Son of Elijah Willard and Bessie (Miller) Stoddard of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Grandson of Wells and Eunice (Benedict) Stoddard of Marion twp., Linn County, Iowa
Great-grandson of (Deacon) John and Sarah (Woodward) Stoddard of Coventryville, Chenango County, New York
Albert I. Stoddard married Gertrude Eleanor McGowan at Spokane, Washington on April 16, 1912
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Aberdeen Daily World
Aberdeen, Washington
Tuesday, July 17, 1951
Page 6
ALBERT STODDARD,
SALESMAN, CALLED
Albert I. Stoddard, 72, Harbor
resident for the past 30 years,
died Monday at a local hospital
following a brief illness.
Born at Cedar Rapids, Ia.,
Stoddard came to the Harbor
from Spokane and had resided in
both Aberdeen and Hoquiam.
During his early years here he
was employed as a chef in various
restaurants, including the Savoy
and Smoke Shop and later
operated a malt shop in Hoquiam.
At the time of his death he was
a salesman representing the National
Press of Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a
member of the Aberdeen Elks Lodge.
Surviving are his wife Gertrude;
Sons, Jack, an Aberdeen school
teacher, and William of Portland;
five grandchildren; two brothers
in the East and a sister in California.
Funeral arrangements will be
announced by Elerding.
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ALBERT I. STODDARD
Friends and relatives of Albert I.
Stoddard will meet at the Elerding
chapel at 10am today and proceed
to Fern Hill cemetery where
a graveside service will be conducted
by the Rev. Michael O'Donnell.
Grays Harbor Washingtonian
Hoquiam, Washington
Thursday, July 19, 1951
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Albert's mother's Bible only listed his name as "A.I." All of his family only knew him as "A.I.." In the 1910 Census, Albert listed his name as "A.I." Even his marriage certificate dated April 16, 1912 lists his name as "A.I.." According to genealogist Sharlene Stodddard, A.I.'s son John Spencer Stoddard's birth certificate in Spokane in May 1917 gives his father's name as "Alfred." The 1917 Spokane city directory listed his name as "Albert I." and the 1930 and 1940 U.S. Census for Hoquiam, WA show his name listed as "Albert" Stoddard.
The 1900 U.S. Census for Coldwater twp., Town of Greene, Bultler County, Iowa lists A.I. living with his parents and four siblings. His occupation is listed as as a "dry goods and grocery salesman." A.I. was 18 years old and was born in June 1881.
At some time between 1900 and 1905 Albert moved to Spokane. The Spokane city directory for 1905 lists A.I. Stoddard as a waiter for H.G. Steward and boarding at 419-1/2 Main Ave. In the 1907 Spokane city directory Albert was listed as a waiter at Central Cafe residing at 18 Bernard Street. Albert may have returned to Iowa by 1909: he is found listed in the 1909 Cedar Rapids city directory living with his parents at 648 "L" Street West. He then returned to Spokane and is found working as a saleman and residing at S. 223 Lincoln. In the 1910 U.S. Census for Spokane, Spokane County, Washington, A.I. lists his his age as 28 and occupation as "unknown." Apparently his job prospects were not good at the time. However, the 1911 Spokane city directory lists A.I. as a brakeman for the N.P. Railroad and still residing at S. 223 Lincoln. The Spokane city directory also listed his brother L.D. Stoddard who must have also moved at Spokane at this time. All of the Spokane addresses for A.I. are located in the Riverside District (CBD) of Spokane.
On April 16, 1912, A.I. Stoddard married Gertrude Eleanor McGowan in Spokane, Washington. He lists his age as 29 and his occupation as "salesman" (although he was 30 and ready to turn 31). He lists his mother's maiden name as "Bessie Miller." He uses a phonetic spelling of his father's given name, Elijah. Gertrude lists her age as 28. They were married by Robert J. Armstrong, a Catholic Priest, although A. I. was not a Catholic himself. How A.I. and Gertrude met is not known.
The 1913 Spokane city directory lists A.I. and Gertrude as living at 2623 E. Boone. Albert was a salesman. In 1915 they resided at 1704 W. Riverside Avenue. In 1917 they were living at 2211 W. Sinto Avenue and A.I. was working as a salesman. At the time of John Spencer Stoddard's birth in May 1917, A.I. and Gertrude were living at 419 S. Oak Street. This must have been an unstable and difficult time for this young family.
On September 12, 1918, A.I. registered for the military draft. His WWI military registration was made while the family was living in Bellingham, Washington. Gertrude's sister Kathleen and mother Margaret had lived in Bellingham and this is probably why A.I. and Gertrude chose to move to Bellingham from Spokane. A.I. lists his birthdate as June 28, 1881 and his occupation as "Storehouse man" employed by Pacific American Fisheries. A.I. was described on his 1918 WWI military registration record as having blue eyes and being partially bald with black hair with grey streaks and of "medium" size and "medium" build. John Christopher Stoddard, A.I.'s youngest brother, was described as 5'4" with a medium build, light blue eyes and dark brown hair on his 1918 WWI draft registration. L.D. was listed as having grey eyes with dark brown hair and being of "medium" size and "medium" build on his 1918 WWI military draft registration. L.D.'s height was listed as 5'5" and his weight as 164 lbs. with grey eyes and grey hair on his 1942 WWII military draft registration. His brother John Christopher was also noted to be 5'5" and 170 Ilbs. with blue eyes and grey hair on his 1942 WWII military draft registration. A.I. was noted to be 5'6" and only 128 lbs.with blue eyes and grey hair on his 1942 military draft registration (when he was 61 years old). Both A.I. and L.D. were described on their WWII military registrations as having "ruddy" skin (a healthy reddish skin color) while John Christopher's skin color was descibed as "light." A photo of A.I. with his two sibling sister taken circa 1897 shows a boy who appears small for his age (and in comparison to his much younger sisters). Another photo of him (included in this memorial) taken in front of their home in Hoquiam circa 1930 (He is in a suit and appears to be going to work - as a salesman for National Paper?) shows A.I. to be a somewhat small and frail-looking man. A.I.'s son John Spencer was tall (6'1") with an athletic build (175 Ilbs during his basketball playing years) but A.I.'s son Bill was much shorter than Jack and was probably more similar in height to his father. Lacking any portrait photographs of any of these three brothers, these descriptions are the only indication of how these Stoddard men must have looked like in life.
