My uncle Harry was born in Galveston on 30 September 1901, almost 2 months before my grandparents married. (My grandmother always claimed that she and Harry's father was married in 1900, so it is unlikely that anyone knew of the stigma of his birth until research uncovered it. Obviously, Margaret's family was aware, but nothing was ever communicated that would put a blot on the child or his future, and he was raised by loving and caring parents who doted over him and his siblings.)
Harry, Jr. was 13 when his father died and his education ceased. He was forced by necessity to find a job and help to support the family. Friends of his dad arranged for him to work at the Santa Fe Station carrying bags to the train for tips. Railroading was in his blood from then on. He never tired of the adventure it brought. He loved it.
By 1920, he was working on the trains themselves as a conductor and traveling around the country as far north as Chicago and as far west as Los Angeles. At 19, he was already setting a trend for his brothers to follow. Still, he remained a mama’s boy at heart and loved to “drop in on mama” whenever he passed through Fort Worth.
About 1925, he met and married Mary (last name unknown) in Ponca City, Kay County, Oklahoma. (But Mary was still young and eager to experience life herself and a husband that was gone most of the time didn't make for a lasting marriage.) After a few years, she filed for divorce and they went their separate ways. They didn't have any children.
Harry continued his job as a conductor with the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad and eventually met and married Ann Betes about 1931 in Prescott, Arizona. Ann's parents John and Clementa Betes were both born in Italy, and had migrated to the US before 1906. They settled for a time in Washington State where Ann was born, and then moved to Arizona about 1912. Harry brought Ann at least once to Fort Worth, after they married, “to meet mama”.
Ann had been married previously to Cecil Lewis Lightfoot. Through that marriage, Ann had given birth to a son, Robert Morgan Lightfoot. Ann and Cecil married about 1925 and divorced sometime after the 1930 Census. Their only child, “Bobby”, born on 20 June 1926, lived with his mother and Harry after they were married about 1931.
Even though Harry and Ann had no children of their own, the family did continue to grow. In February 1939, Harry's brother Clarence found himself unable to care for his newborn daughter, Evelyn Dell Clair. Harry and Ann, (both desperate for a child of their own,) took her in. “Dell” as she was called, filled all their needs and they loved her as if she were their own. But, they never denied Clarence full access and Dell always knew that Clarence was her father.
On the night of 23 June 1940, Harry was working the daily run between Prescott and the Grand Canyon. It was late at night. At about the halfway point in the 100 mile journey, he and two other employees opted to go for coffee in the next car. As it was against rules to go through the passenger cars and disturb the sleeping patrons, they walked on top. That was against the rules too, but they had always done it. It was during this coffee-run that Harry fell; he was run over by the train and killed. He was in the rear, behind his two friends. They didn't miss him until they had reached the next car. (It is unknown exactly why he fell, but the track makes a sharp turn to the right at Ashfork where he fell and it is possible that he simply lost his balance.) His death was ruled an accident.
Harry E. Clair, Jr. is buried in Prescott, Arizona, with his mother-in-law Clementa Betes who outlived him, and died in January of 1952.
Harry, Jr. was 13 when his father died and his education ceased. He was forced by necessity to find a job and help to support the family. Friends of his dad arranged for him to work at the Santa Fe Station carrying bags to the train for tips. Railroading was in his blood from then on. He never tired of the adventure it brought. He loved it.
By 1920, he was working on the trains themselves as a conductor and traveling around the country as far north as Chicago and as far west as Los Angeles. At 19, he was already setting a trend for his brothers to follow. Still, he remained a mama’s boy at heart and loved to “drop in on mama” whenever he passed through Fort Worth.
About 1925, he met and married Mary (last name unknown) in Ponca City, Kay County, Oklahoma. (But Mary was still young and eager to experience life herself and a husband that was gone most of the time didn't make for a lasting marriage.) After a few years, she filed for divorce and they went their separate ways. They didn't have any children.
Harry continued his job as a conductor with the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad and eventually met and married Ann Betes about 1931 in Prescott, Arizona. Ann's parents John and Clementa Betes were both born in Italy, and had migrated to the US before 1906. They settled for a time in Washington State where Ann was born, and then moved to Arizona about 1912. Harry brought Ann at least once to Fort Worth, after they married, “to meet mama”.
Ann had been married previously to Cecil Lewis Lightfoot. Through that marriage, Ann had given birth to a son, Robert Morgan Lightfoot. Ann and Cecil married about 1925 and divorced sometime after the 1930 Census. Their only child, “Bobby”, born on 20 June 1926, lived with his mother and Harry after they were married about 1931.
Even though Harry and Ann had no children of their own, the family did continue to grow. In February 1939, Harry's brother Clarence found himself unable to care for his newborn daughter, Evelyn Dell Clair. Harry and Ann, (both desperate for a child of their own,) took her in. “Dell” as she was called, filled all their needs and they loved her as if she were their own. But, they never denied Clarence full access and Dell always knew that Clarence was her father.
On the night of 23 June 1940, Harry was working the daily run between Prescott and the Grand Canyon. It was late at night. At about the halfway point in the 100 mile journey, he and two other employees opted to go for coffee in the next car. As it was against rules to go through the passenger cars and disturb the sleeping patrons, they walked on top. That was against the rules too, but they had always done it. It was during this coffee-run that Harry fell; he was run over by the train and killed. He was in the rear, behind his two friends. They didn't miss him until they had reached the next car. (It is unknown exactly why he fell, but the track makes a sharp turn to the right at Ashfork where he fell and it is possible that he simply lost his balance.) His death was ruled an accident.
Harry E. Clair, Jr. is buried in Prescott, Arizona, with his mother-in-law Clementa Betes who outlived him, and died in January of 1952.
