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| Paul De Gaston circa 1933 |
I think that we can tidy up the Paul De Gaston tale finally. Put it to bed. Two separate men, two separate stories, both linked by not only a name but some very strange coincidences and congruities. Both men with a rather dark, if not sordid past.
I got this letter from Paul Robert's daughter Gloria this week. Thank you Gloria. Not much else I can say about the entire matter, both families have their dirty little secrets, neither men exactly pillars of the community. Interesting tales, and more stuff in my brain that I am not at liberty or should I say, do not feel comfortable divulging.
The story to date can be found
here. And
here and
here.
Message via your Google Profile: RE: PAUL DE GASTON FROM HIS DAUGHTER
I was sent your Blue Heron Blog from 2-25-12. The art is not from my father. Mine is the abortionist; he was interned during WWII because he was a loud-mouth blowhard who sought and got attention from his remarks about Hitler/Germany. But he wasn't a spy and since he served in the US Army Signal Corps he believed he was a citizen and only filed one set of papers, ignoring the 2nd set that was required at a later date. He did learn oils, chalks, charcoals, etc.as my brother states, but never was as talented as the art you are showing. If you are interested in why Germans in America were interned in WWII see: ( In 2000,Stephen Fox published Amrica's Invisible Gulag: A Biography of German American Internment and Exclusion in World War II: Memory and History ISBN 0-8204-4914-8. It has been replaced by Fear Itself: Inside the FBI Roundup of German Americans during World War II (ISBN 0595351689), which incorporates new information.) In addition, and incorrect, is the fact that my older brother didn't b other to include in his flowery description of our father (he has dates, etc. wrong) is that de Gaston isn't my father's real name. He was born with the last name "Bach". When his parents immigrated to the USA after WWI they changed the name to "Gaston". Later when my father, who wanted to be a movie star, came west he added the "de" because he thought it would look better on a marquee. There are de Gaston's in San Diego county, but are not related to the Paul Robert de Gaston who was the abortionist, practicing medicine without a licence. There was a photographer in S.D. county and I believe he did go to China; but I don't know if he was the artist. (the drawings, paintings...yes, photography is an art-form too.)
5 comments:
? what did she say???? was
that some double-talk or what????
.......this is really too weird now. Both the supposed Paul Robert Degaston, and Paul Percy Degaston(my grandfather), in addition to several other similarities, now both have a daughter named Gloria(my auntie Gloria)? This is all beginning to sound a lot like BS, but I appearantly wouldn't be here at all if one of them hadn't existed. So I guess all I can say is "Touche", and let us see where this mutant goes......
When I was about 18, in 1960 or 1961, I thought it would be good to find out something about my father's genealogy. And, much to my surprise, there were de Gastons in San Diego county. I wrote, and later received a phone number, which I called. I don't remember the name of the woman I spoke with, but she was very sweet to me as we compared notes on the name of de Gaston. I must have sounded very young and ill-informed, but we did agree there was no connection at all. Now that I know much more about my father, I can conclusively say there is no relationship at all. My father was born in China, the son of missionaries Agustus Hugo Bach and Anna Marie Bach (nee Herrman). After WWI they immigrated to the USA, and changed the family name to Gaston. My father added the "de" sometime after 1922, because his military records show him as Paul Robert Gaston. He was in the Army Signal Corps from 1920-1922. So, Mr Anonymous, you don't need to be sceptical, your grandfather is who you believe him to be, is not related to my father, and if my grandparents had not changed the family name to Gaston after WWI and immigrating to the USA we would be Bach, now. I have a feeling, and it's just a feeling, that the name chsng ed was to get rid of a German name, as Germans were not liked here in the US.
When I was about 18, in 1960 or 1961, I thought it would be good to find out something about my father's genealogy. And, much to my surprise, there were de Gastons in San Diego county. I lived in L.A. county. I wrote a letter, and later received a note with a phone number, which I called. I don't remember the name of the woman I spoke with, but she was very sweet to me as we compared notes on the name of de Gaston. I must have sounded very young and ill-informed, but we did agree there was no connection at all. Now that I know much more about my father, I can conclusively say there is no relationship at all. My father was born in China, the son of missionaries Agustus Hugo Bach and Anna Marie Bach (nee Herrman). After WWI they immigrated to the USA, and changed the family name to Gaston. My father added the "de" sometime after 1922, because his military records show him as Paul Robert Gaston. He was in the Army Signal Corps from 1920-1922. So, Mr Anonymous, you don't need to be sceptical, your grandfather is who you believe him to be, is not related to my father. If my grandparents had not changed the family name to Gaston after WWI and immigrating to the USA we would be Bach, now. I have a feeling, and it's just a feeling, that the name change was to get rid of a German name, as Germans were not liked here in the US after WWI.
Looks like I just repeated myself from the earlier post. So just let me say: there is no relationship between Paul Percy de Gaston and Paul Robert de Gaston. None at all. :-)
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