Photoessay #414 - The Baumann family

My mother's family, probably around 1926. My mother, now 84, is the baby in this picture, she looks about two. From left to right

Regina Weil Baumann
Ruth Baumann (later Leichter)
Claire Baumann (later Ginsburgh)
Irwin Samuel Baumann

Prosperous young Jewish family in New Haven CT in the 20s. The Baumann family owner a rubber novelty company. My grandmother's father and grandfather were successful businessmen. Their match was considered quite a coup at the time. Nice cut to the clothes, particularly my grandfather. Not quite wealthy but quite well-to-do. Nice jewelry, china and silver, house at the beach, etc

But the depression hit this family very hard. The rubber company went under. My grandfather never recovered and never worked steadily the rest of his life. My grandmother ran a small gift stop from her living room and worked in a dry goods store for many years. I remember visiting her at work in the late 50s.

My mother always helped financially, my parents sent them 'loans'. All members except my mother passed away in the 1970s. My cousins and other extended family still live in the New Haven area.

My mother remember desperate financial times in her family during that time. She remembers coming home from school and complaining about a fried egg sandwich. "Shushh" ordered my grandmother "The egg man still takes credit".

Photo marked from the "Curtiss-Schervee Studios with locations in Boston, Worcester, Hartford and New Haven.