Sarah DeCorse-Jeffers, Anita DeCorse, and Roger DeCorse

00:06 My name is Sarah decorse-jeffers and I'm 48 years old. Today is Wednesday, November 27th. 2019. I am in Yuma, Arizona and I'm here with my mother Anita decorse and my father of Roger decorse.

00:25 My name is my name is Anita decorse. My age is 78 and today is Wednesday, November 27th 2019 here in Yuma, Arizona.

00:38 And

00:41 I am here with my husband Roger decorse and our daughter Sarah decorse-jeffers.

00:49 That's that's it.

00:55 My name is Rodger de course.

00:57 I mean you two years old and today's date is November 27th. 2019. What are you, Arizona?

01:06 I'm here with my my wife Anita.

01:10 And my daughter Sarah.

01:12 And we're here for a

01:16 A nice fat and family interview regarding family history

01:24 We're going to start by talking with my dad Rodger about the history of Arda course family. He is a historian. He just loves discussing our family every day with all of us kids. He has seven children from my mom and dad and he is the person that everyone in the family goes to his siblings. I'm cousins my siblings my mom. We all go to him if we want information on the family history and he is happy to discuss it every single day for the past 40 plus years. So here's my dad and he's going to start with discussing our oldest relatives that we can recall which would be dr. Albert decorse and his family.

02:13 Dr. Alberti course, I was in the Civil War and after he was released from Duty and the Civil War he moved to this area and he he he was a doctor.

02:28 And he was also want involved in mining. He had the

02:36 Some of these children were involved in mining and they have a lot of information that they they found out or these different Minds worm. So forth. I want a one of the things that was very interesting. My doctor Ecorse was take care of some help people that had illnesses and one of them was out. They call Mom peg leg or something like that. He was a minor and he paid the doctor with gold for services and when he got the gold in his hands he want to know where you order came from so they were looking for it and they didn't find all of the defined goals are loaded received out if they got a little bit from him and he had children that were involved in mining afterwards one of them. All. Charlie. Charlie was a minor and I've got a picture from here. He was on a work the miners at North Star mine.

03:35 Open the coffin bones and he was in charge of all the miners over there and he was very very knowledgeable about Mining and so forth and I have the fortune to get to talk to when I was a little boy and he was very interesting to talk to you. And the last time I saw him was 1957 when I was in the military and I was going to go home. I was going to leave home go overseas and I talked to him and he was very interesting to talk to me and I said goodbye to him and when I was gone he passed away. So he passed away either late 57 or early 58. Anyway original residents was Kent County Maryland somewhere in that area that before. That's all that was for you was that and

04:35 France before the family came from all the island of Corsica. That's not in the south of Italy if you see if you can find at the map and if you look at the name Corsica, a lot of times you see it. If you look at it real carefully or somebody puts curse.

05:00 And all that's the way you spell my last name, except for the d on there and the d e means of and Corsica of the beliefs of the founding possibly came from corsico original.

05:13 Adult anyway on all the family. They should hit you out. He was a Maryland on his little boy and that's the reason why up. And then he was the Civil War and when the works of walls or trim down here to this part of the country and he had several children that were very very successful and and their driver's job lady. She was a nice of Chief Pasqual. Her name was Loose, which means the light that's right. Anyway, are they are they got married? That's all.

05:53 They have several children. They were all successful and they were all very very good people.

06:04 I got to meet a lot of them. I can't I cannot look at back at him and you can see where a lot of what the school and got well educated. They did very very well Gardens a minor of course, but he was very very intelligent very very knowledgeable. And Uncle Uncle Sam was also want another one of his sons Funeral. He was all he leaving from the reservation but he did will be working Yuma and there was a big water tank and you when was historically it was on 8th Street and Avenue a 1st Avenue 8th Street, and that's where he he he he he he put that big water tank and when I was little boy like to see it and I couldn't believe how big it was, but it was full of water for the city of you.

06:53 And then there was other children besides that my grandfather George. He was also a very successful and he worked for the for the electric company and he did very well and I didn't get to know him very well. But what little I knew of him, I was very impressed with him and it was Uncle Uncle Sam Hunt Sam. Sam was another person that was very knowledgeable too and to heal.

