CA CA - Farren Stanberry, 18, San Francisco, 24 Apr 1980

[LucyOso]

Following

 

[Odyssey]

<modsnip: sleuthing random people>

I did the same on the Unclaimed Property database and a few names came up but they don't give any dates so it's impossible to tell when those few people were there. I think the chances that they happened to be there in the one month or so that Farren was there are pretty slim.

 

[Satch]

Just a guess,

Just going by what little we have of the inside size of the National Hotel, and Farren's roommates (note the plural) said that "Farren left for work one day and never came back." I am guessing (and only guessing) that this was no more than two other people sharing the room. Three at maximum. I wonder if Farren's roommates shared a partition separating areas?

At minimum you would have two beds on one side. Maybe one bed on the other, a shared TV, desk, and nightstand. Certainly only one bathroom. Cramping would be the norm. Especially with this type of housing.

Satch

 

[Ciriii57]

Just a guess,

Just going by what little we have of the inside size of the National Hotel, and Farren's roommates (note the plural) said that "Farren left for work one day and never came back." I am guessing (and only guessing) that this was no more than two other people sharing the room. Three at maximum. I wonder if Farren's roommates shared a partition separating areas?

At minimum you would have two beds on one side. Maybe one bed on the other, a shared TV, desk, and nightstand. Certainly only one bathroom. Cramping would be the norm. Especially with this type of housing.

Satch

Hey @Satch I think you might even be imagining it to be better than it was!

These SRU hotel rooms were tiny. They were originally intended for one person to use long-term, like a bedsit. The photos I posted earlier give an idea of room size, I think at most 1 double or 2 single beds. Some may have had bunks or people could sleep on the floor. But at most I would think only 4 people could comfortably share a room.
Many of the people staying at these hotels were longterm residents, it was their home, and that would be their listed address and the 1 payphone in the hall their number. If we could just find 1 long term resident from this time! Farrens roommates may have stayed at the hotel a long time or just weeks.

I don't even think there would be a TV in the room, or a desk. From seeing a few photos online of similar you would have bed, bedside table, wardrobe or chest of drawers and a sink. Certainly no bathroom or toilet; each floor shared a bathroom. I doubt the room was big enough to partition. Since many guests were longterm residents they often buy their own furniture as well. No cooking facilities so you would always eat out too.
But these places were a lifeline to the poor at the time.
I guess you'd really have to trust your roommates as well, to leave all your stuff while you went out, possibly there was only 1 key as well, so maybe he did know these guys pretty well.

 

[Mfleish]

So I found something kind of neat. It's the index to Reader's Digest articles from 1979 and 1980. There aren't articles to view, but it does show the titles, so that might give us a clue at what Farren was reading. I remember they used to have a section called Life in These United States or something like that, so maybe he saw pictures of people living different lives and that inspired him to "see the world."
Reader's Digest Internet Archive

 

[Satch]

So I found something kind of neat. It's the index to Reader's Digest articles from 1979 and 1980. There aren't articles to view, but it does show the titles, so that might give us a clue at what Farren was reading. I remember they used to have a section called Life in These United States or something like that, so maybe he saw pictures of people living different lives and that inspired him to "see the world."
Reader's Digest Internet Archive

Great Find!

On those articles, remember to click or tap the arrows to go forward and back through the whole index!

Satch

 

[Satch]

Here's another article on Farren's Dad, described as a "Grizzly Adams" type "Mountain Main." We don't know a lot of connections between Farren's father and he, but there is a kindred connection where you could certainly say they were both very adventurous type people:

INCIDENT IN ILLINOIS QUESTIONS REMAIN IN DEATH OF OROFINO MAN MOUNTAIN MAN'S BODY DISCOVERED LAST MONTH

OROFINO The drowning death last month of an Orofino man at Carpentersville, Ill., remains listed as ''suspicious,'' authorities there said Tuesday. The Clearwater County Sheriff's Office,

www.lmtribune.com

Satch

PS. Could not get to the article a second time. But some GOOD information here that I can't find anywhere else!

I have provided it below:

OROFINO The drowning death last month of an Orofino man at Carpentersville, Ill., remains listed as ''suspicious,'' authorities there said Tuesday.

The Clearwater County Sheriff's Office, meanwhile, continues to investigate a break-in and apparent burglary of the man's log cabin about five miles east of Orofino.

