Neva Mallon & Errington Aubin

But those several years on the ranch gave an enrichment to my life that I would not trade for anything! I had every sort of farm animal as my playmate. If you have read my short piece “Summer 1937,” you will get the feel of what the rhythm of those days brought to a very young girl. I don’t remember much of my early school-days, but I have almost total and immediate recall of the day-to-day life on the ranch! ––Jacquelin (Aubin) Ewing, daughter of Neva (Mallon) Aubin

Jacquelin, 1942

ATTIC WINDOW
The view from the attic window was not extraordinary. From it I could see down the slope of a gentle hill, leading to the road which connected the ranch with the main thoroughfare. There was never any through traffic, save for the rare driver who had lost his way in the unmarked, unpaved, dusty back roads of Tehama County. The ranch was the last stop. We lived, as my grandmother put it, “on the ragged edge of nowhere.”
For the first seven years of my life I lived on the ranch, thousands of acres of ungenerous land on which my grandparents made a marginal living, raising sheep, a few dairy cattle, and alfalfa. There was love enough to go around, and time now and then stolen away from chores; my grandmother taught me to read before my fourth birthday—it was, without a doubt, her greatest gift to me. Still, I was a child whose life was inward-focused, solitary and dreamy.
The attic was reached by means of a narrow and perilous stairway. The heat, as I climbed up on a summer day, would probably be more than I could bear today—it was a place no one visited in winter. I recall no discomfort: memories of oppressive heat or cold seem to be blessedly brief. What I can bring to mind in an instant is the smell of the sun-baked wood of the old walls, the sight of the blistered, flaking paint on the window sill, the sound of the wasps who made their papier-mache houses in high corners where the roof and walls met. Do you realize that wasps end each hum with a question mark?
The attic window was not important for what I could see outside. It was indispensable to my activities inside. For, under the windowsill, illuminated by this small rectangle of daylight, was a large chest, and in that chest was the fuel for wonderful imaginings. There were beaded, dainty handbags, lined with silk so brittle with age that a clumsy child’s hand would shred it. What family coquette had peeped over the rim of the faded Chinese fan—and who had chosen it, and where? Gold-rimmed eyeglasses—so tiny, who could have worn them? They were in a hinged, stiff black leatherette case, lined in rich blue velvet. It pinched my fingers when it snapped shut. There were long cotton dresses, tucked and embroidered. Had they ever been white? Who had laundered them and, most of all, who had stood over an ironing board and pressed out the wrinkles with a series of sad-irons, heated on the woodstove?
Every National Geographic since the beginning of time was stacked in the attic. They were never thrown away, and never, never cut up for pictures. The maps, too, were sacred. I loved the National Geographic but got impatient with the printed parts. The old copies of Life magazine, however, were my window on the world. There was glamour, drama, gritty reality. Every copy was there, right back to the one with Hoover Dam on the cover.
I was not encouraged to spend time in the attic. My grandmother would have much preferred that I play out-of-doors, and get “some roses in my cheeks,” and help feed the chickens, or bring in kindling for the stove. So my attic visits were rare, and when I had settled myself amongst the treasures there I would be very quiet, and listen to the wasps, and smell the wood, and my child’s imagination would visit the whole wide world, lit by one small window with flakes of paint on its sill. ––Jacquelin (Aubin) Ewing

Oct 16, 1940: WWII Draft Card:
Name: George Howard Kyme
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 26
Relationship to Draftee: Self
Birth Date: 4 Apr 1914
Birth Place: McCurtain, Oklahoma, USA
Residence Place: Bristow, Creek, Oklahoma, USA
Registration Date: 16 Oct 1940
Registration Place: Bristow, Creek, Oklahoma, USA
Employer: Bristow Board Of Education
Weight: 150
Complexion: Dark
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Black
Height: 5 10
Next of Kin: Wilma Lewis Kyme

Feb 21, 1942: WWII Army Enlistment Record:
Name: Errington G Aubin
Race: White
Marital status: Divorced, without dependents
Rank: Private
Birth Year: 1910
Nativity State or Country: Vermont
Citizenship: Citizen
Residence: Suffolk, Massachusetts
Education: 3 years of college
Civil Occupation: Teachers (secondary school) and principals
Enlistment Date: 21 Feb 1942
Enlistment Place: Boston, Massachusetts
Service Number: 11048286
Branch: Branch Immaterial – Warrant Officers, USA
Component: Army of the United States – includes the following: Voluntary enlistments effective December 8, 1941 and thereafter; One year enlistments of National Guardsman whose State enlistment expires while in the Federal Service
Source: Civil Life
Height: 67
Weight: 152

