Ancestry of Shirley Temple

US Actress and Diplomat

Shirley Temple was the top-selling U.S. actress in the 1930s. She continued to make movies through the 1940s and then retired. She later re-emerged as a U.S. ambassador to Ghana. She married twice and had three children.

Authors

 English Knol Project

This article should be cited as:
"Shirley Temple", by Will Johnson, wjhonson@aol.com, professional genealogist copyright 2009
URL: http://knol.google.com/k/will-johnson/-/4hmquk6fx4gu/115
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License

See my original version of this article on my website at "Shirley Temple" at countyhistorian.com
The numbers below, in front of the headers are assigned using the Ahnentafel method where the subject is "1", the subject's father is "2", the subject's mother is "3" and so on.

The picture to the left is directed here from http://blog.lib.umn.edu/looby004/architecture/ShirleyTemple.jpg

1 Shirley Jane Temple

Shirley Jane Temple was born 23 April 1928, at the Santa Monica Hospital in Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California to George Francis Temple (1888 - 1980) and his wife Gertrude Amelia Krieger (1893 - 1977). She had two brothers, Jack (b. 1915), and George Jr. (b. 1919). Her father was a businessman and a banker in Santa Monica, California.

Shirley was first on-film at the very early age of 4, but didn't achieve national recognition until the mid 1930s.  She quickly became the top-selling U.S. actress, and her name was put on many promotional products aimed at children, like dolls, or cereal bowls. Her popularity waned in the 1940s.

On 19 Sep 1945, at the Methodist Church in Wilshire, she married her first husband, actor, John Agar (1920-2002).  They divorced in 1949, after having one child Linda Susan Agar.

On 16 Dec 1950 at his parents home in Monterey, Monterey County, California, she married entrepreneur, Charles Alden Black (1919-2005).  They had two children Charles Black, and Lori Black.

In 1960 she was "National Campaign Woman" for the Multiple Sclerosis Fund, partly because her eldest brother George then had this condition.

In 1964 she was living in Woodside, California.

In 1967 she ran for Congress. She was then plucked for the job as United States representative to the United Nations.  In an article in 1969, Charles Black is called "the handsome, sun-tanned president of a marine development firm...."

In 1974 she is listed as "U.S. Ambassador to Ghana", Lori is now listed as age 21 and Susan, here called "Susan Black" as age 26.

Primary documents

  • California Birth Index, 1905-1995, hosted at Ancestry.com showing : "Shirley Temple, born 23 Apr 1928, Los Angeles County; mother's maiden name: Krieger"
  • 1930 Census of Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California showing : "George T Temple, 40, married at age 24, b PA/PA/PA, Bank Manager; Gertrude A, 34, married at age 18, b IL/IL/MI; John S, 15, son, b CA; George J, 11, son, b CA; Shirley J, 1 11/12, daughter, b CA; Maude E Cregier, 51, mother-in-law, b MI/Canada English/Canada English"
  • New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 showing :"S.S. Monarch of Bermuda, Sailing from Hamilton Bermuda 23 Jul 1938; Arriving at New York 25 Jul 1938 — [among others] George Temple 50 born 1888 Fairview, PA, living at 227 N Rockingham Ave, W Los Angeles, CA; Gertrude Temple 42 born 1896 Chicago, IL, [same address]; Shirley Temple 9 born 1929 Santa Monica CA [same address]"

Secondary sources



2 George Francis Temple

George Francis Temple was born 21 May 1888 in Fairview, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, the third child of Francis Marion Temple and his wife Cynthia.  He married in Dec 1913, in California, to Gertrude Krieger, a native of Illinois.  By 1917/8 he was living in Pasadena, California where he was a bookkeeper for Southern California Edison.  By 1930 he was a Bank Manager.

George and his wife had two children other than the future-actress Shirley Temple : George Temple a former Marine who launched a pro-wrestling career in 1946 that seems to have ended in 1952, and Francis Temple.  George Jr was also married at least three times and divorced at least twice; he developed multiple sclerosis and was living in 1960 in "the San Fernando Valley".

