Tag: Paul Harrison Geer

Genealogy, My Family Tree, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, Maternal Side

Week 1: An Ancestor I Admire

Becky

This week’s topic for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is to write about an ancestor I admire. It’s so easy to think of my Grandma Blair (Anna Maria Morgart) or even my great-great-grandmother, Mazie Lorenia Warner, but alas, I’ve written about both of them and there isn’t much else to tell (well, I’m sure I have a lot I could still say about Grandma Blair).

So the more I thought about this topic, I realized that writing about someone I know is the easiest way of accomplishing this task so obviously it shrinks the circle down a bit and that’s when it hit me… my great-grandmother, Mildred Laura Dunbar. I’ve written about her often but I’ve only written snippets about her life, so here goes.

Mildred Laura Dunbar

Mildred Laura Dunbar was born on 15 March 1908 to Mazie Lorenia Warner and Arthur James Dunbar in Hebron Township, Potter County, Pennsylvania. She was their 4th and youngest child. Arthur was a farmer and Mazie was a housekeeper, according to her birth certificate.

Mildred was only 5 years old when her father died of adult onset polio on 18 December 1912. Two years later, she gained a step-father in Samuel Joseph Randol. Sometime between March and August 1916, the Randol-Dunbar household moved to Akron, Ohio, settling in the North Hill area.

Mazie and Samuel moved to 75 Rosalind Court, which is where Mildred lived out her childhood. At this time she was 8 years old.

Paul Harrison Geer

The big question mark with my great-grandmother is when did she meet Paul Harrison Geer, her first husband and the man I believe is the father of my grandmother, Alberta Lou Fleming. The Geer’s, you see, lived on the corner of Glenwood and Howard Street, which was not that far from Rosalind Court. Paul’s father Clyde worked at Swinehart Rubber with Mildred’s step-dad, Samuel Randol. Around 1924, Samuel owned a store on Howard Street, one block from the Geer home on Glenwood. So many instances where their lives could have crossed paths. But there is always that chance that they didn’t meet until 1925 when Clyde moved his family in next door to the Randol’s at 71 Rosalind Court.

The romantic in me wants Mildred and Paul to be high school sweethearts, or at least teenage sweethearts. This I will never know. I do know they married on 17 September 1927 in Akron, Ohio by Reverend O.W. Haulman, who was the minister at the Grace Reformed Church (not sure if that is where they got married, however). Their marriage did not last long, with Mildred filing for divorce on 15 January 1929 – stating that Paul was “grossly neglectful of his marital duties” and since 1 March 1928, refusing to provide her food and clothing, making her rely on her parents. He also barely worked, and not only gambled his earnings but visited houses of ill repute (this was what was stated in her divorce papers). The paperwork also stated there were no children born of this marriage but I think something happened between Paul and Mildred between her filing for divorce in January and the finalization of the divorce on 5 September 1929, because I truly feel from DNA results that Alberta Lou Fleming is the daughter of Paul Harrison Geer, despite her birth certificate stating that Albert Nank was her father.

I still give my great-grandmother credit for being the plaintiff in 1929 and filing for divorce from her husband when she wasn’t happy in her marriage. I know in an previous 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks that I discussed her being a “Strong Woman” and I stand by that. Women didn’t have the power to do such things back then, and that she stood up for herself is simply amazing.

Albert William Nank

I have no idea how my great-grandmother met Albert William Nank, her second husband, but she married him on 30 September 1929 by Reverend George M. Smith (I was unable to pinpoint where his congregation may have been). Their honeymoon quickly ended when my grandmother was born on 2 October 1929. I’ve heard countless stories how she was born premature and Mildred was sent home with her newborn and a hot water bottle and told that if the baby survived until morning, that she would need to feed her. I believe my grandmother was just a couple pounds when she was born, and since I’m typing this, you know she survived until the next morning.

But her marriage to Albert wasn’t successful either. On 15 March 1933 (her birthday), Mildred filed for divorce from Albert Nank. She states “gross neglect of duty”, his being unemployed for most of their marriage that she described as an “aversion to hard work”, he provided no money for her or their minor child, and is often “cross and disagreeable”. Their divorce was finalized on 1 June 1933 with Albert being instructed to pay what would essentially be “child support” of $5 per week and he was allowed to spend 1 day each week with his daughter, which I don’t believe he ever did.

