The San Francisco Schoembs

Anton Schoembs of San Francisco

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The Story of Anton Schoembs

The story of Anton Schoembs has unfolded. Attempts to identify and contact descendants of Anton, after perhaps 100 phone calls, were successful. The story of Anton and his family should be read in conjunction with the San Francisco earthquake and fire on April 18, 1906.

The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake

Eyewitness accounts

The area of devastation by the fire

Anton's story is told in the following parts:

Anton Schoembs, who was he?
Emigration
Marriage to Karolina Bauer
Occupation
The Residences of Anton and Karolina
Their son Anton, police officer, died in the line of duty
Final Resting Places
Descendants of Adam Schembs

Anton Schoembs (*1842, *1930), Who was he?

At this time the we think Anton Schoembs (*1842) was probably the son of Valentin Schömbs (*1817 Friesenheim – 1866 Mainz) and Margaretta Zimmerman Schömbs (born in Nierstein). Their son Anton was born 22 December 1842 in Nierstein, as were his six siblings. The family then moved to Mainz where Valentin was a schreiner (carpenter). Anton married Theresia Bär in Mainz in 1868. We have no further records of Anton in Germany. Since he appears to have emigrated alone three years later, one of three things must have happened: either Theresia died soon after their marriage, perhaps in childbirth; they were divorced; or he emigrated alone with the expectation that she would follow. Given the timing of known events, the last is the least likely.

Emigration

Per the 1910 Census, Anton immigrated in 1871 and was later naturalized. His received his Naturalization on 23 April 1879 in the 4^th District Court in San Francisco. All the records from San Francisco relating to vital statistics and naturalizations from State courts were destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and ensuing fire.

Marriage to Karoline Bauer

In 1872 Anton married Karolina Bauer (*1850 – 1929).[1] We get her maiden name from the record of the death of August, their second son.[2] While most of the public records of Karoline spell her name Caroline, her gravestone says Karoline, undoubtedly her preferred spelling and also consistent with the German spelling of the name.

Occupation

Anton, as can be seen from the following table, worked in several jobs in his new country. He began working in a wine warehouse, first for United Anaheim Wine Growers (for at least two years and probably longer), and later for Bach, Meese & Co. (for about ten years). With this second employer he appears to have been a supervisor. In 1890 he became the proprietor of a saloon on Montgomery Street, the heart of San Francisco's business district today. While he appears to have moved the location a few doors down Montgomery, from 513 to 527, he was in this business for ten years. Undoubtedly this business was a victim of the great earthquake and ensuing fire in 1906 which devastated downtown San Francisco. The family lived above the saloon, which was in the absolute center of the devastation.

Following the fire, Anton started over. He worked as a clerk for a business in 1907, and spent his remaining years as a watchman at the MJB Coffee Company warehouse. The last record of his working was in 1926, at which time he was 84 years old. He died four years later.