On 1 Jan 1964 ''The Times'' of San Mateo ran a picture with the caption that "last night" the Temples celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary, so I suppose they must have married on 31 Dec 1913.

The Social Security Death Index, shows that George died Sep 1980, having been lately a resident of Redwood City, San Mateo County, California, but he evidently did not die in California as there is no entry in the California Death Index that matches him.

Primary documents for 2

  • 1900 Census of Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania showing : "Cynthia Temple, 45; Grace M Temple 21; Herbert F Temple 17; George F Temple 12; Frances M Temple 6; George A Bruegel"
  • 1910 Census of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California showing : "Cynthia Temple, head, 55, widow, mother of 4, 4 living, b PA/PA/PA, no occupation, owns home; Grace, daughter, 30, single b PA/PA/PA, stenographer, Electric Co; Herbert, son, 26, single, b PA/PA/PA, Clerk, Hardware; George, son, 22, single b PA/PA/PA, Clerk, Eddison Co; Francis, son, 16, single, b PA/PA/PA, no occupation"
  • World War I Draft Registration Cards showing : "George Francis Temple, age 28, of 1115 Fair Oaks, So. Pasadena, Calif; born at Fair View, Penn [no birthdate is stated]; Clerk and Book keeper for Southern California Edison Co of Los Angeles; Wife and child; Medium height, medium build, Brown eyes, dark brown hair, no disabilities;registered June 5 So. Pasadena"
  • 1920 Census of Venice, Los Angeles County, California showing : "George Francis Temple, 30, b PA/PA/PA; Gertrude 25 b IL/IL/MI; John S 4 11/12; George Francis Temple 11/12"
  • ''California Voter Registrations'', Los Angeles 1922 :"George F Temple, teller, 125 Breeze Ave, Republican; Mrs Gertrude Temple, hswf, 125 Breeze Ave, Republican"
  • California Birth Index, 1905-1995, hosted at Ancestry.com showing : "Shirley Temple, born 23 Apr 1928, Los Angeles County; mother's maiden name: Krieger"
  • 1930 Census of Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California showing : "George T Temple, 40, married at age 24, b PA/PA/PA, Bank Manager; Gertrude A, 34, married at age 18, b IL/IL/MI; John S, 15, son, b CA; George J, 11, son, b CA; Shirley J, 1 11/12, daughter, b CA; Maude E Cregier, 51, mother-in-law, b MI/Canada English/Canada English"
  • New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 showing :"S.S. Monarch of Bermuda, Sailing from Hamilton Bermuda 23 Jul 1938; Arriving at New York 25 Jul 1938 — [among others] George Temple 50 born 1888 Fairview, PA, living at 227 N Rockingham Ave, W Los Angeles, CA; Gertrude Temple 42 born 1896 Chicago, IL, [same address]; Shirley Temple 9 born 1929 Santa Monica CA [same address]"
  • Social Security Death Index showing : "George Temple, born 21 May 1888, died Sep 1980, SSN issued by California, last residence and last benefit both Redwood City, San Mateo County, California  Note: There is no entry that matches his in the California Death Index, so it would appear that he died outside of California, perhaps he was on a trip.

Secondary sources for 2



3 Gertrude Amelia Krieger

Gertrude Amelia Krieger was born 15 Jul 1893 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, the oldest child of Otto Krieger and his wife Maude McGrath.  Otto died, at age 44 on 16 Jun 1908 in Los Angeles County, California. Maude as a widow is next found, with her children Gertrude and Ralph in the 1910 census of Los Angeles County, California.  Ralph did something, currently unknown, to land himself in San Quentin Prison by 1918, and then in the Los Angeles County Jail in 1920. Gertrude married George Francis Temple 31 Dec 1913, having three children including Shirley Temple.  In 1930, Maude, Gertrude's mother, is living with the family.