My guess is as my grandmother got older I think Albert realized my grandmother was not his child. In all his paperwork pertaining to his joining the Army he always checked the box “no children”. I heard that at one point after Alberta married Harold Fairhurst, Harold made Alberta go and meet with Albert. He ignored her the entire time she visited. I often wonder why he never told her the truth, he had nothing to lose at that point in time, but I’m guessing he must have been willing to keep Mildred’s secret.

I’ll confess before taking the DNA test and not finding any Nank or Jennings DNA matches (I suppose there is a chance no one has taken a test, but unlikely as they seem to be a decent size family in Utica, Macomb County, Michigan). I still feel my grandmother was a very strong woman to file for divorce not once, but twice. I’ll admit my thoughts have skewed a bit over the years because I sometimes feel bad that Paul never had a chance to be a dad to my grandmother.

Howard Fleming

My great-grandmother’s third and final husband was Howard Fleming. As with Albert, I’m not sure how she met Howard, but he was the marriage that stuck. They married 5 August 1933 by Reverend Wayne McQueen, who when I researched him he was the minister of the North Hill United Methodist Church, and their marriage only ended when Howard passed away on 20 March 1972.

Mildred Laura Dunbar, left, Alberta Lou Fleming, center, and Howard Fleming, right. If I had to guess this would be about 1932-1933

My mother was always fond of her Grandpa Fleming though I don’t know too many details about him. My dad said he was a really nice guy, but also said because he seemed to be drunk a majority of the time. At least he was a happy one, I suppose. Howard was a carpenter who worked for a variety of rubber companies throughout Akron.

Mildred and Howard also had two sons, Howard Herschel born in 1936, he went by Herk but I won’t go into too much detail as he may still be alive (I have never found proof yet that he has passed away), and James Rodney, who was born 25 May 1943 and passed away 4 March 2009.

I never knew Howard Herschel, only ever meeting him maybe once when he came to town for his mother’s funeral.

I have lots of memories of my Uncle Jim. He was a nice man who just had a lot of problems, one of them being drinking (maybe he got it honestly?). We would often go to my great-grandma’s house on Sundays when Uncle Jim had his kids as well and it was always so much fun playing with them. Because Uncle Jim was only a few years older than my mom, there are lots of photos of him growing up alongside her.

A Working Woman

Mildred worked as a secretary pretty much her entire life. I know she was a stenographer in the 1930 Akron City Directory and according to my mom’s youngest brother, she dabbled in real estate when he was growing up, which was interesting as I saw real estate ad’s in the newspaper where you could call Mildred Fleming but I didn’t think it was referencing my great-grandmother.

To see the full page of this advertisement in the Akron Beacon Journal click here to read it on Newspapers.com

However, if I’d have clicked on enough links when I did my Newspapers.com search I’d found this gem of an article with her picture. Click here to see the article on the website.

My Memories

Mildred often babysat me when I was little and my mom had to go to the doctor as she did not live that far from us. One of my favorite things to do was play with her jewelry. I have so many pieces of her jewelry that became mine to play with in my playroom growing up. Shoes, skirts, tops, so many things. And to be honest, if it was convenient to get into the one toy box in my parents basement, I would take photos to put in this post.

My Great-Grandma was the first person to pass away that I really knew and her death hit me very hard. I was 8-years-old. I remember my mom asked me if there was anything I wanted and not really knowing what to say, I asked for the fry pan that she would scramble me eggs in when she babysat me. And though I didn’t think this was the pan then, it’s the only little pan they could find so they figured it must be it. Regardless it’s a pan that belonged to her.

Over time my mom gave me my great-grandma’s mirror, brush, and comb set. I’m sure my mother thought it would sit in a drawer forever, and the brush and comb do as I’m afraid I’d break it. But that mirror… I use it every day when I’m getting ready for work, life, whatever. When I got my vanity (from my Grandma Blair) I was entering eighth grade, so sitting at the bench with a mirror in hand is just about how I’ve always put my make-up on. The original mirror I used broke some time ago (handle, not the actual mirror itself) and one day I made the mistake of picking up my great-grandmother’s beautiful golden mirror, this was probably a good 10-15 years ago, possibly longer, and life has never been the same.

When I would see my great-grandma she was always put together which is probably due to her work in a professional environment. I believe she still worked part time up until her death, which she was 73.

