My mother (Nina's daughter, Gale) told me Nina was born in Hannibal, MO, but it appears she was wrong because, based on the location of her parents' marriage (1877 in Chillicothe) and their location in the 1880 Census (in Chillicothe), Nina was almost certainly born in Chillicothe.

1.  Bert & Nina Straub on the front porch of their San Jose home, some time in the early 1950s. 

2.  Family photo taken Easter Sunday, 1943. 

1.  First-hand knowledge of Diana Gale Matthiesen.  Albert Roy "Bert" Straub & Nina Willis were my maternal grandparents, well known to me in life and dearly loved.  I am immensly proud of my grandparents.  They managed to raise eight children (all decent, honest, hard-working citizens) through the years of World War I and the Great Depression, even though both were severely handicapped.  My grandmother had one leg shorter than the other due to polio as a girl, compounded by crippling rheumatoid arthritis as an adult.  My grandfather took four bullets in the head and neck during the Spanish-American War (Phillipine Insurrection), which left him with one glass eye and an arm and leg paralyzed on one side; yet, he supported his family by driving a rural mail route in a Model-T Ford (and if you've ever seen what it takes to drive a Model-T, you know what a feat it was for a man with only one good arm and leg to do so).

2.  Interviews of my late mother, Nina Gale (Straub) Matthiesen, subjects' daughter.  It is oral family history that Bert and Nina arrived in San Francisco in the aftermath of the Great Earthquake of 1906.  They are said to have sold waffles to the victims from a street cart. 

3.  Marriage License:  Albert R. Straub and Mrs. Nina Dean, dated 27 Dec 1905, State of Nevada, County of Churchill, Recorder's No. 1144. Groom states he is 26 years of age and resides in Fallon, Nevada; bride states she is 22 years of age and resides in Fallon, Nevada.  [Nina is fibbing about her age — she, too, is 26 years old.] 

4.  Churchill Standard, Saturday 30 Dec 1905, section 4, p. 2 (Quote courtesy of Bunny Corkhill, Research Curator, Churchill County Museum & Archives, Fallon, NV.):

A.R. Straub and Mrs. Nina Dean were united in marriage at the Churchill Hotel parlors Wednesday evening, Rev. G.W. Black performing the ceremony.  The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willis of Soda Lake and is a beautiful and accomplished lady.  The groom is one of the young men who has lately cast his lot in the section and has a choice homestead in the same locality.  The Standard joins in extending Congratulations.

My grandmother was, indeed, beautiful; she was also an accomplished pianist and a voracious reader.

5.  1900 Census, Ohio: Marion and Medina Counties (Heritage Quest, Family Quest Archives, CDT623-1302):  Waldo Village, Waldo Twp., Marion Co., OH, p. 291B, enumerated 4 Jun 1900, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1900 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):¤•

1900:  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	15	19	20	22	23	24	25	26	27
49	51	Benedict, Delbert	Head	W	M	Nov 1859	40	M	11			OH	NY	OH	Paper Hanger	0	Y	Y	Y	O	F	H
		, Gale	Wife	W	F	Jul 1867	32	M	11	2	2	OH	OH	OH	Milliner	0	Y	Y	Y
		[Delbert & Gale's children]
		Straub, Albert	B-in-law	W	M	Mar 1879	21	S				OH	OH	OH	Paper Hanger	4	Y	Y	Y

6a.  1910 Census Index/Images (online at Genealogy.com, Image #260 of 335; online at Ancestry.com, Image #29 of 34):  Boarding House?, 613 Ninth Street, Oakland City (Ward 4, Precinct 10), Oakland Twp., Alameda Co., CA, Roll 70 (Book 3), p. 129A, SN 15A, SD 3, ED 116, enumerated 25 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	12	13	14	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
?	?	Straub, Albert B	Boarder	M	W	31	M1	4	OH	OH	OH	Eng	Letter Carrier	Post Office	W	N	0	Y	Y

6b.  1910 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com and Genealogy.com; n.b., not an every-name index):  can't find Nina, and I browsed every surname in California beginning Stra, Stro, or Stru (also Shaub, Shoub, Staub, Stoub; also Emma DEAN and Lucy DEAN, and given name Nina).  I also checked Nevada (where her parents were living), and she doesn't turn up there, either.

