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Thelma Ferne Perry's Story as told by Moi, her Grandson  |  Photographs of Thelma

updated 21 Feb 2020

On 4 Jul 1922, Oakland, Alameda Co., CA, Thelma Ferne Perry, age 15 yrs 11 mos 17 days, marries Clifford Franklin Begnal, having 2 sons, Clifford Anthony, b. 28 May 1923 & Newton Richard Begnal, b. 17 Jul 1924, San Francisco Co., CA.

Below 1922 marriage cert. is in Error - George Begnal IS NOT the Biological Father of my Grandfather Clifford Franklin Begnal* and Elizabeth Chauncey is Elizabeth Shaughnessy

*FTDNA Kit No. 892549 (24 Dec 2018) Y-DNA = Haplogroup R-M269, aka R1b1a1a2 - Descendant of Francis Eaton, Mayflower 1620

: George Begnal is not the biological father of Clifford Franklin, his mother is Elizabeth Shaughnessy and Thelma's mother Evelin Bowen is Dora Etta Bowen.  Clifford marries 2 more times 1926 & 1929
 

Children born of this marriage

Clifford Anthony, b. 28 May 1923, Mother Thelma was 16 yrs 10 mos, 11 days
Newton Richard, b. 16 Jul 1924, Mother Thelma was17 yrs, 11 mos, 30 days
 

Clifford Franklin Begnal, remarries 17 Jun 1926, Marin Co., CA to Lavilla B Woodbury (Thelma was 19 yrs 11 mos old)

Clifford Franklin Begnal, remarries 4 May 1929, Multnomah Co., OR to ‎Wilma Florence Gates, having 3 sons, Robert Franklin 1929 Portland OR, Kenneth Roger 1930 SF CA, Clifford Floyd Begnal 1935 San Mateo CA

1930, 8 Feb, Thelma Fern Perry Begnal, married Robert Joseph Benesch, San Francisco, San Francisco Co., CA

1930, 8 Apr census of Clifford Franklin Begnal index Bignen, Wilma & Robert age 0, San Francisco, CA

1930, 9 Apr census Line 22 - Thelma Ferne Perry Begnal, indexed as Thelma F Benesh/Benion [Turlough F Benion] living at 1377 Hayes St. San Francisco, CA, with both Sons as Stepsons of head of house Robert J Benesh, b. abt. 1900, IL, both his parents born France per the 1930 census.  His Age First Married 30, Thelma's was age 15 4 Jul 1922, would be 16  in 12days to Clifford Franklin, 2nd marriage 1930, Thelma age 23, would be 24 in Jul 1930

Now Thelma is 23, with 2 sons 8 Apr 1930, by 6 Sep 1930, Thelma age 24 is in San Pedro, Los Angeles Co., CA, enrolling Richard N Young, per his School Records, showing his parents as Earl Young & Mrs. E. Rose, not Clifford or Thelma as parents.  http://drdocyoung.com/begnal/begnal-young-eaton-story/newton-richard-begnal-young.html#schools

Question: how did Thelma travel from San Francisco, to San Pedro CA in 5 months, who took her or how did she travel Car, Bus, Train...

....or was Thelma driven by Robert J Benesh, a Salesman or Earl Young, a Truck Driver aka Teamster Trucking living at 1117 Plymouth Ave. San Francisco, CA in the 1930 census

Earl Young 1920, age 12, Father Earl Wallace Young, 37, 1883, CA same address 1117 Plymouth Ave. m. Stella C Unknown maiden?, 1920 shows Earl L Young, 12, son.  Stella per marriage license 3 Jun 1903, San Francisco Newspaper is Estella C. Guglielmetti, 19, of 1727 Market St. and Earl W. Young, 21, of 2912 16th St. San Francisco, CA.
 

1931 - Shooting Carson, Los Angeles Co., CA, witness Thelma F Benesch,

My opinion Clifford Anthony & Newton Richard Begnal, could easily have 2 different Fathers. Clifford A with Clifford Franklin and Newton Richard with Earl Young while living in San Francisco...

