Walter Louis Gallagher
Walter Gallagher is my great-grandfather.
June 10th 1885 - January 30, 1955
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| Oakland, CA circa 1885 (Image via UC Berkeley - Bancroft Library) |
James and Lucy Gallagher dreamed of a better life in America. They said their goodbyes to their English homeland and crossed the Atlantic in order to make a new beginning for themselves. With their eldest son in tow, they initially settled in Missouri for a few years. However, it was in Oakland, California where they nourished deep roots in this New World.
Oakland was in the midst of its boom, so it's no wonder they settled there. Its population, only thirty years earlier, was somewhere in the vicinity of 50-100 people. By the time the 1880's rolled around, on the other hand, the town grew to about 35,000 people. So, jobs must have been plentiful. Oakland was becoming a thriving community and the Gallaghers wanted to be a part of it.
It was here, in their newly adopted home, where their family continued to grow. Nine of their children survived to maturity, but it was the eighth child who is the most important to our story. Walter Louis Gallagher would eventually become Bette's father, but in the meantime, he had some growing up to do first.
Walter was born on June 10th, 1885. He could be counted among one of the many first generation Americans living in the United States at this time, but he was also a first generation Oaklander. With the exception of when he lived in San Francisco for less than two years, he stayed in Oakland for nearly the entirety of his life.
With such a large family, the house Walter grew up in must have been bustling with noise and conversation. Sadly, a dark cloud hovered over the family. In the 1990's the Gallaghers went through a financial crisis. While they didn't lose their home, they lost many of their belongings due to debt. Then in 1898, James, the Gallagher patriarch, passed away. Walter was just a boy of thirteen when he lost his father. I can only imagine how difficult it would have been to lose a parent at such a young age.
Oakland was in the midst of its boom, so it's no wonder they settled there. Its population, only thirty years earlier, was somewhere in the vicinity of 50-100 people. By the time the 1880's rolled around, on the other hand, the town grew to about 35,000 people. So, jobs must have been plentiful. Oakland was becoming a thriving community and the Gallaghers wanted to be a part of it.
Walter was born on June 10th, 1885. He could be counted among one of the many first generation Americans living in the United States at this time, but he was also a first generation Oaklander. With the exception of when he lived in San Francisco for less than two years, he stayed in Oakland for nearly the entirety of his life.
With such a large family, the house Walter grew up in must have been bustling with noise and conversation. Sadly, a dark cloud hovered over the family. In the 1990's the Gallaghers went through a financial crisis. While they didn't lose their home, they lost many of their belongings due to debt. Then in 1898, James, the Gallagher patriarch, passed away. Walter was just a boy of thirteen when he lost his father. I can only imagine how difficult it would have been to lose a parent at such a young age.
Even though his father was gone and the children were growing up, the family stuck together even into the kids' early adulthood. As a teenager, Walter lived at 651 Linden Street with his mother and with seven of his siblings.
EDUCATION & EARLY ADULTHOOD:
If the Gallaghers were still living in England, the children most likely would not have attended school, but as an American, where public education was a societal norm, Walter did receive an education. He could read and he could write. He attended the Tompkins School located near his home. It was here where he was known as one of the "West Oakland Boys." His principal was the poet Edward Markham and he was a boyhood friend of the author Jack London. He completed his formal education in the 6th grade, which was common for this time frame.
In today's world, a teenager is still considered a kid and is more than likely still attending school. A 15 year old in 1900, on the other hand, was usually out of school. Work was the next logical step.
At 15 Walter worked for the railroad as a car cleaner. He was still working with the railroad in 1906 as a trunk worker. I can't find conclusive evidence of what a trunk worker was, but the railway was sometimes called a trunk in the early 20th century, so he could have worked on the railway itself, but suitcases were often trunks and luggage was also kept in the trunk of the train. So, he may have been a baggage handler.
HIS APPEARANCE:
Before long, he left his childhood behind him. He grew to be a tall man with a medium build. Tallness is relative to a person's time, so I doubt he could be a basketball player in today's terms, but for his time, he was on the taller side of the average man. Additionally, while we don't have any color images of him, we are fortunate to have the records that tell us the coloring of his hair and eye color, as well. He had brown eyes and light brown hair.
THE CHANGING TIDES:
The early 20th century brought forth difficult times around the globe. The Great Depression, the Flu Pandemic, the Women's Suffrage Movement, and two World Wars were a series of events that brought forth great change in cultural ideologies.