07:22 He won the flick of the reservation or we live and Uncle Charlie was another one when he was okay with the prison Hill first opened up and they had all the persons over there. He he want to work. There is a doctor. He took care of all the prisoners and he did very well take care of a sick patients and so forth over there. I think he was the first doctor his pictures up there. If you want to go up there for 2 or the prison Hill is pictures up there and they talked about him and they talked about his history historical past. I got a picture right here with his two partners. Now, there's none of the other picture. There are two parties are also doctors in the Civil War or after the Civil War and they moved on to Yuba. They called the Arizona City.

08:21 And anyway, dr. Buddy course when he came here when you got married to the niece of Chief Pasqual.

08:28 Adult he all he did very well with her and the children they had a lot of children and how many languages did they speak for sure the shirt of this fold five, but for sure I was five and he was very very knowledgeable and very very the doctor after he left the prison Hill as a doctor. He had his own office and old Yuma right there 1st Street and Madison Avenue right in the corner, but are your uncle benny uncle benny was he was a contractor engineer. He was a graduate of University of Arizona and he also build a lot of human bones and you will still there beautiful homes, if you want to see what his houses. There's one on 1st Avenue and

09:24 No, I'm sorry 2nd Avenue and 3rd Street. The house is still there, and I've been to the house before it would be for home does family looking for you. Then. The other was Little House would really outstanding on 1st Street next to the old San Carlos hotel. That's where does Bilbo uncle benny and all that's where all along the family used to gather there. I got pictures that building and it's a beautiful building. But that what happened was they want of turn the volume down for some reason or other it was it wasn't that wasn't the bad billing, but they they had other plans. So anyway l

10:08 Are you I wish the Family Guy fat building, but the family didn't get it. They made him somebody got it signed over to somebody else and we didn't get it afterwards. Anyway, yeah, that was uncle benny and Atlanta named Josie and Josie was a she was she had mental problems, but she'd have to be in her probably in her 40s, maybe 50s and she passed away and

10:37 Another was a future that we're all very very successful the old and very well.

10:44 Health and then they had children use on great grandfather's grandson. And what was his name is Henry in hardcore Sean, and he was involved with some politically and I got pictures of him when he was on doing these things before the tribe and he also had a job when you burn with a power company, so he was very active and very busy. He's a good father and and then we also have nots

11:33 Help you have twins. How many siblings did Grandpa Henry have? Well lose.

11:40 Joel cars

11:42 Irene Irene George

11:48 6 at least six that I know of and why can't my Aunt Irene. My dad's sister was a it was a singer and she had a beautiful voice. I have one of her records recording it and she was a beautiful lady. She was a brunette and I think she would have done very well, but she got sick and they took her to Phoenix for all care and that's what she passed away when she was just barely 19.

12:18 Adult uncle had that I'd enjoy course. My dad's younger brother. He was an outstanding athletes and you will used to but I do feel that he doesn't him or how, but he he he he run to the Sprints and you play football. He also played baseball in Yuma and he has several children and all when was children's name is Dean Burrell. He was a police officer in Yuma he retired recently and he have a son named Joe burrow Georgia roster for BYU and he was outstanding wrestler College.

12:59 And Uncle Clarence Mom a Mother's Uncle Tio Ernie.

13:05 Also work the post office Jackie and I don't I don't live here anymore. They will go away, but her Lisa lives here and home.

13:16 It was those other children's ever did very well.

13:21 And will we're all happy to see each other. I remember you telling us when we were kids growing up that four brothers lived on the reservation. Which for were they? Okay? That was Uncle Sam Uncle Charlie uncle benny and Uncle George and then later on Four Brothers live there again, which would be you Pete George & Dawn.

13:58 Well, yeah, but I got pictures here of a family on the family. I got picture here of all Chief has called who's the uncle to my great-grandmother. He's a famous quote on Chief simple skull schools named after him and he was very very well.

14:16 Very well-known and do they still talk about him and I got a lot of other pictures here family use a push. You hear? What a my uncle's is it was Henry course on a bicycle here Henry Price T course. He died me is very young and

14:37 Oh my God shoes. They all have very interesting names and it seems like there were just a few male names that just kept circulating faced till this very day. They just continue to circulate throughout the generations Charles Henry Hank George Charles, Uncle Charlie Benjamin McDonald Benjamin.

15:06 Oh, yeah and Albert, Alberta course.

15:12 Albert

15:16 Do you want to talk a little bit more about?

15:20 The different occupations or relationships

15:25 Well, I'm trying to find a picture here in the family's family House was built. My dad used to go there when his little boy and don't have a cousin that you sold it to my Dad's cousin. Her name is Evelyn Curtis album Curtis was quite a lady. She she live in Hollywood and her husband was a cameraman for The Beverly Hillbillies.

