Pat & Mildred
An approximate location where Pat’s family lived in at 155 21st St in Brooklyn. The front was a shop where Angelo worked as a shoemaker. Behind and above the shop was the family home. Beyond a rear courtyard were two small apartments.
Mar 23, 1928—Based on his Petition (below), Pat began working as a machinist on Mar 1, 1927, at age 21. According to this Declaration, he was still living on 21st St in Brooklyn in Mar 1928 at age 22. Within months of completing this form, he likely moved to Baltimore for work.
Mar 10, 1932—Probably in the later half of 1928, Pat & his two co-workers William Cooper & John Erhardt moved from Brooklyn to work at "the largest manufacturing plant of its kind in the world” at Crown Cork & Seal in Highlandtown, Baltimore. Ruth recalled the name Erhardt, so they must have remained friends. Note Pat’s address at the time was 710 S Ponca St.
The “Crown Cork”—In the late 19th century, the market for bottled beverages like beer and soda was growing, but sealing carbonated drinks was a problem. In 1892, inventor William Painter patented the “crown cork” and started the Crown Cork & Seal Company of Baltimore.
In May 1897, Crown Cork & Seal moved into its first dedicated factory complex on the 1500 block of Guilford Ave, then known as York St, seen here in 1914. The pace of growth was so fast that the new factory was almost immediately insufficient to meet demand.
Around 1906, having outgrown the Guilford Avenue complex, the company began relocating its primary manufacturing to a new, seventeen-acre site at 4401 Eastern Ave (& 4301 Eastern Ave) in Highlandtown. However, the company soon fell into decline until 1928.
In 1927, Charles McManus acquired the floundering Crown Cork & Seal. He kept the famous name and the Highlandtown complex. Under McManus, the company entered its greatest period of expansion. The seventeen-acre complex was described as "the largest manufacturing plant of its kind in the world.” McManus’s resurrection of Crown Cork & Seal in 1927-28 is likely what draw Pat from Brooklyn to Baltimore. As an immigrant, Pat was extremely fortunate to land a stable job before The Great Depression.
About a half mile from the Highlandtown campus was this home (left) at 710 S Ponca St, in an area known as Greektown. This was the address Pat listed on his Petition/Final Papers, one month before his wedding to Mildred. We don’t know for how long Pat had lived here or with whom he resided. We also don’t know where he and Mildred fist lived together.
Pat’s home in Greektown was so close to Crown Cork & Seal, it could be seen looking west down Fleet St, Foster Ave, or Fait Ave. Ruth took this photo during her Sep 2012 visit.
Nov 26, 1913—The birth certificate for Ruth’s mother says she was born to parents Conrad W. Husted & Margaret May Baier at 2412 Fleet St in eastern Baltimore (center white door). Regardless of whether the correct day of Pat’s arrival in NY from Italy was May 13, Sep 22, Oct 7, or Oct 11—Margaret was carrying Mildred.
Nov 26, 1913—Twenty-three days after Pat turned eight, around the time he arrived in the US, Conrad & Margaret welcomed Mildred May Husted into the world in Baltimore—some 200 miles south of Pat’s new life in Brooklyn. About fifteen years later, Pat would move again, this time to Baltimore, where he would meet and marry Mildred.
Ruth never knew of 2412 Fleet St; her only memories were of her maternal grandparents living at 518 Oldham St. It is not known why or when the Husteds moved 1.6 miles east to the area known as Greektown.
When the Husteds settled into 518 Oldham St in Greektown, Pat Verdone was living only a couple of blocks away at 710 Ponca St. Ruth took this photo during her Sep 2012 visit.
The rear of the Husted’s home at 518 Oldham St from Ruth’s Sep 2012 visit.
Apr 10, 1932—How they met we will never know. We do know that Mildred & Pat were married at nearby Luther Memorial Church. We also know Mildred was a month pregnant at the time. Named after his father, Pat was born on Dec 6 in NY.
Luther Memorial Church, 5401 Eastern Ave (now Destiny Christian Church), where Pat & Mildred were married on Apr 10, 1932, as seen in this photo from Ruth’s Sep 2012 visit.
≈1936—Interestingly, the brith certificate for Ruth’s brother Paul (middle name Patrick because he was born on St Patrick’s Day 1936) says he was born inside this house (right) at 828 S Ponca St. We don’t know where Pat & Mildred first lived together and we don’t known when they moved into this house, only that they were there in Mar 1936.
This map shows the relationship of all the properties.
≈1940—From 828 S Ponca St, Pat & Mildred purchased this house at 4108 Southern Ave. Ruth was born inside the home on Jan 19, 1942. Ruth on the front steps during her trip with Dave in Mar 2022.
Blocks from the Southern Ave house was Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church, where the Verdones were longtime members. Ruth was baptized, confirmed, attended youth group, and married here.
1957-58—Following severe market share losses in the mid-1950s, CC&S was on the brink of bankruptcy. A massive turnaround began in 1957. A new president implemented immediate emergency cost-cutting measures, including firing many staff.