Walter was there for all of it. He was 29 in 1914 when World War I began. It would take another three years for the United Stated to enter into the war, but it still felt like a looming presence to contemporaries. President Woodrow Wilson chose to remain neutral for as long as he could, but that all changed when British Intelligence intercepted communiques claiming that Germany was going to help Mexico regain it's lost territory from the U.S. At the same time Germany began its attack on the American Navy. This enraged the American people and the sentiment of the masses quickly changed from one of neutrality to aggression. President Wilson rode the wave of the changing tides and altered his stance on staying out of the fight. On April 6th, 1917 we were at war with Germany and by the end of the year, Wilson declared war upon Austro-Hungary, as well.
The War to End All Wars may not have been fought at home, but it still affected our citizens. Mandatory draft registration began in June of 1918. Twenty-four million cards were registered that year, which equaled about 23% of the population. Walter was not exempt from registering. On September 12th of that year, he registered at the Division 1 Office in his hometown. I am uncertain if he actually had to serve during WWI or not. The war ended only two months after he registered. With that in mind, it seems likely that he did not have to endure the ravages of wartime.
When the next World War rolled around a generation later, he once again had to register for the draft. He was a 56 year old man and the registration card for his age grouping was dubbed "the old man's registration card." While I don't know for certain, I find it unlikely that he actually served at this point in his life.
An interesting note: his registration card listed his phone number as Merritt with the exchange 1685. (I love those old phone numbers!)
EDUCATION & EARLY ADULTHOOD:
If the Gallaghers were still living in England, the children most likely would not have attended school, but as an American, where public education was a societal norm, Walter did receive an education. He could read and he could write. He attended the Tompkins School located near his home. It was here where he was known as one of the "West Oakland Boys." His principal was the poet Edward Markham and he was a boyhood friend of the author Jack London. He completed his formal education in the 6th grade, which was common for this time frame.
In today's world, a teenager is still considered a kid and is more than likely still attending school. A 15 year old in 1900, on the other hand, was usually out of school. Work was the next logical step.
At 15 Walter worked for the railroad as a car cleaner. He was still working with the railroad in 1906 as a trunk worker. I can't find conclusive evidence of what a trunk worker was, but the railway was sometimes called a trunk in the early 20th century, so he could have worked on the railway itself, but suitcases were often trunks and luggage was also kept in the trunk of the train. So, he may have been a baggage handler.
HIS APPEARANCE:
Before long, he left his childhood behind him. He grew to be a tall man with a medium build. Tallness is relative to a person's time, so I doubt he could be a basketball player in today's terms, but for his time, he was on the taller side of the average man. Additionally, while we don't have any color images of him, we are fortunate to have the records that tell us the coloring of his hair and eye color, as well. He had brown eyes and light brown hair.
THE CHANGING TIDES:
The early 20th century brought forth difficult times around the globe. The Great Depression, the Flu Pandemic, the Women's Suffrage Movement, and two World Wars were a series of events that brought forth great change in cultural ideologies.
Walter was there for all of it. He was 29 in 1914 when World War I began. It would take another three years for the United Stated to enter into the war, but it still felt like a looming presence to contemporaries. President Woodrow Wilson chose to remain neutral for as long as he could, but that all changed when British Intelligence intercepted communiques claiming that Germany was going to help Mexico regain it's lost territory from the U.S. At the same time Germany began its attack on the American Navy. This enraged the American people and the sentiment of the masses quickly changed from one of neutrality to aggression. President Wilson rode the wave of the changing tides and altered his stance on staying out of the fight. On April 6th, 1917 we were at war with Germany and by the end of the year, Wilson declared war upon Austro-Hungary, as well.
The War to End All Wars may not have been fought at home, but it still affected our citizens. Mandatory draft registration began in June of 1918. Twenty-four million cards were registered that year, which equaled about 23% of the population. Walter was not exempt from registering. On September 12th of that year, he registered at the Division 1 Office in his hometown. I am uncertain if he actually had to serve during WWI or not. The war ended only two months after he registered. With that in mind, it seems likely that he did not have to endure the ravages of wartime.
When the next World War rolled around a generation later, he once again had to register for the draft. He was a 56 year old man and the registration card for his age grouping was dubbed "the old man's registration card." While I don't know for certain, I find it unlikely that he actually served at this point in his life.
