Thursday, February 28, 2013

Surname Saturday - Blackmore and Bryan


This is the first section of a booklet that I put together for my father-in-law’s 96th birthday.  Future sections will be about the parents and grandparents of Clifford and Bertha Bryan Blackmore and will include Blincow and Doyle surnames.  I have also included information about the siblings of these direct ancestors.   

Clifford Franklin Blackmore
and Bertha Jane Bryan

            Clifford Franklin Blackmore was born on 16 February 1890 in McCool, Nebraska.  His parents were George Marlin Blackmore and Mary Elizabeth “Polly” Blincow.  In 1910 Clifford and is family were living in Granite, Colorado, but he and his family moved to California sometime between 1910 and 1912 because a clipping in the Hemet News in June of 1912 indicated that Clifford had suffered from a black spider bite and was recovering.

            According to another newspaper clipping, in February 1914 Clifford bought a Yale motorcycle.  This was when he was about 24 years old and before he married.  I wonder what Bertha thought about this and how long he kept it after he married.

            Clifford married Bertha Jane Bryan on 10 November 1914 in Winchester, California.  She was born in Montezuma, Poweshiek County, Iowa on 26 August 1890 to Oliver Bryan and Mary Emma Oliver.  Bertha was one of six children.  She and her parents and siblings moved to California sometime before 1914, although they lived in Delta County, Colorado in 1910.

            Clifford and Bertha had four children, three boys and one girl.  All three sons were born in California, but their daughter was born in Arizona.  

            According to Clifford’s World War I draft registration card he noted that he was of medium height and build, had brown eyes and brown hair.  At this time he indicated that he needed to support his wife and a child.  He was working as a Stationery Engineer for Indian Irrigation Service on the Rincon Indian Reservation.  The Rincon Reservation is in southern California, outside of San Diego.  Clifford may also have been a rancher, since that was the occupation listed in the 1917 Riverside City and County Directory where it listed that Clifford and Bertha were living in Winchester.

            In 1918 according to another newspaper clipping the family obviously had an automobile since they traveled from Riverside, California, to the Phoenix area of Arizona where Paul Blackmore, the son of Clifford’s uncle Charles lived, to Colorado where Clifford’s parents lived.

            Clifford and his family lived in Arizona, in Pinal County, for a short time around 1920.  Clifford and Bertha’s daughter was born in Arizona.  In the 1920 census Clifford’s occupation is listed as working for Indian Services.  And on 22 November 1921, Clifford filed for a Land Patent, for three lots in Pinal County.  This was a total of a little more than 177 acres.  Paul, Clifford’s cousin, had a land patent granted on 9 June 1919 in Pinal County for 320 acres in the same area. 

            By 1926 Clifford and Bertha were again living in California but this time in Orange County.  Their address was 106 South Laurel, Brea.  Clifford was an oil worker and Bertha was a housewife. These job designations continued until at least 1944. 

            Bertha died on 18 March 1943 in Los Angeles, California.  She was buried in Loma Vista Memorial Park, Fullerton, Orange County, California

            Clifford remarried on 30 September 1945 in Brea.  He married Anna Beatrice whose last name is unknown.  I believe Anna may have been married twice before she married Clifford but her maiden name may have been Scholes.  Clifford and Anna continued to live at 106 Laurel in Brea. 

            Clifford died on 23 May 1970 in Yucaipa, California.  Clifford and Bertha are both buried in Loma Vista Memorial Park in Fullerton, California.  Anna died on 12 October 1981 in Redlands.

            Since at the time of this writing, two sons of Clifford and Bertha are living, I have not included any information about the children of Clifford and Bertha.