Clyde C. Culipher

Narrative:

     Clyde C. Culipher was born on 28 Aug 1897 in Fisher, Louisiana, although he later claimed in various documents to having been born in years ranging from 1893 to 1900.^{9,10,11,12,13,14}
     He moved to Texas with his parents, Commodore P. Culipher, and Eula H. Markett before 1900. He appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Newton Co., Texas, in the household of his parents.⁷
     According to family lore, his father died in the great hurricane of Galveston, Texas, which occurred in Sep 1900, when Clyde was 3 years old. No documentation of his death has been found, and he does not appear in the lists of casualties of that event, which are admittedly incomplete. But he has not been found alive in any later records.²⁴
     Clyde appeared with his mother, his sister, and his half-sister on the 1910 Federal Census of Lufkin, Angelina Co., Texas, boarding in the household of Joe Albin and his two children. Also boarding there was another mother with her two teen-age children.²⁵

Trouble with the Law Began Young --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Clyde's troubles with the law seem to have started in his teens. On 13 May 1913 his mother filed a writ of habeas corpus in District Court in Lake Charles. He had been arrested two weeks prior in Shreveport and charged with the theft of $225 from a party in De Quincy. News reports said other charges were likely. The writ challenged his being held in the Paris Jail on the grounds that he was under 17 years old.²⁶
     Clyde married first Ruth P. Flora, daughter of Edward K. Flora and Mary Arizona Wellen, about 1914, according to her age at first marriage as reported in the 1930 census, though other evidence suggests it was later.^15,16
     He and Ruth apparently lived in Louisiana after their marriage, as their son was born there in 1918.
     He found himself in trouble with the Federal authorities while still a minor, but apparently after his marriage. He was sentenced to the National Training School for Boys, Washington, District of Columbia.²⁷ The nature of his offense has not been discovered, but the majority of boys committed to the School were convicted of either interstate commerce violations, such as breaking into rail cars, or postal offenses, such as stealing mail or breaking into post offices.²⁸
     He managed to escape, and was recaptured in Texas. In Jan 1918 he was being held in the county jail in Houston, Texas, awaiting instructions from Washington. He was released 9 Mar 1918 based on direction from the Attorney General in Washington. On 22 Apr a guard arrived from Washington to return him to the school, which had apparently not gotten the word from the Attorney General.²⁷
     He registered for the draft for World War I on 5 Jun 1918, while living at 1716 Caroline, Houston, Texas, reporting he was employed as Schaeffer & Buman in Houston.³
     In the newspaper announcement of his second marriage he claimed to have graduated from Rice Institute (now Rice University) in Houston. That presumably would have been during the period he lived in Houston. But there is no record that he ever attended that school.^29,30
     Clyde changed his name to Taylor James Wallace, apparently about 1919. But he seems to have continued to use his birth name in some contexts at least until 1920.^31,32,33
     He appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, in the household of his mother, listed under his birth name, Clyde Culipher. He is shown as married, but his wife and child are not listed in the household. His occupation was listed as salesman, selling soda water.³⁴

Moving to the East Coast --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     He and Ruth apparently moved to Maryland about 1920. In addition to being recorded with his mother in Louisiana, he appeared with Ruth on the 1920 Federal Census of Baltimore, Maryland, at 11 E. Centre, reporting they were renting their home. The enumeration date was not recorded. He was listed as Taylor J. Wallace. Their son Gordon was listed as living with them.³¹ His occupation was listed as the proprietor of a candy shop.³¹ He was listed in the 1920 and 1921 Baltimore city directories at the same address, with an occupation as salesman.³⁵
     Taylor and a confederate were arrested 4 Dec 1920 and charged with larceny of an automobile valued at $3,000. His address was given as 1826 Madison Ave., Baltimore.³⁶ They were released on bail, with a trial set for 19 Jan 1921. In the two days preceding the trial Taylor passed a series of bogus checks, then disappeared. The checks were for $50 to Times Square Auto Supply Co., $38 and $25 to two individuals, and several smaller amounts. An indictment on charges of obtaining money and merchandise on alleged bogus checks was added to the pending charges.³⁷
     He was arrested 16 Feb 1921 in Detroit, Michigan, and transported back to Baltimore.³⁷ He was tried 10 Mar 1921 on charges of forgery and burglary, and sentenced to 10 years in the Maryland Penitentiary.^38,39 He was admitted to the Maryland Penitentiary on 11 Mar 1921, where is residence was recorded as Dallas, Texas, and his occupation as auditor.⁴⁰ In announcing his arrest, the detective said he also used the alias Clyde Fulerton. Whether he was using this name in Detroit or previously is not clear.³⁷
     He also used the name Clyde Larkins, his mother's second married name. That name is found only in connection with his arrests, so it is unclear whether he ever used it routinely.^27,41
     He was paroled 5 Aug 1926 and joined Ruth in West Virginia, as he appears with her in the 1927 city directory, at 201 E. Union Ave., Martinsburg, West Virginia. His occupation is listed as shoemaker.⁴²
     It appears that Taylor was soon in trouble with the law again, as he returned to prison, this time at the Maryland House of Corrections, which generally housed prisoners with shorter sentences. He appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Jessup, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland, at Maryland House of Corrections, enumerated 9 May 1930, listed as a prisoner. He was shown as working in the paint shop.⁴³
     Taylor and Ruth were divorced between 1930 and 1940.¹⁷
     His release date is not known, but clearly was before 1937. He applied for a Social Security Number 26 Oct 1937, while living at 3504 Cotwood Place, Baltimore, Maryland, where he was employed by Century Metalcraft Corp, 200 W. Saratoga St. in Baltimore.⁴⁴

A New Life on Long Island --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     Sometime between 1937 and 1940 Taylor moved to Long Island, New York.
     By 1939 he was general manager of the Long Island division of a cemetery firm, in Port Washington. In 1940 he reported he was a cemetery salesman. He reported he had worked 54 hours the last week of March, and had worked 52 weeks the prior year, earning $1,922.^45,46
     Taylor married second Sara D. Vanderslice, daughter of Hervey Lloyd Vanderslice and Anna Belena Hagenbach, on 24 Jun 1939 in Baltimore, Maryland.^18,19
     Taylor and Sara settled in Mineola, Long Island, New York after their marriage. They appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Mineola, Nassau Co., New York, at 52 Juniper Ave., enumerated 27 Apr 1940, reporting they owned a home valued at $5,000. His mother was listed as living with them. He and his mother reported they had lived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1935, while Sara had lived in Glen Cove, Nassau Co..⁴⁷
     At the time of his death Taylor's birth date was shown in Social Security Administration records as 28 Aug 1893, despite the fact that his original application for Social Security account showed his birth date as in 1900 and other records strongly suggest it was in 1897. He apparently had convinced the Administration of the earlier date, one might assume in order to collect benefits.^13,48
     Taylor died on 2 Dec 1965 in New York at age 68.^20,21,22 He was buried in New Rosemont Cemetery, Espy, Pennsylvania.²³