Who was George Brody?- Part 2.

Odyssey said:

I found another article about the picketing incident (not sure if this one was posted yet, it is not the same one as shown earlier on the thread) This one indicates that this case did go to court - court records are generally public and easily accessible. It also states that he was picketing on behalf of the AFL Barber's Union on August 5th. Does this mean he was a barber??? I don't recall ever hearing that he was a barber but perhaps I've missed something.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAIBAJ&pg=4652,2571644&dq=george-brody&hl=en

ETA: I don't think this link worked right. Let me know if you have trouble finding it.

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The link worked fine for me, and I think you may be on to something here. This Brody's birthdate would be 1905, then. Does anybody know how to go about getting court records?

Maybe useless info but I want to post while I'm looking at it.

It appears this would have been local 134, and the secretary-treasure in 1943 was a C.A. Silva, in 1934 it was a C.M. Evju

I'm still snooping around...

ETA The Sec-Treasurer in 1938 was W.T. Peto

Annasmom said:

The link worked fine for me, and I think you may be on to something here. This Brody's birthdate would be 1905, then. Does anybody know how to go about getting court records?

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I've never been to the Alameda County Courthouse... but in Santa Clara County you can just walk in the courthouse and look it up on microfilm...then if you want to handwrite the info onto paper, you can or if you want a certified printed copy they will charge you about $1.00 per page...

another probably useless find... but if you scroll down to July 16 in these Brooklyn NY marriage records, here is a George Brody who would have been born in 1905. Do we have any links to NY?
http://www.bklyn-genealogy-info.org/Newspaper/BSU/1931.Marriage.3.html

Odyssey said:

another probably useless find... but if you scroll down to July 16 in these Brooklyn NY marriage records, here is a George Brody who would have been born in 1905. Do we have any links to NY?
http://www.bklyn-genealogy-info.org/Newspaper/BSU/1931.Marriage.3.html

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We've run across this data before and found him to be a different Brody.

Awesome find Odyssey! I addition to the court records, wouldn't there be a list of union members somewhere? If Brody was a member of a union perhaps we could find him that way. I sure wish I was closer to the library in that area of SF. I could easily spend days looking for stuff.

May I ask where you found the info on that union, can you link it?

thanks!

Cubby said:

Awesome find Odyssey! I addition to the court records, wouldn't there be a list of union members somewhere? If Brody was a member of a union perhaps we could find him that way. I sure wish I was closer to the library in that area of SF. I could easily spend days looking for stuff.

May I ask where you found the info on that union, can you link it?

thanks!

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Sure, these articles don't mention Brody though. Here is the one from 1943 that gives the union # and the sec/treasurer

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...=2924,5045022&dq=barbers-union+berkeley&hl=en

and here is the 1936 one that lists a sec/treasurer - the article is titled "Union Endorsement"

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...g=960,4673993&dq=barbers-union+berkeley&hl=en

The Evju guy seems to have been Carl Evju. He was already deceased by 1939, I am still trying to figure out who the Silva guy is.

Evidence of Evju's death: (info on a lawsuit filed by his children against the union)
http://www.lawlink.com/research/CaseLevel3/16602

Odyssey said:

Sure, these articles don't mention Brody though. Here is the one from 1943 that gives the union # and the sec/treasurer

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...=2924,5045022&dq=barbers-union+berkeley&hl=en

and here is the 1936 one that lists a sec/treasurer - the article is titled "Union Endorsement"

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...g=960,4673993&dq=barbers-union+berkeley&hl=en

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Interesting. Thank you! I think we can research both the Barbers Union Local 134 and any barber schools in the area from back then.

also, did you happen to notice in your first linked article the union meeting was held at the Oakland Odd Fellows Temple? I can definately see Brody joining an Odd Fellows Temple as odd as he was. I also wonder if there is additional info we can find on this Odd Fellow Temple.

EXCELLENT find Odyssey!

Does anyone have access to the subscription articles? and are they all available at one site? I don't have any so I don't really know how they work. Can anyone explain?


also, this may be nothing, but I found this while searching for any info on the Oakland Barbers' Union.

http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/378455131.html?dids=378455131:378455131&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+02%2C+1930&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=EX-BOHEMIA+QUEEN+DROPS+NAME+FIGHT&pqatl=google

copied google search for above article.
L.A. Times Archives

EX-BOHEMIA QUEEN DROPS NAME FIGHT Dodie Valencia Gives Up Effort to Prove Baird Father of Her Son

Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File) - Los Angeles, Calif. Date:Apr 2, 1930 Start Page:2Pages:1Text Word Count:666

Abstract (Document Summary)

Dodie Valencia, once the toast of San Francisco's Bohemia, today gave up a twenty-three-year court fight to obtain legal recognition for her son when she dismissed suits to have him declared the son of David Jennings Baird and a grandson of the late Mrs

Could brody be a combination of the names Dodie and Baird? Maybe not, but with the odd way Brody came up with names, Bee, Kay, Bobby, Eifee..... maybe it is worth looking into who this illegitimate son of Ms. Valencia was. She sure spent a long time trying to prove his paternity. Maybe the story about 'rich' relatives from the east coast was part of the true story? of course I have no idea where this Valencia or Baird family comes from, perhaps the East coast?

