Bessie Logan (Havner) Wisner (1891 - 1959)

Born 17 Apr 1891 in Danville, Yell, Arkansas, United States [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of Raymond Rex Wisner Sr. — married 17 Mar 1914 in Fresno, Fresno, California, United States

Died 5 Oct 1959 at age 68 in Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Carol Havner [send private message]

Biography

Bess was born in either Danville, Yell, Arkansas or Waldron, Scott, Arkansas. She and my father (her younger brother, Paul) differed on that. On her delayed birth certificate it says that she was born in Danville. The family moved to California when in 1906. Bess said they were staying in Berkeley during the San Francisco earthquake. They could see the fires from the roof of the home where they were staying. They moved to Fresno, Fresno, CA Bess got a job as a salesperson in a piano factory. I'm sure she was a good salesperson. She was very friendly and loved to play the piano. If you could hum a tune, she could play it. In about 1912 she met a young electrical engineer, Rex Wisner, who I believe was working on a projected dam in the area with A.G. Wishon. They were married on March 17, 1914 , and their first son, Clark was born in December of that year. in 1915 they moved to Boston, Massachusetts and later to Newton where Bess lived for the rest of her life. Bess and Rex had six children, but only five lived to be adults. Clark, Martin, Rex Jr., Bob, and Bruce. Their only daughter Marylin died when she was about seven years old. She was in the hospital recovering from Scarlet Fever when a nurse gave her an overdose of medication and she died within a short time. Bess always hated being so far from her family, but came to California to visit every few years. During World War II, Martin, Ray (Rex Jr.) and Bob were in the service. Bess played for the boys at USO gatherings, she played for the radio station in Newton when they had down time, and she and Rex spent a great deal of time in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Rex was one of the head engineers on the Atomic Bomb project. Bess came to California to visit all her brothers and sisters in about 1955. The entire family got together at Roy and Margie's home in Los Altos. They had a wonderful time. Bess died on Oct 5, 1959.

Sources

Carol Havner Porter [{Havner-85[Carol Ann Havner}]. niece

• U.S.,Find a Grave Index, 1700s-Current; http://www.Ancestry.com

Arkansas, Delayed Birth Certificate 1957, 001093 Arkansas State Board of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics 1900 United States Federal Census - Arkansas, Yell, Magazine District 0158 Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 Publication Date: 18 /Mar/1914; Publication Place: Fresno, California, USA; URL: http://www.Ancestry.com 1910 United States Federal Census Residence place: Fresno Ward 3, Fresno, CA 1920 United States Federal Census Residence place: Boston Ward 25, Suffolk, Massachusetts; Roll: T625_741; Page 12A; Enumeration District: 587; Image: 268 1930 United States Federal Census Residence place: Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll 926; Page:11A; Enumeration District; 381 Image: 870.0 1940 United States Federal Census; Residence place :Newton, Middlesex Massachusetts; Roll T627_1615; Page: 8B; Enumeration District:9-435.