Robert Harry Darling (1907-1969)

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Don Taylor

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 34 – Robert
Harry Darling  (1907-1969)

By – Don Taylor
This is probably the most intimidating biography I have
written so far. Most if the time I know more about the individual I am writing
about than anyone else so it is easy. In the case of Robert Harry Darling.
Because Harry died in 1969, many people remember him and may have different
opinions of him and his history. I will do my best to be impartial regarding a complicated
man who lived a complicated life. If anyone, particularly his descendants, have
any different information or any anecdotal information regarding him, please
share it with me though the comment sheet below or directly to my email. In any
event, I will certainly welcome additional insight into the man.

Robert Harry Darling  (1907-1969)

Robert Harry Darling
abt 1932
Even Robert Harry Darling’s birth has some mystery. He was
clearly born on 18 August 1907, but it is unclear where. Most documents
indicate he was born in Pittsburgh, PA, however, there are several key
documents which indicate he was born in New Kensington, Westmoreland, County,
Pennsylvania, which is a town about 20 mile up the Allegheny river from
Pittsburgh. I believe he was born in New Kensington.
I haven’t found anything to suggest that Robert Harry’s
father, Rufus Harry Darling was ever in the picture. When Harry was only two
years old, the 1910 census shows Harry living with his mother and sister as roomers
in the home of Robert & Emma Hennig at 3319 Ward Street, in Pittsburgh[1]. The
house still stands today. 
Harry’s mother died when Harry was five years old on 11 July
1913. Apparently, Rufus’ father wasn’t interested in taking on the
responsibility of the Harry and his sister Elizabeth. In any event, Harry went
to live with his grandmother, Margaret McAllister. When Harry was eight, (August,
1915) his grandmother took him and his sister to England. It must have been a
scary time for the eight year old. The Titanic disaster was only a few years before
and England was involved in World War One. The U-Boats were hunting and the
Lusitania had been sunk earlier in May. The saving grace was the ship they
sailed on was probably of United States registry and the US had not entered the
way yet.
SS Philadelphia
Courtesy: Ancestry.Com
Harry was in England from Sep 1915 until 1916 and attended
school while there. The three of them returned to the states aboard the SS
Philadelphia, which arrived in New York on 23 December 1916[2] and
were probably to their residence in Brookline borough, Pittsburgh, PA by
Christmas.
Harry’s father, Rufus, died on 5 June 1917 when Harry was
only 9 years old. An orphan at nine, Harry continued to live with his
grandmother at 411 Arlington, Street in Pittsburgh[3].
Robert Harry married Nora Adaline Glies on 10 Aug 1926 in Wellsburg,
Brooke, West Virginia[4]. This
would have been a week before his 19th birthday, so it is unclear
why he apparently lied about his age for the marriage. In any event, his
marriage license indicated he was born in 1905 making him nearly 21. Also, this
is one of the very few documents that indicates he was born in New Kensington,
PA and not Pittsburgh. He and Nora divorced sometime in 1927. There is no known
issue from that marriage.
110 North Fremont Ave,Pittsburgh
“Today” Courtesy: Google Maps
In 1929, Robert Harry married Florence Wilma Huber. They rented
an apartment in a four-plex at 110 North Fremont Ave. in Pittsburgh. A building
that stands today. In July of 1930, they had their only child, a daughter. Florence died 05
Oct 1934 of bilateral pyosalpinx and pelvic cellulitis, cause undetermined. It
isn’t clear to me when his daughter from Florence went to live with her
grandparents on her mother’s side, John & Bertha Huber, but certainly sometime between
1940 and 1943.
On September 30, 1938, Harry married Mae (or May) Ada Reno in
Pittsburgh, PA[5]. They
quickly had three children the first one in June 1939, another in August 1940,
and the third one in August 1941. The 1940 Census finds the family, Robert,
wife Mae, and two daughters (one by Florence and one by Mae) living at 915
Fordham St., Pittsburgh, PA[6]. Later in 1940, Robert’s first son, Robert Harry Darling, Jr. was born, and in
1941, another girl was born.
The United States entered World War II in December 1941. It
isn’t clear why, but it is my speculation that Robert and May were divorced in
1943, which would have made him eligible for the draft. Thus, nearly two years
after the war began, on 23 November 1943, Robert Harry enlisted in the US Navy for two years. He served at NAVTRACEN San Diego and
USNHosp San Diego, CA.
Robert Harry Darling was a tall man, 6’0″, 155lbs, Blue
eyes, brown hair, and a ruddy complexion. He was discharged well before the war
ended, in September 1944. He appears to have married Florence Drexl about that
time and the two stayed in San Diego where their two children, a girl and a
boy, were born in 1945 and 1946 respectively.
Sometime between 1946 and 1951, Harry, and presumably
Florence, moved to Detroit, Michigan area, possibly to Mount Clemens. In 1965,
Harry was living at 34546 Jefferson, Mount Clemens. On 6 November 1967, Harry’s
son, Robert Harry Darling, Jr., died in Vietnam.
Robert Harry Darling died on 22 Jan 1969, in Wayne,
Michigan, USA of Pseudomonas septicemia due to chronic lymphatic leukemia at
the age of 61. At the time of his death, he was divorced from Florence although
when that divorce occurred I have not found. Harry is buried at Cadillac Memorial
Gardens, East, in Mount Clemens, Michigan. 
  
