Vincent Ranch, Hamilton, Montana, 1914

Moving to California &

The Golden Gate Bridge

Frank Seymour Vincent died suddenly in Hamilton, Montana, on May 7, 1936 at the age of 45. This was a difficult time for the Vincent family.

Frank and Flossie’s oldest son, Frank Edward was fascinated with aviation and had been from the time that he paid one dollar to ride in a small barnstorming biplane that had landed on the benchland above The Vincent Ranch. He wanted wings! It was for this reason that, upon his graduation from high school in 1939, the decision was made to move the family to California so that Frank could attend Curtis Wright Technical Institute in Glendale.

The day after Christmas 1939, Flossie, Marge, Frank Junior, Herb and Darryl said goodbye to the kids’ grandparents, Clinton and Jennie Vincent, and began their journey to Southern California to stay with Flossie's sister Inez in San Bernardino, until they could settle in Glendale.

Flossie later recalled the journey, “The first night out we were over near Dillon Montana. We stayed there in a little ol’ tourist cabin and it was so cold.”

“There was a foot of snow or more. The second day we went through Idaho Falls and one wheel nearly came off the trailer, but we got it fixed.” “The next place we had a problem was in Malad City, Idaho - cold and a little old town where you wouldn’t think you could find anything - and we broke an axle on the trailer. It was a Model-T axle which is a very light weight axle for the load we had. We thought we’d never find another one in Malad City, but we did. The Lord was right with us.”

It was repaired and the load lightened by shipping part of the materials. Through Utah the roads were icy and hazardous, and Flossie said as they reached the warmer climates, “It was heaven to see that green grass in Cedar City, Utah - warm it was, and from there on we went to San Bernardino on New Year’s Eve.” From Marge Coombs’ 1982 Book, With A Ribbon in Her Hair.

After living in California for a few years, the family decided to take a trip back to Hamilton, Montana to visit Clinton and Jennie Vincent. This time they decided to drive through San Francisco, so they could see the Golden Gate Bridge.

Flossie, Marge, Frank Junior, Herb and Darryl were excited to cross the newly completed Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The Golden Gate had been completed in May 1937, and was considered one of the seven wonders of the modern world by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Along the way, Darryl was fell asleep in the back seat of the car and missed the whole experience of crossing the Golden Gate Bridge!

For The Next Story

"Flossie's Real Estate Career"