7.  1920 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com; Image #2 of 38 — indexed "Stewaret"):  Monterey Road, Burnett Twp. (Burnett Pct.), Santa Clara Co., CA, Roll 146, p. 15B, SN 1B, SD 7, ED 121, enumerated 5 Jan 1920, official enumeration date 1 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

3

4

5

6

7

9

10

11

12

16

17

18

19

21

23

25

26

27

28

M o n t e r e y R o a d

14

17

Straub, Albert R

Head

R

M

W

40

M

Y

Y

OH

OH

OH

Y

Post Master

Post Office

W

______, Nina W

Wife

F

W

40

M

Y

Y

MO

IN

MI

None

______, Gale

Daughter

F

W

13

S

Y

Y

Y

CA

OH

MO

______, Shirley D

Daughter

F

W

10

S

Y

Y

Y

CA

OH

MO

______, Janet S

Daughter

F

W

7

S

CA

OH

MO

______, Ellis J

Daughter

F

W

6

S

CA

OH

MO

______, William A

Son

M

W

4

S

CA

OH

US

______, Barbara A

Daughter

F

W

2

S

CA

OH

US

______, Stephen H

Son

M

W

5/12

S

CA

OH

US

"Monterey Road" is the Monterey Highway (U.S. 101), also known as "El Camino Real" (the King's Highway), built to connect the chain of Catholic missions established by Spain in California (1769-1823).  Bert was the Postmaster of the little town of Coyote, which has since been engulfed by the southerly growth of San Jose.

8a.  1930 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com; Image #15 of 31):  Niles, Washington Twp., Alameda Co., CA, Roll 112, p. 213A, SN 8A, ED 1-352, SD 8, enumerated 11 Apr 1930, official enumeration date 1 Apr 1930 (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).
3	4	5	6	7	8	10	11	12	13	14	16	17	18	19	20	24	25	26	27	28	30	31
197	209	Straub, Albert R	Head	R	7	N	M	W	51	S	N	Y	OH	OH	OH	Y	Clerk	Post Office	W	Y	Y	PW

The enumerator didn't take down streets or street numbers for anyone.  Bert is, indeed, living alone (i.e., not in a hotel or boarding house).  Column 31 was hard to read; I think it says "PW," which would stand for "Philippine War," which would be correct.

8b.  1930 Census Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com; Image #30 of 38):  505 Hicks Avenue, [City of San Jose,] San Jose Twp., Gardner Pct., Santa Clara Co., CA, Roll 218, p. 131A, SN 16A, ED 43-84, SD 10, enumerated 8 Apr 1930, official enumeration date 1 Apr 1930 (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

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

24

25

26

27

28

30

*

505

361

368

Staub Nina W

Head

R

60

R

Y

M

W

50

M

17

N

Y

MO

IN

MI

Y

None

_____ Shirley D

Daughter

F

W

21

S

N

Y

CA

OH

MO

Y

Stenographer

Law Office

W

Y

_____ Jane S

Daughter

F

W

18

S

Y

Y

CA

OH

MO

Y

None

_____ Ellis J

Daughter

F

W

16

S

Y

Y

CA

OH

MO

Y

None

_____ William A

Son

M

W

14

S

Y

Y

CA

OH

MO

Y

None

_____ Barbara A

Daughter

F

W

13

S

Y

Y

CA

OH

MO

Y

None

_____ Stephen H

Son

M

W

10

S

Y

Y

CA

OH

MO

Y

None

Elliott Nina G

Daughter

F

W

23

M

20

Y

Y

CA

OH

MO

Y

None

_______ Norman C

Son-in-Law

M

W

24

M

21

Y

Y

CA

MI

CA

Y

Clerk

Bank

W

Y

N

*Hicks Avenue

9.  1940 Census:  not yet released.  Based on my first-hand knowledge, from the 1940s until their deaths, Bert & Nina were living together, first at Blewett Ave., San Jose, CA, then, by the mid-1940s, at 2337 Moorpark Ave., San Jose, CA.

