Charles A. Tapp, son of Harry Bushrod Tapp 2 1930s

This is the second installment.  If you are related, be sure to contact me using the form on the right.

1930-1939

• 1930 residence Pontiac Michigan
• 1930 birth of brother Joseph W.
• 1930 Historical Insight, Ford River Rouge Plant
• 1930 Historical Insight, Sears, Roebuck and Company
• 1930 Historical Inight, Nationalization of 4-H Program
• 1932 birth of brother Robert Lee Tapp
• 1933 Historical Insight, Social Impact of the First "New Deal"
• 1935 Residence, Bloomington Illinois
• 1935 Historical Insight, Living on Route 66
• 1935 Historical Insight, The Great Depression
• 1936 Historical Insight, North American Heat Wave

Charles Alfred Tapp mini-pedigree
from Ancestry.com

about 1930, age 10

birth of brother Joseph William Tapp, Michigan.  Not much else information at this time

1930 Census, age 10

1930 Census for family of Charles Alfred Tapp

Charles A. Tapp, born about 1921 in Illinois is the son Harry B. and Clara F. Tapp.  They lived on 249 Lincoln Street, Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan.  He attended school, he can read and write, and both parents were born in Illinois.  His stepbrother Charles lives with them.  Okay, then.  The family moved to Michigan to work in the Body Plant, probably in the Ford River Rouge Plant, some information below.  Charles' father lists his occupation as Motorfacing (?) and his stepbrother also worked there.

Below are some images relating to this address.

249 Lincoln Street, Pontiac Michigan
Google Maps 2018

249 Lincoln Street, Pontiac Michigan
Google Maps Satellite View

NOT 249 Lincoln Street.  This is as close as I can get, t
his address is no longer here, apparently
Google Maps StreetView

This would be the route Charles and his dad would have taken
assuming they worked at the Ford plant
Google Maps

Now Hold On One Cotton-Pickin' Minute!

The census simply states that these two men worked at the Body Plant, but this seems a bit extreme, yes?  YES!  So, here's an unproven hypothesis.

• Fact: both men worked at the Body Plant.  
• Fact: both men lived in Pontiac.  
• Fact: people tended to live close to their occupations.  
• Fact:  There was a Fisher Body Plant in Pontiac which became General Motors and Pontiac, and is now defunct.  
• Therefore: I surmize that, since this is a three mile distance from their home, I think (but don't have any proof, so don't go claiming THIS as fact!) I think they may have worked at THIS place instead of the bigger Ford plant.  BTW, the actual name of this local plant is "BODY PLANT."

Route to work if they Tapp men worked at the Fisher Body Plant

Information on the Ford River Rouge plant is below in the historical insights.  Here, I include some info on the closer plant.

1941 Fisher Body Plant, Pontiac Motor CoNewberry Library, Curt Teich & Co, Chicago IL

At this Heritage Center website is one man's experience working here.

1930 age 10

The Ford River Rouge Plant

In 1930, Charles Alfred Tapp lived in Pontiac Michigan near the Ford River Rouge plant that employed tens of thousands of Americans.

Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Historical Insights, Ancestry.com

In the early 20th century, Michigan was transformed into an economic and industrial powerhouse when Henry Ford established the world's largest manufacturing complex in Dearborn, Michigan

Sears, Roebuck and Company

Charles Alfred Tapp most likely read or shopped from the Sears catalog from 1914-1930

Dixon Evening Telegraph, Dixon Illinois
25 August 1938, page 14
downloaded March 2017 from
Newspapers.com

In 1886, about 65 percent of all Americans lived in rural areas and they were forced to pay high prices at local general stores. But Richard Sears, a railway agent, used his spare time to sell valuable commodities, such as jewelry, along his route. When he opened the R.W. Sears Watch Company, he hired Alvah C. Roebuck to repair watches. The two then partnered to expand the mail-order business in 1893, selling in volume in order to lower prices. By 1895, the “farmer’s friend,” as the Sears catalog was known, was 532-pages long and sold everything families needed, including farm equipment, livestock, housewares, medicines, and clothing. Between 1908 and 1940, Sears even sold approximately 100,000 home construction kits, complete with plans and lumber. From the practical to the peculiar, the Sears “Big Book” became so much a part of American life that copies were sent to homesick American soldiers during both world wars.

The Nationalization of 4-H Programs

Credit: Library of Congress

Historical Insight, Ancestry.com

Throughout the early 1900s, 4-H programs grew in popularity, teaching children all over the United States important rural skills.

