CORA'S SCRAPBOOK ~ Charles & Daisy Hall move their family to San Diego in 1913 - Cora also went with them

Today’s entry from Cora’s Scrapbook is a newspaper article about Charles, Daisy and their daughter and son moving from Tarentum, Pennsylvania to San Diego, California.  Cora, who is Charles’ mother, moved with them.

Here is the newspaper article.  You can see how yellowed that original page from the scrapbook is.  I cropped out the articles and display them below the original page.

(PLEASE CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)

Transcription - St. Barnabas Church Parish hall on Fourth avenue was the scene of a very pleasant affair last evening, when the people of the parish gathered for a farewell reception to Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Hall and Mrs. Cora Hall.  The reception was very informal and everyone enjoyed the evening. Mr. Hall has been a lay-reader in the parish for the whole of his stay in this vicinity, a matter of _____effecient service in assisting the different rectors at the regular services and taking the full order of services during interims between rectors and vacation periods. Mr. Hall has also been the director of the Brotherhood of Saint Andrew for eight years. He was also church organist and secretary of the Sunday School. Impromptu speeches were made by T.N. Gummert, C.F. Colls, Mrs. C.L. Leydic and the Rev. H. G. Bulsch, all appreciative of the long and faithful service of Mr. Hall. In token of their love and good wishes the parish gave to Mr. Hall a sterling set of knives, forks and spoons, made by Gorham. The parish wishes him Godspeed and prays that he may be the recipient of God's blessing in whatsoever he may do.  St. Barnabas' loss is the gain of whatsoever parish in the city of San Diego, California Mr. Hall may connect himself.

I am always curious as to how two people meet.  I wish I had the story for my own grandparents and how they met.  In this case I wonder how Charles, from Saratoga Springs, New York met Daisy Bright, who was born and raised in Tarentum, Pennsylvania.  The distance between the two cities in 489.6 miles 

In 1900 Charles was a Bookkeeper for a railroad, still living in Saratoga Springs.  The couple married three years later, in Oct 1903. 

Their daughter, Dorothy Louise Hall was born 2 Jun 1905 in Pennsylvania.  Their son, Robert Walton Hall, Sr. was born 7 Jun 1907 in Tarentum, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. 

Charles worked as an Assistant Superintendent for a Steel Work company according to the 1910 census.  Daisy was a homemaker, and Charles’ mother, Cora (the author of our scrapbook) was living with the family.  She had been widowed in 1897.

What prompted Charles & Daisy to pick up their household and family and move all the way to the west coast?  I know that Cora’s brother Albert Walton Brown moved to San Diego from Saratoga Springs.  Did he precede them?

NOTE: My question prompted me to go and look for city directories from San Diego for the years 1913 onward.

I always love it when I am writing a blog post and a question I have prompts me to dig further.  In this case I was rewarded for my efforts.

As it turns out Cora’s brother, Albert W. Brown is listed in the San Diego city directory in 1912 and 1913 and forward.  So, he DID precede Charles & Daisy & family to San Diego.

In fact, in viewing the 1913 San Diego directory I see Charles working at the same company as Albert Brown.  And another interesting fact – they are working for a company called Hazard-Gould & Co.  Gould as you know, being my maiden name.  Charles is listed as a Dept. Mgr. and Albert is listed as an Elev Opr.

On the left is the directory listing for Albert W. Brown (Cora's brother) and on the right is Chas S. Hall - you can see they are working for the same company

By 1914 Charles, his family, his mother, Cora and his Uncle Albert (reminds me of a Beatles song) are all living together at 1813 Altura Place.

I have taught a couple of classes about blogging. I always tell people that blogging can make us better researchers.  Or, at the very least lead us to new information about our ancestors.  When we are preparing a blog post we want to present the most thorough information possible.  This is not the first time that a blog post has encouraged me to dig deeper.

There are many more items in Cora’s scrapbook, so stay tuned.

To read all my previous posts from Cora – please click here Cora’s Scrapbook.

If you have any information to add to this post or are connected with any of those mentioned here, please get in touch.  Let’s exchange information.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2022   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

 

 

CORA’S SCRAPBOOK ~ A letter from her husband Thomas to his son, Charles

This is the story of my journey through Cora’s scrapbook.  Cora is my husband, Ron's, paternal great grandmother. I will give a link to all posts at the beginning of each new post.  Here’s that link My posts about Cora's Scrapbook

Today I am presenting one of the letters I found when I went through Cora’s wonderful scrapbook.  I’m so very happy that she preserved these pieces of family history for us.

