For the past few weeks I've been down a rabbit hole searching for the death date of Bess's sister Stella Bartholmes (née Rahner). But Stella is as elusive as the Tatler cuffs! She is not listed among Bess's siblings on Ancestry.com. It's also possible "Stella" was not her birth name. But we know she existed.
Stella and Bess were very close. They shared a room growing up and shared superstitions. When Bess was estranged from her mother, it was Stella and her husband William Bartholmes who provided Bess with her only family connection.
Stella is the sister that Houdini and Bess are visiting in Bridgeport in 1897, where Houdini so enjoyed outrunning "all the bike cops" on his "Wheel" (which I discuss in Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini 1897-1899).
According to sister Marie Hinson, Stella died at a young age. Her only child, Beatrice Bartholmes (born in 1893), was raised by the Rahners from the age of seven, which suggests Stella's death occurred in or around 1900. Curiously, I do see the death of a William Bartholmes of Bridgeport on June 30, 1900. Is this Stella's husband? Did they die together? That would explain why their child went to grandma.
Stella's death would have greatly impacted Bess, so I'd really like to know precisely when it occurred so I can see where the Houdinis were at the time. To make it more frustrating, I recall reading about the death of one of Bess's sisters somewhere, but I can't find it.
So if anyone wants to take up the challenge and find any record of Stella and her death, you'll be my hero!
UPDATE: It appears Stella's birth name may have been Pauline and she's
buried in Brooklyn, but no birth or death date available.
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