Update on Family Stuff

Well, it has been a wonderful, strange, fascinating few days as far as research goes. Last week it started out with a mystery woman and child - and this week, I realize my shortsightedness in not considering the actual people, lives, families, and relationships behind the mystery duo. At first, after learning there had been another marriage resulting in a child, I was simply hoping to find Dad and Aunt Dee's half-sister. I am just not qualified to write it all down here, and there are some things I must leave out with respect to other people's right to privacy (yet another bit of judgment I am lacking in, and so if I cross a line, I apologize in advance and will remove anything I should not be elaborating on, on the internet.) But it is a neat story worth telling someone about.

The story of the other family...as I have been told, and to the best of my ability to relate:

Herbert Alan Julius Belin married Sylvia Irene Marsans back in October of 1923. I wonder if at the time he knew what a fascinating family he had married into - surely he did. I found articles in the NY Times archive where R.L. Marsans attended fancy fraternity dinners with Herbert in attendance, and another article where Herbert and Sylvia had attended a fancy dance together a year before they married. So it would seem there was a fairly long courtship period.

Sylvia's father Romulo Marsans came from Cuba. He had set up a boarding school in NY and ran Camp Cobbossee for many years. Romulo and his brothers also were in the liquor business, but apparently Romulo was the only brother who did not choose to focus only on booze. Until prohibition, Romulo was very successful in the alcohol business and had interests all over the world for selling and purchasing. When the Prohibition Act was enforced in 1920, Romulo was the only brother to avoid becoming destitute. His large family stayed together and even moved out to Cobbossee. Camp Cobbossee is STILL going today. The current owners took over about three years ago. Sadly, they mentioned they did not know much about the camp's origins. I wrote back and told them everything I could.

In truth, I think The life of Romulo Marsans would make a great movie, the dichotomy in touching the lives of so many boys and up until prohibition, his thriving liquor business is intriguing.

If I understand correctly, one of Romulos nephews went on to become one of the first Cubans in American Major League baseball, Armando Marsans, who was certainly the most famous Cuban baseball player of all time.

Sylvia's brother, Romulo "Tiny" Marsans Jr., was quite the character. He was a huge man, who went to Rutgers, played football, and also helped run the camp later on. Sporting his bowler hat most of the time, he was loved by his family, and delighted his nieces with his antics and magic tricks.

By 1930 Herb and Sylvia's marriage had come to an end. Herb had moved into the Montclair Town (NJ) boarding house of Hilda Peacock, and Sylvia along with her young daughter, returned to her parent's home.

I suspect my soon-to-be grandmother, Dorothy Brewster, had caught the eye (and the heart it would seem) of Herbert at the telephone company where they both worked. What transpired just before the 1930 Census will remain a mystery I think.

Herb might not have been the only one with a wandering-eye. Sylvia it would seem had a case of wanderlust too. Sylvia's daughter, Gloria Ann (the beautiful mystery baby), was raised more often by her Grandmother than she was by Sylvia. Sylvia liked to travel and was often away on trips. Sylvia never remarried and when she passed away was still going by the name Mrs. Sylvia Belin.

Gloria grew up and just after WWII eloped with a man named Charlie from Texas. Their marriage lasted 50-something years, until Gloria's last days in 1998. They had three daughters. The three daughters spent much time out at Camp Cobbossee, and with their family.

Gloria did often quietly wonder what became of her father, as a grown woman she worked for a newspaper and often found herself looking for articles about him. It was on one of these searches that she came across his obituary in 1964. She brought the obituary home and read it to her three daughters. It was a poignant moment even for her young daughters. Despite the loss she felt of her father, sadly, the obituary did not mention Herbert's first-born daughter. It did mention a family they knew nothing about and whose whereabouts would remain in Gloria's daughter's hearts and surface in their thoughts from time-to-time.

It's probably pretty obvious at this point that I have had the opportunity to speak with one of Gloria's daughters, who is a marvelous person with many fond memories of her family. At first I will admit I was nervous about talking to her, if only because logic reminded me we knew absolutely nothing about each other up until a couple days ago. I know all too well that shared DNA doesn't necessarily mean there will be any sort of "connection"... but nerves quickly melted away and as we spoke, and I felt as if I had in fact known her all my life, or at least would have liked to.

On a side note: I find it interesting Dad (and of course Mom) and his unknown half-sister (Gloria) both named one of their daughters "Cheryl" - they spelled it different though.

I should also mention that I briefly chatted with a very excited man, Mario, who's researching his family... Turns out his Great-great Uncle was Romulo Marsans Sr. Mario was very excited to see all the pics Cheryl sent. He mentioned he had never before seen photos from that time in his family's life, I sat on the phone with him as he clicked through the photos shouting "THIS IS AWESOME!" numerous times.

The internet can be such an unbelievable asset for research, and each day, more and more data finds itself online as a result of some person's tedious efforts. I think now more than ever, it is important to contribute to the growing pool of data. Remarkable things can happen as a result... I know I feel a little different right now, a little more positive, somehow my life feels a little more meaningful today... I know that sounds corny, but it is true.