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Note: K-10 ALEXANDER "SKIPPER" LASSER Alexander and family seem to have moved to Chicago from the Muskegon, Michigan, area about 1898. His working life began about 1890, with the Pere Marquette Railroad. He began working for United States Steel in April 1899, at $50.00 a month. Chicago city directories show the following residential addresses for them:
9819 Ewing 1898 10112 Avenue M 1899 9642 Avenue L 1904 7429 S. Rhodes Ave. 1920 When Alexander retired, the following appeared in U.S. Steel's newsletter:
"Alexander Lasser, pipe fitter in the Mechanical Department, was pensioned 1 November 1929 at his own request. He started work for the company April 4th, 1899, in the Mechanical Department as a pipe fitter; then worked in the slabbing mill for a while then returned to the Mechanical Department. He was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, October 27th 1864. His parents moved to the United States when he was a small baby and resided in Muskegon, Mich. Alex first worked for the Pere Marquette R.R. eight years before coming to the South Works. He was naturalized during 1885. Is a member of the Good Fellows Club and carries group insurance. Owns his own home at 7429 Rhodes Avenue."
Skipper's own notes confirm his birth date was 27 October 1864 and Federal Census records match this. However, a Muskegon parish history written while his father was alive states that his father came to Muskegon in 1855, probably a typographical error as the children's' birthplaces indicate an arrival in Michigan between 1867 and 1871.
Of Skipper, his son-in-law Kenneth Albert Parent wrote on 1 November 1985:
"Yes, they were a poor family. Skipper had a limited education but he was sensible and made out okeh. He was a lumberjack. They would go into the woods and cut timber (Michigan woods) until spring. Then they would come out with their winter's pay. He was single at that time. His home in Muskegon, Michigan. At one time Skipper took a course in barbering. Another thing at which he was adept was in repairing shoes. He had barbering tools and shoe making tools also."
Gramps continued his letter with a recollection of Skipper and Cecelia, his wife:
"It is my belief that when they were married it was while living in Muskegon. They moved to Chicago, lived on the South Side ... and Skipper went to work at the U.S. Steel Carnegie Plant, South Works, located in South Chicago for $50 per month. During the first year Cecelia saved $50."
Gramps told me how Skipper would earn extra money by diverting the raw steam he worked with to launder his co-workers' overalls. Live steam in a pail of water and caustic for a dollar or a little less. Some nights he'd bring home three or four dollars that way.
Skipper and Cecelia bought the cottage at 9642 Avenue L, then raised the roof so that they had a two story home. Cecelia also opened a small store for some time but eventually gave it up. Later they sold the cottage and in the summer of 1922, bought a building at 7429 South Rhodes Avenue. It was brick, two story [upstairs "income" flat], had a two car garage, and was in a Swedish neighborhood. [N.B. In the 1930 census Skipper valued the house, which he owned freehold, at $7,500, consistent with the others on the street. Rents for the upstairs apartment were about $70-75 a month. Dad told me, in 2003, that when Gramps and Nana sold it in the early 1950's, they got $23,000 for it.]
Gramps wrote that Skipper had a Model T Ford, touring car. "Genie driving and Cecelia had a problem -- dented fender. Didn't want Skip to know about it. So they took it to Fred Ludulph's shop for repairs, immediately, cuz they didn't want him to learn that they'd had the car out. Skip never learned about this so Fred must have done a real good job."
He continued: "Skipper used to work as a steam fitter. In later years he knew where all the water hydrants or outlets were, so he, at that period of working days, would ride the fire fighting equipment to the scene and show the firemen where to attach the hoses. He kind of liked that assignment and would laugh when he told of his experiences."
On 27 September 2009, second cousin David Lasser wrote:
Oh, I forgot to mention that Uncle Alex (your Great-Grandfather) used to come to Muskegon each and every summer. I was asking my mother about this last October and she said (and I remember this just a bit) that all the guys used to go perch fishing all week when he was in town. Beer and perch. Then on Friday we'd have a huge fish fry at a cottage at the beach that someone had rented and it would be a full day party. That may be why his name showed up as being from Muskegon in Zachariah's obit. His family thought Alex was from there because when they went for the week's fish catching and party he always was there. Just a thought.
