[oldstuff]

Here is probably way more than anyone cares to know about Alice B. Sturdy:

Alice B. Sturdy was born Alice Gould Bragg in Vermont in November of 1861. In 1888, she married Robert Albert Sturdy in Los Angeles. She appears in an 1897 directory as Mrs Robert A. Sturdy. At that time, she was living at the address where he apparently had his blacksmith shop at 333. North Chicago, Los Angeles. The 1900 Census shows her as being divorced. That census shows her as having three children and also notes that her mother, Ruby Bragg, resided with her.

There is a 1907 marriage license filed for a marriage between her and and a Robert A. Sturdy. There are, however, directories, in 1902, 1905 and 1907, which list her as being the widow of Robert Albert Sturdy. This may have been to save face since divorce was frowned upon at that time. He appears in the 1910 census as divorced.

He appears as being a horseshoer and blacksmith in an 1893 directory, with a shop located at 1854 E. First Street, Los Angeles. He still had his own shop when he appears in the 1910 Census.

The 1910 census again lists her as a widow. All three of her children are listed with her in 1910 but her mother is not. Cemetery records show that she died in November of 1910 and she is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, which was just around the corner from her house at 3416 E. 1st St. Google shows a house at that address, now behind a party store, which could be the same house she lived in. The assessor's office indicates that the house there was first built in 1907.

A 1915 Directory shows him living in the house on 1st Street. He is noted to be a blacksmith. Living with him at that time is Lena Sturdy, his youngest daughter and also a teacher. He is working for a dairy at that time.

He appears in the 1930 census, still living in Los Angeles, but as a lodger. The census page show him in the listings for "LA Creamery". That is the last listing for him and he does not appear in the death index.

There is an undated photo on page 992 which shows a group of employees from the LA Creamery. Maybe he is one of them.


Her story is convoluted if not actually noirish. I can't find any pictures of her or him. Her youngest daughter went on to become a teacher. I can't help but wonder if the "accepting the resignation" of Mrs Sturdy as a teacher was because she was divorced? It is also interesting to note that one of the board members listed in the article was a Mr. Bragg. Bragg was her maiden name. I can't connect him to her or find him in a census. Her mother was the widow of an H. E. Bragg.

Update: from the Los Angeles Herald, March 6, 1896 we find this in the California Digital Newspaper Collection:

"THREATS TO KILL Rouert A. Sturdy Jailed for Abusing His Wife Deputy Constable Quinn yesterday placed Robert A. Sturdy behind the bars of the county jail on a warrant sworn to by his wife Alice, charging him with threatening to kill her. Sturdy is a man who is ■turdy by nature as well as by name. Physically ho is a giant, weighing over 200 pounds, and all muscle. He is a blacksmith and runs a shop at 1854 East First

street, Boyle Heights. At No. 333 Chicago street he owns a cozy little cottage, and ail would be well with him but for his besetting sin, drink. It is alleged that he goes on periodical sprees and while intoxicated brutally heats and abuses his wife. .Some four years ago Sturdy became so bad that bo was committed to the insane asylum at Napa, where ho remained over eight mouths. He was discharged as cured, but resumed his drinking again. Night before last he got arunk and. coming borne, commenced abusing his wife. She stood it as long as possible, but he finally he* CAme so violent that she escaped from tho house, afraid she would be killed should she remain. This was tho last straw and yesterday an action for divorce was instituted. Habitual intemperance is the cause given and there seems little doubt but what Mrs. Sturdy will get her decree. On the advice of her lawyers the warrant of arrest was sworn out and Sturdy will be prosecuted on a charge of threats to kill. Constable Quinu has good cause to remember his man, as some years ago, while in jail, Sturdy broke three ribs and a finger for him while lie was endeavoring to subdue him in a drunken frenzy. When he went after the blacksmith yesterday he took along another man for good luck. Sturdy, however, was sober and made no trouble."

and then...

In a story appearing in the Los Angeles Herald, March 22, 1896:
"Alice G. Sturdy was given a divorce from Robert A. Sturdy by Judge York. The charge was cruelty, and the wife made out a strong case. Sturdy is a blacksmith, living on Boyle Heights, and it was shown that it was a common practice to beat his wife, besides being guilty of other acta of cruelty too numerous to mention."

From the California digital newspaper collection

She was an alumni of Lindenwood College, Class of 1879. Lindenwood was a college for young ladies located in St. Charles, MO