Person:Albert McBRIDE (1)

Albert “Bert” Raymond McBRIDE was the sixth child of George and Malinda McBride. He was born in Rock Island, IL, on January 25, 1886. He married “Birdie” EVANS in Rock Island on November 24, 1910; they had two sons, Kenneth and Russel. The marriage certificate for Bert and Birdie lists Bert’s occupation as mechanic who lived in Sears Town; witnesses were Lorena and A. Newland; T.E. Newland conducted the marriage service. Bert and Birdie lived in various houses in far south Rock Island in a small community at one time known as Sears or Sears Town. Bert worked for a time close to home at the Sears Power Plant on Rock River until his right hand was mangled in some machinery. He lost his job at the Sears Power Plant when he injured his hand. Bert had various jobs as listed in city directories, as shown below, until he landed a job on the Rock Island Arsenal. He worked at various jobs on the Arsenal until he retired around 1950. After retirement for several years he worked several days a week as the accountant for the Orange Crush Bottling Co. [I recall visiting the Sears Power Plant on an Edison School field trip at least once when it was active and also fishing adjacent to it with my Dad. The turbulent eddies of muddy water of Rock River at the dam scared the heck out of me because I envisaged the water to be of infinite depth. I found the hum of the turbines in the power plant mesmerizing. In its declining years the Sear plant was given to Augustana College in Rock Island, probably as a tax write off. It has long been abandoned.] Bert was elected the Village Clerk of Sears Town in April 23, 1914, and held that position until Sears was incorporated within Rock Island. Bert was a Boy Scoutmaster when his boys were young. One of his hobbies was banding birds. He built a bird trap and would band the legs of his catches. And one night a year, he and his boys would go to “Swallow Cliffs” and grab swallows off their nest in the clay (loess) banks near the river and band them. He was active in National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARF) after his retirement. Rock Island City directories: 1905: worker at Rock Island Sash Works; living with parents at 2823-6th Ave. 1909: can’t read the record 1913: machinist; married to Birdie; living 11th St near Sears community 1915: watchman; living near Sears 1917: laborer at Rock Island Arsenal; living 1305-51st Ave. 1919: clerk at Arsenal; living 1507-51st Ave. 1921: clerk on the Arsenal; living at 1507-51st., RI 1923: checker at Arsenal; house as above. 1924: checker at Arsenal; house as above. 1927-1939: checker at Arsenal; living at 820-47th Ave. 1930 census: living on 47th Ave in Rock Island; house worth $3600, age 44, married at age 24; working at the US Arsenal; not a veteran. 1942: assistant at Arsenal; same house. 1947: clerk at Arsenal; same house. 1957: bookkeeper for Orange Crush Bottling Co. In 1923 Bert published the sheet music (4 pages) to “The Mississippi Valley Blues”, a song for which he wrote the lyrics and Lee Turner wrote the music. I don’t recall ever having heard it played or sung, but I have a copy that my grandfather Clarence McBride was given. Bert died September 15, 1979, at the age of 93 in the Franciscan Medical Center, Rock Island, of pneumonia as a consequence of marasmus (extreme malnutrition) and general arteriosclerosis; informant was Birdie. He and Birdie are buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Rock Island, IL. SS# 342-20-0564. Birdella “Birdie” Nell EVANS, daughter of Nane and Francis (PETTY) EVANS, was born on June 14, 1891, in Hampton, Rock Island County, IL. according to her birth certificate (but she says she was born in Carbon Cliff). She had two older sisters. She was a housewife all her life. In 1975 as part of a centennial celebration of Rock Island County, Birdie applied for and received “Pioneer Ancestor” status because her grandfather was in the county by 1859. She provided documentation of her heritage, some data of which are included herein. After Bert’s death in 1979, she lived alone in their home at 820-47th Ave. until about nine months before her death at age 100. She died of a cerebrovascular accident due to arteriosclerosis on September 20, 1991. SS# 361-24-1030.

“Birdie McBride, 100 Rock Island- Birdie N. McBride, 100, of 1900 6th Ave., died Friday at Oak Glen Home, Coal Valley, Ill. Services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at Hodgson Funeral Home Ltd. Burial will be in Rock Island Memorial Park. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Monday. Birdie Evans married Albert McBride in 1910 in Rock Island. He died in 1979. Mrs. McBride was a member of First United Methodist Church, Rock Island; American Association of Retired Persons; National Association of Retired Federal Employees; and Chapter 269, Order of Eastern Star, Rock Island. She enjoyed family outings, and traveling to state and national NARFE affairs. She remained active, living by herself until four weeks ago. Memorials may be made to the church. Survivors include a son, Russell, and a daughter-in-law, Helen McBride, Rock Island; and grandchildren, Michael, Jeffrey and Melissa McBride, Connie Hussey and Cynthia Clarquist; and 11 great-grandchildren. A son, Kenneth McBride, died in February.”

1. ↑ Rock Island County, IL: Birth certificate number 8600002209..
2. ↑ Illinois state file number 81968.
3. ↑ Memorial Park Cemetery Internment Records 6/2003..
4.   My family records, 2002..
5.   Conversations with Russel McBride; 6/7/03 and 3/13/03..
6.   Rock Island County Birth Certificate: State file number 9203222..
7.   Obituary in The Rock Island Argus, 21 Sept 1991..
8.   Probate Court of Rock Island County..
9.   Family data sheet provided by Michael McBride, 2002..
10.   Family data sheet from Michael McBride, 2002..