  Ct4438 Member Username: Ct4438 Post Number: 57 Registered: 08-2005 |
I thought I'd share a couple of terrific photos that my mother had of her grandfather's shop on McDougall. According to her information the address was 626 McDougall and I was wondering if this street was one of the many that was re-numbered at one point. The shop existed sometime around the 1910s-1940s I believe. His name was Paul J. Kraft. If anyone has access to a directory and could verify the dates I would really appreciate it!!   | ||
Ct4438 Member Username: Ct4438 Post Number: 58 Registered: 08-2005 |
http://i290.photobucket.com/al bums/ll243/mlp928/scan0004.jpg http://i290.photobucket.com/al bums/ll243/mlp928/scan0005.jpg Hope these links work for viewing of larger photos... | ||
Frankg Member Username: Frankg Post Number: 323 Registered: 08-2007 |
Wow Ct those photos are awesome! | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1678 Registered: 12-2005 |
Polk's 1928 Detroit City Directory is on-line here. 626-628 McDougall shows "Curtis, Jerry" on page 2471. Paul J. Kraft does not appear on page 1255. Type in the page number in the "Search this text" box and then scroll down to that page. In the "Format" drop down menu box, select "PDF" to get a higher quality image. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 4855 Registered: 10-2003 |
Wow, when did that copy of Polks get digitized? Are there any other years? | ||
Ct4438 Member Username: Ct4438 Post Number: 59 Registered: 08-2005 |
I'm not certain that the number is right. I am however certain it was McDougall and his name was Paul J. Kraft. According to my grandmother, they lived either behind or next to the shop. He moved the family to Harrison Township in the 20s. | ||
Kathinozarks Member Username: Kathinozarks Post Number: 1321 Registered: 11-2006 |
Ct, thanks for the awesome pictures. One thing I notice is how much dirt and dust is on everything. Pavement sure helped that, didn't it! | ||
Mashugruskie Member Username: Mashugruskie Post Number: 8 Registered: 09-2006 |
Check KROFT and KREFT. | ||
Mashugruskie Member Username: Mashugruskie Post Number: 9 Registered: 09-2006 |
CT, Your great great grandfather was Ernst Frances Charles KREFT. He was born in Germany in 1855. His wife was Carolina and she was born in Michigan. Ernst resided on Division Street in 1890 and owned his own business on Gratiot as a barrel maker. It is believed that your great great grandfather is my great great grandfather's brother. Your great grandfather, Paul, resided in 1920 at 626 MacDougall with his wife, Mary and their children. He registered for WWII and by 1930 is living in Harrison, Michigan. Paul is also found under the name of KROFT, KRAFT, and KREFT. Please contact me. I believe we are related. mc1r at mac dot com | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1680 Registered: 12-2005 |
I think U of M put it on-line back in 2005. I haven't been able to find any other Directories on their site. Here are a couple of useful pages of the Directory: Title Page (page 5) General Index (page 7) | ||
Kathinozarks Member Username: Kathinozarks Post Number: 1324 Registered: 11-2006 |
Mash and Ct, tell us if you are related and you didn't even know each other, ok? | ||
Eriedearie Member Username: Eriedearie Post Number: 1958 Registered: 08-2007 |
Ct what great pics! Thanks for sharing them; and here in the process, looks like you've connected with a cousin on here! I just love family history stories and finding relatives along the way. Makes my heart smile. | ||
Ct4438 Member Username: Ct4438 Post Number: 60 Registered: 08-2005 |
I was stunned to read a branch of my family tree described to me on here. Yes, Mash appears to be a distant relative I didn't know I had. In fact, I know almost nothing about Ernst (my gg grandfather's) extended family. I was just hoping for confirmation on dates and address of Paul's shop. Too funny! | ||
Matt_the_deuce Member Username: Matt_the_deuce Post Number: 819 Registered: 10-2003 |
Pages 201 to 209 has a nice list of hotels... | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 353 Registered: 12-2006 |
Thank you so much for that link, Mikeg. Even better that it's pre-Depression era Detroit, before a lot of families were disrupted by that. It even has occupations listed. Much appreciated! | ||
Sstashmoo Member Username: Sstashmoo Post Number: 1801 Registered: 02-2007 |
Thats a nice surprise for those two. The building in the pic looks as though it may have been used for a machine shop. Notice the link belt system in the ceiling. If thats what it is, doubtful a repair garage would have installed that. | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 370 Registered: 08-2007 |
love the old garage photos,thanks for the link to polk,s found my great grandpas address to his tailor shop. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 805 Registered: 03-2008 |
Amazing! Thanks for sharing. | ||
Grumpyoldlady Member Username: Grumpyoldlady Post Number: 147 Registered: 06-2005 |
Is that the only directory they have digitized? I'd like to see the 1930's and 40's. | ||
Ja1mz Member Username: Ja1mz Post Number: 121 Registered: 02-2007 |
I found my grandfathers address-awesome | ||
Django Member Username: Django Post Number: 1056 Registered: 10-2003 |
