Cecelia Anderson Young 1940s

Cecelia Anderson Young, 1910-1945

Cecelia Hazel Anderson Young
mini pedigree from Ancestry.com

1940

Census

Cecelia Anderson Young lived in St Louis Missouri on 1 April 1940.  She and her family were lodgers in a home.

1940 Census for Cecelia and Clarence Young

Line 6 starts with Clarence Young, followed by Cecelia and daughter Shirley.  They are all still lodging with Helen Mead at 1711 Grand Boulevard in St Louis Missouri.

Clarence is 38 years old, Cecelia is 29 and Shirley is 9.  Cecelia has completed the 8th grade, while Shirley is in 4th grade.  Clarence occupation is listed as Helper at WPA laundry sanitarium as a government worker.  Cecelia is a private worker doing housework in a private home.  

Time to look at a map of this place.  So far, every place we tried to find for Cecelia was either an empty lot, a parking lot, or an apparently abandoned building.  Shirley actually remembered living here on Grand.  She did some babysitting while here.

Cecelia Anderson Young 1940 Census map
Google Maps 2020
Red is 1711 Grand Boulevard
Pink are the addresses where she died
Yellow is Cecelia's mother in law

Cecelia Anderson Young 1940 Census address
Google Satellite view, 2020
Looks like our luck holds, it is an empty lot

Cecelia Anderson Young 1940 Census address
1711 Grand Boulevard is an empty lot as of 2015
from Google Maps Street View 2020

5 November 1940 age 30

Death of Step-Father Albert R. Tullock in St Louis Missouri.  He was 83 years old.  You can visit his Find a Grave memorial here, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/96204961.

In Other News (OurTimelines.com, 2018)

• Colour Television was invented
• First Black General was appointed in the US army
• https://history.army.mil/html/topics/afam/davis.html

Benjamin O. Davis Sr, about 1899
US Army, n.d.

After the war (about 1899) he was assigned as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Army (Wikipedia -- Benjamin O. Davis Sr, 2020).

1941

In Other News (OurTimelines.com, 2018)

• Manhattan Project from 1941-1945

1942

8 December 1941

Historical Insight -- The United States enters World War II

Cecelia Anderson Young lived in St Louis MO when the United States declared war on Japan just one day after the attack on Pearl Harbor that killed 2,400 Americans.

By the war's end in 1945, women made up nearly 40% of the workforce,
while 150,000 more served in the military.  After the peace, they were
systematically cast out of factories to make way for returning soldiers
1942, USA
Credit:  Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group/UIG via Getty Images
Ancestry Historical Insights, 2018

As factories pushed to keep up with skyrocketing demand and with male bodies in short supply, women entered the workforce in record numbers.  Before the Allied victory was celebrated in 1945, nearly 420,000 Americans gave their lives (Ancestry Historical Insights, 2018).

Photographed by Dayspringacres
from a kitchen towel found in a museum somewhere

Cecelia left little Shirley with her Grandma Rose, while she went to work at a war plant.  The work was tough, the heat unbearable, as Cecelia donned her coveralls, tied her raven black hair with a red bandanna, rolled up her sleeves, and went to work on the airplanes.  Cecelia was the embodiment of the posters of Rosie the Riveter seen at every street corner.  

Clarence was busy with his house painting, and the extra money helped.  This was a time when women were encouraged and expected to work outside the home to ensure that the country would run smoothly.  In the unventilated buildings where the planes were manufactured, where Cecelia worked as a Riveter, diseases were difficult to avoid.  

One such disease was tuberculosis, which Cecelia contracted.  She had to stop working and spend some time recuperating at a sanatorium.  She was placed outside in the fresh air and sunshine as the standard method of treatment.  Antibiotics had been developed which quickly killed the bacteria.  Unfortunately, since it also killed the host, it was unsuitable for medical use.  

Cecelia eventually recovered, and went home to live with her beloved family.  She got strong enough to go back to work.  Nobody said anything about her long absence, but they knew.  They could tell by her gaunt frame and the lively light in her eyes – all features typical of recovered tuberculosis victims.

