Leonora “Nora” (Anderson) Spitzer (1863-1948) was born to James and Minerva (Bradford) Anderson on April 8, 1863 in Boston, KY. She was an only child. In 1870, the family was living in Covington, KY where James was working as a tobacconist and Minerva was keeping house. They had a domestic servant named Nancy Croxton. By 1880, the family was back in Boston where James was working in a country store. In 1883, Leonora gave birth to a daughter named Ethel A. Bradford. No records on Ethel’s father could be located. On June 24, 1888, Leonora married Rudolph A. Spitzer of Canada in Floyd County, IN. Rudolph’s parents were German immigrants to Canada. Together the couple had five children: Minerva, Luella, Alfred, Samuel Rudolph, and Laura.
According to the 1900 Census, the family was living at 1426 Hemlock Street in the Park DuValle Neighborhood. Rudolph was working as a switchman for the railroad and had been in the US since 1866. All six children were in the household as well as Leonora’s parents. In September 1912, Rudolph died at the approximate age of 55. He was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery. Leonora remained in their home and continued to live with some of her children and eventually grandchildren. Generations of the family remained in that house well into the 1950s. On September 3, 1948, Leonora died at the age of 85 in Dayton, OH. She had only been living in Dayton with her daughter Minerva (Spitzer) Gregg’s family for five months before her death. Leonora was cremated and her cremains were buried in Section A, Range 3, Lot 46 of Eastern Cemetery. No other members of her family are buried in the cemetery. The photo of Rudolph and Leonora is from Ancestry user Lrfstigers. It’s a cabinet card with the photographer’s name at the bottom, Devenny, as well as his location, 3rd and Jefferson Streets. Charles H. Devenny had a business at this location from at least 1886-1890. This is likely when the photograph was taken.