10.  Certificate of Death:  Albert Roy Straub, Registered 8 Jul 1969, State of California, County of Santa Clara, San Jose, California, Local Reg. Dist. No. 4300, Certificate No. 03407 5/6; informant: Mrs. Gale Matthiesen [d/o deceased], 14825 Fruitvale, Saratoga, CA. 

11.  Obituary:  "Spanish-American Vet Albert Straub Dies," dated 8 Jul 1969, San Jose Mercury, p. 20. 

12.  Churchill Standard, 13 Jan 1906, section 4, p. 1 (quote courtesy of Bunny Corkhill, Research Curator, Churchill County Museum & Archives, Fallon, NV.):

A. R. Straub of Soda Lake was in Fallon the first of the week.  He says that activity is general in his neighborhood among the many homesteaders and that new houses are going up on all sides.  He expects to get about 40 acres under cultivation this year.

13.  "Albert Straub of Niles Ends 31 Years in Postal Service," Oakland Tribune, 3 Dec 1939.  Although the newspaper photograph shows my grandfather carrying a mail pouch, as if he walked an urban mail route, he actually drove a rural mail route (i.e., the photo was staged for the paper). 

14.   Letter dated 27 Mar 1940, from the Office of the Postmaster General, Washington, DC, addressed to Mr. Albert R. Straub, Niles, California:

My dear Mr. Straub: It has come to my attention that on account of your health you have found it necessary to retire from the position of rural carrier at Niles.  I congratulate you upon the length of your tenure of position as an employee in the postal service and desire to extend to you my personal wish for your speedy recovery.  I am enclosing an autographed photograph in the thought that you may desire to have it as a memento. Very truly yours, James A. Harley (s), Postmaster General.

15.  Robert G. Fisher (of San Jose, CA).  nd.  Rancho del Refugio de la Laguna Seca and the Captain William Fisher Family (submitted by Jeanne Rudy and online at the Somos Primos web site).  Includes this excerpt:

In April 1862, the Burnett Post Office was established inside the 12 Mile House, which was a store, hotel and blacksmith shop.  This building was destroyed by fire in 1963; but long before that, the post office was moved and a new, small structure was built by Fiacro C. Fisher, Postmaster, in 1907, next door to the 12 Mile House.  There, the Coyote Post Office operated without a break until 1974, even though in 1935 Washington, D.C., had forgotten where it was and had to be told.  In 1974, the building built by Fiacro was moved to the San Jose Historical Museum in San Jose.

Our subject, Albert Roy STRAUB, was Postmaster of the Coyote Post Office for some years between 1910 and 1928 (when he moved to Niles).  Fiacro C. FISHER was the father of Laura Estella FISHER, who married Albert Roy's brother, William Barton STRAUB.

16.  Anon.  Monday, 24 Apr 1899.  "Albert R. Straub." The Marion Daily Star (Marion, OH).  Vol. XXII, No. 130, p. 8 (online at Ancestry.com):

ALBERT R. STRAUB Whose Name Appears in Friday's List of Wounded ONCE A CITIZEN OF MARION Lived Here Six or Seven Years Ago with a Sister and Attended School -- Went Out to Seattle Where He Enlisted in Company D, First Washington Volunteers and Goes to Manila. In the list of casualties in the Philippines published in Friday's Star, was the name of Albert R. Straub, private of comapny D, First Washington volunteers, who was severely wounded in the face. Young Straub was formerly a resident of this city.  He lived here about six or seven years ago with his sister, Miss Gail Straub, now Mrs. Benedict of Waldo, and attended school.  About five yers ago he left his home near Waldo and went to Seattle, Wash., where he lived until last spring, when he enlisted in the army.  How badly Straub is injured is not known here, as nothing has been heard except through the newspaper reports. Miss Josie Straub, who resides on Vine street, is a sister of the wounded boy and C. (sic) Straub is his father. Young Straub is only about eighteen years old.  His friends here will all hope that the would will not prove serious.

