| 5257 | i. | Kenneth Eaton9 Bemis16151, born 12 Apr 1895 in Geneva, Minnesota16151; died 27 Apr 1968 in Los Angeles, California16151. He married Ruth Stillwell Lovell16152 14 Oct 1916 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota16152; born 05 May 1892 in Inkster, North Dakota16153. |
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Notes for Kenneth Eaton Bemis: [Bemis Lovell Family History 1619-1987, p 16] Kenneth Eaton Bemis married Ruth Stilwell Lovell at Hennepin County, Minneapolis, Minnesota on 14 October 1916. Their children were: Kenneth William born at Stillwater, Minnesota 7 June 1918, and daughter Edith Beverly born at Minneapolis, Minnesota 14 December 1919. Kenneth Eaton was brought up on his father's farm and when only 3 years old lost his left forefinger on a piece of farm machinery. His father told him that he could ride to the house on the back of the work horse if he would promise not to cry. As he was a brave little boy he rode back without a whimper. Later, when at the age of 12, while standing in the open door of the barn during a summer storm, he was struck by lightning. He was unconscious for several hours before becoming revived. During his early school years he would ride his donkey "Jenny Bow" to school and she would patiently wait for him, near the grounds, until school was out. This attraction and loyalty was repeated by many faithful followers throughout his business career in later life. During high school he attended St. Thomas Military Academy. While attending grade school, Ken Bemis, an enterprising child, would on occasion meet other boys who had broken their bicycles. In those cases he would often make a deal to purchase the bike, at a considerably reduced price, take it home, make the necessary repairs and thereafter sell it at a profit, sometimes even to the boy he bought it from. After graduating from military school, he acquired a motorcycle, which he reconditioned. He then left the farm life behind him with seventy-five cents in his pocket. His second enterprise was to purchase glass wind chimes, unassembled, at the five and dime store, assemble them and sell them door to door. By the time his first summer was over he had maintained himself and accumulated a few extra dollars. Home at that time was the YMCA. This all took place in Minneapolis. The opportunity then presented itself for him to work out of local Judge Spureor's office, a man who had met him as a customer on one of his house-to-house calls. The Judge took a liking to the young entrepreneur and told him that he would be happy to help him get started in the legalities of selling real estate. This turned out to be a very beneficial opportunity for young Ken as he was able to learn a considerable amount about contracts and basic real estate law, besides making more money than he had ever earned before. After his first meeting with Ruth Lovell, at a summer family vacation in Inkster, North Dakota, while he was visiting his Uncle Victor (who was married to Ruth's Aunt May), he and Ruth discovered that the got along famously. As Ken was a very busy young man and accustomed to moving rapidly, he became so enamored that he proposed marriage. As she was on her four-year scholarship at the Art Institute of Minneapolis, she felt that it would be appropriate for her to finish her course before becoming married. However, he eventually won out, and a few years later they became man and wife. |
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More About Kenneth Eaton Bemis: Date born 2: Michigan16154 Soc Sec #: 559-18-078316154 |
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Notes for Ruth Stillwell Lovell: [Bemis Lovell Family History 1619-1987, p 9-11] Ruth Stillwell Lovell born at Inkster, North Dakota, 5 May 1892. She attended school in Minneapolis and was an excellent art student, having been awarded a four year scholarship at the Art Institute. In later years she specialized in floral still-life oils and left many beautiful paintings with her family and friends. Ruth was married at Hennepin County, Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 14 October 1916 to Kenneth Eaton Bemis. Following her marriage, she learned shorthand, typing and bookkeeping so that she could help her husband in business and real estate. When she commenced having a family she continued to contiribute much to her husband's career in the line of her artistic expertise, designing brochures and promotional materials for his various enterprises. While living in Minneapolis, Kenneth capitalized on the opportunity to write a book on how to do a new dance that was hitting the country, called the Charleston. In doing so he decided to have his wife, son and daughter, six and five years old, learn the dance and they posed for pictures to be used in the book. Ruth designed the artwork for the book which turned out to be a great success. Kenneth's theory behind it was that the whole family could learn the dance under the BEMIS METHOD. Prior to this, Kenneth had developed a toy manufacturing business for which Ruth also did the art work for the brochures. During this time their young five year old son would accompany his parents on sales promotional trips to the west coast, demonstrating scooter bikes and other toys. Following the completion of the Charleston book in 1923, Ruth decided to further the dancing talents of her children and continued this program for the next fifteen years. This resulted eventually in the children becoming an international dance team, during the 30's, known as BILLY AND BEVERLY BEMIS. In 1926 the family moved to California at which time Ruth decided to improve her singing ability by taking vocal lessons. She was a fine messo soprano and enjoyed musical