15:52 And all she has a daughter named Brody and son named Jack Shayari, but his name in Hollywood has Bob Graham. He was a singer and Hollywood he sang and he was very famous. She made movies with Mitzi Gaynor and are there still any of them in the in the Honda Hollywood area the next door neighbor with James Arnaz and they got to know a lot of the old actors and actresses still there their and they're nice now.

16:22 Yeah, that's very interesting. But I got a debit not very much that I can remember.

16:38 New Tampa speak which on the kitchen language. Do you have names for us? You know what your name was?

16:57 A lot of the quechan language that sounds like the Spanish language in many ways Groupon wait on the bus by 1st Avenue and 8th Street, but a water tank or the one that was built by my Uncle Sam. That's what we were born in 4 to Yuma.

17:22 I was born of the 40 year-old for Dominion hospital, but we lived in Yuma.

17:28 Tell my dad his parents are Raj Henry and Teresa decorse and they had nine children and my dad is the 4th born the 4th oldest out of the night. So tell us a little bit about your siblings Roller Derby horse Hanka was in the mortuary while he went to college, but he didn't realize where he almost had that he had about two years of college and they want the air force during the Korean War and he was so and station Japan and so forth and he came back and it isn't San Diego and he yelled was a good job with her General Dynamics older and you got a side job with at San Diego Padres.

18:14 And I was an usher the correct and he's take me to the game so I can watch football games as well as base baseball games and neither was a lot of famous people that went to the games from Hollywood that knew him and he knew them and help them get the receipts and everything afterwards he on.

18:34 He retired he come to you once in awhile and visit us and and then he

18:45 And are they what are you got married? I was one of the ushers.

18:49 And off and how many children that they have real gold Rosie and three children Joanne Joanne and he was married to Judy and cuddle with first and the other son in Julian, Junior anybody call MJ afterwards. She married a guy named Dave Bradley. She divorced you again, but then she married a Bradley and they had the I think was it two or three children anywhere you there?

19:28 They are passed away and

19:35 And then she married again, but her marriage is a very brief berries, and I don't know what happened to her. But now she's single and she's home by yourself with a with a daughter and a granddaughter and she has a good life. She's happy good wife. She's retired. And she she she was a nurse. She actually moved from Lancaster back to the couch on reservation and she's my dad's next door neighbor for neighbor or and after that he lives in Phoenix and he married while before about dinner in San Diego with his first wife and that's what they lived and that's what it looked music for Ford. They have four two two boys and two girls

20:29 Yuma to Phoenix with a divorced and his children left home and so forth and came back to Yuma and that's it for wall now he's living in, Texas.

20:41 And then there's my dad was the 4th oldest before I forgot right hanging married to Alberto Torres how many years ago 61 1961 and how many kids did you guys have 7 kids three boys and four girls

21:01 Do you have anything you want to say about your old and

21:10 And you're very good to your mother that's important and you take care of things that are necessary for the family.

21:18 And on anyway, and then who was born after you she's Rodger Vans to live in Yuma Colorado for a while, but thinking back to Yuma and she's not registered some while he work for the government different places, but he always had good jobs. I can't tell you what his title was what he did, but he did have good jobs. He didn't get away. He was in the college graduate to lower your job's a job. Where are you when I get all the baby. I was in the Navy for

22:01 After your Samosa few days back in the fifties, and and I will do work for Arizona public service by the time with my wife and I got married and we went to Phoenix and that's what we were that for for 11 years 4 years 3 years and then we came back to you.

22:22 And we've been here ever since and Siri ever since and all the kids were well Felicia my oldest and my boss and Roger were born in Phoenix, but the Russell board here.

22:34 And what is Felicia do and she lives where and Rodger lives next door neighbor? How many kids does Felicia have she knows two boys two boys.

22:54 Heather married and have children John has John has two boys two boys as the grandmother of two and then after Felicia.

23:05 Oh, and I was Rodger Rodger Mater and they have a $3 Teresa Jessica Victoria Rose call. We call my brother's oldest daughter Teresa. We call her Teddy because she's named after my grandmother Teresa decorse and then after Whitey we call my brother Rodger. We call him Whitey who's born next.

23:36 And there's Louise she has two boys.

23:47 And she's doing very well with her.

