| Notes |
- Otis and his sister, Merle, married siblings. "Doc" was famous for his exploits in "shooting the rapids" of the Colorado River. He was a San Francisco resident when he died, but his last Social Security benefit was paid in Boston, Mass. His papers, photographs and documents are preserved by Huntington Library and the University of California's "Online Archive of California"
1930 Census: CA: Alameda: Berkeley:
Marston, Otis R., head, owns, $20,000, 36, first married at age 31, born in CA, father and mother born in ME, secretary, holding company;
Margaret, wife, 38, first married at age 32, born in Mexico, father and mother born in CA;
Otis Garthwaite, son, 3 11/12, born in CA, father born in CA, mother born in Mexico;
Maradel, daughter, 2 7/12, born in CA, father born in CA, mother born in Mexico;
Loel, daughter, 2 7/12, born in CA, father born in CA, mother born in Mexico.
From the Oakland Tribune, Friday, Sept. 6, 1946:
“Eastbay Party Home from Rapids Shooting Expedition”
“Berkeley, Sept. 6--”The River of No Return” almost personified its name for one Berkeleyan, so a “select” group of “river riders”--folks who shoot rapids for fun--revealed last night as they gathered in Berkeley.
It was Otis R. Marston, former member of the Berkeley Board of Education and host to a score of intrepid boatmen on Idaho’s Salmon River during this and other Summers, who “starred” in the biggest thrill of the 1946 expedition--so the stories went last night.
Marston, piloting his boat alone over dangerous rapids, hit a rock. Standing on shore was his wife and Norman Nevills, former University High student in Oakland and now the leader of river expeditions dating back to 1938.
Usual thing for a boat to do under such circumstances is to up-end and capsize, Nevills explained. On the river bank he turned to a white-faced Mrs. Marston with the none too cheering remark: “That’s just too close to a casket.”
To amazement of the onlookers, the swift river current caught the boat and righted it. Marston landed grinning: “Gosh, no film in my camera!” was his greeting.
That and other stories enlived an evening at the Marston home, 2533 Vine Street, as pictures and reminiscenses were shared by the group of navigators.
Members of this year’s party joining in the reunion were Mr. and Mrs. Nevills, here from Idaho to re-live an adventuresome Summer both on the Salmon River and through the even more dangerous Hells Canyon of the Snake River; Howard O. Welty, principal of Technical High School, Oakland; Bruce and Neill Wilson of Burlingame; Harry Dodge, San Francisco insurance man, and his daughter Ferris, art student; and Mr. and Mrs. Marston and their 19-year-old twin daughters, Loel and Maradel, sophomores at University of Arizona.
Joining with the 1946 expeditionists, feted in Idaho for their feats of navigation, were veterans of previous trips on the Salmon River. These included Mrs. June Chamberlain of Santa Rosa, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Farquhar of Berkeley and Edward Hudson of Paso Robles.”
CA Deaths:
Otis Reed Marston
556032365
b. 11 Feb 1894-California
d. 30 Aug 1979-San Francisco
|
Connected Bloodlines
1894 - 1979 (85 years)
