Stanislavas Antanas Baltrusaitis was born to Anna Lawseski and Antanas Aloysius Baltrusaitis on September 20, 1888 in Smalininkai, Lithuania, then a part of German East Prussia called Memelland. He had at least one sibling, a sister. The family farm was between Smalininkai and Jurbarkas. They spoke Lithuanian, Russian and German. In May, 1905 Stanislavas' uncle, Pranciskas Jonas Baltrusaitis (Frank John Bell) returned from America and brought Stanislavas there aboard the Patricia. They voyaged from Hamburg and landed at Ellis Island on June 16, 1905. Stanislavas changed his name to John Balsitis, and later, John Bell.
In Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, John worked as a car repairer at the Minneapolis Saint Paul & Sault Saint Marie Railway Company from February to July, 1906, then moved to Chicago to work for the Chicago Milwaukee Saint Paul & Pacific Railroad Company from September, 1906 to November, 1907. In 1909 he worked for the Grand Trunk Railroad Company from July to November. By 1910 he was living at 1225 First Ave., Blair, Altoona, Pennsylvania and worked for the Altoona Pennsylvania Railroad company, then moved back to Chicago to work for the Grand Trunk Western Rail Road Company. In September 1912 John moved to the Alkali flat area of Sacramento, working at the Southern Pacific rail yards.
On January 2, 1917 John married Mary Ethel Summers Correa and adopted her son, Alfred Joseph Correa. John's best friend and co-worker, John Wright Chard married Ethel's sister, Alice. John's first child, John Wright Bell was born April 28, 1918 and they moved to 1117 F Street. In September, 1919 they and Ethel's mother, Rosine Marie Blondé Summers moved to Oakland where John worked at the Southern Pacific rail yards. They lived at 2919 Filbert Street in 1920 and that year, their twins, George Edwin and Richard James Bell were born. By 1924 the Bells joined the Chards in Hayward and bought a one-acre farm and bungalow in Hayward Acres at 1241 A Street (now 671 West A Street). He grew apricots and made apricot brandy, which he sold to local police. In 1925, his best friend, James Chard died in April, his niece, Alice Mae Maloney graduated Hayward Union High School, and his wife found herself pregnant again. She contracted septicemia after attempting to terminate her pregnancy and died September 27, 1925. He never remarried.
His sons, John, Richard and George graduated Hayward Union High School in 1935, 1939 and 1941. John and George graduated UC Berkeley in 1941 and 1947 and served in the US Army. Richard became a bank accountant in San Francisco. His sons George and John married by 1943, George to Isabel Uhrin, and John to Helen Lane. They each gave him three grandchildren: George and Julia had Suzanne, Carol and Rodney, John and Helen had John Lane, Peter Wright and Lynette.
In March 1958, John retired from Southern Pacific and sold his home, giving the proceeds to his son, John Wright Bell. He then moved in with his son, George and his family at 5748 Colton Boulevard, Montclair, Oakland. His grandchildren, John Lane and Lynette had individual overnight visits with him in the mid-1950s, and his grandson, Rodney often picked up Red Mountain wine for him at the store on his bike. John would only speak Lithuanian after good nips of whiskey and loved the song "Big Rock Candy Mountain." In the late 1950s he received a letter from his sister in Lithuania saying she was locked in Russian prison. He grew ill in 1966 and his son, Richard took him to the Southern Pacific Hospital in San Francisco where he passed away November 18. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma. In 1988 his son, Richard was buried with him.
In Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, John worked as a car repairer at the Minneapolis Saint Paul & Sault Saint Marie Railway Company from February to July, 1906, then moved to Chicago to work for the Chicago Milwaukee Saint Paul & Pacific Railroad Company from September, 1906 to November, 1907. In 1909 he worked for the Grand Trunk Railroad Company from July to November. By 1910 he was living at 1225 First Ave., Blair, Altoona, Pennsylvania and worked for the Altoona Pennsylvania Railroad company, then moved back to Chicago to work for the Grand Trunk Western Rail Road Company. In September 1912 John moved to the Alkali flat area of Sacramento, working at the Southern Pacific rail yards.
