This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Mother' s family: Cox, Saunders, Demankowski, Wilson, Gullion, York, Clark Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/3U.2ADE/1459 Message Board Post: Father: Gerald Valentine O'Neil [?] May not be birth name; could be Ivan Short [?] Nicknames know by: Red, White-y, Bud, Murphy DOB: February l4, 1903-05 [?] ~ Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois Was told his mother's name was Amanda and had a brother name Burl; had 2 sisters names unk; father's name unk; [?] FAMILY HISTORY [?] My father said he was full blood Irish [?] But he spoke fluid German as 2nd language. He said he was taught German by governess who didn't speak English and made them speak only German [?] Said he went to go get cigarettes at 16 years old and never went back to Chicago to live [?] Said he was married young and had 7 children by previous marriage and abandon them in St. Louis, Mo about 1928 [?] Said after he left he was a rum runner out of Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis. and hung out with a rough crowd [?] Also, was a long haul truck driver and drove truck out of St. Louis (may have worked for relative who owned a trucking company in same area [?] ) from 1930 to 1949-50 [?] We were told many stories by him about how he helped fight/participate/organize the Teamsters Union when it first begin. [?] He had a round scar next to belly button and said that's where he was shot in a bar protecting my mother's sister (Billy) by stepping in front of her and was shot by here husband [?] Married my mother Nannie (Nancy) Lee Cox on June 8, 1933 in Rockwood, Illinois [fact]. Copy of Marriage Certificate, picture of Mom & Dad, Copy of Death Certificate, picture of Dad & brother at the address >>http://www.fortunecity.com/rainbow/barbie/374/images/sb198.htm The had 10 children: 9 girls ~ 1 boy born between 1933 til 1952; Seven were born in Detroit, MI; three in California. Childrens names: Gerald Lee, Joan Elizabeth, Kenneth Eugene, Jacqueline Nancy, Peggy Adair, Bernice Sharon, Janet Rose, Lolita Marie, Linda Arabell, & Patricia Karen SURNAMES from mother's side of family: Cox, Saunders, Demankowski, Wilson, Gullion, York, Clark, I was born in 1949 and throughout my childhood it seemed my father was constantly on the run from someone or something. we were constantly traveling by car from Michigan, Chicago to California. We were a family of migrant workers from late 1940's to 1961 ~ Picking fruit, vegetables & cotton. If anyone seen the movie "Grapes of Raft" by John Steinbeck, the characters depicted in that movie were consider high class compared to my family. We live outdoors and in CC camps from March to October every year where there was something needed picking. One interesting thing happened with regularly and noone in my family knows why. But it seem everytime my father was short on money we would stop off in Chicago and he would leave mom and us kids waiting in the car for hours while he took off to see someone. We always new when he came back he would have money for gas and food. If we didn't go to Chicago, he could make a phone call to someone and we would wait for mail to arrive General Delivery no matter where we were. Someone out there must have info on this person. If any of this sounds familiar to you or relatives, about this man and his life please contact me: Linda at Arabell__@Hotmail.com or Alwaysthinkn_2@Yahoo.com