He was known throughout his later life as William Jeen West and he said he was born in Butte, Montana. However, family documents and stories show that he was really born as Walter Oscar Brooks in Boston, MA.
In his younger years, West sang and played the piano in vaudeville performances. Exactly where or when he did this is still unknown.
He was married to a Marion Galley in Revere, MA on April 29, 1906 and they were divorced by 1913. They don't appear to have had any children.
Before he married his second, wife, Margaret Zehren, in 1917, he appears to have fathered at least 3 illegitimate children and changed his name several times including: Walter L. Brooks, Walter Lawrence Kearns and finally William Jeen West.
In 1910, William - using the name Walter Lawrence Kearns - and Gertrude Gillespie had a son they named Walter Lawrence Kearns Jr. In 1913, he was adopted by his father's sister, Bessie Brooks McKurdy and his name was changed to William Francis "Bill" McKurdy. Bill McKurdy seems to have never known that his "uncle" was actually his father.
William and Gertrude also had a daughter, Catherine Brooks, in 1911. She supposedly died a few days after birth but I can't find that record. I can't find Gertrude Gillespie after 1911.
In 1913, using the name Walter L. Brooks he was married to, or at least living with, Gladys Reardon. Articles at the time of her death say she was Gladys Reardon Brooks and they had been married but no records at that time had been found. She died in October 1913 under strange circumstances and police had a warrant for his arrest. I think it was at this time he left Massachusetts and took on yet another identity.
By 1917, when he married Margaret Zehren, he was using the name William Jeen West.
He was a World War I veteran, serving as a private in Humphreys, Va. until January 1919.
From 1920 to 1930, William and his family lived at 2058 William Street, Philadelphia, PA. In the 1920 Census, his occupation was listed as an Iron Worker. Kitty West’s (his daughter-in-law) notes say he was an Iron Worker in the “western states” - haven’t found documentation for that but if he did go out west, the most likely time would have been in the early 1920s.
He and Margaret had four children together: William T., born February 14, 1918, Thelma, born January 29, 1920; Rita, born January 11, 1923, and Gloria, born December 25, 1925.
He lived the latter part of his life in Philadelphia and died there in 1951.
For more information on William's colorful past, please go here: https://bigfamilytree.weebly.com/west-stories.html
In his younger years, West sang and played the piano in vaudeville performances. Exactly where or when he did this is still unknown.
He was married to a Marion Galley in Revere, MA on April 29, 1906 and they were divorced by 1913. They don't appear to have had any children.
Before he married his second, wife, Margaret Zehren, in 1917, he appears to have fathered at least 3 illegitimate children and changed his name several times including: Walter L. Brooks, Walter Lawrence Kearns and finally William Jeen West.
In 1910, William - using the name Walter Lawrence Kearns - and Gertrude Gillespie had a son they named Walter Lawrence Kearns Jr. In 1913, he was adopted by his father's sister, Bessie Brooks McKurdy and his name was changed to William Francis "Bill" McKurdy. Bill McKurdy seems to have never known that his "uncle" was actually his father.
William and Gertrude also had a daughter, Catherine Brooks, in 1911. She supposedly died a few days after birth but I can't find that record. I can't find Gertrude Gillespie after 1911.
In 1913, using the name Walter L. Brooks he was married to, or at least living with, Gladys Reardon. Articles at the time of her death say she was Gladys Reardon Brooks and they had been married but no records at that time had been found. She died in October 1913 under strange circumstances and police had a warrant for his arrest. I think it was at this time he left Massachusetts and took on yet another identity.
By 1917, when he married Margaret Zehren, he was using the name William Jeen West.
He was a World War I veteran, serving as a private in Humphreys, Va. until January 1919.
From 1920 to 1930, William and his family lived at 2058 William Street, Philadelphia, PA. In the 1920 Census, his occupation was listed as an Iron Worker. Kitty West’s (his daughter-in-law) notes say he was an Iron Worker in the “western states” - haven’t found documentation for that but if he did go out west, the most likely time would have been in the early 1920s.
He and Margaret had four children together: William T., born February 14, 1918, Thelma, born January 29, 1920; Rita, born January 11, 1923, and Gloria, born December 25, 1925.
He lived the latter part of his life in Philadelphia and died there in 1951.