When I was 6 she went on vacation with us to Florida to visit her daughter, Alberta. We drove down in the car stopping to visit with my aunt and her children on our way down. I remember we went to the Ringling Museum and other fun places while there (no Disney, but that was okay). Below is a photo of my mom and great-grandma sitting in the sun.

Cynthia Anne Fairhurst, left, and Mildred Laura Dunbar, right, basking in the Florida sun in March 1979

I found it appropriate that I finish this post when I did, on 8 January, as it was 44 years ago today in 1982 that my great-grandmother died of cardiac failure, renal failure due to a colon obstruction. My cousin Jaclyn, whose birthday was also today, was only 4 when she sat on my mom’s lap and said “I bet Grandma already has her wings”.

12 Ancestors in 12 Months, Maternal Side, My Family Tree

Month 11: Living With a Shadow – My Geer Family – Clyde Ellsworth Geer

Becky

Today I am going to focus on what I call my “new” side of the family. But I guess it’s no longer that new, as it’s been 3 years since I discovered that my maternal Grandmother’s real dad was most likely Paul Harrison Geer, my great-grandmother’s first husband. Since then, I have done some research on the Geer’s, but have yet to really dig in and find out who they were, so for me it’s like they are this big shadow, no photos, no stories, just odds and ends found in the newspapers here and there with documents I have found to create a trail of where they lived, what they did (I thank city directories for providing these details). There aren’t even many pre-existing trees on Ancestry to give me a bigger picture of who this family really is.

I was also hoping to have this posted yesterday, but I also wanted to do it justice, so here I am a day late, but I hope it is worth it.

Birth

Clyde Ellsworth Geer was born on 21 December 1879 in Cuyahoga Falls, Summit County, Ohio to William Henry Harrison Geer, (according to city directories he went by “Harrison”) and Amelia Dailey. From the information I have gathered, Clyde was the youngest of 4 children, with Kate, Mary Luella, and Frederick Gurdon preceding him (though there is a 7-year gap between Fred and Clyde). Harrison was a carpenter working for such companies as the W.B. Doyle Company (a lumber mill that once stood in the heart of downtown Akron), and AA Bartlett & Company (manufacturers of sash, doors, blinds, and mouldings, according to the 1893-1894 Burch Akron City Directory).

Birth Index Card found on Ancestry.com part of the Summit County, Ohio, Birth Records 1866-1908

His oldest sister, Kate, died on 17 May 1882 of a Typho-Malarial Fever. She was just 15 years old. Another article in the Summit County Beacon from 7 June 1882 stated she died of just typhoid fever. Both were characterized by a similar definition, “Typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever cause similar symptoms. People with these diseases usually have a fever that can be as high as 103 to 104°F (39 to 40°C). They also may have weakness, stomach pain, headache, diarrhea or constipation, cough, and loss of appetite. Some people have a rash of flat, rose-colored spots”, (taken from the CDC’s website). Clyde was just 2 years old when Kate died.

Taken from the 24 May 1882 Summit County Beacon newspaper (found on Newspapers.com)

By 1882 the family had moved to Akron living on Glenwood Avenue, “1 house from Howard Street” according to the Burch Akron City Directory 1882-1883. The family owned that home until Amelia died in 1908.

By the time he was a teenager Clyde began working as a driver, first for Strobel Brothers in 1896, then for Unique Laundry in 1897, then he returned to Strobel Brothers which is where he worked when his father died 16 January 1900 when Clyde was just 20 years old. William Henry Harrison Geer died of “convulsions of the brain” according to the Akron Daily Democrat from 17 January 1900.

The death notice of William Henry Harrison Geer written in the Akron Daily Democrat from 17 January 1900 found on Newspapers.com

Marriage with Gertrude

Within two years of his father’s death, Clyde met Gertrude VanBuskirk. on 3 March 1902 they had their first child together, George Ellsworth. Six months later they were married on 6 September 1902. Their second child, son Paul Harrison Geer was born on 21 September 1905, and finally their third and final child, Ruth Cloe Geer was born on 25 July 1907.

Throughout their married life they lived in North Hill, a section of Akron, a majority of the time living at 21 Glenwood Avenue, and he worked at such places as Akron Belting Company and Goodrich Tire Company. But then on 26 October 1908 Gertrude died of acute pneumonia. She was just 32 years old.

