Elnora Gorman Daily 1918-1997

Elnora Gorman was born in Dunnigan, California on 15 July 1918 to Alice McManus Gorman and John Francis Gorman.  Her father immigrated to the U.S. from County Tyrone in about 1883 and her mother, Alice came to the U.S. from County Down in 1907. John Francis had roots in Yolo County where his widowed mother had settled with he and his siblings.

She was baptized at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Woodland, California on 15 August 1918 as Elnora Mary Gorman. Mary is a baptismal name; Elnora’s birth certificate does not contain “Mary.” In fact, it wasn’t until Elnora prepared to travel to Ireland in the mid-1970s and needed a copy of her birth certificate that she realized she had not been given a middle name.  Also, she had always celebrated her birthday on July 16; however, her birth certificate indicates July 15.

Tragically, Elnora’s mother died on 29 January 1919 during the Spanish influenza pandemic when Elnora was just 6 months old leaving she and her two sisters, Catherine Patricia (4) and Bernice Alice (3) motherless.  

Bernice, Elnora, and Catherine Gorman

Family history given to us by Elnora over the years indicated that after the death of their mother, the Gorman sisters were separated; i.e., Bernice was sent to San Francisco to live with an Aunt and Uncle and Elnora and Catherine were raised by an Aunt and Uncle in Woodland, Susie Gorman Murphy and Patrick Murphy.  

Bernice, Elnora, and Catherine Gorman

The 1920 US Census shows that Elnora, at 1 year and 7 months was living in Cacheville Township, Yolo Town, with Henry Gorman, Susie Murphy’s eldest brother, his wife, Josephine and their children, Harry J., James L., and Bernard.

By the 1930 US Census, 9-year-old Elnora was living with her widowed Aunt Susie Murphy at 729 Third Street, Woodland.

Elnora Gorman and Elwood Blickle

Elnora had told us that she and Catherine had boarded at Holy Rosary Academy, but the story goes that Elnora became sick and was not able to stay at the school. She returned to Aunt Susie and Uncle Patsy Murphy’s. Elnora had a great fondness for Aunt Susie and named me (Susan Claire Daily) after her.

Aunt Susie Gorman Murphy

Elnora graduated from Holy Rosary Academy in June 1932. She went on to Woodland High School. Although Elnora is listed in the Woodland High School Yearbook in 1933 and 1934, she does not appear in a graduating list (for 1936). Her eldest sister, Catherine joined the Sisters of the Holy Cross when Elnora was 14 or 15.

Elnora Gorman and Sister Maria Ave (Catherine Gorman)

A Woodland Democrat article in 1932, mentions that Henry and Ethel Blickle hosted Thanksgiving day to a small group of relatives. Turkey dinner with all the trimmings were served at noon. Decorations were keeping with the theme of Thanksgiving.  Those invited to be guests were Mrs. Susan Murphy, Miss Loretta Murphy, Miss Catherine Gorman and Miss Elnora Gorman, then 14.  

While working as an assistant nurse at Woodland County Hospital, Clara Clary, Elmer Daily’s mother, introduced Elnora to Elmer. They were married on 31 July 1937 at Holy Rosary. Nancy tells me that because Elmer was not Catholic, they were married in the Parish Hall. Elmer was working at Spreckels Sugar Company at the time.

During WWII, Elmer served in the Army and was away from Elnora and their son, Charlie, off and on for several years. She continued to work at the County Hospital during this time.

Elmer and Elnora Daily

Elnora and Elmer moved a lot during their early years of marriage and after Elmer’s return from his Army service. A good deal of time was spent in northern California near where Elmer’s family lived. In 1952, while living near Corning, California, the family was stricken with Polio. Elmer was paralyzed and after hospitalization and retraining by the March of Dimes, they moved to Esparto and then finally, Woodland, California. 

Elnora was a Girl Scout leader for Nancy’s troop for several years and she worked briefly for the Sanitary Dairy drive through market for a couple of years. At about 50 years old she took up watercolor with Nancy and throughout the rest of her life she painted and showed her work at various art shows, including the Pallet Club in Sacramento. She won many awards over the years.

Elnora died in Sacramento on 28 April 1997 at the age of 77.

Elnora Daily ca 1996

Elmer Daily and the March of Dimes

We often heard how the March of Dimes supported and helped our family after our dad, Elmer, was stricken with polio.  An article in the Woodland Daily Democrat in 1959 recounts the story.

