The Life of Entrepreneur Chester Mendenhall

Today's genealogy research introduced me to my 7th cousin, 5x removed- Chester G. Mendenhall. 

Chester was born on October 20, 1888 in Hebron, Nebraska to James Mendenhall (1849-1942) and Margaret A. Hockett (1853-1922).

By 1907, Chester and his family were living in Fowler, Kansas. Several newspaper articles show he and his sister in several wedding parties along with Bertha and Frank Lasater (brother & sister). 

In 1909, newspapers show Chester in business with Frank Lasater. The picture to the right shows Lasater and Mendenhall and two women (girlfriends/wives?) in front of their restaurant- The Way-Side Restaurant- located in Fowler, Kansas. 

30 April 1909
The Fowler News
Fowler, Kansas

Way-Side Restaurant Ad
23 April 1909
The Fowler News
Fowler, Kansas

I don't know when the store opened, but also by 1909, the two men also owned a hardware store called Lasater and Mendenhall. 

Chester's business partner was George Franklin "Frank" Lasater (1886-1969). He was born to George Washington Lasater and Jennie Bell Bosley. Their daughter Bertha married Chester on April 3, 1910 in Fowler.

Chester and Bertha on their wedding day

Chester and Bertha had 3 children together: 

Virginia Margaret (1911-2008)

Howard (1913-2010)

Maxine (1920-1981)

Chester and Frank were in business together all of their lives and I'm sure their families grew up together. Chester died on June 11 1959 at the age of 70. He died at his home following a heart attack. He is buried in the Fowler Cemetery alonside his wife Bertha.

Chester's obituary in the newspaper
18 Jun 1959
The Fowler News
Fowler, Kansas

This was the biggest I could get the newspaper article to appear into the blog post- if you would like a transcript, please let me know. 

Gravestone of Chester and Bertha Mendenhall

1940 Celebrity Homes: The Wizard of Oz Cast

A year ago, I wrote a post about cast members of The Wizard of Oz who I am related to. Recently, my son and I were looking up census records to see where the cast lived in 1940- I thought it'd make a fun post.

(You can read more about that previous post Here)

Judy Garland (1922-1969)

(born: Frances Ethel Gumm)

My 7th Cousin, 4x Removed

In 1940 United States Census:

April 8, 1940

Los Angeles, California

17 year old Judy Garland is living with her mother, sister Sue, a butler and a maid.

                                                               Judy's home in 1940:

1231 Stone Canyon Rd.
Los Angeles, California
5 bedrooms, 5.5 bath
1940- Valued at $50,000
Today- Valued at $8,041,200
(Photo courtesy of Realtor.com)

Ray Bolger (1904-1987)

Born: Raymond Wallace Bolger

In 1940 United States Census:

April 5, 1940

New York, New York

36 year old Ray appears to be living with the Law Family (William & Lucy) and another male named Alfred Kiddle in a brand new building in Manhattan- not sure if the dictation on the document is correct.

Hampshire House
150 Central Park South
New York, New York
220 Units, 36 Stories, built in 1940
Rent in 1940: $325/month
Rent today: average- $7,997/month
(Photo Courtesy of Streeteasy.com)

Jack Haley (1897-1979)

Born: John Joseph Haley 
In my tree, but not directly related- his son married the daughter of Judy Garland, my distant cousin.

In the 1940 United State Census:

April 23, 1940

New York, New York

38 year old Jack is living with his wife at the Essex Hotel in New York. 

                                                                Jack's home in 1940:

Essex House Ne w York
160 Central Park South
New York, New York
426 Rooms
Rent in 1940- Unknown
Rent today- Low price- $663/night
Highest price- $1901/night
(Photo Courtesy of Google.com)

Bert Lahr (1895-1967)

Born: Irving Lahrheim

In 1940 United States Census:

April 8, 1940

New York, New York

44 year old Bert was a lodger at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. 

The Waldorf Astoria Hotel
301 Park Ave
New York, New York
1,413 Rooms
Room in 1940: Unknown
Room Today: varies of couple hundred dollars
They also have a $10,000/night Presidential Suite

Margaret Hamilton (1902-1985)

My 8th Cousin, 2x Removed

In the 1940 United States Census:

May 9, 1940

Beverly Hills, California 

37 year old Margaret (married name of Meserve (divorced)) is living with her 3 year old son and a cook. 

Margaret's home in 1940 was at 611 N. Canon Drive in Beverly Hills. The home has since been torn down and replaced with another home that was built in 1983, valued at just over 18 Million dollars.

