BRYSON Family
There has been many years in an attempt to locate my natural father, Leroy Alexander BRYSON. Mom and he divorced in 1937 when I was age 5 and up till her death 16 Feb 1999 she remembered very little about him and almost nothing of his family. The few names she did remember were all I had to work on over the years, the search went like this:
As of 28 Sept 1996 I, Jack Bryson have no information on my father except he had a cousin named Goldie whose given name is Cynthia Greer, also Goldie married a Robert Stuart, they had a daughter named Betty (Elizabeth) and a son named Robert, lived in Warren Ohio. I received a letter from Goldie written on 19 Jan 1977 and she stated that dad's birthdate was 14 Aug and if alive in 1977 would be 71 and born in Washington city, Washington county , Penn. He had a sister named Lelia and was married, but no idea to who. If dad was 71 in 1977 his birth should be 1906 but my check with Penn. state records shows nothing at that date. Mom tells me that Goldie made me several flannel dresses ( easy to change me mom says) and they were dark in color to not show the dirt. Mom thinks Lelia was dad's 1/2 sister.
I was told that he married a window lady in Calif. The SS Agency form showed that Leroy's parents were William BRYSON and Ethel WRIGHT. This application for SS# shows that it was the 2nd time he had applied for a number, never received one from his first application, so I have idea where or when the first application was dated.
TODAY 10 Jan 2001 I Got a letter from the US Social Security Act dept. That gave me a copy of the original SS application of my dad, Leroy Alexander BRYSON verifing at last his parents names, with his signature dated 5 Aug 1937 in Wheeling, West VA. I know we lived there because I remembered the major flood
TODAY, 6 Apr 2001 received Leroy's death Notice from California that shows he died of brain chagernic carcinoma with brain metrotavis, (brain tumor) in the front lobal area of the skull. He died at Sata Clara County Hospital in San Jose, Santa Clara, CA. Saturday, 19 Apr 1957. He was in the hospital four days. He and his wife at the time, Ethel BRYSON, lived at Route 2 Box 686, Morgan Hill, Santa Clara, CA at the time of his death. He was listed as a painter in the building trade. He was not in the military. I have found a California death record of Ethel (JEWELL) BRYSON who was b. 7 Jan 1897 in Pennsylvania, died 16 Mar 1986 in Santa Clara County, Cal., SS# 178-09-3247 and I feel at this date she was the woman dad married in Calif. Will continue that search through the Calif. records.
Today, 16 Apr 2001 received Leroy's Obit and find that he was buried on the a Monday 22 Apr 1957. That He was an employee of Campbell Paint Company. He had lived in the Morgan Hill, Santa Clara, CA. area for only 9 months and before that he lived in the Santa Rosa, Sanoma, Calif. area.
Today 21 Apr 2001 received a letter from (Ret.) Major Robert M. STUART son of Goldie and he updated me with quite a bit about dad, most of the data that I put into files today. He states that dad's father William BRYSON seemed to drop out of the picture with the death of dad's mother Lucy "Luci". So at just a couple of years of age, dad was moved into the household of Cynthia GREER and he called her "Mom" for the rest of the time he lived there. Just before WW1 the GREER family moved away from Washington, Washington, PA and moved to Sharon, Mercer, Pa and so the children all spent their school years there, including dad. One of his occupations later in life was as a cook at Railrood Diner on the west coast.
Cencus records of 1920, Buffalo Township, Washington County PA show a Leroy BRYSON age 25 enumerated with a (head of household) Margaret M. HOUSTON as a grandson. Along with her husband, Abraham HOUSTON age 79. (Not sure if there is a connection, used just as a note. Know that the HOUSTON family is involved with the BRYSON family in some way).
The notes listed next about Cencus records of 1910 and 1920 are to show the movement of my dad, Leroy Alexandery BRYSON. 1910 Cencus shows, Edward Luther GREER 37, Scinitha (Cynthia) 35, Wilbert 15, Galdie ("Goldie" Cynthia 12, and my dad Leroy Alexander BRYSON is listed as Ray Beyso age 5. They were all living in the town of Sharon, Mercer County, PA. Soundex #1,372,342 Cencus Film # 1,375,388. Roll #175, Enumerator #177, Family #233.
1920 Cencus shows, They are now in Ohio, Broomfield Twnsp., Trumbull County, on State Road. Edward is not listd, so perhaps he has passed away. Cynthia age 45, Willard S. 25, Goldie 21, and Roy BRYSON age 14. Soundex # 1,828,767, Cencus film #1,821,443 Vol #199, ED #251, Sheet #6, Line #95.
The simple moral of these few words is not to give up. This coming Mon. 14 Jan 2002 I shall go to Wal Mart where I'm having the photos of a "throw away" camera that I sent to the Cemetary in CA and they took photos of the area he is buried, no stone was ever bought and placed there. I shall get a marker myself and have it placed there. My health will never allow me to go see it, be there, talk to him, but it is the least I as his son can do. I hope someday to meet others who have met him, lived with him, involved themselves in his life and learn more of the man I can remember so very little of, but will NEVER forget for he is my father.
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© Kitty Roach
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