Grumpy, Im desperately trying to find the thread where you defended me when someone was making fun of the one eyed gardening rock stacker. I cant find any search results. Do you remember that?You said something like "Thats low, making fun of a blind guy" or something to that effect. I hope that was you and you can direct me. I searched your name and this is the only thread I came up with, where you have posted. ????? | ||
Frankg Member Username: Frankg Post Number: 324 Registered: 08-2007 |
I have 31 digitized Detroit City directories from the years 1852-1895. I bought them on eBay or something for like $50 or something like that a couple years ago. I should put together a website and put them online for everyone to use, too. I can't believe they are copyrighted or anything as copyrights run out after 50 years or something like that? Anyway, the directories are interesting. I found out my great-great grandfather was a blacksmith on Gratiot and Russel in 1861. His civil war army records showed he was a blacksmith before the war, and started as a blacksmith in the 1st Mich Lt. Artillery Battery A, but after the war he was a grocer. Seeing in the city directories he was in fact a blacksmith confirms the army records. I also found out the my grandmother's father or father, I don't remember which, literally married the girl next door. Another interesting tidbit is that I tracked my family residences on my Mom's and my Dad's side. They all started in the Eastern Market area in the mid-late 1800's. The most interesting thing is the outward migration with successive generations, each generation literally moving further from the city center largely along Gratiot, until the 1970's when they moved to the suburbs. But I can track the migration to what "was" the suburbs over the course of 150 years! | ||
Detroithabitater Member Username: Detroithabitater Post Number: 147 Registered: 10-2006 |
Hey frank I would be interested in your information. I bought a house that I can't peg early information on. The Burton only has directories 1850, 1865 and my house was built somewhere between that. I think the wayne country records indicated the area was opened to building in 1858, but I can't confirm. Id love to get my eyes on some of those directories. Let me know if you want to check into some things for me. | ||
Grumpyoldlady Member Username: Grumpyoldlady Post Number: 149 Registered: 06-2005 |
Django....Yes, that was definitely me. Don't know why you couldn't pull up all my postings in the search section. Did u search using my name only? I pulled up the list but don't have time to go through all of them. It might have been in the thread about talking to the cops about "Hank" across the street. If you can't find it let me know and I will look when I get a few minutes. Wasn't that the same posting where you or someone posted a closeup of an eyeball?? | ||
Eriedearie Member Username: Eriedearie Post Number: 1959 Registered: 08-2007 |
This is wonderful thread Ct - you've brought some much needed information into the lives of others, as well as yourself and a relative you didn't know you had! Just goes to show you what a source of information this forum is. You never know which words of a treasure you might find here from day to day. | ||
Spacemonkey Member Username: Spacemonkey Post Number: 735 Registered: 03-2006 |
Very cool. | ||
Cambrian Member Username: Cambrian Post Number: 1918 Registered: 08-2006 |
Great thread! I found my Great grand parents on MikeM's directory living at LaSalle right where the lodge is now. (Message edited by cambrian on June 20, 2008) | ||
Gibran Member Username: Gibran Post Number: 3061 Registered: 02-2007 |
found my grandparents on Congress...thanks | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3645 Registered: 10-2003 |
August 1915: Paul J Craft auto repair rear 626 McDougall phone Ridge 2602-R | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3646 Registered: 10-2003 |
Looking at an old Sanborn map, it appears that 626 McDougall was the fourth house north of Heidelberg on the east side of McDougall. The shop was a separate building in back on the alley. After the renumbering in 1920, the new address became 3418/3420 McDougall. Either the house was turned into a duplex or the additional number apples to the shop in back. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 3274 Registered: 01-2005 |
License plate on that car appears to be a 1916. It was the only year in the first three decades of Michigan plates that was white, except for 1910, but the cars are newer than 1910.  Sample from my collection:  | ||
Jgavrile Member Username: Jgavrile Post Number: 149 Registered: 09-2005 |
Ray 1936 check out this guys; web on the Mich. license plates. It looks like the one on the car is 1914?? http://madmaxsauthenticplates. com/index.html | ||
Papermoon Member Username: Papermoon Post Number: 44 Registered: 08-2007 |
Very cool - found assorted in-laws in the directory. Thanks for sharing it! | ||
Frankg Member Username: Frankg Post Number: 330 Registered: 08-2007 |
Detroithabitater send me an email fgoeddeke at gmail dot com | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 5619 Registered: 12-2005 |
