Black male, stillborn in Pensacola, Florida on 8 September 1935. Mother was Annie Chester, born in Crestview, Florida; the father was listed as “D.K.” or “Don’t Know.” (The father may have been very well known to Annie; there were a multitude of reasons why women did not identify fathers.) The residence Annie gave at the time of the birth was 2012 N. Haynes St. in Pensacola. The child was buried at the Escambia County Poor Farm cemetery on the same day by Morris Funeral Home. There was no cause of death listed other than stillbirth.
Annie Chester first appeared in the 1934 City Directory for Pensacola, Florida, living at 410 E. Moreno and working as a laundress.
She appeared in the 1935 State Census of Florida living at 2012 N. Hayne St. in Pensacola, the household of Isaiah and Annie Lee Hilliard (67 and 50, respectively). Annie was 28 years old and was born in Florida. She had a primary school education, and while an occupation is listed, it is illegible. Also in the household are Annie’s children: Harold, 7, born in Alabama; Virle, 4, born in Florida. At the bottom of the page, another daughter, Mary Jean Chester, is listed at the address, 2 years old and born in Florida.
Annie appeared again in the City Directory of Pensacola for 1938; her address was given as 410 E. Moreno and her occupation as laundress.
Annie married Calvin Johnson Howard on 24 December 1938.
She appeared in the 1940 U.S. Census for Pensacola, Florida living at 217 E. Maxwell Street in his household. Calvin was a Black male, 44 years old, who rented the home. He was born in Alabama but was living in Pensacola in 1935. He had a primary school education, and worked as a laborer on a street project. Annie is listed as “Annie J. Howard,” a Black woman 33 years old. She worked as a laundress out of her home. Also in the household were Harold C. Chester, 12; Velra J. Chester, 9; and Mary Jean Chester, 6. Again, Harold is listed as having been born in Alabama. All three children are identified as Calvin’s stepchildren and all three were attending school.
In December 1942, Harold Chester’s WWII draft card revealed his full name was Harold Calvin Chester, he was born on 7 November 1924 in Florala, AL; he was 5’11” and 150 pounds.
Calvin and Annie appeared in the 1944, 1946, and 1948 Pensacola City Directories living at 300 E. Mallory St. Calvin had no occupation listed in 1944; in 1946 it was “carpenter,” and in 1948 it was “repairman.” They appeared in the 1945 State Census of Florida at 300 Mallory as C.J. Howard, 49, born in Alabama and working in repair; A.J. Howard, 38 years old, born in Florida; C. Harrel Chester, 18, born in Alabama and in the U.S. Army; J. Belra Chester, 14, born in Pensacola; J. Mary Chester, 12, born in Pensacola; and J.B. Howard, 2, born in Pensacola. None of the family had higher than a 7th grade education.
In the 1950 Pensacola City Directory, Annie C Howard and Velra Chester were listed as living at 403 E Bobe St. Velra worked as a laborer at the Naval Air Station.
In the 1950 Census, Calvin J. Howard was living alone in South Flomaton, Florida with his marital status as “Separated.”
I have been unable to locate Annie after her appearance in the 1950 Pensacola City Directory or before her first appearance in 1934.
Harold Chester’s obituary (d. 20 May 2003) reveals he was called “Pete,” and that his parents were Oscar and Annie Jewel Chester. The obituary of one Simon Harris (1964) lists Velra Chester as a surviving son.
FAMILY:
Mother: Annie Jewel Chester
Siblings: Harold Calvin Chester, Verla L Chester, Mary Jean Chester Montgomery, J. B. Howard
SOURCES:
Florida Certificate of Death for the Infant of Annie Chester (No. 14683).
City Directory for Pensacola, FL.
Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
Household of Annie Chester. Ancestry.com. Florida, U.S., State Census, 1867-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
Marriage record of Annie Chester. State Archive, Tallahassee and Clerk of Courts; Various Counties; County Marriages, 1938-1939. Ancestry.com. Florida, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1823-1982 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Original data: Marriage Records. Florida Marriages. Various Florida County Courthouses and State Archive, Tallahassee, Florida.
WWII Draft Card of Harold Calvin Chester. National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards For Florida, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 80. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
Household of Calvin J. Howard, Year: 1940; Census Place: Pensacola, Escambia, Florida; Roll: m-t0627-00585; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 17-23. Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.
Household of C.J. Howard. Ancestry.com. Florida, U.S., State Census, 1867-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Eleventh census of the state of Florida, 1945; (Microfilm series S 1371, 43 reels); Record Group 001021; State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
Household of Calvin J. Howard. National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: South Flomaton, Escambia, Florida; Roll: 3534; Page: 11; Enumeration District: 17-104. Ancestry.com. 1950 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2022. Original data: Department of Commerce. Bureau of the Census. 1913-1/1/1972. Population Schedules for the 1950 Census, 1950 – 1950. Washington, DC: National Archives at Washington, DC.
Obituary of Simon Harris. The Pensacola Journal, 14 JUL 1964, p. 2.
Obituary of Mr. Pete Chester, Sr. (1927 – 2003), The Pensacola News Journal, 3 JUN 2003, p. 18.