Bernard's Birthday

Once again, 25 July has rolled around and so I will tell you a bit more about my Uncle Bernard.  It seems really appropriate to talk about him, not just because today is his birthday, but because he was born in Lehigh, Oklahoma, just like my Mom and her father.  And we're going to Lehigh next, aren't you excited!?

Thanks to ancestry.com I am able at times to reach back into the past and find pieces of the puzzle that was the life of my ancestors and family members before I was born.  For example, in the Shreveport, Louisiana phone book for 1938, Bernard is listed as living at 1810 Cresswell.  His occupation is a salesman; he will have been 18 years old.  What he sold, I don't know.  That was also Grandmother's address.  Her beauty shop - her life long occupation so far as I know - was on 444 Olive in Shreveport.

Interestingly, that is also the occupation and address given for his brother-in-law, William, Mom's first husband.  So Mom and her first husband lived with Bernard and Grandmother back in 1938. 

In 1937, Mom and William had an apartment of their own and Bernard was a salesman living with Grandmother.

In 1939, Mom had her maiden name again, manager of Grandmother's Beauty shop and it was now located at 130 Lister, which was also their home address.  Bernard was still a salesman.

I often heard about the beauty shop on Olive, but never the specific address.  And of course with Google maps, I can 'go' look at those places.  How cool is that? 

Happy birthday to Bernard!