year	last name	first	occupation	biz location	residence	Src
1876	Schemps	Anton	porter, United Anaheim Wine Growers	321 Montgomery	14 Salmon	SFO
1876	Schoembs	Anton	porter		14 Salmon	SFO
1877	Schemps	Anton	cellerman, UAWGA		14 Salmon	SFO
1878	Scheme	Anton	laborer, UAWGA			SFO
1880	Schoembs	Anton	foreman/cellerman, Bach,Meese&Co		6 Cadell Alley	SFO
1881	Schoembs	Anton	foreman/cellerman, Bach,Meese&Co		6 Cadell Alley	SFO
1882	Schoembs	Anton	foreman/cellerman, Bach,Meese&Co		6 Cadell Alley	SFO
1886	Schoembs	Anton	foreman/cellerman, Bach,Meese&Co		1606 Mason	SFO
1887	Schoembs	Anton	foreman/cellerman, Bach,Meese&Co		1606 Mason	SFO
1888	Schoembs	Anton	foreman/cellerman, Bach,Meese&Co		1606 Mason	SFO
1889	Schoembs	Andrew	foreman/cellerman, NapaValWine Co		1606 Mason	SFO
1891	Schoembs	Anton	liquors	513 Montgomery	517 Montgomery	SFO
1893	Schoembs	Antone	liquors	513-517 Montgomery		SFO
1896	Schoembs	Anton	liquors	Montgomery	517 Montgomery	SFO
1897	Schoembs	Anton	liquors	527 Montgomery		SFO
1898	Schoembs	Anton	liquors	527 Montgomery		SFO
1899	Schoembs	Anton	liquors	527 Montgomery		SFO
1900	Schoembs	Anton	U.S.Census		529 Montgomery	SFO
			1906 San Francisco Earthquake
1907	Schoembs	Anton	clerk		2434 Union	SFO
1910	Schoembs	Anton	watchman, HJBrandenstein		1020 Greenwich (Grieb's)	SFO
1915	Schoembs	Anton	watchman		1020 Greenwich (Grieb's)	SFO
1917	Schoembs	Anton	watchman		1020 Greenwich (Grieb's)	SFO
1920	Schoembs	Anton	watchman - coffee and tea house		1020 Greenwich (Grieb's)	CEN
1926	Schoembs	Anton	watchman		1729 Broadway	SFO
1929	Schoembs	Anton			Oakland-Death of Karolina	CEM
1930	Schoembs	Anton			Oakland-Death of Anton	CEM

(Sources: SFO-San Francisco City Directories; CEN-Census information; CEM-Cemetery records)

There were two articles in the Daily Alto newspaper in the late 1880s which bear on Anton. The first is from September 1888 and deals with a lawsuit filed by a Timothy Howe, owner of the Opera Saloon at 334 Bush Street. The second is from 18 months later regarding the will of the late Timothy Howe. He bequeathed his entire estate valued at $3,000 to his friend Anton Schoembs. It is unclear how Timothy Howe and the Opera Saloon played into the life of Anton Schoembs, but clearly they did in some way.

The Residences of Anton and Karoline

The residences identified for Anton and Karoline until the great earthquake of 1906 are all in close proximity to today's downtown San Francisco. They are all within about ten blocks of each other, with 14 Salmon and 1606 Mason being situated on the hill overlooking downtown. Cadell Alley is about where the Transamerica Building sits today. It is assumed that all these homes were rented by Anton. Anton and his family are enumerated in the 1900 U.S.Census, although the entries are almost illegible. Living in the home, the address of which is 529 Montgomery Avenue (co-located with the saloon) are Anton, Jr. and their daughter Anna Grieb with her husband and two children. Should one be able to discern more from the Census it is at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12881-169082-28?cc=1325221&wc=M94B-HD2:121537917 at the bottom of the page. Soon after the fire Anton and Karoline moved in with the Griebs. They lived with them at 1020 Greenwich Street for about fifteen years, then for a few years on Broadway. For the last few years of their lives Anton and Karoline lived in Oakland, across the Bay, in a home for elderly Germans. Pictures of the Greenwich and Broadway homes are shown below.

Their Son Anton, Police Officer, dies in the line of duty

The second child of Anton and Carolina, a son Anton (*1877), was a sergeant in the San Francisco Police Department. His story is more fully told below. However, it was because of son Anton's death that this family came to our attention. In a search of the Web for Schoembs, one of the first hits was Antone Schoembs, police officer, killed in the line of duty in 1919. It was from this reference that the existence of this branch of the family was discovered in 2002. There are no descendants with the Schoembs name today.

Final Resting Places

Headstone for the Schoembs and Griebs

Anton (*1842, +1930) and Karoline (*1850, +1929) are buried in the Olivet Memorial Park in Daly City. In the grave next to them are buried their daughter Anna (*1874, +1961) and her husband Henry T. Grieb (*1869, +1958). Section C, Lot 151A.