Jim Mallon

Apr 12, 1944: Death of James Frederick Mallon (age 70), the father of Neva Harriett (Mallon) Aubin, in Oakland, Alameda Co., California, of a heart ailment

Apr 13, 1944: The Chico Enterprise, Chico, Butte Co., California:
James Mallon, Successful Rancher Dies in Orland
ORLAND, April 13—(AP)—James F. Mallon, 70, who is believed to have developed the first rice acreage in Colusa county, died yesterday of a heart ailment after being ill since December. Mallon started rice production near Princeton in 1904, later moving to Glenn county.
Mallon came to Willows in 1906 and became associated with the Sacramento Valley irrigation company, later becoming general superintendent and having complete charge of all construction work and operation of the irrigation system.
In 1911 he resigned his position with this company, and went into business for himself, organizing the Maxwell Irrigation District and later the Compton-Delevan Irrigation District, constructing two large pumping plants for taking water from the Sacramento river and a complete distributing system for the irrigation of several thousand acres in each district.
A little more than 20 years ago Mallon acquired a large stock ranch consisting of 6,600 acres west of Orland and has made his home there since 1930.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Jacquelin Mallon; a son, James DeVere Mallon; two daughters, residing in Berkeley, and a brother Ed, of Colusa.
Funeral services will be held at the Orland Federated church, Saturday afternoon at 2:30.

Apr 17, 1944: Newspaper clipping:
Mallon Honored at Rites Saturday
The Federated church was filled Saturday by the friends who came to pay their last token of respect to J.F. Mallon. The front of the church was banked with flowers. Mrs. Neva Aubin, daughter of the deceased played her father’s favorite hymns as a prelude to the services. M.H. Beck, a lifelong friend, read a number of his favorite passages of scripture. Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Farrell sang, and Mrs. Norma Brown, of Oakland, sang one of his favorite songs. Dr. Simonds spoke simply and quietly of the deceased and the work he had done during a long and useful life.
Many friends and relatives from out of town were present, among them being the following: Mrs. Marjorie Tuck, Berkeley, Mrs. Marjorie Truman, Mrs. Neva Aubin, Oakland, Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Chatfield, Colusa, Mr. And Mrs. Lee Chatfield, Butte Meadows; Mrs. C.S. Chatfield, Williams; (et al).

May 3, 1959: Death of Michael Goddard Aubin (age 10), the 1st of 3 children of Errington Goddard Aubin & Luana Fay Early

May 3, 1959: Death Certificate:

May 4, 1959: Bennington Evening Banner, Bennington, Vermont:
BOY DROWNS WHILE FISHING
CASTLETON (AP) — A 10-year-old boy drowned while fishing in an abandoned quarry here yesterday. Michael Aubin, Jr., son of Mr. & Mrs. Michael Aubin, fell into the quarry while trying to retrieve his fishing pole from the water. Castleton volunteer fireman recovered his body about 20 minutes later.

Fire chief William Keech said the boy fell into six to eight feet of water. Keech said he was wearing hip boots which apparently filled with water and weighed him down.

Michael was fishing with 12-year old George Rogers, the chief said. The quarry is owned by Roger’s father and is about 1½ miles from the village of Castleton. Keech said it is 15 to 20 feet wide, with the water about 20 feet deep at its deepest point.
Note: In this obituary and on the boy’s death certificate his father, Errington Goddard Aubin, is using the same name as this child, Michael Goddard Errington.

