Harriet HOPKIRK & Michael KALLIAM
Harriet was born on July 8, 1910 in Ruskin, Nebraska, the fourth of 5 children.
We find Harriet, age 9, in the 1920 census for Ruskin, Nebraska, living
with her parents Frank, age 46, manager of a lumberyard and they own
their home with a mortgage, mother Iva age 41, sister Margaret L, age
16, brother Maurice L. age 14, brother Kent age 12, and brother Eldon
age 6. See image here
After graduation from Ruskin High School around 1928, Harriet taught school for 4 years.
In the
1930 census we find Harriet, age 19, living at 50 Nebraska
Street, Ruskin(Spring Creek), Nebraska, single and a teacher at a
public school. Also in the residence are her Father Frank, mother Iva,
brother Maurice and brother Eldon. Her sister Margaret is living next
door with her husband Fred Kohtz and Fred's brother Herman. Her brother
Kent is a Bank Clerk in Superior, Nebraska working for his great uncle,
J.R. Parsons. His name is erroneously listed as James K. Hopkirk.
Around 1932 Harriet enrolled at Kearney State Teachers College, in
Kearney, Nebraska. While there she met and married Raymond Trueman.
They had a still born child. After about 1 1/2 years they were
divorced.
In 1936 Harriet's brother Kent moved to California, arriving in San
Mateo in late March 1936, about 6 weeks after his future wife Betty
Rohweder moved with her parent's family from Deshler, located 8 miles
from the Hopkirk home in Ruskin.
Kent
wrote back to Nebraska to let Eldon know that he could get a job
as a painter with Kent's father-in-law Max Rohweder, and Eldon arrived
in late 1936 or early 1937. Harriet followed shortly there after.
Harriet was then working in a coffee shop in Kearney , Nebraska, and
barely getting by, and was encouraged by her brother's Kent and Eldon to
move to California, which she did. She briefly lived with Eldon, Kent
and his wife Betty in an apartment. This and more is explained in the link
below, as told to her daughter in the mid 1990's, linked below.
From a 1939 Modesto directory we find Harriet Truman is a waiter at the Oakdale Cafe, renting at 419 F Street, Oakdale, California
On 8 February 1940 Harriet married Michael Kalliam in Reno, Nevada. Michael was born 15 April 1898(per his draft reg card), in
Pátrai, Akhaia, Western Greece, Greece. Michael was born Kalliambetsos,
but it appears he lost part of his name when he entered the USA. We
have been unable to determine his actual date of arrival in the USA.
In 1940 we find Harriet and Michael living at 947 Third Street,
Oakdale, California. They are renting and Michael is a cook and Harriet
is a waitress.
From Michael's WWII draft registration card we learn that Michael is white, 5' 5" tall, weighs 174 pounds, brown eyes, gray hair, dark complexion.
and that his place of residence is the corner of Laural Ave and F Street, Stanislaus County, California, and his mailing address is P.O. Box 31, Oakdale, CA.
Michael's employer was the Galas Brothers Oakdale Cafe, Oakdale,
Califfornia. His age is 44 and birth 15 March 1898, but he lists his
place of birth as Oakdale, California, not Greece.
Michael passed away on 31 December
1951 in San Mateo, California, sadly leaving Harriet with 4 young
children. On his California death record, Michael's mother's maiden name is
given as Antone and his father's name is given as Kalliam.
In the 26 February 1953 issue of the San Mateo Times we find that a marriage license was issued in San Mateo County to Harriet Hopkirk Kalliam, age 42 and Richard Crane, age 40.
On March 11, 1954 Harriet Hopkirk Kalliam was briefly married to
Richard Crane, AKA Richard Hatcher, in Alameda County, California. Not
sure why they waited a year to get married. It didn't last long. Her only true love was Michael.
Harriet's only son, Michael Frank Kalliam, died tragically on 21
January 1985 after watching his beloved San Francisco 49er's win the
super bowl.
Here are some photos from Harriet's 90th birthday party on 8 July 2000 in San Jose.
Harriet passed away on 12 February 2001 in Santa Clara County, California
At the link below is a link to the Frank Hopkirk and Iva Jones family
history as told by Harriet Hopkirk Kalliam to her daughter Carol in the
mid 1990's.
http://www.hopkirk.org/hopkirk/HopkirkPhotos/MelroseHopkirks/FrankHopkirkFamily/FrankHopkirkFamilyHistory.html
Harriet HOPKIRK & her cousin Catherine EDWARDS around 1913, age 3. Michael Kalliam
Our thanks goes to Michael's granddaughter Maisha for supplying this wonderful photo of her grandfather.
This page last updated on August 31, 2020