The Goodliffe Family of NottinghamFrances Marguerite (Maggie) GOODLIFFE (1864-1959)
Frances was born in Nottingham in 1864 to Thomas William and Ann GOODLIFFE.
Frances is recorded in the 1871 census aged 6 and the 1881 census aged 16:
Marriage to William Clark in 1885About 1884 Frances departed for New York. There are few shipping records for this time but the year is given from US census records (see later). Whether she travelled alone or with other family is unclear, but on 13 May 1885 Frances married William CLARKE at the Grace Episcopal Church in Buffalo, Erie, New York. Her age was given as 20 and her parents as Thomas and Annie, so there is little doubt that this is the correct person. In later census records Frances has recorded her arrival in the USA in 1884, again consistent with this marriage. Shipping records for 1894 for a William and Margaret Clarke (she was Frances or Maggie, not Margaret) and other names and dates relate to a different William Clarke. Soon after marriage William and Frances moved to Indianapolis where their first child, Charles Arthur was born in 1886, followed by Ernest Goodliffe in 1890 and Margaret Mary in 1892. Shortly after this date they moved to Tacoma, Washington where they settled and spent the rest of their lives.
Living in Buffalo, Indianapolis and Tacoma from the Census Records and other sourcesWilliam and Frances were married in Buffalo, New York, which is close to the Canadian border and the Niagara Falls. Soon they moved to Indianapolis, Indiana where Charles, Ernest and Margaret were born. Most of the later census records show their place of birth simply as Indiana, but Charles' marriage record is more specific showing he was born in Indianapolis.
Census records begin in the USA from 1910. The family had settled in Tacoma Washington, living at 106 North Gate. They recorded their year of arrival as 1884, they had been married for 25 years and they owned their own home freehold. William had become a pharmacist with his own store on the corner of Division and Yakima Avenue (the site is now a gas station).
In 1920 they had moved to 3908 30th Street, Tacoma. William owned this house but it was mortgaged. He also recorded his arrival in the USA as 1882 and his naturalisation in 1887 (but there is a court record for this in 1894). Frances has not recorded her year of arrival on this census:
In the 1930 census they were at 3908 30th Street, Tacoma:
And in 1940 were at 3944 30th St, Tacoma (No 3908 is not recorded in this census, so is this the same house as in 1930?). By this time they had sold their house and were renting for $35 per week:
Death of William and FrancesWilliam CLARKE died in Tacoma, Washington on 2 June 1944, aged 81 years. He was interred in the Mount View Memorial Park, Tacoma. An interesting obituary was published:
Frances Marguerite CLARKE (nee GOODLIFFE) died in Tacoma, Washington on 22 December 1959, aged 95, according to the Washington State death records. Her parents were recorded as Thomas Goodliffe and Anne Stafford. The Children of William and Frances Marguerite CLARKECharles Arthur CLARKE (1886-1986)The oldest son of William and Maggie, Charles Arthur was born 16 February 1886 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
He is in the 1910 census living with his parents, single aged 24. Occupation given as Pharmacist (same as his father). On 29 July 1911, Charles Arthur married Laura Phyllis Mary CUMMINS at the Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Victoria is close to Tacoma, across the US-Canada border and on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. The marriage certificate gives the usual residence for both parties as Tacoma (so why did they marry in Canada?).
Following their marriage, Charles Arthur and Laura Phyllis returned to Washington. In the 1920 census there were living at Interlaaken, Pierce, Washington with 5 children. Arthur was a salesman in the Auto Repair business:
In 1930 they were at 1329 East 63 St, Seattle, Washington. C. Arthur Clarke was again a pharmacist:
In 1940 they were still at 1329 East 63 St:
By 1950 Charles and Laura (now Phyllis) were living at 14004 45 NE St, Washington. Charles was now working as an insurance clerk and Phyllis in real estate sales. They had a grandson, James F CLARKE, living with them. James had been born in Alaska and was the son of Arthur Goodliffe CLARKE and his wife Nellie TEDISHOFF.
Charles Arthur died in Seattle on 17 October 1966, aged 80. Laura Phyllis died a few years later in Bothell, Washington on 26 January 1975, aged 88. The children of Charles and Laura CLARKECharles and Laura CLARKE had five children, including two sets of twins (!):
The birth records show the first set of twins (Mary and William) were born 17 June 1913 at Pierce. The second set were born 31 January 1917 at Tacoma but had not been named at the time of registration. Note also that the mother's name had changed from Laura to Phyllis.
William Henry CLARKEWilliam Henry was born in Pierce, Washington on 17 June 1913, being the older twin of Mary. He married Dorothy Belle CLINKINGBEARD in 1933 and they had four children. In 1940 they were living in Jovita, Washington and William was an automobile salesman. Dorothy died in Seattle on 8 July 1989. William died in King, Washington on 3 July 2001.
