Sentimental Sunday: Charles Guokas Sr. & Some of His Offspring, 1937

Above is a photo of my great-grandfather Charles (Kazimieras) Guokas Sr. (1863-1939) and some of his offspring.  From the left:

• Sara Melzina Wolfe Guokas Archibald (1907-1997), my maternal grandmother;
• Elizabeth "Lizzie" Wanda Guokas Johnson Sayers (1901-1980), Charles Sr.'s oldest daughter by his second wife, my great-grandmother Elizabeth (Elžbieta Benevičiūtė) Banevich (1875-1929);
• Jesse Wayne Johnson Jr. (1920-2005), Lizzie's son by her first marriage;
• Charles Guokas Sr.;
• Eva Louise Guokas Scott (1907-1979), Charles Sr.'s youngest daughter;
• Otis Henry Scott Sr. (1901-1990), Eva's husband;
• Agnes "Aggie" Verna Guokas Payne (1905-1974), Charles Sr.'s middle daughter by my great-grandmother; and
• Milton Clyde "Jack" Payne (1904-1991), Aggie's husband.

This picture was taken the same day as one I've previously posted of Charles' & Elizabeth's grandchildren.  The baby in that photograph was born in 1937, so I date this photo to then as well.

I haven't written about Eva yet, so I will do that now.

Eva Louise Guokas was born on July 27, 1907, in Texas, probably in Houston, and probably at the family's home at that time at 1314 Railroad.  On the 1910 and 1920 Censuses, the family is living at 1717 Shearn, to which they'd moved by 1908.

In the 1923 Houston City Directory, Otis Scott, a clerk with the Chamber of Commerce, is living just down the street at 1810 Shearn.  By 1925, Eva and Otis are married and living at 623 Redan, and Otis is an operator with Landram Multigraphing Co., according to the Houston City Directory.  Their son Otis Henry Jr. is born on August 30, and they are living at 1344 Oxford on that date.

The family moved around quite a bit the next 15 years.  According to Houston city directories and censuses:

• In 1926, they are living with Eva's parents at 1717 Shearn, and Otis is a clerk.
• In 1930, they are living at 1844 Columbia. Otis is a typist with an insurance company. His widowed mother Maggie lives with the family.
• In 1932, their address is 3706 Reagan Ave. Otis is a printer with Great Southern Life Insurance Company.
• In 1935, Otis has the same job, and they are still at 3706 Reagan Avenue.
• In 1937, Otis is now assistant purchasing agent with Great Southern, and they live at 2702 Michaux.
• In 1940, Eva and Otis Jr. are living at 1717 Shearn again.  Charles Sr. died the previous year and left the house to his youngest son, Roy Lee, who lives there with his wife.  Otis Sr. is not listed at this address, and I cannot find him on the 1940 Census.
• In 1951, Otis is a salesman, and they are living at 934 La Monte.

934 La Monte was also their address on April 12, 1979, when Eva died from a heart attack.  She had three granddaughters and at least three great-grandchildren.  She is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Houston.

© Amanda Pape - 2014 - click here to e-mail me.