Starting in the summer of 2006, I searched off and on for Phoebe's story for three years, each time reaching a dead end and vowing to give up. I had found Phoebe in the 1910 and 1920 censuses, both times in Eastport, living with her parents, Charles and Mabel Thomas. But in the 1930 census, I could find only Charles and Mabel and some of Phoebe's siblings, this time living in Boston. But that was as far as I could go. I could find no further information on any member of the family. I even contributed an article, with Phoebe's picture, to an Eastport-area historical society newsletter, hoping someone would recognize her or remember her family, but that turned up nothing. 

In the summer of 2009, there was a breakthrough. I stumbled upon a family history website that included a valuable scrap of information: the dates of death, in Boston, for Charles and Mabel. I obtained their newspaper obituaries from the Boston Public Library, and some of their children were listed as survivors, including a daughter named Phoebe Bodi. With her married name, and the names of several other surviving children, I tracked down two descendants in the Boston area.

One was Evelyn DiBiasie, Phoebe's youngest sister, 94 years old, and the only Thomas child still living. I found her in the phone book, took a chance and called her, and told her about the pictures. She was astounded, and we talked for 15 or 20 minutes. She was delightful. I mailed her the photos right away. Evelyn gave me the phone number of her daughter, Barbara Geagan (Phoebe's niece), and I called her right away. She knew nothing about the photos either. Sadly, Evelyn passed away several months later; thankfully, she had seen the photos I sent her.

Phoebe's story begins in Lebanon, where her parents were born. I found valuable information in As the Cedars Grow, a recent book by Peter D. Murphy and Brenda Peters McDermott. It chronicles the history of Lebanese immigration to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, in the late 1800s. Charles and Mabel Thomas are mentioned, their brief biographies based on information provided by the family. Other information I used comes from the census and other official documents, and from the family history website I had found. As is usually the case with genealogical research, some of the data is approximate and is based on sources that are often unreliable.

Charles, born Masaad Tannous Abu-Rishdan, about 1882, immigrated to Saint John, through Ellis Island, New York, in about 1898. In about 1901, he married Mabel Joseph, born Shamsha "Frangi" Mitlig, in about 1888. She came to the US, also through Ellis Island, about 1901. She would have been about 13 years old when they married. They lived in Saint John for a few years, where Charles made his living as a peddler and merchant. In 1903, they had what appears to be the first of nine children, Phoebe Mary Thomas.

Sometime before 1910, they moved to Eastport, Maine, where Charles operated a general store, and was also a trader, often going back and forth to New Brunswick. They lived in Eastport until at least 1920. Then they moved to Macon, Georgia, where they operated a restaurant for several years. When the restaurant closed, they left and settled in Boston, where Charles established a moving and trucking business. Charles died in 1947, and Mabel died in 1961.

Phoebe (also known as Mary) married Peter Bodi, an auto mechanic who was born in Italy. They married in about 1949, shortly after the death of Peter's first wife, Agnes. Peter and Agnes had married in about 1919, and had no children, but Agnes had already had five children from a previous marriage. Peter and Phoebe lived in Dedham, Massachusetts, but were married for only about two years, since Peter died on November 15, 1951. They had no children. Phoebe did not remarry, and died on December 2, 1969, at the age of 66.

As you will note in the following interview, Barbara and Tom Geagan did not know some of the information that I would uncover later, especially some of the details surrounding Phoebe's marriage. As often happens in my project, I wind up giving as much information to the family as they give me.