but she started, I think, with Playhouse 90 and then she was on the Monkees. She was also in various beach movies from that era. Check them out sometimes they're really fun. And, as my dad used to say, I don't know who she is, but she can really sing and she can really sing and I think that's where our family saw her. And she was also in the old Batman series and Dr Kildare and there was a show called Shindig that she was also in, and she is a master of reinvention. She's segwayed into other lines of creativity, such as fashion, design, and she continued with her performing and also songwriting, why her podcast is so powerful Number one.

Natalie Zett:

A lot of people are enamored with the 60s and I think if you want to hear boots on the ground someone who was there in the midst of everything that was going on that is the show you want to listen to. The other part of that is that she unveils her personal story, which is tremendously courageous to do, and it's also really painful to hear what was going on behind the scenes with Donna and her family, and I know it sounds like a cliche, but she is authentically a nice, warm person and she's super generous. I don't usually seek out celebrities only because I grew up around some of that and spent some time in those worlds kind of on the edges, and to me it's really just people and it's the quality of the person that I'm attracted to, not their celebrity, if that makes any sense. So who is this person behind this celebrity? And it's really lovely to find somebody who continues to try to put something good into the universe, who makes themselves vulnerable, tells their story, and I can tell she's one of those, with her co-host who is Dr Adam Jirasi, and, again, super nice, super inviting people that we don't give people credit enough sometimes for putting themselves out there, for trying to be of service.

Natalie Zett:

So I have this lifelong habit that was instilled in me by my parents to say thank you, to send a thank you note, and not just to say thank you, but to always be specific toward what I'm thankful for with that person. And I wrote to her and said hey, donna, thank you, love your podcast and you're the reason that I, too, started a podcast for my book. And she wrote back right away One of the stories that she shared with me she shared this previously, but it was cool to hear it from her again about when she was in Dallas when President Kennedy was assassinated and she said you know, I never have really gotten over that, but still it was just very thrilling and awe inspiring to have her talk about that with me. I love history, obviously, because this is what I'm doing but to be able to talk to somebody who was there and who had a front row seat to so much that was going on during such a pivotal, incredibly changing time in our world, it was really something to see. So, in a way, I have this book to thank for a lot of things because it's provided a passport into all sorts of worlds. So if you get a chance to listen to Donna Lawrence podcast loves a secret weapon, please do. I'll put a link in the show notes. I've been reading from chapter six, sketching an unlived life from my book Flower in the River, and this chapter dovetails nicely into the topic I have been discussing about how to recreate a past that I've never lived in, that no one's alive today, who's ever lived in. So here is a brief excerpt and then, after I read the excerpt, I'll go into some of my latest findings on the various communities in Chicago in 1915.

Natalie Zett:

Death sets a thing significant Emily Dickinson. Zara had to see and touch Martha's grave. She needed hard evidence. Sometimes I think I know you, but I don't want to make you over in my image, as tempting as that is. Who are you, martha Pfeiffer, and why are you taking over my life?

Natalie Zett:

The evening before her Chicago trip, zara met Ellie at Moffoleta Restaurant. Ellie had already ordered red wine, French bread and roasted garlic. We have to celebrate this occasion, said Ellie. I feel as if I'm going to see Martha. You think I'm nuts, don't you? Well, even if you don't, I do.

Natalie Zett:

I've always seen you as courageous and no-nonsense, someone who didn't give a damn about what others thought, because you were so true to yourself. You've lived life on your own terms, so why are you worried about appearing crazy? I get scared that I'll end up like my dad". She said Stop it. Your dad had severe trauma in his life. There was no help available and it caught up to him. That's all. There's nothing wrong with you, said Ellie. I feel so damn vulnerable and I don't do vulnerable, said Zara, mashing a garlic clove into her bread slice. Ah, you're afraid she won't be there for you, said Ellie. I feel like that guy in the movie Lara. He falls for a portrait of a dead woman. Except his dead woman turned up alive. Mine won't, said Zara. Brings up the family outcast role that you've played since forever. Give that up. You're just like them, like her. Maybe she was assigned to watch over you. Mama always said we had at least one guardian angel. My Aunt Magda did too.