art which included playing the piano. While her children were developing their dancing talents she would, on occassion, perform in recitals besides singing in various community productions and her local Christian Science Church. Meanwhile, she would travel with her children when they performed in major cities throughout the United States and in Europe, until 1939 when they retired from the theater. Prior to WWII her husband had developed a national chain of restaurants and when war was declared a great shortage of male employees was created. As her children were no longer dancing she immediately rose to the occasion and became very involved in helping to run the Los Angeles business, which was quite extensive. Shortage of employees, food, and about everything else made running a chain of restaurant operations a tremendous task. She has a very constructive influence on the female personnel who were hired to replace the male employees who were being drafted into military service. After the war ended and things began to settle down she commenced devoting full time to church work. She bacame a dedicated and successful Christian Science practioner in addition to becoming a Reader and member of the board of directors at her local church. She had taken class instruction in Christian Science in 1940 from Miss Abigail Dyer Thompson, C.S.B., Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was a wonderfully supportive, loving and dedicated woman in everything she did. All who knew her remember that she never expressed a harsh or critical word about anyone or anything. We cherish the many remembrance of wonderful times spent with her. She was a fine exemplification of her Pilgrim Heritage. RUTH LOVELL BEMIS was a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants, General No. 22867. |
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More About Kenneth Bemis and Ruth Lovell: Marriage: 14 Oct 1916, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota16155 |
| 5258 | ii. | Fredrick Lorton Bemis16156, born 06 Oct 1906 in Delano, Wright County, Minnesota16156; died 11 Jun 1977 in Oakland, Alameda County, California16156. He married Laura Bernadine "Grammie" Tischler16156; born 15 Jun 1908 in Delano, Wright County, Minnesota16156; died 12 Feb 1996 in Atherton, San Mateo County, California. |
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Notes for Fredrick Lorton Bemis: [Bemis Lovell Family History 1619-1987, p 15-16.] Fredrick Lorton Bemis, married Laura Bernadine Tischler who was born at Delano, Minnesota, 15 June 1908. They had one daughter, Barbara Jean, born at Oakland, California, 2 December 1931. When they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, they worked for brother Kenneth in his new restaurant enterprise, called "All-In-One-Sandwich Shops." Shortly thereafter, Fred and Laura moved to Los Angeles, California, where he went to work for a grocery chain. In 1930, brother Kenneth started a new restaurant chain in California called "The White Log Taverns," and just before opening his seventh restaurant in Berkeley, California, Fred and Laura moved to Oakland and joined him in his new enterprise. Fred's first job was that of managing the Berkeley store. As the chain developed to seventy-two units, within the next seven years, from the West Coast to Washington, D.C., Fred played an important part in helping to expand the chain. Following World War II, Fred became very active in developing a mounted horse group known as The Oakland Shrine Rangers. The group featured black and white pinto horses with matching silver mounted saddles. They appeared in a number of parades and horse shows throughout California and other states winning silver cups and ribbons for their fine horsemanship and drill formations. Fredrick Lorton Bemis was a 32° Scottish Rite Free and Accepted Mason. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Regarding the June 10, 1977 death date of Frederick Lorton Bemis, I got that from his daughter, Barbara Bemis Sciacqua, in 1996. I just checked the online California death records, and they have June 11, 1977, as the Bemis book apparently has it. So, who's right -- the daughter, mid-60s age and almost 20 years after the fact, or the official state records ?? Regardless of which date is correct, only the "official record" will stand the test of time !! For me, I'm going to carry both dates, and source it appropriately. John Hale Falls Church, VA |
| 5259 | iii. | Georgia Emalyn Bemis16156, born 13 Jan 1908 in Delano, Minnesota16156. She married Raymond Goozen16157 1940 in the Chapel of St. Francis at Balboa Park, San Diego, California16157; born 21 Mar 1899 in San Diego, California16157. |
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Notes for Georgia Emalyn Bemis: [Bemis Lovell Family History 1619-1987, p 16] Georgia Emelyn Bemis attended San Diego State College ans the Eugen De Yal Academy of Fine Arts winning an additional two year scholarship studying under Ruth Norton Ball and later under Charles Reiffel and Otto Scheinider. She has been a professional artist all of her adult life and has had many fine commissions including one of former Mayor La Guardia in New York. She also specialized in statues, outstanding seascapes and landscapes. In 1940 she married Raymond Goozen (born 21 March 1899) at San Diego, California, in the Chapel of St. Francis at Balboa Park. They gave birth to a son, Fredrick Raymond (born at Berkeley, California, 6 March 1943). Their second son, Gregory Winthrop, was born at Oakland, California, 6 January 1953. |
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More About Raymond Goozen and Georgia Bemis: Marriage: 1940, the Chapel of St. Francis at Balboa Park, San Diego, California16157 |