GEDCOM Note
The second child of Louis Alexander and Sara Elizabeth (Jennings) Fanovich (my 2nd great-grandparents) was Henrietta Charlotte “Lili” Fanovich. She was born in about 1884 in Trinidad, British West Indies according to the page 15 of the 1930 Census for Brooklyn Borough, Kings County, New York where she lists her age as 46. However, if she was born in 1884, she would have been 11 years old when she was married in 1895, and 12 years old when her daughter Adrian Leslie Clarke was born on 11 February 1896. I noticed that the 1930 census also lists that she was 18 years old when first married. Assuming the marriage certificate date of 1895 is correct leads to a birth date of about 1877 for Lili, and she is actually 53 years old in 1930. Her first name is listed as “Henrietta” on her marriage certificate, on the 1930 census and on her funeral prayer card, whereas it is listed as “Henriette” on several other references. According to her New York death record she was born in about 1874 and died at age 63. I have set her preferred name as “Henrietta” and her preferred birth date as 1877 in my genealogy file.
Lili married Ernest William “Richard” "Dick" Clarke on 20 April 1895 in Trinidad, British West Indies, and this date is confirmed by the marriage license. Ernest was employed as a Clerk living in Belmont, Trinidad at the time of the marriage and Lili is a spinster who is living in Belmont as well. The marriage was performed at the Sacred Heart Church and the witnesses were A. J. Marsan and L. Mitchell. I believe that the L. Mitchell listed as a witness is Lucie Mitchell. Lili recorded Lucie Mitchell’s birth in 1873 and her death in 1897 in her prayer book. Note that there was a Felix Marsan who died in 1916 that was married to Victoria Isabella Clarke who died in 1916. The relation between Victoria and Ernest Clarke has not been determined.
Richard was born in about 1878 in Trinidad, British West Indies according to the page 15 of the 1930 Census for Brooklyn Borough, Kings County, New York where he lists his age as 51. His age entry on this census could be 57 instead of 51 indicating a birth in 1873. However, the 1930 census also indicates that he was 24 years old when he was married in 1895, which indicates a birth year of about 1871, which would make Dick 59 years old in 1930, which is not indicated by his age entry. Could it be possible that both Richard and Lili subtracted between 3 and 8 years from their age when providing information for the 1930 census?
Henrietta Charlotte “Lili” Fanovich emigrated from Trinidad to Brooklyn, New York in 1922, and she is listed as an alien in the United States on the 09 April 1930 census. She also lists herself as a housewife on this census. The same census states that her husband Richard emigrated from Trinidad to the United States in 1928, six years after his wife. However, I found an Ellis Island record showing Ernest arriving on the ship "Marowyne" from Port-of-Spain, Trinidad on 12 October 1909. Perhaps he was arriving at Ellis Island on a business trip in 1909, and then returned to Trinidad where he would have two more children with Lili. Richard states that he is a clerk in the shipping business in 1930.
On the 1930 census Richard lists that his father was born in Barbados and his mother was born in Trinidad. In column 23 it lists that Richard has taken out the first papers in the three-step process for United States citizenship. After residing in the United States for 2 years, an alien could file a "declaration of intent" (so-called "first papers") to become a citizen. After 3 additional years, the alien could "petition for naturalization." After the petition was granted, a certificate of citizenship was issued to the alien. The 1928 immigration date in column 22 on the 1930 census for Richard would meet the two year requirement for the first papers denoted as “Pa”. After 1922, a female spouse would have to file her own papers as she would no longer be granted citizenship when her husband was issued his certificate. Lili apparently has not begun her citizenship process.
Henrietta died on 01 September 1937 in New York, New York County, New York. Joan (Fanovich) Nelson remembered that Richard dying when she was a young teenager which would be about 1940.
She is buried in section 29, row W grave 8 in the Saint John's Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens County, New York,
I was told the Fanovich Family Bible went to New York with Henrietta Charlotte “Lili” Fanovich, and it is in the possession of her descendants. According to Kristen (Westerman) Kanter, great-granddaughter of Lili Fanovich, the Fanovich Family Bible is actually Henrietta Charlotte "Lili" (Fanovich) Clarke's prayer book from 1890. These are pictures of the front and back covers of Lili’s prayer book.