In Other News (OurTimelines.com, 2018)

• Nuclear Reactor
• Magnetic Recording Tape

Staff, 1942 Magnetic Recording Tape, Gifts Accepted for University, 1942

1942

15 February 1942

Clarence Arthur Young Draft Card

1942 Clarence Young Draft Card Front
from Ancestry.com

1942 Clarence Young Draft Card Back
from Ancestry.com

Clarence lived at 1711 N. Grand Avenue, St Louis MO.  He is 40 years old, and although he is married, lists his father Oliver Young (living at 1916-A Coleman Street, SLMO), as one who will know where he is at all times.

Clarence has a different job every time we look at him.  Here, he works at Mack’s Screen Shop, 8029 Frederick St., St Louis.  He is white, about 5’11”, weighs about 144 lbs.  His eyes are gray, hair is brown, and complexion is light.  He has no scars or distinguishing marks.

Bonus Points for Signature!  I believe this is Clarence's genuine signature.  Sometimes, I think the clerk just signed for the men.

I don't know if Clarence was ever in the military, Shirley never mentioned that he was.

1945 age 35

Harry S Truman President of the United States 1945-1952

Harry S. Truman, President of the United States

12 April 1945

Historical Insight -- First Inauguration of Harry S. Truman

Cecelia Anderson Young of St Louis Missouri was likely shocked when Harry S. Truman suddenly became president of the United States in 1945.

Ancestry Historical Insights 2018
For a time, President Truman continued
in the same vein as his predecessor, but he
eventually developed his own programs
1945  Credit:  Getty Images

18 July 1945

Cecelia is admitted to Isolation Hospital

Google Maps for Bernard Free Cancer Isolation Hospital

The red circle on the upper right is Cecelia's address on Bacon Street, at the time of her death.  The Blue circle are her husband's address in 1929 when they married, and her mother-in-law's 1940 census address.  The larger red circle is what looks like the hospital district.

14 August 1945

Historical Insight -- V-J Day

At the close of World War II Cecelia Anderson Young might have taken part in V-J Day celebrations while living in St Louis Missouri in 1945.  She was 35 years old.

14 August 1945, New York City, New York
The largest crowd ever recorded in Times Square celebrated the end of World War II
Credit:  Dick DeMarsico/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain
Ancestry Historical Insight 2018

An estimated crowd of 2 million erupted in cheers.  The War in the Pacific, and thus World War II, was over.  "Victory over Japan," or "V-J Day" was celebrated August 14 and spilled over into August 15 in the United States -- Ancestry Historical Insights, 2018

It is highly probable that Cecelia never knew about this victory.  She was already in the hospital for about a month by this time, according to her death certificate, below.

5 September 1945

Death of Cecelia Hazel Anderson Young

She lived in St Louis Missouri her entire life.  Her address at death was 1925 Bacon Street, according to her death record, as well as Shirley's memories.

Cecelia Anderson Young Death Certificate

5 September 1945 death certificate for
Cecelia Hazel Anderson Young
age 45

She was in Isolation Hospital from 18 July 1945 to 5 September 1945, about 8 weeks.  Husband Clarence Young was 45 years old.  Cecelia was 35 years, 2 months and 5 days old, born 30 June 1910.  Her parents were Seley Anderson born in Canada;  Ida Omohundro born in Missouri.  She was buried 8 September 1945 at St Matthews Cemetery, 4452 Washington Boulevard.

Cecelia's address was 1925 Bacon Street.  Her cause of death was Carcinoma of the Cervix.

There is no marker for Cecelia, as the family could not afford one.  Her grandson tells the story of how Shirley went to visit her mother's grave and was devastated when she couldn't find it.  Shirley cried for about a week.

The area where Cecelia was buried

You can visit Cecelia's Find a Grave memorial here. 

In Other News (OurTimelines.com, 2018)

• US drops the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
• Hypertext was developed
• United Nations was formed this year

If you like what you see, be sure to subscribe, and consider supporting me on my patreon page

Become a Patron!

