Looking for parents of George W. Allen (1862-1931) father of Gracie Allen who ma

Question:

Looking for parents of George W. Allen (1862-1931) father of Gracie Allen who married George Burns?

Gracie Allen was born in California, maybe San Franciso.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Genealogy.com has done her family tree. I'll share the high points:

First Generation
1. Grace1 Allen (George W.2), daughter of George W. Allen and Margaret Darragh, was born in San Francisco, San Francisco, California 26 Jul 1895.

Second Generation
2. George W.2 Allen was born in California Feb 1862.(4) George died 18 May 1931 in San Francisco County, California, at 69 years of age.(5)

He married Margaret Darragh ca 1883.(6) Margaret was born in Massachusetts Jul 1862.(7) Margaret was the daughter of Patrick Darragh and Clara. Margaret died 9 Aug 1931 in San Francisco County, California, at 69 years of age.(8) Margaret was divorced from George W. Allen bef 1905.(9)

George was divorced from Margaret Darragh bef 1905.(10)

George W. Allen and Margaret Darragh had the following children:

3 i. Bessie1 Allen was born in California Apr 1884.(11) She married Ed Myers.

4 ii. Pearl Beatrice Allen was born in California 28 Feb 1886.(12) Pearl died 3 Apr 1956 in San Francisco County, California, at 70 years of age.(13)

5 iii. George Lyford Allen was born in California 29 Mar 1888.(14) George died 1 Jan 1954 in San Mateo County, California, at 65 years of age.(15)

6 iv. Hazel Allen was born in California 18 Sep 1891.(16) Hazel died 12 Aug 1969 in Conta Costa County, California, at 77 years of age.(17) She married Boydston.

+ 1 v. Grace Allen was born 26 Jul 1895.

Third Generation
8. Patrick3 Darragh was born in Ireland ca 1833.(27)

He married Clara bef 1858.(28) Clara was born in Ireland ca 1839.(29)

Patrick Darragh and Clara had the following children:

9 i. James2 Darragh was born in Massachusetts ca 1858.(30)

10 ii. Elizabeth Darragh was born in Massachusetts ca 1859.(31)

+ 7 iii. Margaret Darragh was born Jul 1862.

11 iv. Clara Darragh was born in California ca 1865.(32) She married Burke.

12 v. Frank Darragh was born in California ca 1868.(33)

They weren't able to locate his parents, either. I humbly think part of the problem is that they're working from the 1900 census where it's self-declared that he was born in California. He's not on any of the earlier California census records. So either the listing as being born in California is false and is sending everyone on a wild goose chase, or he was born with a different name and changed it somewhere along the line. The other possibility being that he wasn't born in 1862 and they're being too narrow in their search. There is a George W Allen on the 1880 census b. in abt 1864. Maybe that's him...maybe it's not. Even his marriage license and death certificates weren't filled in with parents' names. It's going to be hard to figure that one out. The other question is, if he was from California, how did he meet his wife-to-be who was from Massachusetts...and why were they married there and then go back to California? That's a whole lot of traveling. Maybe someone embellished along the way. Or maybe not. But he lived during the time of a great information vacuum and we'll always be left guessing on some of these questions. i think Greg Oden is the father.