Mary Ethel Summers was born February 5, 1894 to Alfred Arthur Summers and Rosine Marie Blondé Summers in San Jose, California. Her sister, Alice Rose was nearly seven. Like her father, Ethel went by her middle name. She attended kindergarten and grammar school circa 1900 - 1908. The Summers family enjoyed the fanfare of Presidents William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt's visits to San Jose in 1901 and 1903. They also survived the 1906 earthquake that devastated their neighborhood. Ethel became an aunt when her niece, Alice Mae Maloney was born to Alice Rose and her husband, John Maloney in 1908. By 1909 Ethel moved out her parents' home, rented a room in a modest house at 721 South Second Street, and clerked at the EP Charlton Co. bazaar. Benjamin Francis Correa courted her, and with her ailing father's permission, they married March 15, 1911. From the second day of their honeymoon, her husband habitually drank to excess, physically abused Ethel, threatened her life and his own with a gun, and neglected finances.
After Ethel's father died from cirrhosis of the liver in May 1911, Alice, Ethel, their husbands and mother moved to Sacramento. In 1912, Ethel's first child, Alfred Joseph Francis Correa was born February 5, her sister, Alice lost her second child and her husband. Ethel sued Benjamin for divorce in 1914 and won in 1915. She and Alfred lived with Rose at the boarding house she managed at 1100 G Street, worked as a waitress. In 1916 she lived at 914 F Street until she married Prussian Lithuanian immigrant, John Bell, a railroad carpenter, on January 2, 1917. Alice married his good friend and co-worker, James Wright Chard. Ethel had John Wright Bell on April 28, 1918. The Bells moved to Oakland in the fall of 1919 and brought Rose with them. There Ethel had twins, George Edwin and Richard James on December 29, 1920. By 1924 they joined the Chards in Hayward and bought a one-acre farm and bungalow in Hayward Acres. In 1925 her brother-in-law, James Chard died in April, and her niece, Alice Mae Maloney graduated Hayward Union High School in June. By late summer, Ethel discovered she was pregnant again. Hoping to avoid another difficult birth, she attempted to terminate her pregnancy, which lead to infection. After four days at Hayward Hospital, Ethel perished from septicemia on September 27, 1925. Her funeral was held at All Saints Church in Hayward. She was buried in section M, row 4, plot 5. Ethel's grave is unmarked. Her husband, John Bell never remarried.
After Ethel's father died from cirrhosis of the liver in May 1911, Alice, Ethel, their husbands and mother moved to Sacramento. In 1912, Ethel's first child, Alfred Joseph Francis Correa was born February 5, her sister, Alice lost her second child and her husband. Ethel sued Benjamin for divorce in 1914 and won in 1915. She and Alfred lived with Rose at the boarding house she managed at 1100 G Street, worked as a waitress. In 1916 she lived at 914 F Street until she married Prussian Lithuanian immigrant, John Bell, a railroad carpenter, on January 2, 1917. Alice married his good friend and co-worker, James Wright Chard. Ethel had John Wright Bell on April 28, 1918. The Bells moved to Oakland in the fall of 1919 and brought Rose with them. There Ethel had twins, George Edwin and Richard James on December 29, 1920. By 1924 they joined the Chards in Hayward and bought a one-acre farm and bungalow in Hayward Acres. In 1925 her brother-in-law, James Chard died in April, and her niece, Alice Mae Maloney graduated Hayward Union High School in June. By late summer, Ethel discovered she was pregnant again. Hoping to avoid another difficult birth, she attempted to terminate her pregnancy, which lead to infection. After four days at Hayward Hospital, Ethel perished from septicemia on September 27, 1925. Her funeral was held at All Saints Church in Hayward. She was buried in section M, row 4, plot 5. Ethel's grave is unmarked. Her husband, John Bell never remarried.
Mary Ethel Summers was born February 5, 1894 to Alfred Arthur Summers and Rosine Marie Blondé Summers in San Jose, California. Her sister, Alice Rose was nearly seven. Like her father, Ethel went by her middle name. She attended kindergarten and grammar school circa 1900 - 1908. The Summers family enjoyed the fanfare of Presidents William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt's visits to San Jose in 1901 and 1903. They also survived the 1906 earthquake that devastated their neighborhood. Ethel became an aunt when her niece, Alice Mae Maloney was born to Alice Rose and her husband, John Maloney in 1908. By 1909 Ethel moved out her parents' home, rented a room in a modest house at 721 South Second Street, and clerked at the EP Charlton Co. bazaar. Benjamin Francis Correa courted her, and with her ailing father's permission, they married March 15, 1911. From the second day of their honeymoon, her husband habitually drank to excess, physically abused Ethel, threatened her life and his own with a gun, and neglected finances.
After Ethel's father died from cirrhosis of the liver in May 1911, Alice, Ethel, their husbands and mother moved to Sacramento. In 1912, Ethel's first child, Alfred Joseph Francis Correa was born February 5, her sister, Alice lost her second child and her husband. Ethel sued Benjamin for divorce in 1914 and won in 1915. She and Alfred lived with Rose at the boarding house she managed at 1100 G Street, worked as a waitress. In 1916 she lived at 914 F Street until she married Prussian Lithuanian immigrant, John Bell, a railroad carpenter, on January 2, 1917. Alice married his good friend and co-worker, James Wright Chard. Ethel had John Wright Bell on April 28, 1918. The Bells moved to Oakland in the fall of 1919 and brought Rose with them. There Ethel had twins, George Edwin and Richard James on December 29, 1920. By 1924 they joined the Chards in Hayward and bought a one-acre farm and bungalow in Hayward Acres. In 1925 her brother-in-law, James Chard died in April, and her niece, Alice Mae Maloney graduated Hayward Union High School in June. By late summer, Ethel discovered she was pregnant again. Hoping to avoid another difficult birth, she attempted to terminate her pregnancy, which lead to infection. After four days at Hayward Hospital, Ethel perished from septicemia on September 27, 1925. Her funeral was held at All Saints Church in Hayward. She was buried in section M, row 4, plot 5. Ethel's grave is unmarked. Her husband, John Bell never remarried.
After Ethel's father died from cirrhosis of the liver in May 1911, Alice, Ethel, their husbands and mother moved to Sacramento. In 1912, Ethel's first child, Alfred Joseph Francis Correa was born February 5, her sister, Alice lost her second child and her husband. Ethel sued Benjamin for divorce in 1914 and won in 1915. She and Alfred lived with Rose at the boarding house she managed at 1100 G Street, worked as a waitress. In 1916 she lived at 914 F Street until she married Prussian Lithuanian immigrant, John Bell, a railroad carpenter, on January 2, 1917. Alice married his good friend and co-worker, James Wright Chard. Ethel had John Wright Bell on April 28, 1918. The Bells moved to Oakland in the fall of 1919 and brought Rose with them. There Ethel had twins, George Edwin and Richard James on December 29, 1920. By 1924 they joined the Chards in Hayward and bought a one-acre farm and bungalow in Hayward Acres. In 1925 her brother-in-law, James Chard died in April, and her niece, Alice Mae Maloney graduated Hayward Union High School in June. By late summer, Ethel discovered she was pregnant again. Hoping to avoid another difficult birth, she attempted to terminate her pregnancy, which lead to infection. After four days at Hayward Hospital, Ethel perished from septicemia on September 27, 1925. Her funeral was held at All Saints Church in Hayward. She was buried in section M, row 4, plot 5. Ethel's grave is unmarked. Her husband, John Bell never remarried.
Gravesite Details
Mary Ethel Summers Bell's grave is unmarked.
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