1.  Interview of Nina Gale (Straub) Matthiesen, subject's niece (and my mother), who lived with subject's sister, Josephine (STRAUB) PETERS, in Washington, DC, while attending art school there in the 1930s.  Family tradition has Bess working as private secretary to President Herbert Hoover (or something similar — I may have gotten the legend wrong).  I contacted the Herbert Hoover Library, and they said they have no record of her being his secretary, but they replied rather quickly, so I don't know how thoroughly they searched.

2.  1900 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com):  can't find Besse, and I really looked.  Her mother died in 1888, and her father is living alone in the 1900 census.

3.  1910 Census Index/Images (online at Genealogy.com, Image #26-27 of 36):  117 R Street NE, Washington, DC, Roll 153 (Book 2), pp. 243B-244A, SN 13B-14A, SD _, ED 167, enumerated 26 Apr 1910, official enumeration date 15 Apr 1910 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤•

1910:  for an explanation of the column headings, please see What the Numbers in the Federal Census Mean (missing columns contained no data).

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

28

*

117

263

292

Peters Wm J

Head

M

W

29

M1

3

Ohio

Ohio

Ohio

Eng

Inspector

Bu. Immigration

W

N

0

Y

Y

H

______ Josephine E

Wife

F

W

29

M1

3

2

2

Ohio

Ohio

Ohio

Eng

None

Y

Y

[next page]

Peters Bessie A

Dau

F

W

2

S

Washington DC

Ohio

Ohio

None

______ Wm E

Son

M

W

9/12

S

Washington DC

Ohio

Ohio

None

Straub Bessie C

Sister in law

F

W

24

S

Ohio

Ohio

Ohio

Eng

Clerk

Mercantile?

W

N

0

Y

Y

*R Street N.E.

4.  1920 Census Images (online at Ancestry.com; Images 18 and 19 of 30):  117 R Street NE, Washington, DC, Roll T625_211 (Book 2), pp. 95B/96A, SD 40, ED216, SNs 9B (Lines 98-100)/10A (Line 1), enumerated 12/13 Jan 1920 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤•

1920:  for an explanation of the column headings, please see What the Numbers in the Federal Census Mean (missing columns contained no data).

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

16

17

18

19

21

23

25

26

27

28

R St NE

117

179

213

Peters, William J

Head

0

M

M

W

39

M

Y

Y

OH

OH

OH

Y

Law Officer

Dept. of Labor

W

______, Josephine E

Wife

F

W

38

M

Y

Y

OH

OH

OH

Y

None

______, Besse A

Daughter

F

W

12

S

Y

Y

Y

DC

OH

OH

Y

None

Straub, Bess C

Sister-in-law

F

W

34

S

Y

Y

OH

OH

OH

Y

Clerk

State Dept.

W

5.  1930 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com):  Besse not found, but there is a William H. McCARTY (æ 60, b. VA) in Washington, DC, with wife Mabel G. (æ 47, b. NJ), and no children.

6a.  Thursday, 9 Oct 1913.  The Marion Daily Star (Marion, Ohio), v. XXXVII, n. 270, p. 13 (online at Ancestry.com):

Miss Besse C. Straub left Wednesday for Columbus, from where she will start, Friday, for her home in Wilmington, North Carolina, by way of Washington.  Miss Straub has been a guest of her sister, Mrs. D. W. Benedict and family the past three weeks.

6b.  Friday, 25 Jul 1924.  The Marion Daily Star (Marion, Ohio), p. 5 (online at Ancestry.com):

Waldo... Mrs. Thomas Wyatt and Daughter, Jesse, Thursday evening entertained the Woman's Adult Bible class and teacher, Mrs. D.W. Benedict, at their home south of town.  Beside eighteen members, the following visitors were present:  Miss Besse C. Straub, of Washington; Miss Grace Munson, of Colorado Springs; Miss Stella Henry, of near Ashley; and Mary Jane Houseworth, from Marion.  Miss Straub, who was a guest of her sister, Mrs. Benedict, is a member of the American-German claims commission and has just returned from a trip through Europe.  After the class devotionals a season of contests were enjoyed, the honors going to Miss Vinne Selanders and Mrs. Clyde Randall.

6c.  Saturday, 6 Sep 1924.  The Marion Daily Star (Marion, Ohio), v. XLVIII, n. 242, p. 5 (online at Ancestry.com):

Miss Besse Straub Weds W. H. M'Carty Announcements have been received of the marriage of Miss Besse Straub and Mr. William Howard McCarty, Washington, which was solemnized September 3, in Baltimore.  They will make their home in Washington. Mrs. McCarty is a former resident of Waldo and for the past several years has been employed in government work in Washington.  She is a sister of Mrs. D. W. Benedict, Waldo, and a cousin of Miss Besse McCausland and Mr. Harry E. Elliott, Bellefontaine avenue.