Forest George Chaney1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 15405, (1890 - 1966)
FatherGeorge William Chaney4,5,6 (Dec 1860 - )
MotherBertha Etta Furry5,6 (2 Sep 1861 - 12 Jan 1899)

Key Events:

Birth: 15 Aug 1890, Wagoner, Indian Territory7,8,9
Marriage: about 1910, Vera Mattie Baird (3 Jun 1894 - 16 Mar 1970)10,11,12
Divorce: between 1915 and 1919, Vera Mattie Baird (3 Jun 1894 - 16 Mar 1970)
Marriage: about 1920, Flossie Mae Dorrell (30 Jun 1900 - 14 Mar 1935)13,14
Marriage: 7 Dec 1935, Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan, Florence Marie Cornfoot (23 Oct 1904 - 12 Jun 1964)5,15,16
Death: 4 May 1966, East China Twp., St. Clair Co., Michigan17,18
Burial: 7 May 1966, Oaklawn Cemetery, Algonac, St. Clair Co., Michigan19
AncestryThe Reigel Family

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Forest George Chaney was born on 15 Aug 1890 in Wagoner, Indian Territory.7,8,9
     He generally used his middle name, George, after he left home, even for formal documents, until about 1940 when he reverted to his first name, Forest.20,21,22
     His mother died on 12 Jan 1899, when Forest was 8 years old.23 He appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Stillwater, Payne Co., Oklahoma Territory, in the household of his father, George William Chaney.4
     Forest appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Stillwater, Payne Co., Oklahoma, enumerated 22 Apr 1910, as a boarder in the home of Spencer Burdett and his family.24
     Forest married first Vera Mattie Baird, daughter of Charles Baird and Luretta E. Noble, about 1910.10,11,12
     Forest and Vera moved to Kansas between 1911 and 1913 with their young son George. They appeared on the 1915 State Census of Lawrence, Douglas Co., Kansas, at 716 Elm, reporting they were renting their home. Their children George and Carl were listed as living with them, as was her brother James.20
     According to Reigel family lore, Vera either abandoned her children or her husband took them away. Forest years later told his children that he got up one morning and she was gone.25,26,27 He and Vera apparently were divorced between 1915 and 1919, as both remarried by 1920. In any event, Forest moved to Indiana with his two sons by 1917.
     Forest registered for the draft for World War I on 5 Jun 1917, while living at 235 Wisconsin, Indianapolis, Indiana, reporting he was employed as a "hack saw milling machine" for E. C. Atkins & Co., in Indianapolis. They were manufacturers of saws and saw tools.21
     Forest married second Flossie Mae Dorrell, daughter of Robert Dorrell and Flora Mae Smythy, about 1920.13,14
     Forest and Flossie appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana, in the household of Robert Dorrell and Flora Mae Smythy, her parents. His sons from his first marriage, George and Carl, were listed as living with them.28
     Forest and Flossie and his two sons moved to Michigan by 1930. They appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan, at 15780 Stansbury, enumerated 23 Apr 1930, reporting they were renting their home, apparently half of a two-family unit, for $45 per month, and owned a radio. His children by his prior marriage, George and Carl, were listed as living with him.22
     Flossie died on 14 Mar 1935 in Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan.29
     Forest married third Florence Marie Cornfoot, daughter of Pearl May Pennington, on 7 Dec 1935 in Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan, with Rev. Edgar DeWitt Jones officiating.5,15,16
     Forest and Florence appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan, at 3738 Humphrey Ave., enumerated 17 Apr 1940, reporting that they were renting their home, for $35 per month, and had lived in the same city in 1935. Their two childrenwere listed as living with them.30
     He was a laborer in 1910 in Stillwater. By 1915, in Lawrence, he was a machinist at Disten Saw Works. By 1930 he was a mechanic in a garage. In 1940 he reported he had worked 52 hours in that trade the last week of March, and 45 weeks the prior year, earning $1,600. He reported was unable to work by 1950, but his wife earned $2,900 the prior year.31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38
     Forest registered for the draft for World War II on 26 Apr 1942, while living at 29451 John Hawk, Garden City, Michigan, reporting he was employed by by Lewis Sultan, at 5100 Grand River, Detroit.3
     Forest and Florence appeared on the 1950 Federal Census of Garden, Wayne Co., Michigan, at 29451 John Hauk, enumerated 6 Apr 1950, reporting they lived in a home that was not on a farm and they lived in the same house the year before. Their childrenwere listed as living with them.39
     Florence died on 12 Jun 1964 in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw Co., Michigan.40,41
     Forest died on 4 May 1966 in East China Twp., St. Clair Co., Michigan, at age 75.17,18 He was buried on 7 May 1966 in Oaklawn Cemetery, Algonac, St. Clair Co., Michigan.19

Children:
     Children with Vera Mattie Baird:

  • George Charles Chaney42,43,22 (7 Apr 1911 - Dec 1980)
  • Carl Donavan Chaney42,43,44 (29 Mar 1913 - 30 Dec 1989)

Children:
     There were no children with Flossie Mae Dorrell

Children:
     Children with Florence Marie Cornfoot:

Forest and Florence's children are still living.