Gertrude died 1 Jan 1977, in Santa Clara County, California, although her last residence was in Redwood City, San Mateo County.  A picture of Gertrude dated in the 1950s appears in her obituary in the ''Daily Review'' of Hayward, California 4 Jan 1977.

Primary documents for 3

  • 1930 Census of Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California showing : "George T Temple, 40, married at age 24, b PA/PA/PA, Bank Manager; Gertrude A, 34, married at age 18, b IL/IL/MI; John S, 15, son, b CA; George J, 11, son, b CA; Shirley J, 1 11/12, daughter, b CA; Maude E Cregier, 51, mother-in-law, b MI/Canada English/Canada English"
  • Social Security Death Index showing : "Gertrude Temple, born 15 Jul 1893, died Jan 1977, SSN issued by California; last residence Redwood City, San Mateo County, California."
  • "Shirley Temple's Mother Dies", ''Los Angeles Times'' (Los Angeles, California), 3 Jan 1977 : [snippets] "[byline] Palo Alto...died at a local hospital...her husband George was with her when she died...[she was a] native of Chicago...64th wedding anniversary...husband and daughter both of Woodside...sons John S Temple of San Pedro and George F Temple Jr of Laguna Hills; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren....Mrs Black...now chief of protocol at the State Department...."

Secondary sources for 3

  • Family Data Collection showing : "Ralph Krieger, born 1895, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; Parents: Otto Julius Krieger and Maude Elizabeth McGrath"


4 Francis Marion Temple

Francis Marion Temple was born 4 Aug 1850 in Crawford County, Pennsylvania to Reuben Smith Temple and his wife Jane W Dunham.  According to a posting at this link on the Temple family forum at genform: "... announcement of the marriage in the Meadville Evening Register, 14 July 1876, p. 1, col. 5: Frank M. Temple of Spring Twp. (Crawford Co.) married Cynthia Yeager of Mercer, dau of G.W. Yeager, on 6 June 1876, in Mercer."  In 1880 they are living in Mercer, Pennsylvania.

They lived in Fairview, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania in 1888 when his son George Francis Temple was born there on 21 May 1888.  Mr Temple died 17 Jun 1896, in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. His wife appears as a widow with her four children in Erie County, Pennsylvania in 1900; the youngest child is then six years old.

He is buried at Rundells Cemetery, Conneautville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania.

Primary documents for 4


Secondary documents for 4



5 Cynthia Yeager

Cynthia Yeager was born about 1855 in Pennsylvania.  According to a posting at this link on the Temple family forum at genform: "... announcement of the marriage in the Meadville Evening Register, 14 July 1876, p. 1, col. 5: Frank M. Temple of Spring Twp. (Crawford Co.) married Cynthia Yeager of Mercer, dau of G.W. Yeager, on 6 June 1876, in Mercer."  In 1880 they are living in Mercer, Pennsylvania. They had four children : Grace, Herbert, George and Francis.  Her husband, Francis Marion Temple died before 1900 in Pennsylvania, where that year, Cynthia appears as a widow with her four children.

Primary documents for 5

  • 1910 Census of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California showing : "Cynthia Temple, head, 55, widow, mother of 4, 4 living, b PA/PA/PA, no occupation, owns home; Grace, daughter, 30, single b PA/PA/PA, stenographer, Electric Co; Herbert, son, 26, single, b PA/PA/PA, Clerk, Hardware; George, son, 22, single b PA/PA/PA, Clerk, Eddison Co; Francis, son, 16, single, b PA/PA/PA, no occupation"


6 Otto Julius Krieger

Otto Julius Krieger was born about 1864 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

Otto married on 15 Jun 1892, in Cook County, Illinois to Maude McGrath.  By 1900 the family had moved to Los Angeles, California where Otto died, at age 44 on June 16, 1908 in Los Angeles County, California.

Maude is living as a widow there in 1910.

