Genealogy is one of the top hobbies for older Americans, with 70 percent of Baby Boomers valuing this knowledge.

According to the Pew Research Center, the generation of post-war babies in 1964 included around 72.5 million people, but is projected to be only around 1 million in 2062.

Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964 who are approaching or have reached retirement have curiosity and goals specific to this phase of their lives. These goals include leaving a legacy, understanding their roots, and preserving their family stories.

The Erickson model of development described the eighth and final stage of life as “ego integrity versus despair.” Life review is an effective method to navigate these diametrically opposite polarities.

New Orleans and Family Connections

Growing up in New Orleans, we have always had close-knit families, and we were proud of our multiple ethnicities. I knew my maternal and paternal grandparents and spent quality time with them regularly. I learned from an early age about discrimination, segregation, and “separate but equal” from my daily environment, such as Catholic school and health care institutions.

There was an occasional mention of “generations” before my grandparents, even though we had roots dating back to the 18th century in the city and state on both the maternal and paternal sides of the family.

What I Learned About My Family

On one visit home to see my mom, I discovered a brown, crumpled newspaper clipping and a large sepia photo of a grand gentleman. The fragile paper article was from the local paper dated 1913.

After putting the pieces together, I saw the article told the story of my second great-grandfather, Charles Joseph Montaldo, who was born between 1838 and 1841.

No one in the family ever mentioned his name or his life. This entire side of our lineage was excluded from our history. As a child, my mom was close with and regularly visited one of my great-grandfather Charles’ daughters, Aunt Eva, and spent time with this relative.

“Genealogy Roadshow”

I learned that PBS’ Genealogy Roadshow was filming in New Orleans and chose to apply to participate. Surprisingly, after two Zoom sessions, they chose my second great-grandfather as one of the unique individuals from New Orleans.

Charles was a local politician in New Orleans and was engaged in the civil rights of African Americans. The Times Picayune, published on Friday, September 4, 1874, contained a complaint about Charles in his official role as State Supervisor of the Third Ward.

This racist story demonstrates the prejudice of their “enlightened” attitude about newly enfranchised African American citizens. In an attack on Charles Montaldo’s credentials as a voter registrar, they implied much but proved nothing, even having to admit his correctness. This sort of prejudice focused on Charles and other white “scalawags” and skewed the reporting to villainize them as traitors to the “lost cause.”

The complaint centered around the number of “Negroes” who registered to vote.

“The Negroes, as usual, have rushed to the registration office in patriotic anxiety to enroll their names! The whites are far behind, and seem to show little zeal and energy, as yet. Of the 780 persons registered in the Third Ward, about three Negroes or more to every white man” [abbreviated content].

Election to the Louisiana Legislature

In 1872, Charles was elected to the Louisiana State Legislature. Four years later, during his reelection bid for his seat in the legislature, he was accused of vote rigging. The events were reported in the local papers.

The reelection campaign to the Louisiana Legislature was influenced by white supremacists from Mississippi because of his history of registering Black Americans to vote after Reconstruction in New Orleans. In 1877, Charles was running the Gaiety Theater in downtown New Orleans.

In 1876, after his failed attempt at a second term in the Louisiana Legislature, Charles returned to New Orleans and held various jobs. Charles left New Orleans in 1880 and headed west to search for gold in the Klondike area of Canada.

In the 1885 census of Colorado, Charles can be found living in San Miguel County, Colorado, working as a saloon keeper.

Where Was Charles?

The last communication the family received from Charles was a postcard he mailed to his daughter Eva on November 16, 1890. The postcard was mailed from Fair Haven, Washington. The photo of Charles on the postcard was taken by Dobbs & Fleming photo studio on Holly Street in Sehome, Washington.

In the 1900 census, Ida Montaldo lived in Dayton, Columbia, Washington State, with her parents. The record stated that she had been married for seven years with no children.

On June 12, 1900, Charles was enumerated with other passengers aboard the Steamer Aberdeen in Nome, Alaska. This was at the height of the Nome Gold Rush. No documents were found placing Charles in the Klondike.

The End of a Complicated Life

Charles passed on May 2, 1910, and was buried in Reno, Nevada. The news eventually reached New Orleans newspapers: “Relatives of Charles A. J. Montaldo (Once a Prominent New Orleanian) Learn of His Demise in the Faraway West.” Along with a professional photo was a lead story in the Daily Picayune in 1913, telling the story of this once-famous man.

Another article published in 1913 read, “Soldier of Fortune Succumbs After Long Regarded Dead: Charles Montaldo Is Once King of Sporting World Here and a Picturesque Figure in Local Politics.”

Genealogy Results Are Both Positive and Negative

This aspect of his life clearly caused a major and profound scandal with the family, the city, and the local Catholic Church. In that historical period, the belief system of Catholicism stated that the individual would have been living in a constant state of manifest sin; they were barred from confession, Holy Communion, and receiving last rites upon death.

Lessons learned from genealogy are often painful reminders of the human condition. However, a human life is complicated, and each person has free will. My great-great-grandfather may have believed in equality, fairness, and social justice; however, he was clearly breaking the laws of the United States and the Catholic Church.