In the Columbarium at Olivet, Room J, Niche 417, are the ashes of Anton Jr. (*1877, +1919) and his wife Anna (*1878, +1959), as well as their daughter Katharine (*1911, +1972) and her husband John Hoffmeyer (*1909, +1995).

Descendants of Anton Schoembs

Children: (3)

3.1.....Anna Karoline Schoembs (*22.05.1873 Philadelphia PA, +09.01.1961 San Francisco)

During Anna's growing up years she was active in the "Hessen Verein" or Hessen Club in San Francisco. Undoubtedly her parents Anton and Karoline were as well. In February 1892 Anna presented the American banner to the Club in a ceremony. She was eighteen years old at the time.

Anna was married in 1894 to Henry Tobias Grieb (*1869 Gemebaugh Germany, +21.06.1958 San Francisco), a German emigrant, also from Hessen Darmstadt.[1] In 1896 a "charming little tea" was given to honor Anna's birthday. It appeared in the San Francisco Call newspaper.

Henry worked as a carpenter in the 1890's, but started his own business sometime around the time of the earthquake. He appears to have been successful in his business, for by 1910 they owned the home they lived in at 1020 Greenwich Street.

1020 Greenwich Street (3rd floor)

Since this home was in the center of the area devastated by the earthquake and fire, it is highly likely that Henry built the home for his family. Whether they occupied the entire structure is not known. Today, each floor is a separate dwelling, with 1020 being the third floor. It looks like the top (4^th floor) has been added to the initial structure.

The family lived in the home at 1020 Greenwich from soon after the earthquake (about 1908) until the early 1920's, at which time they moved to a home on 1737 Broadway. The 1737 address is today the top floor, but undoubtedly was the entire building at the time. This conclusion is based upon the number of people living in the house during the 1920's.

Anna's parents, Anton and Karoline lived with them for about 15 years at 1020 Greenwich, and then another few years at the Broadway address.

Their two sons, Herbert and Henry C. "Harry", also lived with them for many years of their adult lives.

In March, 1912, Henry was one of the principal members of the Teutonic Societies of Coast Aid. His society was the backer behind a new $500,000 "German House" at Turk and Polk Streets. The 1912 artists conception of the five story stone building covering a city block is very impressive. I don't know if it is standing today, but if not, demolishing it would have been non-trivial.

1737 Broadway (top floor)

Anna K. Schoembs (*1873, +1961)
"The Lady"

Children: (3)

3.1.....Herbert Egon Grieb (*1895 San Francisco, +1950 San Mateo CA)

Herbert was a dentist by profession. He lived with his parents for many of his adult years. He married a woman with the first name Jean, but they apparently had no children. No children are mentioned in Herbert's obituary.

3.2.....Henry Charles Grieb (*1899 San Francisco, +Hennepin Cty MN)

Henry C. went by "Harry." He was married twice, the first time to Chrystal Spencer (*, +). They had one child.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Henry Charles Grieb, Jr (*1918 Honolulu HI, +2001 Auburn CA)

Henry Charles was an officer in the California Highway Patrol for 22 years, working in the foothills of the Sierras east of Sacramento. As an avocation Harry was interested in astronomy, contributing to the construction of a new observatory for the Sacramento Valley Astronomical Society, which was named for him. Click Here to learn more about the Henry Grieb Observatory in California.

Harry (*1918) was married three times. His marriage to Marion produced one daughter:

Children: (2)

2.1.....Bette Ann Grieb (*1950s)

In a second marriage, Harry had a son:

2.2.....Richard Grieb (*1950s San Francisco)

Harry's third wife was named Patricia Williams, who preceded Harry in death. From a prior marriage Patricia had three children whom Harry adopted.

Harry (*1899)'s second wife was Elisabeth Ellen Dineen (*1899 St. Louis, MO – 1979 San Francisco, CA). They lived in San Francisco, where Harry was a clerk at the Western Pacific Railroad early in his career, then later a building inspector in Marin County. Harry and Elisabeth had one child.

