Montrans in the News – Week 2019-22

Montrans in the News – Discovered during week 22 of 2019

Montran Monday
By Don Taylor

My grandmother’s father was John Montran. She used the surname, as a young child and again when she began in show business. The name is uncommon and most of the Montrans I see in the newspapers are her during her early vaudeville career. With a constant flow of newly digitized material, I often learn of new articles that contain the Montran name. I pay attention to the finding and try to determine it’s possible relationship to grandma Donna or her father, John Montran. Hopefully, you will find the articles interesting, This week, for Montran Monday I found the following two articles:

 This week’s first entry is from The Paterson Morning Call dated Dec 30, 1941.

Incorporations

Papers of incorporation were filed in the office of County Clerk Lloyd B. Marsh yesterday by the Bargain House of America, Inc., whose principal office at 812 Market street is in charge of Bando J. Caruso of 427 Bloomfield avenue, Montclair, as statutory agent. The corporation has been formed for the purpose of dealing and selling of motor cars, aircraft, motor boats and other articles.

 The authorized stock of the corporation is 200 shares with no par value. Ten shares have been subscribed with which to commence business. The incorporators are: Betty Schimmel, 331 Ninety-fourth street, Brooklyn, five shares; Sally Schimmel, 34½ St. Marks place, New York city, four shares; Fred Montran, 188 Warren street, Brooklyn, one share. 

I was unsuccessful finding any additional information regard a Fred Montran at 188 Warren Street. Today, that address is a 3-story walk up with 4 apartments (one down, 3 up). A search of the address found several articles regarding the address, but none referring to a Fred or a Montran. Likewise, searches for the “Bargain House of America” failed to yield any additional information. I think this was a false lead. 

 This week’s second entry is from The Plattsmouth Journal (Plattsmouth, NE dated Dec 30, 1941.  

— Nehawka —
S/Sgt. Jed Kropp left Tuesday morning for Tucson, Ariz, to spend the remainder of his enlisted time in the air corps at Davis-Montran air base. His father, Ernest Cropp accompanied him to Kansas City, where they visited relatives.

I had never heard of a Davis-Montran air base in Arizona, so I suspected an error of some sort.  A quick look confirmed it should have been reported as the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Clearly a newspaper typo.

No new Montran facts were discovered this week (sigh). Hopefully, I’ll find something next week.