On January 2, 1917 John married Mary Ethel Summers Correa and adopted her son, Alfred Joseph Correa. John's best friend and co-worker, John Wright Chard married Ethel's sister, Alice. John's first child, John Wright Bell was born April 28, 1918 and they moved to 1117 F Street. In September, 1919 they and Ethel's mother, Rosine Marie Blondé Summers moved to Oakland where John worked at the Southern Pacific rail yards. They lived at 2919 Filbert Street in 1920 and that year, their twins, George Edwin and Richard James Bell were born. By 1924 the Bells joined the Chards in Hayward and bought a one-acre farm and bungalow in Hayward Acres at 1241 A Street (now 671 West A Street). He grew apricots and made apricot brandy, which he sold to local police. In 1925, his best friend, James Chard died in April, his niece, Alice Mae Maloney graduated Hayward Union High School, and his wife found herself pregnant again. She contracted septicemia after attempting to terminate her pregnancy and died September 27, 1925. He never remarried.
His sons, John, Richard and George graduated Hayward Union High School in 1935, 1939 and 1941. John and George graduated UC Berkeley in 1941 and 1947 and served in the US Army. Richard became a bank accountant in San Francisco. His sons George and John married by 1943, George to Isabel Uhrin, and John to Helen Lane. They each gave him three grandchildren: George and Julia had Suzanne, Carol and Rodney, John and Helen had John Lane, Peter Wright and Lynette.
In March 1958, John retired from Southern Pacific and sold his home, giving the proceeds to his son, John Wright Bell. He then moved in with his son, George and his family at 5748 Colton Boulevard, Montclair, Oakland. His grandchildren, John Lane and Lynette had individual overnight visits with him in the mid-1950s, and his grandson, Rodney often picked up Red Mountain wine for him at the store on his bike. John would only speak Lithuanian after good nips of whiskey and loved the song "Big Rock Candy Mountain." In the late 1950s he received a letter from his sister in Lithuania saying she was locked in Russian prison. He grew ill in 1966 and his son, Richard took him to the Southern Pacific Hospital in San Francisco where he passed away November 18. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma. In 1988 his son, Richard was buried with him.
Stanislavas Antanas Baltrusaitis was born to Anna Lawseski and Antanas Aloysius Baltrusaitis on September 20, 1888 in Smalininkai, Lithuania, then a part of German East Prussia called Memelland. He had at least one sibling, a sister. The family farm was between Smalininkai and Jurbarkas. They spoke Lithuanian, Russian and German. In May, 1905 Stanislavas' uncle, Pranciskas Jonas Baltrusaitis (Frank John Bell) returned from America and brought Stanislavas there aboard the Patricia. They voyaged from Hamburg and landed at Ellis Island on June 16, 1905. Stanislavas changed his name to John Balsitis, and later, John Bell.
In Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, John worked as a car repairer at the Minneapolis Saint Paul & Sault Saint Marie Railway Company from February to July, 1906, then moved to Chicago to work for the Chicago Milwaukee Saint Paul & Pacific Railroad Company from September, 1906 to November, 1907. In 1909 he worked for the Grand Trunk Railroad Company from July to November. By 1910 he was living at 1225 First Ave., Blair, Altoona, Pennsylvania and worked for the Altoona Pennsylvania Railroad company, then moved back to Chicago to work for the Grand Trunk Western Rail Road Company. In September 1912 John moved to the Alkali flat area of Sacramento, working at the Southern Pacific rail yards.
On January 2, 1917 John married Mary Ethel Summers Correa and adopted her son, Alfred Joseph Correa. John's best friend and co-worker, John Wright Chard married Ethel's sister, Alice. John's first child, John Wright Bell was born April 28, 1918 and they moved to 1117 F Street. In September, 1919 they and Ethel's mother, Rosine Marie Blondé Summers moved to Oakland where John worked at the Southern Pacific rail yards. They lived at 2919 Filbert Street in 1920 and that year, their twins, George Edwin and Richard James Bell were born. By 1924 the Bells joined the Chards in Hayward and bought a one-acre farm and bungalow in Hayward Acres at 1241 A Street (now 671 West A Street). He grew apricots and made apricot brandy, which he sold to local police. In 1925, his best friend, James Chard died in April, his niece, Alice Mae Maloney graduated Hayward Union High School, and his wife found herself pregnant again. She contracted septicemia after attempting to terminate her pregnancy and died September 27, 1925. He never remarried.
