Name} McFarren, Bess Crystal (Bessie) | Family History} Hancock | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Title} | Race} White | Sex} Female | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Birth: Date} Exa 28 Jan 1900 | Place} Golden, Barry, Missouri | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marr1: Date} Exa 7 Sep 1918 | Place} El Centro, Imperial, California (Link) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marr2: Date} Exa 24 Apr 1924 | Place} Woodland, Yolo, California ( Link) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Death: Date} Exa 24 Sep 1976 | Place} Sherwood Oaks Health Ctr., Fort Bragg, Mendocino, Calif. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Burial: Date} Exa 25 Sep 1976 | Place} Rose Memorial Park Cemetery, Fort Bragg, Mendocino, California | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grave Marker} Yes |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Parents: } William Henry McFarren & Rebecca Jane Ellison Relationship No.} 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st Household No.} 227 = Golden, Barry, Missouri | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation 1} Housewife Occupation 2} Cook/chef | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Religion/Church} Methodist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouses: First}
Worden, Lionel H. Second} Williams, Simeon Clyde (Si) Total Number of} 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes: According to an affidavit of her uncle, Bess Crystal McFarren was born 28 Jan 1900 in
Golden, Missouri. Her parents were William Henry McFarren & Rebecca Jane Ellison.
Bess moved from Missouri to Arkansas and to Oklahoma during her childhood years,
residing with her parents and at times with her grandparents, as her parents
followed work opportunities. In the 1900 US census, Bessie, 4 months, and her mother Becky, were living with her grandparents John and Sarah Ellison in the Cedar Township, Carroll, Arkansas. In the 1910 US census, Bessie, 9, was living with both of her parents, William and Rebecca McFarren in Noble Ward 2, Clevand County, Oklahoma. Her father was a laborer doing odd jobs. She had a sister Ruby and brother Roy. The girls attended school. ![]() Bessie, 19, and her Holtville high school boyfriend Lionel H. Worden, 24, were married by a Justice of the Peace on 7 Sep 1918 in El Centro, Imperial, California. He was a sailor and she was a bookkeeper. Lionel left four days later to report for duty at Mare Island, near San Francisco. She later told Viola that her first born had died in her arms — presumeably shortly after the child's birth. In late 1918 or early 1919, Bess travelled from the Imperial Valley to visit her uncle Ed McFarren in Napa — and probably to be near Lionel at Mare Island. The photo at the left below was taken about this time. Bess's daughter Viola believed that Bess never divorced Lionel, and that the gold wedding ring that Bess always wore came from Lionel — not Simeon. ![]() In late Summer 1920, Bess went back to Coffeyville, Kansas, to visit her mother who had become very ill. Daughter Viola Clide was born there in Sep 1920. To avoid embarrassment, Simeon and Bess said that they were married on 19 Dec 1919, in Woodland, California. However, they weren't legally married until 24 Apr 1924. Their daughter Ruby Lorraine was born in Oct 1922 in Napa. In the 1930 U.S. census, Bess, 30, and her husband Simeon, 33, and their two daughters Viola, 9, and Lorraine, 7, were living at 1611 F Street, Napa. Simeon, 33, was a bookkeeper for a poultry plant. Members of the household included her brother Roy McFarren, 22, and his wife Nell, 18. The Great Depression began to influence the family and almost everyone in Napa during the hard years that followed. For example, Bess learned to mix and use baking soda and salt instead of buying toothpaste. A few hens in the backyard provided her young family with a continued supply of eggs. Hours spent at her Singer sewing machine reduced the cost of clothing. In the 1940 U.S. census, Bess, 40, was living with her husband Simeon, 42, on F Street, Napa. Bess was the proprietor of the Green Lantern resturant, and daughter Lorraine, 17, was a waitress. Bess greatly enjoyed fishing. After World War II, she and Simeon travelled in their cabin cruisers from the Napa River to the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers where they caught numerous striped bass and catfish. After moving to Fort Bragg in 1948, Bess fished off of the rocks at their ocean-front property. There she caught sea trout, cappazoni, and an assortment of other fish. Being close to Noyo and its fishing industry meant that her freezer was always stocked with salmon, albacore, and other ocean fish. Bess went abalone fishing with her crowbar when the tide was extremely low. She would then pound her abalone catch on a large piece of polished black marble until the abalone was tender [The marble block is now at Dan's home in Auburn.] ![]() ![]() Bess developed ovarian cancer, and after a long illness, died 24 Sep 1976, at the Sherwood Oaks Health Center, Fort Bragg. Services were held 26 Sep 1968 at Cain Grove and Haverfield Chapel, Fort Bragg. She is buried in the Rose Memorial Park Cemetery, Fort Bragg, Mendocino, California. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Time of Birth} | Time of Death} 6:00 A.M. | Fraternal/Social} Fuschia Society | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Baptism Date} | Place} | ![]() ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Confirm. Date} | Photos} Bess at age 14 and Bess at age 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Immigr'n Date} N/A | Port} N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Education: Grade} High school | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Military: Service} None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Health Condition} Cause of Death} Cancer, ovarian |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 2004, 2010 - 2018 by Daniel W. Hancock and 2022 - 2023 by Karen L. Hancock. All Rights Reserved. |
![]() |
View
![]() |
Next Page ![]() |