The Tuesday 27 October 1908 edition of the Akron Beacon Journal (found using Newspapers.com)

Earlier in the year, on 27 May 1908, Clyde’s mother had also passed away of diabetes. Amelia had been living with Clyde and Gertrude.

After Gertrude died his 3 children went and lived with Gertrude’s parents, George VanBuskirk and Lydia Cunningham. Clyde lived with his brother, Fred, and his wife, Ida.

Marriage to Helen

On 23 April 1914, Clyde married his second wife, Mary Helen Forbes (McCormick) at the home of his brother, Fred. Helen was 12 years older than Clyde.

With his new wife he also worked at Firestone and Swinehart Rubber Company (this is where I believe Clyde met Samuel Randol, my great-grandmother Mildred Laura Dunbar’s stepfather). While married to Helen, Clyde came into a sense of vocational stability working at the Akron Belting Company, a place he was to work for several years to come.

Around 1925 Helen and Clyde moved to 71 Rosalind Court which was next door to my great-great-grandmother’s, Mazie Warner, and her husband, Samuel Randol’s home. This is when Mildred Laura Dunbar most likely met Paul Harrison Geer (assuming they didn’t know each other already).

Sadly, Helen died 6 February 1931 of a cerebral hemorrhage. She was 63 years old.

From the Saturday 7 February 1931 edition of the Akron Beacon Journal (found at Newspapers.com)

Less than 2 years after Helen’s death, Clyde’s brother Fred died of heart disease.

Found at Newspapers.com from the 18 January 1933 edition of the Akron Beacon Journal

In the years following Helen’s death Clyde continued to work at the Akron Belting Company and lived in downtown Akron with his son’s. At this point in time Paul was working for Goodyear and George (though according to the City Directory he was going by Ellsworth) worked as a janitor/painter.

Marriage to Stella

Clyde’s marriage to Stella Myrtle Long has me intrigued the most. Why, may you ask? Because Stella Long was also the mother of Clyde’s son’s Paul’s second wife, Juanita Faye Dodd. And Clyde married Stella the same day Paul married Juanita, so it truly was a family affair (and to make matters more interesting, Clyde’s daughter Ruth married Stella’s son, Shirley Roscoe Dodd as well). I’ve often wondered if Paul met Stella as they both worked at Goodyear Tire & Rubber in the late 1930’s.

Clyde’s marriage to Stella was his only marriage that ended in divorce. It was also his last marriage. They were married on 30 December 1939 at the First Methodist Church. Their marriage ended on 7 February 1947 (unlike their children whose marriage lasted 44 years). The reason was just “gross neglect”. Stella was the plaintiff, Clyde the defendant in the proceedings.

On 22 July 1953 Clyde’s sister, Mary Luella “Lulu” Geer Montz died of pulmonary edema and broncho-pneumonia. She was 89.

In the Thursday, 23 July 1953 edition of the Akron Beacon Journal (found on Newspapers.com)

Later Life

It appears that Clyde retired from Akron Belting in the late 1940’s and worked as a doorman briefly before he stopped working completely. Most of the last decade of his life was spent living with Paul, Juanita, and their daughter before he passed away of acute myocardial infarction and advanced arteriosclerosis with senility being secondary on 14 December 1962. He is buried at Rose Hill Burial Park.

From the 15 December 1962 edition of the Akron Beacon Journal (from Newspapers.com)

I remember when I wrote my letter to Paul’s daughter it wasn’t just Paul I inquired about, but Clyde as well. I wondered if she had stories she could share about them all. I wish I had more than just a paper trail of these people. What did they look like, what were their mannerisms, I know my grandmother (Alberta Lou Fleming) had Paul’s cheekbones, did they get them from Clyde?

I often hope that whom I presume to be my half aunt has held onto my letter and maybe will one day respond to it. She is the key to unlocking the shadows.

12 Ancestors in 12 Months, Maternal Side, My Family Tree

Month #7: Identity

Becky

Three years ago, I learned the identity of my great-grandfather, Paul Harrison Geer (or at least who I am pretty sure is my great-grandfather). Today I am going to do the best I can to outline his life as I never got the chance to meet him in the 11 years that our lives overlapped.

Paul Harrison Geer

Paul Harrison Geer was born on 21 September 1905 in Akron, Summit, Ohio. He was born at home to Clyde Ellsworth Geer and Gertrude Van Buskirk.