1932, age 12

birth of brother Robert Lee Tapp Sr, 6 September 1932, Michigan

between 1932 and 1933

The family moved back to Bloomington Illinois.  Why?  Did they get homesick?  Was life that much harder in Michigan?  Well, actually yes.  According to Wikipedia (another stellar example of certitude) the city was hit just as hard as any other city during the Great Depression.

1933 

The Social Impact of the First "New Deal"

The government programs started by the first "New Deal" in 1933 may have assisted Charles Alfred Tapp from Bloomington Illinois.

About 1933, San Francisco, California. Credit: Getty Images
Historical Insight, Ancestry.com

The National Recovery Administration was established to bring industry, labour, and government leaders together to solve the nation's economic problems.

1935, age 15

Residence Bloomington, McLean, Illinois.  We get this information from the 1940 census, where it asked where was the residence five years ago in 1935.  Details will be below.

1935 Historical Insight

Living on Route 66

In 1935, Charles Alfred Tapp lived in Bloomington Illinois, one of the towns along "The Mother Road" -- Route 66

Credit: Richard Jordan/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Historical Insight, Ancestry.com

As more travelers began driving along Route 66, small towns on the way were soon booming tourist destinations.

1936 Historical Insight

The 1936 North American Heat Wave

Charles Alfred Tapp experienced one of the worst heatwaves in North American history while living in Bloomington Illinois during the summer of 1936

Credit: Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Historical Insight, Ancestry.com

Throughout the summer of 1936, the United States experienced one of the most devastating heatwaves in the nation's history.

1937 City Directory 103 North McLean, Bloomington IL

page 356 Harry B (Clara; 6{children}) millwright home 706 Fremont
Mary F. Tapp student residence 706 Fremont

1938 City Directory 904 West Moulton, Bloomington Illinois

page 362 Arthur T. Swope, home 306 South Madison
John J. Swope residence 306 South Madison
Alfred Tapp, student residence 904 West Moulton
Harry B Tapp (Clara; 5) millwright, home 904 West Moulton
Mary F. Tapp, student residence 904 West Moulton

1939 Bloomington High School yearbook

Alfred Tapp and Mary Tapp, Seniors at Bloomington High School 1939
"U.S., School Yearbooks, 1880-2012"; Yearbook Title: Purple and Gold Pictorial 1939; Year: 1939
Online publication -- Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 2010

Alfred Tapp, page 9, senior
also listed is Mary Tapp, also a senior

1939 yearbook detail

_________________________________________

Resources

Biographical Summaries of Notable People

https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-10182-2259568/charles-tapp-in-

biographical-summaries-of-notable-people

MyHeritage Family Tree search

https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-1/myheritage-family-

trees?action=query&exactSearch=0&formId=master&formMode=1&qbirth=

Event+et.birth+ed.+em.+ey.1920&qdeath=Event+et.death+ed.+em.+ey.1997&qevents=

List&qname=Name+fn.Charles%2F3Alfred+ln.Tapp+g.M&trn=partner_Geni&trp=

profile_research_button

Source: MyHeritage Family Trees;  MyHeritage.com [online database]. Lehi, UT, USA: MyHeritage (USA) Inc.;  https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-1/myheritage-family-trees

Family tree:  mckenna Web Site, managed by christopher mckenna  https://www.myheritage.com/site-349970381/mckennaRecord:  https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-1-349970381-2-2684/

charles-alfred-tapp-in-myheritage-family-treesCitation:  Charles Alfred Tapp  Birth: May 25 1920 - Illinois, United States  Death: Apr 1 1997 - Riverside, Riverside, California, United States  Parents: Harry Bushrod Tapp, Clara F Ahrendt  Siblings: Harry Earl Tapp, Robert Lee Tapp, <Private> Gapp, <Private> Gapp, <Private> Gapp, <Private> Gordon, <Private> Milhone, <Private> Tapp, <Private> Tapp, <Private> Tapp, <Private> Arendt, <Private> Arendt, <Private> Arendt, <Private> Arendt, <Private> ArendtAncestry.com. U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Ancestry.com. U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 2 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Find a Grave Memorial https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/94552117?search=true

FamilySearch profile https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/LYYP-S97/details

1941 Pontiac Fisher Body Plant http://www.idaillinois.org/cdm/ref/collection/zlakecou102/id/2492

Heritage Center GM 

https://history.gmheritagecenter.com/wiki/index.php/Fisher_Body_-_Pontiac,_Michigan

Wikipedia for Pontiac https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac,_Michigan