Natalie Zett:

Nothing wrong with wanting a heart connection to someone in your family. Nothing wrong wanting to be loved by your blood. Finding that with a dead relative will be tricky, but not impossible. Tears flooded Zara's eyes. But, ellie, it's wonderful, and yet I'm homesick for a place and a time I never lived. I feel lost.

Natalie Zett:

When this is done, you will have accomplished something tremendous. You are officially now the connective tissue in this family. Yeah, you, you, little pariah. Zara started laughing. You're bringing your living family to their history. Your mother never knew her mother's family and you gave her that precious gift. You've already given your Aunt Pearl something every writer wants to know their writing changed someone's life. As for your sister, well, it might not mean much to her now, but down the road it will.

Natalie Zett:

For you, a new chapter is about to begin. Elle, you're fantastic, said Zara, taking her friend's hand. I'm psychic in my own way too, laughed Ellie. Mama said I was born with a cowl on my head. To Sicilians, that meant you were born with the sixth sense. Then there's my last name, diangelo of the Angels. You're pretty good, elle. I will say that, said Zara. That's the end of this reading. It's really brief only because I have so much to share regarding the findings of this past week, and so let's continue with that.

Natalie Zett:

So in that chapter I talk about the quandary that the main character, zara Vrabble, faces. Like me, she's a freelance journalist who met her match trying to construct a story about her great Aunt Martha, who died in the unknown to her Eastland disaster in Chicago of 1915. A time era that obviously Zara never knew and a place that Zara never lived. Zara became obsessed with unraveling the mystery and felt the only way to deal with that obsession was to go exploring wherever that story took her. As Aristotle wrote, the beginning seems to be more than half of the whole, and in this case, the initial stages of this journey set the tone and the foundation for the rest of it. A good start can shape the trajectory.

Natalie Zett:

As I uncovered my own family history, I had to let go of assumptions and be open to realities different than what I imagined, and that leads to fascinating discoveries, to say the least. Actually, I need to back up just a little bit to give you the bird's eye view of Chicago's foreign language newspapers from that time. So in the early 1900s, chicago had numerous foreign language newspapers in languages like Yiddish, slovak, lithuanian, czech and Polish, and probably more. The Polish language newspapers served informational needs, but also helped sustain cultural organizations that assisted Polish immigrants. This time I want to explore the city's thriving Polish immigrant communities and how they were particularly impacted by the Eastland disaster. Why the Polish communities? Well, in my desire to construct a larger world than just the world of my family in 1915, chicago, I wanted to also look at each one of these various communities that were also affected by the Eastland disaster. Many people of Polish descent were employed by Western Electric and most assuredly they were touched by the disaster.

Natalie Zett:

Chicago's Polish community dates back to the 1830s, when the first refugees arrived. After Poland's November uprising. By the 1900s, over a quarter million Poles called Chicago home. More researching revealed many newspapers and documents from the various Polish communities, churches, neighborhoods and organizations in 1900s Chicago. I emphasize again that there wasn't a single Polish community in Chicago, but all kinds of Polish communities and neighborhoods who obviously had a lot in common, but I also think it's important to point out their differences as well. I want to provide a trigger warning that what you are about to hear as I read from these various newspapers is disturbing only because they are so forthright and unvarnished in describing what happened in the aftermath of the Eastland disaster, although these people, as far as I know, are not blood relatives, anyone who is involved in the Eastland disaster. Well, we share this tragedy and we are all a family of sorts. So let me make an attempt to introduce the diverse and complicated Polish communities of early 1900s Chicago.