Front page of January 16, 1959 Woodland Daily Democrat [Showing date citation]

Front page of Woodland Daily Democrat, 16 Jan 1959 [note the
braces on the shoes--they locked in place from upper leg to toe]

Front page of Woodland Daily Democrat 16 Jan 1959

Page 2 of Woodland Daily Democrat 16 Jan 1959

                       Continuation of article on page 2:

                        would have been prohibitive to the family without the help 

                        of the foundation," she said.

                        END

Elmer Donaldson Daily 1916-1975

In his big chair on Second Street

Elmer Donaldson Daily was born July 29, 1916 in Colorado Springs, Colorado to Clara Agnes Gould Daily and Winfield Anthony Daily. His residence at his birth was 317 So. Teton Street, Colorado Springs.  His father was 31 years old and a painter, born in Ottawa, Franklin County, Kansas.  His mother was 25 years old and a housewife; she was born in Roseville, California. She had become a registered nurse in Sacramento in 1913 and would go on to be a practicing nurse until she retired at 50. She lived to be 106—56 years in retirement! 

Elmer as a baby ca 1917

In 1918, Elmer Daily’s father, Winfield Daily, applied for the draft. His draft card indicates his residence as 1024 4th, Sacramento, California.  It also states that Winfield worked in Berkeley California.

On February 3, 1923, when Elmer was almost 7 years old, his father, Winfield Daily died at White Hospital, 9th Ward, Sacramento. He is buried in the Old City Cemetery on Riverside and Broadway in Sacramento.

There is no written record of Elmer or his mother again until 1924 at which time Elmer would have been 8 years old.  

Sacramento City Directories show that Clara Daily lived at 1016 F Street in 1924, 3901 1st Avenue in 1925, 1120 N (Capitol Maternity Home) in 1926, 3901 1st Avenue as a widow in 1926 and 1927. 

On July 25, 1927, when young Elmer was almost 11 years old Clara married Edward Hitchin in Sacramento, California. Nothing much is known of Edward Hitchin, other than a tale from Clara that he was deported.

It is probable that Elmer lived with his mother, step father, and younger sister, Naomi, at 3901 1st Avenue, Sacramento from 1927 through 1929, although there is no written record found.  

Elmer is no longer listed in any census or written record until he applied for Social Security on December 5, 1936. At that time he lived at 1345 Gough Street, San Francisco, and was unemployed.

Day after marrying Elnora 1937

On July 31, 1937, at the age of 21, Elmer married Elnora Gorman at Holy Rosary Church in Woodland, California. [Note: Elnora was born in Dunnigan on July 15, 1918]. Elmer was working at Spreckels Sugar Company and Elnora was working at the county hospital in Woodland as an assistant nurse. Family lore indicates that Clara, Elmer’s mother, was a nurse at the hospital and introduced them.

Elmer, a factory worker (probably Spreckels Sugar Factory), according to the 1939 Woodland City Directory, lived at 422 North Street with his wife, Elnora and Elmer and Clara Clary. Clara Clary had married Elmer Clary  sometime between 1935 and 1936.

According to the 1940 US Federal Census, Elmer, Elnora, and their son, Charles (1 year old), lived at 519 Walnut Street in Woodland.  [Note: Charles was born in Woodland on July 5, 1938.]  Elmer was 22 and Elnora was 21.  The census indicates that Elmer’s previous residence in 1935 was in Auburn, Placer County, California.  His occupation at the time of the census is a filter press operator at Spreckels Sugar Factory.

On April 1, 1941, Elmer was inducted into the U.S. Army. By the time he was discharged, he was a Technician fifth Grade, 53d Infantry Regiment of the Army of the United States.  On his written forms, he was listed as a truck mechanic.

U.S. Army - Aleutian Islands

From Wikipedia: On July 1, 1940, the division was reactivated at Camp Ord, California,[2] under the command of Major General Joseph W. Stilwell.[3] The 12th and 13th Brigades did not reactivate as part of an army-wide elimination of brigade commands within its divisions. The division was instead centered around three infantry regiments; the 17th Infantry Regiment,[4] the 32nd Infantry Regiment,[4] and the 53rd Infantry Regiment.[3] Most of the soldiers in the division were selective service soldiers, chosen as a part of the US Army's first peacetime military draft.[3]

7th Infantry Division troops negotiate snow and ice during the battle on Attu in May, 1943.

The 7th Infantry Division was assigned to III Corps of the Fourth United States Army,[3] and that year it was sent to Oregon for tactical maneuvers. Division units also practiced boat loading at the Monterey Wharf and amphibious assault techniques at the Salinas River in California.[3] With the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor, the division was sent to Camp San Luis Obispo to continue its training.[3] The 53rd Infantry Regiment was removed from the 7th Division and replaced with the 159th Infantry Regiment, newly deployed from the California Army National Guard.[3] The 53rd followed the 7th Division to Alaska and garrisoned Adak island.