Note: There is family legend that Harry had another child,
named “Dee Dee” or possibly Diana about 1940. It is unknown if this child was
born out of wedlock or between the marriage to Florence Wilma and May Reno.
More research is needed on this topic.
I thought about Robert Harry Darling a lot yesterday, which
was the 107th anniversary of his birth.
Further Actions:

Determine ship, and registry, that Harry took to England in 1915.
Find out more regarding the Divorce from Nora Giles.
Find out particulars regarding marriage to Florence Huber.
Find out about the Divorce from May Reno.
Find out marriage details regarding Florence Drexl
Find out divorce details regarding Florence Drexl 
Research “Dee Dee” Darling

List of Greats
1.    
Rufus Harry
Darling
2.    
Rufus Holton
Darling
3.    
Abner
Darling

Search Civil War Records - Fold3

[1] 1910 Census, Year:
1910; Census Place: Pittsburgh Ward 4, Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Roll:
T624_1300; Page: 16A; Enumeration District: 0330; Image: ; FHL microfilm:
1375313.

[2] New York Passenger
Lists, 1820-1957, Ancestry.com,
Year: 1916; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm
Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll
2507; Line: 4; Page Number: 140.     . https://search.ancestry.com/
[3] 1920 Census,
Year: 1920; Census Place: Mount Oliver, Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Roll: T625_1515; Page: 6B; Enumeration
District: 258; Image: 549. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1920usfedcen&h=112552856&indiv=try.
[4] West Virginia,
Marriages, 1854-1932, FamilySearch.org,
“West Virginia, Marriages, 1854-1932,”index, FamilySearch
(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRH5-82V : accessed 31 March 2012),
Robert Harry Darling (1926).
[5] Pennsylvania
County Marriages, 1885 – 1950, FamilySearch.org,
“Pennsylvania County Marriages, 1885 – 1950,”index and images,
FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VFQZ-TCV : accessed 6 April
2012), Robert H. Darling (1938).
[6] 1940 Census, Ancestry.com, Birth date:  abt 1908 Birth place:  Pennsylvania Residence date:  1 Apr 1940 Residence place:  Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United
States.

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Hannah (Anna) McAllister Darling White (1886-1913)

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Don Taylor

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 33 – Hannah McAllister

Hannah is one of those ancestors that just had a sad and short life. Although entirely speculation, I believe her choices in life helped open a rift between her parents who eventually separated.  No society page articles about Hannah.

Bio – Hannah (Anna) McAllister Darling White

Hannah McAllister was born in Cockermouth, Cumberland, England on 15 August 1886. She was the fourth of six children — four boys and two girls. At the time of her birth, her father, Peter, was probably in the United States establishing himself and preparing the way for his wife and children to come to the States.

S.S. British King – Photo Courtesy: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.

Her mother, along with three siblings, immigrated to the United States, aboard the “British King” out of Liverpool arriving in Philadelphia on 23 June 1886.[1]

The family joined their father in Catasauqua, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. On May 19th, 1887, Hannah’s oldest brother, Frank, drowned in the Lehigh canal.[2] We may never know if the anguish of that death prompted the family to relocate to Pittsburgh, but sometime during the following three years they moved.

2800 Berg Street (Oct 2012)
Courtesy: Google Maps

In 1990, Hannah’s father took out a building permit to build a two-story house at the corner of Vine and Cologne. It appears that Vine was renamed Berg because the family appears at 2800 Berg street in 1895 which is at the corner of Berg and Cologne and there is no Vine Street today.

