Chronology

Date

Event

1875

11/25. Born, Empire City, Oregon ( Previous info had said 1876, this is incorrect)

1876

November. Family moves to Parkersburg, Oregon

1877

11/25. Sarah born

1880

Grandfather Isaiah Hanscom dies on March 3, 1880 in Washington D. C.

1881

1883

Addie starts first grade. She would have been 7. School usually started at end of July.

1884

Addie promoted to 2nd grade, May and Eddie promoted to 4th grade, Meldon in high school, Sarah starts 1st

1885

Addie promoted to 3rd grade, Eddie and May to 5th, Sarah to 2nd, Meldon in high school.

1886

Addie repeats 3rd grade. Eddie and May promoted to 6th, and Sarah to 3rd, with Addie.

1887

Addie and Sarah promoted to 4th grade, Eddie and May promoted from to 7th.

1889

Addie and Sarah promoted from to 5th grade.

Brother Meldon working in SF as an agent for Pacific Mutual Life Ins. Lives in Berkeley

1890

Addie, Sarah and George Embury all promoted to 7th. May in HS. No further record of Adelaide attending school.

1895

Listed at Walnut house as an artist. Berkeley City Directory, in SF.

2/5 Meldon marries Anita Martinez. Perhaps Eddie also got married on this date.

Adelaide studied for three years with Mrs. Loosley around this time.

1897

Father Meldon first listed as a public official town clerk.

Adelaide an artist, Berkeley City Directory, in SF.

1897-1899

Exhibited paintings at the San Francisco Mechanics' Institute.

Thought to have begun her photography during this period.

Various newspapers articles state she taught or directed the teaching of drawing in the Berkeley public schools. It would have been sometime in this time period or the next few years.

1898

Listed at Walnut house as a student

This is probably the year (or years) Gerald was in Dawson City or Chilkoot Pass as a NWMP. Pleasant Camp may have been his post (Robert Service did not publish poems until 1906.)

John O Hanscom, ed. of Berkeley Daily Gazette

1899

Listed at Walnut house as a student at UC

Sarah graduates from the University of California, Berkeley

1900

Listed at Walnut house as a student

Assistant instructor in the Saturday drawing class at the Mark Hopkins Institute of Art for several years, exact dates unknown. Also worked as a drawing instructor for the Berkeley public schools for several terms. Year(s) not known.

Sarah working as a nurse in SF at the Hospital for children

1901

Listed at Walnut house as a student.

Blanche Cumming in SF as an artist, studio at 120 Sutter, residence at 20 Fell

George Embury had a placer mine in the Klondike in 1901 and 1902.

1902, ca

Listed at Walnut house as an artist. Also listed at end in artist section. SF directory shows her as having a studio at 809 Market.

Listed in the Golden Book of CA as a student at Berkeley

Has begun work on the Rubaiyat. Doing commercial work.

Had work in the Starr King Fraternity exhibition in Oakland

Camera Craft article and reproduction.

Meldon not listed in city directory at all.

1903

Published in Photograms. Child Study

1903 Exhibited five prints in the Third Photographic Salon in SF

Listed in city directory as living at Walnut street but being a San Francisco photographer. SF directory lists her as having 809 Market studio

May listed as student at Berkeley

Brother Meldon dies of tuberculosis in April. Sarah took him to Arizona to nurse him.

1903 or 04

Has photo in First American Photographic Salon

Photographs in St. Nicholas (Alleged. in newspaper articles. Could not find.)

1904

Listed in city directory as living at Walnut street but being a San Francisco photographer. SF directory lists Market studio, now with Blanche Cumming.

1904, Oct.

SF Bulletin announces Adelaide won best photo in its contest for most gracefully posed female figure

One of Adelaide's portraits was published in Photographs of the Year (p. 171). Other examples were published in Sunset (April 1904)

1905

Listed in city directory as living at Walnut street but being a San Francisco photographer. SF directory lists studio, but without Blanche.

4 photos in Second American Photographic Salon.

Photographic Times

Rubaiyat published. Many paper reviews.

