Part 3 examines more Galveston and Galveston Island victims. The profiles include discussion of archival sources and their limitations. Victim lists often contain incorrect, incomplete, and contradictory information, making any effort to identify hurricane casualties a major undertaking.
Parts 1 and 2 of this series can be viewed at the following links:
Those Who Fell: Part 1 of Profiles of Selected 1900 Storm Victims
Those Who Fell: Part 2 of Profiles of Selected 1900 Storm Victims
Recorded victims: Robert Alderdice (46th and Broadway); Mrs. R. L. Alderdice (husband alive at Beaumont), and three children. (GTHC)
According to the 1898 Galveston city directory, Robert L. Allardyce was a foreman at International Creosoting and Construction Co., 207 22nd Street. Allardyce resided at 4414 Church (Galveston Ward 6). He served as a trustee of Gulf City Council No. 4, Order of Chosen Friends, a fraternal organization. The 1899-1900 Galveston city directory does not list him.
HeritageQuest transcribes his name as “Robert E. Alendyce,” although the handwritten surname can also be read as “Alerdyce." The 1900 U. S. census enumerated the family at 4523 Broadway (Galveston Ward 7). The address was located within the hurricane’s region of total destruction.
Robert L. Allardyce, an engineer, was born in January 1869 in Texas. His father was Scottish; his mother South American. He married in 1889.
Mary Allardyce, his spouse, was born in April 1869 in Germany. She was the mother of three living children: Ada (born November 1889), Euphena (November 1892), and Catharine (September 1896). The children were born in Texas. Ada attended school.
Robert Allardyce was not listed in the 1901-02 or subsequent Galveston city directories. The 1910 census enumerated Robert L. Allardyce, a widower, in Justice Precinct 1, Bowie County, Texas. He boarded and still worked in the creosoting business. His parents were recorded as Canadian. He was still living in Bowie County in the 1920 census. Allardyce then had a wife and four children. According to the 1920 census, his father was born in Nova Scotia and his mother in Texas. By the 1930 census, Allardyce and his family were living in Texarkana, Bowie County, Texas. He worked as a superintendent in the timber industry.
Robert L. Allardyce died on February 27, 1932, in Texarkana, Texas.
Recorded victims: Samuel Bonner (age 40); Mrs. Samuel Bonner (36th – 37th streets). (GTHC)
Samuel Bonner is not listed in the 1899-1900 Galveston city directory. The 1900 census enumerated him living at a rental property at 3615 Avenue S½ (Galveston ward 7). The address was within the hurricane’s region of total destruction.
Bonner, a house carpenter, was born in May 1860 in Ohio. He married in 1900. His spouse, [Rosa] Bonner, was born in April 1868 in Canada. She was of English Canadian extraction. She had no living children.
According to Galveston County marriage records, Samuel Holmes Bonner married Jane Rosina Latimer. (Texas, Select County Marriage Index, 1837-1965, in Ancestry, online).
Find a Grave (online) records Samuel and Rose Bonner’s deaths on September 8, 1900. Find a Grave records Samuel’s burial location as Oleander Cemetery (the name given in 1939 to the Potter's Field in Galveston).
Samuel Bonner appears to have moved from Houston to Galveston shortly before the 1900 Storm. The 1895 Houston, Texas, city directory listed Samuel Bonner, carpenter, who boarded at 703 Walker. The 1899 Houston directory also listed a Samuel Bonner.
Few local residents would have known individuals and families who came to Galveston shortly before the 1900 Storm. These persons may account for many named victims which have yet to be identified.
Recorded victims: Mrs. Jacob C. Curtis (b) and child. (GTHC)
The 1899-1900 Galveston city directory lists Jacob C. Curtis, an African-American laborer, as residing at 1005 Avenue K.
The Curtis family were living at 1406 Avenue N (Galveston Ward 11) at the time of the 1900 census. The residence stood on the outer southern edge of the hurricane’s region of partial destruction.
According to the census, Jacob C. Curtis was born in March 1871 in Louisiana. His father was from Maryland; his mother was a native of Louisiana. Jacob married in 1893.
His wife, Jenny Curtis, was born in May 1875 in Texas. She had one living child, Lula, who was born in July 1889 in Texas.