I cannot find Albert or A.I., Gertrude, Betty, or John Stoddard in the 1920 U.S. Census. Nor can I find Gertrude's sister Kathleen Adair or her mother Margaret Jane McGowan. Gertrude's mother Margaret and her widowed sister Kathleen probably left Bellingham around this time and moved to New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. It is of course possible that Albert and Gertrude also briefly went with them to Canada around this time. Their daughter Betty Stoddard would have been 6 years old and their son John Stoddard 3 years old in 1920.
It is unclear exactly what year the Stoddard family arrived in Hoquiam, Washington. It must have been circa 1920. William Redmond Stoddard was born in Hoquiam in 1923. The Stoddards are listed as residing in Hoquaim, WA in the 1930 U.S. Census. Albert lists his age as 47 and his occupation as a salesman for National Paper. John Stoddard is age 12 and "Billy" Stoddard is age 7. Betty Stoddard is deceased at this time after having died at the age 9 in 1924.
What years A.I. worked as a "chef" at the Savoy Grill and Coffee Shop and Smoke Shop Cafe (near each other along the south side of Heron Street 1/2 block east of Broadway Street in Aberdeen) and "operated a malt shop in Hoquiam" as mentioned in his obituary is not clear. It must have been during the period between 1920 and 1930. A photo of A.I. working behind the counter of his Malt Shop (a place to buy malt products used in the production of home brewed beer during prohibition) and his son, John, as a young boy, around 12 years of age, is uploaded to this memorial. This photo was probably taken circa 1929 and around the time of the beginning of the Great Depression. The business must have closed by 1930 because A.I lists his occupation as a salesmen in the 1930 U.S. Census.
Note: In 1965-66, as a 10 year old boy, I was in the Smoke Shop Cafe selling newspapers (Aberdeen Daily World) when a short-order cook at the Smoke Shop stuck his head out of the food-pass window and asked me if I was a Stoddard....he then told me that he knew and had worked with my grandfather (A.I.) and offered some kind words about him. Since I had never known anything about my grandfather, I was kind of surprised and shocked. I went home and told my parents. I recall some reluctant acknoledgement of this fact (that his father had worked at the Smoke Shop) from my father....but nothing more than that as I recall. No one wanted to elaborate.
Albert must have left the family in Hoquiam and went back to Spokane in 1935 according to research by Sharlene Stoddard in her book, "Family of Wells and Eunice Stoddard." He was possibly helped by his brother L.D. He became employed at a restaurant and lived at W. 2426 Broadway. It appears he had cooking and food service skills and knowledge which allowed him to earn money while he was still young enough and capable enough. He was 54 years old in 1935 —no longer a young man. This was a particularly difficult time to leave his family: his son, John "Jack" Stoddard, graduated from Hoquiam High School in 1935, and his youngest son Billy was only thirteen. Perhaps this is why Jack took a year off between high school and enrolling at Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen in 1936: he probably had to go to work and help support his mother and brother.
Albert did not last long in Spokane. He must have returned to Hoquiam after a year or two. In the 1940 U.S. Census, the entire family is listed as living together at 508 - 5th Street in Hoquaim, WA. Albert lists his occupation as "Labour" working for "WPA District Project" (an FDR New Deal initiative - Works Project Administration. Hoquiam received a federal government grant to improve recreational facilities). His son John Stoddard was 23 at the time but was actually attending Central Washington State College in Ellensburg from the fall of 1939 through the fall of 1940...so I'm surprised he was included on the census return for Hoquiam since he was enrolled at Central for the entire year of 1940.
In his 1942 Military registration, A.I. lists his age as 61 (born June 28, 1880), his residence as 720 East Market in Aberdeen, and his employer as the Elks Club in Hoquiam, WA. Albert's last known address was 117-1/2 "G" Street in Aberdeen (near Grays Harbor Stamp Works) before he entered Wright Convalescent Home where he died at 1:10 pm on July 16, 1951.
A.I. Stoddard's life was rife with changing jobs and disappointment.
A.I. Stoddard had what appears to have been a difficult life. He may have had a drinking problem which would have contributed to his failures in life. My father, John "Jack" Stoddard, never spoke of him. I do not know his feelings towards his father or their relationship. My father was a breakfast man. He was a really good breakfast cook. He used to jokingly say, "if my job doesn't work out — could always make it as a short order cook." Perhaps he was just echoing the words he had often heard from his father.
A.I. died at the time Jack was just starting to achieve success in his teaching and coaching career: in the fall of 1951, Jack began teaching and coaching at Grays Harbor College. I hope A.I. was proud of him....and I hope Jack forgave his father for his weaknesses, failures and shortcomings. I hope they loved each other in spite of everything. If Jack felt any pain in his disappointment in his father —he never let it show and never mentioned it. He must have just accepted his father for who he was.