2. James Arthur TROTTER [scrapbook] "Art" ¹ was born ^{1, 2, 3, 4} 15 Sep 1890 in Calhan, El Paso Co., Colorado. He died ⁴ 8 Feb 1952 in Los Angeles Co., California. Art married ⁵ Nina G. GRAY about Apr 1910. [Parents]

  James Arthur Trotter, "Art", was born 15 September 1890, in Calhan, Colorado.  Art was the youngest of four children born to James Sr. and Ida Trotter.  In 1900, Art was living with his parents in Otero Co., Colorado.
   Around April 1910 at the age of 19 Art married Nina Gray. They are noted as newlyweds in the 1910 census and residing at 524 Colorado Ave in Ordway, Colorado. (At the time, Ordway was still part of Otero county, and later became Crowley county).  James' older brother Charles also lived in Ordway, just two streets over on Otero Ave in a boarding house.  By 1912, Art and Nina had made their way to Kansas, where in 1912 their first child, Gertrude was born in Neosho county.  According to Gertrude's birth certificate, Art was a "farmer" at the time.  
    They would not reside there long, for the following year they would move to Douglas, Arizona.  From Art's 1917 World War I draft registration card, they are known to be residing at 1530 21st Street in Douglas, Arizona. At this time, Art is working as a smelter craneman, employed by Phelps Dodge at the Copper Queen Branch as part of the copper mining industry.  (Nina's younger brothers were also in Douglas with them at this time, with Bob living with them).  Although mining was a prevalent industry in the west during this time, it's of interest to note that Art intentionally or not somewhat followed in his father's footsteps, as he also worked at mining when he was about Art's age (in Utah, 1880).  From Art's WW I registration card, he is known to have been "tall and slender" with "brown eyes" and "light hair".  It is also seen that he has a "weak right leg and foot being broken in 3 places."  Art and Nina stayed in Arizona through at least October of 1918 when their third child, Delbert was born.
  By 1920 the family had moved again, and from the census they are renting a home at 1934 Hermosa Ave, Hermosa Beach, California (see the scrapbook page of the multimedia edition of this report for a photo of the probable lot where the house was).  Art is still employed as a crane operator, now supporting the shipping industry.  At about this same time, Art and Nina are separated (it is known that Nina had remarried by 1921).
  Art remarried to Mona Kriss about 1924, and around 1926 Art and Mona had a son, they named James, which was also the name of Art's first son with Nina.  (Nina moved out of the southern California area and had custody of the children--see Nina's biography).  In 1930 Art and Mona resided in Los Angeles, California, where they owned a home at 206 E. 112th Street (see the scrapbook page of the multimedia edition of this report for a photo of the area).  At this time Art was employed as an auto mechanic.  
   Art died 8 February 1952 at the age of 61 in Los Angeles county California.

3. Nina G. GRAY [scrapbook] ¹ was born ^{2, 3} 1 Mar 1892 in Lamar, Prowers Co., Colorado. She died ¹ 10 May 1958 in Alameda Co., California. [Parents]

   Nina was born on March 1, 1892 in Lamar, Prowers County, Colorado.  She was the oldest of three children born to Gustav Gray and Carrie Gertrude Slater Gray.  Before turning four years old, Nina's family moved farther west to Las Animas in Bent County, or 35 miles upstream the Arkansas River from Lamar.  Nina's father died around the time Nina was only six to eight years old.  In 1900, eight year old Nina is living in Bent County, Colorado, with her two younger brothers and mother Gertrude.  
    Around April, 1910, Nina would marry James Arthur "Art" Trotter, and for the 1910 census they were residing at 524 Colorado Ave., in Ordway, Colorado (see the scrapbook page of the multimedia edition of this report for a photo of this area).  Ordway was another 20 miles west or so upstream the Arkansas River from her previous home in Bent County.  
     Nina and Art had a number of moves, going to Neosho Co., Kansas where their first child, Gertrude Ida was born in May, 1912.  Soon they headed back west moving to Douglas, Arizona, where they were thought to be by 1913.  It is likely that Nina's widowed mother Gertrude, whom they named their daughter after, also accompanied them with these moves, as well as her two younger brothers.  Tragedy would strike soon after their arrival in Arizona, for in July 1913, Nina's mother Gertrude committed suicide.
    The town of Douglas, Arizona was dominated by the mining industry and the copper mines of Phelps Dodge.  From the 1917 and 1918 World War I registration cards of Art and Nina's younger brothers, it is seen that Nina's brother Bob lived with Nina and Art, and her brother Roy lived nearby-with all three men employed by Phelps Dodge.  During this time they lived at 1530 21st St., in Douglas, Arizona.
    Nina and Art stayed in Douglas, Arizona, through at least late 1918, when their third child was born.  Soon the family moved to California, where in 1920 they resided at 1934 Hermosa Ave. in Hermosa Beach with their three children (see the scrapbook page of the multimedia edition of this report for a photo of the probable lot where the house was).  Nina's younger brothers may have left Arizona before they did, as they were enlisted for the Great War, World War I.  (In 1920 the youngest, Roy, is known to have been in Coblenz, Germany).
    About this time Nina and Art separated for unknown reasons, and she would remarry to William "Bill" Lawrence Fluharty by 1921 and move north with the three kids and Bill to the Sacramento area.  March, 1922 would bring another tragic event, when the youngest child Delbert was killed at the age of three while crossing the street.  Nina and Bill remained in the Sacramento area through at least 1924.
    The family would move to Texas, arriving there by 1928.  In 1930 they resided in El Paso, Texas at 1413 Kentucky Street, where they would live for at least 15 years.  Nina and Bill had a total of four children together.  Nina had a total of six children living to adulthood.  
     At some point in her life Nina played piano in a movie house in Las Vegas, New Mexico [James Hammond interview].  Sometime after 1945 Nina made her way back to California where she would pass away.  Nina died May 10, 1958, in Alameda County, California at the age of 66.