The body of 58-year-old Melvin Charles Stanberry, a self-described mountain man authorities characterized as a ''Grizzly Adams/Crocodile Dundee type,'' was found June 28 floating in a wastewater treatment plant lagoon at Carpentersville. Kane County Coroner Mary Lou Kearns confirmed Tuesday that Stanberry drowned and that an inquest into the death has been ordered.

<modsnip: violates copyright>

 

[Ciriii57]

Hey everyone, so I'm hoping someone might be able to answer my below questions:
Knowing that Farren was accident prone, let's say he had an accident in SF, was taken to hospital and subsequently died. He has no ID and no one knows who he is.
What happens in this case? What does the hospital do? Would he still be listed on NamUs as a UID? Would the coroner even get involved? I assume that the uncle checked with all the hospitals but we don't know. Would records still exist from that time? What if he just disappeared into the system?!

 

[Mfleish]

Knowing that Farren was accident prone, let's say he had an accident in SF, was taken to hospital and subsequently died. He has no ID and no one knows who he is.

I was searching to see if San Francisco had a potter's field that they may have been using in 1980 and I found a post from the San Francisco Gate that has an article from 1987. It says,
"When a body lies unidentified it is sent to the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science, the city's contractor for the indigent and unidentified dead. There the body is prepared for cremation. The ashes are then scattered at sea, by law, at least three miles off the coast, Surdyka said."
I was able to find the subject of the article's Namus profile UP5919, so that might also mean if Farren had an accident and was unidentified, he'd hopefully still be listed on Namus or at least maybe have documentation somewhere in the ME's office.

 

[Ciriii57]

I was searching to see if San Francisco had a potter's field that they may have been using in 1980 and I found a post from the San Francisco Gate that has an article from 1987. It says,
"When a body lies unidentified it is sent to the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science, the city's contractor for the indigent and unidentified dead. There the body is prepared for cremation. The ashes are then scattered at sea, by law, at least three miles off the coast, Surdyka said."
I was able to find the subject of the article's Namus profile UP5919, so that might also mean if Farren had an accident and was unidentified, he'd hopefully still be listed on Namus or at least maybe have documentation somewhere in the ME's office.

Well done! It's good to know that he likely was entered into Namus then. Speaking of the medical examiner, I take it you never heard back from them about whether ALL cases were entered into Namus?

 

[Ciriii57]

Something similar had been posted before years ago I think but I thought I would post it again in case any one is interested. This is the 1980 directory that lists all the businesses that woukd have been within the area of the National when Farren was staying there:

San Francisco (San Francisco County, Calif.) city directory : R.L. Polk & Co : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Published: Dallas, Tex., -1981

archive.org

And below are all the entries for "Marriott" that I could find including addresses, absolutely nothing useful! Even though we know there was a Marriott Inn because Mr Yee below was working at it, I can't find where it was! Perhaps it had a different name that I need to know to search?! :
Eugene F Hauber. Driver for Marriott Ind,620 Sawyer Street
Wah Y Yee, Bus Boy at the Marriott Inn, 112 Princeton Street

Below is the entry for CH who was the manager of the National Hotel:


Also trying to search for the other companies owned by Marriott Corporation but I have forgotten some of them we found, if anyone remembers please do a search:
There was a Big Boy liquor store, but not the restaurant.
A Roy Rogers Ladies clothing, but not the restaurant
I also couldn't find a Farrell's Ice creams even though we know there was 1 as they were advertising for staff!
In-Flite-Nothing
So for some reason I can't find anything to do with Marriott Corporation in San Francisco....soooo frustrating!

I also did a search for Stanberry just on the off chance...only 1 result, a "P. Stanberry" and SHE was a waitress. (same initial as his sister...but unrelated I am sure!). So any other Stanberry's that are found from the time, it is a good chance it was Farren!


So basically nothing helpful! I'm sorry LOL But maybe one of you will think of something else to search that could be useful.
The next step I think might to be to find out of there was like an advertiser paper, or a free paper with ads or somesuch that we can find copies of. Maybe we'll be really lucky and find someone staying at the National!

 

[Mfleish]

Speaking of the medical examiner, I take it you never heard back from them about whether ALL cases were entered into Namus?

I haven't heard anything.