Some pictures she took of Sterlings play Triumph of Light published in article on play in the Overland Monthly. Play produced 1/7/05.

1905-09

Listed as a Sierra Club Member. William Keith and Charles Keeler also listed.

1906

Listed in city directory at Walnut house. No occupation.

The Photographic Monthly, May, June and July issues

In March her work was reviewed by writer/photographer George Wharton James in Sunset (pp. 507-510) and the April issue featured her portrait of Joaquin Miller as a frontispiece

Photograms of 1906

Exhibition of women's photography in Hartford Connecticut

One print at Members Exhibition at 291

Fourteenth Annual (London) Photographic Salon

4/18/06 Studio on Market street, in Flood building, destroyed in quake and fire

5/16/06 Sarah marries George Embury and moves to Mexico.

Moved to Seattle in September. Opened studio there in 1906 with Gertrude Willison. Had an opening first weekend in October.

Sept 1906 article in Berkeley paper saying Adelaide has moved to Seattle. Mentions she is working on Sonnets.

Has picture shown in Royal Photographic Exhibit in London

Started work on Sonnets

Working in Berkeley on a Sterling poem. Photos undated but appear to be in this time period.

12/9/06, Seattle Post Intelligencer article on a wedding she photographed. Bride was daughter of former US Senator.

1907

Commercial work. Newspaper article of 1/27/07 indicates she had a studio in Seattle and was photographing prominent society people. All during this year her portraits of Seattle's society people, usually women or children, appeared in the newspapers and the Week-End.

6/5/07 and undated articles mention studio with Gertrude Willison in Peoples Savings Bank Building. Announced in Post Intelligencer 6/5/07

Designs medal for Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. Wins competition and $500. Announced in Douglas Island News on 7/10/07 and in Dawson Weekly News 7/5/07

Wins medal in Liverpool Exposition and also one in Wilkes-Barre (from clippings)

Mentioned in Camera Work, XVII, 1907, p. 91. Hung a picture in the Photo Secessionist gallery, 291.

1908

Marries Gerald Leeson on 1/1/08. Moves to Alaska and lives in Douglas and moves to Treadwell. Won a boat in a raffle about 2/5. Moved into new home in Treadwell about 2/12. 5/13 Gerald misses work for a week, sick. 7/15 Addie leaves for Berkeley. 7/22 Gerald leaves to go to Berkeley.

Joins Photo-Secession. Michael Wilson states she had a photograph hung in Steiglitz' 291 gallery.

Hanscom exhibited her Rubaiyat illustrations in the Second Exhibition of the Berkeley Art Association. [Catalogue of the Exhibition, Nov. 17-20, 1908; located in the Oakland Museum]

Photograms of 1908

In Sept. probably in Seattle (postcard sent there from Sarah, dated 9/10/08)

By December Addie in SF (telegram from Gerald in Treadwell)

Snapshot she took of Berkeley children on horseback is dated c. 1908. The girls are riding astride, near Hearst and LeConte in a field behind houses.

1909, 1/3

Jerry born in SF. Gerald leaves Alaska on 1/13 and returns on 2/17. Christened 2/3 and held by father. At baptism were Catherine and Fred Thorn, great friends of the family. Mrs. Marquand also there. She was friend of Addies mother. Was at St.Marks Church (Berkeley?)

Then Gerald comes to SF to see son, after 3 weeks goes to Treadwell.

Feb. 2, 1909 Jerry baptized. Photo of his father holding him.

Quilt from Auntie Catherine (Thorne).

Photos of him at 2 months taken in Emily Pitchford's studio

Visitors include Cora Cheney

Auntie Sarah send Easter card from Mexico

1909, April

At some point in 1909 Camera Work lists her as an Associate of the Photo-Secession. Volumes XXV, p. 49 and XXVI, p. 43.

At Easter they were all living in Berkeley with her mother. Even Gerald.

Photos at 3.5 months taken with LeRoy and Howard Landon, a cousin, in a cherry tree in Berkeley

1909, June

Photos taken of Jerry at 4.5 months in Blanch Cumming studio in SF. Photos at 5 months with Gerald at Thornes in Seattle.

