Ella Blanch Wareham (1888-1982)

BIRTH: 18 Apr 1888, Valparaiso, Indiana, USA
DEATH: 21 Jan 1982, St Johns, Florida, USA
FATHER: William Hawthorne Wareham (1856-1928)
MOTHER: Alice Geraldine Crowe (1867-1948)
SPOUSE: Richard Leslie Staggs, Sr. (1888-1965)

When Ella Blanch Wareham was born on April 18, 1888, in Valparaiso, Indiana, her father, William, was 31, and her mother, Alice, was 20. She married Richard Lesley Staggs on September 7, 1910, in Porter, Indiana. They had five children in 10 years. She died on January 21, 1982, in St Johns, Florida, at the age of 93.

Her story

The following is an excerpt from Staggs Genealogy – Harold Wareham Staggs – His Book

Mother, Ella Blanch Wareham, born 18/4/1889; Valparaiso, Indiana, was the best. She had enough love for all of us and her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a great-great grandchild. As a girl in “Valpo” she was known for her singing voice, church, weddings and funerals.

Ella and her sons, 1922 in Chicago, Illinois. (L to R) Richard Jr, Ella Blanche, Howard, William, Harold, Robert.

With a family like ours to feed, she sat a big table and all food though plain, was great. Once a week we had baked beans, raw onions and hot biscuits. Still a favorite meal for me but do you know, I never could get my children to eat that meal – could it be my cooking? No, of course not!

We boys were a rowdy bunch, but neither Mother nor Dad ever punished us. I guess love can control everything.

Ella Blanch Staggs with her husband Richard and their five sons. (left to right) Robert, Ella, William, Howard, Richard Jr, Richard Sr, and Harold.

The only time I wondered about Mother was when we lived in the wilds of Oregon. That came about because she would send us boys down to the Indian camp below us every few days with orders to yell bad things at them. When we returned to her with arrows sticking in us, she would pull them out and use them for kindling. Now remember that I was very young at the time and can’t seem to remember all that but it’s what brother Dick told me, so I guess it’s true.

Ella Blanch Wareham, 1973, 85 years old.

During the depression and the years when most of the money went for college costs, mother spent very little on herself. So, it was only right that during her later years her greatest joy was buying clothes. When I cleaned out her things after her death, I was happy to find numerous suits and dresses that she had never even removed the price tags from. I’m happy that mother could make up somewhat for the years she gave everything to us boys.

Until her death, her mind was keen, and she never lost her laugh or sense of humor. Had to have that to raise a big family. Please read her story of her marriage and listen to her tape.

When I would visit her each year her first questions were – tell me about Barbara, David and Steve and how are Karen, Brandon, Cory and Duston. I’d spend hours telling her about these people, some of whom she had never seen but loved very much.

Writings by Ella Blanch Wareham

Grams Life After Her Marriage an account of her life written by Ella Blanch Wareham Staggs.

“Gram Says” newspaper column

1952 Apr 10 – Early Automobiles
1952 Aug 14 – Adopted Owl
1952 Dec 04 – Clothesline
1952 Sep 04 – Yellowstone (part 1)
1952 Sep 25 -Yellowstone (part 2)
1952 Oct 15 – Yellowstone (part3)
1953 Apr 09 – Spring
1953 Apr 30 – Santa Fe
1953 Feb 12 – Flu
1953 Jan 22 – New Year
1953 Jun 25 – Spring Cleaning
1953 May 28 – New Mexico Dust Storm
1953 Oct 15 – Farmer’s Drought
1953 Oct 22 – Halloween (part1)
1953 Oct 29 – Halloween (part2)
1953 Sep 24 – Rocky Mountain Park
1954 Feb 11 – Naples Swamp Fishing
1954 Jan 14 – Trailer Life
1954 Jun 10 – Ozark Spring
1955 Apr 21 – Winter in Florida
1955 Apr 28 – Drouth Relief
1956 Feb 23 – Little David
1957 Oct 03 – Farmer Advocacy
1958 Jul 10 – Drought Broken
1958 Mar 06 – Sputnik
1960 Jan 14 – St Augustine
1960 Nov 10 – Autumn at 70
1962 Oct 04 – Take it easy

Birth records

Ella Blanche Wareham’s high school portrait.

Indiana did not begin statewide birth registration until October 1907, so unfortunately, a formal state-issued birth certificate for Ella Blanch Wareham, born in 1888, does not exist in the Indiana State Department of Health archives. However, the 1910 United States Federal Census shows her living with her parents and five siblings in Center, Porter, Indiana, USA, with her age recorded as 22 years. The transcription of the 1910 United States Federal Census shows the surname of the family as Mareham, but the image of the census page (enlarged portion) clearly says Wareham.

