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The Jukes in 1915

Creator: Arthur H. Estabrook (author)
Date: 1916
Publisher: Carnegie Institution of Washington
Source: Available at selected libraries

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156  

Amalia's fourth child is VI 140, who is persevering and energetic. He developed a good business and acquired property. His business was almost destroyed by fire one Sunday morning, but early the following day he hired horses to replace his burned ones, and was engaged in business as usual. Morally he is of a different make-up. He is reputed to have lived with his "wife" and had all 3 children before legitimizing them by marriage. His wife, VI 141, is shrewish, a fault-finder and ignorant, but of good mentality. They have three children who grew up. The first, VII 158, aged 35, holds a responsible position as a bookkeeper in a large corporation; the second, VII 159, is industrious and quite musical, but intemperate; while the third is an intelligent, industrious woman of good repute. The latter was formerly a school teacher and is now well married.

157  

Amalia's last legitimate child, VI 142, a woman of fair intelligence and repute, married and has four children. The first, VII 164, is married and has gone away from the Juke region. The second, VII 167, an industrious, steady fellow, is married and has 2 children; one doing well in school, and the other still young. I have no data in regard to the last two children of this fraternity.

158  

Amalia's last child, VI 144, the bastard, is quiet in his actions and a steady-going man, but unlettered. He runs an express wagon for himself. He is married, but has no children.

159  

Albert, IV 7, was the third child of Alexander and Beatrice. He was born in 1807, kept a tavern and brothel, was a cautious thief, and was never caught. He received poor relief for many years. He married Ruth, IV 8. She was arrested twice for keeping a brothel, but was not convicted at either time. They had ten children, and this group of the Jukes is characteristically criminal.

160  

The first of the children, Abraham, V 41, was a "sailor; at 19, burglary with his brother 12 years old; 41, county jail, safe keeping, 7 days; unmarried." He died at the age of 50.

161  

The second, Adeline, V 43, is described by Dugdale as follows: "Harlot; at 21, had a bastard girl; married; 25, kept a brothel, fined; 30, safe keeping, county jail, 7 days; intemperate; 33, died in 1863 of the effects of an abortion." She married Hanford, V 42, whose record was: "1855, brothel; 1858, disorderly house, fined; 1859, breach of the peace, county jail, 15 days; dead; probably impotent."

162  

After Hanford's death, Adeline lived with Francis, V 44, a criminal man. Adeline had four bastard children.

163  

The first, VI 146, at 14, was with child by her uncle. At 15 she was in the county jail, and at 17 married. Further than this data of Dugdale's, I could secure no information about this girl.

164  

Adeline's next two children died in infancy.

165  

The last, VI 149, was sent, at 15, to the House of Refuge for grand larceny. At 23 he was sent to State prison for 3 years for burglary along with his uncle Adam, V 47. He was an ignorant, vicious young fellow. Since his term in State prison nothing has been heard of him.

166  

Adam, V 47, born 1823, is described by Dugdale as follows: "Laborer; at 12, burglary; 17, burglary, State prison, 2 years; 22, breach of peace, Sing Sing, 2 years; 24, burglary, third degree, Sing Sing, 3 years; has been 9 times in prison, and served 14 years; learned iron-rolling there; reformed; now rents a quarry; doing well." He could neither read nor write, was intemperate, strong physically, and on little provocation would fight with anyone. Adam's criminal record subsequent to the period at which Dugdale studied him is interesting. At 54 he was in State prison for 3 years for burglary. At 66 he was sent to State prison for 2 years and 6 months for grand larceny, and at 69 was again in State prison for burglary. A conservative estimate of the cost to the State for the arrests, trials, and care of this one man is $6,000. This does not include the amount of his depredations, which can never be known.

167  

Adam's first wife, a woman of reputable parents, was Sue, V 45, who, taking their child with her, left the country when she discovered that her husband was a criminal. Rumor has it that she went West and became a well-known social worker in a certain large city. His second wife was Pauline, V 46, whom he deserted. In 1880 he took his third companion from the poorhouse, but left her shortly afterward. Adam then lived with Sarah Jane, V 48, by whom he had three children. Adam died in the poorhouse at the age of 88.

168  

Sarah Jane, Adam's last consort, has a quiet disposition, and is now a semi-refined, church-going woman. After Adam left her, about 1900, she and her children went to live with another man with whom she still cohabits.

169  

Adam's three children show most interesting traits, in view of their environment and heredity. They lived and grew up 100 miles away from the ancestral breeding-spot of the Jukes. The oldest child of Adam and Sarah Jane, VI 151, was born in 1881. In the low grades in school he was considered a little below the average of the class. At 11, he, with other boys, was arrested for stealing shoes, etc., from stands in the street. The same year that his father was sent to State prison for robbery, the son was sent to the State Industrial School for Boys. Here he showed little aptitude for books, but was very fond of music. He instigated a feeble-minded boy of low grade to set fire to the institution buildings with the hope of escape during the excitement following. The plot failed and he was sent to State prison for from 4 to 7 years for burning a public building. He died of tuberculosis in State prison while serving this sentence.

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