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Resources

Ancestry Historical Insights. (2018). First Inauguration of Harry S. Truman. (Ancestry) Retrieved 2018, from Historical Insights: Ancestry.com

OurTimelines.com. (2018). TimeLines. (Timelines courtesy of www.ourtimelines.com. Timeline formatting and technology copyright © 2000-2018 ourtimelines.com, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED under the Pan-American Conventions.) Retrieved from OurTimeLines.com: http://ourtimelines.com/

Staff. (1942, January 23). 1942 Magnetic Recording Tape, Gifts Accepted For University. (Ancestry) Retrieved April 3, 2020, from Journal and Courier, Lafayette Indiana: https://www.newspapers.com/image/262061185/?terms=magnetic%20recording%20tape#

US Army. (n.d.). Profiles of Bravery: Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Sr. Retrieved April 2, 2020, from African Americans in the US Army: https://www.army.mil/africanamericans/profiles/davis.html

Wikipedia -- Benjamin O. Davis Sr. (2020, March 19). Benjamin O. Davis Sr, First Black General of the US Army. Retrieved April 2, 2020, from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_O._Davis_Sr.

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Cecelia Hazel Anderson 1920s

Cecelia Hazel Anderson 1910-1945

Dayspringacres, 2020

1920

12 January 1920 Census

Celia Anderson age 9 1/2

1920 Census, St Louis Missouri
from Ancestry.com

Here we find Cecelia -- written as Celia, which may explain why Shirley thought she was called Seley.  If you say "Celia" with a southern accent, you may end up with only two syllables.  Anyway, that is just a thought I had.

• Albert Tullock age 54, renting their home at 1215a Howard Street.  We'll look at that address in a bit.  It looks like Albert's occupation is auto machinist, working for a wage.The others don't have any occupation.
• Ida Tullock is his wife, age 44.
• Charles Anderson his stepson age 16
• Oren Anderson his stepson age 13
• Celia Anderson is his stepdaughter, but the census taker listed her as daughter.  Easy enough mistake to make.

1215a Howard Street, St Louis Missouri

Google, 1215a Howard Street, St Louis Missouri,2020

Looks like it is an empty lot, as of March 2020.  Wonder what it looked like in 1920.  If you know, or know how I can find out, let me know using the contact form on the right, or the comment box below.

The red circle is Cecelia's 1920 address when she was nine.  The blue is Ida Omohundro Anderson Tullock's address when she died in 1937.  The pink circle is where her grandmother Rosa Davis Young lived during the 1940 census.  The two orange circles are where Clarence Young, her husband, lived when they married, and then where they both lived in 1935 and 1940 on North Grand.

Google, 1215a Howard Street, St Louis Missouri, Aerial view, 2020

Google, 1215a Howard Street, St Louis Missouri, Street View, 2020

No building in sight.  Look at the little street-man map, and you can see I am facing the correct direction.  Nobody's home.  There IS no home!

I searched for some online old maps.  Came close but the map ended right at that crucial area.  Okay, then, this becomes part of the story.

Historical Insight -- Prohibition in the 1920s

In 1920, Cecelia Hazel Anderson lived in St Louis Missouri, a major brewing location in the United States, and one that was hit hard when Prohibition went into effect.

In a 1939 news column, Eleanor Roosevelt looked back at the prohibition era and concluded that "a moral change still depends on the individual and not on the passage of any law."  The idea that the state cannot legislate morality was a clear lesson from the federal government's nearly 14-year attempt to prohibit the production and sale of alcohol.

Ancestry Historical Insights, 2019
For many Californians, the end of federal alcohol prohibition meant the
return of the traditional wine festival..
1934, California
Credit:  Underwood Archives/Archive Photos/Getty Images

In Other News (OurTimelines.com, 2018)

• 1920 - 1929 -- The Roaring 20s shook up the world with a massive party after the Great Depression
• 1920 -- Women receive the right to vote in the USA
• 1920 -- Palestine is established.

