Bahá'í Faith Project Notes

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Bahai Bahá'í Faith

A space to post research notes for members of the early Baha'i community where there isn't enough information to create a WikiTree profile.

Contents 1 Research Notes 1.1 Miss Lena Geib, Bloomington, New Jersey 1.2 Captain Albert W. Hall, Akron, Ohio 1.3 Dawn Nabil Britt, Seattle, Washington 1.4 Frank Miller, Los Angeles, California 1.5 Frederick Huether, Bloomfield, New Jersey 1.6 Mary Vistue, Denver, Colorado 1.7 Martha Robinson, New York, New York 1.8 Jennie Bishop, New York, New York 1.9 Annie Stewart, Kooskia, Idaho 1.10 Mrs. W. H. Repogle, Bakersfield, California 1.11 J. T. Reddin, Marstock, Nova Scotia 1.12 John Hampel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1.13 Mrs Mary B. Morris, San Francisco, California 1.14 Mrs. Katherine Miller, Racine, Wisconsin 1.15 Siyyid Khalil El-Qamar (Khalil Qamar) 1.16 Haji Muhammad Yazdi 1.17 Mrs. C. B. Anderson, New York City 1.18 Mrs. Frank Moxey, Newark, New Jersey 1.19 Charles F Coles, Washington, D.C.

Research Notes

Miss Lena Geib, Bloomington, New Jersey

• Listed in Baha'i World Volume 5 (In Memoriam) and Baha'i News, Issue 78. No other information about age, birth/death date, or family
• The 1930 U.S. Census shows a Geib family living in Bloomington, NJ; however, all of the people (including daughter Helen L. Geib) are established to have lived/died in other circumstances.
• No obituary found in The Jersey Journal, The Hackensack Record, The Bridgewater Courier-News
• New Jersey, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index shows 0 surnamed "Geib" died between 1931-1933; 11 people surnamed "Gibb", 0 named "Gabe", and 7 people with first name "Lena". No matches.

Captain Albert W. Hall, Akron, Ohio

• Listed in Baha'i World Volume 5 (In Memoriam) .
• Identity is unclear as there are a number of people named Albert Hall who died in Ohio between 1928 and 1934, none are standouts
• May possibly be Albert Hall (1879-1928)

Dawn Nabil Britt, Seattle, Washington

• Listed in Baha'i World Volume 5 (In Memoriam)
• Death records show she is the baby daughter of John "Jack" Francis Britt (1908-1970) and his first wife Margaret (Wugell) Vonseeth/Von Seeth aka Barrett, Britt - (1907-1980). Lived only 24 hours.
• The same Baha'i World volume lists Jack F. Britt as a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Seattle, Washington during 1933-34.
• Sadly, Dawn's parents appear to have divorced sometime during the 1930s; the 1940 U.S. Census shows them both married to other people.
• It's unclear whether either of them remained in the Baha'i community. Neither are mentioned again in any of the Baha'i periodicals apart from a callout in the November 1988 issue of the American Baha'i for original copies of letters written on behalf of the Guardian to a number of early Baha'is, including Jack F. Britt and Margaret Britt.

Frank Miller, Los Angeles, California

• Listed in Baha'i World Volume 5 (In Memoriam) and a slightly longer notice in Baha'i News No. 70. Also buried in Los Angeles National Cemetery with military honors.
• His origins are unclear but he appears to have enlisted in the U.S. Navy in Buffalo, New York during 1908. His military records state that he was a Navy fireman, and was discharged in 1911 due to optic nerve damage that eventually left him blind in both eyes. His discharge occurred in California, and he appears to have stayed there for the rest of his life, passing away at a disabled soldiers' home in Los Angeles.
• Only confirmed citing in U.S. Census records is 1910.
• Death certificate lists his wife as Helen. Further research suggests she is Helen Purcell Miller (1870-1956), also a Baha'i, buried with him

Frederick Huether, Bloomfield, New Jersey

• Listed in Baha'i World Volume 5 (In Memoriam)
• Found two possible people named Frederick Huether living in Bloomfield, NJ at the time. One was born in 1850, Germany; works as a Baker, married to Marie. The other was born in 1881 and might be the son of the elder Frederick (although his mother's name is Ella rather than Mary). Only confirmed citing in 1885 NJ Census.

Mary Vistue, Denver, Colorado

• Listed in Baha'i World Volume 5 (In Memoriam) and Baha'i News Issue 67.
• No matching records for anyone named "Mary Vistue" in genealogical or newspaper records, in Colorado or anywhere else.
• Strong possibility that it is actually "Mary Virtue". To that end, I found a Mary Virtue, b. abt 1868 in Canada, working as a domestic servant in Denver, Colorado - 1930, 1920, and possibly earlier. Also Find-A-Grave which appears to match.

