Alphabe-Thursday...M as in "Look at ME!"

Class is in session and it's time again for Alphabe-Thursday sponsored by Jenny over at Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent." Head over to her blog for information on Alphabe-Thursday and a list of this week's participants. Today we are working on the letter M.

Did you ever do this as a child? Hang from your knees on the monkey bars and yell, "Look at ME?" You did? You're a show off!


And now down to something very serious. On August 31, 1968 I married into the MARTIN family...or so I thought. I was misled and deceived.

A few years ago, my sister-in-law decided to do some genealogy work on the MARTIN side of the family. Much to our surprise she discovered that we're not MARTINS at all. No, we're Kwiatkowskis. My husband's grandfather was Roman Kwiatkowski, but somewhere along the line he decided he'd be Raymond MARTIN. Who knows why? Perhaps he liked the letter M. He apparently used the name for many years and then in 1941 made it legal by having his name officially changed while living in Jersey City, NJ. Around the same time he was issued a Delayed Registration Certificate of Birth from Manistee, Michigan. I would imagine he needed a birth certificate to have his name legally changed.

So, my husband isn't really a MARTIN. I married a Kwiatkowski and didn't even know it. My husband never knew he was of Polish descent, but his great grandparents were born in Poland. His father's birth certificate lists his name as James MARTIN and his father as Raymond MARTIN. We now know that the name hadn't even been legally changed to Raymond MARTIN when his father James MARTIN was born.

So, if you happen to know any Kwiatkoskis in Michigan please let me know. They could be cousins of my husband.

This is a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Kwiatkoski on our wedding day when we thought we were Mr. and Mrs. MARTIN.


I've posted pictures before of my great aunt MARGARET MORRIS. She was a Ziegfeld Girl and performed in the Ziegfeld Follies and the Ziegfeld Frolic. I know of at least one silent movie she performed in too.

Here are a few pictures...




And here's a theater program.


Margaret is in the second row, second from the left.


I received a copy of this theater program and some pictures from Jane over at Historical Ziegfeld. There are a lot more old pictures, programs, information, etc., on this site. There's additional information about MARGARET too. Jane is very knowledgeable about all things Ziegfeld.

Class dismissed! Mrs. Matlock told me to tell you.

PINK SATURDAY TIME!

It's time again for PINK SATURDAY hosted by Beverly at How Sweet The Sound. For a list of this week's participants and information on how you can participate be sure and head over to Beverly's blog.

My great aunt was Margaret Morris who performed in Florenz Ziegfeld's Ziegfeld Follies and Ziegfeld's Midnight Frolic. The Frolic was a show that began at midnight and was performed upstairs in the theater and to a smaller audience.

I've shared one of her pictures once before on PINK SATURDAY and this week I have a picture from the 1920 Midnight Frolic. This picture was colorized and you can see the PINK flowering plants that were part of the set. Margaret is the second from the left wearing the lavender costume. Jane (Ziegfeldgrrl) at Historical Ziegfeld restored this photo for me. She is a wealth of information on The Ziegfeld Follies.

(Click on photo to enlarge.)



And this is what is written on the back of the photo. I'm assuming this is Aunt Margaret's handwriting.



Aunt Margaret was an active member of the Ziegfeld Club that was started in 1936 by Billie Burke (Mrs. Florenz Ziegfeld). The club is still in existence today, but it is believed that only one Ziegfeld girl is still alive.

Last week I visited Homemaking In High Heels. Stop by and visit her entertaining blog.

Hope you're feeling better Beverly!