Bessie Belle (Fraim) Strope (1885 - 1975)

Born 30 May 1885 in Cisne, Wayne Co., IL

Ancestors

Wife of Franklin Dorance Strope — married 28 Sep 1904 in Creighton, Nebraska

Descendants

Died 3 Jan 1975 at age 89 in Redwood City, San Mateo Co., CA

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Biography

Bessie Belle Fraim was born Cisne, IL on March 30, 1885. ^[1]

Based on the locations of her siblings' births ^[1], her family moved when she was about a year old to Iowa. Bessie's parents divorced some time after their youngest child, Dewey, was born (March 15, 1898)^[1]. Bessie's mother, Jemima Sparr, took the four girls and the baby, Dewey, to Nebraska where they lived with her father, John Sparr, on his farm. Bessie's father, TF Fraim, took the remaining boys and went to Indian territory (now Oklahoma). ^[2]

She married Franklin Dorance Strope September 28, 1904 in Creighton, Nebraska. ^[3] They had the following seven children, five of whom survived into adulthood ^[4]

Raymond Vernon Strope born August 5, 1905

Robert Strope born March 11, 1907, died March 16, 1907

Evelyn Myrtheline Strope born June 15, 1909

Helen Irene Strope born October 20, 1912

Mildred Francina Strope born January 29, 1914 (year should be 1915 per Mildred Kremer)

Marjorie Strope born September 5, 1916, died September 6, 1916

Betty Elaine Strope born February 29, 1928

Bessie and her family lived in the town of Orchard, Nebraska during Democratic administrations when her husband Frank was postmaster (Postmaster was a political appointment). During Republican administrations they lived outside of town on a farm. Bessie raised chickens and sold the eggs; Frank raised pigs. Ray left home first; Evelyn, Helen and Millie moved to San Francisco, California in 1937. After Frank died in 1944 Bessie sold the house and moved with her daughter Elaine to San Bruno, California. Elaine went to high school in San Francisco and lived with her sister Helen and her family. Bessie then moved to Redwood City where she lived with her daughter Millie's family. Both Millie and her husband Gene worked outside the home, so Bessie helped raise their daughter Alene. In 1952 she married Hal Way and they lived in a little house in Redwood City. Hal died about 1965, after which Elaine, now divorced, moved in and lived with her mother. Elaine worked full time, so in Bessie's final declining years she lived again with her daughter, Millie, now widowed. ^[5]

Bessie passed away January 3, 1975 at the home of her daughter, Mildred Kremer, in Redwood City, CA. ^[6]

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Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} The Fraim, Roush History, self published by Anna Elwanda Gaby, R#2 Cisne, IL 62823, 1988, includes a compilation of contributions of family members descended from John M. Fraim and Polly Ann Hale. Alene Kremer has a copy of the book and can provide lookups and page scans.
2. ↑ Family oral tradition reported by Helen Strope Lawrence, Elaine Strope James, and Mildred Strope Kremer and recorded by Alene Kremer November 17, 1992.
3. ↑ Marriage certificate of Franklin Dorance Strope and Bessie Belle Fraim
4. ↑ Letter written by Bessie to her brother-in-law, Floyd R. Strope, Norfolk Nebraska, September 7, 1949. Letter in possession of Alene Kremer
5. ↑ Recollections of Alene Kremer April 23, 2014
6. ↑ Death certificate of Bessie Belle Way