 

[Satch]

Guys,

Here is information about popular places within the Polk district. Before the Castro was established (1970 and before) the gay community of San Francisco hanged out there. I wonder how close it was to the Castro? I am sure that Farren was familiar with both places? Here are popular places today with the Polk community:

5 Reasons Why San Francisco's Original Gayborhood Remains Timeless

Explore popular San Francisco neighborhoods outside the Castro where LGBTQ folks are always welcome, like Polk Gulch and Nob Hill.

www.sftravel.com

Would like to find out what places existed here in/ around April 1980 to June of 1980.

Satch

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Can you remind me why we think he didn't have his ID? Was it left behind in the hotel? It would be hard to get around, have a job that pays via a payroll, use a bank account, etc without ID.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Also -- at the beginning of the thread his SF address (at the hotel) was said to be 1139 Market Street, apt. 218.

But I seem to recall (but can't find it now) that mid-thread, someone came up with the suggestion that the hotel's address was actually something different. Can someone clarify that for me, what do we currently think was his SF address. I'm following a hunch, hope it will provide useful information. Thank you!

 

[Ciriii57]

Can you remind me why we think he didn't have his ID? Was it left behind in the hotel? It would be hard to get around, have a job that pays via a payroll, use a bank account, etc without ID.

Hi @Auntie Cipation
We don't know whether he had his ID or not, it was never discovered what possessions had been left behind. I personally think he did have it on him when he disappeared as I feel it's most likely you'd take your wallet with you to work.

Also -- at the beginning of the thread his SF address (at the hotel) was said to be 1139 Market Street, apt. 218.

But I seem to recall (but can't find it now) that mid-thread, someone came up with the suggestion that the hotel's address was actually something different. Can someone clarify that for me, what do we currently think was his SF address

His address was definitely room 218 1139 Market Street, The National Hotel. This was not only the address listed on his bank account but also the place where his uncle visited and LE contacted and spoke to CH who was the manager.

I think what you're referring to is that many older articles list him staying at the "International Hotel" but this was impossible. This famous SF hotel was closed down at the time so couldn't have a manager, take calls etc.
There was also some confusion I think about where a body had been found in a neighbouring building (1144 Market Street I think) but that building wasn't listed in derectories because it had subsequently been demolished...something like that.

I hope that helps and I hope your hunch works out! Looking forward to hearing about it

Ciriii

 

[Bit of hope]

I was just checking if there were more missing males in San Francisco during the 80's in Namus. I'm very surprised to see there is only one listed, missing since 2018 and it's not Farren. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[Ciriii57]

I was just checking if there were more missing males in San Francisco during the 80's in Namus. I'm very surprised to see there is only one listed, missing since 2018 and it's not Farren. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Hi @Bit of hope
Please could you clarify what you mean as I may be misunderstanding? What search criteria did you use?
I just did a search for missing males in 80s San Francisco and there are loads from the 80s.

I've actually been putting together some work on a possible unidentified serial killer operating at the time in the SF area in the 70s and early 80s. I've noticed there are a good number of young men who vanished, all of them with similar looks to Farren and at least 3 left for work and were never seen again. I'd be happy to share it with anyone once I've put it all together.

Ciriii

 

[Bit of hope]

Hi @Bit of hope
Please could you clarify what you mean as I may be misunderstanding? What search criteria did you use?
I just did a search for missing males in 80s San Francisco and there are loads from the 80s.

I've actually been putting together some work on a possible unidentified serial killer operating at the time in the SF area in the 70s and early 80s. I've noticed there are a good number of young men who vanished, all of them with similar looks to Farren and at least 3 left for work and were never seen again. I'd be happy to share it with anyone once I've put it all together.

Ciriii

Hé, that's weird. I was expecting a whole list of people missing, setting brought parameters. I was searching for a possible pattern, possibly more missing males during that time frame. This was my search:

eta

 

[Ciriii57]

That's really odd! I just did a search of missing males, between 1980-1990 in San Francisco, California and it gave me 51 results?! (Can't post a screenshot right now as my phone is !)
You are definitely searching "date of last contact" and not "date entered in Namus"?

I believe there is definitely a pattern, especially if you expand the parameters to other areas around SF Bay.
Although I'm conscious I may be seeing patterns and trying to fit them into a preconceived idea,but I also know that SF was like a hotbed of serial killers at this time.
Let me know if you stumble on anything interesting.

Hé, that's weird. I was expecting a whole list of people missing, setting brought parameters. I was searching for a possible pattern, possibly more missing males during that time frame. This was my search:
View attachment 426982
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