Notes for Charles Lowe Bruce: By the time he was born in 1893, slaves had been freed in Jamaica for almost 50 years. Was a very tall man. If I remember, he was possibly more than 6'? 1893: Born and raised in Ballard's Valley, St. Mary, Jamaica, (originally a banana plantation). He may have attended free elementary school there. There was a drought in Jamaica when he was about 9. 1901: steamers started going to Canada and elsewhere with banana trade. 1907: He told Dad he remembers earthquake this year. He lives on Charles Walker Lowe's plantation, "Ballard's Valley". 1914, he's 21 when WWI broke out. Jamaica had no draft but many volunteers. Jamaica also had the Jamaica Reserve Regiment to defend its own island. Shipping was interrupted for a time due to the war. 1915: 1930 Census he says this is the year he emigrated to USA. Dad says he "jumped ship" in NY. Dad says he would not become US citizen. He said "I was born a British subject and I'll die a British subject." Dad says he may have fibbed about dates to avoid trouble over illegal status. He was not a citizen of US until he married Mary Lucy. 1918: WWI ended (he's abt 25) He probably could travel easier after that. Had a first wife (name not known) in Jamaica. She was Jewish and owned the building where Bruce's Patties were sold. As a result, he could not sell the name or the business. 1922: At abt 28 he married Mary Craig. 1923: Prohibition starts. 1929: Great Depression. He was an auto mechanic in Astoria Queens. How did they survive? I need to figure out when he left Jamaica and how he met Mary Craig. 1930: US Census, he fibs about first marriage and mother's origin. Note: In 1866 it took a ship almost 14 days to bring bananas to Boston from Jamaica, according to a book. Bananas were grown mostly in Port Antonio. Refrigeration and steam ships made the business viable. Frequent trips to the States with passengers then started.
More About Charles Lowe Bruce: Date born 2: 1894, Scotland.7 Burial: 20 Apr 1981, Flushing Cemetary, NY - Plot 576-c, Section 28.8 Died 2: Apr 1981, Flushing, Queens, New York, United States of America.9 Emigration: 1915 Occupation 1: 1900, Stoker on a ship from Jamaica. Occupation 2: 1915, Auto Mechanic, Bayer Chevrolet, Astoria, Queens, NY, USA. Residence 1: 1930, Astoria, NY, USA.10 Residence 2: 1930, Queens, Queens, New York.11 Social Security Number: 127-12-9681.12 SSN issued: New York.12
More About Charles Lowe Bruce and Mary Lucy Craig: Marriage: 01 Sep 1927, Pittston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA.13
Children of Charles Lowe Bruce and Mary Lucy Craig are:
Charles Lowe Bruce (b. 24 Sep 1893, d. 16 Apr 1981)
Notes for Charles Lowe Bruce: