author Charles Spencer Belden, Jr. (1904-1945)

[ancestorsnoop]

Please, I am looking for any information on the father of author Charles Spencer Belden, Jr. (1904-1945).
 
Charles Spencer Belden, Jr., b. Apr. 21, 1904, in Roseville, Newark, New Jersey or Montclair, Essex, New Jersey; parents Charles Spencer Beldon, Sr. and Jean Henrietta Ruff; died Nov. 3, 1954, Woodhills, Los Angeles, California.

Charles Spencer Beldon, of New York City, married Miss Jean Henrietta Ruff, October 2, 1900, at her parents Mr. & Mrs. Augustus Ruff's residence, 413 North Thirty-second street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  After the wedding trip they were planning to reside in New York.

I can't find his father on the 1900 USA census or the family on the 1910 census. 

I find Charles S Belden on the 1920 census with his mother Gean Belden in Manhattan Assembly District 9, New York, New York. On the 1930 census Charles A Belden and his mother Jean R. are in Los Angeles (Districts 0001-0250), Los Angeles, California. On both censuses his father is not listed with them, and it looks like his mother has a W for widow.  Charles's father's birthplace is listed as New Jersey.

1940 census his mother Gean Beldon is living - Tract 383, Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills Judicial Township, Los Angeles, California.

I am actually looking for my mother-in-law's granduncle Charles S. Beldon, born 1867, New Jersey.  The father of Charles Spencer Belden, Jr., is the closest possibility I have seen so far.

[AMBLY]

Hi

Charles Jnr applied for a US passport in 1924.
He declared he was born Roseville, NJ on or about 21 Apr 1904.
He declared that his father  Chas S BELDEN Sr.  was born in  Clinton NJ and is deceased.
Jean R BELDEN of 574 West End Ave, NY testified to his identity.

Cheers
AMBLY

[shellyesq]

There is a Chas. S. Belden or Beldon in Newark, New Jersey city directories from 1903 through 1914.  I don't see him or Jean/Gean in the 1915 Newark directory.

[shellyesq]

Probably won't help you with the answer, but the younger Charles seemed to have a lot of romantic drama - http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%2017/Syracuse%20NY%20Journal/Syracuse%20NY%20Journal%201927/Syracuse%20NY%20Journal%201927%20-%200889.pdf

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=111PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nU4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3392%2C2580686

Lots more if you search on www.fultonhistory.com for exact phrase Charles Spencer Belden or Charles S. Belden.  Sometimes these things have a way of repeating themselves through generations, so maybe the father left the family. 

[Genealiza]

Shelley, that explains why I can't find them prior to 1914 in NYC.  I've found Jean in the NYC directories from 1915 to 1918. 

1915:  Jean Beldon, h 173 W 79th
1916:  Jean Belden (wid Chas), h 200 W 86th
1917:  Mrs Jean Belden, h 233 W 83rd
1918:  Mrs Jean Belden, h 233 W 83rd

[jorose]

There is a 1905 NJ state census on familysearch, but I'm having absolutely no luck finding them:
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1928107

Did wonder if they'd popped up over the border but no obvious trace in the 1911 Canadian either.

[ancestorsnoop]

Thank you AMBLY, shellyesq, Genealiza, jorose, for finding my mother-in-law's missing granduncle.    She doesn't know much about her father's family since her father's job moved the family away from New Jersey to several different states, and then he died while she was still a teenager. 

Charles S. Beldon's older brother was born in 1864 in North Branch, New Jersey, and 3 siblings younger than him were born between 1870-1876 in Clinton, New Jersey.  His two brothers were living in Newark, NJ, in 1910, and the other brother was living in Bloomfield, NJ, in 1910.  Based on small biographies and obituaries of his brothers, it appears he died sometime between 1897-1938.  If Charles S. Beldon was more like his father & brothers than his son, then thanks to all of you it appears he died around 1914/1915, maybe in Newark, New Jersey. 

   

[ancestorsnoop]

Thank you.  With all your help I was able to find Charles S. Beldon's Find A Grave memorial.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01ey6/