Alma Jean STELSON

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1900, Living with mother in El Monte, Los Angeles Co., California
• Census: 1910, Living with mother in Monrovia, Los Angeles Co., California
• Census: 1920, Living with mother in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., California
• Census: 1930, Living with husband in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., California

Notes:

"George Slawson:An American Pioneer" by Harold D. Slosson - Daughter of Mary Slosson Stelson, calm, wise, and pleasant, she was the leader whom her many friends like most to follow.
Brought from Iowa to California by her mother about 1902, Jean started the first grade in the historic Orange Avenue School of Monrovia. Then the town's population was around 3000; by 1970 it had grown some ten tines to 30,000.
Possibly a little larger than some girls of the same age, she was attractive, wit even features, brown hair, hazel eyes, and a pleasant manner. While not really mechanical, nevertheless Jean early owned a bicycle which she rode over the unpaved streets and sidewalks of the town, Later, when a young lady, she enjoyed friving her Model-T Ford, called "Georgette."...
Jean, an excellent student, graduated from high school in 1914. But more education was required for her library careet. Thus she went for a year to Pomona College, following which she attended the University of California at Berkeley. After graduation there, she trained for a year in the Los Angeles Public Library School.
This schoolwork completed, Jean was immediately given a position in the Los Angeles Library, then occupying quarters on the top floors of the Metropolitan Building, on the northwest corner of Fifth and Broadway. She also did responsible work for various city branch libraries.
Jean had many friends in the library, her church, and other circles. One of these groups included John Angus Smith, a young Canadian of Scottish ancestry, who had served in World War I. Their friendship ripened into a romance, with their marriage taking place in Los Angeles on January 10, 1925.
Meanwhile, Jack, as he was called, helped out in church and community affairs while doing construction work. The young couple had many pleasant times tiwh Southland friends and relatives. To them on November 27, 1935. was born a son, Malcolm George.
Soon after this, however, the mother, Jean, passed away, leaving the father Jack, to care for their infant son. Assisting with his care and guidance were two devoted aunts, Annie Sith and Bella Cattermole.
After doing a hard day's work, when going to a meeting to help others, Jack passed away on march 5, 1952. both he and Jean are buried in the Slosson family plot in Live Oak Cemetery, Monrovia.

Alma married John Angus SMITH on 10 Jan 1925 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. John was born on 21 Jan 1895; died on 05 Mar 1952 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Malcolm George SMITH was born on 27 Nov 1935 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California; died on 18 Dec 2013 in Rolling Hills, California.

George married Mary SLOSSON on 04 Jul 1890 in Worth County, Iowa. Mary (daughter of John Marean SLOSSON and Jennie Roxy FINCH) was born on 11 Jul 1862 in Northwood, Worth County, Iowa; died on 23 May 1934 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1880, living with parents in Kensett Twp., Worth Co., Iowa
• Occupation: 1880; Teaching school
• Census: 1900, Living with brother in El Monte, Los Angeles Co., California
• Census: 1910, Living with mother in Monrovia, Los Angeles Co., California
• Census: 1920, Living in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., California
• Census: 1930, Living with daughter, Alma J. Smith, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., California

Notes:

"George Slawson : An American Pioneer" by Harold D. Slosson - Mary, the spiritual leader, was also for a time a freelance writer. In 1902, sometime after the passing of her husband, she moved with her daughter, Jean, from Iowa to California.
When middle-aged Mary studied Spanish, becoming conversational in that language......
In 1887 came Mary's turn to travel on that same train she had frequently seen. Accompanied by her older brother, Charley, she had gone for a visit to her Bigelow relatives in Duarte, California.
After that California trip, mary returned to her professional work in the Northwood area. She was helped by her varied talents, with a clipping in the family records saying in part, "She has proved herself adept with the pen and at raising pure-bred poultry. She is a prize contributor to the American Agriculturist, the Home, Practical housekeeper, Ladies' world and other home journals. Her articles are mostly children's stories, domestic talks, and poultry notes."
In 1890 a romantic event came into her life. It was described by one of her writer friends that "she was caught in Cupid's net." For in that year Mary was married to George W. Stelson, who had been born on September 6, 1858, in Fulton County, New York. This county, above the Mohawk River, is farther north than the Slossons' early family location in new York State. In Iowa, George Stelson lived in Kensett township, where he may have been associated with John Slosson in some project on the farm.
Mary was tall, erect woman with a good bearing. It was said that, tall though she was, George was even taller. The marriage of this couple - Mary and George - came on a special day, July 4, 1890.
On November 5, 1896, a daughter was born to this couple named Alma Jean, who was generally called Jean in later years. With her parents, she was living at that time on the Northwood farm....
On September 20, 1897, to this family came a sorrow. For then the father, George Stelson, passed away. He was praised highly in the Northweed newspapers, with the obituary column still being in the famiy records. The Burial was in the Slosson family plot at the State Line Cemetery, between Northwood and Albert Lea, Minnesota.
Through the years, Mary kept an active interest in her church. Even when moving from place to place, she immediately identified herself with some church....Willing to become involved, soon she was teaching a Sunday School class or doing some other worthwhile work. In Monrovia, Mary taught a boys' class for many years.....
After Jean had completed her freshman year at Pomona, mother and daughter moved to Berkeley. There Jean, always a good student, completed three more years of schooling, graduating from the University of California in 1918.
The next move was back to southern California, where in Los Angeles, mary first rented a house in te Exposition Park district. This was when Jean enrolled in the Los Angeles Public Library school. After completion of the course, she became a member of the library staff. mary next purchased a place in the West Adams district, where the family lived for many years...
Throughout her later years, mary had been troubled with some form of digetive disturbance. Because of it, at least twice she had been critically ill, only to survive, semingly, because of Divine intervention. But she lived prudently, being temperate in her eating, which to some extent was largely a natural food diet....It had paid off, since she lived past the biblical "three score and ten years,". She was still in fair health when she passed away at the age of seventy-two.
When small, Mary saw the circuit preacher riding across the prairie to his flock in Northwood. Now elderly, strong in the Gospel faith, on May 23, 1934, Mary went home to be with the Lord. Mourned by her many friends and relatives, she was buried in the family plot in Live Oak Cemetery, Monrovia.