May 5, 1959: Burial of Michael Goddard Aubin, Jr., with his grandmother, Nettie Lucinda Aubin in the Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, Westchester Co., New York

Dec 7, 1964: Death of Jacquelin (Chatfield) Mallon (age 78), the mother of Neva Harriett (Mallon) Aubin, in Oakland, Alameda Co., California, of a stroke

Dec 10, 1964: Orland newspaper, Orland, Glenn Co., California:
Services Held for Mrs. J.F. Mallon
Graveside services were held this afternoon at the Graves Cemetery here for Mrs. Jacqueline C. Mallon, 78, who died in Oakland on December 7 after a prolonged illness. A native of Colorado, she had lived in Oakland for the past 20 years, since the death of her husband, James. F. Mallon. The Mallons, who had been longtime residents of Colusa, moved to Orland to take over what had been known as the Allen T. Moore ranch. The homesite is now part of the Black Butte Reservoir.
Mrs. Mallon was active in the Federated Church and in community social affairs during her residence here.
She was the mother of James D. Mallon of Orland, Mrs. Stanley R. Truman and Mrs. Neva M. Aubin of Oakland, and sister of Mrs. Marjorie Tuck, also of Oakland. She had four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Mrs. Mallon was a member of the College Avenue United Presbyterian Church of Oakland.
Note: The “C” in Jacqueline C. Mallon stood for Chatfield

Oct 18, 1977: Death of Errington Goddard Aubin (age 67), in Poultney, Rutland Co., Vermont; of gastric hemorrhage and perforation, ulcer

Oct 20, 1977: Vermont Death Record:
Name: Errington G Aubin
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 67
Birth Date: 17 Sep 1910
Birth Place: Vermont, USA
Residence Place: Poultney, Vermont, US
Death Date: 18 Oct 1977
Death Place: Rutland, Rutland, Vermont, USA
Cause of Death: Gastric Carcinoma of Ulcer
Date Filed: 20 Oct 1977
Father: Edmund Errington
Mother: Nettie L Errington
Spouse: Alice

Neva graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music, had a masters degree and taught every level of education, was the Assistant Professor of University of California at Berkeley, taught piano, and authored children’s music books:

Dec 7, 1992: Death of George Howard Kyme (age 78), the son of George Leonard Kyme & Genervia Alice Pool and the 2nd husband of Neva Harriett (Mallon) Kyme, in Oakland, Alameda Co., California; of a heart attack. George’s ashes are scattered at sea off Golden Gate Bridge, Marin/San Francisco.
Note: Neva took back the name of Aubin after the death of George

Neva and grandson Tom Faulkner:

Beverly Kelly 2020

Jul 15, 2000: Letter from Beverly (Sproul) Kelly(age 75), to her cousin Neva (Mallon) Aubin (age 91):
Dear Neva,
My, My, My, your progeny has ‘done you proud’! You have generations to talk about, and still you know so little about the Clark Samuel Chatfields. My questions go unanswered because I didn’t know what to ask. This I now know from a researcher in Colorado Springs who was from another branch of the family three generations ago, and from the National Archives. Both C.S. and I.W. Chatfield were Civil War Veterans. In applying for their pensions, their marriages and children had to be listed and validated. Clark Samuel married Louisa Tankerley in 1858. Together they had one daughter Ida who drowned in 1886. Louisa had died in 1868, and C.S. returned her body to Nebraska for burial, and there met and married Mary Elizabeth Morrow. Their first four children were born in Tecumseh. The family returned to Colorado in 1879.

Della, of course, was my Grandmother. She eloped with Elmer Chatfield (her first cousin) and they were married September 18, 1892 at Ogden, Utah. (This information was a recent find in the Cheyenne library from a book on ‘Progressive Men in Wyoming’ dated 1903.)

Ora, the second daughter, married Chares Elliot Shaw and for a time ranched in the Big Horns having followed the Elmer Chatfields to greener pastures. They had one son Elliot whom I met somewhere here in Southern California in 1939, so I do not know when they left for Wyoming. Ora died long before I ever heard her name.

Clark II first married Ida Hyatt and she and her children, but for Charlotte Mary, all died in the 1918 flu epidemic. (The Hyatt’s were also ranchers in the Big Horn and Ida was a sister to the family I know, but I think she and Clark remained in Colorado.) He railroaded at Basalt where he married Madge Rosa. When they moved to California, I do not know. Clark III did send me some of this information, but neither he nor Charlotte’s son seem interested in the family tree, And that surprised me—if I had a namesake, I’d want to know more about her.

William Arthur, the fourth child, married Ada Miller in Basalt, Colorado and subsequently followed the clan to the Sacramento valley—3 children and one granddaughter raised as their own. A Willard I., born in 1880, is buried in the Littleton cemetery—no date and no information. Of course Mable you know about—as well as Jacqueline, Levi, and Marjorie. I remember meeting Uncle Lee in 1939. At the time he was bedridden from a heart attack or stroke, but I can’t recall his wife’s name nor if they had any children. She endeared herself to me for she was so gracious. The house was a mess, but she made no excuses for the disarray—just invited us right on into the bedroom to see uncle Lee. At the time, I thought I must remember that—never to apologize for a messy house, especially if you’re caring for a sick person. People are more important.

