Résumé

Chief Draftsman, Liberty Shipyards, Alameda, CA. 1918.

Partner, Symmes and Cullimore, Architects, Bakersfield, CA, c. 1927-1932.

Relocation

In 1900, Symmes resided with his parents and three siblings in a residence at 1732 14th Street in Oakland, CA.

Between 09/12/1918 and 1924, at least, Symmes and his wife Minnehaha resided in a dwelling they owned at 1700 Pearl Street, Alameda, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Alameda County Source Information: U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 06/09/2021 and Oakland, California, City Directory, 1924, p. 1817.)

In about 1935, the Symmeses lived at 2330 Truxton Avenue in Bakersfield. After Edwin's death, Minnehaha worked as an office manager. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 06/09/2021.)

Parents

His father Charles Symmes (born c. 08/1854 in VT) worked as a railroad switchman in 1900.

Edwin's mother, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Johnson (born c. 04/1862 in CA-d. 02/14/1922 in Alameda County, CA), maintained the household. She had had six children by 1900, four of whom survived in that year. In 1880, she lived with her family at 615 ½ Hayes Street in San Francisco, CA. She was one of seven children of Sarah Ayres (born c. 1835 in NJ-d. 11/25/1917 in San Francisco, CA) and Andrew Johnson (born c. 1815 in Sweden), a streetcar conductor afflicted with rheumatism in 1880. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: 79; Page: 350B; Enumeration District: 220, accessed 06/09/2021.)

Spouse

He wed Minnehaha Harris (born 02/07/1887 in San Francisco, CA-d. 12/21/1960 in Imperial, CA) on 07/09/1913 in Alameda County, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1850-1941 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accessed 06/09/2021.)

After Edwin's death in 1935, Minnehaha remarried Lewis Andrew Burtch (born 01/08/1890 in NE-d. 02/27/1960 in Santa Cruz County, CA) in or before 1940, perhaps as early as 1935. She lived with Burtch in Kern County, CA, in 1940 and Santa Cruz, CA, three years later. Minnehaha completed three years of college, according to the 1940 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Kern, California; Roll: m-t0627-00213; Page: 21A; Enumeration District: 15-47, accessed 06/09/2021.)

Children

He and Minnehaha had two children, Robert E. Symmes (born c. 02/1919 in CA) and Barbara Eleanor Symmes Jones (born 01/06/1920 in CA-d. 08/07/2005 in Bakersfield, CA).

Biographical Notes

According to his World War I draft registration card, Symmes was Caucasian of medium height and build, with gray eyes and light brown hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Alameda County Source Information: U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 06/09/2021.)