Living

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11
• Residence: 1954, Providence, RI

Notes:

He was a foster child of the French's. When he came to live with the Frenches, he had no home, clothes, or food. His parents were Thomas and Eleanor Bowen Gleason, they never married.

He became a VP of the AFL/CIO Union. Beginning in 1968, he was elected as national vice president of the AFGE (AFL-CIO), District 2 and held that position until 1974 (he was re-elected without opposition until then). In 1976 he was elected Executive Vice President of the AFGE. He also served on the Trade Union Consulting Committee - State University of New Jersey, Rutgers and was elected in 1974 to the State Advisory Council of Rutgers School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Gleason died in 1982.

FindaGrave:
GRID=240797836

Residence:
A lab technician for US Rubber Co.

Joseph married D., Jennie in Sep 1951 in Providence, RI. Jennie was born on 4 Dec 1929; died on 10 Aug 2019 in Charlotte, NC; was buried in Charlotte, NC. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11
• Residence: 1954, Providence, RI

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 900
• _COLOR: 6
• Residence: 1900, Columbia, ME
• Residence: 1910, Columbia, ME; Address:
  Saco Road
• Residence: 1935, Providence, RI

Notes:

He is named after his biological father, Charles Kimball Worcester and was given his mother's maiden name.

According to the 1900 Federal Census he was living with his grandfather, Talbot and mother, Mary Pendlegras French, in Columbia, Maine.

According to the 1910 Federal Census he was living with his stepfather, Harvey Holly Smith and mother, Mary Pendlegras French Smith, in Columbia, Maine.

According to the 1930 census he was living on Branch Avenue in Providence, RI, with his wife, oldest son, and youngest son and daughter.

According to his WWI Draft Registration Card, 1917-1918, he was a laborer for the Northern Maine Packing Company, Corinna, ME.

Lived at 14 Winchester Street, Providence, RI in 1940s.

He was known as "Charlie K. Smith" as a boy as his step-father was a Smith (according to Charles Drisko, local Columbia, ME historian who knew him as young man).

In an interview with his daughter, Mary Edith French on July 18, 1999 she said "Grampa's mother and step-father were strict Baptists. They made him stay dressed on Sunday and walk around outside reading the Bible".

He worked at the Steere textile mill off Veazie Street in Providence, RI as a boilerman. He was burned on his arm, head and chest. He lost all his hair in the incident. He then went to the Wanscutt mill on Branch Ave, Providence, RI as a boilerman and watchman. He also worked at Brown University as a watchman. He became sick for several years and his wife had to go to work in the mills. He was an excellent housekeeper, cook, baker and he sewed. He was also an excellent carpenter and cabinet maker. He was strict with his children teaching them to share. The family considered themselves "poor". Two of their children (Norma and Carol) were sent to live with his half sister Hazel because of their poverty. The family lived in several "row" houses owned by the mills (Winchester Street) and he ultimately purchased the duplex house he lived in on Winchester Street when the mill closed.

FindaGrave:
GRID=63090891

Residence:
living with his mother and step-father

Charles married SMITH, Frances Alma on 7 Nov 1917 in Columbia, ME. Frances (daughter of SMITH, Bartlett Campbell II and DORR, Bessie Graham) was born on 24 Jan 1901 in Columbia, ME; was christened on 7 Dec 1930 in Providence, RI; died on 18 May 1979 in Canaan, CT; was buried in South Buxton, ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 6

Notes:

Frances's mother, Bessie G. Dorr, died shortly after her birth. She was raised by her grandmother Augusta "Gustie" (Small) and her 2nd husband, Nelson Wallace . She was born in the old Ed Puffer home (then lived in by Roberta Puffer), in the little corner room next to the road. "I remember so well when the Dr. came, he put his satchel bag in a chair and put his coat on it. Mama wanted Cliff and I to go to bed so she told us the doctor had a baby in that bag and put his coat on it to keep the little dear warm, that he was going to leave the baby with Bessie, and sure enough he did, for when we came down stairs the next morning there was a darling baby girl in bed with Bessie". by Elizabeth Roberta Puffer. The 1910 Federal Census shows Frances living with her grandmother and step-grandfather Augusta Small and Wallace Nelson. She is 9 yo.

Per letter from the directory to my mother, Norma I. Caranci date 14 May 1942.

FindaGrave:
GRID=63090930

Notes:

Married:
By a Justice of the Peace

Residence:
He was a laborer at the Northern Maine Packing Co. Corrinna, ME

Residence:
Worked in the Wanskuck Mill on Branch Avenue

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 6

Notes:

(Ed. Note) This is the biological father of Charles Kimball Worcester French. He raped Mamie French then refused to acknowledge the child. As payback, Mamie named him after his father so everyone would know whose son he was.

FindaGrave:
GRID=57748112

Charles married FRENCH, Mary Pendlegras. Mary (daughter of FRENCH, Talbot Smith and PUFFER, Taphenes N.) was born on 6 Oct 1871 in Columbia, ME; died on 16 Nov 1931 in Buxton, ME; was buried in Columbia Falls, ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 540
• _COLOR: 6
• Residence: 1900, Columbia, ME

Notes:

Mamie (as she was known) was raped by her third cousin (Charles Kimball Worcester) and as a result gave birth to Charles Kimball Worcester French. She named him thus because the father would not claim him as his own and in her own way she made sure that everyone knew who the father was!

On Sept 4, 1931 she quit-claimed the homestead farm of her father to her husband for $1. (David M. Caranci has the original deed.)

FindaGrave:
GRID=26040203

Residence:
Living with her father and son, Charles

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 6
• Residence: 1920, Gardner, MA; Address:
  Gardner State Colony

Notes:

According to his daughter Lurline B. Smith, B. C. Smith was a womanizer and philanderer. After his first wife Bessie died, he married Lucy Thompson (Lurline's mother). After Lucy left him, he moved to Massachusetts (ca 1920) and was employed as a boilerman at the state asylum/hospital in Gardner, MA. There he met and married Edith Over? daughter of Ebenezer?

According to his daughter, Lurline, Bartie, as he was called, was hooked on morphine due to an injury he received while a lumberman. Under the influence of it, he was abusive to his first wife Bessie and threw her medicine out the window (hastening her death?). Dr. Fred Chandler, the family doctor, knew of this and offered to testify in divorce proceedings.

According to Roberta Puffer, Bart and Gramma Bessie lived in a little house across the road from the Alden Worcester house, so called. On the night of Frances' birth Bart and Bessie were at the home of Roberta Puffer (then Ed Puffer's house). Later they lived in the Will Grant house, so called, about half-way down Saco Hill on the right. Bessie died there.

FindaGrave:
GRID=25573077

Bartlett married DORR, Bessie Graham on 18 Oct 1899 in Columbia, ME. Bessie (daughter of DORR, Andrew Jackson and GRANT, Frances E.) was born on 4 Jan 1882 in Columbia, ME; died on 13 Apr 1901 in Columbia, ME; was buried in Columbia, ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 6

Notes:

"Bessie was average height, slim, light complexion, a very nice person, liked by all who knew her." She died in the Will Grant house (so called) about half way down Saco Hill on the right according to a letter to Hazel Bradeen from "Bertha" (Roberta Puffer).

She died as a result of childbirth a few months earlier.

FindaGrave:
GRID=25573100