Clifford Earl Florer Childhood

Velna Wade Florer Childhood

1924: Marriage

Written by Cora Florer: After Dad’s divorce from Ruby (See Clifford Florer Childhood) he left the state of Oklahoma and started out to travel with the wheat harvesters. They traveled from farm to farm harvesting the crops of wheat, corn and other things they grew back then. The harvesters would go from state to state doing the harvest. Dad must have gone up to Kansas, Nebraska, and on up to Idaho, ending up in Payette Idaho.

Previous to reaching Payette, Idaho, he had a dream in which he saw a young woman standing by a kitchen stove cooking. Evidently the dream was very detailed, because when he saw mother in Payette cooking at the stove, he knew he had found the one in the dream and courted and married her.

Wedding Day: November 9, 1924, Payette, Idaho

Mom turned 18 years of age 5 days after their wedding

Below: Clifford and Velna with the minister that married them.

Below: Clifford and Velna with the Kimes (or Kiems)

Mother said that back then Dad dressed really sharp wearing silk shirts and looking good. Later in life Dad dressed very simple with overalls and farm work clothes. But on Sundays Dad still dressed in suits for going to church, but the suits were not the expensive kind, as Dad worked hard to support and take care of his family and responsibilities. So, it was a long-lasting memory for me when Mother talked about Dad in his younger years as wearing silk shirts. Take a look at Dad in his wedding picture wearing a suit. He looks very fashionable. 

Wedding Portrait

Back then in those times there was a custom of having a big party after the wedding. It was not a reception party like we have now, but a rowdy one. It was called a shivaree. 
It was sometimes not so bad, but at other times it was. Wedding guests would often return uninvited to the homes of newlyweds, banging pots and pans, shooting guns and forcing entry into the matrimonial residence. Sometimes the married couple was kidnapped and paraded through town, or dunked in a horse trough and abandoned in the countryside – anything to mischievously disrupt the presumed wedding night activities of a newly married couple.

As Mom and Dad did not want a shivaree played on them, with the help of Mom’s mother, they packed for their journey to California, got in their car at dark, drove out of town with the car lights out, and escaped to California.

1925

Moved to Brawley, California to start their life together.

Below: December 13, 1925 Brawley, California. Velna and Clifford with mother Caressa Wade. “Taken on one side of the house showing our Sedan. Theres are eucalyptus (escape alitise) trees. (Written by Velna or Caressa?)” Velna is pregnant with Mae

1926

Birth of Mae Lavone Florer

Mae LaVone Florer was born January 14th in Brawley, Imperial County, California. She was greatly loved by her parents.

William and Caressa Wade trip to Arizona

1927

1928

Birth of Dovie Maxine Florer on August 7, 1928 in Enid, Oklahoma. She died the same day.

Below: Mae Florer, 2 -2 1/2 years old

“Our home in Enid, Oklahoma. The house where you (May) bit the cats tail and he yelled and went through the screen door. You also worked the boy, 3 or 4 years old, for taking your candy. May, you picked out your own shoes even at this age.” (Written on back of photo by Velna Florer) The sign in the window says “Embroidery Work.”

1929

Carressa Wade and Mae LaVone Florer (Age 3)

1930

Below: “Caressa Wade in the sand dunes of southern Arizona probably in the 1930’s or late 1929’s. When we were there, the road was made of planks 8 feet wide with turn out places to pass meeting cars.” (writing on back of photo)

1932

Death

Velna’s father, William Sydney Wade, passed away March 11th, 1932 Age 57

Below: His casket at Baptist Church in Payette, Idaho on March 13th.

Birth

Sidney Clifford Florer was born on April 19th, 1932 in Stroud, Lincoln County, Oklahoma.

Mae, his sister, was age 6.

Below: Uncle Alda. Summer of 1932. Taken under the poplar in back yard. Alda M. Wade, brother of Sydney William Wade.

1933

Birth

Caressa Lucile Florer was born on the 27th of October, 1933 in Stroud, Lincoln County, Oklahoma.

1934

At age 14 months Caressa was badly burned on her right leg, and the family members carried her on a pillow for many months. Even when she was able to walk and run, other children (not family) treated her like a freak.

1935

Below: Mae age 9, Caressa age almost 2, Clifford age 3,

Top: Clifford, Velna, Unknown woman Bottom: Mae, Clifford, Caressa

1936

The family moved to California. The country was in a Great Depression. Dad took any job he could get and the family moved quite a bit.

1937

Birth

Lewis Adelbert Florer was born on August 24th 1937 in Brawley, Yuma County, Arizona.

Mae was 11, Clifford 5, Caressa almost 4

1938

1942

Cora Marie Florer was born on August 19th in Welton, Yuma County, Arizona.