On one of the front pages of Henrietta Charlotte “Lili” (Fanovich) Clarke’s prayer book is handwritten notes: Adrian Lesley Clarke born 4 am Tues 11 February 96 (1896), Cybil Ernest Clarke born 13 April 3 pm died 24 April 1897, and Lucie Mitchell born the 23rd of unknown month in 1793 and died the 24th of an unknown month in 1897. Note that there is a L. Mitchell is listed as a witness on Lili’s marriage certificate. Eddy J. Washington gave this prayer book to Lili when she was 13. I added the information for Adrian and Cybil to the family page for Richard and Lili as their surname “Clarke” is clearly handwritten. I did not add Lucie Mitchell as the surname “Clarke” is not inscribed in the prayer book, and Lucie will remain an unknown friend or relative that unfortunately Lili cared deeply about.
Richard and Henrietta “Lili” (Fanovich) Clarke’s daughter Iris L. Clark was born in about 1905 in Trinidad, British West Indies. Iris likely emigrated from Trinidad to New York in 1922 with her mother. She married Bruce H. Pates in about 1929, most likely in New York. Bruce was born in about 1903 in British Guyana. Bruce states that both his mother and father were from England on the 1930 census. Bruce states that he is an electrical engineer and Iris records that she was a housewife on the 09 April 1930 census. Bruce emigrated from Trinidad to the United States in 1918.
Iris died about 1989 according to her granddaughter Kristen Westerman (Kanter). Bruce died in July 1994 according to Sheila (Mathews) McNab. Bruce had emphysema. Later he was blind and died in a home according to Kristen (Westerman) Kanter. Bruce and Iris (Clark) Pates had three children, Joan Pates, Robert “Bobby” Pates, and William "Billy" Pates. The Fanovich family bible was actually Henrietta “Lili” (Fanovich) Clarke’s prayer book, and was passed down to Iris (Clark) Pates. Margaret (Mathews) Weller recalled that Joan Pates tried to get the family bible from Billy when he died.
The oldest child of Bruce and Iris (Clark) Pates was Joan Pates. Joan married John Westerman. They lived at 190 72nd St Apt 128 Brooklyn, NY 11209 at one time. Joan died in April of 1994 according to her daughter Kristen (Westerman) Kanter. Joan (Pates) Westerman experienced a heart attack and died while helping to transport her father Bruce Pates by ambulance to the hospital.
The second child of John and Joan (Pates) Westerman was Kristen “Kris” Westerman born in New York in about 1975. Kris lived at 190 72nd Street, apartment 128 in Brooklyn, New York at one time. Kris married Joshua P. Kanter. Joshua attended Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, Cheshire County, New Hampshire. They live in Great Barrington, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Kris was employed in the Child Abuse Enforcement with the New York District Attorney Office. Joshua and Kris are the owners of JK Custom Furniture and Design.
The second child of Bruce and Iris (Clark) Pates was Robert “Bobby” Pates. Bobby was employed as an executive. His wife’s name was Jennifer. Robert and Jennifer Pates had four children, Robert Pates, Annie Pates, Helen Jo Pates and Christopher Pates.
The third child of Bruce and Iris (Clark) Pates was William “Billy” Pates. William served in the military during the Korean War. He died in August 1984.
Richard and Henrietta “Lili” (Fanovich) Clarke’s daughter Elsa Clarke was born about 1910 in Trinidad, British West Indies. Elsa Clarke immigrated to Trinidad to New York in 1922. Elsa wished to be a nun and it was reported that Elsa worked in Fátima, which is a central Portuguese town that's home to the Sanctuary of Fátima, a Catholic pilgrimage site. She stated that she was a housewife on the 09 April 1930 census. Kristen (Westerman) Kanter recalled that Elsa may never have married John “Jack” Mole who was a writer. Elsa had a son that moved to either upstate New York, or California. Elsa disappeared before 1991 and never heard from again.
Richard and Henrietta “Lili” (Fanovich) Clarke’s daughter Rita C. Clarke was born about 1912 in Trinidad, British West Indies. Rita C. Clarke immigrated to Trinidad to New York in 1922. She was employed as a bank clerk on 09 April 1930. She suffered from warts. Rita never married. She lived across the hall from Kristen (Westerman) Kanter’s family. Rita died on 25 December of 1991 or 1992
The third child of Louis Alexander and Sara Elizabeth (Jennings) Fanovich was an unknown female that married a man of color from Barbados. Her husband was a driver of a horse-drawn cab, and they had offspring.
Henrietta is buried in Section: 29 Row: W Grave: 8 in the Saint John Cemetery and Mausoleum. Also known as Saint John Cemetery , Saint John Roman Catholic Cemetery , Saint John's Cemetery Middle Village, Queens County, New York, USA
