31 October 2014

Francisco/Francis/Frank VAILLANT: Mystery Person

“Uncle” Frank was the person in the living room in Seattle in a robe racking the shag carpet.  The earliest memory I have of “Uncle” Frank takes place in the early 1950’s on a visit with my parents to my Aunts.  HOWEVER, sharing the same SURNAME does not necessarily make for a relative.

Francis Vaillant registers for the World War I draft on 12 September 1918 at Local Board for Division No. 16, City of Chicago, State of Ill. No. 6, 6240 Kimbark Ave., Chicago.[i]  The information provided on the document states that Francis is living at 6022 Harper Ave., Chicago, Cook, Ill and is 33 years old.  His date of birth is Feb 19, 1885.  He is white.  He is not a Native Born citizen but is a Citizen by Father’s Naturalization Before Registrant’s Majority.
Francis’ present occupation is a Store Keeper for the Edison Electric Co. located at 2240 Ogden Ave., Chicago, Cook, Ill.  The nearest relative is D. M. Scott living at 6022 Harper Ave., Chicago, Cook, Ill.  He signs his name. His height is tall and his build is slender.  He has brown eyes and black hair with no physical disqualifications.

[6022 Harper is approximately 22 miles from 2240 Ogden Avenue.]

Francis is still living at 6022 Harper Avenue in the 20 January 1920 United States Federal Census.[ii]  He is recorded at being a Roomer, Male, White, age 34 at last birthday and single.  He immigrated in 1886[iii] and is a Naturalized Citizen.  He is able to read and write.  He was born in Argentina and speaks Spanish.  His father was born in Argentina and speaks Spanish.  His mother was born in Germany and speaks German.  He is able to speak English and works as a Storekeeper at an electrical business.  He is a wage worker. [There is no D. M. Scott at the same address.]

The R. L. Polk city directory for Chicago published in 1928[iv] lists Francisco Vaillant living at [r] 1425 E. Marq[uette] in apt[apartment] 3.  Also listed under the VAILLANT surname are June, Sten[o] at the J. H. Day & Co [r] 4843 Palmer, Mary, Mrs., [h] 4843 Palmer and Pauline [r] 4843 Palmer.

Two years later a Francisco Valliant appears in the 1930 Federal Census in Texas![v]  He lives on a farm and is a Male, White, and 40 years old on his last birthday and single.  He was born in Argentina as were both his parents.  He speaks Spanish and immigrated in 1895[vi].  He is a Naturalized Citizen and speaks English.  He works as a farm manager.

Francisco is cited in the Cameron County, Texas, County Court document filed 7 May 1947 for real estate transactions that took place starting 5 April 1929 and recorded in Cook County, Illinois[vii]

The Brownsville Herald newspaper on Sunday, November 8, 1931, features “Guest Day Observed By San Benito Music Club” on page eleven.[viii] SAN BENITO, Nov. 7—One of the outstanding events of the past week was Guest Day observed by the Wednesday Morning Music club.  More than four hundred and fifty guests were present for the annual event of the club which was held at the First Methodist church….Mrs. C. B. Chase, president of the club, welcomed the guests and introduced the three guest artists, David Christensen of Fort Worth, Frank Vaillant, formerly of Chicago, and Robert Reed.  The program was as follows:
          Silent Woe, Roses, Secret Greetings, Moonlight Night from the song Cycle “Elilan”…Alexander Von Flclitz. Mr. Frank Vaillant (Guest Artist)
The entire front of the church was banked with plumbago, roses and corona.

Frank must have settled into the San Benito community quickly.  He is still there for the 1940 Federal Census[ix] stating he had been in the same house in 1935.  He is living on a farm owning his own home valued at $650.  He is the head of household, male, white, 55 years old and single.  He has completed 4 years of high school.  He was born in Argentina.  He is an American citizen born abroad.  He works on his own account as a farmer and worked 60 hours in the past week.

In 1942 he registers for the World War II draft[x].  The document is typed with the following information:  Name—Franc (nmn) Vaillant, living at R. R. #2 San Benito, Cameron, Texas. His mailing address is the same. He has no telephone and his age in 57 years.  His date of birth is Feb. 19, 1885 in Argentina, Rep. S.A.  The Name and Address of Person Who Will Always Know Your Address is Mrs. M. J. Poeltl, 6227 No. Leader, Chicago, Ill.[xi]  He is self-employed on a Farm located on R. R. #2 in San Benito, Texas.  He signed the document.

