Charles Righter

Charles Johnson Righter was born on June 6, 1876 in California to Johnson Isaac Righter (1844-1908) and Harriet E. Gilham Righter (1846-1930). He had one older sister, Daisey E. Righter (1874-1942), an unmarried school teacher in Alameda County, California. In 1895 he was charged with sodomy in Walla Walla County, Washington and sentenced to the State Penitentiary. He was out after just a few years and moved back to California where he began working as a druggist in San Francisco and lived at a large boarding house on Bush Street in 1900. He shared his room on the 3rd Floor with another single man, a twenty year old bill clerk named Lewis Noble Doty. This was not unusual for straight men, and Lewis was married by 1918. In 1901 (age 25) Charley married a girl named Mabel and together they moved to Sacramento in about 1902 and to Reno, Nevada in about 1906. The marriage was heated and stormy. Charles often accused Mabel of cheating with several men, cursed at her and threatened the lives of several of her male friends. She eventually began to seek a divorce in November 1910, which became final the following January.

By the onset of the first World War he was back in Washington State and living in Seattle. On June 1, 1919 (age 43) he married Lottie C. Crawford in Kitsap County, Washington and the couple moved to Yakima County where Charley began working as a salesman, according to the 1920 Census. As usual he didn't stay long, perhaps his past in Washington began to catch up with him, and he again returned to California. Charley died October 6, 1922 of "brain exhaustion" in Agnew, California. After his death, Lottie moved in with Hattie and Daisey in Alameda County until at least 1926 according to Voter Registrations, but had moved on by 1930 and is not listed with them in the Federal Census of that year.

---

Court and Criminal Records

Walla Walla Penitentiary - 1895

Charley Righter
Age: 19
Crime: Sodomy
Year of Receipt: 1895
Where convicted: Pierce County
Inmate #: 1404
Reference #: 1410

Notice to Appear for Court - Divorce - Reno, Nevada - 1911
[As printed in the Nevada State Journal on Nov. 20 and Dec. 5, 1910 and Jan. 4, 1911]

IN THE SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT
COURT OF THE STATE Of NEVADA
AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WASHOE

The state of Nevada sends to Charles J. Righter, greeting:

You are hereby required to appear in as action commenced against you as defendant v. Mabel E. Righter as plaintiff in the sought judicial district court of Washoe, and answer the complaint therein within ten days after the service on you of this summons (exclusive of day of service), if served in said county, and within said district, or twenty days if served out of said county, but within said district, and in all other cases forty days; or judgment by default will be taken against you according to the prayer of said complaint. This action is brought to recover judgment for a decree of divorce forever dissolving the bonds of matrimony now and heretofore existing between you and the plaintiff by maliciously and falsely accusing plaintiff of adultery committed with different persons and cursing and swearing at plaintiff all of which plaintiff alleges caused her great mental suffering and which retarded plaintiffs recovery from an illness with which she was afflicted.

All of which will more fully appear from the complaint which is on file in the office of the clerk of said court, at Reno, in said county, and to which you are especially referred. And you are further notified that if you fail to appear and answer said complaint, the said plaintiff will apply to the court for the rolle? demanded.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said court, of Reno, this 29th day of October, A. D. 1910 - W. A. FOGG

Clerk of the Second Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada in and for Washoe County (SEAL) By C. R. Dodge, Deputy, MARK WALSER, Atty. for Plaintiff.

[Note: The Nov 20 and Dec 5th verbiage is "on the grounds that you have been guilty of cruel and inhuman conduct towards plaintiff by maliciously and falsely accusing… etc, same as above"]

World War I Draft Registration

425 Seneca St., Seattle, Washington - September 12, 1918

Charles Johnson Righter
Address: 425 Seneca St., Seattle, Wa
Age: 42
Birth date: June 6, 1876
Occupation: Plater for "Skinner & Eddy"
Nearest relative: Mrs. H. A. Righter, Livermore, Cal
Description: Tall, Medium build, blue eyes, dark hair
Date: September 12, 1918