Cora & Thomas only had one child, their son Charles. There are, of course, many references to him in the scrapbook.  This one is particularly sweet, as it’s a letter from Thomas to his son Charles.

There is no date on it.  Thomas mentions Christmas, so we know what time of year it was. It has to be before Thomas died on 18 Jan 1897, age 52.  Charles was only 18 when his father died.

(Please click on this image to enlarge it)

Where was Charles when his father wrote to him?  From the sentence in the letter, “hoping he has a splendid time,” we must imagine he was on some sort of outing.  Perhaps attending an out of town event?  Maybe as I examine other documents in the scrapbook I will come to know the answer?

I do think it’s a sweet letter from father to son.  I wish I could have known Thomas. He sounds like a loving, caring father.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2021   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

TOMBSTONE TUESDAY ~ My husband’s grandparents–Charles S. Hall (1878-1953) and Daisy F. Bright (1882-1953)

Charles Schuyler Hall born 5 Mar 1878 in Saratoga Springs Co., New York to parents Thomas Cornelius HALL and Cora E. BROWN.  He was the only known child born to this couple.  He married Daisy Fern BRIGHT born 19 Apr 1882 in Tarentum, Allegheny, Pennsylvania on 15 Oct 1903.  They were married in her birth place as that was where the Hall family had moved to from New York.

Daisy was born to Ellmer Bright & Malissa HUNT.  She was the only surviving child of 3 born to this couple.  By the age of 10, Daisy had lost her twin (died at birth), a younger sister, and both parents.  You can read her story here Surname Saturday – Who was Daisy Bright?

Charles Hall & his wife Daisy had 3 children, 2 boys and a girl; Dorothy Louise, Robert Walton and Gordon Charles (my husband’s father). 

Charles died on 25 Mar 1953 in San Diego, San Diego Co., California.  He had just turned 75.  Had he lived just 7 more months, he and Daisy would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Daisy, sadly, died just 7 months after Charles, on 23 Oct 1953, at the age of 71.

I imagine it was a sad time for their 3 children, extended family and friends.

Charles and Daisy are buried together at Mt. Hope Cemetery in San Diego, California.  My husband and I have been to their gravesites to visit them.

You may visit their memorials here – Charles #31821717 and Daisy #31837077

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

Appropriately for upcoming July 4th holiday here’s a previous post that mentions the Hall family

DR. JEREMIAH HALL WRITES TO GEORGE WASHINGTON ~ Celebrating Our Founding Fathers

CIVIL WAR PENSION FILE ~ Cora E. Hall widow of Thomas C. Hall ~ What gems does it contain?

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks–Week #9–Robert Walton Hall–1907-1987–My husband’s uncle–Part 1

Uncle Bob - 1951

Robert Walton Hall is my husband’s paternal Uncle.  Older brother to his Dad.  My husband talks fondly about his “Uncle Bob.”  I understand that he owned a gas station located at Rolando & El Cajon in San Diego, back in the 1960’s.  My husband used to work there, when he was a teenager.
 
Here is what I know about Robert W. Hall.

He was born, the second child, to Charles Schuyler Hall and Daisy Fern Bright on 7 Jun 1907 in Pennsylvania.  He had one older sister, Dorothy Louise Hall who was born in 1905.  He also had a younger brother, Gordon Charles Hall, born in 1917 (my husband’s father).

Robert is enumerated with his father, mother, older sister and paternal grandmother in 1910 in Tarentum, Allegheny, Pennsylvania.

Sometime between 1910 and 1917, the family migrated from Pennsylvania to San Diego, California.

In 1920 I find this family living at 1605 Thirteenth St., San Diego, California. There is an addition to the family, as young Gordon has been born.

Here are those two census records.

(PLEASE CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)

1910 U.S. census - Charles Hall & family in Tarentum, Allegheny, Pennsylvania

1920 U.S. census - Charles Hall & family in San Diego, California

ROBERT GETS MARRIED

I located the announcement of an application for a Marriage License, by Robert W. Hall, age 22 and Evelyn A. Bullock, age 21, both of San Diego.  This announcement was published in the San Diego Evening Tribune, 11 Jul 1929, page 25.  They appeared to have applied for this marriage license on July 10.



UPDATE: Thanks to a fellow blogger, Cathy Meder-Dempsey who writes the blog Opening Doors in Brick Walls I have been made aware of an error in my post.  The date on the Arizona marriage license, as mentioned below, is NOT July 15, 1929, but JUNE 15, 1929.  How did I miss that?  Thank you Cathy! I have left my original statement below, in brackets.
 