1921

Warren G. Harding is President of the US 1921 - 1924

Warren G. Harding
Wikipedia -- Harding 2018

Harding was a Republican.  At that time, he was one of the most popular US Presidents, but the subsequent exposure of scandals that took place under his administration, and an affair eroded his popular regard.  Harding is often rated among the worst US Presidents (Wikipedia -- Harding, 2018).

President Harding Quote -- "I don't know what to do or where to turn in this taxation matter.  Somewhere there must be a book that tells all about it, where I could go to straighten it out in my mind.  But I don't know where the book is, and maybe I couldn't read it if I found it" (Harding, 2018).

Historical Insight -- Sears, Roebuck and Company

Cecelia Hazel Anderson most likely read or shopped [with her mother] from the Sears catalog from 1914 - 1930.

Ancestry Historical Insight, 2018
An army of workers carefully checked and labeled all outgoing packages
from one of the Sears Roebuck merchandising buildings.
1933, Chicago, Illinois.
Sears, Roebuck & Co./Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

In 1886, about 65 percent of all Americans lived in rural areas and they were forced to pay high prices at local general stores.  But Richard Sears, a railway agent, used his spare time to sell valuable commodities, such as jewelry, along his route.

In Other News (OurTimelines.com, 2018)

• Insulin is made available to diabetics when Cecelia was 12 years old.

1922

Historical Insight -- The Nationalization of 4-H Programs

Cecelia Hazel Anderson may have participated in a 4-H program while a youth in St Louis, Missouri, in 1920.

Ancestry Historical Insights 2018
Utah's Logan Republican reported in September 1914 that
200,000 youth around the country were participating in "Industrial Clubs"
13 October 1921, Charlseston, West Virginia
Credit:  Library of Congress 

During the last decades of the 19th century, concerns rose over adults’ lack of interest in agricultural innovations. In an effort to educate young people in new agricultural skills, clubs began to pop up in various parts of the United States. By 1912 many of these clubs began to take on the name of “4-H,” indicating a focus on “Head, Heart, Hands, and Health.” 

1925

Calvin Coolidge President of the United States, 1925 - 1928

1925 Calvin Coolidge
(Wikipedia -- Coolidge, 2018)

Coolidge was the 30th President of the United States from 1923 to 1929.  This Republican was a Massachusetts governor, then Vice President.  He became President with the death of Warren G. Harding in 1923, then was elected in his own right in 1924.  He said very little, although he had a rather dry sense of humor (Wikipedia -- Coolidge, 2018).

President Coolidge Quote -- "All growth depends upon activity.  There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work" (Coolidge, 2018).

Historical Insight -- Tri-State Tornado

18 March 1925

Cecelia Hazel Anderson was living in Missouri around the time the deadliest tornado in US history hit the Midwest.

Around 700 people were killed, at least 2,000 injured, and 15,000 homes razed to the ground.  For those living in the region, the twisters changed their lives physically and emotionally (Ancestry Historical Insights, 2018).

1925 Tri-State Tornado
Ancestry Historical Insights, 2018
Inhabitants of Griffin, Indiana, went through the rubble looking for their possessions. 
Searching was difficult because there wasn't a single building intact
18 March 1925, Griffin Indiana
Credit:  Topical Press Agency/Hutton Archive/Getty Images

In Other News (OurTimelines.com, 2018)

• Scopes trial on Evolutionary Theory 

Staff, 1925 Scopes Trial Opened With Prayer and other headlines, 1925

1926

1 November 1926

Historical Insight -- Great Mississippi Flood of 1927

Cecelia Hazel Anderson was living in St Louis around the time the Mississippi River flooded and forced hundreds of thousands to flee.

If she was still living on Howard street, there is a very good likelihood she also had to run.