Probably sometime in 1905, she met Rufus Darling. She was eighteen and Rufus was forty-seven. In March of 1906, they had a daughter, Elizabeth Grace Darling. Family history states that there was a rift between Hannah and her father. Certainly, a granddaughter born out of wedlock from a man more than twice the age of his daughter could cause such a rift.

It appears that Rufus and Hannah kept separate households during that time, he in Chicago and Hannah in Wheeling, West Virginia. In December of 1906, Hannah became pregnant a second time. This time Rufus married her, so on 16 February 1907 Hannah and Rufus were married in Kittanning, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, a small town about 40 miles northeast of Pittsburgh on the Allegheny River.[3] Family history indicates that she changed her name from Hannah to Anna so that she would be “A. Darling” and became known as Anna after that. An interesting side note is that her daughter, Elizabeth, appears to have modified a copy of the Marriage Certificate to indicate that Hannah and Rufus were married in 1905, thus legitimizing her. Family history indicates that this may have been a cause of disagreement between her and cousin Katherine Lane. Katherine used to say the Elizabeth was born “on the wrong side of the sheets” indicating that Elizabeth was illegitimate. Producing a “doctored” marriage certificate[4] could have mitigated the issues.

Anna Darling (Hannah McAllister)
with children Elizabeth & Robert
About 1909

In August of 1907, their son, Robert Harry Darling, was born in New Kensington (about 20 miles northeast of Pittsburgh on the Allegheny River), Pennsylvania.

In 1910, Anna was living with her two children, Elizabeth and Robert, as a roomer at the home of Robert & Emma Hennig at 3319 Ward Street (Ward 4).[5]

Anna and Rufus were divorced by 1911. Interestingly enough, the 1912 Polk directory indicates Anna is the widow of Rufus (who didn’t die until 1917). Family Tradition indicates that she then married Thomas White, which is confirmed by her death certificate,[6] however, I have been unable to find other evidence of her marriage.

Anna died on 15 July 1913 at the age of 27 of pelvic peritonitis due to a ruptured ovarian cyst.[7] Her death certificate indicates she was buried in Chartiers Cemetery in Pittsburgh. A Find-a-Grave request has been unsuccessful in yielding a photo of the marker.

List of Greats

Hannah McAllister – 1884-1913
Peter McAllister – 1852-1878
Joseph McAllister – 1820-

Tasks

Find evidence of Hannah and Thomas White’s Marriage.
Find Hannah’s burial place and photograph marker.

ENDNOTES

[1] Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Passenger Lists, 1883-1945, FamilySearch.org, British King from Liverpool arrived June 1886 – https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/23Q3-DLD.
[2] 1887-05-20, Page 1. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83032300/1887-05-20/ed-1/seq-1/., Lancaster Daily Intelligencer, Lancaster, Pennsylvania (https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/).
[3] Pennsylvania County Marriages, 1885 – 1950, FamilySearch.org, Rufus Darling & Anna McAllister.
[4] Pennsylvania County Marriages – Armstrong County, Original ?___? numbered 9595 .
[5] 1910 Census, Ancestry.com, Pittsburgh Ward 4, Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1300; Page: 16A; Enumeration District:
0330; Image: ; FHL microfilm: 1375313. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1910USCenIndex&h=23727552&indiv=try.
[7] Ibid.

Posted in Darling-Huber | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

James Dallas Howell – Education

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Don Taylor

Follow-up regarding James Dallas Howell

James Dallas Howell
From The Howler, 1905
Wake Forest College
Courtesy: DigitalNC

After my posting of the Bio regarding James Dallas Howell, I was speaking with my mother-in-law who knew James. She mentioned that James attended Wake Forest. A quick Google search found that Digital NC had many yearbooks from Wake Forest starting with the 1903 volume. I knew that James Dallas had a congregation in 1909 so he had to have attended college before that. I also knew that he was born in 1879, so figuring he may have graduated when he was about 22; I thought he might have graduated about 1902. Oh no – hopefully he didn’t graduate the year before the available yearbooks. A search of the 1903 yearbook (The Howler) found him on page 30 in the sophomore class roll.

The 1904 volume of The Howler found him again, as expected, in the Junior Class.

