Birth Certificates: What's in a Name?

 

My father was known as the man with two last names: Gleason Walter Coleman.

I knew his middle name was in honor of his father, Walter Albert  Coleman.

But I wondered why his parents decided on such an unusual given name. Unfortunately, I never thought to ask Dad when he was alive. I simply assumed they named him Gleason because they liked the name. After all, that is the criteria I used to name my children.

After a few months of online research, I stumbled upon my father's birth certificate. 

 And much like last week's discussion of death certificates, I discovered these documents provide a wealth of useful information. For example:

• Birthdate and time (20 FEB 1928 at 8:23 pm)
• His first home residence (1226 Drexel Avenue San Antonio, TX)
• His father's full name and birthplace (Walter Albert Coleman - Oklahoma City, OK)
• His father's occupation (Ass. Cowles Auto Livery Service)
• His mother's maiden name and birthplace (Vernon Bryan - Ripley, MS)
• His mother's occupation (housewife)

While I knew my grandfather's name, I did not know he was born in Oklahoma. By combining this information with what I learned from Walter's death certificate (his parents are William L and Lillian), I can verify the location of this family on the 1910 census.

From the 1920 census, however, I learn Lillian is widowed with three young children (age 9-14). She is the primary wage earner working as a telephone girl in a garage.

The 1930 census shows Lillian remarried. Her new husband, Gleason Cowles, is the manager of an auto service. From this information I hypothesize the following arguments: 

• The garage where Lillian worked as a telephone operator is the same auto service business that Gleason Cowles managed
• Gleason Cowles more than likely managed the auto service that bore his name: Cowles Auto Livery Service 
• Walter Albert worked for his stepfather on the day my father was born.

While no one can verify my story, I choose to believe that my father was named after Gleason Cowles ... Walter's stepfather.

But why name a son after a stepfather?

Further research revealed the answer. 

I discovered Walter's father, William L Coleman, died in 1913 when Walter was just four years old. At this point, Walter is the only male in a house with two sisters and a mother.

The Texas Select County Marriage Index shows Lillian Coleman married Gleason Cowles on 05 APR 1920 (three months after the 1920 census that showed her working as a telephone girl in a garage). 

Walter is now nine years old, and the most significant man during his formative years was Gleason Cowles.

Walter honored that man by naming his firstborn son after him.