Myrle and Ruth Packwood

I was asked to explain to a group of people how I take a photograph and find the information about the person or people in the photo. To start, we need a name, a place and an approximate time period. I used one of the photos in my great grandmother's autograph album. This is what I learned about Myrle and Ruth Packwood as well as their family members.

Myrle and Ruth Packwood

Myrle Packwood was born in May 1891 and her sister Ruth was born in 11 July 1897.[1],[2] They are the daughters of Warren L. Packwood (born July 1867, Iowa) and his wife Clara (born Dec 1872, California).[3]

The above image is one of the few items one might locate to prove a birth took place in California. California didn’t require births to be recorded at the county level until 1905. The state didn’t even manage to become 90% compliant until 1919! If you’re looking for a birth in this era you might not find it. Not because the person you seek wasn’t born in California. Likely because the family didn’t register the birth as was required by law.

By 1910 the Packwood family had added a child, James A. Packwood, born about 1903, California.[4] [Ancestry had indexed this family group with the surname Richmond for this census.]

By 6 February 1920, the family group had moved to Danville, Contra Costa County, California.[5] Myrle Packwood was also enumerated as a single woman, a teacher, living in Burlingame, San Mateo County, California.[6]

Warren D. Packwood died in San Mateo County, California on 24 Apr 1924 at the age of 54.[7] He was buried in the Shiloh Cemetery, Windsor, Sonoma County, California.[8] His wife Clara Jessie Hopper Packwood and daughter, Nancy Myrle Packwood are both buried with him and share his headstone. No obituary has been located.

It appears that Ruth Packwood married Matthew F. Desmond about 1924. They say in the 1930 census that they were married when Matthew was 29 and Ruth was 26 (about 6 years previous to this census being taken 4 April 1930). [9] Matthew was a “Physician in General Practice.” This couple was living in Burlingame, San Mateo County, California. They had one son, Matthew F. Jr., age 2 6/12 who was born Matthew Francis Desmond, 3 Oct 1927 in San Mateo County, California.[10]

James A. Packwood (son of Clara) and his wife Estella were also living in Burlingame for the 1930 census.[11] James was a bank teller and his wife was a public school teacher. They had no children of their own in this census.

The 1930 census finds mother, Clara Packwood, and daughter Myrle [census taker wrote her name as Myrtle] living together in San Mateo, San Mateo County, California.[12] Myrle was a teacher in the public school there.

The 1940 census finds mother Clara Packwood and her two daughters and grandson living together in San Mateo.[13] By this time Clara Packwood is 66; Nancy (no longer going by Myrle) is age 48 and Ruth P. Desmond is age 42 and listed as D [Divorced] with her son Matthew Desmond, age 12.

James A. Packwood, wife Estella and their daughter Nancy are in the 1940 census living in Daly City, San Mateo County. James is now an accountant and Estella remains a public school teacher.[14]

Clara Jessie Hopper Packwood was born 20 Dec 1872 in Sonoma County, California and died 13 Mar 1948, in Sonoma County, California.[15], [16],[17]

Nancy Myrle Packwood was born 24 May 1891 in California and died 6 Jul 1947, San Mateo County, California.[18],[19], [20]

James Albert Packwood died 1 Jan 1970 in Lassen County, California.[21] He is buried at the Hillside Cemetery in Bieber.[22]

Ruth Packwood Desmond died 15 January 1988 in San Mateo County, California.[23] It is unknown where Ruth was buried. No obituary has been located in the search of online databases.

Nancy Packwood (daughter of James and Estella) married a SMITH. Nancy Jean Packwood Smith died 9 Feb 1985, Sacramento, Sacramento County, California.[24] She is buried in the Packwood family plot in Hillside Cemetery, Bieber.[25]

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[1] 1900 US census, Lassen County, California, population schedule, Township 4, Enumeration District (ED) #51, 

page 113 (stamped), sheet 7A, dwelling #89, family #93, Warren L. Packwood household; digital image,  

Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 Sep 2015); National Archives and Records Administration 

(NARA) microfilm #T623, roll #88; citing Family History Library (FHL) film no. 1,240,088.

[2] “California Biographical Collection: Responses to Vital Record Inquiries, 1822-1964,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 Sep 2015), entry for Ruth Packwood - daughter of Warren Packwood and Clara, born 11 July 1897, Bieber, Lassen County; citing Miscellaneous Card Indexes: Vital Statistics Index, California History Room, Sacramento.

[3] See footnote 1.

[4] 1910 US census, Lassen County, California, population schedule, Bieber, Enumeration District (ED) #34, 

page __ (stamped), sheet 1A, dwelling #4, family #4, Warren D. Packwood household; digital image, Ancestry.com 

(www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 Sep 2015); National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm 

#T624, roll #78; citing Family History Library (FHL) film no. 1,374,091.

[5] 1920 US census, Contra Costa County, California, population schedule, Danville, Enumeration District (ED) #9, 

page 103 (stamped), sheet 11A, dwelling #245, family #254, Warren D. Packwood household; digital image, Ancestry.com 

(www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 Sep 2015); National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm #T625, 

roll #95.