Elmer was discharged on June 27, 1945 at Camp Beale, California.  He had 3 decorations/citations: American defense Service Medal; Asiatic Pacific Campaign Mefal; and Good Conduct Medal.  The 53rd Infantry Coat of Arms stands for  “Light, Silent, and Deadly.”

On June 19, 1947, a daughter, Susan Claire Daily was born in Woodland, California. Her brother, Charlie was almost 9 years old.

On July 17, 1948, another daughter, Nancy Louise Daily was born in Woodland, California. The Woodland City Directory for that year indicates his occupation was driver and that he and Elnora lived at 440 3rd Street.

1952—A Change is Coming 

(a personal story by Susan Daily Torguson - 18 Jan 2013)

Los Molinos, Palermo, Paskenta, Orland, Gerber, Richfield, Red Bluff, Corning….just a few of the places in Tehama, County California where I lived during my early years.

My dad must have been a jack-of-all-trades; we moved a lot to find work.  He was a mechanic, farm worker, truck driver, olive picker, and more after having served in the Army until 1945.

It was 1952 at LaConda Ranch outside of Corning. My sister, Nancy and I were 4 and 5 years old. We were dressed as twins most of the time—two little towheads traipsing after our big brother, Charlie, who was 14.

LaConda Ranch, an olive orchard, was home, though the plain little white house we lived in was a converted chicken house. My dad was the foreman of the orchard and we were given housing on the property next to a huge plantation-type home where the ranch manager and his family lived.

Walking into our house from a side door I recall an open kitchen and dining table and chairs. This is where I received a first doll made of soft plastic with blond vinyl hair and a gray shiny dress with a multi-colored polka-dot design. I loved that doll and recall chewing each of the soft rubber finger tips off—a precursor to my life long nail biting habit?

At the north end of the long narrow house were two small bedrooms and a bathroom. My tiny bedroom, shared with my sister and brother consisted of two cribs, one with brown enamel paint and chew marks on the top rails…hmmm…and the other white, along with a single twin bed. I recall bouncing exuberantly in those cribs as if they were trampolines—not a care in the world.

Charlie would in turn entertain us and scare us at night in our cribs with his finger shadows on the ceiling.  The bathroom, too, was a spooky place on moonlit windy nights.  The shadows cast on the walls by the fluttering leaves and a huge swaying tree outside were ominous to a five-year-old. My teasing brother enhanced the spookiness, of course.

On hot summer evenings I recall the sound of music, laughter, and square dance calls coming from a farm building near our house. My mom and dad were members of the local folk dancing club and loved music and dancing.

During this particular year, 1952, life as I knew it, changed. My entire family, mom, dad, and we three children were stricken with Polio during one of the largest epidemics on record. Dad was paralyzed from the hips down. 

Square dancing, of course, and constantly moving from place to place subsided. Our lives took a major turn towards recovery, reinvention, and stability. All would work out over time.

Elmer spent time at Children’s Hospital (Oakland or San Francisco) and returned to Corning where the family had moved after he was stricken. The memories are not clear, but the story goes that several in Corning were in iron lungs; not sure if Elmer ever was. Elnora supplemented physical therapy for him over the years.  By 1955 the family moved to Esparto, California where Elmer was trained by the March of Dimes as a watch repairman and jeweler. He had a small shop in the local drug store. Elnora opened a tropical fish store next door. Charlie attended and graduated (1956) from Esparto High School and Susie and Nancy attended school there until 3rd and 4th grades.

Elmer moved from crutches to full leg braces. In 1956 the family moved to Woodland and Elmer was employed as a stereotype operator for the Woodland Daily Democrat newspaper. It was heavy, hard work in the pressroom loading lead pegs and running the presses. Susie and Nancy attended Holy Rosary Catholic School. Charlie attended Sacramento City College and then went into the Navy.

Doing what he loved most

The family lived in various rental houses on West Street and on Locust Street. By 1957 through 1968, the family lived at 146 Second Street in Woodland, just two blocks from Elmer’s work at the Woodland Daily Democrat.

In 1969 Elmer and Elnora moved to 1109 39th Street in Sacramento. Elmer was employed by the Sacramento Union Newspaper until Cancer forced him to retire. Elmer died on January 26, 1975 at Mercy Hospital in Sacramento. He is buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery on 65th Street.