Emile Jake Dath >> Born 1888 >>Profile

What do we know about Emile Jake Dath? The information below was pulled from a variety of records. There are plenty of gaps to fill, but a picture is beginning to emerge. If you think you can add to the story (or correct it!), please post a comment and cite any sources or e-mail dathfamily2@verizon.net. Thank you!

EMILE JAKE DATH
Also known as Emile Jack Dath
DOB: 7/20/1888
Place of Birth: Brussels, Belgium is listed in various citizenship documents. Oral history says that he was was from Anderlecht, which is one of the 17 municipalities that comprise the city(state) of Brussels. However, his WWI Draft Registration Card lists Mulhausen, Alsace, which is part of France. It is unclear why the discrepency exists. His draft card also lists a conflicting birthday.

DOD: 1/1968
Place of Death: Fort Pierce, FL
Place of Burial: TBD
Father: Emmanuel (B: 10/10/1866)
Mother: Louise (B: About 1871)
Siblings: Gerard Henry Dath , August, Marie, Jeanne

PHYSICAL DETAILS
Gender: Male
Complexion: Medium
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 167

IMMEDIATE FAMILY
Spouse #1: Helene Vendermeeren (Born in France in about 1899. Daughter of Pierre Vendermeeren and Amelie Loquet. She worked in mill (Note: Emile worked in a mill at that same time).

Marriage #1: September 21, 1911 in Haverhill, MA. Married by E.M. Lake (Minister). Emile was 25 and Helene was 22. The marriage was registered in Lawrence, MA. At the time of the marriage he lived on 385 Essex (Newton?, MA) and she lived at 15 Chestnut.

Spouse#2: Zoe Poublon (B: 5/25/1895, Wevleghem, Belgium > D: 12/1980, Caldwell, NJ)

Marriage #2: About 1915; Age @ Marriage: About 27 (Spouse was 21)

Children:
#1 Louise (Dath) Gormley (B: 7/11/1915, NE)
#2 Robert Jake (B: 9/10/1917, MT > D: 9/11/2002, Grandview, Missouri)
#3 Edward Emile (B: 8/22/1920, MA > D: 10/9/1991, Unknown)
#4 Russell George (B: 5/7/22, PA > D: 2/1/1982, Drexel Hill, PA)
#5 Roy Alfred (B: 7/12/1923, PA > D: 5/1982, Barnstable, MA)
#6 Emile Jake Jr. (B: 10/18/1924, PA > D: 5/18/1988, Pompton Lakes, NJ)
#7 Muriel Zoe (Dath) Martin (B: About 1925, PA) (Note: Possibly Muriel Funk at one point?)
#8 Zoe Sarah (Dath) Wells (B: 6/21/1927, PA > D: 10/16/2002, FL)
#9 Irene Jane (Dath) Post (B: About 1927, PA)

IMMIGRATION DETAILS
Nationality: Belgium (Race: Flemish)
Last place of residence: Brussels
Port of departure: Antwerp
Date of departure: 3/27/1907
Age at arrival: 19
Date of Arrival: 4/4/1907
Port of Arrival: TBD
Ship: Kroonland
Manifest # : TBD
Arrived with the following: TBD
Marital status upon arrival: Single
Date of Citizenship/Admission: Jan. 5th 1920 (Certificate # 1260217; Petition # 44027)

RESIDENCES
Known residences:
#1) 6 Silver Lake Ave., Newton, MA;
#2) Nebraska (1915);
#3) Laurel, Montana (1917)
#4) 3946 Dennison Ave., Drexel Hill, PA (Likely moved here between 1920-1922). (Note: The building, which is substantial in size, still stands and is known as ABC Land Pre School and Day Care).

OCCUPATIONS & EMPLOYERS
#1 Mill Hand (Immigration papers)
#2 Northern Pacific Railway Co. appears to be the company listed on his WWI draft card. The railway did run through Laurel, MT where he resided when he registerd. His occupation appears to say, "mechanic."
#3 Kent Mfg. Company, Clifton Heights, PA. Job unclear. Possibly superindent. (Note: Captured in WWII Registration Card. Likely started between 1920 & 1922.) See a history of Upper Darby which profiles Kent mills and the area. Several Kent Mills structures still stand on E. Broadway and on New Street. Family history indicates that he "ran the mill" for a period. He was apparently well compensated for his period at the mill.