This was found on Ancestry.com in the Birth Card Index for the state of Ohio. Standard birth and death certificates did not begin in Ohio until 1908. Another index lists the home as 102 E York St, which is where the Akron City Directory for 1906 has Clyde and Gertrude living as well. These places were just around the block from each other.

Paul was only 3 years old when his mother died on 26 October 1908 of acute pneumonia. From there he was raised by his maternal grandparents, George Van Buskirk and Lydia Cunningham. Though Paul was not listed in the 1910 census in his grandparents’ home, he is not listed with his dad, Clyde, either. (It appears Clyde lived with his brother, Fred, and his family after Gertrude passed away). Paul’s older brother, George Ellsworth Geer, and his younger sister, Ruth Cloe Geer, were both accounted for on the 1910 census, my guess is that Paul may have just been missed. At this time the Van Buskirk’s lived in Akron at 745 Elma Street (this house no longer stands).

The photo that allowed me to figure out my DNA puzzle, was the headstone of George VanBuskirk, Lydia Cunningham VanBuskirk, Fred VanBuskirk, and Gertrude VanBuskirk Geer. This photo was taken by William A. Davies III and was found on FindAGrave. It was also selecting George VanBuskirk that lived a few blocks from where I presently live to research that helped to point me in the right direction.

Being an adolescent between 1910 and 1920 there is not a paper trail of documents to be found for Paul. In the 1920 census, he is listed as living with his grandparents still. They have moved to Lake Township in Stark County, Ohio, and live on Akron Canton Road.

By the 1925 Akron City Directory, Paul and his siblings began living with his dad, Clyde, and his second wife, Helen (they got married on 23 April 1921) at 71 Rosalind Court in Akron. He was a driver at this time, an occupation he would have later in life as well.

Paul Meets Mildred

But by living at 71 Rosalind Court I know Paul has now met my great-grandmother, Mildred Laura Dunbar as my 2nd-great-grandmother, Mazie Lorenia Warner, and her second husband, Samuel Randol, had lived at 75 Rosalind Court since moving to Akron in 1916.

This photo was taken from Google maps (as it would be a tad odd to get out of my car on a dead-end street to take photos of these homes, or maybe that’s just me). Both are still standing and according to the Summit County Auditor’s real estate tax website, these were the homes that both families lived in. 75 Rosalind is on the left, and 71 Rosalind is on the right.

I am not certain how long Paul and Mildred knew each other as it may have been prior to 1924 when Clyde and Helen are known to have moved into 71 Rosalind Court. I believe that Clyde Geer worked at Swinehart Rubber Company for an overlapping year with Samuel Randol, Mildred’s stepfather. I think the two men may have become friends, which may explain Clyde moving next door to the Randol/Dunbar household.

But even if it was by just sheer coincidence, Paul and Mildred became neighbors in 1924, and with my great-grandmother being sweet sixteen, I imagine that Paul was her first love. Fast forward a few years to 17 September 1927 and the happy couple gets married by Reverend Orris W. Haulman (a popular local minister) at the Grace Reformed Church when it was still located at 207 North Portage Path.

Found a copy of Paul Harrison Geer’s and Mildred Laura Dunbar’s marriage license using FamilySearch

After they married the Geers settled at the Randol’s former residence of 75 Rosalind Court (with Mazie and Samuel moving to 622 Carpenter Street, not far away). Their happiness was short-lived as Mildred filed for divorce on 15 January 1929.

Before I took my DNA test which is how I learned Paul was most likely my biological great-grandfather, I thought him to be this horrible person, that my great-grandmother was lucky to be rid of him. Now I hope my great-grandmother exaggerated as she just didn’t want to be married to him anymore. On the chance that what she stated was true, well, I like to think that Paul changed for the better over the years, and maybe he was just young and stupid.

Mildred’s reasons for her divorce are as follows (the below is quoted directly from the records I received from the Summit County Probate Court):

Page 1 of the divorce filing by Mildred Laura Dunbar to Paul Geer, I obtained from Summit County Clerk of Courts in October 2016

He “has been grossly neglectful of his marital duties towards her in that ever since March 1, 1928, he has wholly failed and refused to provide her with food or clothing or the other necessities of life and that she has been compelled to rely upon her own resources and her parents for sustenance and clothing” and “that the defendant has willfully wasted the real and personal property which they possessed at the inception of their married life and that he worked for a short interval at any one place and that he wasted his earnings in gamboling houses and other places of ill repute”.