[WHY, then do I also have an application for a marriage license for this couple from ARIZONA on 15 Jul 1929?  Had they not been able to get the license they applied for in San Diego on July 10th?  Whatever the reason, they got the license in Arizona and got married the same day.]

Here is the Arizona license.



On 15 Jul 1929, Robert W. Hall marries Alice Evelyn Bullock, in San Diego, California.  The event was covered in the local newspapers.  Miss Bullock was the daughter of Commander Charles H. Bullock and his wife Josephine Marie Hurton.
From the San Diego Union I find these articles about the nuptials.


The couple went on their honeymoon and when they returned there was a small article in the paper with a very lovely photo of the bride, Evelyn.  She’s quite pretty.

Here’s the article from the San Diego Evening Tribune, 23 Jul 1929, page 8.



There’s more to Robert's story, so stay tuned for Part 2.

To see all my 52 Ancestors posts please use the tab at the top of the blog or click here.

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2017   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

CIVIL WAR PENSION FILE ~ Cora E. Hall widow of Thomas C. Hall ~ What gems does it contain?

This pension file was the fourth one I’ve received in the past 6 months.  It contains fewer pieces of family information than any of the other three.  And, being only 30 pages, is certainly the smallest of all four.  However, there are still genealogical gems to be found within the file.

Cora E. Brown Hall was the widow of Thomas Cornelius Hall.  They are my husband’s great grandparents.  Prior to receiving this pension file I did not have an exact date for their marriage.

However, on the very first page of this pension file I find not only the exact marriage date, but two other dates of interest.

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IS FOR EASIER VIEWING)



The red arrow indicates the “Clt’s (claimant’s) marriage to soldier” as February 5, 1877.  The two green arrows give us the date of Thomas’ death and the date of birth for Cora.  Those are two dates I already had, but another piece of evidence to document them is always welcome.

Now that I have the exact date of Thomas & Cora’s marriage, I’m hoping to find the official document for that marriage.

What else was of note in this pension file?

Page 2

A statement that the pensioner, Cora E. Hall, is dropped from the roll because of death on Sept. 9, 1933.

Page 6

A letter, in Cora’s own hand, to the Bureau of Pension, dated Sept. 5th 1929.

Page 8

Another letter from Cora to the Commissioner of Pensions dated Aug. 3rd.  This letter, in her own hand, gives the dates of her birth and the date of her marriage and also states that the pension is her only income.

Page 11

A notarized statement from Cora that neither she nor her husband were divorced and that she has $1500 from a life insurance policy on Thomas.

Page 17

A deposition by Emma S. Burt who states she has known Cora for all of her life.  She also states that she was present at her marriage to Thomas and gives the date of marriage, name of the Pastor who performed the ceremony and the church where the marriage took place.  These are wonderful pieces of information to have for further research.

Page 23 & 24

A transcript from the Registrar of Saratoga Springs, New York, Bureau of Vital Statistics regarding the death of Thomas C. Hall.  This gives a wealth of information about Thomas.  I already had a transcript of his death, obtained several years ago, but had I not, this would have been a gold mine.  It contains his parent’s names and places of birth.

Page 26

A deposition from Pastor Joseph Carey, who married Thomas & Cora.  More evidence for their date & place of marriage.

Page 28

Application for Transfer stating that Cora moved to San Diego, California at the end of the year 1911.  This statement gives her address in San Diego and is signed by her son, Charles, daughter-in-law Daisy and by Cora herself.

Page 30

A letter to the Bureau of Pension, dated Sept. 12th, 1933, from Cora’s son, Charles Hall.  This letter is to inform them that Cora died on Sept. 9th, 1933.  The letter gives Charles’ address and is signed by him.

Here are a few samples of the pages referenced above.

This is Page 6 – the letter from Cora to the Pension Bureau

Page 24 – Thomas’ death record – I’ve cropped & rotated the bottom portion with his parent’s names so you can see them

Page 30 – the letter from Cora’s son, Charles stating she has died

This document and it’s 30 pages, while not huge, does contain important information about Cora, her deceased husband, Thomas and her life.

Cora and Thomas only had one child that we know of and that is Charles Schuyler Hall (my husband’s grandfather), born 5 Mar 1878 in Saratoga Springs, New York; married Daisy Fern Bright on 15 Oct 1903 in Tarentum, Allegheny, Pennsylvania and died on 25 Mar 1953 in San Diego, California. 