US MILITARY SERVICE
Served: Yes.
Years: WWI 3/28/1918 - 5/20/1919. His WWI draft registration card is available.
Branch: Unknown
Also registered for WWII draft

MISCELLANEOUS
Witnesses for Petition for Naturalization - Alexander Fox (Druggist) and Emmanuel Dath (Father but listed as "Overseer" in reference to his occupation).

Emile was a charter member of the Green Pond Yacht Club, in Green Pond, NJ. Several members of his family (Mrs. Emile Dath, Emile Dath Jr., Roy Dath, Eddie Dath, Russell Dath) are also listed as charter members. Murriel "Dulh" might be a reference to his daughter Murriel.

There is ample reason to suggest Emile was financially well off. Family stories indicate that he bought a new 12 passenger Buick every year and that the Green Pond, NJ house was a summer home for sailing, tennis, etc. He also spent money on owning horses.

Oral family tradition suggests that he was a Mason.

Zoe Poublon, his wife, was also born in Wevleghem, Belgium. She arrived onboard the Finland on 10/8/1912 (age 20 and 5 months)(See ship documents pt1 and pt 2. She intended to visit her sister, last name Gryspeerdl and actually traveled with her sister's daughter. Her sister lived in Passaic, New Jersey. Her father was Isidore Poublon. Oral family history suggests that she was among the youngest of a large Catholic family of 11 or more children. At least one brother, Emile, is known to have moved to the US. She spoke Flemish and French, and English. She might have learned English in the US. She is thought to have been a housekeeper in NYC for a time. How she came to meet Emile is not known.

Like most immigrants Emile and Zoe did not encourage their children to learn the language from their homeland. The story is they spoke Flemish (and some say French) to each other and only in front of the kids, if they didn’t want them to understand. It is believed that Emile spoke several languages including Flemish, French, German, English and at least one other.


SELECT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
Petition for Naturalization for Emile Dath
Oath of Allegiance for Emile Dath
WWI draft card
WWII Draft Card
1910 Census (Rows 37-44)
1920 Census (Rows 44-47)
1930 Census (Rows 54-64)

Zoe (Dath) Wells, daughter of Emile Dath and Zoe (Poublon) Dath provided this detail in a 1996 letter: "I'll start with my mom. She was born in Flanders, Belgium. And she spoke Flemish. She went to school until she was 13 then she had to work as a house maid. My mom came to the states when she was 18, where she went to work in a woolen mill in Paterson, N.J. Mom met Dad while she was working there and they married two years later. There were 14 children in her family. Many came to the states. One of my Mom's sisters married a man (naturally) who owned a leather factory.

I'm not sure how old my Dad was when he came to the States. Dad was born in Brussels, Belgium. Dad had two brothers and two sisters. Dad spoke both Flemish and French. My Dad and his brothers served in World War I. His younger brother also served in World War II."

Louise V. Dath >> Born Abt 1869 >> Profile

MARY LOUISE (Vandeweerden) DATH
Note: There are some handwritten records that intepret her maiden name as "Vanmuylders" (or something similar). Two typed marriage records for children identify her maiden name as Vandeweerden. A death record for her son Gerard Henry lists her name as Vandeweerden.

DOB: 1871
Place of Birth: Belgium
DOD: 9/9/1931
Place of Death: Clifton Heights, PA
Final resting place: Mount Zion Cemetery, Collingdale, PA
Father: Unknown
Mother: Jean Vandeweerden (See Zeeland manifest and 1910 census)
Siblings: Unknown

PHYSICAL DETAILS
Gender: Female
Complexion: Fair
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5’ 4”

IMMEDIATE FAMILY
Spouse: Emmanuel
Children:
#1 Emile Jake Dath
#2 August
#3 Jeanne
#4 Marie
#5 Gerard Henry Dath