2.2.....Patricia Agene Grieb (*1929 San Francisco CA)

Patricia married James Abbott. They live in Minnesota, as do their four children.

Children: (4)

4.1.....Martha Jean Abbott (*1957)

Martha possibly has the married name Ladner and is living in the Minneapolis area.

4.2.....Michael Grieb Abbott (*1959)

4.3.....Jane Elisabeth Abbott (*1960)

4.4.....William Douglas Abbott (*1966)

3.3.....Margot Grieb (*04.07.1905 San Francisco[13], +~1908 San Francisco[14])

3.2.....Anton Schoembs (*1877 San Francisco, +1919 San Francisco)

Anton married Anna Schneider (*1878 Germany, +1959 San Francisco).[2] Anna had emigrated from Germany with her family in 1884 at age 4. Anton and Anna were married in 1902.[3] Three years later Anton joined the San Francisco Police Department. He was a policeman during the 1906 earthquake. Prior to his becoming a policeman Anton had worked briefly as a bookbinder, and for 2-3 years as a bartender at A. Schoembs, his father's saloon. He lived with his parents until he was married, and possibly afterwards.

Following the earthquake Anton and Anna lived at 3016 Steiner for a time, then moved to 3134 Steiner where they rented for about two years.

In about 1913 they then moved to 2611 Octavia, which they also rented.


3134 Steiner (3rd floor)	2611 Octavia (3rd floor)

Officer Anton Schoembs was killed in the line of duty November 16, 1919:

"Sergeant Schoembs was shot and killed as he attempted to arrest car thieves. Sergeant Schoembs and his partner were trailing a vehicle with stolen license plates. Sergeant Schoembs jumped onto the running board of the vehicle and attempted to arrest the suspect when one of the men twisted Sergeant Schoembs' gun from his hand and shot him.

The two suspects were later apprehended in Santa Clara County. As the deputies drove the suspects to jail in the stolen car, one of them reached under the seat and produced a handgun and shot one of the deputies. The other deputy was able to apprehend the suspects, who then confessed to murdering Sergeant Schoembs."[4]

An article in the Chronicle on November 20, 1919, read:

"Comrades of the Police Department and friends of a lifetime gathered at the bier of Detective Schoembs yesterday afternoon and paid their last tribute to the man who lost his life Sunday night in the performance of his duty.

Long before the hour of the services the chapel of H.F. Suhr & Co. was taxed to its capacity. And when no more could obtain entrance the sidewalks for several hundred feet were thronged with friends who waited for the closing of the services.

Besides members of the department, the Police Commissioner and relatives, there were business men of prominence and men and women in all walks of life in attendance……."

The car thieves were named William Chastian and Floyd Lee McCleur, teenagers.[5] Their fates are not known, other than they were convicted.[4] Anna received a monthly pension of $70 following the death of Anton.[6]

Anna continued living at the Octavia home until later in her life, when she moved in with her daughter at 1555 26^th Avenue.

But perhaps we do know what happened to Floyd McClure. In 2014 we found an article in the Binghamton Press (Binghamton NY, 2800 miles from San Francisco) dated 25 November 1919, one week after the shooting. They had picked it up from the United Press newswire. McClure was in San Quentin Prison. Someone had offered $10,000 if McClure would donate his organs apparently for a young person who needed some of the organs to live. Read the article. It is truly amazing. We do not yet know if the operation took place or anything else on the subject.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Richard J. Schoembs (*22.8.1904 San Francisco, +23.11.1951 Winslow AZ)

Richard had been a purchasing agent, bookkeeper for Goodyear Tire. He lived with his mother until at least 1940. At that time he was still single and working as an airplane mechanic. Soon thereafter Richard moved to Winslow AZ. From his death certificate we know that he married a woman by the name of Frances. They lived at 327 W. Gilmore in Winslow. He died of a heart attack in 1951 at the age of 47. They did not have any children.[8]

