And now - The rest of the Story

OThat's right, I don't need no DNA - I can find relatives with my blog.  Here's what happened.  About a month ago, I got an email from my blog - which I have gotten before.  Every time someone leaves a comment on one of my posts, Blogger sends me an email and a link to read the post and the comment.  This one was from my post about Susan Metzger Baldwin, and was posted in January 2013.  The comment encouraged me not to give up on this line of the family, because Susan Metzger Baldwin was also her 2nd cousin.  As it turns out, her dad is Arthur J Valleau, who I also did a post about.  I had done several posts about the Valleaus about two years ago, and they finally bore fruit.

Anyway, the comment came from Diane Tucker, and as best I can tell, she may not be related by blood.  I found her father, Arthur Valleau, living with my great aunt Mary O'Dea, who was married to Charles Valleau.  Arthur, as it turns out, is actually the son of Charles' brother George Percy Valleau.  Are you starting to remember this story?  In the 1920 census, Arthur is listed as "Nephew" in Charles and Mary's house.  In the 1930 census, he is listed as "adopted son".  Well not only did I talk to Diane, but she sent me pictures.  This is Charles Arthur Valleau, or Uncle Artie as they called him:

Next is Aunt Mary (or May as they called her).  Aunt May is my grandmother's sister - this is the family link:

And this one is their nephew/adopted son - Arthur J Valleau

Taken during WWII, where he served in the US Army Air Corps, like both of my dad's brothers.
The last I will share tonight is Arthur and his father, George Percy, when they reunited in early 1945, after being separated for 25 yrs.

Man, I love pictures, they really help.  Especially when you never knew any of these people, it's nice to put a face with the names.

Now for the rest of the story:

Diane tells me that George and his wife Bess lived in Omaha, NE and at some point George joined the Navy (I am just guessing - but maybe during WWI)  I assume he stayed in the Navy for some time because Bess moved with young Arthur to New Jersey.  While in New Jersey, she left Arthur with friends and asked them to care for him and she would be back.  She left them some money at this time, but she never returned and never sent more money.  Apparently one of George's sisters was willing to adopt Arthur, and that's when Charles and Mary stepped in.  Charles offered to adopt him, that way he would not have to change his name, and that's what happened.  Sometime between 1920 and 1930 Charles and Mary adopted Arthur.  Then somewhere around 1943, George (Arthur's father) returned after almost 26 years.  As you can see from the picture Arthur must have been on leave at the time.  George stayed with his son and daughter in law, for a few years before he died somewhere around 1950.  Next time I go to the archives, I am looking for a death certificate for George to see what more I can learn from it, and see if I can find where he is buried.

So it actually turns out to be a good story, father and son are reunited in the end.  But what ever became of Bess?  Did she meet someone else?  Did she die?  Well I'm pretty sure she has died by now, but I wonder if she died shortly after giving Arthur with her friends?  I'm going to have to work on that too.

One more thing.  I also found some evidence that maybe George remarried during his absence from Arthur.  There was a WWII Draft registration for a George Percy Valleau born in Jersey City, but living in Newport News VA and it lists a wife named "Sally".  Is this him?  Who is Sally?  In case you haven't figured it out yet, this is not the complete rest of the story.