Then, as I expected, the 1905 volume of The Howler was a treasure trove of information. The 1905 volume was the first volume that included individual photos of he seniors. There was a photo of James Dallas as a senior graduation with a BA. It also indicated that he had “a way of tossing [his] head as a horse reined too high, and twisting [his] body in a peculiar fashion.” Further searching found that he was a member of the “Night Hawks” He was also a member of the “Non Compos Mentis Club” Finally it indicated that he was the manager of “The Claw-Hammer Boarding Club” whose motto was, “It’s a strong stomach that has no turning.”

DigitalNC has many digitized items; major categories include Yearbooks, Newspapers, Images, Memorabilia, and City Directories. If it is not part of your North Carolina research, it should be. Check them out at https://www.digitalnc.org.

[Note: Wake Forest College was located in Wake Forest, NC until the main campus was moved to Winston-Salem, NC in 1956. It became Wake Forest University in 1967.]

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Peter Fletcher Howell (1842-1924)

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Don Taylor

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 32 – Peter Fletcher Howell (1842-1924)

By Don Taylor
Peter Fletcher Howell
Thanks to Robert Capel via Flickr

There is a kind of look in his eye that says he has seen too much – To much killing for sure. The Civil War was a horrific event – So much killing, so much carnage. A lot of fought here and there, but Peter Fletcher Howell was part of the 61st Infantry Regiment Virginia that saw action throughout the war. Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Savannah were all major battles. In my research, I found that one of the more horrific family stories was most likely true. Peter was there; and sadly to say, yes, his regiment did what the family stories told.

Bio – Peter Fletcher Howell (1842-1924)

Peter Fletcher Howell was born 2 June 1942, the fourth child of Peter M and Caroline M. A. Pankey Howell in Buckingham County, Virginia. 

When he was young, five or six, his family moved from Virginia to North Carolina, first to Murfreesboro, then Raleigh, Kitty Hawk, Wilmington, New Burn, then finally to Halifax County. His father, Peter M, was a preacher, a fire and brimstone Baptist preacher that preached wherever he could. When Peter M found a congregation, to they moved which is why they moved so much in the early years. Finally, when Peter F. was about eight his father found a steady congregation and appears to have stayed in Halifax County throughout most of Peter F.’s youth.

In 1860, Peter F was living with his parents and an older brother, Phillip C Howell. Peter was working as a farm laborer.[i] With war breaking out, it appears that Peter didn’t want to wait to join up with the slowly forming regiments in North Carolina. Peter went the sixty miles north to Sussex County Virginia and enlisted on 23 Oct 1861. Peter must have been a great soldier because he was promoted to fourth Sergeant on 22 May 1862. He then transferred to Company G, Virginia 61st Infantry Regiment on 8 Aug 1862.

On July 15, 1864, he was promoted to full second Sargent probably during the time of the great losses that the regiment was experiencing at the Siege of Parkersburg. On July 30th, the Union blew up a mine creating a huge crater. To make a long story short, the Union (stupidly) went into the crater to attack the Confederates and instead became the target A black company of union troops was sent to reinforce the first troops who went into the crater. . Confederate Brig. Gen. William Mahone later called the event a “turkey shoot.” According to a Wikipedia article, many black soldiers were killed by Confederate bayonets and musket fire even after surrendering. In addition, many more black soldiers were killed by Union soldiers who feared reprisals from the Confederates.[ii]

The Richmond Daily Dispatch reported that Sargent Peter Howell was at The Crater and captured on of the Union flags, which clearly places him there. [iii]

Family legend told the story that Peter was part of a group that was on the edge of a pit (crater) firing down on the Union soldiers below in a “turkey shoot.” He was also told to bayonet the Black soldiers if he wanted to get a furlough to go home for a couple days. It was a horrific day; one of the many that Peter Fletcher Howell saw.

Peter was promoted to Full first Sergeant on 15 Feb 1865 and mustered out on 9 April 1865 at Appomattox, VA. 

There is some oral tradition that indicated that Peter was the only one of six boys who lived through the Civil War in that family. I know of his brother Philip C and his brother Lorenzo but I have no knowledge of their lives after 1860. There is also a six year gap between Peter and his sister Elizabeth suggesting there might be another child or two that I don’t know about.

After the war, Peter married Susan R. Vincent (sometime Vinson) on 10 December 1866. Wasting no time, their first child, Anna Lee Howell was born 10 month later.