Natalie Zett:

The Polish immigrants initially dominated neighborhoods like Westtown, bridgeport and back of the yards where they worked in unskilled labor. Catholic parishes and Polish language newspapers bonded the communities. I dove headfirst into the Polish newspapers of long ago, hunting for any tidbit that would paint a picture of how this tight-knit community coped with such a massive blow. A lot of Polish immigrants worked for Western Electric. Now let me spill some information about my own background.

Natalie Zett:

If you know my book, you know it's basically about my great aunt, whose name is Martha Pfeiffer. Say Pfeiffer and you think Ach du Lieber? That's German and you wouldn't be necessarily wrong. But my great-grandfather, hermann Pfeiffer, actually hailed from what is now Poland. But then there's his wife, my great-grandmother, bertha Strześciska. I'll say that again Bertha Strześciska. Now, with a name like that, that's as Polish as pierogi you probably figure out that she is Polish. Her dad, frantoszek Strześcisk, was a Polish Catholic and her mom, maria Szedler, mixed it up as a German Lutheran. So that is my background. So even though my folks look as if they're really a German-Polish mix on that side. But here's the twist Although they have that mix of ethnicities and religions. My Chicago family well, they were all steeped in German Lutheran culture and my family is just one example of that.

Natalie Zett:

When I was starting to locate names from the Polish archives of those who perished on the Eastland, I found a number of German sounding surnames. But when I looked closer I saw that there was a definite Polish connection. Sometimes the mother had a noticeably Polish last name. However, the biggest clue was if there was a funeral service at a Polish church, for example St Stanislaus Kosta, which was the original Polish Catholic church in Chicago. A lot of people with German sounding surnames had their funeral services at St Stanislaus. Now, these people might have had a mishmash of backgrounds, like mine, but Polish was the culture in which they were raised and in which they lived, and so on. So I hope you're getting the picture that it really is a complex, sometimes convoluted thing when you're going about trying to describe someone's ethnicities, because most of us carry many ethnicities within us, and also if we look back and do our backgrounds, we'll often find different religions also affecting who we are and the influences that we've had throughout our lives.

Natalie Zett:

And here's a little background on Western Electric, who, of course, sponsored the ill-fated picnic. Even if you've never heard of Western Electric, you have been affected by it. Okay, so it was founded in 1869 and Western Electric was the manufacturing arm of AT&T and they were a telephone equipment powerhouse. It's massive Hawthorne works, which was located in Cicero, just outside of Chicago proper, employed about 25,000 people at one point, including many Czech and Polish immigrants.

Natalie Zett:

What is so interesting about all of these ethnic papers, or some of the other smaller papers? I'm not talking about the dailies, but there's something I've run into many times so far. Multiple publications have reported. Employees said that they were forced to purchase tickets for the Western Electric picnic by the foreman or they would lose their jobs. That is also something that I heard from my much older relatives when I initially was researching the Eastland disaster. They are all gone now, but I do remember them talking about that and to have it corroborated in these newspapers makes me think that this definitely did happen and, of course, this was the picnic that led so many to their deaths on July 24th 1915.

Natalie Zett:

For this episode, I want to share snippets from some of these articles that I found in these various Polish language newspapers, because I'm not sure if any or even all of them have been translated into English, much less shared. I can tell you that I saw photographs in these papers that I had never seen before, and I will share those on my website, but there's something about hearing how this community experienced the disaster in their own voices. So, in order to try to reconstruct what things were like, I definitely employ world building techniques, but also there's one other thing that I learned during my academic studies, and that was how to interpret ancient languages. So, whether something happened 2000 years ago or 100 years ago, one always has to be cognizant of other documents that support the first document, and also be very aware that the mindset of even 50 years ago is very different than now, and so I want to be aware of that as well and not take everything at face value, but just be aware that there might be more to what we're reading than we think. There is that there is this thing called presentism. I know it's present like present time and ism, because we don't have enough isms, so we need this one too, but presentism is something I'm seeing more and more in, especially in academic documents, and we want to avoid doing that as much as possible by trying to immerse ourselves in the context of the era in which we're studying, and not judging it by today's standards. Very difficult but very necessary to make an attempt to do this. So doing this helps you build nuanced empathy across generations and appreciate the diverse, very diverse human perspectives on something like the Eastland disaster. Making the past come to life on its own terms is really challenging, but also so necessary.