For more information on William's colorful past, please go here: https://bigfamilytree.weebly.com/west-stories.html
He was known throughout his later life as William Jeen West and he said he was born in Butte, Montana. However, family documents and stories show that he was really born as Walter Oscar Brooks in Boston, MA.
In his younger years, West sang and played the piano in vaudeville performances. Exactly where or when he did this is still unknown.
He was married to a Marion Galley in Revere, MA on April 29, 1906 and they were divorced by 1913. They don't appear to have had any children.
Before he married his second, wife, Margaret Zehren, in 1917, he appears to have fathered at least 3 illegitimate children and changed his name several times including: Walter L. Brooks, Walter Lawrence Kearns and finally William Jeen West.
In 1910, William - using the name Walter Lawrence Kearns - and Gertrude Gillespie had a son they named Walter Lawrence Kearns Jr. In 1913, he was adopted by his father's sister, Bessie Brooks McKurdy and his name was changed to William Francis "Bill" McKurdy. Bill McKurdy seems to have never known that his "uncle" was actually his father.
William and Gertrude also had a daughter, Catherine Brooks, in 1911. She supposedly died a few days after birth but I can't find that record. I can't find Gertrude Gillespie after 1911.
In 1913, using the name Walter L. Brooks he was married to, or at least living with, Gladys Reardon. Articles at the time of her death say she was Gladys Reardon Brooks and they had been married but no records at that time had been found. She died in October 1913 under strange circumstances and police had a warrant for his arrest. I think it was at this time he left Massachusetts and took on yet another identity.
By 1917, when he married Margaret Zehren, he was using the name William Jeen West.
He was a World War I veteran, serving as a private in Humphreys, Va. until January 1919.
From 1920 to 1930, William and his family lived at 2058 William Street, Philadelphia, PA. In the 1920 Census, his occupation was listed as an Iron Worker. Kitty West’s (his daughter-in-law) notes say he was an Iron Worker in the “western states” - haven’t found documentation for that but if he did go out west, the most likely time would have been in the early 1920s.
He and Margaret had four children together: William T., born February 14, 1918, Thelma, born January 29, 1920; Rita, born January 11, 1923, and Gloria, born December 25, 1925.
He lived the latter part of his life in Philadelphia and died there in 1951.
For more information on William's colorful past, please go here: https://bigfamilytree.weebly.com/west-stories.html
In his younger years, West sang and played the piano in vaudeville performances. Exactly where or when he did this is still unknown.
He was married to a Marion Galley in Revere, MA on April 29, 1906 and they were divorced by 1913. They don't appear to have had any children.
Before he married his second, wife, Margaret Zehren, in 1917, he appears to have fathered at least 3 illegitimate children and changed his name several times including: Walter L. Brooks, Walter Lawrence Kearns and finally William Jeen West.
In 1910, William - using the name Walter Lawrence Kearns - and Gertrude Gillespie had a son they named Walter Lawrence Kearns Jr. In 1913, he was adopted by his father's sister, Bessie Brooks McKurdy and his name was changed to William Francis "Bill" McKurdy. Bill McKurdy seems to have never known that his "uncle" was actually his father.
William and Gertrude also had a daughter, Catherine Brooks, in 1911. She supposedly died a few days after birth but I can't find that record. I can't find Gertrude Gillespie after 1911.
In 1913, using the name Walter L. Brooks he was married to, or at least living with, Gladys Reardon. Articles at the time of her death say she was Gladys Reardon Brooks and they had been married but no records at that time had been found. She died in October 1913 under strange circumstances and police had a warrant for his arrest. I think it was at this time he left Massachusetts and took on yet another identity.
By 1917, when he married Margaret Zehren, he was using the name William Jeen West.
He was a World War I veteran, serving as a private in Humphreys, Va. until January 1919.
From 1920 to 1930, William and his family lived at 2058 William Street, Philadelphia, PA. In the 1920 Census, his occupation was listed as an Iron Worker. Kitty West’s (his daughter-in-law) notes say he was an Iron Worker in the “western states” - haven’t found documentation for that but if he did go out west, the most likely time would have been in the early 1920s.
He and Margaret had four children together: William T., born February 14, 1918, Thelma, born January 29, 1920; Rita, born January 11, 1923, and Gloria, born December 25, 1925.
He lived the latter part of his life in Philadelphia and died there in 1951.
For more information on William's colorful past, please go here: https://bigfamilytree.weebly.com/west-stories.html
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