Mary Frances CLARKE (1913-2009)Mary Frances was born in Pierce, Washington in 17 June 1913. She married Sasha Stanislav SCHNITMAN in Manhattan on 17 June 1937. Mary died in Tacoma, Washington on 14 July 2009. Arthur Goodliffe CLARKE (1913-1944)
Arthur Goodliffe CLARKE was born in Yakima, Washington on 18 February 1915. He is recorded in the 1930 census with his parents in Seattle. Sometime later Arthur moved to Cordova, Alaska, a remote location on the coast of the gulf of Alaska not far west of the Canadian border. Here he married Elizabeth ERUSSARD on 12 May 1936. Arthur would have been aged 21 years. We do not know the age of Elizabeth, but she had already been twice married, one ending in divorce and the other with the death of her husband.
But this marriage did not last long, ending in divorce. Arthur then married Nellie VLASOFF in Cordova on 21 August 1940. Arthur was now divorced and Nellie a widow, her husband having died. Nellie had been born on 8 September 1922 to Fred and Madrona TEDISHOFF. She had married George VLASOFF in Valdez, Cordova on 8 August 1936, Nellie being 16 years and George 23 years old. In the 1940 census (taken on 6 January) Nellie and her daughter Miranda (later Miranda BARNES 1938-2010) were living with her parents at Tatitlek Village a small fishing village west of Cordova. Her father Fred was a salmon fisherman.
Although Nellie was recorded in the 1940 census, Arthur CLARKE has been missed out, perhaps he was travelling although we do not know his occupation at the time. But in 1941 Arthur CLARKE filled out a Draft Registration Card for the US Army, but it appears unlikely that he was actually called up. His address at the time was Cordova, Alaska and it confirms his wife was Nellie. Unfortunately the card only gives a PO Box number for his address and no employer, suggesting he was itinerant and self-employed.
Arthur and Nellie had one child, James Frederick CLARKE, born 4 July 1942, but his birth does not appear in the Alaska state records. His date of birth comes from later marriage records. Arthur Goodliffe CLARKE died in Alaska in about 1944 but this event is also absent from the Alaska records. His son James Frederick CLARKE was brought up by his grandparetns Charles and Phyllis CLARKE in Washington, as evidenced by the 1950 census:
Arthur's widow Nellie then married Sherman BAINTER on 12 December 1945. Nellie died 6 months later of heart failure caused by alcoholism on 9 June 1946 in Cordova. She was only 23 years old, had been married twice and had a daughter and a son. Her daughter Miranda VLASOFF had been born in Tititlek, Alaska on 28 January 1938 but was raised by her TEDISHOFF grandparents. She married Mike TOTEMOFF in Cordova on 7 August 1957, both being aged 19 years. Miranda died in Anchorage, Alaska on 1 July 2010.
Phyllis Ruth CLARKE (1917-2010)
Phyllis Ruth CLARKE was born at Tacoma General Hospital, Washington on 31 January 1917, along with her twin sister Ethel. Neither infant had been named at the time of registration, but this was corrected by Phyllis 54 years later, in 1974.
On 14 September 1941 she married William Cassius GOODLOE III at the Epiphany Church, Seattle. William was an attorney, born in Kentucky on 19 September 1919 to Green Clay GOODLOE and Helen WILSON. William went on to become a state Supreme Court Justice and ran unsuccessfully twice for the Senate. William and Phyllis had seven children. William died on !8 January 1997. Phyllis Ruth GOODLOE died at home on 16 November, 2010.
Ethel Mavis CLARKE (1917-2004)thel Mavis CLARKE was born at Tacoma General Hospital, Washington on 31 January 1917, soon after her twin sister Phyllis. In 1940 she was living at home. Ethel, now calling herslef Mavis, married Wilfred ANDERSON on 5 May 1945 at St Stephens, Seattle.
Mavis and Wilfred ANDERSON had at least 2 children. Mavis died in Seattle on 12 February 2003. Wilfred died on 29 July 2016. Ernest Goodliffe CLARKE (1888-1976)
Ernest Goodliffe CLARKE was born on 25 April 1888 in Indianapolis to William and Frances CLARKE. By the time of the 1900 census Ernest was aged 12 and at school. By 1910 Ernest had become a bookkeeper in the insurance industry. He lived with his paresnts all of their lives and he did not marry. In 1916 he featured in a newspaper travel article.
In 1917 Ernest filled in an Army Draft registration card. This led to his enrolment in the Army. He served overseas from Dec 1917 to April 1919 then was discharged in May 1919.
