Résumé

Designer, Electrical lighting fixtures, Seattle, WA, c. 1930-1940. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 46A; Enumeration District: 0022; FHL microfilm: 2342226, accessed 10/12/2022 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04378; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 40-135, accessed 10/12/2022.)

Relocation

Irene McGowan was born in Seattle, WA, on 10/021906, to James and Ella McGowan. In 1910, her parents resided at 1118 29th Avenue in Seattle. The household included her parents and older sister Virginia. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Seattle Ward 3, King, Washington; Roll: T624_1659; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0092; FHL microfilm: 1375672, accessed 10/04/2022.)

Ten years later in 1920, the US Census located the McGowans residing on 29th Avenue, although the number was 5527 29th Avenue NE by this time. It is possible that it was the same place, just renumbered, as the northeast residential neighborhoods of Seattle were growing very quickly at the time. The McGowans had a woman boarding with them, Jessie C. McKinney (born c. 1885 in OR), who worked as a bank stenographer at the time. (See Ancesty.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: T625_1925; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 66, accessed 10/04/2022.)

Irene McGowan resided with her her parents and a cousin, Frances A. Bank (born c. 1847 in MI), in a rented house at 5556 28th Avenue NE in 1930. The McGowan paid $30 per month for this dwelling. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 46A; Enumeration District: 0022; FHL microfilm: 2342226, accessed 10/12/2022.)

By 1940, Irene continued to live with her parents in an Eastlake neighborhood apartment building at 2533 Yale Avenue. They paid $35 per month in rent (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04378; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 40-135, accessed 10/12/2022.)

In 1981, she resided at 2519 Yale Avenue East in Seattle's Eastalke area and at 11 West Aloha Street, Apartment #432 in the Queen Anne neighborhood in 1986.

Parents

Her father was James Emory McGowan (born c. 1872 in IN), her mother, Ella Mae Leathers (born 1874 in Cadillac, MI-d. 05/08/1963 in Seattle, WA). They wed on 09/11/1902 in Seattle at the corner of 2nd Avenue North and Republican Street. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013; Reference Number: kingcoarchmc12169, accessed 10/12/2022.)

James McGowan sold seeds in a wholesale seed store in 1910 and continued in this line of work in 1920. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Seattle Ward 3, King, Washington; Roll: T624_1659; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0092; FHL microfilm: 1375672, accessed 10/04/2022 and Ancesty.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: T625_1925; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 66, accessed 10/04/2022.) In 1930, the US Census reported that James was an orchardist. Ella worked in the home. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 46A; Enumeration District: 0022; FHL microfilm: 2342226, accessed 10/12/2022.) Ten years later, the US Census did not list an occupation for James.

She had an older sister Ellen Virginia McGowan Struck (born 02/05/1905-d. 12/01/1991 in Hood River, OR). She married Ernest Henry Struck (born 10/18/1903 in OR-d. 12/14/1988 in Klickitat County, WA) on 10/11/1928 in Klickitat County, WA.

Biographical Notes

McGowan collaborated with architects B. Marcus Priteca and Detlie and Peck on the design of the Temple de Hirsch, Seattle, WA, in 1960.

SSN: 531-07-9184.