It appears that “Uncle” Frank stayed in San Benito until 1947-1949 at which time he went to Seattle.  He went for a two week visit and stayed 15 years!  He was instrumental in caring for my cousin while her mother and sister worked full time.

Evergreen Cemetery Obituary [Seattle, WA]:  VAILIANT-Francisco, 146 N. w. 154th Uncle of Mrs. Pauline O’Rourke, Mrs. June Larrabee, both Seattle; Ben Vaillant, Oakland, Calif. Services 3 p.m. Saturday, Green Lake Funeral Home.  Frank died March 21, 1963.  The cemetery arrangements were made by Mrs. Pauline O’Rourke of 146 N. W. 54th Street.  He is buried in the Cedar Slope section. Lot 30, Grave 1.  The costs of $910.00 were to be paid by the King Co. Welfare.

The Certificate of Death[xii] has as Informant Mrs. Pauline O’Rourke[xiii].  She supplied Francisco n/m/n Vaillant who was a male, with, Never Married, whose date of birth was Feb 19, 1877 and he was 86 years old on his last birthday.  He was a grower of citrus fruit whose birthplace was New York.  There was no record of his father or mother’s name.  He is alleged to have been in the Spanish-American War.  Cause of death was uremia of two weeks duration and ACVD of 20 years.  The attending physician treated Frank from May 1959 to Mar. 21 and last saw him alive on 3-20-63.  Burial was 3/23/63 at Washelli Cemetery in Seattle with Green Lake Funeral Home at the Funeral Director.

I know of no blood relationship to Francisco Vaillant!



[i] World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Ancestry.com, accessed 20 March 2005, 23 August 2013 and 28 October 2014.  The later image is the clearest to view information!
[ii] 1920 United Federal Census, Ancestry.com., Chicago, Ward 7, Cook County, page 19A, Enumeration District 381, Image 42, line 6,accessed 29 February 2012.
[iii] I have not found an immigration record searching the One Step website for all ports!
[iv] Family History Library, Microfilm 1320731, viewed 18 January 2002, page 3079.
[v] 1930 Federal Census, Ancestry.com, Precinct 4, Cameron County, Texas, Page 7A, Enumeration District 27, Image 944, line 19 from FHL microfilm 2342038.
[vi] I am unable to find a record for this immigration date.
[vii] The Brownsville Herald, Thursday, May 15, 1947. Court Records:
Cuates Development Company to Francisco Vaillant, North 10 acres of South 10 acres, Lot 2, Block 6, Bowle subdivision of Lots A, B, C, D and E. Espirtu Santo Irrigated Land Company’s subdivision. Page 13 Ancestry.com, assessed 28 February 2012.

THE STATE OF TEXAS COUNTY OF CAMERON KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENT: That Cuates Development Company, a Texas Corporation, with its domicile at San Benito, Cameron County, Texas, hereinafter called Grantor, has Granted, Sold and Conveyed and by these presents does hereby Grant, Sell and Convey unto Francisco Vaillant, of the County of Cook, State of Illinois, hereinafter called Grantee, all that certain tract, piece or parcel of land, and being situated in the County of Cameron, State of Texas, and being more particularly described as follows, to wit-wit:
The North Ten (10) acres of the South Twenty (20) acres of lot tow (20, of the Bowie Subdivision of Lots A, B, C, D and E of the Espiritu Santo Irrigated Land Company’s Subdivision out of a portion of Share Wo. One, of the Espiritu Santo Grant as shown and recorded in the Map Records of Cameron County, Texas, in Plat Book 4, page 34; being the same land conveyed to Grantor herein by deed of even dated herewith of H. C. Harding, Trustee, which deed is hereby referred to and made part hereto and this conveyance is made subject to all of the terms, conditions, restrictions, reservations and exceptions, together with all of the rights, privileges and benefits set forth and contained in said deed.
Grantee assumes and agrees to pay all taxes and water charges against said property for the year ending December 1st, 1929.
The considerations for the conveyance are as follows.
1.        The payment by the Grantee to the Grantor of the sum of Two Thousand Seven Hundred and no/100 ($2700.00) Dollars cash, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged and confessed; and
2.       The execution and delivery by the Grantee to the Grantor of six certain vendor’s lien purchases money notes, of even date herewith numbered from one to six inclusive, note No. 1 payable to the order of Cuates Development Company at San Benito, Texas, and notes nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 payable to the order of Irrigated Farms Corporation at Chicago, Illinois, said notes being numbered, for the amounts and with the maturities as set out below:
Note No. 1 amount of $50.00 due April 5, 1930
Note No. 2 amount of $310.00 due April 5, 1930
Note no. 3 amount of $360.00 due April 5, 1931
Note no. 4 amount of  $360.00 due April 5, 1932
Note No. 5 amount of $360.00 due April 5, 1933
Note No. 6 amount of $360.00 due April 5,  1934
Said notes bear interest from date to maturity at the rate of six percent per annum….