Odyssey said:

I found another article about the picketing incident (not sure if this one was posted yet, it is not the same one as shown earlier on the thread) This one indicates that this case did go to court - court records are generally public and easily accessible. It also states that he was picketing on behalf of the AFL Barber's Union on August 5th. Does this mean he was a barber??? I don't recall ever hearing that he was a barber but perhaps I've missed something.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAIBAJ&pg=4652,2571644&dq=george-brody&hl=en

ETA: I don't think this link worked right. Let me know if you have trouble finding it.

Click to expand...

Since we know this slapping incident took place on August 5, 1941 I wonder if someone nearby the library could go and search for a Brody matching the one above (address for Brody is listed in above linked article) in the Polk Directories in the ancestry area of the library. I can't find any Polk directories free online, only cds that can be purchased or paid memberships. IMO it would be worth it to make a trip to the library to see if this Brody could be found and traced in any old Polk Directories or through any records at the court house, both of which would likely not be available online.

Cubby said:

Since we know this slapping incident took place on August 5, 1941 I wonder if someone nearby the library could go and search for a Brody matching the one above (address for Brody is listed in above linked article) in the Polk Directories in the ancestry area of the library. I can't find any Polk directories free online, only cds that can be purchased or paid memberships. IMO it would be worth it to make a trip to the library to see if this Brody could be found and traced in any old Polk Directories or through any records at the court house, both of which would likely not be available online.

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If I remember correctly (which I very well may not) we had found a couple listings for him on Polk Directories online, I think a few years apart but during the 1940's and his addresses were two different motels in the Oakland/Berkeley area. I seem to recall trying to find out if any of the other residents listed at one of the motels was also listed at the other, thinking they might have moved around together.

Do we have a timeline? I really don't like going to Oakland but I will find out if the Berkeley library has the directories - if so, I would be happy to go there and search them. I know that he was in the East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley) in the 1940's - I think 1941 is the first year we know he was in that area? Then what is the last year we know he was in Oakland/Berkeley? And the first year we know he was in SF? I don't remember which thread all this was on.

This is pure speculation here, but I am starting to think more and more that George Brody was his real name. He didn't really seem to be hiding at the time of this article - if he was listed in city directories (even when he lived with someone (margaret?) in SF) and called the police, gave his name, etc... I'm wondering if something happened in Oakland after these articles that caused him to move to SF and live under the radar. I can almost bet that he is NOT listed in any city directories during the time he lived with GW.

On the union thing, I can't seem to find any sign of this union still being in existence. So I wouldn't have a clue where to look for membership lists.

I am and have been thinking George Brody is his real name too.

I'm still a little intrigued by this Lydia "Dodie" Valencia from SF. I can't get too far though without the Ancestry membership. There is some kind if inquisition to see if she was poisoned? born 1879 died in 1948. So she would be the right age for a birth mother to GB. Though, her grave is marked Baird and some other guy James Dunphy is also listed as a husband...( James Dunphy has another interesting criminal history- but it looks like he was in prison( based on ripping off a bank he managed for about 145 grand or something) in 1940. The date he turned himself in to the cops was prior to the Aug 5, 1941 of the incident where George Brody slapped that guy. I didn't get far enough to see what happened after Dunphy turned himself in and if and for how long he was in prison. Interestingly the picture on "Dodie's" stone at her grave looks like it was for two persons, and the left half was never filled in so I am unsure if anyone is buried next to her or not.

There is also some directory of some kind, Berkeley College or Library that has boxes of microfiched negatives from a lot of old early 1900 photos.


As you know we just have bits and pieces of a time line right now. We can work on one.

Another direction..... When I looked up the Polk Directories I did so not online, but at the Joliet IL Library in Will County...... I do remember they had almost all the years and I just flipped through the pages for last names, found addresses years and names so went that route- when researching my family from that area. If Brody is listed in any of the local Polk directories, it may show others with those same addresses, possibly relatives of his. We could always find out what is available at the Berkeley Library prior to going there and put together a list or idea of what we want to look for.


As for the union, it may have changed names or combined with another union. We might be able to do some digging by calling union halls, or just digging around. I'd imagine they would have a list of union laborers somewhere, just where.