Adelaide and Jerry go to Seattle. Father seems to be there. Father may have tried to sell real estate. Photos at age 5 mo. With Auntie Catherine (Seattle)

Frederick and Catherine Thorne. Home called Ah Koo. Auntie Ethel. Mrs. Sather. Coder House. Dena. Mr. Jennings. Junior Weston

Photos taken at AYP fair. 7-8 months

1909, Sept

Frontispiece for Rubaiyat photos taken for it with Jerry, Gerald and Mr. Jennings. taken in October.

Photos at age 6 and 7 months in or near Seattle. Snow in baby pictures taken in December indicate they were all in Seattle. Christmas pictures in Seattle.

Another child named Bruce. Also Teddy and Bernie Brady.

1910

At 14 months, March, photo with Jerry in snow.

Adelaide and Jerry go to California for a two month visit. In June photos indicate they were in Seattle, (17 months, in Seattle. Mrs. Hall) but in July in Berkeley and August in Danville and Berkeley. One shows Jerry. playing with Lila Hornburge'rs girls in Mill Valley—Elizabeth and Julia

In August with Daddy in Seattle.

In September back in Seattle at Auntie Catherine Thorne. Caroline Clark mentioned. Also at a Mrs. Leos and a Mrs. Kiernan

In Nov. still in Seattle, at Mrs. Cookingham's studio. Mrs. Lambs "making music"

Frontispiece for Rubaiyat published. (Where did I get this info?)

1911

Family moves to Danville, sometime after Xmas 1910, where Gerald joins brother-in-law in chicken farming. He builds them a house on their land, and also tries to sell real estate.

Photos at second birthday in Seattle, but photos soon after that in Danville.

Photo with LeRoy, Louise and George in Danville.

1912

Feb. 29--Catherine (Kit) born. Still in Danville. Adelaide is working on the nursery rhyme series. Photo of baby with Jerry in Danville

Summer at "The Ranch" chicken farming. Still there on 11/15.

At some point in 1912 Dodge Publishing publishes another version of The Rubaiyat which has been hand colored. The borders around the text are redone. Credit for the work goes to both Adelaide and Blanche Cumming.

Christmas, 1912, at the ranch.

1913

She is working on the nursery rhyme photos. Photos taken in Danville. Jerry 4 1/2 and Kit 1 1/2

Photo of three girls on a boat, one is Doris Bradley, dated 1913 or 14. They are in the estuary. Photos taken in Berkeley

1914

Family goes to the mining town of Kellogg Idaho. Adelaide and the children only stay about 9 months. (Or less. Time estimate from Jerrys memory)

In Feb. Gerald is in Kellogg, Family is in Danville.

Aug. all are in Kellogg.

Sept. separated again. Addy in Danville, teaching high school.

A British version of the colored Rubaiyat illustrations. They must have reused plates because the reproduction is greatly degraded. Colors are muddy and lines are blurred. Uses same text and border as 1912 version.

1914

Feb--A letter from Gerald to Jerry, 2/27/14, is from Kellogg. Mentions helping Mama and liking machinery.

Letter indicates that she has sent the photos for the Sonnets to the publisher. (8/1 she sent. Letter in response dated 8/17 and sent to Kellogg)

Sept. Back in Danville. She is listed as the drawing teacher for the Danville High School in 1914.

1915

Jan.—Adelaide and kids are in Danville. Father in Kellogg. Studio is built by Uncle Ed. Home added to and finished by Uncle Ed. Gerald sent telegram to Jerry from Kellogg, dated 3/8/15. Also one dated 1/27/15--sent to Rancho El Rio, Danville.

During summer family in Kellogg. Watching barnstorming at 4^th of July celebration. Jerry remembers Kellogg, he was 6 1/2. Remembers watching barnstorming and air balloons.

Sonnets published

Jerry started school in Danville in first grade. Adelaide teaching in the high school.

1916, spring

Spring—Gerald goes to Vancouver and enlists in Canadian Army, He was a British citizen. He did this without going to California to visit his family first. Family rumor says they had argued, and were unreconciled.