An interesting note: his registration card listed his phone number as Merritt with the exchange 1685. (I love those old phone numbers!)
HIS PROFESSION:
In 1918 he was an engineer at the Moors Slick Building in Oakland, but there were other opportunities for him to explore.
Oakland was a burgeoning city and by 1919, more than 215,000 residents lived there. At this point in history, there were 250 police officers in the city. His older brother, Thomas worked for the Oakland Police Department and would eventually become an inspector. It's possible he encouraged Walter to join the ranks, because from October 9th - November 1st of that year, he served as an "extra patrolman", which I imagine is analogous to what we call today a reserve police officer. Then on June 22nd, 1920, Walter passed his entrance exam with a 76.7 rating and was appointed to the Oakland P.D. as a patrolman. This would become his career.
During his years of service, he was commended twice for his courtesy and professionalism. He was injured while on duty ten times. His service record shows that in the 22 years he worked with the city, he was out ill 10 times, ranging anywhere from 1 to 11 days, and on December 16th, 1933 he was off for one day without pay.
His monthly salary started out at $180, then $190 and he finally ended up with $200.
On more than one occasion, during his years of service, he rescued people from a burning building. He aided women in domestic disputes. He arrested criminals. He was involved in a couple of shoot outs. Considering he walked his beat and never drove a car with the department, he seemed to have an interesting career as a police officer.
He retired from the force on June 1st, 1942.
In the same year he ran for office as Alameda County Sheriff, but was defeated by Sheriff Gleason.
There are several newspaper articles written about various work-related experiences Walter was involved in. While some articles talk about shootings, others talk about his bravery and some paint a vivid picture of our nation's history, not just Walter's personal history. For example, Walter arrested those involved with the illegal liquor ring during Prohibition.
These newspaper clippings offer a glimpse into his professional life. Many of which are overly dramatic in their writing style. They often read like an old noir mystery radio show from the 30's and 40's. As I read them, I almost felt like there should be the dramatic music from those old shows playing along with my reading.
It's also interesting to read the language of the time. It's English, of course, but language constantly evolves. Where we say driver today, they said autoist, for example.
There are 30 known newspaper articles that mention Walter in the line of duty. There are simply too many articles to post on this page. However, I have made a home for them all on a separate page for viewing. I encourage you to take a peek at these articles and get to know Walter a little more through the eyes of various writers at the Oakland Tribune.
MARRIAGES & CHILDREN:
Walter married three times and had two children.
Geraldine & Thomas:
He first married Geraldine Silva on July 21, 1909. Silva is a Portuguese name and Geraldine was not only of Portuguese descent, she grew up Centerville, California—the same town his second wife, Ida (Ba) Oliveira, grew up in. According to the article posted, Geraldine and Ida were cousins of some sort. I cannot verify if they were were biological cousins, cousins through Ida's first husband's marriage, or if they just referred to themselves as cousins, which may have been a cultural thing. However, it is my belief that their familial relationship was through Ida's sister, who married a Silva.
The newly married couple rented a home at 3676 Market Street in Oakland, but at some point in 1910, they moved to San Francisco for a short time. Walter was bread winner and at this point he was an iron worker.
By 1912, they were back in Oakland.
Walter and Geraldine had a son named, Thomas "Tom" who was born in 1915. There are very few records of Tom, but he was never educated and he could not read or write. When he was 24, he lived with his mother and was listed as "unable" to work. He passed away in 1991.
Nine years after they married, Walter and Geraldine decided to call it quits. In March of 1918 divorce proceedings began. This was not as common as it is today. Only 12 - 15% of the married population ended in divorce during this time frame. It is no wonder, considering that it was requirement to air out one's dirty laundry in the newspaper. There was no privacy whatsoever. And thanks to the Oakland Tribune, we have a record of what happened. I have posted the article here for all to read. As a descendant of Walter's, I am grateful to know this information, but it must have been painfully embarrassing to have their neighbors, friends and co-workers, know the intimate details of their marriage and divorce.
