Treasure Chest Thursday - 18 Feb 2010

I’ve written many times regarding Grandpa Bean, and the fact that he was married three times, outliving his first two wives. I don’t recall mentioning, however, that Grandpa didn’t drive. Or rather, he only drove on a couple of occasions. One particular occasion he was in an accident that involved three of his children being in the car, one with minor injuries, and he himself was injured in the back, and suffered from a bad back until his death. And so he refused to drive again.

However, that didn’t stop his second wife, Ada Burdette Bean, from driving! And the proof of that is in this 1923 auto registration made out to her.

The card is postmarked Charleston, W.VA. 5:30 PM on May 7, 1923, and has a 1 cent stamp.

It is a Class “A” Autombile Certificate No. 92425

Name of Car: Ford Tour 1921

H.P. 12.5

Weight: _____ [illegible with stamp over top]

Fee: $3.13

Factory: 4426052

Motor No. 42677

Date: 5-4-1923

It is addressed to:
Mrs. J.M. BEAN
Gap Mills
Monroe Co W.VA.

There isn’t a lot of information regarding any of my Grandpa’s wives, even my own grandmother [although I do have the added benefit of having her live with our family the last 10 years of her life]. So, when we come across something like this, we treasure it. It is as if we are getting a rare peak into the past, and finding a glimpse of what Ada Burdette Bean may have been like.