Natalie Zett:

So I'm going to start by reading from one of the papers, and I'll read a couple more articles, and I want to reiterate that all of these papers are written in Polish. Not sure if they've ever been translated, but I wanted to make an attempt to translate them and share them with you because they are so evocative. Please understand, though, that this translation is the result of my limited knowledge of Polish, along with a lot of help of my virtual pals Google Translate and ChatGPT. I will post the clips from the original newspapers on my website and take a look at them if you're fluent in Polish, and any corrections are more than welcome. Before I get into this particular article, I want you to note that 844 people died, not the 1,300 as was reported in this and other documents. This next reading is from the July 15, 1915 edition of Zagoda that's Z like zebra, g-o-d-a.

Natalie Zett:

Zagoda is the official organ of the National Polish Alliance in the United States, weekly edition 1406-1408 West Division Street near Park Station, illinois. I also want to give you a little bit of history on this publication in 1881. Zagoda, which is harmony in English, appeared as a weekly newspaper for the Polish community in the Chicago metropolitan area. It operated under the auspices of the Polish National Alliance and it encouraged organizational unity among Polish immigrants. Throughout the late 19th and early 20th century. Zagoda faithfully reported on developments in Poland, encouraging Poles in the mother country to hold on to their traditions and identify amidst Russian occupation. Zagoda also featured a front page spread dedicated to the labor movement. In 1908, this content was transferred to ZNP's daily publication, zhenik Ludovic, which means People's Daily Just go with the English for that one.

Natalie Zett:

With this change, zagoda began to focus primarily on news related to the Polish National Alliance. Although Catholicism was a monumental part of Polish American life, zagoda, as far as I can tell, did not focus on the teachings of the Church, and this set it apart from other Polish American newspapers. And here's an interesting aside about Zagoda In the 1900s they began publishing a special weekly for women. It was called Harmony Women's Edition For the purpose of bringing together women in the immigrant community. In this first issue, the editor expounded that a society without women would be short-lived and weak. Wow, zagoda Women's Edition reported on actually a variety of topics, including women's rallies, recipes, home remedies and health and childcare tips and tricks. That's a brief history of this very fascinating paper, and now I will go on to read a headline from Zagoda, which was published in July 1915, shortly after the disaster Headline Terrible Disaster on the Chicago River.

Natalie Zett:

As the daily papers have reported, last Saturday at 7.40 am in Chicago, a terrible disaster occurred, the likes of which rarely happen in history. The passenger ship Eastland, which was to transport workers of the Western Electric Company for an excursion to Michigan City, indiana, capsized due to the shifting of passengers and lack of ballast, which should have kept the ship balanced. It is believed that there were 2,500 people on board, which was decidedly too many for an excursion-type passenger ship of this kind. The blame for the death of 1,300 people and the maiming of many is borne not only by the shipping company which, out of greed, allowed the ship to be loaded with such a large number of excursionists and allowed them to gather in one place while the ship was departing from the docks, but also by the ship inspectors, who are paid by the government for allowing so many people to board and not checking whether the ship's ballast was adequate for the weight composed of people above. This text provides an account of the Eastland disaster, highlighting the factors that contributed to the tragedy, including the overloading of the ship and the failure to maintain proper ballast. That's how they're explaining it. It also assigns blame to both the shipping company for its negligence and the government inspectors for their lack of proper oversight. Here's more from the article.

Natalie Zett:

What is most terrifying is that this ship capsized not due to a wild storm somewhere from out on the lake, but right by the docks on the river where crowds of people had gathered to see off the excursionists. These crowds let out a cry of terror when suddenly the ship swayed and capsized and those on it began to drown, screaming in horror for help that those standing on the docks could not give. Tug boats and other ships, of which there were dozens nearby, rushed to the aid of those drowning. Many people who were on deck and fell into the water were saved, having the ability to swim, but hundreds of people inside the ship on the lower decks died without rescue as water began to pour in through the openings of the capsized ship. Now I'm going to read another article from another publication of that era called Zjenik Zyakovi. About 400 to 500 passengers were below deck and never saw daylight again.