IMMIGRATION DETAILS
Nationality: Belgium (Race: Flemish)
Last place of residence: Brussels, Belgium
Language: Flemish (a Dutch dialect)

First Trip
Port of departure: Liverpool
Date of departure: 9/16/1906
Date of arrival: 9/22/06 or 9/23/06
Age at arrival: 36
Port of arrival: Ellis Island
Ship: Lucania
Manifest #: 11
Arrived with: Emmanuel Dath (Husband, Age 39), August Dath (Son, Age 14)
Reference: Lucania passenger list (excerpt)

Second Trip
Port of departure: Antwerp
Date of departure: 12/14/1907
Date of arrival: 12/24/1907
Age at arrival: 36
Port of arrival: Ellis Island
Ship: Zeeland
Manifest #: 1
Arrived with: Her children....Jeanne Dath (Age 11), Marie Dath (Age 9), Gerard Henry Dath (Age 7), and Jean Vanderweerden or (Age 56, Mother, Born in Belgium according to 1910 Census)
Reference: Zeeland passenger list (excerpts) >> Part 1 and Part 2

Third Trip
Port of departure: Liverpool
Date of departure: 3/6/1915
Date of arrival: 3/15/1915
Age at arrival: 44
Port of arrival: Ellis Island
Ship: Orduna
Manifest #: 18
Arrived with: Jeanne Dath (Age 19); Marie Dath (Age 17); Henry Dath (Age 14)
Reference: Orduna passenger list (excerpts) >> Part 1 and Part 2

Date of Citizenship/Admission: Unknown

Residences:
190 Chapel St. Newton, MA (1910 Census)
278 California St., Newton, MA;
198 or 1999 Pearl St, Newton, MA (Gerard Henry Dath’s Registration Card. Abt. 1918)
6 Silver Lake St., Newton, MA (1920 Census) (Note: listed as Silverlake in documents);
48 Berkley Ave, Clifton Heights, PA (1930 Census)

Occupation(s) & Employer(s)
Usually listed has wife/mother or none
Something listed in 1930 census. Not legible.

MISCELLANEOUS
Zeeland manifest references a brother, Louis Vanderweerde (OR Van Maulda or Vanmuylders) from Anderlecht, which is one of the 17 municipalities that comprise the city(state) of Brussels.

SELECT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
1910 Census document (rows 37-43)
1920 Census document (rows 4-7)
1930 Census document (rows 55-56)
Luciana passenger list (excerpts) >> View (only Part 1 had data)
Zeeland passenger list (excerpts) >> Part 1 and Part 2
Orduna passenger list (excerpts) >> Part 1 and Part 2

RESOURCES
ancestry.com (census data, other)
ellisislandrecords.com (passenger lists, ship)

The Chester Times, Chester, PA, September 11, 1931



Mt. Zion Cemetery, Collingdale, PA

Emmanuel Dath >> Born 10/10/1866 >> Profile

If you think you can add to the story, please post a comment and cite any sources or e-mail dathfamily2@ verizon.net. Thank you!

EMMANUEL DATH
Note: A marriage record for his son August refers to him as Victor E. Dath.

DOB: 10/10/1866
Place of Birth: Waasmunster, Belgium
DOD: 11/13/1932
Place of Death: Wayland, MA*
Final resting place: Mt. Zion Cemetery, Collingdale, PA
Father: Unknown
Mother: Melania Dath (B: 6/4/1847, Waasmunster, BE; D: 8/2/1916, Brussels, BE)
Siblings: Jan Frans Dath (father unknown).  Half-siblings: Celestina Campens, August Campens, Juliana Campens.  Father of the Campens siblings was Jacobus Campens


PHYSICAL DETAILS
Gender: Male
Complexion: Dark
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5’ 7” (Age 39)

IMMEDIATE FAMILY
Spouse: Louise Vanderweerde (there are multiple spellings for her last name)
Marriage: About 1887, Age 21 (Louise was 17)
Children:
#1 Emile Jake Dath
#2 August
#3 Jeanne
#4 Marie
#5 Gerard Henry Dath