It is interesting to note that there is a Mrs. Ida Focha who is mentioned at the end of the article about the Gallaghers divorce trial. When I read the first name of this woman for the first time, I had a sneaking suspicion that she was our Ida (Ba), but initially, I didn't have any records to back it up. Six months later, I found the records and I can report that Mrs. Focha was was indeed our Ida (Ba). Prior to marrying Walter, she had been married to John Anthony Focha. So, it would seem that Walter's ending with Geraldine, was the beginning of his relationship with Ida (Ba).
Geraldine married for a second time to Joseph Raulino. Mr. Raulino was from Portugal and he and Geraldine raised Tom in Berkeley, California. Walter paid monthly child support, but I have no knowledge if he kept in contact with his son. According to Bette, Tom never came to their home (Ida would not have allowed that) and sadly, she never met her half-brother.
I learned about Bette's 1/2 brother while I was in my twenties. Bette told me that Ba was jealous of Geraldine and Thomas, and it infuriated her mother that Walter had to pay child support.
Ida & Bette:
On August 29th, 1920, Walter walked down the aisle for the second time. He married the now divorced Mrs. Ida Oliveira Focha. It is their union that is the most important to all of us, as she is our direct-line ancestor. Nine months after their wedding date, Walter and Ida welcomed their only child together to the world, a daughter named Elizabeth "Bette" Jean Gallagher.
The family of three initially lived on Peralta in Oakland, but around 1922 they purchased their home at 4168 Park Blvd. Bette grew up here. She would eventually inherit this home and she owned it until her death in 2017. It sold shortly thereafter, after remaining in the family for nearly a century.
I would like to say that Walter and Ida had a happy marriage, but the records paint a different picture.
On May 12, 1928, Walter posted in the personal column a notice stating he was no longer responsible for Ida O. Gallagher's debt or obligations on or after this date. It surprised me to learn that this was the first stage of the divorce process in California at the time.
The following day, Ida posted her own notice in the paper. She claimed they had been separated since May 10th (so, for 3 days). She had filed for divorce and charged her husband with extreme cruelty. According to this article, Ida claimed that at least once a week Walter told her he did not love her and wished she would get a divorce. Ida requested from the court to have custody of Bette, a $100 monthly alimony payment, as well as $150 in attorney's fees.
The year of 1928 must have been a difficult one for Walter. His marriage was on rocky terrain, then to add fuel to the already raging fire, in the autumn of that year, his mother, Lucy, passed away. One of her obituaries mentions in the title that she was the mother of two police officers, so it would seem that Walter and his brother's professional status played a role in uplifting his mother's status.
While that year was difficult on the Gallaghers, they did not divorce—at least not yet. They stayed married until 1949. However, at some point in their marriage they had their home split in two. Sometimes they rented out the extra space and sometimes they used the extra space to live separately in either part of the now separated home.
Regardless of Walter's feelings towards his wife, Bette talked about how her family never felt the pangs of the Depression years and that her father doted on her while she was growing up.
In Jack's letters to Bette, he responds to Bette's letters regarding Walter disapproving of their marriage taking place back East where he was stationed during WWII—and to be fair, Bette wanted to be married in California, as well. This is where their friends and family lived. Jack & Bette did eventually marry in California. So, Walter eventually must have given his blessing. Walter walked her down the aisle, but their relationship was strained following their marriage. Eventually, after Walter and Ida's divorce, Walter not only cut ties with his ex-wife, but with his daughter, as well. I'm not even sure if Bette knew that Walter had remarried.
Katherine:
I know very little about Katherine except that she was his third wife and her surname prior to marriage was Foster. They did not have any children together and they were married until his death in 1955. They lived together at 247 Athol Drive in Oakland, only a few blocks away from Ida (Ba).
Politics:
Walter was civic minded and participated in our voting process. As far as I can tell with the records I could find (17 in all), he was a registered republican for most of his adult life. However, once he retired in 1942, he changed sides and registered as a democrat. This was the year he ran for sheriff, so he must have ran as a democrat. He was still a democrat in 1944.
Walter's Passing:
Walter had surgery on November 30th, 1954 where it was discovered that he had colon cancer. He passed away two months later on January 30th, 1955.
While I do not know what Walter's religious affiliation was, his funeral was officiated by the Christian Science reader, Herbert E. Bonham at the Grant Miller Mortuary on 14th Street. He was cremated and his bearers were from the police department.
It saddens me that neither of his children were mentioned in any of his three obituaries. They all listed his wife, Katherine, and one added that the late James and Lucy were his parents, but there is no other mention of any living family members.