Ancestry Historical Insights, 1997-2020
Outside of New Orleans, Louisiana, the stretch of levees couldn't
stand up to the powerful flooding.  Tributaries swelled beyond capacity
and the series of levees holding the river in place ultimately succumbed in 145 locations.
1927, Louisiana
Credit:  General Photographic Agency/Hutton Archive/Getty Images

In Other News (OurTimelines.com, 2018)

• Sound in Movies at age 16

1927

2 May 1927

Historical Insight -- Charles Lindbergh's Solo Atlantic Crossing

Cecelia Hazel Anderson was living in St Louis Missouri when Charles Lindbergh visited their city after becoming the first man to make a solo flight across the Atlantic.

I wonder if Celia went to see him?

Ancestry Historical Insight, 2019
The Spirit of St Louis monoplane was custom built in San Diego
and has been on display at the Smithsonian Institution since 1927
1927, San Diego, California.
Credit:  Hulton Archive/Archive Photos/Getty Images

In Other News (OurTimelines.com, 2018)

• Holland Tunnel opens in New York City

1928

Historical Insight -- Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd's Crime Spree

In 1930, St Louis, Missouri -- near where 18 year old Cecelia Hazel Anderson was living at the time -- was a stop on "Pretty Boy" Floyd's deadly crime spree.

Ancestry Historical Insights, 2020
During the Great Depression, Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd's infamous
interstate crime spree captured the attention of both the American public
and the FBI
Credit:  American Stock Archive/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Born the son of an Oklahoma Dust Bowl farmer in 1904, Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd turned to a life of crime to escape the immense poverty his family faced as tenant farmers.  Floyd began his criminal career robbing a St. Louis supermarket.  After serving three and a half years behind bars, he joined a Kansas City crime ring and worked as the hired gun for bootleggers shipping their "hootch" east along the Ohio and Missouri rivers.  But soon he killed his former partners and began robbing banks across the American heartland.

In Other News (OurTimelines.com, 2018)

• Television
• Video Recordings
• Penicillin discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming
• Geiger Counter

1929

Herbert Hoover President of the United States from 1929 - 1932

1929 Herbert Hoover, 31st President
Wikipedia -- Hoover, 2018

President Hoover Quote -- "Competition is not only the basis of protection to the consumer, but is the incentive to progress" (Hoover, 2018).

14 September 1929

Marriage -- Cecelia Hazel Anderson age 19 married Clarence Arthur Young in St Louis Missouri

Anderson Young 1929 Marriage Certificate

This document has everything going for it.  Clarence C. Young of St Louis, over 21 years old.  Miss Cecelia H. Anderson of St Louis is under 21 years old, but has permission of her mother Mrs. Ida Tullock.  They were married before the Justice of the Peace.

Anderson Young 1929 Marriage License

This document also has much going for it.  

Clarence C. Young address 3743 Delmar in St Louis MO.

Miss Cecelia H. Anderson living at 2309 North 9th, St Louis MO.

They are aged 28 and 19 respectively

Bonus Points for Signature!

This is the money shot, right here -- We have the signature of Miss Cecelia H. Anderson.

Anderson Young 1929 Marriage notice in Newspaper

Now it is official, if it is in the newspaper, right?

Let's look at the addresses

Google Maps

Remember this map from earlier?  The orange on the bottom left is Clarence's address at the time of his marriage.

Google Street View, 3743 Delmar, St Louis MO

Clarence C. Young at 3743 Delmar -- as you can see, as of March 2020, it is a parking lot.  It doesn't matter which pin you choose, it is the same parking lot.

Cecelia Anderson, 1929 Google Maps
2309 North Ninth, St Louis MO

The red is Cecelia's 1929 address.  The pink is her 1920 address.  The green is Ida Tullock's address at the time of her death.

Cecelia Anderson 1929 Google Maps Aerial View

In this aerial view, we see that it is under a train, and in what looks like the business part of town.

Cecelia Anderson 1929 Google Maps Street View

Yep.  We are standing under the train trestle, looking at 2307.  I can only think that 2308 is the next door down.  Most of the time even addresses are on one side and odd addresses are on the other.  In this case, if I turn around, the little man on the bottom left of the image is facing away from the proper address.  Anyway, this is the business district, devoid of life.  Probably very noisy, too.

