"Who Really is Who" Part II - Never Give Up or Forget

Adding to the mystery since meeting my father for the first time as Richard N. Young in 1968, and after beginning my Research in 1992, I learned my father was born Newton Richard Begnal, son of Thelma Ferne Perry & Clifford Franklin Begnal, the same of my Uncle Clifford Anthony Begnal.

Aug 1994, I obtained my father's school records, adding to Who Really is Who, trying to discover where my surname Young originates in my Family Tree.  My Father's school record begins 3 Sep 1930, his attending school in San Pedro CA.  Which this school record also shows Richard N. Young's parents as Earl Young and Mrs E. Rose, step-father William Irby.  Not Clifford Franklin and Thelma Ferne Begnal.

My Father dies 3 Jan 1995, along with any information about his growing up.  Which before his death, I was able to share with him who his Father was.  And since his death my research mission became that of learning who is Earl Young & Mrs. E. Rose and why his biological parents are not listed.

A natural conclusion would be, Richard & Clifford were adopted, or Thelma met and married Earl Young, taking Earl's last name.  There is no proof of this, especially when I found the 9 Apr 1930 census on 30 Aug 2012, to see yet another name that of Richard J. Benesh/Binon, as the step-father of Richard N. & Clifford A. which this census was taken 4 months prior to my Father entering school as Young, 3 Sep 1930.

Coming forward from the 1930 census to 28 Mar 1942, when Richard N. Young marries in Yuma AZ, Patricia Victoria Arnold as Richard N. Begnal, then on 24 Jul 1942, Richard N./Newton R. Begnal enlists in the Army as Richard N. Young, and on 28 Oct 1942, Richard & Patricia have their first child, Anna Laura Ferne Begnal.

I learn in 1968, I have 3 half Sisters, a half Brother, meet my paternal Grandmother, learn of my Uncle, and 2 Cousins.  I grew up the only child, knowing my Maternal Grandmother who passed away in 1979, 3 months after my paternal Grandmother had died.  In the years preceding my Genealogy Research in 1992, nothing was ever shared about their lives without me, of their growing up, their Father's & Families, my Grandparents. 

Piecing their lives together has been a daunting task, especially when my Father and his Mother have since passed on before my learning of these events.  I have only Records to collaborate events, no one to ask.  Which I never thought when I began, that I would be still learning of my family origins 20 years later.

It was in 2009, while helping others with their Genealogy Research, I discovered George Felix Begnal (1879-1957) said to be the Father of Clifford Franklin Begnal (1903-1960), Clifford's mother my paternal Great Grandmother Elizabeth Shaughnessy (1882/88-1949) could very possibly not be the biological father of Clifford, my Grandfather.

In the Years 1879-1904, George Felix Begnal, lived in Albany, Brooklyn & Saratoga Springs NY.  Clifford Franklin Begnal was b. 31 Mar 1903, Utica, NY, about 95 miles from Saratoga Springs, NY.  On 16 Aug 1903, in Saratoga Springs, George married Edith M. Mitchell, just 4 mos after the birth of Clifford.

In all these years since 1992, I have not found a birth record for Clifford Franklin Begnal, nor his mother Elizabeth Shaughnessy or a marriage record of George Felix Begnal & Elizabeth.  Others on my behalf have tried as well, to no avail. 

I found a Saratoga Springs City Directory of 1904, stating George removed to Brooklyn, 1905 Mrs. Edith M Begnal and nothing of George F. Begnal, 1905-1916 Saratoga Springs City Directories.

A Volunteer of Rootsweb, found a newspaper tidbit in the Utica Herald Dispatch, 30 Nov 1906, of Uticans Registered at NY Hotels, which lists a G. F. Begnal at the Woodstock Hotel.  The first time George appears in Utica NY.

A Volunteer of Rootsweb, finds a Utica City Directory listing of Eliz Shaughnessy, OP, 12 Eagle St.  Eliz/Elizabeth is listed among her Father John, siblings Mary, William & Ella Shaughnessy.

With these two pieces of information, I conclude Elizabeth Shaughnessy has not met George Felix Begnal, nor has married George, since she is listed as Shaughnessy not Begnal.

In the 1910 census, Seattle WA, I find Mrs. George, listed below Clifford Begnal, age 8, he as head of house, crossed out and Son written, nothing of George Begnal, at the same residence.  Clifford is indexed in 2 Seattle Wards 5 & 11, the other as a boarder, nothing of his mother Elizabeth, or George Begnal.

And in helping another Researcher with California Ancestors, I discover for the very first time living under one roof, in the California Voters Registration database of 1912, George Felix Begnal & Elizabeth, living in Winters, Yolo Co., CA and between 1900-1916, George F Begnal & Elizabeth, living in Suisun, Solano Co. CA.

With these findings of 1910, 1912, some time after 1912 of Elizabeth as Begnal, that they met after 1906 & before 1910 and possibly married between NY & WA state, unknown when and where more specifically.

The 1920 census shows Elizabeth Begnal, son Clifford age 16, living in San Francisco, CA, and George Felix Begnal, living in Saratoga Springs, NY.  Also a 1917 Saratoga Springs City Directory shows George living there, the 1916 CD does not.

And between 16 Aug 1903 and 7 Apr 1910, George must have divorced Edith M. nee Mitchell.  And unknown if George & Elizabeth married or divorced, as on 20 Jun 1921, George marries Edna R. Avery, Saratoga Springs, NY.  Elizabeth nee Shaughnessy Begnal, dies 8 Jan 1949, San Francisco, CA.  Clifford Franklin Begnal, dies 15 Mar 1960, in the Line of Duty, So. San Francisco Fire Department.  Clifford F. Begnal & Wilma, had 3 sons, one of which I was able to talk with on the phone, in e-mails and received a picture of my Grandfather in his SSF-FD Uniform.  My Grandfather's name is Memorialized on the California Fire Fighters Memorial at Capital Park, Sacramento, CA.

I followed in my Grandfather's footsteps not knowing or ever having met him, and I was a Fire Fighter before I met my Father in 1968.

So this is my Story, not knowing still Who is Really Who, Why and What is my Paternal Blood Lineage or When. 

Also, I still am searching to learn how does Earl Young, Mrs. E. Rose, Robert J. Benesh/Binon really are and how they come into play and why between 17 Jul 1924 and 1942. 

And my birthday is 9/11, Never To Forget and Never To Give Up...D.R. "Doc" Young

Begnal
Shaughnessy
Blaschko
Wilson

"Who Really is Who" Never Give Up...Part I

on Genealogy Research...since 1996, when Ancestry.com came online...I have tried to find my Grandmother, Thelma Ferne nee Perry Begnal, Father Newton Richard Begnal & Uncle Clifford Anthony Begnal in the 1930 census taken 9 Apr.  On 30 Aug 2012, I found Thelma F Begnal, indexed as Thelma F. Benesh, Father as Richard N. Benesh and Uncle as Clifford G. Benesh.

Clifford Franklin Begnal, remarried 4 May 1928, to Wilma, in the 1930 census taken 8 Apr, Clifford was indexed as Bignen, found May 2008.

As 24 Sep 2012, it is unknown if Thelma Perry & Clifford F. Begnal ever married.

29 Aug 2012, I found in the 1940 census my Grandfather Clifford Franklin Begnal, indexed as Chalfant E Bynel.  As you can see similarities are none, just as Benesh is not close to Begnal.


My next blog will explain about my Surname of Young, which should of been Begnal, only to learn a couple years ago, that it looks as if Begnal is not of my blood line either...to be continued "Who Really is Who" never giving up