Rosemary LaBianca's Mother

Rosemary LaBianca was born Ruth Kathryn Elliott December 15, 1925 in Bisbee AZ to William Oyston Elliot and Emmabelle Elliott nee Rolf. William and Emmabelle married March 18, 1918 in Tucson AZ.

 

Emmabelle and William went on to have five children. On the 1930 census they were named Betty 11, Dorothy 5, Ruth 4, William 1. The fifth child was Francis, a boy born in 1932.  Betty’s birth name was Emma Belle, she went by Betty perhaps to distinguish her from her mother Emmabelle. There is only a birth certificate for the youngest child, Francis, who apparently died as an infant.

 

We know that Ruth was adopted and her name was changed to Rosemary Harmon. Her brother William was also adopted and he became William White. It looks like the two older girls eventually went back to live with their father.

 

So, why were Rosemary and her brother William put up for adoption?

 

We were given some documents that go a long way to explain why it happened. 

Link to Documents

Many thanks to Daniel Hale for the documents.