2.2.....Katharine A. Schoembs (*1912 San Francisco – 1972 San Francisco)

Katherine married John Hoffmeyer (*1909 – 1995 San Francisco). They had no children.[9]

Two days after the death of Katherine's father, Anton, the City of San Francisco established a memorial fund. Every day for two weeks there was an article in the paper updating the information on the fund. Here is the article on Day 2, November 20:

Heart of City Responds in Tribute to Slain Policeman

San Francisco yesterday paid tribute to the memory of Detective Anton Schoembs, Jr., killed by automobile bandits in the heart of the city Sunday night. He died in the performance of his duty toward the city which he had sworn to protect.

Yesterday San Francisco – the city "that knows how" – began to repay her debt to Anton Schoembs. It was by fulfilling for him his last and greatest wish – the purchase of a piano for his eight-year-old daughter Katherine.

Katherine has only begun to realize that her brave father has been taken from her forever. Schoembs confided in his partner on the police detail that she should have a piano on her approaching birthday. Little Katherine is to be the possessor of a piano. San Francisco is agreed upon this. Generous hearts of San Francisco have banded together in the common cause to purchase the piano. The Chronicle started the list off with $25.

Yesterday's contributions have swelled the fund. More names are promised tomorrow.

Previously reported	$115.00
Today's contributions (eight individually itemized)	86.00
Total	$201.00

Contributions continued to come in for two weeks.

1555 26th Avenue

Early in their marriage Katherine and John lived at 1757 Green. In about 1950 they moved to 1555 26^th Avenue, where they lived for the rest of Katherine's life. She died in 1972. John was a salesman for Redlick Newman Co. Katharine, or Kathleen as she apparently went by, was a teacher in the San Francisco public school system for many years.

3.3.....August H. "Gus" Schoembs (*1879 San Francisco, +1960 Van Nuys CA)[10]

In 1900 Gus married Marie Robrecht (*1878 San Francisco, +1962 Napa County CA)[10], the daughter of German emigrants. The ceremony was conducted by the Rev. J. Feundeling.

The Robrecht and Schoembs families were probably friends. Anton and August were given names in the Robrecht family for their two of their sons, as they were in the Schoembs family. Anton Robrecht, Sr. emigrated prior to Anton Schoembs Sr by several years. The Robrechts came from _____, Germany, and did not know the Schoembs prior to San Francisco.[10] The Robrecht Sr.'s moved to Oakland following the 1906 earthquake and fire. In the last couple of years of the Schoembs Sr.s' (Anton and Karoline's) lives, they also moved to Oakland,

Gus Schoembs with one of his trucks, circa early 1920s

Gus Schoembs was a carpenter in his first years working (e.g. 1896). By 1903 he had started a milk delivery business with one of the Robrechts, "Schoembs & Robrecht". It is not known which Robrecht was involved in the business. But it is highly likely that the business was destroyed in the earthquake, for in 1907 Gus was working for someone else and again doing carpentry. They lived at 646 8^th Avenue in San Francisco in 1910.

About 1910 Gus and Marie decided to leave San Francisco. They moved to Coalinga, a small town in the San Joaquin Valley southwest of Fresno, which was near California's new booming oil industry. Gus began a drayage (hauling) business to service the oil fields, first using horses and later trucks. They lived at 224 Polk Street in 1920.[1] In the 1920 Coalinga telephone directory, their number was #52. Coalinga was a small but rapidly growing town at the time.

Gus and Marie were divorced in about 1927, after which Marie moved back to the Bay Area and lived with her sisters and other relatives the remainder of her life. The daughters remained much closer to their mother than their father, and little of the Schoembs family history was passed down.