Legacy of Ella Blanch Wareham

Parents

Father: William Hawthorne Wareham (1856-1928)

Mother: Alice Geraldine Crowe (1867-1948)

Married

Richard Leslie Staggs, Sr. (1888-1965). Married September 7, 1910, in Porter, Indiana.

Children

Richard Leslie Staggs, Jr. (1911-1996) married 1st Clara Norma Turner (1914-1967) on 27 Apr 1933, married 2nd Dorothy Annabel Groose (1908-2005) on 18 Apr 1938
William Randolph Staggs (1912-2010) married Grace Kathryn Glasser (1914-1993)
Harold Wareham Staggs (1915-2009) married Jeanne Wilma Sammons (1919-1959)
Robert Leslie Staggs (1919-2003) married Virginia Graham (1917-1996)
Howard J. Staggs (1921-1968).

Documents

Birth Records
- Florida, U.S., Death Index, 1877-1998 > Name: Ella Blanche Staggs; Race: White; Age at Death: 93; Birth Date: 18 Apr 1888; Death Date: 21 Jan 1982; Death Place: Saint Johns, Florida, United States
- Cook County, Illinois, U.S., Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 > Name: Ella Blanche Wareham; Birth Date: Abt 1888; Birth Place: Valparaiso, Indiana; Gender: Female; Age: 33; Spouse: Richard Leslie Staggs; Child: Howard J Staggs; FHL Film Number: 1379097
Marriage records
- Indiana, U.S., Marriages, 1810-2001 > Name: Ella Blanche Wareham; Gender: Female; Race: White; Age: 22; Event Type: Marriage Registration (Marriage); Birth Date: 18 Apr 1888; Birth Place: Valparaiso, Indiana; Marriage Date: 7 Sep 1910; Marriage Place: Indiana, United States; Residence Place: Valparaiso, Indiana; Father: William H Wareham; Mother: Alice Crow; Spouse: Richard Leslie Staggs; Page: 450
- Indiana, U.S., Marriage Certificates, 1960-2012; Name: Ella Blanche Wareham; Gender: Female; Race: White; Marriage Age: 22; Birth Date: 18 Apr 1888; Birth Place: Valparaiso, Indiana; Marriage License Date: 7 Sep 1910; Marriage Date: 7 Sep 1910; Marriage Place: Porter, Indiana, USA; Residence Place: Valparaiso, Indiana; Spouse: Richard Leslie Staggs
Death records
- Florida, U.S., Death Index, 1877-1998 > Name: Ella Blanche Staggs; Race: White; Age at Death: 93; Birth Date: 18 Apr 1888; Death Date: 21 Jan 1982; Death Place: Saint Johns, Florida, United States
- U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 > Name: Ella Staggs; Social Security Number: 266-92-8892; Birth Date: 18 Apr 1888; Issue year: 1964; Issue State: Florida; Last Residence: 33590, Holiday, Pasco, Florida, USA; Death Date: Jan 1982
- Burial: Palms Memorial Park, 170 Honore Avenue, Sarasota, Florida
Census records
- 1910 United States Federal Census > Indiana > Porter > Center > District 0140 > Blanche Wareham, Age 22, Single, Occupation: Bookkeeper, living at Wagers St, Center, Indiana, with parents William Wareham (railway electrician, 53) and Alice Wareham (43) and with siblings Julia Wareham (telephone operator, 19), William Wareham (15), Grace Wareham (13), and Mary Wareham (8)
- 1920 United States Federal Census > Oregon > Curry > Brookings > District 0129 > Blanche Staggs, Age 31, living with husband R L Staggs (lumber mill electric crane driver, 31) and children William Staggs (7), Richard Staggs (8), Harold Staggs (4), and Robert Staggs (0).
- 1930 United States Federal Census Page 1, Page 2 > Illinois > Cook > Chicago (Districts 501-750) > District 0580 > Blanche Staggs, Age 41, 65th Street, Chicago, Illinois, living with Richard L Staggs (41), Richard Staggs (18), William Staggs (17), Harold Staggs (14), Robert Staggs (10), and Howard Staggs (8). Also at the residence was Brother-in-law Herbert Lindquist (laborer, 30).
- 1940 United States Federal Census > Illinois > Cook > Proviso >16-406 > Ella B Staggs, Age 50, 2018 Nineteenth Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Living with Richard L Staggs (safety training supervisor, electric public utilities, 51)
- 1950 United States Federal Census > Missouri > Newton > Stella > 73-9 > Ella B Staggs, Age 61, Eastern St edge gently limits on N W Common, Stella, Missouri. Living with husband Richard L Staggs (retired, 61)
Other
- U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 > Name: Miss Blanche Wareham; Gender: Female; Residence Year: 1907; Street Address: 3 Wayne; Residence Place: Valparaiso, Indiana, USA; Occupation: Bookkeeper; Publication Title: Valparaiso, Indiana, City Directory, 1907