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For the first several months of researching, I was convinced that Grandpa's father was Rene Westly Boullet (RW). But then I found a couple of pieces of evidence that she was married to Joseph, and ZERO evidence that she was married to RW, so that mystery is solved. But Joseph definitely did not live with Anna for long, nor raise his son (grandpa). Apparently he deserted them.
However, his uncle RW, DOES seem to have played a role in the young Boullet's family's life. There is also significant evidence that RW, was friends with the two Melchior sisters. In one of his letters to Mom, Grandpa wrote 'we went over to Oakland to see Aunt Marie and Uncle Rene'. Aunt Marie is his Mom's, (Anna Melchior) sister, and Uncle Rene is RW, his father's brother. Aunt Marie married some guy named Hickey, whom I can find no evidence of, so she and RW weren't married.
Here is PROBABLY Joseph Boullet at about age 20:
The guy below looks completely different. I am pretty sure it is Uncle Rene Westley Boullet.
RW is in the back, next to Anna Melchior. Her sister, Aunt Marie is in the front.
I don't know the guy in front, but it's tempting to think it is Joseph. Unlikely, because:
1. It doesn't look too much like him.
2. He's not sitting next to Anna or seem remotely interested in her.
3. Joseph and Anna married in 1904, when he was 24 and she was 19. That would be around this time.
The above photo is roughly 20 years later. I think the older guy is RW. I also think the other woman is Aunt Marie. Grandpa is in back of his mother Anna, and the other guy is probably Grandpa's friend.
This is about 5 years later (circa 1932). Mom is sitting on RW's lap with, what looks like, unhappy parents on either side of him.
Aside from her last name, I can find no evidence that she married a guy named Hickey. But in 1910, she was 'Mame Melchior' living with her sister and 5 yr. old grandpa.
In 1940, at 54 years old, her last name was Hickey and she was Divorced, renting a house alone on 11th st. in Oakland.
Here are some pictures, in addition to the two photos above, of grandpa's Aunt Marie through the years.