In 1929 Gus married Lydia "Becky" Gertsch (*? – 1967 in Van Nuys). Her maiden name comes from the obituary of her brother Paul Gertsch, a farmer in Nebraska. From 1929-1931, the beginning of the Depression, the Coalinga City Directory lists Gus as "oil worker". Whether he was still in the trucking business during this period is not clear. But by 1932 Gus again is listed in the trucking business, and has partnerships with a CF Johnson and later an HE Sharrah during the 1930s. Becky operates a beauty salon. The last record of Gus and Becky Schoembs in Coalinga is in 1940,[11] when Gus was 61 years old. About that time they moved to Van Nuys, in the San Fernando Valley just north of Los Angeles. They periodically traveled to San Francisco to see Gus's daughters and granddaughters. In their later years some of Becky's relatives lived with them in Van Nuys.

	last name	first	wife	occupation	residence
1912	Schoembs	Gus		driver	h 149 Alfred
1915	Schoembs	Gus		expman, 5th cor F	h 159 East H
1916	Schoembs	Gus		expman, 5th cor F	h 153 East D
1917	Schoembs	Gus		expman, 5th cor F	h 153 East D
1918	Schoembs	Gus		drayage, 101 E Forest	h 169 Tyler
1919	Schoembs	Gus		drayage, 101 E Forest	h 169 Tyler
1920	Schoembs	Gus		freighter	h 224 e Polk
1922	Schoembs	Gus		drayman	224 e Polk
1923	Schoembs	Gus		drayman	208 Polk
1924	Schoembs	Gus		tmstr	h 224 e Polk
1925	Schoembs	Gus		tmstr	h 224 e Polk
1926	Schoembs	Gus	Mary	freighter	224 e Polk
1927	Schoembs	Gus	Mary	freighter	h 224 e Polk
1928	Schoembs	Gus		freighter	h 224 e Polk
1929	Schoembs	Gus	Lydia	oilwkr	h 224 e Polk
1931	Schoembs	Gus	Lydia	oilwkr	h 224 e Polk
1932	Schoembs	Gus	Lydia	trucking	h 224 e Polk
1933	Schoembs	Gus	Lydia	Johnson & Schoembs	h 224 e Polk
1933	(business)			Johnson&Schoembs, CF Johnson/AH Schoembs trucking/furniture, 179 n 5th
1934	Schoembs	Gus	Lydia	Johnson & Schoembs	h 224 e Polk
1934	(business)			Johnson&Schoembs, CF Johnson/AH Schoembs furniture, 179 n 5th
1934	Schoembs	Lydia		Fenimore Beauty Shop	h 224 e Polk
1935	Schoembs	Gus	Lydia	Johnson&Schoembs	h 224 e Polk
1935	(business)			Johnson&Schoembs, CF Johnson/AH Schoembs furniture, 179 n 5th
1935	Schoembs	Lydia		Fenimore Beauty Shop	h 224 e Polk
1936	Schoembs	Gus	Lydia	slsman	h 224 e Polk
1936	Schoembs	Lydia F		beauty shop153 n 5th	h 224 e Polk
1937	Schoembs	Gus		slsman, VV Oyster	h 224 e Polk
1937	(business)			Oyster, Virgil V, garage, 222 e Elm, h 321 do
1937	Schoembs	Lydia		Fenimore Beauty Shop	h 224 e Polk
1938	Schoembs	Gus	Lydia	Pioneer Garage	224 e Polk
1938	(business)			Pioneer Garage, (Gus Schoembs, HE Sharrah), 129 w Elm av
1940	Schoembs	Gus	Lydia		h 230 e Polk


Family Foto, as the family was attending the Grieb's 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1944. From left: Ruth, Gus, Claire (5 years), Lydia, Carol (six months), and Florence.	Last known picture of August Schoembs, March 1956. From left: Ruth Schoembs McCabe, Eleanor Schoembs Olsen, August, Lydia, and Florence Schoembs Chesbro.

