~~1860~~
“Charlie”
James Wygant Betts 22, and Hannah Catherine “Kate” Moore 15, welcomed their first child, Charles Eugene “Charlie” on May 20, 1862, in Saylor, Polk County, Iowa.
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On March 16, 1864, Charlie’s sister Ida May Betts was born in Saylor, Polk County, Iowa. Ida and Charlie were the only two children Kate would have with James. I really need to find a better picture of Ida Betts.
-More of Ida and her family will be featured on James W Betts future page.
~~~~~
James was known to not be a good man. The couple divorced after five years of marriage, around 1866 when Charlie was around 4 years old and Ida was around 2. James took the children and would not let Kate see them that much. The children would spend a lot of time with his parents Jeremiah and Elizabeth Betts.
~James, 28, married Miss Elisabeth Young, 18, on January 1, 1867, in Polk County, Iowa.
~Kate 22, married Willis A. Hall, 26, on May 5, 1868, in Tazewell County, Illinois.
~~1870~~
In this 1870 census, we see James and Elisabeth Betts living in Buchanan County, Missouri with Charley 8, Ida 6, and their half-brother Albert 2.
~~1880~~
| Name | Race | Sex | Age | Relation | Single/ Married/ Widowed | Occupation | Attended School | Birthplace | Father’s Birthplace | Mother’s Birthplace |
| Betts, Jeremiah J | W | M | 62 | Head | M | Farmer | PA | PA | PA | |
| Elizabeth A | W | F | 57 | Wife | M | House Keeping | PA | PA | PA | |
| Jeremiah L | W | M | 27 | Son | S | Farmer | PA | PA | PA | |
| Ida M | W | F | 16 | Granddaughter | S | At School | Yes | IA | PA | IA |
| Andrews, George | W | M | 18 | Servant | S | Farm Laborer | IA | CT | IN | |
| Johnson, Oliver | W | M | 17 | Servant | S | Farm Laborer | IA | Norway | Norway |
In 1880, I found Ida living in Salyor Township also known as the Villiage of Saylorville, Iowa, with her grandparents Jeremiah and Elizabeth Betts in 1880. Ida was 16 and attending school.
I think I found Charles at a boarding house in Douglas County, Colorado working as a laborer. Age, birthplace, and parents’ birthplace are all correct.
~~~~~
Ida Mae Betts, 19, married Isaac S Hurd, 29, of Schenectady County, New York,
on November 15, 1883, in Russell County, Kansas.
~~~~~
On February 17, 1884, Charles Eugene Betts 21, married Mary Ellen Horning 20, in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. Witnesses were Cassie Horning and Hattie Dillion.
Shortly after their wedding, Charlie and Mary Ellen moved to Russell Kansas where Ida and Isaac were living.
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1885 Russell Kansas census. On lines 4 & 5 are Isaac and Ida Hurd. Isaac is farming with his parents and siblings. On lines 16-18 are Charlie, Mary Ellen, and her brother John Henry Horning. They are farming as well.
~~1890~~
I had no idea that Willis and Kate Hall owned 300 acres, some of it was waterfront on Poverty Bay. I always knew Seattle and Tacoma were sort of “City Rivals” but it goes way back. Being amid all that beauty it’s no wonder he was trying to get Charles to move there along with reuniting Charles with his mother Kate.
~~~~~
This could be the reason Charlie and Ella moved back to Ankeny, Iowa. Farming was tough on the prairie.
~~~~~
~Just in case you cannot read the cursive~
After ten years of marriage and several miscarriages, Weston was born to Charles and Mary. Mary Ellen’s mother Catherine was present at the birth and realized that Weston was a “blue baby”. She put him in a box on the wood stove oven door. That acted as an incubator and he survived. He was a small child and when he learned to walk he could walk under the table without bumping his head.
Ankeny Iowa. The birthplace of Weston and his future wife although this is not where they met.
