Claude "John" Cecil Albright

"Jack" achieved a High School education (see 1940 census). Due to an accident, he was blind in Right Eye.

1910 US Census John is 16 years. Brother Paul L. 9ys added. All live on Liberty Street. In addition, John's paternal grandmother, Maria, born in Pennsylvania, widowed also lives with them. The father, John F. Albright's occupation is "Retail Dealer - Monumenets".

1911 Columbus Ohio - US City Directories 1822-1995 Claude C. Albright (Age 17, Collector) lives at 197 E. State Street with father, mother & brother Hugh (Clerk)

1913 Columbus Ohio - US City Directories 1822-1995 Claude, age 19, NOT in this Columbus directory.

How met Myrtle Beckett?

Did he go to OSU Ohio State University in Columbus? Or maybe OU Ohio University in Athens, Ohio? City directory sources confirm he lived in Columbus, Ohio in 1911 & 1913. Athens is closer to Parkersburg where Myrtle is from.

1914 Needs research - I came across a "US School Yearbooks 1900-2016" photo of a John Albright at Ohio University, Athens OH in the Adelphian Literary Society.

5/14/1914, Jack, age 20, married Myrtle Beckett, age 18, in Franklin County, Ohio. She was born in Parkersburg, West Virginia to George & Ida Beckett. Record says his occupation is Electrician. Record says his father is "Frank" Albright & mother is Vida L. Jefferies
Source: "Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDHR-9BV : 10 February 2018), Claude C. Albright and Myrtle Beckett, 14 May 1914; citing Franklin, Ohio, reference 2:3LD2M1B; FHL microfilm 1,854,964.

1916 US City Directories 1822-1995, Columbus Ohio - Claude C. Albright (Age 23) at 853 Donaldson. Electrician

1917 WWI Draft Registration Card of June 5, 1917, Columbus Ohio, states he's married, but does not give wife's name (Myrtle?). Card signed 6/5/1917. He's working as an electrical inspector at Buckeye Steel Fastening Co. "Scar on cornea of right eye covering sight". Further, Jack is described as "medium height, medium build, light gray eyes, light brown hair & not bald".

1917 US City Directory, Columbus - confirms Claude Albright, age 23, & older brother Hugh living in Columbus on State Street. Claude is a "Collector". Hugh is a "Clerk". Where is Myrtle??

1917 US City Directory, Columbus, R. L. POLK & Co's City Directory has different info. Claud C Albright is electrician living at 118 S. Front Street. No wife listed. Hugh Albright is a waiter living at 346 S. High.

? Divorced Myrtle Beckett.

1/2/1920 Record found of Myrtle Beckett marrying Shields E. Jones in Wood County, WV. See sources

1/28/1920 US Census - looking for our John....
[Interesting but probably NOT our John Albright: Residence as Brooke, West Virginia (not that far from Ohio). John 26 years, working as an Electrician with Philips Coal or ? CAN Co. Census says John is married to Myrtle. No children. Myrtle's parents recorded as born in Pennsylvania, not West Virginia; Also lists sisters in law to John living there have last name Cole.]

1920 US Census Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Marian listed with mother Ella, her husband Otto Meyer & 2 sisters.

_____ When & why John arrived in Wisconsin? How met Marian?

1920 John age 27 marries Marian Caroline Lawrence, age 14-16?? - Need better source, but 1940 newspaper article about them RE-marrying in Davenport, Iowa refers to their FIRST marriage being in 1920.

1924 US City Directories, Milwaukee, WI - John (Marion) Renters at 111 4th Street. John occupation is "elect eng" (Electrical Engineer)

1926 US City Directories, Milwaukee, WI - John (Marion) live at 1942 4th Street. John occupation is "eng" (Engineer).

When moved to Madison? Before Sept 6, Audrey's birthday?

9/6/1926 Daughter Audrey Louise is born in Madison Wisconsin

(See 1930 Newspaper entry below. Here is info possibly supporting John Albright's claim:
Per Wikipedia, on April 20, 1927, WKAF was purchased by The Milwaukee Journal for $16,350. The Journal changed the call sign to WTMJ on May 10 to reflect the newspaper's name. Station facilities were upgraded, including the building of a new transmitter site in Brookfield, west of Milwaukee. The new WTMJ also affiliated with the NBC Red Network.)

1930 Newspaper The Wisconsin State Journal article 1/17/1930 Article about "Westport man" (Madison) & his Bank Robber Theft Deterrent invention "for which he is obtaining a patent. That article says "Mr. Albright lays claim to inventing a safety device which prevents two trains from crashing and who has devised a combination fireplace and bed for one-room apartments". "Mr. Albright directed the electrical engineering & mechanical construction of (radio) stations WCAY & WKAF" & is a "graduate of OHIO State University 1917". shows him working at First United Bank as the Bookkeeping Manager. Why is he in bookkeeper?

1931 Madison, WI - Varsity Club - Liquor arrest. Newspaper article shows his name as "Clyde Albrecht"
Jack ran the Varsity Club, then the Westport Country Club, then the Club Monterey in Westport, part of Madison, Wisconsin.
1936 Club Monterey was raided. Pleaded guilty to conspiracy & gambling laws violations. Spent 16 months in County Jail.

6/1936 Divorced in Circuit Court (Source: 1940 newspaper article about them remarrying in Davenport, Iowa. Same article says they were married in 1920).

6/3/1937 Divorce from Marian is final. She married Herman Wagner, a local Funeral Director the next day. That marriage fizzled & ended in divorce.

1937 US City Directories, Madison, WI - Only "Mrs Marion Albright, lives at 2119 E. Washington Av; No occupation listed.
1937 John released from jail.
1937 US City Directories, Madison, WI - John (No Marian) Renter at Capitol Hotel; Sales Engineer Empire Fuel Company

1939 US City Directories, Madison, WI - John (Marion) live at 2005 E. Washington Av; Engineer

1940 US Census, Wisconsin, Dane, Madison City, Madison, Ward 15, listed wife as Marion Albright. Daughter, Audrey 13 yrs old. Records John completed H-4 which is High School graduate, NOT college. His occupation as "Heating Engineer" in "Oil Burner". Marian does Labor in Battery manufacturing but is looking for a job. Audrey in school.

1940 Marian remarried Jack 9/28/1940 in Iowa. After that they moved to Chicago. (See multiple newspaper articles in the Madison Wisconsin State Journal). According to Iowa County Marriage Records, 1838-1934, License #48972: Jack married Marian Caroline Lawrence in Davenport, Scott County, Iowa. Their daughter Audrey was already 13-14 yrs old. He was 46, Marian was 33.

1942 WWII Draft Registration card signed 4/27/1942 lists Marian as his wife. They live at 5510 W Fulton St., Chicago, Ill. John is 48 & works at Dole Valve Co. in Chicago. (Daughter Audrey is 15 years old.)

Audrey, 16, was at Austin High School & met Robert Gaynor, of Morton High School in Chicago at a local Roller Skating Rink.  They married when she was 17yrs old.

Jack & Marian are both Pilots & fly with the Civil Air Patrol.

1950 US Census Illinois, Chicago - Name listed as Claude Albright, Consulting Electrical Engineer. Lives with Marian, works in Clerical office at Electrical Factory. Residence is 3911 N. Springfield, Chicago.

1961 OBIT in Newspapers.com says he died in Indian Rock Beach, but services & burial will take place in Milwaukee. He was a Shriner, member of the Elks Lodge & a Methodist.

Find A Grave Memorial ID #262651848