...as Clifford Franklin is an Officer Detective Agency, per 8 Apr 1930 census and a San Mateo City Directory a Chauffeur in 1933...

...and Clifford Franklin could of known Earl L Young a Teamster Trucking, as was his Father Earl Wallace Young, a Teamster, is one speculation 

Time Period: of the Depression years 1929-Late 1930's (Black Tuesday, 8 Oct 1929, Stock Market Crash), jobs, money, all in need of surviving those years, which would make it understandable as why a Young Mother Thelma with 2 Boys, separated for whatever reasons/issues Thelma & Clifford Franklin may have had.

Especially, if Thelma knew of Clifford Franklin remarrying Jun 1926, Marin Co., CA, just 2 yrs after my Father Newton Richard was b. 16 Jul 1924, San Francisco, CA, then with Clifford Franklin remarrying a 2nd time 4 May 1929, Portland, OR

Not knowing what prompted this 11 Aug 1928 letter  Page 1, Page 2 from Clifford Franklin to his Aunt Ella Shaughnessy, who at the time was married to Dean M. Rockwell, Utica, NY, asking Ella who his Father is, as Clifford knew from his Mother Elizabeth Shaughnessy it was not George Felix Begnal. I do not have the reply letter from Ella, if she ever answered Clifford Franklin.

What reasons did Clifford Franklin have for going to Portland, meet and marry Wilma Florence Gates, having returned to San Francisco Co./San Mateo Co., by 8 Apr 1930 census.

Whatever happened are unknown that caused Thelma to leave San Francisco, if with Robert J Benesh/Benion, as he was a Salesman per 1930 census, he might have been a Traveling Salesman, or if Thelma hitched a ride with Earl Young to Los Angeles.  San Francisco a Port City - Los Angeles/Long Beach/San Pedro Port Cities

Only that Thelma had no family in the Los Angeles area, all of her Perry/Pereira Cardozo family lived in the Bay Area, Richmond, Hayward, San Leandro, Santa Cruz, San Mateo.

One story for leaving San Francisco, was so Elizabeth Shaughnessy Begnal would not see or get custody of Clifford Anthony or Newton Richard, as Elizabeth remained in San Francisco between 1911-1946. No record found of Elizabeth ever marrying George Begnal, in Utica or Saratoga Springs where he lived in 1910.

However, records show a 1 Jun 1915, NY state census, as being the very first record ever showing George, Elizabeth and Clifford living together. George is in CA between 1912-1915, he was a Traveling Salesman for the Family's Baker-Begnal Foundry business in Saratoga Springs, NY

Then begins the Story of Newton Richard Begnal aka Richard Newton Young
http://drdocyoung.com/begnal/begnal-young-eaton-story/newton-richard-begnal-young.html
http://drdocyoung.com/begnal/begnal-young-eaton-story/Richard-Newton-Begnal-Young-records.html

1940 census has not been found for Los Angeles County CA, I have been searching since the release in 2010.

1941, SS App, list Father as Clifford F Young and Mother as Thelma Fern Perry, making an error signing as Newton Richard Young.

1942 - William L Irby & Thelma F. Irby - 138 1/2 E 53rd St Los Angeles (first record of Thelma living with William Irby) (Richard & Clifford 17 & 18) Richard enters Army 24 Jul age 18 - 13 Nov 1944 age 20 yrs, 4 mos

28 Mar 1942, as Richard N Begnal, married Patricia V Arnold, witnesses Thelma Fern Irby, W.L. Irby and Mildred Miller, Yuma, AZ.

24 Jul 1942, Richard N Young, enlists Army Ser#19100597
http://drdocyoung.com/begnal/begnal-young-eaton-story/newton-richard-begnal-young.html#military

28 Oct 1942, Anna Laura Ferne Begnal, parents Richard Newton Begnal, age 19, Private US Army & Patricia Victoria Arnold, age 16. Conception would of been about Jan 1942. Richard was stationed at Camp Polk, Louisiana

13 Nov 1944 - Honorable Discharge - Ser#19 100 597 - Separation Center Camp Beale, CA

To View other Perry Pereira Cardozo Family Pictures - Pg 1 - Pg 2 - Pg 3