Person:Melvin Keyes (2)

About Melvin F. "Pete" Keyes

Melvin F. "Pete" Keyes was born 15 May 1910 in Aneta, Nelson County, North Dakota, the youngest child of Thomas Arthur Keyes (1868-1921) and Frances Elizabeth "Fannie" Smith (1868-1940).

Prior to 1930, Melvin "Pete" Keyes had moved to Los Angeles County, California. According to the U.S. Census taken during that year, he had recently married to Lavera Imogene "Vera" Dennis, was living with her and a one month old daughter and was working as a truck driver for a plumbing shop. He stated that he was 19 years old, he was born in North Dakota and his parents were born in North Dakota and Illinois, respectively. His wife Lavera [listed as "La Verne"] stated that she was then 23 years old, was married at age 22, was born in North Dakota and that her parents were born in Prince Edward Island [father] and "Canada English" [mother], respectively. Her parents were William Dennis [b. abt. 1853] and Mary [b. abt. 1870] of Cass County, North Dakota. The newborn daughter listed in this census was older daughter Marian Janice Keyes, born 9 March 1930 in Los Angeles County, California [California Birth Index, 1905-1995].

Pete Keyes moved the family back to North Dakota for several year, as on 6 June 1935, Lavera gave birth to their only son, Thomas Dennis Keyes in Page, Cass County, North Dakota. Pete and his family were found in the 1940 U.S. Census living in Rochester, Cass County, North Dakota. Pete was listed as "M.F. Keyes", which was mis-read as "M.F. Reyer" by the transcriber. He was working as Head-of-Household, age 29, working as a farmer, with wife La Vera Keyes, age 35, daughter Janice M. Keyes, age 10, and son Thomas Dennis Keyes, age 4.

In about 1946, the family moved back to California and settled in Westminster, Orange County, California. Pete tried his hand at raising chickens, operating a chicken ranch, but that venture proved to be unsuccessful. During World War II, Pete helped a Japanese family that owned a strawberry farm by taking care of it during their internment, returning it to them when they came back after the war. The family stayed in Westminster for 6 years, moving afterwards to nearby Garden Grove, California.

Shortly thereafter, Pete Keyes bought a high end wheel-balancing shop, which he owned for several years, and he was listed in the 1952 City Directory in Santa Ana, California, operating as a mechanic. Melvin "Pete" Keyes passed away on 25 May 1965 in Orange, Orange County, California. He was buried in Westminster Memorial Park in Westminster, Orange County, California. His wife Lavera was to out-live him by 29 years, passing away on 15 July 1994, when she was buried alongside her husband.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).

   http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/12342534/person/1232795955

2. ↑ Find A Grave.

   Melvin F Keyes
   Birth: 1910
   Death: 1965
   
   http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=keyes&GSiman=1&GScid=8437&GRid=58463696&

3.   California. Department of Public Health. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Death Index, 1940-1997.

   Name: Melvin F Keyes
   Social Security #: 502201416
   Gender: Male
   Birth Date: 15 May 1910
   Birth Place: North Dakota
   Death Date: 25 May 1965
   Death Place: Orange
   Mother's Maiden Name: Smith

4.   United States. 1920 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T625).

   1920 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   Name: Melvin Keyes
   Age: 9
   Birth Year: abt 1911
   Birthplace: North Dakota
   Home in 1920: Ora, Nelson, North Dakota
   Street: Fourth Street
   Race: White
   Gender: Male
   Relation to Head of House: Son
   Marital Status: Single
   Father's name: Thom A Keyes
   Father's Birthplace: Canada
   Mother's name: Fannie E Keyes
   Mother's Birthplace: Illinois
   Attended School: Yes
   Household Members: Name Age
   Thom A Keyes 51
   Fannie E Keyes 52
   Margaret Keyes 18
   Melford Keyes 15
   Dourghty Keyes 13
   Melvin Keyes 9

5.   United States. 1930 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T626).

   1930 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   Name: Melvin F Keyes
   Birth Year: abt 1911
   Gender: Male
   Race: White
   Birthplace: North Dakota
   Marital Status: Married
   Relation to Head of House: Head
   Home in 1930: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
   Street address: W. Twentieth Street
   Ward of City: X
   Block: 1
   House Number in Cities or Towns: 1305 1/2
   Dwelling Number: 48
   Family Number: 48
   Home Owned or Rented: Rented
   Home Value: 35
   Radio Set: Yes
   Lives on Farm: No
   Age at First Marriage: 19
   Attended School: No
   Able to Read and Write: Yes
   Father's Birthplace: North Dakota
   Mother's Birthplace: Illinois
   Able to Speak English: Yes
   Occupation: Truck Driver
   Industry: Plumbing Shop
   Class of Worker: Wage or salary worker
   Employment: Yes
   Household Members: Name Age
   Melvin F Keyes 19
   La Verne I Keyes 23
   Baby Keyes 0 [11/12]
   
   

6.   United States. 1940 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T627).

   1940 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   Name: M.F. Keyes
   Birth Year: abt 1911
   Gender: Male
   Race: White
   Birthplace: North Dakota
   Marital Status: Married
   Relation to Head of House: Head
   Home in 1940: Rochester, Cass County, North Dakota
   Owned Home: Yes
   Home Value: $1,200
   Attended School: No
   Visited No.: 36
   Private Employment: Yes
   Hours Worked in Previous Week: 12
   Occupation: Farmer
   Industry: Farm
   Weeks Worked in Prior Year: 52
   Income: $150
   Other Income: Yes
   Household Members: Name Age
   M.F. Keyes 29 [Census Taker read this as "M.F. Reyes" by mistake]
   La Vera Keyes 35
   Janice M. Keyes 10
   Thomas Dennis Keyes 4
   
   

7.   U.S. City Directories, 1821-1995: [database on-line]. (Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011).

   Name: Melvin F Keyes
   Gender: Male
   Residence Year: 1952
   Residence Place: Santa Ana, California, USA
   Occupation: Mechanic
   Publication Title: Santa Ana, California, City Directory, 1952