George Villalba on the 1920 US Census

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The above image, although not very clear here, is the 1920 US Census for San Francisco. The top two lines are the details for Robert and George Villalba. The bottom line of the previous page [not shown] lists an Alfred Villalba also living at the same place. I'm not sure if Alfred is a sibling of George's or not, but I will list his information here just in case.

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Robert, Alfred and George were lodging in a house, along with several other men from San Salvador. I have written down the information for the other Salvadoreans in the house, and will research them to see if they are related or friends of the family [which can sometimes turn out to be distant relatives]. Sometimes if you can't find your family, you can trace the neighbors or close friends to find them!

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I'll comment on what this census information means in relation to our genealogy in the next blog.

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Transcription of the above (Villalba info):

1920 United States Federal Census

State of California

County of San Francisco

City of San Francisco

Enumeration District: 4

Sheet Number 5A [Alfred on Sheet 4B]

Enumeration Date: 5 January 1920

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Address: 1511 O'Farrell St.

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Line No. 1

Name: Robert Villalba

Relation to head of household: Lodger

Sex: M

Color or Race: W[hite]

Age at last birthday: 22

Single, Married or Widowed: S

Year of Immigration to the US: 1914

Naturalized or Alien: Naturalized

Year of Naturalization: 1919

Attended School since Sept. 1, 1919: [blank]

Able to read: Yes

Able to write: Yes

Place of Birth: San Salvador

Mother Tongue: Spanish

Father's Place of Birth: Spain

Father's Mother Tongue: Spanish

Mother's Place of Birth: Spain

Mother's Mother Tongue: Spanish

Able to speak English: Yes

Kind of work done: Laborer

Establishment where work done: Dray Company

Employer, Salary or Wage earner: W[age]

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Line No. 2
Name: George Villalba
Relation to head of household: Lodger
Sex: M
Color or Race: W[hite]
Age at last birthday: 21
Single, Married or Widowed: S
Year of Immigration to the US: 1918
Naturalized or Alien: Naturalized
Year of Naturalization: 1919
Attended School since Sept. 1, 1919: no
Able to read: Yes
Able to write: Yes
Place of Birth: San Salvador
Mother Tongue: Spanish
Father's Place of Birth: Spain
Father's Mother Tongue: Spanish
Mother's Place of Birth: Spain
Mother's Mother Tongue: Spanish
Able to speak English: Yes
Kind of work done: Laborer
Establishment where work done: Dray Company
Employer, Salary or Wage earner: W[age]

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Last line on page 4B
Name: Alfred Villalba
Relation to head of household: Lodger
Sex: M
Color or Race: W[hite]
Age at last birthday: 24
Single, Married or Widowed: S
Year of Immigration to the US: 1919
Naturalized or Alien: Pa

[I'm not sure what this stands for; definitely not the Na they used for naturalized citizens]
Year of Naturalization: [blank]

Attended School since Sept. 1, 1919: [blank]
Able to read: [blank]
Able to write: [blank]
Place of Birth: Spain
Mother Tongue: Spanish
Father's Place of Birth: Spain
Father's Mother Tongue: Spanish
Mother's Place of Birth: Spain
Mother's Mother Tongue: Spanish
Able to speak English: No
Kind of work done: none
Establishment where work done: [blank]

Employer, Salary or Wage earner: [blank]

Another Marriage in the Family

Sometimes researching a collateral line yields new information. A collateral line is a non-direct blood line, basically researching the sibling of someone in your direct line or another relative. As an example, and to continue the research on this line, I am posting the above, page one of the marriage license of Jorge (George) Villalba's brother, Robert to my "Aunt Helen" (although she is my mom's aunt. I won't be posting the second part of the marriage license, as I did with Jorge and Rosa.

