Uncle Harry with the Transposed Numbers (52 Ancestors, #4)

1896-1986, transposed or for real?  For real.  Harry Morrison Gill was born December 16, 1896[1], and died November 1, 1986[2], both in Salt Lake City.  Young Harry finished high school and worked a few jobs before becoming a mechanic and starting his own garage (Old Mill Garage) in 1922.  He was a garage owner and operator his whole life. 

Like most of the men in the family, he had blue eyes.  He registered in June 1918 for the World War I draft but was not called up.  His signature on the draft card is very stylish with flourishes on the “H”

Two months later, Harry and Chirl Edna Smith married on August 26, 1918.  Their first child, a daughter, was stillborn September 17, 1919.  They went on to have two more children: Lois Elaine (1920-1994) and Dee Morrison Gill (1924-2009). 

Chirl died from breast cancer in 1936, she’s only 34.  Chirl has a nice memorial page on Find A Grave (#119284059).  She is linked to her parents and son, Dee Morrison Gill, but not to husband Harry.  There is no grave marker.

I have not found any record of marriage, but the 1939 city directory lists Harry & Mary at 303 W So Temple, the address of the garage and home for the last seven years.  The 1940 census shows Harry and Mary renting at 342 West South Temple.  He’s 42, she’s 26.  The city directory lists them until 1960.  There are no further records for Harry until his death in 1986 in Salt Lake City.  No burial record has been found.  Ditto for Mary nee: ????.

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[1] "Utah, Salt Lake County Birth Records, 1890-1915," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11708-27027-22?cc=1464677&wc=11059666 : accessed 28 Jan 2014), 004121037 > image 350 of 405.

[2] "United States Social Security Death Index," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J1BV-YMC : accessed 28 Jan 2014), Harry Gill, November 1986; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).