The divorce record stated no children, and I don’t believe there was one in January when she filed as my grandmother, Alberta Lou Fleming was born prematurely on 2 October 1929. The story goes that Mildred was sent home from the hospital with my grandma and a hot water bottle and if she (Alberta) survived by morning for her (Mildred) to feed her. Lucky for me she lived.

Anyhow, I digress, I do not know how much of a preemie my grandma was, but I’m guessing Paul and Mildred had one more amicable night together before the divorce was final. That my great-grandmother married Albert Nank on 30 September 1929 and listed him as the father of Alberta on her birth certificate must just show how much she wanted Paul out of her life.

Paul Meets Juanita

I have been unable to find Paul in the 1930 census. He is single as the divorce from Mildred was final on 5 September 1929. He does pop up in the 1934 Akron City Directory working at Goodyear and living at 209 West Center. In 1937 he is still working at Goodyear but moved to 166 West Center. Then he marries Juanita Dodd on 30 December 1939, in a joint ceremony with his father, Clyde Geer, who was marrying Juanita’s mom, Stella Long, at the First United Methodist Church. (As a side note, it has always pleased me that Paul took an entire decade to re-marry. If he truly was guilty of all the things my great-grandmother accused him of in her filing for divorce, I like to think he learned his lesson).

The record of Paul Harrison Geer’s marriage to Juanita Dodd was found on FamilySearch

By the time the 1940 census came about, Paul and Juanita had moved to Detroit, Wayne, Michigan where Paul was working as an assembler in an auto factory, but by 1943 they have returned to Akron, living at 207 Carroll Street, #4 (no place of business is identified). By 1946 he and Juanita have a daughter and he is once again working for Goodyear, living at 571 North Summit. By the early 1950’s they have settled in Akron, living at 230 West South Street, and Paul has begun a career as a truck driver for Dixie-Ohio.

This was saved from Newspapers.com, the article is from the 5 April 1955 edition of the Akron Beacon Journal

I don’t find a whole lot of other information about Paul and his family. On 24 November 1960, he won tickets to see a movie at the Strand Theater, I wonder what movie did he see?

This was published in the 24 November 1960 edition of the Akron Beacon Journal, which I found using Newspapers.com

Two years later in December 1962, Paul’s father Clyde died of an acute myocardial infarction at the age of 82. Clyde had been living with Paul and his family for at least 6 years (the things you can learn using City Directories).

This was found on Newspapers.com, it is the 16 December 1962 edition of the Akron Beacon Journal

Twelve years later his brother, George, died in 1974, and then his sister, Ruth, in 1975. Paul lived to age 78, passing away on 27 February 1984.

Here is a shortened version of Paul’s obituary that ran on 28 February 1984 in the Akron Beacon Journal, I’ve cropped it so it does not include the names of the living. This was found using Newspapers.com

The photo in his obituary, and one other in that of his wife’s obituary, are the only 2 photos I have of Paul. You can read about my adventure in discovering through DNA how I figured out Paul was my great-grandfather here. After 3 years of composing a letter, I did reach out to Paul’s daughter to see if she could share with me what he was like as I’m quite curious. I mailed the letter out in early to mid-July and have not heard anything. To say I’m bummed is an understatement, but I understand. It took me 3 years to summon the courage to mail that letter to her simply because I was afraid of rocking her world. But to my knowledge, I don’t think Paul had any idea he had a child with Mildred. But it doesn’t lessen my curiosity at all.

But going back to that photo above, his cheekbones. My grandmother had those cheekbones. My cousin does as well, then again, she really looks like my grandma.

Here is a photo of my Grandmother, Alberta Lou Fleming. She had these taken some time in the 1990s. From my personal collection.

I’m still hopeful I’ll hear from Paul’s daughter, my half-grand-aunt. Not only did I ask what Paul was like, but Clyde, George, and Ruth as well. I want to know about all of them, I wish I could get answers about his mother, Gertrude, but that is pretty much a lost cause unless I come across another family historian who talked to people years ago.

I am gathering up names to do another genealogical visit to the Summit County Health Department to gather birth and death certificates, and Paul is on my list to discover what his cause of death was.