Children of Peter Fletcher Howell and Susan R. Vincent Howell

Anna Lee Howell – 8 Oct 1867
John D. Howell – abt 1873*
Augusta E Howell – abt 1875
Martha F Howell – abt 1877
James Dallas Howell – 2 Sep 1879
David Bushrod Howell – 3 Oct 1881
G. C. Howell – Feb 1884

Marker SGT Peter F Howell
Courtesy: Find a Grave

With such a large gap between Anna and John, I suspect there may have been children born during those years that I haven’t learned about

In 1880, Peter is in Faucetts as a farmer and in 1900 he appears again as a watchman living in a rented house in Conocondy. In 1910, he is working as an engineer at a sawmill and living in Weldon. His wife of 43 years, Susan, died on 1 March 1910

He continued living in Weldon until his death on 27 October 1924. He is buried in Cedarwood Cemetery in Weldon.

Further Actions:

Continue research into Peter F. Howell’s military (CSA) service. 
Research Peter Howell’s siblings and their lives.
Research for other potential children of Peter F. Howell.

List of Greats
1.    Peter Fletcher Howell
2.     Peter M. Howell


Confederate Soldier Records - Fold3

[i] 1860; Census Place: Western District, Halifax, North Carolina; Roll: M653_899; Page: 471; Image: 323; Family History Library Film: 803899. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1860usfedcenancestry&h=41288528&indiv=try.

[iii] Tuff University, Perseus Hopper, Richmond Daily Dispatch: August 3, 1864. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2006.05.1135%3Aarticle%3D3.

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Donna in Pendleton, OR, at the Oregon Theater – Dec 10, 1919

Posted on July 22, 2014 by Don Taylor

Donna in Pendleton, OR, at the Oregon Theater – Dec 10, 1919

I’m not sure yet where the Chin Chin group was on December 8th and 9th, but the on December 10th the company played a one night show at the Oregon Theater in Pendleton, Oregon.

Besides the usual advertising there was an “info ad” in the Dec 10, 1919, Eastern Oregonian which called out “Mina Montran.” It said, in part:

“Mina Montran, who is the leading singer, has the part of the Goddess of the Lamp. She is a young woman of attractive personality, handsomely gowned, and with a clear and sweet soprano voice admirably fitted to the requirements of this role. Her two solos, “Violets” and “The Gray Dove” are rendered with much feeling and win the enthusiastic applause of her hearers.”[1]

This is very odd and, so far, the only reference to her with the name “Mina.” We don’t know yet if it was just a typographic error in the paper or if she was trying on a new stage name. Further research will tell. We know that Donna had the part of the Goddess of the Lamp so this name difference was odd.

A “review” the day after the show also called out,

Two solos, “Violets” and “The Gray Dove,” were sung by Mina Montran, who as the leading singer, had the part of the Goddess of the Lamp.[2]

This second use of “Mina” indicates to me that it wasn’t a typesetting error.  We’ll see if we can find Donna and the “Chin Chin” company at another venue in the days preceding or following this venue.

The Oregon Theatre
The 1913-14 Julius Cahn Gus Hill Theatrical Guide reports Pendleton having a population of 5,500 people. The Oregon Theatre was on the second floor and could hold an audience of 684 people, 324 on the main floor with 160 in the balcony and another 200 in the gallery. The stage was a small 25 x 18 feet with a backstage width of 49 feet.


With only a one-night show it is unlikely that the cast stayed in any of the four recommended hotels, Pendleton (the nicest at $2.00/night), St. George, Bowman, or Golden Rule. They would have arrived, set up, did the shoe, packed up, and headed for the next town all in the same day.

Further Research

I have been unable to find out much information regarding the Oregon Theater in Pendleton. I have contacted the Umatilla County Historical Society to see if they can direct me to history regarding the theater.

Endnotes:

[1]  East Oregonian, Pendelton, Oregon (oregonnews.uoregon.edu) 1919-12-10 – Page 6 – CHIN CHIN PRESENTS BRILLIANT SPECTACLE. https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn88086023/1919-12-10/ed-1/seq-6/.,

[2] East Oregonian, Pendelton, Oregon (oregonnews.uoregon.edu) 1919-12-11 – Page 6 – COLOR EFFECTS MARK CHIN CHIN PERFORMANCE. https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn88086023/1919-12-11/ed-1/seq-6/., 

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