After his discharge from the Army, Ernest returned to Tacoma and his parents but was now working as a bookkeeper for the Inland Revenue Service. He was living with his parents at the time of the 1930 census but was absent in 1940. His father died in 1944; in 1950 he was living with his widowed mother, but was 62 and retired. Ernest died in Tacoma, Washington on 21 December 1976. He was interred at the Oakwood Hill Cemetery, Tacoma. His brother Frederick applied for a military headstone.
Margaret Mary CLARKE (1892-1946)Margaret Mary was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1892.
By 1900 William Frances (now Mary) and the family had moved to Tacoma where William was running a drug store. In the 1910 census William and Frances were at 106 North Gate, Tacoma. The census was taken on the night of 18 April 1910. Shortly after the 1910 census it would appear that Margaret went to New York and boarded the White Star ship "Cedric" and sailed to Liverpool, arriving there on 28 August 1910. Although we cannot be certain that this is her, the timing of the trip, her age and her American nationality all fit:
A few weeks later, on Tuesday 27 September 1910, Margaret Mary CLARKE married William Ernest CLIFTON at the Edwalton Church of the Holy Rood, Nottingham. Willian, following his father was a solicitor who had been admitted to the Bar in 1901. According to the newspaper report the bride was given away by her father (William CLARKE) so presumabhly William and Frances Mary travelled from Tacoma to the UK for the marriage. Certainly they returned home, leaving Liverpool on the "Lusitania" on 8 October and arriving in New York on 13 October 1910.
A few months later, on 2 April 1911, Margaret was recorded in the 1911 UK census, married to William CLIFTON and living at 27 Tavistock Drive, Nottingham. In the census Margaret is listed as being born in the USA, but a British Subject by parentage.
Margaret and William had only one child, Marjorie CLIFTON, born in 1 July 1911 in Nottingham. Soon after the war ended, Margaret and Marjorie visited the USA, sailing from Liverpool on the "SS Vauban" departing on 28 May 1919.
Margaret and Marjorie returned home as they were recorded in the 1921 census with Jane CLIFTON and family at "The Nook", Glebe Avenue Hunstanton,Norfolk.
From the Electoral Roll records, William and Margaret were at:
William died at their home 22 Glenalla Rd, Ruislip on 3 November 1935. He was interred at the Church Rock Cemetery in Nottingham on 6 November in a plot with his paretns and sister. Probate was granted to his widow margaret: inusually (for a solicitor his effects were valued at only £107.
Margaret and Marjorie returned to the USA in 1938 on the "Pacific Pioneer" departing Liverpool on 22 April 1938. They returned to London on 6th October 1938 aboard the "American Farmer". They gave their address in England as 79a Manor Way, Ruislip, Middlesex. Marjorie was now aged 27 and a teacher.
The 1939 Register recorded Margaret at 79a Manor Way, Ruislip. She was aged 48 and working as a confectioner and cake maker. Her daughter Majorie was not living with her.
Margaret died at 3 Western Terrace, The Park, Nottingham on 20 June 1946. Probate was granted to her daughter Marjorie. Marjorie was a teacher and never married. She was not recorded in the 1939 Register so may have moved to Wales by this date. She died at 19 Ralph St, Borth y Gest Porthmadoc on 2 July 1990
Frederick William CLARKE (1894-1986)
Frederick William was born 3 May 1894 in Tacoma, Washington, but his birth was not registered until 1942. He is listed in the 1910 census with William and Frances.
On 10 July 1918 he married Helen Morris ROGERS:
In the 1920 census he was at Interlaaken, Washington with his wife Helen. His occupation was "Vulcanizer":
In 1930 they were living with Helen's mother at 3022 27th Street, Tacoma, Washington. They had their daughter Helen Margaret with them. William was now a florist::
In 1940 they were at 3001 26th St, Tacoma, now with the addition of young son Richard:
Frederick was called up in the draft for the war in 1942. This gives his birth date as 3 May 1894 and his residence in 1942 as 3001 No. 26, Tacoma, Pierce, Washington. In 1950 they were still at 3001 26th St, Tacoma, now with only son Frederick Richard at home.
Helen Rogers CLARKE died in Tacoma on 24 December 1982. Frederick WIlliam CLARKE died in Tacoma on 18 January 1986. They are both buried in the Tacoma Cemetery:
Of the children of Frederick and Helen: Helen Margaret CLARKE (1922-1986)
Helen was born 9 November 1922 in Tacoma, Washington. She married Robert L WILLISON in about 1944 but they later divorced. Helen (known as Margaret) and Robert had three children: Ross, Brian and Jan. Margaret became a professional ice skater and starred in the Ice Follies for several years. She died in Tacoma on 11 December 2004 and is bured next to her parents in the Tacoma Cemetery.
Frederick Richard CLARKE (1931-2011)
Last updated: 07 Feb 2026 |
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