Martha Robinson, New York, New York

• Listed in Baha'i World Volume 5 (In Memoriam), and Baha'i News Issue 67, which indicates she died in about 1932.
• NYC death records show two different people named Martha Robinson who died during 1932: Martha Pope Robinson (1876-1932) and Martha Johnson Robinson (ca 1882-1932).
• Martha Pope Robinson seems to be the most likely candidate, but it's unclear from the available sources. More research is needed. Her parents Goldsborough Robinson (1845-1887) and Matilda Prather (abt.1843-) are already on WikiTree.

Jennie Bishop, New York, New York

• Listed in Baha'i World Volume 5 (In Memoriam), and Baha'i News Issue 67, which indicates she died in about 1932.
• Could not find an NYC death certificate for Jennie Bishop during 1932.
• The only possibly-matching person I could find is a Jennie R. Bishop living in Manhattan, seamstress, never married. 1905, 1910, 1920, 1925. Found a Find-A-Grave memorial which appears to be her, too; it indicates that she died at the home of her sister in Worchester NY after living in NYC for fifty years. Also says that she was buried under church rites (though that in and of itself doesn't preclude her from being part of the Baha'i community at that time). Corresponding FamilySearch profile.

Annie Stewart, Kooskia, Idaho

• Listed in Baha'i World Volume 5 (In Memoriam) and Baha'i News Issue 80
• This is likely her resting place: Anna Stewart, Tahoe Cemetery, Kooskia, ID. No dates, no other info, only a small metal marker.
• Could not find a matching death record in any of the Idaho death indices/certificates.
• The 1930 U.S. Census shows 7 people named "Stewart" living in Kooskia, Idaho. All of them appear to be children/grandchildren of Charles Brison Stewart and Elizabeth Hurt.
• Another possibility is Anna G. Stewart, b. 1860 in England, living on a farm in Tahoe, ID with her husband and nephew. 1920, 1930. Disappears after 1930.

Mrs. W. H. Repogle, Bakersfield, California

• Listed in Baha'i World Volume 5 (In Memoriam), Baha'i World Volume 6 (In Memoriam) and Baha'i News Issue 82.
• Her name appears to be Mary Morton Replogle (1864-1930). She is referenced in several issues of Star of the West as a recipient of Tablets from Abdu'l-Baha.
• Found her and her husband in census records 1930, 1920, 1910. All indicate she was born in Canada about 1864.
• Baha'i News Issue 7 reports she used to live in Baltimore, and to that end, I found a matching Mary Morton in the 1900 census living as a boarder in the household of Griffin and Betty Hebb in Baltimore, Maryland; born July 1864, Canada. Otherwise, no further information on her origins or family.
• A cursory search of people named Mary Morton born in Canada during 1864 shows about five possible matches.

J. T. Reddin, Marstock, Nova Scotia

• Listed in Baha'i World Volume 5 (In Memoriam), Baha'i World Volume 6 (In Memoriam) and Baha'i News Issue 82.
• This likely refers to John Thomas Redden (1875-1934), thought to be the first Baha'i to live in Nova Scotia. The Origins of the Bahá'í Community of Canada, 1898-1948 contains a short paragraph about him on page 110. According to the information in that book, he actually died in Newfoundland, although he was originally from Marstock, NS; and was buried in Windsor, NS.
• "Newfoundland, Canada, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1850-1949" (database, Ancestry.com) contains a matching death entry for John T. Reddin, 3 February 1934, St Johns, Newfoundland. Also found him in the Canada Census: 1901, 1881; as well as a likely travel document: 1922. Otherwise no other information about his family or origins. Will need a lot more research before a profile can be built.
• Side note: "John Redden" appears to be a common name in Nova Scotia, and there's at least one other John Thomas Redden of similar age living in the same area at roughly the same time.