~~~~~
~Translated Page 1~
Boone, Iowa 12/21/97 ~Mr. Chas E Betts; ~Spring Valley P.O IA
Dear Sir, We are in receipt of a letter from you asking information in regard to your mother. I am glad to tell you I can give you the desired information. Your mother lives at Buenna, King Co, Washington state. Her husband’s name is Willis Hall. I have never seen her and my parents have not seen her since you were a babe. Your grandmother (Uncle Will and Aunt Lizzie
pg. 2
are living here in town, Your uncle Will came here a year ago last July and your aunt and grandmother last July. This is the first I had ever seen them. They are all well. My father is your mother’s uncle and she has two other uncles living about 20 miles from here in the southern part of Boone Co, IA where your mother’s father probably have lived ever since the first settling of the county in 1849. and are well-known by everyone. Their names are Wm (William) and Joseph Moore. Will you please inform us how you obtained our address. Also where is your
Pg. 3
sister and we would like to know something of yourself. Any other information you desire and we can give we will be glad to furnish you with it. ~Very Truly Yours (Miss) Ella Moore 715 Division St. Boone Ia ~Mr Willis Hall, Buenna, King County Washington.
The letter above is from Kate’s cousin Ella Moore (pictured above). I think this was the start Charlie needed to reconnect with his mother Kate.
~~~~~
Such a classic photo. Weston, Charlie, and Mary Ellen. This photo was either taken in Kansas before they left for Washington or shortly after arriving in Washington. Based on Weston’s age.
~~~~~
Willis Hall writes~ If you decide to come you had best come as soon as possible for there will be great slashing of rates for a while now between the Canadian Pacific and Northern Pacific and if you go into some town, Des Moines for instance where the CP (Canadian Pacific) and NP (Northern Pacific) both have offices you will come out so cheap you will hardly know you have left Iowa until strike tall timber. Now if anything should happen that you should make up your mind to come, buy your ticket to Seattle, you will get there at 9 a.m. and you will get the Steamer Defiance for Buenna at 2 p.m and arrive at Buenna at six p.m
In 1898 Charles, Mary Ellen, and Weston 3, moved west to Washington State settling in the Redondo area known at that time as Stones Landing. The family homesteaded the 45-acre Springer Ranch, now known as Sunset Ranch on Springer Road. There were few neighbors at that time. The nearest was the Webb family at Webb Center, now 320th and Pacific Highway South, and the French Family who owned what is now Mirror Lake. Check out the 1900 census.
Mirror Lake
~~1900~~
| Name | Relation | Sex | Birth Month | Birth Year | Age | Marital Relation | Years Married | Children Born | Children Living | Birthplace | Father’s Birthplace | Mother’s Birthplace | Immigration Year | Occupation | Home Own/Rent | Own Free/ Mortgaged |
| French, Philip | Head | M | Feb | 1847 | 53 | M | 25 | England | England | England | 1871 | L__Engineer | Rent | |||
| Mary | Wife | F | Aug | 1856 | 43 | M | 25 | 7 | 0 | Canada(Eng) | Englund | Canada | 1884 | |||
| Smart, Anna | Sister-in-law | F | July | 1869 | 30 | S | Canada(Eng) | England | Canada | 1887 | House Keeper | |||||
| Betts, Charles | Head | M | May | 1862 | 38 | M | 16 | Iowa | Pennsylvania | Illinois | Farmer | Owned | Owned Free | |||
| Mary E. | Wife | F | Dec | 1864 | 35 | M | 16 | 1 | 1 | Indiana | Ohio | Ohio | ||||
| Weston J | Son | M | Nov | 1894 | 5 | S | Iowa | Iowa | Indiana | |||||||
| Hurd, Isaac | Head | M | June | 1853 | 46 | M | 16 | New York | New York | New York | Farmer | Owned | Owned Free | |||
| Ida M. | Wife | F | March | 1864 | 36 | M | 16 | 6 | 2 | Iowa | Pennsylvania | Iowa* | ||||
| Alice A. | Daughter | F | Jan | 1887 | 13 | S | Kansas | New York | Iowa | At School | ||||||
| Raymond E | Son | M | Feb | 1889 | 11 | S | Kansas | New York | Iowa | At School | ||||||
| Hall, Willis A | Head | M | Jan | 1842 | 58 | M | 32 | Illinois | Connecticut | Connecticut | Farmer | Owned | Owned Free | |||
| Kate | Wife | F | Dec | 1846 | 53 | M | 32 | 0* | 0* | Illinois | Ohio | Indiana |
We can see in this 1900 census the French Family mentioned above, that lived next door to Charles and Mary Ellen. Mrs. French looks like she has suffered a huge loss not having any of her seven children living. Charles’s sister Ida had lost four children by this time also.