I should add that Skipper also loved to go to the Northern Lights resort in Manitowish, Wisconsin, every summer. I have many photos of Skip up there fishing and relaxing. I am told that he became quite good friends with the owners over the years. One of their publicity brochures, probably printed in the mid-1940's, show Skipper in a small rowboat, fishing and grinning from ear to ear.
Two stories about Skipper that have been handed down ring little bells of memory for me. I can see an easy chair in the front parlor of the house on South Rhodes Avenue, where Skip used to sit. Behind the chair was the long hall to the back of the bungalow and the kitchen, which I also remember. Gramps and Dad tell me that when Skipper was retired he developed a certain partial deafness. It was fairly severe when one would holler from the kitchen "Skip, can you take out the trash?" But wasn't nearly so bad if one popped a cork and asked, "Skip, would you like a drink?" A hearty "yes" was usually returned. Seems to me that I watched that ritual more than once, and I think Skip always had the drink delivered because I do not remember him rising from the chair.
I do remember one thing about Skipper very clearly. The house on South Rhodes had a sunny kitchen at the rear and in it was an old, white vitreous enamel kitchen table, chipped on the edges. Skip sat me down there late one afternoon and sautéed (I think - maybe roasted) some squirrel. I can still taste it, one of the best things I have ever eaten. In the corner stood an old, disused, wooden-walled icebox. I couldn't have been more than three.
I can dimly remember the bedrooms on the side of the bungalow; they seem dark to me, probably because the bungalows were built close together and not much sun came in between them. In 1973 Gramps told me how when Skip got very sick (with cancer) at the end he would pour him a glass of whiskey at night and put it on the night table; in the course of the night Skipper would drink about half. It helped him to sleep. I think I dimly remember Skip sick in bed.
Skipper's death notice appeared in the Chicago Tribune Saturday, 10 December 1949 on page 25.
LASSER -- Alexander (Skipper) Lasser, age 85, of 7429 Rhodes avenue, husband of the late Cecilla [sic], fond father of Eugenie Parent, grandfather of Warren Parent. Service at chapel, 7838 Cottage Grove avenue, Saturday, Dec. 10, at 2:30 p.m. Radcliffe 3-0220.
In July 1986 Gramps wrote of his father-in-law: "I have never known a finer man than Skipper."
K-10 ALEXANDER "SKIPPER" LASSER -- census - 1
First Ward, Muskegon City, Muskegon Co, MI 1880 ED 192, Sheet 66, Line 29, Dwelling 620, Family 680, 21 June LASSER, Morris, head, W M, 44, married, works on boom, 4 mos unemployed last year; cannot read or write; b. Canada; fa/mo born Can/Can Mary, wife, W F, age 39, keeping house, cannot read or write; b. Canada; fa/mo born Can/Can Iriah, son, age 19, single, works on boom, not unemployed last year; can read and write; attended school last year; b. Canada; fa/mo born Can/Can Alexander, son, age 15, single, works on boom, 4 mos. unemployed last year; can read and write; attended school last year; b. Canada; fa/mo born Can/Can Charles, son, age 13, single, works in lath mill, 4 mos. unemployed last year; can read and write; attended school last year; b. Canada; fa/mo born Can/Can Delia, dau, age 9, single, b. Michigan; fa/mo born Can/Can Eddie, son, age 4, single, b. Michigan; fa/mo born Can/Can Moses, son, age 8 mos., single, b. last October in Michigan; fa/mo born Can/Can In the 1884 Michigan state census, Alexander was living with the family.
Ambrosia St, 2nd District of Muskegon, Muskegon Co, MI 1884 Page 333, line and 334 line 1 LASSER, Nelson, male, white, age 49, married, b. Canada, fa/mo b. Can/Can , Mary, F, wife, white, 43, married, b. Can , Zag, M, son, white, 23, single, b. Ca , Alec, M, son, white, 19, single, b. Can , Charles, M, son, white, 14, single, b. Can , Edward, M, son, white, 8, single, b. Mich , Moses, M, son, white, 4, single, b. Mich , Delia, M, dau, white, 13, single, b. Mich , Joseph, M, son, white, 3, single, b. Mich , Mary K, M, dau, white, 4/12, single, b. Mich Michigan again conducted a state census in 1894. Alexander was boarding in the household of his sister, Mable.