23:50 As a nurse and then after that is Mary right now Mary Mary is also on the reservation and she has two girls and one boy and she has a seven grandkids and I only have Albert or Albert Albert was married to Lisa and they have one girl and two boys, and he was lovable accident coming to Yuma from Phoenix. He was living in Phoenix you was coming to you and visit us when he lost his life work for APS like my dad.

24:46 Witcher 3 course, we're both special education High School teachers and I have two kids and Richard is single and loving it was born after you.

25:11 And they have the

25:14 Two girls one boy

25:16 We work for the telephone company has reward phone company, but he had health problems and he passed away when he was in his mid-60s do mother birds George, Georgia. I was married to Alice on teeny and they had one boy.

25:38 And all what one role in the course and Stephanie is he works for the Adult Probation Services of you will be in charge of that and then. I need to see who he's married to a lady named Becky and there have a little girl named Aiden and they're very happy and doing very well in Tucson. He retired I think she's at are too and they're so young, but they are enjoying themselves in Tucson and then. My youngest brother

26:20 He was married to a bunny Kennerly.

26:25 And all they had two kids over here, She probably pretty young and he he was just so so selfish forcible on 665 when he passed away. We found him at his home was he abused gone already sold on and how he was in the military. What what did he do in the military?

26:54 Yeah, he was special services Airborne. He's jump out of planes of pursuit and he was a very very

27:06 Very good soldier various excellent is professional shooter.

27:15 What's my family right there?

27:20 Is there anything else you want to add about the family that you can think of that you didn't cover?

27:25 Oh boy. I know what what makes you

27:30 So interested in always talking about the family because it's it's very special. A lot of people don't know the history. You know, I'm on the family. What what about it draws you to it? Are you I got love all my brothers and my sisters will we all get along pretty well we communicate very well my my brother Chuck listen to Saint brother dog lives on the reservation George's on the reservation. Yvonne does a new one and how long have you lived there?

28:08 Since Mary was a baby a couple weeks old and the home you live in who built the home the whole was by my my my grandfather and

28:26 And all I had all the world that helped out which can fix our uncle Gus Cassie built the building next door to the house and he helped build it. It's the storage building and he helped me a lot Buckle guard. My mother's younger brother gusset. You see your grandpa everybody help pitch in and built the house and you've been in it for 52 years young boys on Arnold Road.

29:06 Yep. It's a divorce property.

29:09 And my my son Richard lives next door to me and my daughter Mary lives behind me and my daughter by my son Rodger isn't in it is side of me and have a daughter named Sarah was going to go to move further back and my daughter Allie lives B & W Canal my sister Joanne loser. Were there other daughter Elaine and and her daughter-in-law and granddaughter Crystal. To my granddaughter's behind you.

29:58 Yep, and then Uncle Clarence lived. He had a little place on the corner there a bunch of bushes trees going there now.

30:13 Who lived who lived across the street where Uncle Pete used to live at Rosman family has lived on the couch on reservation for many many years were all right across Christmas and Roger emblems.

30:39 Uncle Sam of the two-story house are in a nice wonder what happened to that all they they destroyed it. They could have the he passed away and the family didn't want him to the house some of the phone number to know so that they just destroyed and tore down and now the stuffing their Uncle Don used to live there but he passed away and next to him is my uncle Benny's old home which still stands and it has deteriorated but it's still standing contractor. He had a house next to the courthouse and do like I might have a picture of it here somewhere, but he

31:24 He was very very famous house.

31:27 He was also a graduate of you and I remember you telling us growing up. A lot of the uncles were into architect architectures.

31:45 Yeah, they were booked.

31:47 It's been a long time ago that are out and about with my dad. He'll point out different homes that are made by family members. He still hasn't memorized in a part of Yuma and they're typically the homes that are very sturdy looking there two story brick. They're made with brick their wall built the beautiful too beautiful buildings over here across the street not too far from us. They were built by my uncle benny and recently they burn down they would they had a fire down then they will buildings burnt down.

32:26 But the old Ecorse houses beautiful home.

32:31 It was gorgeous. Please remember about it going there and it had a bit of a big basement on the bottom and I'm never going in the main section there, but I didn't go upstairs and have an upstairs nice. It was a nice place to go for people to go and visit and enjoy themselves. Picture was here is outstanding and

32:56 I wish you would have kept the house. It was so be there. I'm sure that's cuz it was well-built.