I am sure that this was a great time for Kate to reconnect with her children Charles and Ida, and grandchildren Weston, Alice, and Raymond. *Not sure why Kate listed no children born/living? Should be 2/2 Charles & Ida.
~~~~~
Young Weston on the beach
~~~~~
In 1904 Charles bought the Park property in Redondo and built what used to be the Lindstrand Store. In recent years it became the Redondo Art Gallery, which incidentally is the oldest building in the immediate vicinity.
Mary Ellen worked at the store and took care of the roomers and boarders who lived and stayed upstairs. She even found time to bake bread to sell to the public. The salesmen came by boat and had to stay until the next day when the boat returned. The folks who came to shop pulled their boats right up to the front of the store and loaded up their supplies in them. There were no roads so you stepped right out of the store onto the beach.
The current state of the building Charlie built I believe. Let me know if I’m wrong. The last known original pioneer building. This really should be turned into a Redondo pioneer museum.
~~~~~
Mary Ellen and Charlie suffer another loss of a child. All of us descendants should feel blessed that Weston was able to survive his scary first few days of life. Mary Ellen had a very tough time with previous pregnancies and then in 1904 the loss of a five-day-old baby.
~~~~~
Tried to find the outcome of this lawsuit but could not find it.
~~~~~
Road near Redondo Beach Washington
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This is the restaurant that Ida ran while her husband Isaac was the
Redondo Postmaster for over 20 years.
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1907- Mary Ellen was a charter member of the Dorcas Club. The Dorcus Club bought a 3-plank sidewalk that ran from Redondo to Buenna and the men put it in. Also in 1907, the first road was built in Redondo.
~~~~~
Charlie built this house for Ella in 1908. It was the only house for several blocks. Later several homes were built, but the large 2-story mansion of “Grandma Betts” seemed like a mother hen with all her brood around her.
Teenage Weston
~~~~~
Charlie and Ida had 10 years reconnected with their mother before she passed away. It lists three children survived but in the 1910 census, Mrs. A.T. Armstrong was Willis’s niece. I’m still trying to find her first name. I’m pretty sure they raised her like a daughter. Kate and Willis had lived in Tacoma and surrounding areas since 1885. Willis had a livery stable (a provider of horses) on 11th & D Street in Tacoma.
F.A.G.# 51180292 · View Source
~~~~~
Even though this is a newer article, the picture is of 1908 Redondo with Charlie and Ella’s home in the background.
~~1910~~
This 1910 census is a fun one for me because there are a lot of pictures that coincide with this decade.
| Name | Relation | Sex | Age | Marital Status | Years Married | Children Born | Children Living | Birthplace | Father’s Birthplace | Mother’s Birthplace | Occupation | Industry |
| Betts, C.E | Head | M | 47 | Married | 26 | IA | IA | IL | Carpenter | Houses | ||
| Mary E | Wife | F | 45 | Married | 26 | 4* | 4* | IN | OH | OH | ||
| Weston J | Son | M | 15 | Single | IA | IA | IN | |||||
| Horning J.E | Father in-law | M | 76 | Widowed | OH | Germany | Germany | Blacksmith | Own Shop | |||
| J.H | Brother in-law | M | 45 | Married | 16 | IN | OH | OH | Laborer | Railroad | ||
| Elizabeth | Sister in-law | F | 35 | Married | 16 | 4 | 4 | PA | OH | OH | ||
| Katie | Neice | F | 14 | Single | IA | IN | PA | |||||
| John W | Nephew | M | 12 | Single | IA | IN | PA | |||||
| Nellie | Neice | F | 8 | Single | IA | IN | PA | |||||
| Annie V | Neice | F | 3 | Single | IA | IN | PA | |||||
| Horning F.E | Brother in-law | M | 30 | Widowed | IA | OH | OH | Printer | Newspaper | |||
| Louise M | Neice | F | 3 | Single | IA | IA | IA |
Charlie and Mary Ellen had a full house in this census. Mary Ellen’s father John Ellsworth Horning had been widowed for almost 9 years by 1910. Mary Ellen’s brothers John Henry Horning and Franklin Ellsworth Horning along with Johns’s wife Elizabeth and 5 kids between them were staying with them in Redondo. Franklin had been widowed for a year by 1910. Why would you ever want to leave that beautiful house Charlie built on the bay. Redondo is a truly magical place. *Mary Ellen may have had 4 pregnancies, but Weston was their only surviving child.