John Hampel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• Listed in Baha'i World Volume 5 (In Memoriam) and Baha'i News Issue 80
• Wisconsin death indices contain no records for either a "John Hampel", "John Hempel", or "John Hemple" passing away between 1930 and 1934.
• However, I did find one memorial for a John Hempel (1859-1928) in Valhalla Memorial Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It appears to correspond to this man: 1900, 1910, 1920, as well as an obituary in the Milwaukee Journal dated 19 June 1928. ("John Hampel, 69, Dies After Heart Attack"). No specific mention of the Baha'i Faith. (also, no corresponding death record in the Wisconsin death indices)

Mrs Mary B. Morris, San Francisco, California

• Corresponding Find-A-Grave memorial indicates she was born about 1884 and died on 31 January 1934. CA death index has two matching entries (though possibly the same person); no entries in the "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994" or "California, San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1835-1979".
• Could not find a matching death notice in the SF Examiner or the SF Chronicle
• The 1930 U.S. Census shows several people named Mary Morris of the right age living in San Francisco. One strong possibility is this one: Mary (Hannah/Hannon) Morris, b. abt. 1884 in Ireland, m. George Morris, mother of Russell and Lilly.
• This may also be her resting place: Mary Morris, d. 2 Feb 1934, buried in an unmarked grave at Holy Cross Cemetery, San Mateo, CA. Death date may actually be her interment date.

Mrs. Katherine Miller, Racine, Wisconsin

• Listed in Baha'i World Volume 5 (In Memoriam) and Baha'i News Issue 81
• Could not find a matching death record in WI death index, nor an obituary
• Census records show a number of people named Katherine Miller living in Racine, Wisconsin, including this one and this one.
• There's a Katherine Miller b. 1842 buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Racine, WI; however, her corresponding FamilySearch profile claims she died in 1943 (though there are currently no sources attached for that)
• Another possibility is Katharina Millen (1857-1931), also buried in Holy Cross Cemetery. Census frequently spells her surname "Miller".
• Could also have been "Mueller"?

Siyyid Khalil El-Qamar (Khalil Qamar)

• Listed in Baha'i World Vol. 6 (In Memoriam: "SIYYID KHALIL EL-QAMAR of ‘Avéshiq")
• Born about 1865 in the village of ‘Avéshiq, Iraq; elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Iraq in 1931. Died along with his eldest son in an accident on 9 Jan 1936.
• There are possibly more sources in Arabic/Persian; need an expert on these languages to be able to build a profile.

Haji Muhammad Yazdi

• Listed in The Baha'i World Vol. 6 Survey of Current Baha'i Activities in the East and West and In Memoriam: Haji Muhammad Yazdi. Mentioned in Memories of Nine Years in Akka (Chapter 5) and Memories of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
• Father of `Alí M. Yazdí (1899-1978)
• There are possibly more sources in Arabic/Persian; need an expert on these languages to be able to build a profile.

Mrs. C. B. Anderson, New York City

• Listed in Baha'i World Vol. 6 (In Memoriam) and Baha'i News Issue 83
• "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949" database shows two women surnamed "Anderson" who died between 1933 and May 1934 (the date of the Baha'i News issue 83). One is Elizabeth Anderson b. abt. 1907, residing at 101 West 43rd Street, single. The other (more likely candidate) is Emma (Lee) Anderson aka Bonaparte (1874-1934), married to Charles W. Anderson.
• It's also possible that she died before 1934, and it wasn't reported in the Baha'i newsletters until much later.

Mrs. Frank Moxey, Newark, New Jersey

• Listed in Baha'i World Vol. 6 (In Memoriam) and Baha'i News Issue 86; death date estimated at around the middle of 1934.
• Wife of Frank Moxey (1860-1927), active New Jersey Baha'i, whose death notice appears in Baha'i News Letter No. 18. Identified in NJ Death Index as well as U.S/NJ census records in 1920, 1900, 1885, and possibly 1910. Moxey-80 is NOT him, although they are very similar (both had a daughter named Gertrude b. in late 1880s) and may even be related.
• Frank Moxey appears to have had two wives. (1) Sarah Warren, b. England circa 1859. Mother of three of his children. Possibly went by "Hattie". Newspapers report her to be an opera singer/musician in Baltimore, MD. Final whereabouts unclear. (2) Georgeanna Moxey, b. Maryland around 1871. Appears living with him in 1920 U.S. Census; 1930 shows her widowed and a patient in the NJ State Hospital for the Insane. Origins/family unclear.

Charles F Coles, Washington, D.C.

• Listed in Baha'i World Vol. 6 (In Memoriam) and Baha'i News Issue 86; death estimated mid 1934
• This is likely him: "Charles Coles, 58, Gallinger Hospital" reported death in Evening Star on 17 Jul 1934.
• Possible match: Charles J Coles, b. abt. 1876 in either Virginia or Ohio; m. Martha E. Bundy, father of DeRuth Coles and Evelynne Coles Scott. His wife's 1932 death notice lists him as "Charles F Coles".