33:03 Breakthrough

33:05 I used to go there quite often when I was little boy, but

33:10 I got a lot of family that used to go up there and visit her all the time.

33:16 Is there anything else that you want to add to our story our family story anything special that you want our children our grandchildren to know to remember when they think about the old e-courses? What do you want them to remember? What I was a little boy. We live a lot with our firstborn living 1st Avenue and 8th Street afterwards room to Jones Street by the old San Carlos hotel and that's why we live what I was about maybe three years old or four more Street where you can jump street and I have good neighbors are we have neighbors next door and down the street and if you go on for the down the street cuz you make a right turn and there was a big tall buildings. We call the Wilson house.

34:07 And if you want dollar, it was really outstanding and the owners are Tessa virtue and need them. They used to have rentals all around there and people used to live there needs to pay rent for seniors at home to have nice homes with her. But the Wilson house is outstanding and I used to go there and do.

34:26 A lot of times it was my friend Harry need them. Anyway matter fact, I do something at once or twice upstairs to sleep and what it was empty room on the floor, whatever. I can't believe it. But that's why I slept at night and it will down the stairs and across the street from the walls of house with a place where lady named Miss Pauline used to live. She was on black lady and she had she had a couple of nephews that used to stay there with her off and on and I have to go to help a little with her laundry. She she needs someone to help her with her washing and ironing. How much did you make when you have five or six dollars a week with her work is it with her eyes get the water for the tubs and put in the ton with the big container. We put what are there? We heat the water and then we get the hot water. We put it on a washing machine or she wash my hand and then she did everything by hand. She washed room.

35:26 And her clothes outside ship clothes hangers out there and then she died take everything at the house afterwards and iron them and I will deliver the clothes for her two different people in town. I didn't want to go I will take him to call you old Main Street in different places, and I used to

35:45 And then. They would pay her for what she was doing and heard she had two sons that lived in the weather in the refuse Earl Henry Robinson in Bucktown Robinson Earl Henry High School. He played tennis over there back in the late forties and Bucktown Robinson went to high school in the 50s and he wound up moving to San Francisco. And when he was just a teenager just starting high school and then I heard it here for the city of San Francisco back in the 50s. So that should be checked out but I heard that he did. Anyway, I miss Pauline way back. It was a very very nice lady. She was very good to me. She's passed away. Now. Wow interesting.

36:35 So what was your favorite job that you had when you were a little boy and then afterwards I want to work for a grocery store in the midwest grocery. He was on 1st Street and Main Madison and I work there for I don't know how long I can maybe two or three years and I used to do something and I will deliver groceries for me this and that and help do whatever he needs some help with and it was mr. Peng and he his wife was in China eventually. She came to Yuma and the Beast live in the back of the store and left it at that building still there that's on 1st Street and Main Mainland made in Maine Maine Street and 1st Street. It's on the southwest corner.

37:25 And anyway

37:28 That's what he was up for a long time. And we move we move Joan Street to 5th Avenue, and I went to work for this grocery store called. Thanks Market.

37:41 Anyway, you use a Chinese fella that work for what they call a carry-out boy ice carryout grocery for the people and I will sit for a while. And then from there out when we moved my family moved to 5th Avenue and 13th Street. And then I got another job with the Eleanor Martin and is located across its on 4th Avenue between 13th and 14th Street and the building still there and I used to work there for Oral Roberts and he was a very very good very good owner manager and he was going to get to me and I wound up one being the protists matters at all over there. That's a good I did and that's how thankful. I did well over and we live there.

38:33 Keep going over for 4.

38:37 A few years and then night. I want you to high school and from 13th Street 5th Avenue to walk all the way to the high school and that's why I went to high school and I walked all the way back home afterwards and a 1955 when I was 17. I left home. I join the Navy and I was gone for three years three months and three days. It was very very good experience for me. And why did she what do you remember about the Navy Point Mugu Port Hueneme and then Long Beach. I was y were kisses and Supply. I wasn't Supply in man in the Navy and I did.

39:20 I did. Well, I got a lot of my rank. I was second class petty officer and I put three years three months and three days and very good experience for me going from Oxnard, California to Long Beach. And when I was a Long Beach, I want to be a nurse Troyer and I spent almost two years ago destroyer and that ship took me all over the world all the way to China. Japan Nobles places have Philippine islands and I came home again and 1958. Thank you. Fuzzy. 6158 years 58 years. All right.

40:05 He did good. Thank you, but you very much.