While Gus worked most of his career in the trucking business, we know from his granddaughter that he was anything but a good driver. He is remembered as a hard working, hard drinking German. Somewhere along the line he lost his vision in one eye, but this did not slow him down. He would drive around San Francisco and everywhere at high speeds, swearing at others who got in his way. One brother-in-law related his harrowing trip with Gus to Oregon. Gus was driving. He was quite a character.[10] While he was raised in the Catholic Church, he did not practice his religion most of his life.

Children: (3)

3.1....Ruth Lucille Schoembs (*1900 San Francisco, +1983 San Mateo CA)

Following her high school graduation, Ruth's mother Marie sold some property allowing Ruth to go to Stanford University. After receiving her nursing degree, she worked in San Francisco and was in charge of a women's clinic. In 1926 and 1929 Ruth is listed in the City Directory as a social worker at the Lane Stanford Hospital.[12] She also would deliver babies in people's homes.[10] Ruth lived with other nurses in San Francisco. In 1931 she married a building contractor, James Wilkins McCabe (*1890 CA, +1969 Burlingame CA). Jimmie first built homes in San Francisco, but then moved south to Burlingame, where he built many of the houses in the hills overlooking the Bay and San Francisco Airport. After their marriage Ruth gave up her nursing, but was active in charitable work. She would take foster children from orphanages to see plays and other entertainment, have dinner in restaurants, and other opportunities they otherwise would not have had. She and Jim traveled a lot, including internationally. They would take movies of their travels, showing them to friends and family upon their return. They were devout Catholics. In her later life Ruth went back to being a nurse, this time in a psychiatric ward in the San Mateo area.

The McCabes and the Chesbros would celebrate Christmas together, the McCabes following the German tradition of celebrating on Christmas Eve. The next day the group would meet again at the Chesbros for the English tradition. Gag gifts were a big part of the tradition between the two families.[10]

3.2.....Florence Vivian Schoembs (*1902 San Francisco, +2001 Federal Way WA)

After completing her studies at Coalinga High, Florence worked in a soda fountain to earn money so she could follow her sister Ruth to San Francisco. There she went to Munson Business School and excelled in accounting. She went to work for Wildberg Bros. Smelting & Refining, ultimately becoming the Secretary/Treasurer.[10] In 1924, while vacationing at the Graeeagle Lodge in the Feather River area of Plumas County, she met Donald Lyman Chesbro (*1899 Claremont VA, +1980 Burlingame CA). They shared interests in hiking, camping, and spending time in the mountains. In 1926 Florence lived with Ruth and Ruth's nurse friends at 2335 Pacific.[12]

In 1927 Florence and Don were married. Don worked for Standard Oil Company of California, starting at age 15 to help pay for his father's funeral expenses. His career was in records management. Never graduating from high school, he was a prolific reader, mostly of non-fiction. He retired after 48 years with Standard Oil.

During the Depression, Florence and Don were both employed with good jobs and had no children. They took advantage of it. They loved to go out to dinner and dancing regularly in San Francisco. Florence had many gowns and they dressed well. They would also go hiking in the Sierras, doing extreme multi-day hikes from camp to camp. On one of these trips they met Ansel Adams, the renowned landscape photographer. They lived the high life for twelve years until their first daughter was born. At that time they built a new home (the house was built by brother-in-law Jim McCabe) and moved to Burlingame, on the Peninsula south of San Francisco. Florence stopped working and settled down to become a mother.

For many years, while their daughters were young, the family would spend a month each summer in the mountains – two weeks at Lake Tahoe and two weeks at Bridgeport CA on a ranch.