Grand Rapids, Kent Co, Michigan 1894 page 331, line 4; 67 First Ave; 30 June Bassette, Moses, age 38, male, white, husband, married, b. Canada , Mable, 34, female, white, wife, married, b. Canada , William, 14, male, white, son, single, b. Michigan , Ruth, 2, female, white, dau, single, b. Canada Lasser, Alexander, 28, male, white, border, single, b. Canada
By 1900, Alex and Cecelia had married and moved to Chicago.
Thirty-Third Ward, Chicago, Cook Co, IL 1900 ED 1067; 10112 Avenue M; 12 June WASSA, Alexander, head, WM, born Oct 1864; age 35; married 4 yrs; born English Canada; fa/mo born French Canada/Fr. Can; immigrated to USA 1869; in USA 31 years; not naturalized; steamfitter; reads, writes, speaks English; rents home. Cecelia, wife, WF, born Jun 1873; age 27; married 4 yrs; bore one child, still living; born English Canada; fa/mo born Can/Can immigrated to USA 1869; in USA 31 years; reads, writes, and speaks English. Joyine, dau, WF, born Dec 1896; age 3; single, born Michigan; fa/mo born Can/Can; reads, writes, speaks English. [The enumerator obviously had great difficulty with the French names of the family. Joyine was Eugenie. Three other families lived in the building at 10112 Avenue M.]
Eighth Ward, Chicago, Cook Co, IL 1910 ED 480, Family 189, 9642 Avenue L; 21 April LASSER, Alexander, head, W M; age 45; 1st marriage; married 14 yrs; born French Canada; fa/mo born French Canada/Fr. Can; immigrated to USA 1867; pipefitter in a steel mill; not unemployed in the last 12 months; can read and write; owns home free. Celia, wife, W F, age 36; married 14 yrs; born French Canada; 1 child born, 1 living; immigrated to USA 1879; can read and write. Eugenie C., dau, W F, age 13; single, born Michigan; fa/mo born French Canada; can read, write; attended school in the last year. Eighth Ward, Chicago, Cook Co, IL 1920 ED 522, Sh 2A, Dwelling 16, Family 31, 9642 Avenue L; 15 Jan LASSER, Alex, head, owns home free, W M; age 45; married; can read and write; born French Canada; fa: French Canada, mo: French Canada; can speak English; occup: pipefitter in steel mills , Celia, wife, W F, age 46; married, can read and write; born French Canada, fa: French Canada, mo: French Canada; can speak English, occup: none , Eugenie C., dau, W F, age 23; single; born Michigan; fa: French Canada, mo: French Canada; can speak English; occup: milliner in a dry goods store PARENT, Eugenie, mother-in-law, W F 72, married, can read and write, born French Canada; fa: French Canada, mo: French Canada; can speak English, occup: none The census is in error in that Eugenie Defresne Parent (Cecelia's adoptive mother) was married; she was widowed. Her husband Samuel had died 14 March 1915.
By 1930, Alexander and Cecelia had purchased a small, shotgun, brick bungalow in a more prosperous part of town about 4 miles to the northwest. They were a long way from the smells of Calumet Harbor and the steel mills.
8th Ward, Chicago, Cook Co, IL 1930 9 April; 7429 Rhodes Avenue; ED 342, Page 12A, Line 10; Family 209 LASSER, Alexander, head, owns his own home, worth $7,500, has a radio, W M age 65, widowed, can read and write, born French Canada; fa: French Canada, mo: French Canada; spoke French at home before coming to the US; immigrated to the US in 1865, naturalized, can speak English, occup: none PARENT, Kenneth A., son-in-law, W M 35, married, age 25 at first marriage, can read and write, born English Canada; fa: English Canada, mo: English Canada; spoke English at home before coming to the US; can speak English, occup: none , Eugenie A, daughter, W F 33, married, age 23 at first marriage, can read and write, born Michigan; fa: French Canada, mo: French Canada; can speak English, occup: none , Warren, grandson, M W 7 single, attended school, born Illinois, fa: English Canada, mo: Michigan; occup: none , Eugenie, mother-in-law, W F 83, widowed, can read and write, born French Canada; fa: French Canada, mo: French Canada; spoke French at home before coming to the US; can speak English, occup: none Cecelia had died the previous spring, 29 April 1929. Eugenie would live with the family until her death in Northfield, Cook Co., 26 June 1935, aged 87 (Cert #24680).
