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Our Irish Roots, Pt 2- First born son Rev. Thomas Henry Filben
Rev. Dr. Thomas Filben
Today's blog post will start off information about the children of Thomas and Hanora Filben.
But before going in chronological order of each of their children, I would like to write about the most famous member of the family, the first born son and name sake Thomas Henry Filben,later to be known as Rev. Dr. Thomas Filben (great grandma Nell's Uncle) who had a profound impact on the Chinese after the 1906 SF Earthquake!
Born on December 14, 1856 in Boston, Massachusetts, Thomas was 14 years old when he and his family moved to San Francisco.
Ten years later, at age 24 Thomas moved north to the area of Mendocino, where his profession was described as a teacher. Two years later he would meet and marry the beautiful Ella Francis Cain.
ELLA
Born on June 4th 1858 in Hingham Massachusetts, Ella was one of four children born to David Francis Cain and Betsy Perkins Maximum. Below is a picture of David taken at an outdoor picnic.
David was born in Hingham, Massachusetts on March 12, 1837. An 1865 census, describes David’s occupation as a trader. On September 12, 1857 he married Betsey Perkins Maxim (picture not yet found) who was born on February 25, 1838 in Wayne Kennebec, Maine.
David and Betsy had three daughters and one son.
Just prior to 1870, the Cain family moved from Massachusetts to California settling on a ranch near Manchester (in the Mendocino County Area). Long after the children were on their own, David and Betsey sold up the farm moving to a nearby area called Point Arena in 1916.
David died at age 83, on June 4 1919 and Betsy died at age 90 on March 5, 1928. Both are buried at Evergreen Cemetery Manchester, Mendocino City CA.
In/around 1881-1882, Thomas became Reverend Dr. Thomas Filben. His name continued to pop on many sites pertaining to both the San Francisco and Pacific Grove history. His religious sermons were of the Methodist faith but he and his family were also part of the Chautauqua Society!
For those who might not be familiar with what this was: The Chautauqua Society was an adult education and social movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s.
Chautauqua societies brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with speakers, teachers, musicians, showmen, preachers, and specialists of the day. Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was quoted as saying that Chautauqua is, "the most American thing in America"
Rev. Filben and his family continued in Methodist ministering and Chautauqua societies all up and down the California Coast. Close to 3000 newspaper articles can be found mentioning him! Rev. Filben also officiated weddings ceremonies including those of his own family!
ONE PICTURE CAN SAY A 1000 WORDS
David Francis Cain
Ella
Rev. Filben
While transferring the scans of the 1800’s album from black and white to color, I reviewed the photo above several times before my detective hunch began to kick in and I soon realized this photo may well be of the Rev. Filben Family.
As I wrote to my distance cousins and ancestry pals Sandra and Becky,
IF Ella's Dad, David Francis Cain is the older gentleman in the back and since none of these people look like the members of confirmed pictures of those in the Thomas and Hanora Filben family or Steele line well then these are my strongest hunches:
The woman in the upper left hand corner holding her hand to block the sun has to be the oldest Bertha, just above her is husband Fred whose picture in later years I have and it matches up to what he looked like as a young man. The man at the very top has to be the oldest Filben son Arthur and his brother Otis is on the far right. The trio of girls are sisters Marguerite,May and Marguerite's twin Adelaide.
As mentioned in the beginning of this blog I bring up Rev. Dr. Thomas Filben first because I found out that he had a very strong connection to the 1906 earthquake by helping out the Chinese Community of San Francisco at that time!
THE GREAT 1906
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE
On Wednesday, April 18, 1906 at 5:13 AM a devastating earthquake rocked San Francisco! Although the earthquake in aftershocks were powerful, they did not cause serious damage to the structures in Chinatown.
However the quake caused widespread fires and broke water mains, so soldiers used explosives to create a fire break and by 4 PM the troops had demolished the buildings on both Kearny and Clay streets.
Unfortunately instead of stopping the fire, the explosions caused more fires which burned for four days and four nights. By April 19 all of Chinatown was reduced to a heap of ashes!
This brief silent film called, Ruins of Chinatown by the Edison Company shows just how damaged Chinatown had become after the fires.
Yet the one man who was able to assist the Chinese in removing their belongings safely out of the rubble was our Reverend Filben who had been the pastor of a Methodist church in Sacramento before later officiating as the minister of Bush Street Methodist Church San Francisco in 1906!!!!!!
The general relief committee that included Rev. Filben put forth the following proposal
Methodist minister Rev. Thomas Filben was appointed to take charge of : The Relief of the Chinese by assisting them in removing their belongings left behind in the rubble.
But as described by former San Francisco historian Gladys Hansen (pictured on the left from the SF Museum site)
The Chinese were not a well respected community, often looked down upon as trouble with the continual problem of opium dens.
"The Committee on the Location of China Town”,began with the help of General Funston, to concentrate the few Chinese left in San Francisco in preparation of moving them to Hunters Point.
But more politically astute members of the committee were concerned that San Francisco, ridding itself of the Chinese, would also lose its lucrative Oriental Trade.
"The Committee on the Location of Chinatown began, with the help of General Funston, to concentrate the few Chinese left in San Francisco in preparation of moving them to Hunters Point. But more politically astute members of the committee were concerned that San Francisco, ridding itself of the Chinese, would also lose its lucrative Oriental Trade!
"But the committee apparently did no anticipate stiff resistance from the government of China. Chow-Tszchi, first secretary of the Chinese Legation at Washington arrived in Oakland within a few days of the earthquake and met with Chung Pao Hsi, China’s consul-general in San Francisco.
The Cast of Characters as mentioned in the above story.
They, in turn, met with Governor Pardee in Oakland, and told him of the Empress-Dowager’s displeasure with the plan, and that the government of China would rebuild its San Francisco consulate in the heart of old Chinatown.
"Stiff resistance from the government of China, and the fear of losing trade with the Orient, ended this relocation scheme, and rebuilding of Chinatown soon began."
"With virtually all of Chinatown destroyed, most of its inhabitants fled to Oakland and other cities in the East Bay, or huddled in the refugee camp at the west end of the Presidio.
There were 500 refugees in that encampment as of April 26. Initial attempts by the committee to concentrate Chinese refugees at the Presidio Golf Links met with immediate resistance and the army summarily moved them to Fort Point on April 27.
“Their common ground was abiding racism and hatred for the Chinese. It is remarkable to think that within six days of the Great Fire, this committee was appointed and had adopted a plan to move Chinatown to Hunters Point.
”The idea was not new. Industrialist John Partridge proposed an “Oriental City” at Hunters Point before the earthquake, and it had the support of Mayor Schmitz. Telegrams sent by the War Department to General Funston, and the pending arrival of the Chinese consul-general from Washington, may have also been deciding factors in the quick establishment of a committee to “assist” the Chinese.
Below is an article titled, "Men Who Will Do Things". Yes I know it sounds a bit on the sexist side but considering this was published in 1906 just a few days after the big quake, the main concern was WHICH MEN WOULD BE DOING WHAT JOB - and under the second column halfway down is "Permanent Location of China Town" showing Rev. Filben's name"
How proud the Filben family must have been that he was the one man who helped the Chinese families collect what few belongings they had among the ashes and move to safer locations along with helping to keep and rebuild Chinatown to what it is today!!
So the next time you visit
Just remember had it not been for Rev. Filben. the town would have been replaced with new larger buildings and the community completely wiped out!!
Stay Safe and Be Well!
Linda-The Irish Family Ancestry Detective!!
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