#52Ancestors – Surprises
They always say, “Start with what you know,” right? Seems easy enough… but what if you don’t know much at all? What if what you thought you knew turns out to be full of surprises?
As I’ve written before, I started my genealogy journey at a young age. By the time I was in middle school, I knew all four of my grandparents, had met one great-grandmother, and had been introduced to countless extended family members on both sides. Building a family tree was relatively easy when I already had names, places, and stories passed down through generations.
But what if you grew up knowing only one side of your family? What if you were told your father had died before you were born, and all you had of him was your name?
That’s exactly what happened to my former father-in-law, Clifford Frank Max, born in 1929 in Edwardsville, Illinois. And when I first heard his story in the early 1990s, I was shocked. I couldn’t imagine such a thing! I knew people who hadn’t known their grandparents, but not knowing who their own father was? That was unheard of in my world.
So, my curiosity took over, and I dove into the mystery: Who was Clifford’s father?
Life in 1928: Edwardsville, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri
Edwardsville, Illinois, in 1928 was a small but growing town, just 20 miles from the vibrant city of St. Louis, Missouri. While Edwardsville had its coal mining and factory jobs, St. Louis offered even more opportunities, from bustling department stores to thriving industries. It was a time of jazz clubs, vaudeville theaters, and Prohibition-era speakeasies, where young people sought excitement and entertainment. With its dance halls and social events, St. Louis would have been a major draw for adventurous young men and women looking for work, fun, or perhaps even romance.
It’s possible that Myrtle June Thompson and Mr. Max met on one of these excursions to the city. Maybe they danced the night away in a St. Louis ballroom, caught a vaudeville show at the Fox Theatre, or simply crossed paths at Union Station, where crowds of travelers and hopeful job seekers passed through every day. However their meeting happened, it clearly led to a connection that changed Myrtle’s life forever.
The First Clue: A Birth Announcement
Clifford Frank Max was born on June 18, 1929, in Edwardsville, Illinois, to Myrtle June Thompson. His birth was announced in the Edwardsville Intelligencer the very next day.1
But here’s where things get interesting: According to family lore, Clifford’s father—also named Clifford—had died before his son was born. And yet, if that were the case, why was his birth publicly announced without mention of such a tragedy?
The 1930 Census – A Widow at 19?
In the 1930 U.S. Federal Census, I found young Clifford living with his mother, June Max, age 19, listed as widowed. She had married at 17 and now lived with her own mother, Martha Thompson, who was also widowed. But there was no sign of Mr. Max.
No problem, I thought. If he had truly passed away before his son’s birth, I should be able to find a death record, right?
Except… there was nothing.
A Vanishing Act
I scoured records in Edwardsville and nearby St. Louis, Missouri—just 20 miles away—searching for any mention of a Clifford Max who had died around 1928 or 1929. But no obituaries, no burial records, no death certificates. It was as if Mr. Max had simply vanished.
And so, the mystery deepened. If Clifford’s father really had died before he was born, why couldn’t I find any evidence? Could it be that he hadn’t died at all? Had he left instead? Was the story of his untimely death just that—a story?
A Mystery Still Unsolved… But Getting Closer!
Decades have passed since I first started unraveling this puzzle, and while I still don’t have all the answers, I feel like I’m getting closer. DNA testing, new digitized records, and a growing network of genealogists all provide new tools to uncover the truth.
One thing is certain: Mr. Max was full of surprises!
Genealogy is never a straight road—it twists and turns, revealing unexpected connections and long-held secrets. This journey has reminded me that sometimes the most fascinating discoveries aren’t the ones we expect… they’re the ones that surprise us the most.
Have you ever uncovered a shocking family mystery? I’d love to hear your “Surprise” stories in the comments!
And keep watching this blog. I’ll be posting more to the “Mystery of Mr. Max” story in the coming weeks!
- “Personals,” Edwardsville Intelligencer, (Edwardsville, Illinois), 19 Jun 1929, p. 8, col. 4. para. 3; digital images, Newspapers.comm (https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12160371/the_edwardsville_intelligencer/?xid=637 : accessed 11 Feb 2025). ↩︎