In their later years they enjoyed traveling, mostly in senior groups to Hawaii and other places. Don's hobbies were photography, hiking, and travel. They had two daughters.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Claire Ruth Chesbro (*1939 San Francisco CA)

Clair was raised in Burlingame. She went to college at San Jose State, where she majored in business. She then went on to receive her teaching credential, but then worked for an engineering company. She met Donald Clyde Deighton (*1938 Los Angeles CA) and they were married in 1962. Don spent his early years in Los Angeles, then his family moved to San Dimas, out in the country then, where they had a chicken farm. He graduated from college at Cal Poly at Pomona, served in the U.S. Army, and went in to the food brokerage business. After five years Claire and Don decided to take their lives a new direction and moved to the Seattle, Washington, area. Don went into the insurance business and was with Allstate for almost thirty years, retiring in 1998.

They, like the generation before them, like to travel, hike, and backpack. They now are into biking – mountain bikes, but not rugged terrain. In 2004 they are traveling to New Zealand and Fiji, and then later to Europe.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Donna C. Deighton (*1964 Pasadena CA)

Donna married Gregory J. Nespor (*1964 Reno NV). They have two children:

Children: (2)

2.1.....Sophia M. Nespor (*1991 Seattle WA)

2.2.....Olin J. Nespor (*1995 Seattle WA)

3.2.....Lynne M. Deighton (*1967 Tacoma WA)

Lynne married Patrick A. Long (*1966 Portland OR).

Children: (2)

2.1.....Makayla M. Long (*1997 Tacoma WA)

2.2.....David D. Long (*2004 Tacoma WA)

3.3.....Lorraine C. Deighton (*1969 Tacoma WA)

Lorraine married Karl G. Durham (*1965 Burien WA).

2.2.....Carol Jane Chesbro (*1944 San Francisco CA , +1995 Palo Alto CA)

Carol was a brilliant student, played the violin, and was Student Body President in high school. At about 12 years of age she was diagnosed with severe medical problems which tragically destroyed her life. She spent most of her adult years in hospitals and institutions, passing away at age 51. She did not marry.

3.3.....Eleanor Augusta Schoembs (*1905 San Francisco, +1991 San Francisco CA)

Following her graduation from high school, Eleanor was the last to get out of Coalinga and followed her two older sisters to San Francisco. She did her training to become a nurse at French Hospital. A few years later she moved to San Diego, for reasons we do not know. There she met and in 1935 married a career sailor, Carl Raymond Olsen (*1898 in Jamestown NY – 1948 in San Diego CA). During the Second World War, Ray worked in the engine room of his ship while deployed on Pacific cruises. At least once Eleanor also went on the cruise as a ship's nurse. On this cruise they sailed to Shanghai and were anchored off the China coast for some time. During the War Ray contracted tuberculosis, from which he never recovered. He died in 1948.

Eleanor is remembered as lovable and easy going.[10] She moved back to San Francisco in about 1950 and helped her Grandmother Marie manage an apartment house on 8^th Avenue. She worked as a private duty nurse, attending to wealthy long-term patients in hospitals who could afford to have their own nurse. She and her sister Ruth loved to travel together. Following Ruth's husband Jim's death, Ruth and Eleanor moved together to Menlo Park where they lived in a residence for the elderly. They took a several month long trip around the World in the early 1970s. After Ruth's death Eleanor moved to Seattle to be close to her niece Claire Chesbro Deighton. She died there.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] 1920 U.S. Census

[2] RootsWeb.com California Death Records

[3] 1910 U.S. Census

[4] "The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc."

[5] Bob Fitzer, Officers Union historian, "Douglas 20, Police Journal", May 1926 issue, page 34

[6] San Francisco Police Personnel Department

[7] per his mother's obituary in 1959

[8] Telco between JDS and the second Mrs. John Hoffmeyer, and the obituary of Richard's mother Anna

[9] Telco between JDS and the second Mrs. John Hoffmeyer, and the obituary of Katherine's mother Anna

[10] Claire Chesbro Deighton

[11] Coalinga City Directory

[12] SFO City Directory

[13] ancestry.com. California Birth Index 1905-1910.

[14] Pat Grieb telco 11/2004.

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