Lucy and Clara Burley, both African-Americans, boarded with the Curtis family. Lucy, who was widowed, was born in 1874 in Texas. Clara was also born in Texas in 1896. Lucy survived the 1900 Storm. The 1910 census enumerated her as a servant residing in the household of George D. Morgan, a merchant.
According to the 1905 Galveston city directory, Jacob C. Curtis was the pastor of St. Luke’s Missionary Baptist Church. He resided at 1227 Avenue M½ with two other persons. At the time of the census in April 1910, Curtis was a clergyman in Austin, Ward 5, Travis County, Texas. He had married Beulah Curtis in about 1904. The couple had three sons and a daughter.
Curtis died on January 30, 1931, in Galveston County. (Texas Death Index, 1903-2000, in Ancestry, online).
Recorded victims: W. D. Dammill (b) (school principal); Mrs. W. D. Dammill/ W. D. Darnell (b) (school principal); Mrs. W. D. Darnell (GTHC). W. D. Donnell, wife, and one child. A son, aged 13 years, saved. (Genealogy Trails)
Local educators were among the professionals who died in the 1900 Storm. The 1899-1900 Galveston city directory listed William D. Donnell, an African-American. He served as principal of West District School. His residence at 2718 Avenue P½ (Galveston Ward 8) was in a coastal ward which suffered total destruction.
According to the 1900 census, Donnell, a school teacher, was born in December 1864 in Tennessee. He married in 1896. His wife, Evelina W. Donnell, was born in October 1872 in Texas. She had one living child. Two children resided in the household: Alonzo W. Donnell, born in April 1886 in Kansas, and Helen May Donnell, born in August 1898 in Texas.
At the time of the 1900 Storm, segregation was in effect. Public education for children of color in Galveston came about in the administration of Edmund H. Davis (1827-83), Reconstruction Governor of Texas (1870-74). Two schools were established in 1881. These were East Broadway Colored School, renamed East District School, and the Barnes Institute, which became West District School. The Barnes Institute was founded circa 1870 by Sarah Barnes, a missionary to post-Civil War Galveston. The two schools served respective neighborhoods to the east and west of 17th Street.
By 1892, West District School had moved to the southwest corner of 35th Street and Avenue M ½. It served African-American students west of 24th Street.
The Galveston Daily News, July 9, 1893, listed W. D. Donnell as a mathematics teacher at Central High School. According to the 1893-94 Galveston city directory, he served as vice-principal of Central High School. By the mid-1890s, Donnell had become principal of West District School.
Alonzo Donnell was the family’s only survivor. His name did not appear in Galveston city directories until the 1916 edition, which listed him as rooming at 1311 27th Street. Two other persons resided with him. The Galveston Daily News, May 24, 1917, reported that he died of gunshot wounds in a rooming house.
Recorded victims: Albert R. G. Edwards (sexton, Lake View Cemetery) (age 40) and family (unknown number). (GTHC) A. R. G. Edwards and six children. (Natchez Belle; Texas Genealogy Trails)
The 1899-1900 Galveston city directory lists Edwards as sexton at Lakeview Cemetery at 57th Street and Avenue T½. He resided at 2501 31st Street. According to the 1900 census, the Edwards family lived at 3107 Avenue P (Galveston Ward 7). The house, which was close to the beach, was located within the region of total destruction.
Albert Edwards was born in May 1857 in England. He married in 1877 and immigrated in 1885.
His wife, Minnie Edwards. was born in November 1868 in Texas. She was of English extraction. Minnie was the mother of six living children: Fred (born October 1885), Richard (November 1887), Nellie (February 1890), Harry (November 1891), Florence (January 1896), and Walter (June 1898). The children were born in Texas. Fred, Richard, and Nellie Edwards attended school.
Minnie Edwards, ostensibly the only family member to survive the disaster, is not listed in Galveston city directories through 1909-10.
Mary Powers, Albert Edwards’ mother-in-law, lived with the family. A widow, she was born in November 1843 in England. Her father was English; her mother was a Texas native. She died in the 1900 Storm according to Texas Genealogy Trails (online).
Recorded victims. Julius Falk (43rd & Avenue S) and five children. (GTHC)
According to the 1899-1900 Galveston city directory, Julius Falk, a carpenter, lived on the west side of 43rd Street between Avenue S and Avenue S½ (Galveston Ward 7). His residence was squarely within the hurricane’s region of total destruction.