Billie Burke (1884-1970)

Born: Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke

In the 1940 United States Census:
Unfortunately, I couldn't find her in the census.

Frank Morgan (1890-1949)

Born: Francis Philip Wuppermann

In the 1940 United States Census:

Unfortunately, I couldn't find Frank in the census. 

Clara Blandick (1876-1962)

Born: Clara Blanchard Dickey

In the 1940 United States Census:

Unfortunately, I couldn't find Clara in the census. 

Charley Grapewin (1869-1956)

Born: Charles Ellsworth Grapewin

The 1940 United States Census:

May 15, 1940

Temescal, Riverside, California 

Charles was living with his wife, a servant and 2 of his servants children in a home off Route 1- home valued at $20,000- no exact address to look up.

I feel like the three characters- scarecrow, lion and tin man were all three in New York for some type of event because The Wizard of Oz- they were all in New York during the 1940 Census and they were all three staying in hotels as if visiting. Coincidence? 

An Profitable Sell During the Great Depression

 

Chester Bogert Mendenhall was born on 30 June 1885 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Edward George Mendenhall (1846-1917) & Alice Lorenah Bogert (1847-1926). He led a simple farmer's life, starting work before the age of 14 years old as a farm laborer on his father's farm.

Chester married twice. The first was to Jennie Geneva Davis on 20 February 1913 in Marion County, Indiana. The couple had one daughter together- Alecia Emily Mendenhall (1913-2003). Jennie died in 1916 at the age of 26 years old. The cause of her death is unknown, but I can imagine it was from an illness or accident. 

On 26 June 1920, Chester married a second time to Grace Edith Merchant and together, they had one son who would die in infancy- Edward Merchant Mendenhall (1921-1921). 

In all census records prior to 1930, Chester's occupation was a farm laborer or a laborer in agriculture. I think his work was greatly effected by the Great Depression because in April of 1930, Chester made the deal of a lifetime, one that, as a genealogist, makes me quite sad. He had in his possession an heirloom passed down on his mother's side of the family for the past 286 years- a clock that was in great working order. Chester closed a deal with a Mr. Frank Tate of St. Louis- selling the clock for $1000 (that's over $15,000 in today's money). Chester delivered the clock to St. Louis and drove home in a new Dodge Sedan. 

(not the actual car belonging to Chester)
1930 Dodge Sedan

Chester spent the remainder of his years working as an independent taxi driver and then a chauffeur. I can imagine that, even though this clock had been in his family for a very long time, a job he could provide for himself- a job he knew would provide for him and his wife, was worth the sacrifice. I wish I knew what this clock looked like, or better yet, if it's new owner took good care of it because I'm curious to know if it's still around. 

Chester died at the age of 77 years old on June 30 1962 in Kinmundy, Illinois. He is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Kinmundy, Illinois. 

Arizona's Cold Case: "Valentine Sally" identified after 39 years

 Last June, DNA helped identify the unidentified body of "Valentine Jane Doe"- you can read more about that story Here.

Today, I woke up to discover that another Cold Case unidentified person has been identified because of DNA- Arizona's "Valentine Sally".

"Valentine Sally" was a murder victim (strangled) found on February 14, 1982 near Westbound Interstate 40, about 11 miles west of Williams, Arizona (Coconino County). The girl had been last seen on February 3rd at the Monte Carlo Truck Stop in Ashfork with an older man. When she was found on the 14th, it was observed she had been dead for a week or two.

 

Characteristics & Clothing:

-Blonde Hair, Scars on Foot & Thigh, ears pierced

-Red & White Striped Sweater, Designer jeans, size 9, bra and handkerchief 

Sketch of the man who she was seen with, could have been in his 60s. 

In 1984, "Valentine Sally" was misidentified as a Florida girl who ran away in 1980- Melody Cutlip. Lieutenant Jack Judd of the Coconino Sheriff's Office found Cutlip's missing person's report and thought it could be the same person. He forensic odontologist Homer Campbell check it out and all he did was enlarge pictures of Cutlip's teeth and compared them to them "Valentine Sally's". 

Cutlip's mother refused to believe this was her daughter and so "Valentine Sally" was buried in a cemetery in Williams with Cutlip's name on it, Valentine Sally underneath it.

Unfortunately, there is no picture online of Valentine Sally's tombstone.