Also, I don't know if the barbers and hair dressers in SF or in California are still part of a union. They are not in IL... but each state is different.

with Brody's being into the hotels, perhaps earlier in life as a younger man he might have worked as a barber in one of the finer hotels? Then got in some trouble or couldn't get along with people and started living off the grid? Just a thought

Barbers Union Local 134. We'd have to see what that may have merged into or combined with if hair dressers in California are no longer part of a union.

I found an article about an older lady, if she is still alive who retired after 50 years of being one of the only female barbers in the union in the area. She'd be about 87 now, but still had her marbles and worked until 2007 when she retired and sold the barber shop.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20070505/ai_n19062343/

She arrived in the east Oakland area in 46, but the article lists Moler Barber College in San Francisco where she attended school. I wonder how many barber colleges existed in SF around that time or in the 30's. Maybe we can find college or school records of Brody becoming a barber.

Cubby said:

Another direction..... When I looked up the Polk Directories I did so not online, but at the Joliet IL Library in Will County...... I do remember they had almost all the years and I just flipped through the pages for last names, found addresses years and names so went that route. If Brody is listed in any of them, it may show others with those same addresses, possibly relatives of his. We could always find out what is available at the Berkeley Library prior to going there and put together a list or idea of what we want to look for.

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I just checked the Berkeley Library website - they do have the polk directories from 1892-1943 in their history room (which is only open limited hours - i can probably go friday) These directories cover Oakland and Berkeley. They also have Berkeley telephone directories 1943-present. If eh lived in hotels, he probably didn't have a phone so those might be useless, but still worth a look. Since we know he was there in 1941, I think I can just go backward all the way to when he turned 18 and forward until Anna's disappearance, since I can't remember the other dates. :woohoo:

Awesome! Whoo hoo!

The only early address we seem to have for this George Brody was the one from the article you or raf linked. I don't recall which article had that Brody's address. There was also another married George Brody with a wife named Margaret who is very close in age to our GB and is from the SF area. Doogie knew most of the wrong GB's info and he sorted through it awhile back.

Maybe we should consider putting a hold on your trip to the library until we can get some info on the wrong GB so you know when you run across that info not to spend a lot of time trying to sort the two out. Maybe Doogie can help with posting a summary of what he researched on the wrong GB.

Thank you for offering to do this! I would really like to get as much narrowed down so you don't waste more time than you need to when you do go. :blowkiss:

ETA: Doogie or Sherlock Jr might also have some other info on the two GB's, more address histories for both the correct and incorrect GB's. Lets see what we can gather from them before you make a trip to the library.

I will have to reconstruct my info about the "other" Brody who lived in SF and was married to a Margaret. Off hand, I recall that he was living in Yuba City, Ca at the same time our Brody was living in Oakland. (This was from Voter registration records on Ancestry.com.)

I think that this barber's union link will provide us with many missing pieces of the puzzle. I cannot find that Local 134 still exists. The AFL (American Federation of Labor) merged with the CIO in ther 1960's (I believe) to become the AFL-CIO. Certain locals may have also merged or been given different numbers during the consolidation.

Cubby said:

Awesome! Whoo hoo!

The only early address we seem to have for this George Brody was the one from the article you or raf linked. I don't recall which article had that Brody's address. There was also another married George Brody with a wife named Margaret who is very close in age to our GB and is from the SF area. Doogie knew most of the wrong GB's info and he sorted through it awhile back.

Maybe we should consider putting a hold on your trip to the library until we can get some info on the wrong GB so you know when you run across that info not to spend a lot of time trying to sort the two out. Maybe Doogie can help with posting a summary of what he researched on the wrong GB.

Thank you for offering to do this! I would really like to get as much narrowed down so you don't waste more time than you need to when you do go. :blowkiss:

ETA: Doogie or Sherlock Jr might also have some other info on the two GB's, more address histories for both the correct and incorrect GB's. Lets see what we can gather from them before you make a trip to the library.

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I found what I was looking for - it was actually from voter registrations and we were not sure if this was our George but here it is... then further down on that page, was one city directory listing for George at one of the addresses we already had.

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - Who was George Brody?

Cubby said:

Awesome! Whoo hoo!


ETA: Doogie or Sherlock Jr might also have some other info on the two GB's, more address histories for both the correct and incorrect GB's. Lets see what we can gather from them before you make a trip to the library.

Click to expand...

I don't think any "wrong brody" info would matter for this trip unless there is a wrong Brody in Oakland/Berkeley. This library wont have any info on San Francisco residents...

Just found something else - I know the 1940 census won't be released until 2012.. but I did see something on the national archives website saying you can fill out a request form if you need information on a deceased person from the 1940 census! Wouldn't it be awesome if he was on there?? It should list birthplace, etc...

http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/1940/general-info.html