633 McKinley Ave History - Laserfiche WebLink

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to R: Wilma (1916-2008); Charles Greenwood (1913-2010); James Gilbert "Gilbert" (1910-1975); Joseph Stanley "Stanley" (1912-1976); Geraldine Olive "Olive" (1922- 2006). Front row, L to R: Wilfred (1916-1985); father Charles G. (1883-1961); mother Avis Edna "Edna" (1884-1973); and Gerald Owen "Owen" (1922-2008). Griffin/Bertolotti Family Ownership, 1927-1945 In 1927, W. Edgar Griffin (1872-1943) purchased the property contained in these three connected blocks, most likely as an investment. He died in 1943. His wife, Lucille Winkler Griffin (1887-1974), who remarried and became Lucille Bertolotti, inherited the property. She sold it in 1945. It is believed that the house was a rental during this period of ownership. One family known to have rented 633 McKinley during this period was the Burgess family. Thomas Burgess (1898-1969) and Nora Purdy Burgess (1897-1978) and their daughters Evelyn (1920-1969) and Gladys (1922-1969) came from England to the U.S. in 1923. Like the Smiths, they came from County Durham. They settled in Chariton, Iowa, where Thomas worked as a coal miner. In around 1935, they moved to Louisville as part of an influx of people looking for coal mining work during the Depression. They began to rent 633 McKinley and are shown in the 1940 census as living in the house along with a lodger, John Ondus, who had also come from Chariton, Iowa to Louisville. During World War II, Evelyn Burgess served in the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). She enlisted in 1944. She was stationed in California. She appeared in a short scene on the Louisville Historical Museum's World War II film showing local servicemen and women while they were home on leave. The film is entitled "Our Boys and Girls in the Armed Forces, 1943-44." The following screen capture from the film shows Evelyn Burgess in uniform in a short scene from the film. The location does not appear to be her family's house at 633 McKinley. 3