Hehe. I found my grandparents too. Ambrose Foster Moore was a "compositor" (typesetter) for Mathews Industries, Inc. We called him "Grumpy Gramps" because he was anything but grumpy. We also called him Curly because he had no hair. I can't quite make out the address but I know they lived on Cooper Avenue -- at one time at 406 and another at something like ?5780 Cooper.  Thanks, Mikeg! | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3647 Registered: 10-2003 |
I had lunch on the east side so I drove by on my way home. The house and shop are still there but abandoned. The alley has a pile of debris behind the shop making it hard to get a closer look. Sorry - didn't have a camera with me. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 3277 Registered: 01-2005 |
Oooops....I overlooked the 1914. Yup, that be the year all right. The 1916 would have shown the aluminum medallion that was attached in the upper left, and the photo sure doesn't indicate that. | ||
Karl_jr Member Username: Karl_jr Post Number: 306 Registered: 06-2007 |
Excellent thread! This is the stuff that always keeps me here. If just 1 out of 10 threads could be this good it would be a perfect world for me. | ||
Grumpyoldlady Member Username: Grumpyoldlady Post Number: 150 Registered: 06-2005 |
Django...I found the posting you were asking about. It is in the thread "Detroit headed towards an urban wasteland". Here's a link to the page with my post... https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/5/143185.html?1213741696 | ||
Grumpyoldlady Member Username: Grumpyoldlady Post Number: 151 Registered: 06-2005 |
I'd love to have access to more City directories! So if anyone has them and can post links it would be greatly appreciated. | ||
Vetalalumni Member Username: Vetalalumni Post Number: 1029 Registered: 05-2007 |
Frankg, your digital collection would be very interesting if available on-line. Recommendation - make back-up copies of your digital collection. I'm a Software Developer and do a lot of web work and would be willing to assist in the effort to put the collection on-line. An alternative would be to donate (copies of) your collection to a worthy enterprise that currently archives and places such data on-line. | ||
Frankg Member Username: Frankg Post Number: 332 Registered: 08-2007 |
Well I have copies - I just need a place to upload them to. Let me know if you find a place I can put them. The later years are HUGE files. fgoeddeke at gmail dot com. | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 2328 Registered: 12-2005 |
From the looks of that second picture the building he worked out of had been a manufacturing plant before his car repair operation took it over. There are pulley shafts mounted from the roof joists that would have been driven by a stationary engine to power machine tools via belts that would go from a pulley on those shafts to a pulley on the machine tool. | ||
Sumas Member Username: Sumas Post Number: 161 Registered: 01-2008 |
It was really great to see someones history outlined on this thread. My parents got interested in our family geneology some years back. They did a great job researching both sides of the family. I can tell you I appreciate all the work they put into it. It somehow enhances the sense of family to know your roots. | ||
Soomka1 Member Username: Soomka1 Post Number: 101 Registered: 02-2007 |
Karl_Jr, you are exactly right. This is a great example of what a treasure this site is. Thank You Lowell! | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 381 Registered: 08-2007 |
Packman, i was thinkin the same thing, great thread. | ||
Ct4438 Member Username: Ct4438 Post Number: 61 Registered: 08-2005 |
For what it's worth, I don't know if the original intent of the shop was to be a garage to fix automobiles. My great-grandfather obviously had some knowledge and skill with machine repair and machining in general. He went on years later to build a "shop" or factory in Roseville called KraftTube Fabrications that produced metal tubing and other components. The building still stands although it houses an automotive supplier these days. I have complete firsthand knowledge of that building and that it was no mere "shop" but a full-fledged factory with large machines and dozens of employees. So, I appreciate all the input because the details in that picture are not really understood by myself or my immediate family. What you say makes sense. Also, I'm happy that I shared these photos. If it brought attention to anyone else's family history or brought about other links of info than I am so pleased. | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 383 Registered: 08-2007 |
If I can figure out how to do it a pic of your great grandpa,s garage will hang in mine. THANX | ||
Karl_jr Member Username: Karl_jr Post Number: 309 Registered: 06-2007 |
Not the greatest shot. Not sure this is it, it's near the address though.  (Message edited by karl jr. on June 22, 2008) | ||
Ct4438 Member Username: Ct4438 Post Number: 62 Registered: 08-2005 |
Reddog: What an honor! Thank you Karl_jr: Looks like that may be it, thank you for your efforts! | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 396 Registered: 08-2007 |
Tried to print ,but failed. Talking to my Mom on saturday she told me where my G.GRANDPA,S tailor shop was. It,s where MLK BLVD{MYRTLE] crosses the Eway. Good thing Ct4438 can see the links to his fore fathers. |