The 1900 census spelled his first name as "Julus." Falk was born in July 1872 in Germany. He immigrated in 1882 and married in 1892.
His wife, Ida S. Falk, was born in June 1880 in Sweden. She immigrated in 1882. Ida had two living children, Nora T. Falk (born in November 1885) and Rube L. Falk (September 1899). Both children were born in Texas. Nora worked in a bagging mill.
As is sometimes the case with victim lists, the number of children reported as family casualties is at variance with the number of children the census enumerated in a household.
Ida Falk was formerly Ida Erickson. (Texas, Select County Marriage Index, 1837-1965, in Ancestry, online)
Julius Falk was the family’s sole survivor. He is not listed in the 1901-02 Galveston city directory; however, in the 1903-04 edition, he still worked as a carpenter and roomed at 4302 Ball. Lubberttus H. Boerhaven, who sold groceries and beer, resided at this address.
When and where Falk died are unknown. The 1920 census enumerated Adella Falk, evidently his widow, who was born circa 1881 in Texas. She resided with her family at 4127 Avenue R (Galveston Ward 7). One of her children was Joulious [Julius] Falk, born circa 1913. The census recorded the birthplace of Julius’ father as Germany. The father must have died between 1912 and 1920. A search of indexes to Galveston mortuary records between these dates did not yield a record for Julius Falk. Possibly, he returned to Germany.
Recorded victims: Professor Gibson (b) and family (unknown number). (GTHC)
The 1899-1900 Galveston city directory lists John R. Gibson as principal of Central High School. He resided at 919 Broadway (Galveston Ward 12), which was located within the hurricane’s region of total destruction.
According to the 1900 census, Gibson was born in April 1849 in Virginia. He married in 1886. Adie L. Gibson, his spouse, was born in May 1861 in Texas. Her father was a native of North Carolina; her mother came from South Carolina.
Adie had four living children: Roscoe (born in June 1886), Therese (June 1888), Grace (December 1890), and John R. Gibson, Jr. (March 1899).
The entire family survived the 1900 Storm. John R. Gibson died in December 12, 1948, after a long and distinguished career in education. He organized Central High School in Galveston and retired as its principal in 1936. The high school grew out of Central Grammar School. It was the first high school in Texas to serve African-American students. Gibson also served as librarian of the Rosenberg Library’s Colored Branch, established in 1905 during a time of racial segregation. The branch operated out of Central High School.
Recorded victims: Louisa Lindner and five children. (GTHC)
The 1900 census enumerated A. [Franz] Lindner (recorded as “Lintner”). He and his family were residents on Bolivar Peninsula (Justice Precinct 8, Galveston County). [Franz], a farmer, was born in May 1864 in Germany. He immigrated in 1879 and married ten years later.
His wife, Louisa, was born in August 1865 in Texas. Her father was Swedish; her mother, Dutch. She had two living children. Three children lived in the household: Sophy (born September 1890), Lillian (November 1892), and Alphonse (May 1895). The children were born in Texas. Sophy attended school.
The 1900 census enumerated approximately seven hundred residents of the Bolivar Peninsula. Many heads of families were farmers and farm laborers, although others were “boatmen,” railroad personnel, or worked in other occupations.
Recorded victims: Conrad Niece (44th & Avenue S), wife, and five children.
Niece is not listed in the 1899-1900 Galveston city directory. The 1900 census enumerated the family at 4324 Avenue S (Galveston Ward 7). This ward suffered massive destruction in the 1900 Storm.
Conrad Nisse, a cotton screwman, was born in January 1859 in Germany. He married in 1884 and immigrated five years later.
Mary Nisse, his spouse, was born September 1864 in Germany. She was the mother of four living children: Sophie (14 years), George (12), Charles (7), and Leon (2). The children were natives of Texas. Sophie was a school student.
The Nisse family is an example of discrepancies between the number of children in a family claimed as hurricane victims and the number of children in the household.
Recorded victim: William B. Sorely. (GTHC)
In the 1900 census, Sorely resided at 1717 Church (Galveston Ward 3). Ward 3, which embraced part of the northern portion of the East End, saw few hurricane casualties.
William B. Sorely, a farmer, was born in October 1827 in Scotland. He married in 1866.
His wife, Emma Sorely, was born in November 1847 in Germany. She had one living child. Willie Fitchett, a granddaughter and a school student, resided with the family.
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