I can identify Ora because I already had a picture of her, also one of Calla, but the hat in the photo is a conversation piece. How in the world did she keep it on? Somewhere in my research I learned that she was a piano teacher.

The other pictures were sent to me by Gordon Clemens (grandson of Charles Henry and Nellie Chamberlain Chatfield) and he asked for identification. Do you know who any of them are?

Jacqui & Sheafe

I am improving daily from my bout of pneumonia last month. It has delayed my return to the golf course—I hope I haven’t forgotten the game. The weather has been perfect to be playing–I just don’t have the energy yet. 75 is too young to give it up!
Love always, Beverly
Regards to Jacqui and Sheafe.

Siblings: Marjorie (Mallon) Truman 1906-1988, James DeVere Mallon 1904-1982 and Neva (Mallon) Aubin 1908-2008, on a windy day at Graves Cemetery in Orland, California

Marjorie (Mallon) Truman, James DeVere Mallon and Neva (Mallon) Aubin

Nov 11, 2008: Death of Neva Harriet Mallon (age 100), 3rd of 4 children of James Mallon and Jacquelin Chatfield, in Oakland, Alameda Co., California

Nov 19 to Nov. 21, 2008: San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, California:
Neva Mallon Aubin A long, fearless and remarkable life came to a quiet close on Tuesday, Nov. 11, with the death of Neva Harriet Mallon Aubin, in her Oakland home of 63 years. She was born in the Colusa County hamlet of Princeton, on September 19, 1908, to Jacquelin Chatfield Mallon and James Frederick Mallon. At the age of 4 Neva began playing the piano and never lost her joy of making music, especially with children. She was educated at the University of California, the New England Conservatory of Music and San Francisco State College from which she received her master’s degree in music education. For many years she taught in the Oakland Public Schools, then joined the faculty at San Francisco State College and, later, the University of California Department of Education, where she finished her teaching career with retirement in 1973. Neva had a true talent for friendship — her interests always focused on others rather than herself. At a recent celebration of her Centennial Birthday over a hundred well-wishers came to salute their friend and confidante. She was famous for her neighborhood Christmas parties; the crowded living room would ring with music as Neva played carols for the festive sing-a-longs. A longtime member of College Avenue Presbyterian Church, Neva contributed much to the congregation with her musical talents and personal outreach to all. Neva was married to Errington Goddard Aubin for several years. A second marriage, in 1984, to George H. Kyme, also a teacher and longtime friend, ended with Dr. Kyme’s death nine years later. Neva was preceded in death by her brother James DeVere Mallon, his wife, Chellie Howard Mallon; her sister, Marjorie Mallon Truman, and brother-in-law, Stanley R. Truman, M.D. She leaves behind a loving daughter, Jacquelin Aubin Ewing, son-in-law Sheafe Ewing, M.D., her deeply devoted grandchildren, Thomas B. Faulkner, his wife, Tina Bunyard Faulkner, Alison D. Faulkner, and Mary E. Faulkner, FNP; as well as “step-grands” Peter K. Ewing (Claire,) Todd S. Ewing (Luciana,) and Joslyn Ewing Sabol (now deceased); great-grandchildren Justin, Sarah, and Nathaniel Rolfe, Melissa, Thomas and Amanda Faulkner, Lucas, Tate and Ana Beatriz Ewing, Mason and Sawyer Moranville; and three great-great-grandchildren. Her son-in-law, Robert E. Faulkner, was a close and loyal friend. The family expresses their appreciation for the loving assistance given Neva by her caregivers, Fitalika Tupou and Luisa Malolo. A service of Thanksgiving for Neva’s life will be held at College Avenue Presbyterian Church, 5951 College Ave., Oakland, 94618, at 1:30 PM, Sunday, November 23, with a reception following the service. The family suggests any donations in Neva’s memory be made to College Avenue Presbyterian Church.

Nov 22, 2008: Burial of Neva Harriet Mallon in Graves Cemetery, Orland, Glenn Co., California

2020. Catherine (Clemens) Sevenau.