Family Group Sheet
NameSelwyn White Kesler
Birth21 Jan 1888, Carthage, Jefferson Co., New York
Death29 Jul 1957, Seattle, King Co., Washington
Other spousesMattie E. Smith
Marriageaft 1940
SpouseGeneva Pearl Prather, 3C1R
Birth1 Mar 1902, Menifee Co., Kentucky
Death15 Mar 1970, Seattle, King Co., Washington
Death Memofrom SSDI
Death24 Oct 1969, Seattle, King Co., Washington
Death Memofrom Washington death index
FatherChristopher Dickson Prather (1877-<1940)
MotherAnna May Alfrey (1882-1964)
Other spousesLloyd R. Hayward
Notes for Selwyn White Kesler
His WW I draft registration card, filed 2 June 1917, records Selwyn Whie Kesler, age 29, residence Brooklyn, NY (there is a street address, but I cannot read it), born 21 Jan 1888 in Carthage, N.Y., occupation auto salesman, employer Abbott Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, married supporting wife & 2 children.
His WW II draft registration card, filed April 1942, records Selwyn White Kesler, age 54, residence 1306 W. Main, Medford, Oregon, born 21 Jan 1888 in Carthage, New York, employer C. I. Hutchison, same address, employer U.S. Army Engineers #92.
The SSDI lists Selwyn Kesler, born 21 Jan 1888, died 26 July 1957, SSN issued in California in 1952.
His obituary in the Seattle Times of Sunday, July 28, 1957 reported: “S. W. Kesler, Construction Chief, Dies - Funeral services for Selwyn W. Kesler, 69, a construction superintendent and former Pennsylvania pheasant farmer, will be held at 3 o’clock tomorrow in Hoffner’s Fesher-Kalfus chapel. Burial will be in Washell.
Mr. Kesler died Friday in a sanatorium. He made his home in the Seattle area since 1943. He worked on construction for the Army Engineers and for the Federal Housing Authority in Alaska.
A native of Carthage, N.Y., Mr. Kesler attended schools, in Worcester, Mass. He was graduated in 1909 from Syracuse University, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. He was a pilot and captain in the Army Air Service during the First World War. He resided at 511 N. 73rd St.
Survivors are his wife, Geneva, a stepson, Dixon M. Hayward, Seattle, and two stepgrandsons.”
The obituary does not mention his two sons Robert and Selwyn Jr. by his first wife Mattie Smith, both of whom survived him.
His WW II draft registration card, filed April 1942, records Selwyn White Kesler, age 54, residence 1306 W. Main, Medford, Oregon, born 21 Jan 1888 in Carthage, New York, employer C. I. Hutchison, same address, employer U.S. Army Engineers #92.
The SSDI lists Selwyn Kesler, born 21 Jan 1888, died 26 July 1957, SSN issued in California in 1952.
His obituary in the Seattle Times of Sunday, July 28, 1957 reported: “S. W. Kesler, Construction Chief, Dies - Funeral services for Selwyn W. Kesler, 69, a construction superintendent and former Pennsylvania pheasant farmer, will be held at 3 o’clock tomorrow in Hoffner’s Fesher-Kalfus chapel. Burial will be in Washell.
Mr. Kesler died Friday in a sanatorium. He made his home in the Seattle area since 1943. He worked on construction for the Army Engineers and for the Federal Housing Authority in Alaska.
A native of Carthage, N.Y., Mr. Kesler attended schools, in Worcester, Mass. He was graduated in 1909 from Syracuse University, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. He was a pilot and captain in the Army Air Service during the First World War. He resided at 511 N. 73rd St.
Survivors are his wife, Geneva, a stepson, Dixon M. Hayward, Seattle, and two stepgrandsons.”
The obituary does not mention his two sons Robert and Selwyn Jr. by his first wife Mattie Smith, both of whom survived him.