Walter's ashes are held at the Chapel of Chimes "indoor cemetery" in Oakland. First established in 1909, Julia Morgan (the legendary architect who designed Hearst Castle) renovated the building seventeen years later. With good reason, it is now considered an historic landmark. It's architectural details bring forth a feeling of peace and serenity. I hope that this building that holds his remains is a sign that his afterlife has brought him the peace and serenity he never seemed to find while he was here on Earth.
SUPPOSITION:
In 1918 he was an engineer at the Moors Slick Building in Oakland, but there were other opportunities for him to explore.
Oakland was a burgeoning city and by 1919, more than 215,000 residents lived there. At this point in history, there were 250 police officers in the city. His older brother, Thomas worked for the Oakland Police Department and would eventually become an inspector. It's possible he encouraged Walter to join the ranks, because from October 9th - November 1st of that year, he served as an "extra patrolman", which I imagine is analogous to what we call today a reserve police officer. Then on June 22nd, 1920, Walter passed his entrance exam with a 76.7 rating and was appointed to the Oakland P.D. as a patrolman. This would become his career.
During his years of service, he was commended twice for his courtesy and professionalism. He was injured while on duty ten times. His service record shows that in the 22 years he worked with the city, he was out ill 10 times, ranging anywhere from 1 to 11 days, and on December 16th, 1933 he was off for one day without pay.
His monthly salary started out at $180, then $190 and he finally ended up with $200.
On more than one occasion, during his years of service, he rescued people from a burning building. He aided women in domestic disputes. He arrested criminals. He was involved in a couple of shoot outs. Considering he walked his beat and never drove a car with the department, he seemed to have an interesting career as a police officer.
He retired from the force on June 1st, 1942.
In the same year he ran for office as Alameda County Sheriff, but was defeated by Sheriff Gleason.
There are several newspaper articles written about various work-related experiences Walter was involved in. While some articles talk about shootings, others talk about his bravery and some paint a vivid picture of our nation's history, not just Walter's personal history. For example, Walter arrested those involved with the illegal liquor ring during Prohibition.
These newspaper clippings offer a glimpse into his professional life. Many of which are overly dramatic in their writing style. They often read like an old noir mystery radio show from the 30's and 40's. As I read them, I almost felt like there should be the dramatic music from those old shows playing along with my reading.
It's also interesting to read the language of the time. It's English, of course, but language constantly evolves. Where we say driver today, they said autoist, for example.
There are 30 known newspaper articles that mention Walter in the line of duty. There are simply too many articles to post on this page. However, I have made a home for them all on a separate page for viewing. I encourage you to take a peek at these articles and get to know Walter a little more through the eyes of various writers at the Oakland Tribune.
MARRIAGES & CHILDREN:
Walter married three times and had two children.
Geraldine & Thomas:
He first married Geraldine Silva on July 21, 1909. Silva is a Portuguese name and Geraldine was not only of Portuguese descent, she grew up Centerville, California—the same town his second wife, Ida (Ba) Oliveira, grew up in. According to the article posted, Geraldine and Ida were cousins of some sort. I cannot verify if they were were biological cousins, cousins through Ida's first husband's marriage, or if they just referred to themselves as cousins, which may have been a cultural thing. However, it is my belief that their familial relationship was through Ida's sister, who married a Silva.
The newly married couple rented a home at 3676 Market Street in Oakland, but at some point in 1910, they moved to San Francisco for a short time. Walter was bread winner and at this point he was an iron worker.
By 1912, they were back in Oakland.
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| Article regarding Walter & Geraldine's Divorce Trial, March 17, 1918. |
Nine years after they married, Walter and Geraldine decided to call it quits. In March of 1918 divorce proceedings began. This was not as common as it is today. Only 12 - 15% of the married population ended in divorce during this time frame. It is no wonder, considering that it was requirement to air out one's dirty laundry in the newspaper. There was no privacy whatsoever. And thanks to the Oakland Tribune, we have a record of what happened. I have posted the article here for all to read. As a descendant of Walter's, I am grateful to know this information, but it must have been painfully embarrassing to have their neighbors, friends and co-workers, know the intimate details of their marriage and divorce.
