Life History

Notes

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  A California birth record was found that initially apperred to be for our Robert A Smith, but this mother's maiden name is not correct.  Our Robert's mother was Nora Green.
  
  California Birth Index, 1905-1995
  Robert A Smith
  Birth Date 3 Apr 1923 Fresno County
  Mother's Maiden Name Erlandson
  ----------------------------
  
  Robert is identified as a survivor of his mother's brother Pink Green in Pink's obituary in 1968.
  
  "Surviving are a brother, Tom Green of Kerman; five nephews, Jake and Jack Green of Fresno, Paul Birch of Lubbock, Tex., Walter Smith of Ripon and Robert Smith of Texas, and two nieces, Eva Green of Kerman and Mrs Irene Sherman of Portland, Ore."
  --  Fresno Bee, 7 April 1968
  
  1940 Federal Census, Fresno County, California, 2 April, Fresno, District 10-52, Page 1A, Hse #9, Rents $9
  Smith, Nora Head F W 54 Married (? appears to be marked out, but not changed) Grade 2 b Okla Same place in 1935 Seamstress [b abt 1886]
  Smith, Robert Son M W 16 Single Grade 8 b Calif same place in 1935 [b abt 1924]
  
  The C D Williams Genealogy provides some additonal information that seems to match this family.  But this genealogy reports the place of birth as Muskogee, Oklahoma.  The place matches other family information, but the 1940 census cited above reports that, though his mother Nora was born in Oklahoma, Robert was born in California.  Given the large gap between Robert's birth had the previous known child of Nora and her husband, California seems more likely.
  
  The genealogy also reports a middle initial for Roberts mother, listing her as Nora M Green.  No other source has provided a middle initial or name.  There is a Nora M Green, married to a different Smith, so there appears to be some confusion of sources or details.  In fact, the Williams genealogy also cites a record for the other Nora M Green in the 1940 census, reporting she was living in Humboldt County, California, with her husband, Martin Green.  That record reports that Nora's parents were both born in Ireland.  The maiden name of Martin's Nora is unclear.
  --  1940 census, Ancestry, http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1930usfedcen&h=110133660&tid=31245569&pid=27326983970&usePUB=true&rhSource=70500
  
  ----------------------------
  The following WWII draft record was also thought to be for Nora's son, but this has the same birth record as the above birth record that has a different mother.
  
  U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
  Robert Ardell Smith
  Age 19
  Birth 3 Apr 1923 Fresno County, California, USA
  Residence Oakland, Alameda, California, USA
  Employer        Western Electric Co
  5' 7" 152 lbs, Blue Eyes, Brown Hair, Light Complexion
  A R Smith
  Registration 1 Jul 1942 Oakland, Alameda County, California, USA
  
  The following two voter registration records appear to be for this other Robert Smith.
  
  California, Voter Registrations, 1900-1968
  Ardell R Smith
  Residence 1934
  Address 1320 Roedlng, Fresno, California, USA
  Party Republican
  
  California, Voter Registrations, 1900-1968
  Ardell R Smith
  Residence 1968
  Address slsmn  2943 Illinois, Roedlng, Fresno, California, USA
  Party Republican
  
  there is a Robert Smith with a differrent birthday again.  The following ar ehis Social Security record and Death Index record.
  
  U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
  Robert Smith
  Born 28 Jun 1924
  Died Nov 1979
  Last Benefit Redwood City, San Mateo, California 94061
  SSN 569-22-7416 issued California (Before 1951)
  
  However, when the Social Security Application record with the matching birth record was found, it was discovered that this Robert's mother was named Pearl V Landregen.
  
  The Williams genealogy cites a record in the California Death Index for Robert's death, which seems reasonable.  The birth date and death date here match the first Social Security record above, indicating this Robert is the son of Pearl V Landregen.
  
  California, Death Index, 1940-1997
  Robert A Smith
  Birth 28 Jun 1924 California
  Death 29 Nov 1979 San Francisco
  Social Security #569227416
  ----------------------------
  

Sources

• 1. 1940 Federal Census, Fresno County, California
  • 2 April, Fresno, District 10-52, Page 1A, Hse #9, Rents $9
• 2. U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947