Jean Cook’s Recollections

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John Joseph Ford Sr was Jean’s grandfather
He was a NY City harbor pilot for the boats coming into the NY harbor. Tugboat captain. Had two tugboats… the MaryAnn and the Bronx.

In the 1910 census, he is listed as 46 years old.
Jean’s mother was pregnant with her when he died, must have been 1935.
John’s wife Delia (really Bridget) died long before that. Jean’s mother never knew her.
Andrew is Jean’s father’s older brother. He was very prominent in politics in NJ. Friends with one of the Edison’s. She’d guess Essex county politics. He was a member of the Essex Troupe (horse army). Jean’s mother went to his funeral so it must have been 1934 becuase mother told her that someone told her she didn’t get the best one, Andrew was the best one.

Delia’s sister Annie (Jean knew her) was married to John J Gormley (he had a cane). She lived to be up in her 80s.

Delia’s daughter Helen (born 1889) died when Jean was 6 years old, around 1941. Married Harold Lester who was very famous. They wanted him to go to California because he invented something to do with the phonograph or transcription. They had one daughter, Mary.

Lucy Ford (Jean’s father’s sister) married francis mcquade
graduated from montclair state
He was principal of school in north bergen
He taught at different school, catholic shcool in north bergen
They had two children… Daughter margaret (peggy) and son Francis jr. He was older than peggy
Peggy was about 4 or 5 years older than Jean.

John Joseph Ford. Jr. was born on David St. in South Arnboy on October 7. 1903. the son of John Joseph Ford, Sr., who was born in Philadelphia, Pa. and Delia (Bridget) Creed. who was bom in County Tipperary. Ireland. He was the nephew of John and Annie (Creed) Gormley who also resided in South Arnboy. John J. Ford. Sr. was a tugboat captain of “The Mary Ann” and “The Bronx”

When he was four years old. the family moved to 96 South 11th Street in the Roseville section of Newark. He attended St. Rose. of Lima School, and graduated from St. Benedict’s Prep. in Newark and also graduated from Catholic University in Washington D. C. He was employed by the New York Telephone ComDanv (now part of Bell Atlantic) until his death on October 14. 1965.

Cook Family Heritage – Eustace Family

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Eustace Family

One ancestor of the Cook family is the Eustace family that originated in Germany.  A great deal of information has been obtained through the assistance of Carol Haszto, a former co-worker of Joe Ragucci, who was searching her ancestors and came across Sophia Bartels and Charles Eustace as best man and maid of honor at her great grandparents wedding in 1888.  Specific documentation includes:

  • 1880 New York City census listing for the Sophia Bartels Eustace family
  • 1882 Marriage record for Charles Eustace and Sophia Bartels
  • 1900 New York City census listing for the Sophia Bartels Eustace family

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Cook Family Heritage – Bartels Family

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Bartels Family

One ancestor of the Cook family is the Bartel family that originated in Germany.  A great deal of information has been obtained through the assistance of Carol Haszto, a former co-worker of Joe Ragucci, who was searching her ancestors and came across Sophia Bartels and Charles Eustace as best man and maid of honor at her great grandparents wedding in 1888.  Specific documentation includes:

  • 1880 New York City census listing for the Sophia Bartels Eustace family
  • 1882 Marriage record for Charles Eustace and Sophia Bartels
  • 1900 New York City census listing for the Sophia Bartels Eustace Collins family
  • Genealogy records from Oldenburg,Germany

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Ciaccio, Rose and Rose – “almost hit by car”

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I was just a little girl walk down South 5th Street in Brooklyn holding my mother’s hand. Still holding mom’s hand, we arrived at the corner.  Suddenly, my mother felt a pull holding her back from crossing the street. In an instant a car jumped onto the sidewalk directly in front of us. Fortunately, neither of us were hurt. My mother said our guardian angels held us back and kept us safe. I’m sure they did!

DiGiovani, Ignatius (Nat) – “AUTOM”

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The following biography is taken from the Autom Religious Articles website (www.autom.com) founded by Nat DiGiovanni.

In late October of 1946, young Ignatius DiGiovanni was admitted to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. A childhood injury had left the 25-year old man with a misaligned jaw that needed to be broken and reset.  Surgery in 1946 was crude by today’s standards, and Ignatius lay in bed, out of work for six months, while his wired jaw healed.

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Ragucci, Rose & Michael – “Derogatory comments about teachers”

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It’s my birthday!

Birthdays are fun: cake, ice cream, presents and family.  On one particular birthday, when we were still living in Carteret, the entire family gathered as usual to celebrate my special day.  I was sitting at the head of the table; my brother-in-law Michael was sitting at the opposite end of the table. Michael, the practical joker that he is, decided to make a derogatory comment about teachers. Since my blood was boiling from hearing Michael’s comment, I wasn’t about to allow that comment to be ignored. So I took a huge scoop of whipped cream from my cake and flung it across the table towards Michael. I must have been a good shot because the whipped cream hit him smack dab in the middle of the forehead! After a period of  histerical laughter, Michael said I had gotten whipped cream on my new brown dining room carpet.  My reply: it was totally worth the shot! 1 point for me; 0 points for Michael.

Ragucci, Rose & Joe – “Thanksgiving traditions”

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It is a tradition in the family that Thanksgiving Dinner is at Rose & Joe’s home.  We have hosted Thanksgiving dinner every year since we were married in 1970.  It began with just Rose’s parents and then expanded year  after year to include more of the family.

During the early years of our marriage when we lived our home in Carteret, the family included mostly Rose’s “Ciaccio” family plus Rose’s parents and Joe’s parents and brothers and of course our daughter Rosalie. The “Ciaccio’s” would arrive early from New York where they lived (Uncle Joe, Adeline, and their son Jimmy, Uncle Jim and Aunt Irene, Uncle Mike, Uncle Andrew and Helen, and their daughter Carmela).  We would start with appetizers and Uncle Joe’s “bloody mary” drinks. It would then continue with a full dinner beginning with a turkey soup course, followed by the traditional thanksgiving feast with turkey and all the trimmings. Later it moved to the dessert course and finally to the large variety of liquors that Uncle Joe gave to us from his ship’s ports of call.   The day went from around 10 am to 9 pm and of course everything was home made by Rose and her mom.

As the Ciaccio family passed away, Thanksgiving became smaller with only Rose, Joe, Rosalie, Rose’s mom, Joe’s Dad, Mike and Rick.  For many of these years Fr. Dave Brown from St. Joseph’s church would join us for dinner.  He was so comfortable being here and everyone enjoyed his presence. One year we especially remember is when Fr. Brown was released from the hospital on Thanksgiving day and still made to our home for the Thanksgiving dinner  tradition.  Of course he sat in a chair and fell asleep between courses but who could blame him.

The Thaeaster_86nksgiving Dinner then began to slowly grow as Mike married Tammy and Rick married Patty and starting having their children (Kristin, Jackie, Dana, and Mark).  It stayed this size for many years until the Rick’s children started having their own families.

Photo from Thanksgiving during the 1980’s in Carteret.  Shown are
Marge, Dom, Tammy, Mike, Fr. Brown

Now, it has grown once again to include all the Ragucci clan including Rosalie’s family, Kristin, Jackiimg_0863e,  and Dana’s family, Rick’s wife Debbie, and the other family changes that have happened over time.

Photo from Thanksgiving 2016 in Edison.  Shown are the whole Ragucci clan in the sunroom.