I do have one photo of Cora E. Brown Hall, obtained from my husband’s cousin.

I’ve just ordered two more pension files.  One for my side of the family and the other from my husband’s side.  I find that these files are well worth the cost and can't wait to explore them.

I recently wrote a post about Cora’s father, Charles Henry K. Brown, who was a Cigar Maker in New York.  You can read that post here 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week #5 – Charles Henry Brown.

What gems have you found in pension files?

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

MILITARY MONDAY – Civil War Pension File – Private John Gillen – Killed in Action

WHAT I LEARNED FROM ONE SINGLE PAGE OF A CIVIL WAR PENSION FILE – 1864

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2017   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

SURNAME SATURDAY - WHO WAS DAISY BRIGHT?

SURNAME SATURDAY

TODAY'S FEATURED SURNAME

BRIGHT

•  Who was Daisy BRIGHT?
•  Who were her parents?
•  Who were her siblings, if any?

These are the questions I asked when I first began doing genealogy research, back in 2003.  

Here is what I knew about her:

1. She is my husband's grandmother on his paternal side.  She died when he was only 3 yrs. old, as did her husband, so my husband knew nothing at all about them.
2. According to the obituary & a large newspaper article about Charles S. Hall, she was his wife.  
3. Her name was also listed as "spouse" on his death certificate.
4. According to the 1910, 1920 & 1930 census records, she was born about 1882 in PA.

That was about it for information.   I did some poking around, but wasn't able to locate much.  We've got that HUGE gap in information between the 1880 census and the 1900 census. NOTE: A fire destroyed all but about 6,000 records for the 1890 census.

 If she was born in 1882, she wouldn't be on the 1880 census.  By the time the 1900 census rolls around, she's 18 and could be out of the house.  Living where?  With whom?

I found a few more clues.  A likely candidate was Daisy BRIGHT living with the HUNT family.  

Could this be her?

Daisy Bright listed in the 1900 census living with Thomas & Edith Hunt

If so, then who are the Hunt's?  Notice that Thomas Hunt is a glassblower.  That's not a common profession.   

Now I have a little something to go on.  I went to the 1880 census records and typed in Bright, living in Pennsylvania.  Hunting through those records I located an Ellmer Bright in Allegheny County, which is the right location.  Guess what his profession was?  Glassblower!!  OK, maybe I'm on to something now.  But, I'm new to researching back then and I didn't know how to prove the connection.

So, I hired a professional genealogist (she is no longer in business).  It was a huge risk, as I didn't really know her, but she had good reviews and her price was reasonable.  

NOTE: I've only used two other professionals to help me during this time and the results were not as rewarding.  But, sometimes when you have a brick wall you have to try everything.

Within 2 weeks I had my answers.  She called me and then sent me a really detailed step by step report of what she had found.  OH BOY!!!  Was I ever excited.

How correct were my assumptions? 

Well, I'm happy to tell you, they were right on!  Ellmer Bright, the glassblower in the 1880 census is her father.  And, Thomas Hunt, glassblower from the 1900 census is her Uncle.  Here are the facts about Daisy Bright's family.  This turned out to be very sad, as she lost everyone by the time she was 10 years old.

• Daisy Bright was born 19 Apr 1882 in Tarentum, Allegheny, Pennsylvania

• Her parents were Ellmer Bright & Malissa Hunt

• She was a twin (the twin died at birth)

• She had a younger sister named Mabel, born in 1887 and died in 1888, age 1

• Her father, Ellmer died of Consumption in 1889, age 29

• Her mother, Malissa died of possible heart failure in 1892, age 31

Church records for the Bright family of Tarentum, Pennsylvania

Tarentum Methodist Episcopal Church Membership list 1887 with E.E. Bright and Meliss Bright lower left column

 The mystery of Daisy Bright's life was solved.  I located her marriage record to Charles S. Hall, several census records, her death certificate, her burial location (right here in my own city) and the bonus was tracking down my husband's first cousin, Tom (now deceased).  

BONUS FIND -   I have become friends with Tom's daughter, Lynn.  She and I have shared family information and she had several pictures of Daisy and Charles in their younger years.

I almost forgot to include a picture of Daisy.  Here she is as a young woman and then with her husband Charles, holding my husband on his first birthday, 1951.

Daisy Bright Hall - year unknown

 

Daisy Bright Hall & her husband Charles S. Hall with their grandson - 1951

Happy Hunting,

Michigan Girl