It is interesting to note that there is a Mrs. Ida Focha who is mentioned at the end of the article about the Gallaghers divorce trial. When I read the first name of this woman for the first time, I had a sneaking suspicion that she was our Ida (Ba), but initially, I didn't have any records to back it up. Six months later, I found the records and I can report that Mrs. Focha was was indeed our Ida (Ba). Prior to marrying Walter, she had been married to John Anthony Focha. So, it would seem that Walter's ending with Geraldine, was the beginning of his relationship with Ida (Ba).
Geraldine married for a second time to Joseph Raulino. Mr. Raulino was from Portugal and he and Geraldine raised Tom in Berkeley, California. Walter paid monthly child support, but I have no knowledge if he kept in contact with his son. According to Bette, Tom never came to their home (Ida would not have allowed that) and sadly, she never met her half-brother.
I learned about Bette's 1/2 brother while I was in my twenties. Bette told me that Ba was jealous of Geraldine and Thomas, and it infuriated her mother that Walter had to pay child support.
Ida & Bette:
On August 29th, 1920, Walter walked down the aisle for the second time. He married the now divorced Mrs. Ida Oliveira Focha. It is their union that is the most important to all of us, as she is our direct-line ancestor. Nine months after their wedding date, Walter and Ida welcomed their only child together to the world, a daughter named Elizabeth "Bette" Jean Gallagher.
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| Left to right: unknown woman, Ida (Ba), Walter, Bette |
I would like to say that Walter and Ida had a happy marriage, but the records paint a different picture.
On May 12, 1928, Walter posted in the personal column a notice stating he was no longer responsible for Ida O. Gallagher's debt or obligations on or after this date. It surprised me to learn that this was the first stage of the divorce process in California at the time.
The following day, Ida posted her own notice in the paper. She claimed they had been separated since May 10th (so, for 3 days). She had filed for divorce and charged her husband with extreme cruelty. According to this article, Ida claimed that at least once a week Walter told her he did not love her and wished she would get a divorce. Ida requested from the court to have custody of Bette, a $100 monthly alimony payment, as well as $150 in attorney's fees.
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| Walter with Bette on her wedding day. |
While that year was difficult on the Gallaghers, they did not divorce—at least not yet. They stayed married until 1949. However, at some point in their marriage they had their home split in two. Sometimes they rented out the extra space and sometimes they used the extra space to live separately in either part of the now separated home.
Regardless of Walter's feelings towards his wife, Bette talked about how her family never felt the pangs of the Depression years and that her father doted on her while she was growing up.
Katherine:
I know very little about Katherine except that she was his third wife and her surname prior to marriage was Foster. They did not have any children together and they were married until his death in 1955. They lived together at 247 Athol Drive in Oakland, only a few blocks away from Ida (Ba).
Walter was civic minded and participated in our voting process. As far as I can tell with the records I could find (17 in all), he was a registered republican for most of his adult life. However, once he retired in 1942, he changed sides and registered as a democrat. This was the year he ran for sheriff, so he must have ran as a democrat. He was still a democrat in 1944.
Walter's Passing:
Walter had surgery on November 30th, 1954 where it was discovered that he had colon cancer. He passed away two months later on January 30th, 1955.
While I do not know what Walter's religious affiliation was, his funeral was officiated by the Christian Science reader, Herbert E. Bonham at the Grant Miller Mortuary on 14th Street. He was cremated and his bearers were from the police department.
It saddens me that neither of his children were mentioned in any of his three obituaries. They all listed his wife, Katherine, and one added that the late James and Lucy were his parents, but there is no other mention of any living family members.
Walter's ashes are held at the Chapel of Chimes "indoor cemetery" in Oakland. First established in 1909, Julia Morgan (the legendary architect who designed Hearst Castle) renovated the building seventeen years later. With good reason, it is now considered an historic landmark. It's architectural details bring forth a feeling of peace and serenity. I hope that this building that holds his remains is a sign that his afterlife has brought him the peace and serenity he never seemed to find while he was here on Earth.
 |
| Chapel of the Chimes Columbarium. Walter's ashes are in the Chapel of Eternal Help, N-9, 6A. |
SUPPOSITION:
* According to Bette, Walter had an issue with alcohol. I have read the letters Jack wrote to Bette and some of the behavior that Jack describes in his letters to Bette, seems to affirm this. Jack doesn't mention drinking, but Bette apparently asked Jack to check in on him while she was on vacation with Ba. When he tried to do so, Walter would not open the door for him. Why would Bette want Jack to check on him in the first place, unless she was worried about him? And why would Walter hide, unless he had something to hide. I have also wondered if at least some of his sick time with the police department was due to his heavy drinking.