Citations

  1. [S6365] George W. Chany household, 1900 U.S. Census, Payne Co., Oklahoma Territory, shows name as Forest G. Chany.
  2. [S6363] Spencer W. Burdett household, 1910 U.S. Census, Payne Co., Oklahoma, shows name as Forest Chaney.
  3. [S6364] Forrest George Chaney, World War II Draft Cards (4th Registration) for the State of Michigan.
  4. [S6365] George W. Chany household, 1900 U.S. Census, Payne Co., Oklahoma Territory.
  5. [S7235] Marriage Certificates, State Copy, Michigan, 1935, Wayne, no. 468290, Forest Chaney and Florence Cornfoot.
  6. [S6414] Forest G. Chaney, Certificate of Death.
  7. [S6365] George W. Chany household, 1900 U.S. Census, Payne Co., Oklahoma Territory, shows month, year, as 1890, age 9, and territory.
  8. [S6367] George F. Chaney, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, shows date, with year as 1890, town, and territory.
  9. [S6414] Forest G. Chaney, Certificate of Death, shows date, with year as 1891, town, and territory.
  10. [S6362] Geo. F. Chaney household, 1915 Kansas State Census, Douglas Co., Kansas, Lawrence, shows them apparently living as husband and wife.
  11. [S812] Frank W. Reigel and Vera M. Chaney, marriage record, Marriage Return, shows that she was previously married, her surname was Chaney, and maiden surname Baird.
  12. [S486] Frank W. Reigel household, 1930 U.S. Census, Clark Co., Washington, shows she was first married at age 15.
  13. [S6366] Robert Dorrell household, 1920 U.S. Census, Marion Co., Indiana, shows each as married, with surname Chaney, and her as daughter and him as son-in-law of head of household.
  14. [S6368] George F. Chaney household, 1930 U.S. Census, Wayne Co., Michigan, shows married, with his first marriage at age 18 and hers at 19.
  15. [S6370] George Forest household, 1940 U.S. Census, Wayne Co., Michigan, shows married.
  16. [S6414] Forest G. Chaney, Certificate of Death, shows her as his wife.
  17. [S6414] Forest G. Chaney, Certificate of Death, shows date, township, and county.
  18. [S233] Rootsweb.com, online, "Death Record," record for Forest G. Chaney, citing St. Clair Co. Michigan bk 12 pg 107, shows year, county, and state.
  19. [S6414] Forest G. Chaney, Certificate of Death, shows date, cemetery, town, and state.
  20. [S6362] Geo. F. Chaney household, 1915 Kansas State Census, Douglas Co., Kansas, Lawrence.
  21. [S6367] George F. Chaney, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.
  22. [S6368] George F. Chaney household, 1930 U.S. Census, Wayne Co., Michigan.
  23. [S500] Findagrave.com, online, memorial # 10770548, Ettie Chaney.
  24. [S6363] Spencer W. Burdett household, 1910 U.S. Census, Payne Co., Oklahoma.
  25. [S93] Interview, Judith Ann Reigel, 7 Oct 1998, said the story she heard from Ruth Reigel was that Vera abandoned her children.
  26. [S107] Interview, Sally Jo Reigel, 23 Feb 1999, said the story she heard was that Vera's husband left with the children.
  27. [S6383] Chaney, "Vera," e-mail to author, 6 Dec 2015, recalls conversation with his father, saying "he got up one morning and she was gone."
  28. [S6366] Robert Dorrell household, 1920 U.S. Census, Marion Co., Indiana.
  29. [S6378] Flossie Mae Dorrell Chaney, Certificate of Death.
  30. [S6370] George Forest household, 1940 U.S. Census, Wayne Co., Michigan.
  31. [S6363] Spencer W. Burdett household, 1910 U.S. Census, Payne Co., Oklahoma, shows occupation as laborer, industry as agent.
  32. [S6362] Geo. F. Chaney household, 1915 Kansas State Census, Douglas Co., Kansas, Lawrence, shows occupation as machinist.
  33. [S6383] Chaney, "Vera," e-mail to author, 6 Dec 2015, shows he worked for Disten in Lawrence.
  34. [S6366] Robert Dorrell household, 1920 U.S. Census, Marion Co., Indiana, shows occupation as operator, industry as machine.
  35. [S6368] George F. Chaney household, 1930 U.S. Census, Wayne Co., Michigan, shows occupation as mechanic, industry as garage.
  36. [S6370] George Forest household, 1940 U.S. Census, Wayne Co., Michigan, shows occupation as mechanic, industry as retail garage.
  37. [S12407] Forest G. Chaney household, 1950 U.S. Census, Wayne Co., Michigan, shows unable to work.
  38. [S6414] Forest G. Chaney, Certificate of Death, shows occupation as auto mechanic, business as garage.
  39. [S12407] Forest G. Chaney household, 1950 U.S. Census, Wayne Co., Michigan.
  40. [S6423] Florence Marie Chaney, Certificate of Death, shows date, town, county, and state.
  41. [S233] Rootsweb.com, online, "Death Record," record for Florence Marie Chaney, citing St. Clair Co. Michigan bk 11 pg 516, shows year, county, and state.
  42. [S6362] Geo. F. Chaney household, 1915 Kansas State Census, Douglas Co., Kansas, Lawrence, shows them apparently living as parent and child.
  43. [S6366] Robert Dorrell household, 1920 U.S. Census, Marion Co., Indiana, shows the boy as grandson and George F. as son-in-law of the head of household, and both with surname Chaney.
  44. [S7235] Marriage Certificates, State Copy, Michigan, 1934, Wayne, no. 441942, Carl Chaney and Dorothy Krog, shows father's name as George.