1958—The company relocated its corporate headquarters to Philadelphia. Ruth was in Grade 11 when her father was offered a change in position with less pay, which he refused. After nearly 30 years with the company, he was fired. When corporate learned Pat had been let go, he was quickly offered a new job, but it was over 100 miles away in Philadelphia.
1958—The Highlandtown plant continued to operate until 1987, but Pat had little choice than to work in Philadelphia. For at least another decade, he commuted to Philly and then W Virginia, living in hotels and washing clothes in the sink until he could return to Baltimore on the weekends.
1959—After nearly 20 years living on Southern Ave, Pat & Mildred purchased this home at 12122 Jerusalem Rd in Kingsville in late spring or early summer 1959. Ruth had just graduated from Eastern High School in Jan 1959.
≈1961-62—With her husband away at work and her daughter away at college, Ruth’s mother had to finally learn to drive. She also got a job working weekday evenings at Norge Laundry & Dry Cleaning in Towson. On Wednesday evenings she met a young Jim Neumann and eventually introduced him to her daughter at the laundromat.
Early 1970s—Likely Pat’s retirement party from the W Virginina branch of Crown Cork & Seal.
Pat with his nieces Marie & Vera.
Kingsville—Back: Pat Jr, Joyce, Paul, David. Front: Julia on Aunt Betty’s lap, Lynne, Pat Sr, Danny & Uncle Alvin (Mildred’s younger brother).
Paul, Lynne, Pat, Mildred, Ruth & Jim in Tustin.
Pat in Hawaii
Mildred & Pat visiting the cabin owned by their neighbors the Kolbs.
Oct 1980—Ruth & brother Pat with their father as he recovers from open-heart surgery.
Oct 1980—Debbie, who was 2-1/2 at the time, traveled with Ruth and “charmed the pants off” the family. Here she is with her older cousins Joyce & Julia and their grandpa Pat.
Apr 10, 1982—Pat & Mildred celebrate their 50th anniversary at Pat & Mary’s house at 7806 Temple St, Adelphi, MD.
Apr 10, 1982—Pat & Mildred’s 50th anniversary.
Apr 10, 1982—Mildred & Pat are joined by their eldest son Pat Jr, his wife Mary & children David, Joyce, Julia & Donald. In Jun 1982, Pat, Mildred, & Joyce joined family at Paul & Lynne’s house at 640 Whitehall Way, Sacramento for a West Coast celebration.
Feb 1983—Ruth & Debbie took advantage of low airfares to fly to MD to enjoy a record snowfall with her parents and brother Pat’s family. Pictured here in front of Pat & Mary’s Adelphi house are Joyce, David, Julie, Ruth & Debbie.
1984?—Ruth’s oldest brother Pat’s family: Mary, David, Julia, Joyce, Pat & Donald at Julia’s high school graduation. Julie died on Dec 24, 1993, at the age of 27, of complications from juvenile diabetes. Despite her sufferings, she graduated from UMD, earned her teaching credentials, and taught third grade. She was sweet, loving, courageous & inspirational.
Pat Jr, Mildred, Pat Sr & Paul in the front yard of Pat’s Adelphi house for an unknown occasion.
Pat Jr, Pat Sr & Paul in the front yard of Pat’s Adelphi house for an unknown occasion.
Jan 16, 1994—Ruth’s father Patrick Verdone was born on Nov 3, 1905, in San Vittore del Lazio, Italy, and died in Maryland on Jan 16, 1994, at age 88.
Winter 1993-94 was one of the harshest and iciest Maryland experienced in the late 20th century, delaying Pat’s interment at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Baltimore.
May 27, 1997—Mildred at Jeanne & Joe Yurman’s wedding at Duke University in North Carolina. Jeanne is the daughter of Ruth’s brother Paul.
Jun 1998—Mildred in Camarillo around the time of Debbie’s wedding.
Thanksgiving 1999—Ruth & her mother celebrate the holiday at Oak Crest Senior Living Community in Parkville, Maryland.
Sep 27, 2000—Ruth’s beloved mother, Mildred May Verdone née Husted, was born in Baltimore MD on Nov 26, 1913, and died on Sep 27, 2000, at age 87. Services were held at Lassahn Funeral Home on Sat, Oct 7, 2000. She was laid to rest beside her beloved Patrick.
Oct 7, 2000—Steve & Debbie’s families attended Mildred’s service (Dave & Tim’s were unable as Anna was a newborn & Bre was 8 months pregnant with Mackenzie). Afterward the family went to dinner: Joyce, her son Robert, Nathan, Debbie, Jacob & Anthony (down low), Steve, Jeff, Amanda, Donald, Jeanne, David & Joe.
Jan-May 2003—Ruth’s oldest brother Pat suffered a heart attack in Jan, underwent surgery and seemed to improve, but died in Mar. Her brother Paul also spent two months in the hospital before dying in May. The sudden deaths of both her siblings weighed heavily on Ruth.
A lovely couple for nearly 61 years!
