Elmer Leonard Spears

Elmer was born to Emily Drew and James Leonard Spears in Canada. I saw his Naturalization papers once many years ago. They were hand written in very faded ink. the name of his place of birth looks like Mowcwok or Morocork. (With help I was able to confirm Mawcook in Quebec province Canada). The building he was born in was an Inn, and it straddled the Canadian/US border. My Father was there once as a young man, and said that there was a white line painted on the floor to mark the border. At that time (during prohibition) you could purchase alcohol on the Canadian side of the Inn, but could not carry it across the line on the floor to the American side..

US Census records show James, his wife Emily, a daughter, Jane (16) , a son, Dexter (14) , and Elmer (4) residing in Holyoke, Hampden county, MA in 1880. (The address looks like 497 Jackson St)

Elmer's mother died 7 Nov 1901 of Breast Cancer. The address listed for residence is 76 Appleton, Holyoke, MA

In 1901 Elmer was living at 76 Appleton in Holyoke, MA with his father. He was an employee of Riverside Paper Co.

By 1902 Elmer was living alone at 174 Chestnut street in Holyoke, MA, and was the foreman for Essex Paper Co.He married Cara Alma Norris on the 29th of June, 1904 and she is shown residing with him at that address in 1905.

According to the 1910 census, they were living at 36 Main St., Farmington, CT, where he was working as a "Boss paper finisher" at a paper mill.

His only child Leonard Norris Spears was born 11 Jan 1911 in CT

By 1914 the family had moved to 56 Day Ave, Westfield, MA, and Elmer worked for Crane Linen Mills and was responsible for the production and security of the paper used to print US money on.

Elmer was a scout master for the scout troop his son Leonard was active in.

In 1927 the family made a very short move next door to 57 Day Ave, Westfield where Elmer and Cara lived until his Death in 1946.

His son Leonard married in 1941 and moved with his wife Marie to Essex in 1942. During WWII Leonard joined the Coast Guard and while stationed in Bodega Bay, CA he moved his wife west to live with him. After the war, they settled in Sausalito, CA.

Elmer died of Throat Cancer in 1946

When they received the message that Elmer had died, Leonard and Marie packed their car and headed towards MA, getting blocked by a huge snowstorm in the Colorado Rockies. All traffic was stopped for 2 days through the passes, and Marie later related to me that she was not sure if they would be allowed to continue in time to arrive before the funeral.

After his death, Elmer's widow Cara moved to CA to live near her son.

.....to be continued