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the above described property, together with all and singular the rights and appurtenances thereto in anywise belonging unto the said Francisco Vaillant, his heirs and assigns forever; and the Grantor does hereby bind itself, its successors and assignee to WARRANT AND FOREVER DEFEND, all and singular the said property and premises unto the said Grandee, his heirs and assigns against every person whomsoever lawfully claiming, or to claim the same, or any part thereof, by, through or under it.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, the Cuates Development company, has ---these presents to be signed by its President, R. G. Treon ---duly authorized and its common seal to be hereunto affixed on this the 5th day of April, A.D. 1929.

STATE OF TEXAS COUNTY OF CAMERON BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, on this day personally appeared, R. G. Treon, known to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged to me that he executed the same for the purposes and consideration therein expressed and in the capacity therein stated, as the act and deed of the Cuates Development Company.

GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND SEAL OF OFFICE, this the 5th day of April, A.D. 1929. Signed by the NOTARY PUBLIC, CAMERON COUNTY, TEXAS. [Unable to read the signature.]


#6871
TRANSFER OF VENDOR’S LIEN,
IRRIGATED FARMS CORPORATION
TO
F. B. PROCTER.
THE STATE OF TEXAS,

COUNTY OF CAMERON. 

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:  That Irrigated Farms Corporation, of the County of Cook, State of Illinois, for and in consideration of Fourteen Hundred Forty and no/100 ($1,440) Dollars to it in had paid F. B. Procter, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, has this day sold, conveyed and assigned, and by these presents do sell, convey and assign unto the said F. B Procter, four (4), certain vendor’s lien notes executed by Francisco Vaillant, in favor of the irrigated Farms Corporation, in the sum of Fourteen Hundred Forty and no/100 Dollars, dated April 5th, 1929, and bearing interest from April 12th, 1931 at the rate of six per centum per annum, together with an attorney’s fee of ten per cent, and due on the Fifth day of April 1931, 1932, 1933 and 1934, respectively.
Said notes having been executed in part payment for the following described lot or parcel of land situated in the County of Cameron, State of Texas, to-wit:  Land situated in Cameron County, Texas, described as being the north ten (10) acres of the south twenty (20) acres of Lot two (2) Block six (6), of the Bowie Subdivision of Lots A, B, C, D and E of the Espiritu Santo Irrigated Land Co.’s  Subdivision our of Share no. one  of the Espiritu Santo Grant.  And it also hereby bargains, sells and conveys unto the said F. B. Procter all of the right, title and interest owned or held by the Irrigated Farms Corporation in said land by virtue of said notes herein conveyed and assigned.
Said land and notes being fully set out and described in a deed duly executed by the Cuates Development Company to the said Francisco Vaillant, and recorded in Volume- page- Records of Deeds for Cameron County, Texas, which is referred to and made a prat hereof for further description…. Witness the hand of its president this 30th day of December A.D. 1931. Irrigated Farms Corporation, By H. C. Harding, President
THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, COUNTY OF COOK. BEFORE ME, J. K. M. Weilby, a Notary Public, in and for Cook County, Illinois, on this day personally appeared H. C. Harding, president of the Irrigated Farms Corporation, known to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to the foregoing instrument…GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND SEAL OF OFFICE, this 30 day of December 1931…. Filed for record at 8:10 o’clock A.M. May 26th 1932 and duly recorded at 9:25 o’clock A.M. May 31st, H. D. Seago, County Clerk, Cameron County, Texas... By I. Zarate, Dy.
[viii] Ancestry.com, database created from microfilm copies of the newspaper, assessed 5 March 2014.
[ix] Ancestry.com, 1940 United States Census, Cameron [County], Texas, Page 6B, Enumeration District 31-39. Assessed 6 February 2013
[x] United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942, index and images, FamilySearch citing NARA microfilm publications M1939, M1936, and M1937; FHL microfilm 4161422, assessed 6 February 2013.
[xi] This is June VENEZIANO Vaillant Poeltl (her husband was Michael J. Poeltl, Jr. 1909-1940) Larrabee 1909-1973.
[xii] Washington State Department of Health-Bureau of Vital Statistics, State File No. 5337 obtained 29 November 2001.
[xiii] Pauline VENEZIANO Vaillant O’Rourke 1911-1974.

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