Notes for Geneva Pearl Prather
The SSDI lists Geneva P. Kesler, born 1 Mar 1902, died 15 Mar 1970, last residence Seattle, King Co., Washington, SSN issued in Washington in 1967.
She may also be the Geneva Kesler listed in the Washington state death index as died 24 Oct 1969 in King Co., residence same. If so, that date is likely to be more accurate than the one from the SSDI, which might be misrecorded as the date her death was reported to the Social Security Administration.
She may also be the Geneva Kesler listed in the Washington state death index as died 24 Oct 1969 in King Co., residence same. If so, that date is likely to be more accurate than the one from the SSDI, which might be misrecorded as the date her death was reported to the Social Security Administration.
Census
1930 census of King Co., Washington, Seattle block 1655, ED 17045, enumerated 5 April, lists on p. 11A as family #121/121A, at 4315 4th Ave NW:
Hawyard, Geneva, 27, married, age at first marriage 21, b. Ky Ky Ky, nurse at dentist office; Dixon, son, 5, b. Wash Ky Nebraska; Prather, Paul, lodger, 18, age at first marriage 17, b. Ky Ky Ky, laborer at lumber mill; Lorain, lodger, 19, age at first marriage 18, b. Wash N.D. Wash; Alfrey, George R., boarder, 19, single, b. Wash Ky Ky, laborer at lumber mill.
Paul Prather is Geneva’s brother. George R. Alfrey, better known as Richard G. Alfrey, is the son of George Alfrey and Cannie Donohue. George is the brother of Geneva and Paul’s maternal grandfather John W. Alfrey, and Cannie is the sister of their paternal grandmother Georgia Ann Donohue. So he is their double first cousin once removed.
1940 census of King Co., Washington, Seattle, ED 40-31, enumerated April 10, lists on p. 6B as family #159, at 502 N. 72nd St:
Prather, Paul, 28, b. Ky, boom man at lumber saw mill; Lorraine, wife, 29, b. Wash; Delores, dau, 9, b. Wash; Anna, mother, 56, b. Ky, widowed; Hayward, Geneva, sister, 38, b. Ky, divorced, dentist’s assistant; Dixon, nephew, 15, b. Wash; Alfrey, Sam, uncle, 54, b. Ky, single, boom man at lumber saw mill. All living at same place (but not same house) in 1935.
Hawyard, Geneva, 27, married, age at first marriage 21, b. Ky Ky Ky, nurse at dentist office; Dixon, son, 5, b. Wash Ky Nebraska; Prather, Paul, lodger, 18, age at first marriage 17, b. Ky Ky Ky, laborer at lumber mill; Lorain, lodger, 19, age at first marriage 18, b. Wash N.D. Wash; Alfrey, George R., boarder, 19, single, b. Wash Ky Ky, laborer at lumber mill.
Paul Prather is Geneva’s brother. George R. Alfrey, better known as Richard G. Alfrey, is the son of George Alfrey and Cannie Donohue. George is the brother of Geneva and Paul’s maternal grandfather John W. Alfrey, and Cannie is the sister of their paternal grandmother Georgia Ann Donohue. So he is their double first cousin once removed.
1940 census of King Co., Washington, Seattle, ED 40-31, enumerated April 10, lists on p. 6B as family #159, at 502 N. 72nd St:
Prather, Paul, 28, b. Ky, boom man at lumber saw mill; Lorraine, wife, 29, b. Wash; Delores, dau, 9, b. Wash; Anna, mother, 56, b. Ky, widowed; Hayward, Geneva, sister, 38, b. Ky, divorced, dentist’s assistant; Dixon, nephew, 15, b. Wash; Alfrey, Sam, uncle, 54, b. Ky, single, boom man at lumber saw mill. All living at same place (but not same house) in 1935.
Notes for Selwyn White & Geneva Pearl (Family)
Information that Geneva Prather remarried to Selwyn Kesler is from her granddaughter-in-law Kendra Hayward (wife of her grandson Dixon C. Hayward.)
