Helen Lucille Cohen 1900 - 1957
Born on February 24, 1900 in Canyon City, Fremont County, Colorado, daughter of UNK and Dora Fletcher Cohen. Helen’s father was from Germany and her mother was born in Tennessee (according to the 1930 U.S. Federal Census).
According to her sons, there was apparently some sort of scandal in Colorado involving the Cohen family, possibly causing them to leave Canyon City, Colorado. Helen and her mother were dropped off on the side of Highway 80, at the edge of the Oak Thicket Ranch and abandoned. William Jasper Cleveland found them and took them in.
On November 28, 1914, W. J. Cleveland and Helen Cohen applied for a marriage license (1914CleveWJ_CohenMarriageApp.jpg). An affidavit of consent was signed by Dora C. Fletcher, mother; required since Helen was listed on the application as only 16 years old. (1914CleveWJ_Cohenconsent.jpg)
W. J. Cleveland and Helen Cohen were married by the Justice of the Peace in Bisbee, Arizona on December 1, 1914.
Helen’s mother married Rube Potter about a year later. The Marriage License shows Horace C. Potter, age 35, and Nellie Fletcher, age 38, both of Bisbee, Arizona – groom signed as R. C. Potter – married on September 25, 1915 by the Justice of the Peace in Tombstone, Arizona.
George, the first son of W. J. and Helen Cleveland, was born on 27 October 1916 in Bisbee, Cochise, AZ, followed by James K. born 16 November 1917; Calvin born in 18 March 1919; Charles Thomas (known as Tom) born 25 July 1920; Robert born 26 March 1924; and Walter seven years later.
Family stories state that in 1933, at age 33, Helen left William Jasper. The children would have been George age 17, James age 16, Calvin age 14, Tom age 13, Robert age 9, and Walter age 2.
In 1936, Helen left their two youngest sons, Robert and Walter, with her mother in Bisbee and left town.
She is known to be married to R. J. Rowland prior to December 28, 1937, and living with son Walter in Phoenix – as a letter with that date from her son James was addressed to Mrs. R. J. Rowland, 1890 E Van Buren, Phoenix, Arizona.
By April of 1938 Helen was married to James L. (John) Reed, still living in Phoenix (per letter from Thomas Cleveland to Mrs. J. L. Reed).
In 1939, letters were being addressed to Flagstaff, AZ, c/o Marble Canyon. Helen was married to James L. Reed, living on a small ranch located on the Paria River in northwestern Arizona, near an area known as the Arizona strip.
Helen’s address was listed as Lee’s Ferry, Arizona in 1940 on the WWII Draft Registration Card for son George Cleveland.
Helen’s son, Charles Thomas Cleveland, served in the U. S. Naval Reserve during WWII, and was killed when the ship SS Stephen Hopkins was attacked by two German raiders on 27 September 1942.
William Jasper and several of Helen's sons remained in Bisbee until at least 1946 according to entries in Bisbee District Directories of 1942 and 1946.
The photo at left shows John Reed and Helen with possibly Helen's first grandchild.
Helen Lucille Cohen (Cleveland) Reed died July 10, 1957 in Tularosa, New Mexico.