I really wonder how in the world they met?

In Other News (OurTimelines.com, 2018)

• Great Depression from 1929 - 1939

Ancestry Historical Insights, 2018
Because so many Americans were unable to pay their bills,
evictions became widespread.  Many built makeshift homes,
dubbed "Hoovervilles" because of the outgoing president's inability to
combat the growing poverty.  Condemned as unsightly, some like this
shantytown in the nation's capital, were burned to the ground.
1932, Washington, D.C.
Credit:  Signal Corps photographer/Commons/Public Domain

By 1933, 15 million were without work and almost half of all US banks had shuttered.  To make matters worse, a historic drought caused widespread farmland erosion across the Prairie, precipitating the Dust Bowl -- Ancestry Historical Insight

If you like what you see, be sure to subscribe, and consider supporting me on my patreon page

Become a Patron!

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Resources

Ancestry Historical Insights. (1997 - 2020). Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. Retrieved March 2020, from Ancestry: Ancestry.com

Ancestry Historical Insights. (2018). 1925 Tri-State Tornado. Retrieved March 2020, from Ancestry.com: Ancestry.com

Ancestry Historical Insights. (2018). The Great Depression. Retrieved from Ancestry.com: Ancestry.com

Ancestry Historical Insight. (2018). Sears, Roebuck and Company. Retrieved from Ancestry.com: Ancestry.com

Ancestry Historical Insights. (2018). The Nationalization of 4-H Programs. Retrieved March 2020, from Ancestry: Ancestry.com

Ancestry Historical Insights. (2019). Charles Lindbergh's Solo Atlantic Crossing. Retrieved from Ancestry.com: Ancestry.com

Ancestry Historical Insights. (2019). The End of Prohibition. Retrieved from Ancestry.com: Ancestry.com

Ancestry Historical Insights. (2020). Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd's Crime Spree. Retrieved March 2020, from Ancestry: Ancestry.com

Dayspringacres. (2020). Cecelia Hazel Anderson Young mini-pedigree. Retrieved March 27, 2020, from Ancestry: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/14582634/person/293016749/story?cachedcontent=no

Google. (2020). 1215a Howard Street, St Louis Missouri. Retrieved March 2020, from Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/place/1215+Howard+St,+St.+Louis,+MO+63106/@38.6434963,-90.1946583,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x87d8b32f417018f3:0x4366187cdb0cff3c!8m2!3d38.6434921!4d-90.1924696

Google. (2020). 1215a Howard Street, St Louis Missouri, Aerial View. Retrieved March 2020, from Google Maps, Aerial View: https://www.google.com/maps/place/1215+Howard+St,+St.+Louis,+MO+63106/@38.6440004,-90.1922579,194m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x87d8b32f417018f3:0x4366187cdb0cff3c!8m2!3d38.6434921!4d-90.1924696

Google. (2020). 1215a Howard Street, St Louis Missouri, street view. Retrieved March 2020, from Google Maps, Street View: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6433904,-90.1926401,3a,75y,32.65h,81.57t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTfMTDAWslhUNAJZ3KyehQw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Harding, W. G. (2018). Warren G. Harding Quotes. Retrieved from BrainyQuotes: https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/warren_g_harding

OurTimelines.com. (2018). TimeLines. (Timelines courtesy of www.ourtimelines.com. Timeline formatting and technology copyright © 2000-2018 ourtimelines.com, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED under the Pan-American Conventions.) Retrieved from OurTimeLines.com: http://ourtimelines.com/

Staff. (1925, July 10). 1925 Scopes Trial Opened With Prayer and other headlines. (Ancestry) Retrieved March 2020, from St Louis Post-Dispatch, St Louis Missouri: https://www.newspapers.com/image/140288859/?terms=scopes%2Btrial#

Wikipedia -- Harding. (2018, May 26). Warren G. Harding. Retrieved May 27, 2018, from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_G._Harding

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