Résumé

The 1910 US Census listed Paradise's profession as a "commercial traveler."

Salesman, Store fixtures company, Chicago, IL, 1920. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Chicago Ward 3, Cook (Chicago), Illinois; Roll: T625_313; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 190, accessed 04/17/2021.)

Store Architect, Taussig and Flesch, Interior Designers, Chicago, IL, 1918. This firm has its office in 1918 in Room #1617 of the Kimball Building in Chicago.

Partner, Feil and Paradise, Store Interior Designers, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1928-1930.

Designer, Los Angeles, CA, 1944. (See North Hollywood, California, City Directory, 1944, p. 272.)

Relocation

Paradise was born in Poland in late 1876. There was at least one other man named Bernard Paradise, born in 1876, living in Wisconsin at the same time, so some records relating to his early years are not entirely clear that they refer to the interior designer.

According to naturalization records, he arrived in the US in 12/1895 in New York, NY. He had his naturalization adjudicated in the Circuit Court of Racine County, WI, on 11/01/1902, where he lived in his 20s. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Soundex Index to Naturalization Petitions for the United States District and Circuit Courts, Northern District of Illinois and Immigration and Naturalization Service District 9, 1840-1950 (M1285); Microfilm Serial: M1285; Microfilm Roll: 142, accessed 04/17/2021.) The Racine, Wisconsin, City Directory, 1902, listed a "Bernard Paradis" living at 730 Wisconsin Street in Racine, WI. He worked as a clerk at 317 Main Street. (See Racine, Wisconsin, City Directory, 1902, p. 344.) It is likely that this was the same Bernard Paradise, as Racine was quite close to Chicago, IL, where it is certain that he moved by the mid-1900s. It is clear that he married in Chicago, in 1906.

According the 1910 US Census, Bernard and Alma Paradise resided at 5730 Prairie Avenue and employed a domestic servant, Delia Madden (born c. 1891 in Ireland). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Chicago Ward 7, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_247; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 0403; FHL microfilm: 1374260, accessed 04/17/2021.) He and his family had moved to 5213 Indiana Avenue in Chicago by 09/1918. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: Illinois; Registration County: Cook Source Information U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 04/17/2021.)

The Paradise Family had a Chicago apartment at 4732 Michigan Avenue in 1920. At this time, Bernard lived with his father-in-law Michael (born c. 1843 in Poland-d. 12/19/1923 in Los Angeles, CA) and sister- in-law Rosa Kaskel (born c. 1873 in MI) and brother-in-law Paul Kaskel (born c. 1876 in IN). Michael was retired, but Rosa worked as a "correspondent" for an oil company and Paul was a salesman of hotel supplies. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Chicago Ward 3, Cook (Chicago), Illinois; Roll: T625_313; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 190, accessed 04/17/2021.)

In 1924, Bernard and Alma Paradise had a residence at 853 North Mariposa Avenue in the East Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA. Voter records showed that they were Republicans. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 04/17/2021.)

Between 1928 and 1930, at least, the family lived in rented quarters at 748 South Genessee Street in Los Angeles. According to the US Census of 1930, Rosa Kaskel lived with them, as did a servant, Maria Krause (born c. 1910 in Germany). They paid $100 per month for this dwelling. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0107; FHL microfilm: 2339871, accessed 04/17/2021.) Bernard, Alma, Lorraine and Robert Paradise lived at 1001 Burnside Avenue in Los Angeles's Miracle Mile neighborhood in 1932, as per CA voter records. At the time, all were registered Republicans, save for Robert, who declined to state. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 04/17/2021.)

By 1940, Bernard and Alma lived at 200 South Detroit Street in Los Angeles, sharing a rented house with her sister Rosa Kaskel, who continued to work as a secretary for an oil company.

He and Alma lived at 4441 Ponca Avenue in the North Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles in 1944. (See North Hollywood, California, City Directory, 1944, p. 272.)

He and Alma seem to have divorced after 1944. His 1958 obituary noted that Bernard Paradise died in Oakland, CA, married to Sarah Paradise, who predeceased him. He was 76 years old.

Parents

His parents were of Polish-Jewish descent.

Spouse

He wed Alma Kaskel (born 03/09/1877 in Elkhart, IN-d. 07/02/1972 in Los Angeles County, CA) on 08/12/1906 in Chicago, IL. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information, Cook County, Illinois, U.S., Marriages Index, 1871-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011, accessed 04/17/2021.)

Alma's parents were both of Polish-German descent.

Alma traveled from Los Angeles to Honolulu, HI, aboard the S.S. Lurline arriving in the latter city on 10/14/1953. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Honolulu, Hawaii, compiled 02/13/1900 - 12/30/1953; National Archives Microfilm Publication: A4156; Roll: 348; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004; Record Group Number: RG 85, accessed 04/17/2021.)

She lived at 308 South LaPeer Drive in Beverly Hills, CA, with Leone Eugenie Murphy Dage (born 04/26/1904 in Milwaukee, WI), c. 1959. Leone E. Dage married Lester Daniel Spencer (born 11/27/1902 in Everett, WA), also a painter and decorator, in. 1960, but divorced him on 02/27/1963 in Douglas County, OR. Between 12/09/1959 and 01/03/1960, Alma and Leone traveled from Los Angeles to Mexico, returning aboard Western Air Lines Flight #79. (See Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger & Crew Manifests of Airplanes Arriving at Los Angeles, California; NAI Number: 2788930; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2009; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 04/17/2021.)

Children

Alma and he had the two children: Robert Eliot Paradise (born 05/26/1907 in Chicago, IL-d. 08/18/1994 in Los Angeles County, CA) and Lorraine Harriet Paradise Joseph (born 10/09/1909 in IL-d. 09/16/1961 in Los Angeles, CA).

In 1944, Robert worked in some capacity for the Richfield Oil Company at their legendary building at 555 South Flower Street. He lived at 149 1/2 Camden Drive in Beverly Hills, CA, on 10/16/1940. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 1373, accessed 04/17/2021.) Robert Paradise wed Ione Bell (born 11/30/1914-d. 05/10/2003) with whom he had two daughters.

Between 10/15/1934 and 10/29/1934, Lorraine Paradise, then aged 25, sailed alone aboard the S.S. California between Los Angeles, CA, and New York, NY. She lived at 837 South Plymouth Boulevard in Los Angeles at the time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1934; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Line: 25; Page Number: 19 Source Information Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 04/17/2021.) Lorraine married Julius Joseph in 1936.

Biographical Notes

He anglicized the spelling of his first name to "Bernard." He used the middle initial "R." in documents of the 1920s and 1930s, possibly standing for "Robert."

The name "Bernard Paradise" was surprisingly common in the early 20th century. Another man named "Bernard Paradise," for example, born 01/18/1876, worked as a shoe clerk for the Boston Shoe Company in Indianapolis, IN, but had a Chicago address, 5243 Calumet Avenue on 09/12/1918. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: Illinois; Registration County: Cook Source Information U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 04/17/2021.)

His World War I draft registration card indicated that Paradise was Caucasian, of medium height and build, with gray eyes and brown hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: Illinois; Registration County: Cook Source Information U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 04/17/2021.)

Member, Free and Accepted Masons (F. and A.M.), Bayview Lodge No. 401, Oakland, CA.

Member, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, (A.A.O.N.M.S.), Aahmes Temple, Oakland, CA,

Member, Oakland Scottish Rite, Oakland, CA.