Primary documents for 6

  • Illinois Statewide Marriage Index at http://www.ilsos.gov showing : "Otto Krieger to Maude McGrath 15 Jun 1892 Cook County, Illinois"
  • "Marriages", notice of marriage license, ''Chicago Daily Tribune'', Jun 15, 1892


7 Maude Elizabeth McGrath

Primary documents for 7

*Illinois Statewide Marriage Index at http://www.ilsos.gov showing : "Otto Krieger to Maude McGrath 15 Jun 1892 Cook County, Illinois"

*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=50000&iid=435959872&fn=&ln=Record+Otto+Krieger&st=d&ssrc=&pid=444578 "Marriages"], notice of marriage license, ''Chicago Daily Tribune'', Jun 15, 1892

*[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1900usfedcen%2c&rank=0&tips=0&gsfn=Gertrude&gsln=Krieger&sx=&gs1co=1%2cAll+Countries&gs1pl=1%2c+&year=&yearend=&sbo=0&sbor=&ufr=0&wp=4%3b_80000002%3b_80000003&srchb=r&prox=1&ti=0&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&o_iid=21416&o_lid=21416&o_it=21416&fh=0&recid=11299038&recoff=1+2 1900 Census of Chicago Ward 28, Cook County, Illinois] showing : "Otto J Krieger 36, b IL; Maud 24 b MI; Gertrude 6 b IL; Ralph 4 b IL; Andrean Knutzen 15 servant b IL"

*[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1910USCenIndex%2c&rank=0&tips=0&gsfn=Gertrude&gsln=Krieger&sx=&gs1co=1%2cAll+Countries&gs1pl=1%2c+&year=&yearend=&sbo=0&sbor=&ufr=0&wp=4%3b_80000002%3b_80000003&srchb=r&prox=1&ti=0&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&o_iid=21416&o_lid=21416&o_it=21416&fh=0&recid=4518982&recoff=13+14 1910 Census of Los Angeles AD 70, Los Angeles County, California] showing : "Maude Krieger 35 b MI/Canada/Canada; Gertrude 16 b IL/IL/MI; Ralph 13 b IL/IL/MI"

*California Voter Registrations
**[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=view&dbid=1249&ti=0&iid=losangelescounty_6-1224&rc=961,1808,1030,1822;1093,1806,1154,1821&fn=Maude&ln=Krieger&st=d&ssrc=&pid=2544604481 Los Angeles, 1916] : "Mrs Maude E Krieger, widow, 4107 Van Ness Avenue, Democrat" (Note: by 1924 living at this same address was "Mrs Anna Kurtz, hswf; Miss Harriet M Kurtz, cashier; William E Kurtz, decorator".  No idea if they are related or not.)

*[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=WW1draft%2c&rank=0&tips=0&gsfn=Ralph&gsln=Krieger&sx=&gs1co=1%2cAll+Countries&gs1pl=1%2c+&year=&yearend=&sbo=0&sbor=&ufr=0&wp=4%3b_80000002%3b_80000003&srchb=r&prox=1&ti=0&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&o_iid=21416&o_lid=21416&o_it=21416&fh=0&recid=1362869&recoff=1+2 World War I Draft Registration Cards] showing : "Ralph Krieger, of Los Angeles; born 5 Dec 1896 Chicago, Illinois. Father born Chicago, IL. California State Prison, [[San Quentin Prison|San Quentin]].  Nearest Relative: Maude Krieger of Los Angeles. Brown eyes, black hair. Registered in Jun 5, 1918 California"

*[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1920usfedcen%2c&rank=0&tips=0&gsfn=Ralph&gsln=Krieger&sx=&gs1co=1%2cAll+Countries&gs1pl=1%2c+&year=&yearend=&sbo=0&sbor=&ufr=0&wp=4%3b_80000002%3b_80000003&srchb=r&prox=1&ti=0&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&o_iid=21416&o_lid=21416&o_it=21416&fh=0&recid=5613830&recoff=25+26 1920 Census of Los Angeles County Jail, Los Angeles AD 62, Los Angeles County, California] showing : "Ralph Krieger, Prisoner, 23, Single, b IL/IL/IL, Cashier in Office"


8 Reuben Smith Temple



9 Jane W Dunham



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