Natalie Zett:

The steamers Kenosha and the fire boat Graham Stewart rushed to help the unfortunate ones. Crowded them in masses Every moment, terrible corpses with eyes wide open in pre-death agony were being pulled out. The terrible screams and groans emanating from the steel prison of the sunken ship's hull merged into one chorus of terror that tore at the hearts of the thousands of people gathered at the dock waiting for their unfortunate friends and relatives, the crews of the ships Roosevelt, potoski, racine and Rochester, which were ready under steam to take part of the huge party of excursionists. The rescue operation was mobilized and dispatched. Anyone who was on top of the ship during its capsizing could think about saving themselves by jumping into the water. However, those who were inside the hull lost their lives. The number of these unfortunate individuals will likely reach around 1,000.

Natalie Zett:

For now, it is still impossible to determine the full extent of the disaster. Hundreds of workers are trying to tear apart the ship's iron plates to get inside, hoping that someone might still be alive. The rescue squad is incessantly pulling out the horrific corpses of the drowned, dressed in their festive clothes. Horrifying scenes are unfolding. The bridge at Clark Street had to be emptied because it was sagging under the weight of the crowds and threatened a second disaster. Similarly, other nearby bridges are jammed with throngs of people.

Natalie Zett:

The port inspectors will be held accountable, even though they manage to stop further influx of the public at the last moment. And, according to authoritative sources, the blame falls on those inspectors who, having deemed the Eastland ship unusable in Cleveland, approved it as capable of carrying even half the number of passengers. The scene nearby is terrifying. Police and guards are carrying out dozens of bodies to the shore and laying them next to each other. The sight of these victims truly wrenches the heart of everyone. Hundreds of people are pressing to the edge to see if someone from their family or acquaintances has perished or been saved. That's the end of this article and, as you can probably tell, they really captured what was going on at the moment. It's not a sanitized version of anything. It's very raw and very real.

Natalie Zett:

Here's another account from the Zjenik-Chikagoski paper of July 27, 1915. Heading after the Eastland Disaster index of main events, 821 bodies have been identified. Seven bodies in the Armory of the Second, unidentified Regiment. Among the employees of Western Electric, 413 are missing. The total number of victims is presumably 1200. Among the members of the United Polish-Roman Catholic Union, 43 are dead. Among the members of the National Polish Alliance, 20 are deceased. Among the members of the Polish Women's Alliance, 5 are deceased. The estimated number of Polish victims is between 250 to 300.

Natalie Zett:

Many rescued employees of Western Electric Company claimed that they were forced to buy tickets for the excursion under the threat of losing their jobs. Captain Peterson of the ill-fated ship admits there was an agreement between the ship's owners and federal inspectors which resulted in having up to 3,000 passengers on board. The federal license only allowed for 2,500. Before June of this year, the license allowed for only 2,283 people. The following are undertaking the investigation State Inspector, state Prosecutor Hoyn. Coroner Hoffman. United States Prosecutor Klein. Secretary of Commerce Redfield, general Inspector Supervisor Jen Uller. The Naval Experts Department newly proposed and not yet appointed, the DOC Committee with the City Council, the State Commission of Public Devices, the Committee with the State Legislature only proposed and the Committee with the District Sanitary Council. The coroner's jury has already commenced the investigation. Today, prosecutor Hoyn is interrogating officers and members of the crew, as well as company officials. The Citizens Committee appointed by the mayor collected 165,000 in one day to support the families of the victims of the disaster. Western Electric Company has donated 100,000. Today there is a meeting of the boards of the Polish organizations to undertake immediate steps concerning the needs arising from the current situation.