My uncle Harry was born in Galveston on 30 September 1901, almost 2 months before my grandparents married. (My grandmother always claimed that she and Harry's father was married in 1900, so it is unlikely that anyone knew of the stigma of his birth until research uncovered it. Obviously, Margaret's family was aware, but nothing was ever communicated that would put a blot on the child or his future, and he was raised by loving and caring parents who doted over him and his siblings.)
Harry, Jr. was 13 when his father died and his education ceased. He was forced by necessity to find a job and help to support the family. Friends of his dad arranged for him to work at the Santa Fe Station carrying bags to the train for tips. Railroading was in his blood from then on. He never tired of the adventure it brought. He loved it.
By 1920, he was working on the trains themselves as a conductor and traveling around the country as far north as Chicago and as far west as Los Angeles. At 19, he was already setting a trend for his brothers to follow. Still, he remained a mama’s boy at heart and loved to “drop in on mama” whenever he passed through Fort Worth.
About 1925, he met and married Mary (last name unknown) in Ponca City, Kay County, Oklahoma. (But Mary was still young and eager to experience life herself and a husband that was gone most of the time didn't make for a lasting marriage.) After a few years, she filed for divorce and they went their separate ways. They didn't have any children.
Harry continued his job as a conductor with the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad and eventually met and married Ann Betes about 1931 in Prescott, Arizona. Ann's parents John and Clementa Betes were both born in Italy, and had migrated to the US before 1906. They settled for a time in Washington State where Ann was born, and then moved to Arizona about 1912. Harry brought Ann at least once to Fort Worth, after they married, “to meet mama”.
Ann had been married previously to Cecil Lewis Lightfoot. Through that marriage, Ann had given birth to a son, Robert Morgan Lightfoot. Ann and Cecil married about 1925 and divorced sometime after the 1930 Census. Their only child, “Bobby”, born on 20 June 1926, lived with his mother and Harry after they were married about 1931.
Even though Harry and Ann had no children of their own, the family did continue to grow. In February 1939, Harry's brother Clarence found himself unable to care for his newborn daughter, Evelyn Dell Clair. Harry and Ann, (both desperate for a child of their own,) took her in. “Dell” as she was called, filled all their needs and they loved her as if she were their own. But, they never denied Clarence full access and Dell always knew that Clarence was her father.
On the night of 23 June 1940, Harry was working the daily run between Prescott and the Grand Canyon. It was late at night. At about the halfway point in the 100 mile journey, he and two other employees opted to go for coffee in the next car. As it was against rules to go through the passenger cars and disturb the sleeping patrons, they walked on top. That was against the rules too, but they had always done it. It was during this coffee-run that Harry fell; he was run over by the train and killed. He was in the rear, behind his two friends. They didn't miss him until they had reached the next car. (It is unknown exactly why he fell, but the track makes a sharp turn to the right at Ashfork where he fell and it is possible that he simply lost his balance.) His death was ruled an accident.
Harry E. Clair, Jr. is buried in Prescott, Arizona, with his mother-in-law Clementa Betes who outlived him, and died in January of 1952.
Harry, Jr. was 13 when his father died and his education ceased. He was forced by necessity to find a job and help to support the family. Friends of his dad arranged for him to work at the Santa Fe Station carrying bags to the train for tips. Railroading was in his blood from then on. He never tired of the adventure it brought. He loved it.
By 1920, he was working on the trains themselves as a conductor and traveling around the country as far north as Chicago and as far west as Los Angeles. At 19, he was already setting a trend for his brothers to follow. Still, he remained a mama’s boy at heart and loved to “drop in on mama” whenever he passed through Fort Worth.
About 1925, he met and married Mary (last name unknown) in Ponca City, Kay County, Oklahoma. (But Mary was still young and eager to experience life herself and a husband that was gone most of the time didn't make for a lasting marriage.) After a few years, she filed for divorce and they went their separate ways. They didn't have any children.
Harry continued his job as a conductor with the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad and eventually met and married Ann Betes about 1931 in Prescott, Arizona. Ann's parents John and Clementa Betes were both born in Italy, and had migrated to the US before 1906. They settled for a time in Washington State where Ann was born, and then moved to Arizona about 1912. Harry brought Ann at least once to Fort Worth, after they married, “to meet mama”.
Ann had been married previously to Cecil Lewis Lightfoot. Through that marriage, Ann had given birth to a son, Robert Morgan Lightfoot. Ann and Cecil married about 1925 and divorced sometime after the 1930 Census. Their only child, “Bobby”, born on 20 June 1926, lived with his mother and Harry after they were married about 1931.
Even though Harry and Ann had no children of their own, the family did continue to grow. In February 1939, Harry's brother Clarence found himself unable to care for his newborn daughter, Evelyn Dell Clair. Harry and Ann, (both desperate for a child of their own,) took her in. “Dell” as she was called, filled all their needs and they loved her as if she were their own. But, they never denied Clarence full access and Dell always knew that Clarence was her father.
On the night of 23 June 1940, Harry was working the daily run between Prescott and the Grand Canyon. It was late at night. At about the halfway point in the 100 mile journey, he and two other employees opted to go for coffee in the next car. As it was against rules to go through the passenger cars and disturb the sleeping patrons, they walked on top. That was against the rules too, but they had always done it. It was during this coffee-run that Harry fell; he was run over by the train and killed. He was in the rear, behind his two friends. They didn't miss him until they had reached the next car. (It is unknown exactly why he fell, but the track makes a sharp turn to the right at Ashfork where he fell and it is possible that he simply lost his balance.) His death was ruled an accident.
Harry E. Clair, Jr. is buried in Prescott, Arizona, with his mother-in-law Clementa Betes who outlived him, and died in January of 1952.
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