~~~~~
Lots of familiar names in the social sections. January 9, 1910
Mentioned are Ida & Isaac Hurd, and their sons Wilmer and Ray Hurd.
Charles, Mary Ellen, Weston, and Pearl Betts (not sure which one it would be. Charles had a few relatives named Pearl Betts).
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January 30, 1910
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Weston attends Business College
~~~~~
Mrs. A. S. Tait is Mary Ellen’s sister Cassie. Clarice is Cassie’s daughter.
Weston turns 17!
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Charlie’s mother Kate, wife Mary Ellen “Ella”, and son Weston
Mary Ellen’s Brother Noah Horning
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Weston enlisted in the Army in 1917 at the age of 22-23. On June 29, 1918, Weston prepares to leave for WWI. He would serve in Belgium and France.
What a great picture. Weston with his grandpa John Ellsworth Horning.
~Postcard~
I believe Weston is the one kneeling next to the man in the white pants.
Weston’s Honorable Discharge paper from the US Army
Charles received a letter from the King of England, George the Fifth. It reads,
Soldiers of the United States, the people of the British Isles welcome you on your way to take your stand beside the Armies of many Nations now fighting in the Old World the great battle for human freedom.
The Allies will gain new heart and spirit in your company. I wish that I could shake the hand of each one of you and bid you Godspeed on your mission. April 1918
WWI ended on November 11, 1918. Weston stayed in France for three more months with the Dusserre family of Nogent, France. More of Weston’s story will be updated on his page as more pictures and info have been found in my Great-Aunt Bobbie’s scrapbook (Weston’s youngest daughter). A very Special Thank You can go to her children Gary, Sheri, and Teri for sharing her collection with me.
~~~~~
After coming home from war, Charles and Weston built the Dance Hall, Restaurant, and Bath House (White building in the middle left of Zigglers store). Notice the difference in the photos above and below how they really cleaned up the driftwood the more popular Redondo became.
~~~~~
You can really see the porch that Mr. Schwartz added in this picture.
Shoring up the bulkhead was probably a part-time job.
~~~~~
September 25, 1919. Veterans of three Wars. Weston -WWI, his uncle Albert -Spanish War, his Grandpa James -Civil War, and David Sharp-Civil War. Does anyone know who David Sharp is?
~~~~~
Modern-day view of Charles’s 1919 Overland 90 and below their actual Overland 90
When Weston returned from WWI, Charles, Mary Ellen, and Weston went on a six-month-long road trip across the country. Below was their route along with pictures from almost every state they visited, along with a newspaper article asking Charles how the roads from San Antonio Texas to the coast and up to Redondo Washington were.
Map of travel
National Park Inn was actually in Longmire, Washington, not Montana. It burnt down in 1926.
~Idaho~
~Montana~
I have driven past this point on the Continental Divide over a dozen times. I think about my great-great grandparents every time we get to the summit. One of these times I will go exploring to see if this sign is still out there off the freeway.
Weston and Charlie at the summit of the Rockies
Park City Montana is west of Billings for reference.
~North Dakota~
~Minnesota~
~Iowa~
The date reads October 5, 1919. Grandpa John Horning with his grandchildren. Weston is wearing a tie. Can you name the other grandkids? I have some ideas but not 100% sure.
The Burnham-Coaster Wagon was made in Charles City, Iowa by the Burnham Mfg. Co. Dog is unknown.
~Kentucky~
On cobblestone road near Mammoth Cave, Kentucky
~Tennessee~
Tomb of James R Polk and monument Andrew Jackson
~Georgia~
~Florida~
1919 Thanksgiving Dinner Jaxol, Florida. Looks like crab was the main dish.
Kings Road Jacksonville Florida
Jacksonville Ostrich Farm
Royal Palms Florida
Melbourne December 17, 1919, Cactus in Florida. Melbourne is southeast of Orlando.
~Fun fact, East of the Mississippi River, Florida has the highest cactus diversity in the US.
Largest (oak) tree in Florida. Limbs 106×110 ft
~Missouri~
Missouri Monument in memory of 25 white families slaughtered by Indians.
~New Mexico~
Weston
Charles
~California~
Redondo Beach California
The General Custer Redwood. It is now 280 feet tall and has a circumference of 71 Looks like maybe Mary Ellen is on the right?