Four years later, in 1988, Cutlip returned home, proving that she was still very much alive. Despite this, her name still remains on the tombstone in Williams. Melody Cutlip actually died in 1998 in Louisiana in a car accident. 

Melody Eugenia Freeman Cutlip
22 Jan 1966 Tampa, Florida
11 Sep 1998 Jackson Parish, Louisiana 

The Truth

With the help of DNA, on Friday February 19, 2021, "Valentine Sally" was finally identified as Carolyn Eaton, a 17 year old who went missing from St. Louis, Missouri in 1981. She lived with her family in a suburb called Bellefontaine Neighbors. 

I searched Newspapers.com, but couldn't find anything in 1981 for Carolyn Eaton's disappearance. I also couldn't find an actual picture of Carolyn.

 I am so happy that her family now has closure! I really hope that either her remains are exumed and returned to her hometown and properly buried, or at least the tombstone is changed to her name. I also hope that in the future, justice will be brought and her killed will be identified next.

                        May you Rest in Peace Carolyn Eaton 

First Post of 2021- Josephine Dabuliewicz Alexinas Jeckering

This morning, I'm listening to a YouTube video- Cozy Coffee Shop Ambiance with Relaxing Jazz Music & Rain Sounds. 

Even though I've written about her before, I wanted to write about my great-grandmother this morning. I was thinking about her the other day. I always thinking about her on Jan 2 of every year. Most people don't memorize their great-grandparents birthdays, but hers is unique because she was born on Jan 2...and died on Jan 2. 

Josephine Mary Dabuliewicz was born in 1906 in Brooklyn, New York. She was the only child of Josef Dabuliewicz (1881-1977) & Stephania Ellert (1878-1913).

I found this picture on Ancestry.com, added by my cousin, Jill. 

The picture above, I found about 6 years ago and absolutely cherish it. It looks to have been taken the same day as the baby picture of Josephine- maybe a christening? 

Here, we can see Baby Josephine again (baby on the left), being held by her father, Josef. Her mother is behind Josef with her hand on his shoulder.

The other baby is Michael Anthony Ruski (1905-1957). Michael's parents- his father (holding him) was John James Ruski (b. 1885) and his wife Mary Ellert (1885-1971). Mary was Stephania's sister. Between the two sisters is their brother Joseph Ellert (1888-1966).  The elderly couple is the parents of Stephania, Mary and Joseph- Stanislaw Ellert (1849-1930) & Pauline Yocavich (1854-1937). 

On June 7, 1913 Stephania passes away. Originally, it was told that she died in the Great Dayton Flood but the dates don't match. I was told by a family member that she had strep. She was only 35 years old. 

Stephania is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio. (The spelling of her last name is different than other sources of the name).

By the 1920 U.S. Census, Josephine was living with the Alexinas family in Dayton. I don't know all of the circumstances with Joseph and his daughter, but Josephine did end up taking the Alexinas name. Her adoptive parents were John J. Alexinas (1874-1955) & Mary Kushinski (1879-1973). They already had one son- George Francis Alexinas (1904-1952). George never married. 

Josef, Josephine's father, by 1920 was living in Bedford, Ohio- re-married to Honorata Cieslak (1891-1977). Josef and Honorata had 6 children together- Mary (1914-1941), Helen (b. 1917), Walter Alexander (1918-1995), Stanley (b. 1921), Joseph John (1925-2012) and Adella Mary (b. 1930). They raised their children in Winchendon, Massachusetts. 

Josephine married my great-grandfather Gerard Jeckering (1900-1967) about 1924. 

Josephine married my great-grandfather Gerhard Jeckering (1900-1967) on July 29, 1924 at 8 o'clock in the morning.

How sweet is their wedding portrait?!

Gerhard was one of five children to Joseph Herman Jeckering (1870-1931) & Rose Horn (1872-1933). He was a tool maker, like many of his other family members.

 I am really fortunate to have this picture (above) of him at work. 

 

Around 1936/37, the couple purchased a home at 2334 Newport Ave in Dayton, Ohio. 

You can read more about the history of this house in another I wrote here.

Josephine and Gerhard raised 6 children together- Paul George (1924-1954), Richard Cletus (1926-2017), Rita Irene (1928-2015), Rosemary Emma (1930-2012), Joann Ethel (b. 1934) and Joseph John (b. 1939). 

Gerhard and Josephine were married roughly 41 years and lived in this home until Josephine passed away in 1965. She was only 59 years old and died of acute leukemia. Gerhard followed two years later in 1967. 

Josephine and Gerhard are buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio.