I finally recalled why this Brody & Margaret could not be the same as our GB and MK:
1) Margaret Kukoda was born in 1917, so the earliest mention of a Margaret in 1928 would have occured when Kukoda was only eleven. There are also references to George Brody and his wife Margaret in other states prior to 1928, so it is clear that they are two different sets of people.
2) We know from our talks with the Kukoda family that Margaret moved to San Francisco during World War II, which would mean probably around 1942, not circa 1928.
Once we hit the 1950's, when both sets of GB's and Margaret's are living in San Francisco, it becomes more difficult to unravel which is which. I suspect that one source of confusion is the list of suspected references to our Brody and Kukoda that Joe Ford prepared decades ago may include references to both sets. Joe, working in the 1980's, was probably unaware of the secord GB and Margaret - the information was not obvious then with the limited resources available.
Since the GB who was involved in the auto accident was listed as living in San Francisco (and at an address very close to a much later address listed for the SF Brody), I now believe that "Accident Brody" and "SF Brody" are the same guy and not our Brody. Even without this info being a match to our Brody, we can still place GB in the Bay Area much earlier than previously thought.
We know now that our initial suspicion of Anna being passed to an unsuspecting member of the Kukoda family is unlikely, so I am much less interested in tracing Margaret's whereabouts. The value of discovering Brody living in Oakland as early as 1936 is that it eliminates all of our speculations and efforts to link Brody to the mysterious "Russell" who was Margaret's boyfriend in Pennsylvania, to various boxers in Philedelphia, etc. His links for the forty years prior to Anna's disappearance are in California, which greatly narrows the focus of our research. It also helps us to know that he has been "Brody" since 1936, so that is most likely his real given name, not an alias. And we also know that his given birth-year of 1923 is obviously false.
What I would like to uncover now is some sort of birth records for Brody and gain some understanding of how he went from being a salesman and junior research assistant (seemingly a normal working guy) to being the spiritual-guru/con-man that we saw by 1967.
by little search, just my opinion....
previous finding by this forum:
1. 1923 SF George Brody, 1060 Page – Plummer, Dec.
2. 1928 SF George Brody, 2375 20th Ave – Hdw. Dealer, Rep. (Margaret Dem)
3. 1930 SF George Brody, 2375 20th Ave – none listed, Rep. (Margaret Rep)
4. 1932 SF George Brody, 2375 20th Ave. – Merchant, Rep. (Margaret Dem)
5. 1933 SF George Brody, 2375 20th Ave. – Merchant, Rep. (Margaret Dem)
6. 1938 SF George Brody ( really: George
"N" Brody), 458 (
430 right) Divisadero – Merchant, Dem.
7. 1940 SF George Brody, 831 Fulton – Merchant, Dem.
and by me:
8. 1940 SF George Brody,1651 Market st-merchant-Dem
9. 1944 SF George Newton Brody 641 Hayes st- machinist
well all this records could be abt same man;
George Newton Brody, born in Ohio ( but it will be true???) abt in the 1890; father born in Ohio, mother born in Germany; married abt in the 1918/9 (unknown place: in Philadelphia records I found not the marriage record) at Margaret V ( surname: Murphy ???born abt 1895/6- New Jersey; father birthplace: New Jersey; mother birthplace: New Jersey):
-in 1920 resident in Philadelphia: George N Brody
plumber profession; married at Margaret V; with Anna or Ellen or Elano ( or similar spell-no much readable on the census) Murphy, 16 old, sister in law living in the family born in Delaware( father birthplace: Maryland; mother birthplace: Delaware.... as was this girl the sister in law is a mystery, or maybe it is the sister in law of other family inhabithant whit GNB ); no children.. ; in same house address: 32 N Frazier St, Philadelphia, PA USA, it was living also: Charles Scherff ( of Germany heritage) and Maude wife
-in 1930 San Francisco: George Brody ( is listed not as GNB but only as GB, but is the same of 1920 Phila census) resident with Margaret V wife in 2375 20th ave, San Francisco, CA (in same area of all records); father: unknown birthplace; mother born in Germany; profession:
merchant; no children..
house owner address: 2375 20th ave; so from 1928 until 1933 THIS GB no changed house because he was owner...
after 1933 year, start for this GB the house changements, and seeming to me, that he divorced or in any case no living with wife, because all other records mentioning not Margaret V Brody.
So by property house act of 2375 20th ave San Francisco ( value 7000$)maybe it will be possible to know more abt this George N Brody... I believe he buy in the 1927/8...
Obviously ,this Margaret V Brody
is not MK;
but in this part of San Francisco, in this area, personally, I think that is impossible so much GB peoples,
so I believe that the merchant and the plumber are same man, as a well the machinist in the 1944 directory...
in fact in 1920 GNB was plumber -ship yard in Phila; moved in SF and again making plumber profession; changed in merchant and so is listed until 1940, when by records appearing 2 GB, both merchants, both democratics, but they are only 1 man, the same man, because the directory date is different, if I'm not in error:
-1940 SF George Brody, 831 Fulton – Merchant, Dem-
to and including in 18 July 1940
-1940 SF George Brody,1651 Market st-merchant-Dem -
to and including 26 September 1940
in 1944 he is machinist profession....
after 1944, we know by this forum:
1945-46: George Brody, 480 Ellis
(Brody not in 1948-49 Directory)
1951 George & Marian Brody clk. r. 1507 Cal
1953 Kukoda Margt nurse 1905 Fulton Apt. 5
(No listing for Brody in 1953)
1955-56: Brody Geo. r. 480 Ellis
1957: Margt. Kukoda, agt. for Stroll-O-Chair Display Co. h. 3009 Mission, Spt. 310
(No listing for Brody)
1958: Kukoda, Margt. M (Oriental & French Imports) r. 3019 Mission
1959: No listing for Brody, Kukoda or Mary Kay
1960: Mary E. Kay, 3141 Franklin, Apr. 4. No Kukoda, no Brody listed
1961: Mary Kay, r. 1006 Noe, Apt. 3
1962: Same listing
1963: Mary Kay, r. 1006 Noe, Apt. 3
1965: Not in directory
1966: Kay, Mary M. (widow of John) dir Beeline Fashion Home, h 1006 Noe.
no other GB seeming listed... the last in the 1955/6; after this year only MK (Margaret Kukoda/Mary Kay) .. the area is the same, so, reasonably, he was resident in same area of San Francisco, different addresses, almost from 1923.. and no listed more in the directories from 1956... appearing only MK, until 1966...
This means that between 1945 and 1950 or more, GB meet MK..
the picture by Margaret Kilroy studio, with phrase, show a GB with a nose a little different of other pictures....
the nose seeming a bit swollen as a nose that had a recent surgical operation...
also the picture made expressly for declaring all him love for MK, is a picture sure made just after courting success...
It is so for all, so falling in love was recent....
the phrase on the picture is almost of 1951 when James Jones wrote the book with same title; but I believe that GB could have copied the phrase by movie ( Fred Zinnermann)title from 1953; in any case the phrase on the picture is no a him mind's birth....
also MK had nurse license revoked, for illegal abortion's cause, after the GB meeting, and most probably because needing of more money;
from 1960 MK changing name...
the other profession that MK made after 1960, seeming no with much money profit...
GB no working, and also I believe that: as plumber, machinist or merchant he was no very able, otherwise the wife Margaret V no let it...
I cannot find the WWI draft registration card as a well the WWII abt a:
George N Brody, or George Newton Brody, or only George Brody born in Ohio in the 1890 circa.... maybe someone can help; it will be interesting to know the birthdate of this man... if someone already found it, please to say us...
Thanks a lot,
raf