~Washington~
_____ Street Scene Pacific Beach Washington
Arch Rock, Pt. Greenville, Moclips, and Pacific Beach Washington.
End of trip pictures.
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~~1920~~
~~~~~
Note from Barbara Betts Englund,
Weston and Lauree
Just like Charles and Mary Ellen, I never learned how Weston met Lauree. I give Noah Horning, Weston’s Uncle, credit for introducing them. He said he would have married her himself if he had been younger. Noah’s friends, the Davis’ of Tacoma, hired Lauree’s father to do carpenter work for them and let Lauree’s mother bring Myra to their home when she got out of the hospital in Tacoma (that story is on the Arthur Burgess page). Did they meet at the Davis’?
(Weston and Lauree have their own pages for more information)
~~~~~
This photo was probably taken between 1921 and 1922.
This is a great Burgess & Betts family photo with a few Horning’s mixed in.
Was Weston taking the picture?
~~~~~
Charles and Mary Ellen are Grandparents! Evelyn Carol Betts was born on October 25, 1922, in Tacoma.
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Here is another great family photo of the Betts, Burgess, Horning, and Hurds. This time Weston is in the photo but not Lauree. Based on Evelyn’s age it was taken in 1923. What a great picture showing up to four generations. In this picture is
-John Horning (Mary Ellen’s Father)
-Arthur, Lydia, Merle, Kenny, Myra Burgess (Lauree’s family)
-Ida, Wilmer, Myra, Ray Hurd (Ida’s sons and daughter-in-law)
-Julia Betts, I believe, is Charles and Ida’s sister-in-law, married to Walter Betts
-James Betts is Charles and Ida’s father
~~~~~
This photo was taken sometime before 1921. Pictured are Charles, his father-in-law John Horning, and his step-father Willis Hall. I’m not sure who Mr. Kelly is but there is an Issac Kelly listed as Mildred Kelly-Horning’s father. If you know who Mr. Kelly is, let me know.
~~~~~
Charlie and Ida’s step-father Willis Hall passed away September 10, 1921, at the age of 79.
He was an early Pierce County resident and lived in Indian Territory for a time until it was changed to Tacoma and Puyallup. His family were early settlers of Peoria, Illinois. He was a Civil War Veteran.
~~~~~
Written by Barbara Betts-Englund
From what I heard Grandpa Charlie was an adventurous, smart business man as well as a good husband. I never knew him as he died in 1926 before I was born. It was said he ate pickled pigs feet the night he died and had indigestion and a heart attack.
Just in case you can’t read this. It’s the only one I can find,
Charles E. Betts, 65, founder of Redondo Beach, died Monday night at his beach home from a heart attack.
Mr.Betts was a native of Iowa, coming to the coast 28 years ago. At that time he bought a piece of ground known as Stone’s Landing and soon afterwards changed the name to Redondo Beach. This beach has since grown to be one of the Sound’s popular summer resorts.
Mr. Betts is survived by his wife Mary E.; one son, Weston J.; his father, James W.; a sister Ida M. Hurd, and one grandchild Evelyn Carole, all of Redondo Beach, besides a number of relatives in Iowa.
The funeral will be held at the Chittenden Chapel, Kent, at 3 (?) p. m. Thursday. Burial will be made in Woodlawn Abbey, Sumner.
I’m sure this was a heartbreaking loss for Mary Ellen and Weston along with all the family and friends who loved him.
F.A.G# 21067086 · View Source
~~~~~
-More of Mary Ellen’s story is found on John Ellsworth Horning’s page.
-Weston Betts has his own page.
-Charles’s sister Ida will have more information on the future James Wygant Betts page.
~~~~~
As always their story isn’t finished yet. Thank you for reading. Let me know if you have pictures, stories, or favorite memories of anyone on this page.
-F.A.G# are FindaGrave.com reference numbers if you to start your own virtual cemetery through their app.
-I find most of my information in State or County books, family genealogy books, libraries, Google searches, and personal stories and pictures given to me
I do this to preserve our family history for us and future generations. I keep the website ad-free because who wants to see ads. I do take donations and I truly appreciate everyone who has donated so far. You know who you are 🙂 We have a Venmo set up now @Eric-Puryear-3 to make donations easier.
Thank you again for reading and remember if you count back 10 generations, it took 2,046 people to come together at separate times in history just to make you!
If the Genes Fit... 