His sons, John, Richard and George graduated Hayward Union High School in 1935, 1939 and 1941. John and George graduated UC Berkeley in 1941 and 1947 and served in the US Army. Richard became a bank accountant in San Francisco. His sons George and John married by 1943, George to Isabel Uhrin, and John to Helen Lane. They each gave him three grandchildren: George and Julia had Suzanne, Carol and Rodney, John and Helen had John Lane, Peter Wright and Lynette.
In March 1958, John retired from Southern Pacific and sold his home, giving the proceeds to his son, John Wright Bell. He then moved in with his son, George and his family at 5748 Colton Boulevard, Montclair, Oakland. His grandchildren, John Lane and Lynette had individual overnight visits with him in the mid-1950s, and his grandson, Rodney often picked up Red Mountain wine for him at the store on his bike. John would only speak Lithuanian after good nips of whiskey and loved the song "Big Rock Candy Mountain." In the late 1950s he received a letter from his sister in Lithuania saying she was locked in Russian prison. He grew ill in 1966 and his son, Richard took him to the Southern Pacific Hospital in San Francisco where he passed away November 18. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma. In 1988 his son, Richard was buried with him.
In Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, John worked as a car repairer at the Minneapolis Saint Paul & Sault Saint Marie Railway Company from February to July, 1906, then moved to Chicago to work for the Chicago Milwaukee Saint Paul & Pacific Railroad Company from September, 1906 to November, 1907. In 1909 he worked for the Grand Trunk Railroad Company from July to November. By 1910 he was living at 1225 First Ave., Blair, Altoona, Pennsylvania and worked for the Altoona Pennsylvania Railroad company, then moved back to Chicago to work for the Grand Trunk Western Rail Road Company. In September 1912 John moved to the Alkali flat area of Sacramento, working at the Southern Pacific rail yards.
On January 2, 1917 John married Mary Ethel Summers Correa and adopted her son, Alfred Joseph Correa. John's best friend and co-worker, John Wright Chard married Ethel's sister, Alice. John's first child, John Wright Bell was born April 28, 1918 and they moved to 1117 F Street. In September, 1919 they and Ethel's mother, Rosine Marie Blondé Summers moved to Oakland where John worked at the Southern Pacific rail yards. They lived at 2919 Filbert Street in 1920 and that year, their twins, George Edwin and Richard James Bell were born. By 1924 the Bells joined the Chards in Hayward and bought a one-acre farm and bungalow in Hayward Acres at 1241 A Street (now 671 West A Street). He grew apricots and made apricot brandy, which he sold to local police. In 1925, his best friend, James Chard died in April, his niece, Alice Mae Maloney graduated Hayward Union High School, and his wife found herself pregnant again. She contracted septicemia after attempting to terminate her pregnancy and died September 27, 1925. He never remarried.
His sons, John, Richard and George graduated Hayward Union High School in 1935, 1939 and 1941. John and George graduated UC Berkeley in 1941 and 1947 and served in the US Army. Richard became a bank accountant in San Francisco. His sons George and John married by 1943, George to Isabel Uhrin, and John to Helen Lane. They each gave him three grandchildren: George and Julia had Suzanne, Carol and Rodney, John and Helen had John Lane, Peter Wright and Lynette.
In March 1958, John retired from Southern Pacific and sold his home, giving the proceeds to his son, John Wright Bell. He then moved in with his son, George and his family at 5748 Colton Boulevard, Montclair, Oakland. His grandchildren, John Lane and Lynette had individual overnight visits with him in the mid-1950s, and his grandson, Rodney often picked up Red Mountain wine for him at the store on his bike. John would only speak Lithuanian after good nips of whiskey and loved the song "Big Rock Candy Mountain." In the late 1950s he received a letter from his sister in Lithuania saying she was locked in Russian prison. He grew ill in 1966 and his son, Richard took him to the Southern Pacific Hospital in San Francisco where he passed away November 18. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma. In 1988 his son, Richard was buried with him.
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