Natalie Zett:

That's the end of that article. So what do you think of those three newspaper accounts from the Polish language newspapers? To me they're very different than the ones that I read in the various dailies, so I hope you'll take a look at those clips in their original state on my website and let me know what you think. Needless to say, the Polish community's response was swift and they mobilized to care for the dead and their families, and I'll have more about that next time. Because there's so much, I wanted to read three obituaries from the newspaper Ziennik Czekogoski, volume 26, number 173,. The date is the 26th of July 1915. I'll begin reading.

Natalie Zett:

To all relatives and friends we bring the sad news that our most beloved son and brother, the late Karl Knopf, has departed this world due to an unfortunate accident on the 24th of July 1915, having lived 20 years. The funeral will take place on Wednesday, the 28th of July, at 9.30 in the morning, from the House of Morning at 1325 North Robbie Street to the Church of the Annunciation and from there to Mount Carmel Cemetery. We invite all relatives and friends to this mournful ceremony immersed in deep sorrow. Frantzecek and Mariana Knopf, parents. Siegfried brother, maria Wiklinski sister, edmund, brother-in-law, ladislav, virginia and Violetta sisters. That's the first one. This is the second one.

Natalie Zett:

With heavy hearts, we announce to all relatives and friends the sad news that our most beloved daughter and sister, emma M Yosko, 18 years old, a member of the Holy Rosary Society of St Agathas, number 671, has left this world due to a tragic accident on the 24th of July, having lived 16 years and three months. The funeral will take place on Tuesday, the 27th of July, at 8.30 in the morning, from the family home at 2213 Koblence Street to St Hedwig's Church and from there to St Adelbert's Cemetery. To this solemn ceremony we invite all relatives and friends immersed in deep sorrow. Jacob and Matilda Yosko parents, pavel Joseph, henrik, edward and George brothers, anna and Agnes, sisters, along with the entire family. Finally, there is this With heavy hearts, we inform all relatives and friends, the sad news that our most beloved daughters, miss Eva and Miss Benedicte, passed away in the bloom of their youth due to a tragic accident on Saturday, july 24, 1915.

Natalie Zett:

The late Benedicte was a member of the First Tree and the 16th Brows of the Society Unity nest 285 of the Polish Falcons Union in America, group 1337 ZNP. The funeral for Miss Eva and Miss Benedicte will take place on Wednesday, the 28th of July, at 10 o'clock in the morning, from the family home at 1410 Dixon Street to the upper church of St Stanislaus Koska and from there to St Adelbert's Cemetery. We invite all relatives and friends to this mournful occasion in deep sorrow. Jan and Carolina Spitala, parents, and Marta Proszkowska, sister. So may they all rest in peace. But we're not done yet.

Natalie Zett:

And I also want to add that there are some real sweethearts, some real angels, who have created on Find a Grave, the Eastland Disaster Victims, a virtual cemetery. They have 770 memorials. First of all, do you know what Find a Grave is? Most genealogy enthusiasts do. But just in case this is new to you, find a Grave has been around for a long time and it keeps evolving and changing. It's quite interesting and I am not sure actually who's in charge of it, but I think it's still basically crowdsourced. However, in the last few years, they've gotten better in terms of fact checking, applying more rigorous standards to their obituaries, and I think that's an important thing. So please visit, find a Grave and take a look at these various memorials. If you have more information, please make sure you share it with them, and the rest of us will look forward to seeing how this evolves. So please take a look at it.

Natalie Zett:

So, as per usual, we packed a lot into this episode, but it's necessary, and I hope that you enjoyed it and got something out of it and, more importantly, learned something new. So I hope you're researching your family history and I hope you're making some new discoveries. And I opened with the story of Donna Lauren, and I wanted to close with something else she said to me during the podcast. I was telling her about some of these rather disturbing articles that I found about the Eastland disaster, and she said the truth is really important and please make sure that you continue to tell it. So thank you for joining me on this adventure and I'll talk to you soon.

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