9 April; 7429 Rhodes Avenue; ED 342, Page 12A, Line 10; Family 210 The Charles E. Anderson family (Charles, aged 47, wife Rose, and nine-year-old niece Betty Hartman) lived in the upstairs flat that Skipper rented out. They paid $70 a month for the lodgings and did not claim a radio.
Alex/Skipper was enumerated in his daughter's house in 1940.
Ward 8, Block 28, Chicago, Cook Co, IL 1940 13 April; 7429 S Rhodes Ave, ED 103-532, sheet 13B, Line 66, family 33l
Kenneth A Parent Head M 44 Canada; edu 1 yr HS; owns house worth $5,000; occupation -distributor of dry cleaning units, worked 52 weeks last year Eugenia Parent Wife F 43 Michigan; edu 8th gr; Warren K Parent Son M 17 Illinois; edu 4 yr HS, no occupation; no Social Security coverage Alexander Lasser Father-in-law M 75 Canada; edu 6th gr Last Place of Residence Same House
The tenants in the house, George and Marie Thorp, paid $50/mo rent.
K-10/11 ALEXANDER "SKIPPER" LASSER/CECELIA PARENT Lasser
Chicago City Directories show the following addresses for Cecelia, her folks, and Alexander "Skipper" Lasser after their marriage:
Chicago - 1894 Samuel Parent, carpenter, 9724 3d av (3rd Avenue ran from 5334 August north to Hirsch; even numbers only). Chicago - 1899 Samuel Parent, 9963 Avenue M Alexander Lasser, 10112 Avenue M
Chicago - 1900 Samuel Parent, 10112 Avenue M Alexander Lasser, 10112 Avenue M
Chicago - 1905 Samuel Parent, 9819 Ewing
Chicago - 1910 Samuel Parent, carpenter, 10057 Avenue L Alexander Lasser, steamfitter, 9642 Avenue M
Chicago - 1913 Samuel Parent, carpenter, 9945 Avenue M
Chicago - 1915 Samuel Parent, carpenter, 9945 Avenue M Alexander Lasser, laborer, 9642 Avenue L
Chicago - 1917 Eugenie Parent, widow of Samuel Parent, 9642 Avenue L Alexander Lasser, steamfitter, 9642 Avenue L
Chicago - 1923 Alexander Lasser, steamfitter, 9642 Avenue L Kenneth A. Parent, salesman, 9642 Avenue L Eugenie Parent, widow of Samuel Parent, 9642 Avenue L
Chicago telephone directories also document the family's residences:
November 1921 Lasser, Alex 9642 Avenue L SOU 3551 Parent, Kenneth 9642 Avenue L SOU 3551
June 1922 Lasser, Alex 9642 Avenue L SOU 3551 Parent, Kenneth 9642 Avenue L SOU 3551
November 1922 Lasser, Alex 7429 Rhodes Ave VIN 1055 Parent, Kenneth 7429 Rhodes Ave VIN 1055
(Thus, the family moved during the summer of 1922.)
November 1924 Lasser, Alex 7429 Rhodes Ave VIN 1055 Parent, Kenneth 7429 Rhodes Ave VIN 1055
The 1930 census put Skipper at 7429 S. Rhoads Avenue.
Chicago - 1930 or earlier - 1949 Alexander Lasser, 7429 S Rhoads Ave, tel. VIN 10380 (1936)
Skipper remained at this address until his death in 1949. In 1929, after Celia's death, Skipper's retirement, and the onset of the Depression, daughter Eugenie, son-in-law Kenneth, and baby Warren moved back. Genie and Kenneth would remain there until the early-to-mid 1950's, when they moved to 8159 South Sawyer, in Chicago. In 1955 they left Chicago permanently and moved to Ganges, Michigan, near Saugatuck. The bungalow netted them about $23,000 when they sold it, according to Warren.
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