California Voter Registration

San Francisco County - 1900

Righter, Charles Johnson - age 24
Address: 600 Bush Street, 3rd Floor - Room 45

Doty, Lewis Noble - age 21
Address: 600 Bush Street, 3rd Floor - Room 45

Holohan, Oscar John - age 21
Address: 600 Bush Street, 3rd Floor - Room 45

Jewell, Richard Cornelius - age 45
Address: 600 Bush Street, 3rd Floor - Room 45

Census Records

Boarding House on Bush Street, San Francisco, California - June 13, 1900

Name	Relation	Born	Father Born	Mother Born	Occupation
Righter, Charley	Boarder	June 1876 in California	New Jersey	Illinois	Druggist
Doty, Lewis N	Boarder	Aug 1879 in California	Illinois	New York	Bill Clerk

A Farm in Murray, Alameda, California - June 19, 1900

Name	Relation	Born	Years Married	# Kids	Father Born	Mother Born	Occupation
Righter, Johnson	Head	June 1844 in New Jersey	29		NJ	NJ	Farmer
Righter, Harriet A.	Wife	Sept 1846 in Illinois	29	2	NC	Tenn

Charley's older sister Daisy Righter

East Avenue, Murray, Alameda, California - April 16, 1910

Name	Relation	Age	Status	Children	Born	Father Born	Mother Born	Occupation
Righter, Hattie	Head	63	Widow	2	Illinois	Illinois	Tennessee	Farmer
Righter, Daisey E.	Daughter	33	Single		California	New Jersey	Illinois	Public School Teacher
Love (Dove?), Nita	Niece	16	Single		California	California	California	none

Yakima, Yakima, Washington - January 6, 1920

Name	Relation	Age	Status	Born	Father Born	Mother Born	Occupation
Righter, Chas J.	Head	40	Married	California	New Jersey	Illinois	Salesman
Righter, Lottie C.	Wife	29	Married	Washington	Canada	Canada	.

Newspaper Articles

Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) - February 7, 1905

WINTER PARTY IS ENJOYED

Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Righter of Sacramento spent a part of last week visiting Mr. Righter's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson Righter.

Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) - June 19, 1906

Charles Righter and wife arrived Sunday from Reno, Nevada, where he is employed in a drug store, and will spend a couple of weeks here visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. I. J. Righter.

Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) - July 15, 1907

Miss Daisy Righter is sojourning for several weeks at Lake Tahoe, and will also visit her brother in Reno and friends in Los Angeles before returning.

Nevada State Journal (Reno, Nevada) - January 12, 1911

JEALOUSY LEADS TO THIS DIVORCE
Reno Couple Have Matrimonial Knot Severed in the District Court

Mabel E. Righter was yesterday afternoon granted a decree of divorce from her husband, Charles J. Righter, whom she married ten years ago. The Righters have lived in Reno four years, and cruelty was the ground upon which the action was brought. Mrs. Righter testified that her husband was very jealous of her and had threatened several times to take the lives of some of her male friends. She declared that she had always been a faithful, dutiful wife, and that her husband's threats had caused her to become ill.

Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) - October 8, 1922

CHARLES RIGHTER OF LIVERMORE IS DEAD

LIVERMORE, Oct 7 - Charles Righter, former resident of this place, died at Agnews yesterday, according to word received here. Righter was well known here having lived for some years on East avenue. The funeral, which will be private, will be held tomorrow. Righter left a widow, a mother, Mrs. Hattie Righter, and a sister, Miss Daisy Righter. He was a member of the Livermore Lodge of Odd Fellows.

Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) - August 31, 1930

DEATHS

RIGHTER - In San Leandro, August 30, 1930, Hattie A., dear wife of the late I. J. Righter, dear mother of Daisy and of the late Charles Righter, dear sister of Delos Gillham of Livermore and Arthur and Eugene True of Reedly, Calif, a native of Illinois. Friends are respectfully invited to attend the funeral Monday September 1, from the funeral home of H. W. Seramur, 407 Estudillo Ave., San Leandro, at 2 pm. Interment Livermore Masonic cemetery.