I found one of those sites that lists "people that so and so might know" and Bruno’s said he knows a man named Donald E. Dodson. I starting researching him out of boredom and found out he owned a boat called Good News. Then I found this link that talks about a boat (maybe the same boat?) that he owned called the Good Times.

http://www.localcatchmontereybay.com/?p … 13&paged=9

Probably a coincidence, but maybe not.

My bad, the photo of the man may be the Husband of the other Madeline Bruno that you found.

In the 1940 census, Richard lived with his parents at 918 Evelyn,so you are right, there was some confusion. I guess we are looking for 916 or 920 Evelyn, or the street behind Keating.

Hey Morf, First I would like to mention, I been admiring all your great findings for a long while now.
I think the mix up on Bruno only happened cause the name Madeline threw it off by mistake. Richard Bruno married Madeline but her maiden name was Wilde

Richard & Madeline Bruno, Madeline maiden (wilde)

When you attempted a search it popped up Madeline with the maiden name Bruno, but she’s married to Joe Fabi . Thats where the mix up came in .
Joe & Madeline Fabi , Madeline’s maiden (Bruno) . Photos being the Fabi Family.

Still good to keep digging on Richard Bruno. Even though he lived on the same 918 Evelyn, what if they only moved next door for cheaper rent or a bigger home cause of the new added child, also what if the newspaper article focused on the kids address instead of Keatings address, After all the article had said 9 years old when he was actually 10 correct?
John C. Verga or is it Virga? would be another good one to check as well, he may be two houses down but he could have went up to the property & hurled it over the fence
Is there any other way you can find these same names living there still in 1947 or later?

Welcome Zody Just some trial & error, etc. The best tool we can hope to find is that 1947 Criss Cross directory or phonebook for Albany CA. That will list all of the neighbors, and we can try to figure out who we are looking for

Is the 1947 Criss Cross directory online? I’m not ready to throw Bruno’s name out of the window just yet. It’s most likely that he moved out of the neighborhood before before 1947, but maybe not. The house on Talbot that is now a pre-school was built in 1946 and was directly behind Keating’s house. I have a feeling the that this is where the spears were thrown from, but I would also like to find info on John Verga.

Cornell Elementary School is very close so that’s where Pigeon Boy likely would have been going to school in 1947. The school is actually just a block or two away, on Talbot Ave. I’m gonna sign up for whatever classmates type of sites I can find (as long as they are free!) and see if anything can be found at this school.

The kid wrote in the letter, ‘the house with the skylark flag’. To me, that tells me, that he may not be a neighbor pressed up against Keating’s house, but possibly, a couple houses down, or across the street, etc. He likely wouldn’t need to describe his house & the flag, if he was Keating’s immediate neighbor, which has lead me to search all houses in the immediate area. I checked the 1940 census, for 2 yr old kids in 1940, that wound up moving to the Vallejo area.

So far, I came up empty with the following exception-

Leslie Charles Walker. age 2 in 1940, lived at 1036 Masonic Ave. His Father was Leslie Duane Walker. They wound up living in Napa 1980, and possibly before, I can’t see back further than 1980,but they were there then. I cant find them in Vallejo. The kid was born, 6/27/37, which does not match with him being 9 in December, 1947, he would have been 10.

Cornell Elementary School is very close so that’s where Pigeon Boy likely would have been going to school in 1947. The school is actually just a block or two away, on Talbot Ave. I’m gonna sign up for whatever classmates type of sites I can find (as long as they are free!) and see if anything can be found at this school.

I can see the kid throwing the note over the fence while at school

There was a kid Richard A. Ryken, DOB 6/28/38,he would have been 9 yrs old at time of pigeon story, and he lived at 931 Evelyn, but I cant find any sign of him living in the Vallejo area

The kid wrote in the letter, ‘the house with the skylark flag’. To me, that tells me, that he may not be a neighbor pressed up against Keating’s house, but possibly, a couple houses down, or across the street, etc. He likely wouldn’t need to describe his house & the flag, if he was Keating’s immediate neighbor, which has lead me to search all houses in the immediate area. I checked the 1940 census, for 2 yr old kids in 1940, that wound up moving to the Vallejo area.

So far, I came up empty with the following exception-

Leslie Charles Walker. age 2 in 1940, lived at 1036 Masonic Ave. His Father was Leslie Duane Walker. They wound up living in Napa 1980, and possibly before, I can’t see back further than 1980,but they were there then. I cant find them in Vallejo. The kid was born, 6/27/37, which does not match with him being 9 in December, 1947, he would have been 10.

He is still worth checking into… Being named Leslie is the motive!!

There was a kid Richard A. Ryken, DOB 6/28/38,he would have been 9 yrs old at time of pigeon story, and he lived at 931 Evelyn, but I cant find any sign of him living in the Vallejo area

Is that on the same block? I still think John Verga needs to be checked out. He was the right age and was 2 houses down from Keating (in 1940 anyways). Is there a way to find out who lived at 919 Talbot Ave in 1947?

There was a kid Richard A. Ryken, DOB 6/28/38,he would have been 9 yrs old at time of pigeon story, and he lived at 931 Evelyn, but I cant find any sign of him living in the Vallejo area

Is that on the same block? I still think John Verga needs to be checked out. He was the right age and was 2 houses down from Keating (in 1940 anyways). Is there a way to find out who lived at 919 Talbot Ave in 1947?

Only with a phonebook or Criss-Cross directory

Ok. Does anyone on here have either of those things? Can’t seem to find them online.

Ok. Does anyone on here have either of those things? Can’t seem to find them online.

Alameda County libraries are best bet

Ok. Does anyone on here have either of those things? Can’t seem to find them online.

Alameda County libraries are best bet

I really just have internet at my disposal, but I will keep looking around… Still can’t find a single thing about John Verga. I agree with what you said about the saying "the house with the skylark flag" because he was not an immediate neighbor.