[6] 1920 US census, San Mateo County, California, population schedule, Burlingame, Enumeration District (ED) #69, 

page 175 (stamped), sheet 8B, dwelling #228, family #229, Myrle Packwood household; digital image, Ancestry.com 

(www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 Sep 2015); National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm #T625, 

roll #145.

                                        

[7] “California Death Index, 1905-1939,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 Sep 2015), entry for Warren D. Packwood, 24 Apr 1924, San Mateo County; citing original death records, California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics, Sacramento.

[8] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 7 Sep 2015), entry  for Warren D. Packwood (1869-1924), Memorial No. 37529209, Records of the Shiloh Cemetery, Windsor, California; page created by Susan Faught, 26 May 2009.

[9] 1930 US census, San Mateo County, California, population schedule, Burlingame, Enumeration District (ED) #2, 

page 23 (stamped), sheet 2B, dwelling #42, family #42, Matthew F. Desmond household; digital image, Ancestry.com 

(www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 Sep 2015); National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm #T626, 

roll #216; citing Family History Library (FHL) film no. 2,339,951.

[10] “California Birth Index, 1905-1995,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 Sep 2015), entry for Matthew Francis Desmond, 3 Oct 1927, San Mateo County; citing original birth records, California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics, Sacramento.

[11] 1930 US census, San Mateo County, California, population schedule, Burlingame, Enumeration District (ED) #4, 

page 83 (stamped), sheet 19A, dwelling #414, family #469, James A. Packwood household; digital image, Ancestry.com 

 (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 Sep 2015); National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm #T626, 

roll #216; citing Family History Library (FHL) film no. 2,339,951.

[12] 1930 US census, San Mateo County, California, population schedule, San Mateo, Enumeration District (ED) #35, 

page 259 (stamped), sheet 3B, dwelling #75, family #76, Clara Packwood household; digital image, Ancestry.com 

(www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 Sep 2015); National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm #T626, 

roll #216; citing Family History Library (FHL) film no. 2,339,951.

[13] 1940 U. S. Census, San Mateo County, California, population  schedule, San Mateo, enumeration district (ED) 41-33, page 566 (stamped), sheet 4A, dwelling #844, Clara Packwood  household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.Ancestry.com : accessed 8 Sep 2015); National Archives and Records  Administration (NARA) microfilm T627, roll #330.

[14] 1940 U. S. Census, San Mateo County, California, population  schedule, CITY, enumeration district (ED) 41-11, page 140 (stamped), sheet 7A, dwelling #95, James Packwood  household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.Ancestry.com : accessed 25 Sep 2015); National Archives and Records  Administration (NARA) microfilm T627, roll #329.

[15] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 Sep  2015), entry  for Clara Jessie Hopper Packwood (20 Dec 1872-13 Mar 1948), Memorial No. 37528969, Records of the Shiloh Cemetery, Windsor, California; page created by Susan Faught, 26 May 2009.

[16] “California Death Index, 1940-1997,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 Sep 2015), entry for Clara Jessie Packwood, 13 Mar 1948, San Mateo County; citing original death records, California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics, Sacramento.

[17] Clara Jessie Packwood obituary, The Times, (San Mateo, California) 13 Mar 1948, page 7 column 1 and 3; database with images, newspapers.com (http://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 8 Sep 2015).

[18] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 Sep 2015), entry  for Myrle Packwood (24 May 1891-6 Jul 1947), Memorial No. 37529132, Records of the Shiloh Cemetery, Windsor, California; page created by Susan Faught, 26 May 2009.

[19] “California Death Index, 1940-1997,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 Sep 2015), entry for Nancy Myrle Packwood, 6 July 1947, San Mateo County; citing original death records, California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics, Sacramento.

[20] Nancy Myrle Packwood obituary, The Times, (San Mateo, California) 7 Jul 1947, page 11 column 4; database with images, newspapers.com (http://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 8 Sep 2015).

[21] “California Death Index, 1905-1939,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 Sep 2015), entry for James A. Packwood, 1 Jan 1970, Lassen County; citing original death records, California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics, Sacramento.

[22] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 25 Sep  2015), entry  for James Albert Packwood (13 Jul 1902-1 Jan 1970), Memorial No. 38085427, Records of the Hillside Cemetery, Bieber, California; page created by Kat Claw, 8 Jun 2009.

[23] “California Death Index, 1940-1997,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 Sep 2015), entry for Ruth Packwood Desmond, 15 Jan 1988, San Mateo County; citing original death records, California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics, Sacramento.

[24] “California Death Index, 1905-1939,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 Sep 2015), entry for Nancy Jean Smith, 9 Feb 1985, Sacramento County; citing original death records, California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics, Sacramento.

[25] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 256 Sep  2015), entry  for Nancy Jean Packwood Smith (6 Apr 1933-9 Feb 1985), Memorial No. 38085527, Records of the Hillside Cemetery, Bieber, California; page created by Kat Claw, 8 Jun 2009.