Elder Family Photo Blog: For my Mother

On May 15th my mother turned 75 years old. Today my brother and I took her to lunch and I took the time to ask her questions I should have asked a long time ago.

My mothers Great Grandfather, Arther G Owens (1840-1905)

Arther was from Montgomery Co. Indiana. He married Victoria Ann King in Page, Co. Iowa in 1861. A Civil War Vet, he served with A Co. 4th Iowa Inf. with his brother Silas.

Arther and Ann had 8 children.

In 1880 I find the family in Union Co. Oregon and Arther is employed as a carpenter.

Victoria Ann King (1843-1914)

Victoria was born in Ohio, After Arther's death I find Victoria living in Oakland, CA. with her youngest daughter Alta.

Mom told me that she remembers her grandfather talking about Arther " His family was from Wales and he hated the English, He was very proud of being Welch". She told me.

Henry Clay Burgess (1848-1928)

Henry was born in Parke Co. Indiana to William H. and Eliza Burgess.

Henry and Wife Ellen live in Mankato, Minnesota up to 1910 when I find them in Medford, Oregon. Henry made his living as a carpenter and as a salesman.

Henry died in Medford, Oregon.

Ellen Melinda French (1853-1927)

Ellen was born in Padeville, Wisconsin.The daughter of Charles and Mary French.

Charles and Ellen has 6 children,
Sons Arthur, Frank and William were listed in the 1900 census as actors and daughter Grace was a piano teacher.

Ellen was laid to rest at the Eastwood IOOF Cemetery in Medford,Oregon.

Grace Burgess, My mothers Grandmother.

Grace was born in Leray, Minnesota in 1880.

Grace married Jonas Wold in Brookfield, Missouri in 1904.

Grace and Jonas never had any children of their own, Family stories passed down tell us that Her and Jonas adopted Donald as their own.

Mom told me that Grace was a smoker and husband Jonas wasn't, And that mom and her sister would have coffee with Grandma Grace, "Lots of sugar and cream and very little coffee".

Grace and Jonas with son Donald. Jonas was born in Leranger, Norway. He came to America in 1881 at the age of 9. I first found Jonas in Fargo ND in 1900 and sometime after he and Grace were married they moved to Oregon.

Jonas was a pharmacist and owned his own drug store in Medford.

On the business outlook of Medford, Jonas was quoted in the Medford Saturday Review, "Things improving every day. One thing noticeable is the class of trade. The same class of stock is demanded here that is demanded in cities of 100,000 or more." Jonas Wold, Medford Pharmacy.

Apt. Building Jonas and Grace lived in. Also son Donald and his wife Anna June live in the same building in 1937. Jonas and Grace lived in Apt. 5. Donald and June lived in Apt. 19.

Mom told me that Jonas was always in a hat and tie. Owning his own drug store, there was always some sort of sweets in his pockets when the Grand daughters came by.

I've covered Mom's other grandparents, Arther and Annie Owen in past posts.

Arther and Annie Owen in Del Norte Co. CA.
Top clockwise, Arther Owen, Bertha Owen, Albert Owen, Henrietta Owen, Baby Ernie Owen, Annie Blodgett Owen, Alice Owen and Clara Brodnax (from Annie's 1st marriage)

Mom told me that Arther wasn't around much. He'd just kinda drift away at hunt, fish, or pan for gold. Come home and then leave again. She didn't remember Annie too much, She died in 1945. She did remember Arther as a kind man who was always busy in his wood shop, "Just don't touch his tools". She said.

Donald Burgess Wold (1914-1963)

My mothers father.
Donald was born in Minnesota.

in 1937, Donald was a bookkeeper for Timber Products in Medford, Oregon. He was a new father with daughter Marilyn born that year. In 1938 he moved the family to the San Francisco area where Judy (1938) and Nancy (1940) were born.

Mom remembers a sweet man, whom she never doubted that he loved his daughters, But alcohol was a demon he couldn't shake.

I was told that Donald took his life in 1963.

Anna June Zoll (1920-1996)

My Mothers Mother.

Born in Oregon, she lived he early days in Del Norte Co. CA.

She married Donald in 1936 and 3 girls. Nancy, Judy and Marilyn.

Anna June would later meet Ed Zoll at the Magidan Arny Hospital at Ft. Lewis, Washington. Mom told me that Grandma must have made quite a impression on Ed Zoll. Seems that Grandma left Ft. Lewis to head back to California before he was discharged. When discharged, Ed came to Northern CA. to look for her.