17.  Anon.  Friday, 6 Oct 1899.  "From the Orient." The Marion Daily Star (Marion, OH).  Vol. ??XII, No. 272, p. 4 (online at Ancestry.com):

FROM THE ORIENT Soldier Albert R. Straub Returns to Waldo ANOTHER MARION COUNTY BOY ...

This is a long article, including a full figure photo of Bert in uniform.  The page image is very poor quality and the text is largely unreadable.  I'll have to see if I can't track down a better microfilm.

Timetable for Albert Roy "Bert" STRAUB in the Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection and surrounding years.

Historical dates and information on the war are from the Library of Congress web site.  There is a brief history of the 1st Washington Volunteer Infantry (WVI) online [link died]; information below on the WVI is from this web site.  My recollection is that it was said Bert fought in both the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection, but I have so far found records of only his service in the latter, and timing would seem to rule out the former.  During combat in Manila, Bert took four bullets in the head, neck and shoulder, which cost him one eye and left him paralyzed on one side for the rest of his life.  For two years, I have been trying, without success, to get his pension folder from the Veterans' Administration.  Because of his injuries and disabilities, he should have a huge folder with much valuable genealogical information in it.  I will not give up trying to obtain these records.
 

1898	Feb 15	U.S.S. Maine explodes in Havana Harbor.
	May 6-13	The 1st Regiment, Washington Volunteer Infantry (WVI) is formed in Tacoma, WA.
	Jun 21	Albert Roy STRAUB enlists as Private, Co. D., 1st WVI, Seattle, WA.
	Jul 1	Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders take Kettle Hill [not San Juan Hill], San Juan Heights, Cuba.
	Jul 25	General Wesley Merritt, commander of Eighth Corps, U.S. Expeditionary Force, arrives in the Philippine Islands.
	Aug 12	Peace protocol ending hostilities between Spain and the United States is signed in Washington, DC.
	Oct 19	WVI ships out from San Francisco.  [I have a photograph of Bert in his uniform taken in San Francisco before his departure.  The photo is in California, and I'm presently in Florida.  When I get back to California, I will scan it and add it to the web site.]
	Nov 22	WVI arrives in the Philippines.  [This is consistent with oral family history, which was that Bert arrived in Manila in Nov, 1898.]
1899	Jan 1	Emilio Aguinaldo is declared President of the new Philippine Republic. The U.S. refuses to recognize the new government.
	Feb 4	The Philippine Republic declares war against the United States forces in the Philippine Islands.
	Feb 4-5	WVI is involved in its first combat.
	Apr	Albert R. STRAUB is severely wounded.
	May 19	WVI sees action at Taguig.
	Jun 4-5	WVI sees action at Taitai Cainta and Morong.
	Jul 26-27	WVI sees action near Calamba.
	Sep 5	WVI departs the Philippines.  [This is consistent with oral family history.]
	Sep 11	Albert Roy STRAUB receives an Honorable Discharge.
	Oct 6	Albert Roy STRAUB is back in Waldo, OH.
	Oct 9	WVI arrives in San Francisco, is stationed at the Presidio.
	Nov 1	WVI is disbanded.
1900	Jun 4	Albert Roy STRAUB is home in Waldo, OH, for the 1900 U.S. Census.
1902	Jul	War ends in the Philippines, with more than 4200 U.S. soldiers, 20,000 Filipino soldiers, and 200,000 Filipino civilians dead.
1905	Feb 25	Albert Roy STRAUB is awarded an Invalid Pension of $30/mo by the Bureau of Pensions, U.S. Dept. of the Interior.
	Dec 27	Albert Roy STRAUB marries Mrs. Nina (WILLIS) DEAN in Fallon, Churchill Co., NV.
1906	Apr	Albert and Nina (WILLIS) STRAUB arrive in San Francisco just days after the Great Earthquake.
	Jun 9	Albert R. Straub, Co. D, 1st Washington Infantry Volunteers, is awarded a Bronze Medal for service in the Philippines. [He also received a Purple Heart, but I don't know the date.]