Flora Louise Black

Documented History

Flora Louise Black was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on 18 March 1911, according to the U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007.  Her parents were Albert Cornelius Black and Katherine A. Mack.

According to Indiana, Birth Certificates, 1907-1940, Flora was born at 11 p.m. to Albert C. Black and Katie A. Mack. At the time, they lived at 1441 W. 36th Street, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. Albert was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Katie was born in Indianapolis. Albert worked as a packer at the time.

Flora’s little brother, Albert Leroy Black, was born around 1914. She was 2 years old at the time.

Flora’s little sister, Sarah Naomi Black, was born around 1918. She was 6 years old at the time.

Flora’s little brother, Richard O Black, was born around 1920. She was 8 years old at the time.

Based on information from the 1920 United States Federal Census, in 1920, on West 36th Street in Indianapolis, young Flora Black, an 8-year-old white girl, lived with her family. Her father, Albert Black, a 35-year-old Ohio native, headed the household, including her mother, Katie, siblings, and aunt Ruth Oliver. Flora attended school, could read and write, and was surrounded by a bustling household of seven members. The family’s dynamic and daily life on West 36th Street in Indianapolis during this era would have been filled with the interactions and experiences of a growing family in a bustling city.

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Marriage

Flora married Lester Otis Oliver on 4 January 1930 in Marion County, Indiana, according to Web: Marion County, Indiana, Marriage Index, 1925-2012.

Based on information from the 1930 United States Federal Census, Flora Oliver, a 19-year-old homemaker from Indiana, settled in a cozy home on E. 11th St. in Indianapolis in 1930. Married at 18 to Lester Otis Oliver, she resided in Ward 8 of the city, surrounded by a small household of two. Flora was literate and fluent in English, embodying a sense of independence and capability within her familial role. Her roots tied back to Ohio through her father and Indiana through her mother, painting a picture of a woman rooted in the heart of the Midwest, navigating the complexities of life with grace and resilience.

Flora and Lester had their first daughter, Gloria, around 1931. Flora was 20 years old at the time.

Flora and Lester‘s second daughter, Sylvia Faye, was born on 28 September 1932 in Indiana. Flora was 22 years old at the time.

According to the U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Flora and Lester lived at 806 Iowa, Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1934. Lester’s brother, Leroy L., and his wife, Retha, lived with them then. Lester and Leroy were both Laborers.

According to his birth certificate, Flora and Lester‘s only son, Lloyd Lester, was born on 4 February 1934 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Flora was 23 years old at the time.

In 1936, Flora and Lester lived at 2730 N. Dearborn, Indianapolis, Indiana, according to U.S. City Directories, 1822-1955.

Based on information from the 1940 United States Federal Census, Flora Oliver, a 29-year-old married woman from Indiana, resided with her husband, Lester Oliver, and their three children on East 23rd Street in Indianapolis in 1940. Flora had completed four years of high school but did not attend any school or college in 1939. Despite not working or having any income that year, she was part of a household of five, including her husband and their three young children. The family did not reside on a farm in 1935, indicating an urban lifestyle. The details of Flora’s life in 1940, as captured in the census data, paint a picture of a young wife and mother in a modest household in Indianapolis during that era.

According to U.S. WWII Draft Cards, Lester Otis (Odas) Oliver registered for the WWII Draft between 1940 and 1943. At the time, Lester and Flora lived at 2536 Guilford Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana. Lester recorded his birthdate as April 13, 1909, in Allen County, Kentucky. He was 31 years old and worked at the Indianapolis Glove Company at Michigan and Park Avenue.

In 1942, according to the U.S. City Directories, 1822-1955, Flora and Lester lived at 2536 Guilford Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana.

On August 1, 1945, Flora obtained a Marriage License in Indianapolis, Indiana. At this point, it is unclear whom she was marrying.

Based on information from the 1950 United States Federal Census, Flora Oliver, a 39-year-old divorced woman from Indiana, resided in a mobile home on Slicker Drive in Mobile, Alabama, in 1950. She worked as a general office worker in a heater factory, seeking employment as a private worker. Despite her previous residence in Marion, Indiana, Flora now shared her home with four other family members, including her sister Sarah, daughter Faye, and Sarah’s two daughters, Carol and Judy. Flora’s dedication to her job was evident as she had worked all 52 weeks of the year, earning an income of $2096.

On 9 May 1974, Flo replaced her Social Security card because her name had changed to Flora Louise Olcott.

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Death

According to the U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Flo passed away on 5 January 1996.

I am still looking for additional information on Flora. After she passed away, I was able to get my hands on a couple of her photo albums and share those fun memories of her life. However, I have very few facts about her life so far. 

According to Find A Grave, Flora now rests in Jacksonville Memory Gardens in Jacksonville, Florida.

If you have stories and memories you’d like to share from Flora, please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments field below.  I’ll start with my favorite. I heard a story about Flora driving. She was sitting at a red light and then proclaimed, “My turn!” and pulled out into traffic.

I don’t remember all of the details of that story, but I’m sure someone else can fill them in.  I am happy now to say this with my son in the car…Except I do it safely and don’t pull out into traffic.  He might roll his eyes, but it gives me a giggle because I do remember Flo.

Karen shared the following:

Flo was a grandmother of mine, one whom I admired greatly. As a young girl in the 1950s and 60s, I did not know women who were independent. That she traveled alone from Florida to Indiana for annual visits was amazing. I looked up to her courage. She was a secretary for an insurance company, and she journaled every year of her life. I never got to read those journals, but I would love to know where they are. 

As Flora Louise Oliver, her luggage tags said “Flo”.  Many years later, after other marriages, she changed her last name to Olcott so her luggage tags would again correctly read “Flo”.   We always heard she had been married 5 – 7 times, but I can’t verify that. 

Yes, she did have some interesting driving habits. She said, “My turn,” proceeded through an intersection, and stopped in the middle of the road to check her map. 

I looked forward to our time together, especially when she took me to Woolworth cafeterias or the Glendale Mall for cheesecake.  She was a strong and outspoken Christian lady. ~Karen

Don’t forget to check out Flora’s life, both personal and professional!

That’s all for now, take care!

~Kris