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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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The first, VI 410, was, born in 1875. She was mentally inactive, causationless, and a slattern. Before her marriage she was very immoral and married VI 409, a degenerate of the lowest type, who was a son of Lisle, V 195, by another mating. Their five children, all mental defectives, were brought up in squalor, ignorance, and depravity. She has always been intemperate and at the age of 37 died suddenly while in a drunken stupor.

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In contrast to this one is her sister, VI 412, who has always borne a good reputation and though very poor has tried to do her best by her family. She is of a much higher order of intelligence than her sister, is married, and has two small children.

311  

Her youngest sister, VI 413, was capable of doing average school work, but was too lazy to apply herself. She cares little about her personal appearance and has been a harlot, both before and after marriage. She married a cousin, VI 519, a descendant of Effie, by whom she had one child who died young. She is now easy-going, lives from hand to mouth, and cares little what the future may bring her.

312  

Lydia, V 158, Matilda's sister, was rather active physically and mentally compared with Matilda. She had a sharp tongue, was suspicious and keen in her daily dealings. A harlot before marriage, she married a distant cousin, Webster, V 308, of Delia blood, who afterward became blind. Webster and Lydia kept a small grocery store for many years in Z. Lydia could read and write, but was otherwise ignorant and her power of reasoning was below the average. At the age of 53 she shot herself and died instantly. Her death was followed in a short time by that of Webster, and VI 417, their daughter, is now running the store.

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The oldest child of Lydia, VI 415, died soon after marriage, following an operation on her throat.

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The second child, VI 417, was considered an average child in school; she married, but her husband soon died. Her second husband is a lazy ne'er-do-well. By her first marriage she had two children, one of whom died. Since her second marriage she has worked in a factory and is now running the store to support the family.

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The youngest child of Lydia, VI 419, was, as the teacher expressed it, "average but slow" in school. She then went to work in a cigar factory, where she earned $5 a week. She married at 21 and has three children.

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Fritz, V 159, a brother of Lydia and Matilda, born 1862, never had any schooling, but by working hard and saving has acquired a little property and a savings-bank account. Fritz married, consanguineously, VI 610, a descendant of Bell, Clara, and Delia Juke, and a woman of good reputation but not as intelligent as he. They had two sons, both of whom have become telegraph operators and have done well in their business. One of the boys, VI 422, is the father of an illegitimate child and left town to avoid trouble.

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Penelope, V 161, sister of Fritz, had a bastard child which was accidentally drowned at the same time as Aubrey, Odessa, Hiram, Hal (the latter being the two brothers of Penelope), and a neighbor's child. Penelope then married an inefficient alcoholic and had two children, a boy and a girl, both slightly below the average mentally, but both industrious. Penelope and her husband are now both dead.

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Roxanna, V 163, sister of Penelope, is another one of the Jukes who was pointed out to the writer as one of the "old-time Jukes." She lives in Z, a small city. This woman, who was a harlot before marriage, has a generally pleasant disposition, but occasionally is very irascible. She married an intemperate laborer who was industrious at times, Moses, V 164, who came from a higher family mentally than herself. She has had him arrested several times for non-support, but many think these arrests were part of her irascible nature and that there was little if any ground for them. For many years she has run a small grocery and candy store in the basement of her home, while the upper part of the house has been used for purposes of prostitution. They have been arrested for the latter business, but were never sentenced. While Moses was, supposedly, under the influence of liquor he was killed by a fast train several years ago. Roxanna had two sons, VI 428, a boatman who has cohabited with a married woman living apart from her husband, and VI 429. The latter's wife died at childbirth. Both of these boys are steady workers, but the moral example of their parents has done them more harm than good.

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Minnie, V 165, born 1870, more intelligent and better educated than any of her brothers or sisters, married at the age of 17. She has a pleasant disposition and is careful and neat about her person and house. She had four children, only one of whom is living, a sturdy but mentally dull boy. Her husband, Isaiah, V 166, a steamboat engineer, left her some years ago and she is now cohabiting with another man. Minnie had one sister, V 167, who died in infancy, and two younger brothers, Hiram and Hal, who were drowned as mentioned above.

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