52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks
Dig A Little Deeper
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Robert Fueston Sr center, with Richard William on the left, then Barbara Jean, Gerald Edward and Robert Glen Jr,
1962 or 1963 on Sweeny Street, San Francisco. |
In the early 1960's my father, Robert Glen Fueston Sr (1933-2006), may have been in some sort of partnership with a few guys in an auto wrecking business on Evans Street in San Francisco, CA. My aunt Jenny recalls during a conversation with her in the summer of 2023 that the yard was on Evans street. She recalls this because her husband, my uncle Jerry Yates worked there. Jerry Yates and Robert Glen share the same mother and are 1/2 brothers.
Evidence and proof of this adventure of my fathers is elusive and has been extremely hard to verify. The actual dates of this business partnership are not yet known so "digging a little deeper" is in order.
Many stories have surfaced about the nature of his business. The one known story he shared with his son in law Jerry Grandon while they reminisced about their days working the streets of San Francisco is that he had a contract with the city of San Francisco to pick up and tow away illegally parked vehicles. Did this seem like a "stealing of cars" to his young kids, perhaps so, or so the story goes.
To verify dates and timing of this venture I first turned to the San Francisco telephone directories. All of the Fueston names were captured and information relating to the Fueston's in San Francisco at the time was extracted and put into this table. All directories in San Francisco and San Jose indicate that Robert worked for the American Can Company as a press operator from 1955-1968. He had moved his family to San Jose, CA in 1965 and continued to commute to San Francisco to work at the "can company" as it was and still is lovingly called.
I wasn't finding much out searching online about the wrecking yard so a trip to the city was in order. It's never a bad day to drive to the city anyway.
In November of 2023 we took a trip to San Francisco for a number of reasons. First to take our family to the airport and see them off to Connecticut, and then do some genealogy surveillance. We drove the streets of San Francisco looking for any sign the the wrecking yard on Evans had existed. No signs were evident. The whole area which was part of a very poor district is now being build up with expensive high-rises overing looking the bay. It is always fun to see what is and remember what was...a wrecking yard near the bay and naval shipyard in Hunters Point area of the city. The final thing we wanted to accomplish in the city that day was to find evidence of my great grand parents deaths (Robert Clemens Fueston 1858-1948 and Dora Haskins 1881-1936 ). We never in a million years expected any outcomes nor the extra bonus we did get.
Extractions of all Fueston's listed in San Francisco from 1955-1960
Year | Fueston | Employment |
1955 | | |
r-3930 Mission | Alxenia M (Mrs)
| St. Mary’s Hosp. |
h-821 Leavenworth apt 54 | Inez K | Ofc wkr Pt&T Co |
h-3930 Mission | Robt C (Alexina M) | Whsemn |
h-2352 Bryant St | Robt G (Jacqueline) | Press op Am Can Co |
1957 | | |
h-1051 Post apt 3 | Glen (Anita) | longshoremn |
h-3930 Mission | Robt C (Alexina M) | |
h-2352 Bryant St | Robt G (Jacqueline) | Parts op Am Can Co |
1958 | | |
h-3930 Mission | Alexina M | St Mary’s Ho |
h-2194 19th Ave | Glen (Anita) | longshoremn |
r-1253 Guerrero | Ida | Tel opr Northern Counites Title Ins |
r-1012 Fillmore | Oscar | longshoremn |
h-3930 Mission | Robt C (Alexina M) | pntr |
h-237 Sweeny | Robt G (Jacqueline) | Press opr American Can |
1960 | | |
r-1226 46th St | Alexina | Housekeeping hlpr St Mary’s Ho |
r-1253 Guerrero | Ida | opr Northern Counites Title Ins |
r-1226 46th St | Robt C | |
h-237 Sweeny | Robt G (Jacqueline) | Press opr American Can |
The next directory found is in San Jose in 1968 where my dad, Robert, is shown to now live in San Jose, CA and is still working at the American Can Company when he moves his family to S. King Rd.
It isn't until 1969 is Robert listed as working as a mechanic in San Jose. He worked for the city of Palo Alto for a number of years and retired from that work as a mechanic. It is extremely doubtful he is driving from San Jose to San Francisco to run a wrecking yard.
So the thoughts based on what I've seen at this point is he probably worked at the wrecking yard early 1960's. There is no confirmation of the years at this time but around 1960-1963 would be my best guess. I also suspect he worked part time at the wrecking yard while he worked full-time at the American Can Company. His oldest boy would be 7 or 8 years old at the most, I would have be 6 or 7 and my next younger brother would be 5 or 6 years old. I'm not sure where the stories originate from with regards to the fact that my dad would take his kids out and "steal cars" and us his kids as "props" to make the jobs easier comes from. I can be pretty certain that the story told first hand by my dad to his son in law is more likely what was happening. And it may have seemed like the cars were being stolen to a 5, 6 or 7 y/o boy. After all, to pick up someone's illegally parked car in the city had to happen fast and efficiently. The adrenaline rush must have been exciting for a kid. This story still needs much more research.
There are a few fun facts that happened in the city that day. We were in the park across from city hall where we had tremendous success in getting my great grandfather and great grandmother's death certificates.
And then we decided to have lunch in the park across the street from city hall at a hotdog stand. We shared a space next to a man who runs the trolley car museum in town. He was a very interesting guy. A native San Franciscan, as were his parents. We talked and shared stories and he told us about all the warehouses he had full of stuff. We shared contact information and I thought that was the end of it.
Then I received this email:
Hi Jerry and Barbara!
It was nice meeting and chatting with the two you last Monday. You mentioned your dad and that he work on a press at American Can Co.
I was a bit surprised because my friend & I had spent the last 2 weeks preparing to relocate a press in a warehouse. It wasn’t easy but we did it!
Anyway, it’s a press from American Can Co and thought to send a photo of it to you. I wonder if your dad ever worked on this particular press.🤔
Regards,
Jose Godoy
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| press from American Can Company |
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| press from American Can Company |
Imagine my delight in seeing these photos and thinking that in fact my dad may have worked on this very press during the 10 or 12 years he worked for "the can company".
And that's a wrap!
Keeping family stories alive
Barbara
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