* From the time Jack was a teenager, he went out of his way to be kind to Walter. Jack was kind to everyone. That was just his nature. However, I get the impression from Jack's letters that Walter was unresponsive. According to my dad, after Walter stopped seeing his family, Jack ran into Walter and let him know that his grandson had been born. Jack invited him over to meet his grandson, but Walter felt uncomfortable during their meeting and declined the invitation.
I really do not believe that he had anything against Jack or my dad per se. I do think that he loved his daughter tremendously, which is in alignment with what Bette shared with us about her growing up years. I feel that he stayed in the loveless marriage for her, but when she was gone, the alcoholism jaded his mind and he took her marriage not as a blessing with the addition of more family, but rather as a negative to mean that she was gone out of his life. His anger took over and that was that and for him there was no turning back.
* When I told my dad that Walter ran for Sheriff, he already knew about that story. Bette had told him that she thought that his running for office had been a set up from the beginning so that the other guy could win. Walter's fondness for his adult refreshments was too much of an issue for him to be a viable candidate.
* I have wondered about Tom. There are so few records on him. While it is possible that marriage certificates and the like simply haven't been uploaded to the internet as of yet and eventually I may be able to find out more information regarding his life, I find it curious that he was not educated. Both his parents had some education and his half-sister, Bette, not only went to school, she attended college, as well.
He also lived at home with his mother at the age of 24. This may not seem unreasonable, but he was considered "unable" to work. It's not that he didn't have a job, he was unable to have a job. There must have been a reason for these things. While I have no evidence to back me up, I wonder if he may have been either physically or mentally handicapped that prevented him from obtaining an education and holding a job.
* I am under the impression that Walter was a cop of his time. I feel that he was a no-nonsense kind of guy. While he was commended on a couple of occasions, one of the articles regarding Walter during the Hogan Trial, claimed that he changed his mind regarding his stance on the case. In the arrest report, he claimed the defendant was intoxicated, but on the stand he said he was not. This doesn't make any sense to me unless he was bought off. This is pure speculation on my part, but it fits the facts.
* In 1928, when Ida initially filed for divorce from Walter, he was not listed on the registered voter list on Park Blvd. Ida registered, as she always had, but Walter had not. This was most unusual considering how many voter registration records I have for him. Because of this, I wonder if he actually moved out of the house all together that year, or at least during the registration process. Usually when they separated they lived in separate units in their split house, but it is possible that in that year he may have moved away. If he did move out, he definitely returned once the dust settled and they decided to give their marriage another shot.
* Finally, I know there is a lot of anger towards Walter for his actions, but for me personally, I hold a lot of compassion for him. He was an alcoholic, and alcohol clearly held the key to his behavior. He appears to have been filled with great sadness that likely stemmed from his childhood. His parent's economic crisis that was published in the papers for all to see, along with the death of his father, seemed to play a role in the man he would become. He never wanted his daughter to feel the pangs of the Depression, as he had felt the pangs of his parent's economic woes in his childhood, for example. I not only empathize for him, I have forgiven him for his human frailties. We all have them. His just screamed a little louder than others.
"Only the development of compassion and understanding for others can bring us the tranquility and happiness we seek."
~ The Dalai Lama
IF ANYONE HAS ANY STORIES THEY REMEMBER BETTE TELLING THEM ABOUT WALTER,
PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I WILL ADD THEM HERE.
THE MEANING OF HIS NAMES:
Personal Name: Walter ~ From a Germanic name meaning "ruler of the army" - the Normans brought it to England (where his parents were from), where it replaced the old English name Wealdheare.
Surname: Gallagher ~ (Old Irish: Ó
Gallchobhair, Ó Gallchobhoir; Modern Irish: Ó Gallachóir) is an Irish Gaelic
clan based most prominently in what is today County Donegal. The clan name
originated in the 10th century as a derivative of its founder Gallchobhair mac
Rorcan.
Sources Outside of Records:
Population of Oakland 2
World War I - Wiki
WWI Draft
WWI Propaganda Prior to the U.S. Entering Into the War
World War I - Wiki
WWI Draft
WWI Propaganda Prior to the U.S. Entering Into the War
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