To finish this up properly my hubby and I went out to Greenlawn Memorial Park where Paul and his wife, Juanita are buried. It took us about 50 minutes to find his grave as the layout of section Y was a bit challenging, but for me worth it. You always get that feeling of closeness when you are near your departed relative, even if you never met them in person.

My own personal photo of the headstone of Paul & Juanita Geer from Greenlawn Memorial Park in Akron, Ohio, taken 12 August 2022

I’m glad I took the time to do this timeline about Paul Harrison Geer. From the comments on his wife Juanita’s obituary, they seemed like a very nice couple, which led to my coming around about him not being as bad as the divorce document states. In the end, isn’t being a good person what you want to learn about your ancestors?

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, Maternal Side, My Family Tree

Week #10: Strong Woman

Becky

For this week’s topic in 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks by Amy Johnson Crow, it’s “Strong Woman” and from when I first discovered what were to me secret’s of my maternal great-grandmother, Mildred Laura Dunbar, she is the first person who popped into my head for this week’s challenge.

My First Big Discovery

When I began working on my family tree 3.5 years ago, one of the first things I found at the library using Ancestry Library Edition was that my great-grandmother had been married not once, not twice, but three times in six years time.

Now I will confess, this particular great-grandmother passed away when I was 8, almost 9-years-old and so I knew her but never had any chance to ask questions and get to KNOW her (though I do have great memories of her babysitting me often). When my mother would speak of her, it was as if she were a saint and could do no wrong.

So when I came home with my finds to tell my mother about how Mildred had been married 3 times, needless to say it didn’t go over too big.  Since my mother died my father has told me he is fairly positive my mother knew of my grandmother’s 3 marriages (we knew of 2) but because my mother had put her grandmother on such a pedestal, it was something she didn’t really want to speak of, and so we didn’t.

But it all depends on your outlook on things.  My mother was a person who saw things in black and white.  You either saw things her way, or the wrong way.  There were no shades of gray.  And this can be related towards my great-grandmother.  Some could look at her three marriages as very taboo – but to me when you hear the reasons for her divorces, I look at her as a very strong woman.

MildredDunbar

Mildred Laura Dunbar

Mildred Laura Dunbar was born on 15 March 1908 to Arthur James Dunbar (who died in 1912 of polio), and Mazie Lorena Warner in Coudersport, Pennsylvania, the county seat of Potter County.  In 1916, Mazie had remarried and she and her new husband, Samuel Randol, along with 2 of her daughters from her first marriage, moved to Akron, Ohio (her third daughtder, my great-great-aunt Myrtle married in 1914 and lived in Elmira, New York).

The Randol’s and Dunbar’s settled in the North Hill section of Akron (not far from where I live today) when my grandmother was 8 years old.  When Mildred was about 17 (going off the dates of the 1925 Akron City Directories) the Geer family moved onto her street.  Paul Harrison Geer would have been 20 years old when he moved in next door, and the romantic in me likes to think he was her first love (I have no actual proof he was).

My great-grandmother married Paul Geer on 17 September 1927.  The marriage, however, did not last long, with my great-grandmother filing for divorce 15 January 1929 for gross neglect, he apparently liked to gamble and visit houses of ill-repute.  The divorce was final on 5 September 1929.

On 30 September 1929 Mildred married for the 2nd time, to Albert Nank.  Three days later, Alberta Lou Nank was born but in 1933 she (Mildred) was once again filing for divorce from Albert for gross neglect, extreme cruelty and his aversion to do an honest days work (can I just say I love old-time divorce records).  This marriage was final on 27 May 1933.

On 5 August 1933 Mildred married her final time to Howard Fleming.  She had 2-sons with him and was married to him until he passed away at age 63 in 1972.  My great-grandma passed away 10 years later at age 73.

Her Strength

Where my mother may have been ashamed of my great-grandmother’s situation, I myself see a strong woman.  Women didn’t get divorced from men who weren’t treating them well in the 1920’s and 1930’s, let alone twice!  This just wasn’t done, so for her to stand up for herself, in my world, is incredible.

More Reading

If you are interested in learning more about Mildred’s story, I wrote up the results of my DNA test which revolved around Mildred, Albert, and my grandmother.  Click here for my post from last September, I Took a DNA Test & Figured Out a Mystery.