My best transcription:

Groom Information (left side)
Name: Robert Segura Villalba
Address: 16 Walter St.
Race: White
Age last birthday: 28
Marital Status before this marriage: [blank, but x's over widowed, divorced]
Number of Marriage: 1
Birthplace: Spain
Occupation: Mechanic
Name of Father: Alfred S. Villalba
Father's Birthplace: Spain
Name of Mother: Juana Calabuik
Mother's Birthplace: Spain

Bride Information (left side)
Name: Mrs. Helen Elisabeth Vincent
Address: 16 Walter St.
Race: White
Age last birthday: 26
Marital Status before this marriage: [blank, x's over single, widowed, indicated divorced]
Number of Marriage: 2
Birthplace: San Francisco, CA
Occupation: housewife
Name of Father: Louie Hillcourt
Father's Birthplace: Denmark
Name of Mother: Phoebe Ranzan
Mother's Birthplace: Oregon
Maiden Name of Bride if previous married: Helen Hillcourt

We, the Groom and Bride named in this Certificate, hereby certified that the information given therein is correct, to the best of our knowledge and belief.
Signed: Robert Segura Villalba and Helen Elisabeth Vincent

Filled out in the presence of Barry J. Gould, Deputy County Clerk

Certificate of Person Performing Ceremony
I HEREBY CERTIFY that Robert Segura Villalba and Helen Elisabeth Hillcourt were joined in marriage by me in accordance with the laws of the State of California at [blank], City and County of San Francisco, State of California, this 16th day of October, 1923.

Witness to the Marriage: Salvador Brand, 1345 Laguna St.
[not listed is second witness named on pg. 2: J. Castille of 1714 Sutter]

Signature of Person performing the Ceremony: Frank W. Dunn, Justice of the Peace

Filed Oct. 20, 1923 E. Godchaux, Recorder


There is lots of additional and new information on this one page of the certificate. First, Robert was born in Spain around 1897 [date of marriage - 26 yrs of age]. This make the time spent in El Salvador by the family less than 30 years, and also gives me a new location -- Spain -- to look for information. With this time frame, I can now look for immigration information for the family from Spain to Central America to San Francisco.

Second, Robert lists his mother's maiden name as Calabuik, not Segura that Jorge listed. Given that the Spanish naming sequence is very different from the American one, it is possible that both are correct! This also give me more avenues to research.

The last bit of information is the names of the Witnesses. Normally these are more than passing aquaintances, and sometimes are relatives. If Salvador or J. Castille came to the US with Robert, it is possible they could be cousins or some other connection.

The Marriage of Rosa Josephina & Jorge, Part II

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City and County of San Francisco

State of California
City and County of San Francisco
MARRIAGE LICENSE
No. 347

These Presents are to authorize and license any Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice of the District Court of Appeals, Judge of the Superior Court, Judge of the Police Court, Justice of the Peace, Priest or Minister of the Gospel of any denomination, to solemnize, within said county, the Marriage of

George Villalba (white) and Rosa Barrios (white)
aged 26 yrs and past, resident of City and, age 24 yrs and past, resident of City and,
County of San Francisco, State of California, County of San Francisco, State of California

said parties being of sufficient age to be capable of contracting marriage as appears by affidavit of record in my office.

In Witness Thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the Superior Court of the State of California in and for the City of County of San Francisco, this 18 day of Jan., 1928

(seal) H.I. MCULCREVY, County Clerk and ex-officio Clerk of said Superior Court
by A.J. Walcott, Deputy

State of California
City and County of San Francisco
THIS CERTIFIES THAT
George Villalba and Rose Barrios
the parties in the above license, were joined in marriage by me on the 19th day of January, A.D. 1928
in said City and County and State,
that Emma Barrios, a resident of City and, County of San Francisco, State of California,
and Robert Villalba, a resident of City and, County of San Francisco, State of California,
were present as witnesses of said ceremony.

Witnesses:
Name: M. Emma Barrios, No. 231 Delano St.
Name: Robert Villalba, No. 231 Delano St.
In Withness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 19th day of January A.D. 1928
Gil Casarez, Catholic Priest
Filed for Record at the request of Gil Casarez on Jan. 20th, 1928.

There are several things that struck me about this marriage license when I found it. One is that all the parties involved (except the priest and SF officials) all lived at the same house, 231 Delano, in San Francisco! This is unusual because (a) bride and groom living together in the late 1920's was pretty scandalous, and (b) according to family lore, Emma never lived in the U.S. That a priest would marry them, living in sin, or that Emma would lie about her residence to a priest seemed more than a little odd. Possible explanations for (a) was that Emma and Rosa were staying with the Villalbas (family friends from El Salvador) when the couple decide to marry, and for (b), that Emma was simply asked where are you staying and she gave that address. It was not uncommon for this type of misunderstanding to occur, as the difference between where one resides/lives and where one is staying can be very subtle, especially when a language translation was involved as it was here. The priest would certainly not look askance at this explanation of same addresses for the parties involved.