By at least July Adelaide and kids live in Danville. Auntie May has adjoining property, and a family named Harris live near. Mrs. Harris does the wash and some heavy work. Francis Harris, her son, is Jerry's age. Sometime around now Adelaide dressed Jerry in "quaint" clothes even when he went to school. He got in fist fights over it.

Postcard to Addy in Danville from Gerald dated 7/21/16.

At some point they move to Grandmothers house in Berkeley.

Sept.—Gerald shipped out.  Jerry starting second grade in Danville.

1916

Gerald is killed in Regina Trench. Fell on a grenade to save his companions. Telegram of death sent to Danville. Telegram dated 10/21

Wardner Kellogg News Friday Nov. 17, 1916

Reported Dead. Word has been received here that Frank Leeson, former employee of the Bunker Hill, who enlisted in a Canadian regiment, had met death on the battlefield in the fighting around Verdun. He leaves a wife and family residing in California. Leeson was at one time chief of police at Dawson City, in the days of the gold rush to the Klondike.

1917

In Sept. Jerry starts third grade in Danville. Continued through third grade.

1918

Listed as drawing teacher in Danville high school for graduating class of 5/18

Jerry in fourth grade in Christian Science school in Berkeley.

1919

1/13 Meldon died following a "brief illness."

She becomes a Christian Scientist. Gerald joined in 1913.

Jerry is attending a private school in Berkeley, run by Christian Scientists. She is known to have auditory hallucinations. There is some evidence of withdrawal and depression.

1919, ca

She visits a C.S. in Reno who may have proposed marriage.

1919-20,

They move to Carmel and Adelaide keeps house for a widower.

Jerry goes to fifth grade here. They were here about 9 months.

Jerry first really becomes aware that she is not all right. First irrational behavior. Uncle Wilton comes down and gets them and takes them back to Grandmothers in Berkeley. About 2-3 weeks later, as she is even more irrational, she is committed.

1920

Admitted 3/16/20 to Agnews State Mental Hospital. Discharged 10/20. Readmitted 12/20, discharged 11/27/22. (Cat started Pince Cone in May/1919 and went to Sept..) School started a month late in 1919 because of raging influenza epidemic. Brigman visited.

In Berkeley. Jerry goes to Hillside school for sixth grade.

1921

In Agnews all year.

The children live in Berkeley with Auntie May during the week while she teaches, and in Danville on weekends. This goes on during the whole 2 years of hospitalization. At some point they visit their mother once.

1922, ca

Jerry going to Garfield Junior High. Seventh and eighth grades, fall 21 to spring 23.

Adelaide listed in city directory at Walnut address. Discharged from sanitarium on 11/27/22.

1923, ca

Adelaide listed in city directory at Walnut address, listed as an artist.

They live in Danville, but she has little control over the children. Jerry skips school. Then her mother dies and what little emotional support and help Adelaide was getting was gone. She takes her part of the inheritance and goes to England.

1924

They go to England in December of 1923. Jerry lives with relatives. Kit lives with mother some times, in boarding school others. They are all together on holidays. First year she lives in London, and tries suicide from depression. Next 2.5 years she lives in various places in the country. Did some miniatures.

1925

On April 11, her brother Eddie died.

1927

June. They return to the states. Adelaide goes first, and Jerry follows. They meet in Nebraska where he is to go to college. Adelaide and Jerry live together for the year in Lincoln NE.

1928, summer

Kit returns from England and she and her mother go to Berkeley. Kit goes to U of C for one year. Her mother begins to do watercolors. Quite a few are dated this year. She also is working on a poem, illustrating it. Paints a lot in Marin County.

She has a one woman miniature show. in NY

1929, fall

Kit goes to Pasadena. Mother is living alone.

1931, Nov. 19

Adelaide is getting off a trolley in Pasadena and is hit and killed by a hit and run driver. Happened in the fall. Kit did not invite aunts since they had not been supportive of her. Unclear if she was buried or if ashes were scattered at sea.

11/21/31 Strictly private services for Adelaide Marquand Leeson. Pierce Brothers directors.