IMMIGRATION DETAILS
Immigrant: Yes
Nationality: Belgium
Last place of residence: Brussels, Belgium
Language: Flemish (a Dutch dialect) is documented.
Port of departure: Liverpool
Date of departure: 9/16/1906
Age at arrival: 39
Date of Arrival: 9/22/1906 or 9/23/06
Port of Arrival: Ellis Island
Ship: Lucania
Manifest #: Lucania - 21 (Reference excerpt from manifest)
Arrived with the following: Louise (Age 36), August (Age 14)
Marital status upon arrival: M
Destination upon arrival: 650 W. 158th St, NY. Visiting a friend named D. Boquet (Sp?).
Date of Citizenship/Admission: Jan. 4th 1915 (Certificate # 518539; Petition # 12985)

Residences:

988 chaussee de Mons, Brussels, Belgium (Year, 1902)
1054 chaussée de Mons, Brussels, Belgium (Year, 1904)
36 Gray St, Newton, MA (Referenced in Zeeland manifest by Louise as her destination)
190 Chapel St. Newton, MA (1910 Census)
198 or 1999 Pearl St, Newton, MA (Gerard Henry Dath’s Registration Card. Abt. 1918)
278 California St., Newton, MA;
6 Silver Lake St., Newton, MA (1920 Census) (Note: listed as Silverlake in documents);
48 Berkley Ave, Clifton Heights, PA (1930 Census) (Note: There is a 48 E. Berkely Ave address with an older home. It is unknown if it is the same home referenced in the 1930 census).

Occupation(s):

In Belgium, prior to immigration.

1902.  There is a Brussels almanac in which is occupation is "poissons fumes et a la daube" which Google Translate interprets to be "smoked fish and beef stew."

1904.  There is Brussels almanac in which his occupation is listed as  "contremaître."  This reference is for a man who managed a team of workers, it does not specify in which specialty.  It seems likely that he worked in a wool factory known as D'Aoust & Frères (D'Aoust & Brothers).  There appears to be a family connection to the mill.  

In the United States
“Overseer” and “Weaver” are cited in immigration papers. “Superintendent” in wool mill industry (probably Kent Mills, Clifton Heights, PA) is cited in 1930 census. A 1910 book, "Chemical abstracts, Volume 4, Part 1" makes reference to a "composition for dressing textile stocks" that is attributed to Emmanuel Dath.

SELECT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
1910 Census (Rows 37-44)
1920 Census document (rows 4-7)
1930 Census document (rows 55-56)
Petition for naturalization
Luciana passenger list (excerpt)

RESOURCES
ancestry.com (census data, other)
footnote.com (citizenship related materials)
ellisislandrecords.com (passenger lists, ship)



Birth Record for Emmanuel Dath. (see on Flickr)

From 1902 City of Brussels Almanac, Page 35 (see)
Note: Identifies Dath, E. living at 988 Chausee de Mons.  Occupation has something to do with smoked fish.  This address is in Anderlecht, which is consistent with other documentation related Emmanuel before he moved to the US.   This is the only Dath in the Almanac (the phone book of its time).

From 1904 City of Brussels' Almanac, Page 45 (see)
Note:  The "Dath, E." referenced here likely is Emmanuel Dath.  The "Dath (Ep.)" reference is for a spouse which likely is his wife Louise.  This street takes people into the heart of Brussels via Anderlecht, which today is a municipality within Brussels.  The "contremaître" reference is for a man who managed a team of workers, it does not specify in which specialty.  Given later jobs, it seems likely that he was a "contremaître" in a factory.  Louise, it appears had her own shop of tissues, threads, needles, buttons.....("mercerie" in French).  Note that "aunages" is a reference to a measurement of cloth.  All of this is consistent with Emmanuel's future role as a supervisor in a fabric mill.

From the Chester Times, Chester, PA, November 14, 1932:



From the Chester Times, Chester, PA, November 14, 1932:



From the Chester Times, Chester, PA, November 17, 1932:



From the Chester Times, Chester, PA, April 7, 1933:



From Mt. Zion Cemetery, Collingdale, PA