Ralph Waldo
ELSTON
(b.
20 November 1888
,
Marathon Township, Lapeer, Michigan, USA
d.
31 March 1975
,
Flint, Michigan, USA
)
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ELSTON Family Tree – Connecting the Past to the Present!
Ralph Waldo ELSTON was born 20 November 1888 in Marathon Township, Lapeer, Michigan, USA
Ralph Waldo ELSTON was the child of ? and ?Spouse(s)/Partner(s) and Child(ren):
Ralph Waldo married Vera Lillian DEGROFF 2 February 1915 in Howell, Livingston, Michigan, USA . The couple had (at least) 1 child.
Vera Lillian DEGROFF was born 7 September 1895 in Michigan, USA. Vera Lillian died 27 October 1973 in Flint, Michigan, USA.
Ralph Waldo ELSTON died 31 March 1975 in Flint, Michigan, USA.
Details of the family tree of Ralph appear below.
Family and Children of Ralph Waldo ELSTON
[Hide/Show]Ralph Waldo ELSTON married 
Vera Lillian DEGROFF-- Date: 2 February 1915 Place: Howell, Livingston, Michigan, USA
Children of Ralph Waldo ELSTON and Vera Lillian DEGROFF:
Wells Eugene ELSTON (b.April 5, 1924, Argentine, Michigan, USA d. 8 July 2000, Linden, Michigan, USA)
m. Norma Kathleen RIDDELL 28 August 1954
Vera Lillian DEGROFF-- Date: 2 February 1915 Place: Howell, Livingston, Michigan, USAChildren of Ralph Waldo ELSTON and Vera Lillian DEGROFF:
Wells Eugene ELSTON (b.April 5, 1924, Argentine, Michigan, USA d. 8 July 2000, Linden, Michigan, USA)m. Norma Kathleen RIDDELL 28 August 1954
Share the History, Life Events, and Stories of Ralph Waldo ELSTON(Add details like birth, baptism, census records, military service, obituary, personal achievements, and more.)
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Discovering the Ancestry of Ralph Waldo ELSTON: Events, Photos & Historical Records
1888 Birth 20 November 1888
Marathon Township, Lapeer, Michigan, USA
1891 - The zipper is invented (Whitcomb L. Judson, United States)The motion picture camera is invented (Thomas Alva Edison, William K.L. Dickson, United States)
First Perforated Toilet Paper Roll is Patented
In 1906, Reginald Fessenden made the first AM radio broadcast on December 24th. This event marked a significant advancement in radio technology, paving the way for the modern broadcasting industry. 1913 - The assembly line is invented (Henry Ford, United States)The bra is invented (Mary Phelps Jacob, United States)
1915 Marriage / PartnerRalph Waldo ELSTON and Vera Lillian DEGROFF 2 February 1915, Howell, Livingston, Michigan, USA
He was 26 years old.
1924 Birth of ChildWells Eugene ELSTON was born April 5, 1924, Argentine, Michigan, USA
Ralph Waldo was 35 years old.
1929 - October 29 - Black Tuesday - Stock market crash - The Great Depression Begins - It lasted until 1941 (WW2) 1934 - The metal beverage can is invented (American Can Co., United States)1935 - August 14 – United States President Franklin Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act into law 1940 - April - 1st electron microscope demonstrated (RCA), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA The microwave oven was invented accidentally in 1945 by Percy Spencer, a Raytheon engineer. While testing a magnetron, he noticed microwaves melted a candy bar in his pocket. Experimenting further, he discovered microwaves could cook food quickly. Raytheon patented the process, and by 1947, they built the first commercial microwave oven, called the 'Radarange.' Initially used in commercial settings, microwaves becomes affordable for home use by the 1960s and 1970s, revolutionizing cooking.1962 - The Cuban Missile Crisis was a tense 13-day standoff in October 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over the installation of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from the U.S. coast. The crisis is considered the closest the Cold War came to escalating into a full-scale nuclear war. It began when American spy planes discovered the missiles, leading to a U.S. naval blockade of Cuba and intense negotiations. The crisis ended when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for the U.S. promising not to invade Cuba and secretly agreeing to remove American missiles from Turkey.1963 - I Have a Dream Speech - Martin Luther King's Address at March on Washington August 28, 1963.June 17, 1972 – August 9, 1974 - Watergate Scandal began with the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., in 1972. Members of President Richard Nixon's administration attempted to cover up their involvement. The scandal led to the discovery of multiple abuses of power by the Nixon administration, the resignation of President Nixon in 1974, and the indictment of several administration officials.1973 - January 22 - Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 and Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179: The U.S. Supreme Court declares that the Constitution protects women’s right to terminate an early pregnancy, thus making abortion legal in the U.S.1973 - March 29 - The last United States soldier leaves Vietnam The cell phone was invented by Martin Cooper of Motorola. On April 3, 1973, he made the first handheld mobile phone call with the Motorola DynaTAC. This device weighed 2.5 pounds and was 10 inches long, offering 30 minutes of talk time and requiring 10 hours to charge. The first commercial cell phone was released in 1983, revolutionizing communication and leading to the modern smartphones we use today.
1973 Death of Spouse/PartnerVera Lillian DEGROFF died 27 October 1973, Flint, Michigan, USA
1974 - Gerald R. Ford becomes President of the United States after the resignation of Richard Nixon.1975 Death 31 March 1975
Flint, Michigan, USA
He died at the age of 86.
Postcards and Memories of Flint, Michigan, USA
Added: 8/1/2025 12:40:30 PM
- Updated: 8/1/2025 12:41:24 PM
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