Individual Details

After Stewart Wishard died, his daughter Myrtle wrote the Pension Bureau seeking to find out if she was entitled to his pension. Since she was not under the age of sixteen there was no provision in spite of the fact that she had been blind since birth. In one place in the application documents, Steward Wishard also mentioned that his son-in-law, husband of daughter Myrtle was also blind.

In 1900, Myrtle was listed as an "inmate" of the Institute for the Education of the Blind in Indianapolis. She was born Dec 1884, in Alabama, and was 17. She's listed as a Scholar.

The Indianpolis Jounral, 4 Jun 1902.
AT INSTITUTE FOR BLIND
Exercises Closing Last Years Work of Pupils
Interesting Concert Given Last Evening - Governor Durbin to Give Diplomas Today
...After the commencement exercises this morning those of the pupils who have not already gone home will leave and the institution will be closed for the year. Following is te order of exercixes for the commencement:
.... "The Influence of the English Commonwealth", Myrtle Wishard.

By 1910, Myrtle had married William A. Brinkman. She had been married seven years so they married circa 1903. Both of them are listed as "Blind" in this census. Myrtle had had four children, three listed. The living children were Laurence E. age 4, Donald age 2, and Vera G. an infant daughter whose age in months is unreadable. William Brinkman had been married twice - he was age 46, born in Ohio, his parents born in Germany and he worked as a Peddlar on the "Street".

I did find William Brinkman in 1900. He lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, at that time. He was born Jul 1864 and had been married to his first wife for 12 years. Elisabeth, wife, was born Sep 1861 in Germany. She had one child - William, born Oct 1888 in Ohio.

I also found the marriage record: William A. Brinkman to Myrtle Wishard, 29 Apr 1903, Shelby Co IN.

Record from Soldiers Home for her father stated that his "Effects sent to Myrtle J. Brinkman, Daughter, Kokomo, Ind. Jany 12, 1907."

1912 Kokomo, IN City Directory
Brinkman, Wm A (Myrtle), peddler, home: 718 N. Indiana

The Tribune, Coshocton, OH, Sat, 24 Jul 1915
Prominent Blind People Married
Cincinnate, July 23 - a Wedding last midnight at the parsonage of the Rev. Lester Leake Riley, of Newport, KY, folowed the granting of a marriage license after usual hours at the Campbell County, (Kentucky) county clerk's office to John A. Oats, age forty-nine, general merchant of Howard County, Indiana, and Mrs. Myrtle Brinkman, aged thirty-two. The bride is prominent in Indiana blind circles, both from an educational and social standpoint. The blind bride's little five-year-old daughter, her only relative present, accompanied the pair to St. Paul's Episcopal church parsonage where the ceremony was performed. The bridegroom is almost blind.

Indiana Death Certificate #85
Wm D. Brinkman died 12 Oct 1915 of membranous croup at Marion, Grant Co, IN He was born 6 Sep 1908 in Kokomo. His father was Wm Brinkman, b. Ohio; mother Myrtle Wishard, b. AL Mrs. Myrtle Oats was informant. Buried Oct 13th.

Elmer D. Oats was born, Gas City, Grant Co, IN on 19 Oct 1917. His father was John A. Oaks, b. Randolph Co, IN, age 51, marked as "Blind". His mother was Myrtle Wishard, b. in AL, age 34. She had had 7 childtne - 3 are living.

1920 Census. Bakersville, Kern Co, CA, Hh 242
1409 19th St
John Oats, 54, Street Musician
Myrtle, wife, 37, Street Musician
Vera, dau, 9
Elezar, son, 2, b. CA

The Long Beach Telegram and The Long Beach Daily News, Long Beach, CA, Friday, 23 Mary 1924
Judge Can't See How Blind Girl Is Able to Flirt
San Francisco, May 23. Blindness is a bar to flirting, Superior Judge E. P. Mogan in effect ruled today in granting a divorce to Mrs. Myrtle Oats, blind street singer.
She said her husband, John A. Oats, also blind and a street singer, accused her of flisrting with men who paused to hear her sing. She denied being flirtatious. The husband did not indicate how he discovered the alleged flirtations. One witness said he did not see how a blind woman could flirt and Judge Mogan concurred.

1930 Census. Montebello, Los Aneles Co, CA, Hh 4
718 Belden Ave
Thomas H. Doneldson,, 59, married at age 49, b. IN, Proprietor, Misiian
Myrtle, wife, 50, 1st married at age 20, b. AL, Mandolin, Musician
Laurence, step-son, 23, married at age 21, b. IN, Truck Drive, Delivery Company
Elmer D. Oats, step-son, 12, b. IN
Everett Oats, step-son, 10, b. CA
Leona Adams, niece, 53, married at 16, b. Iowa
Kate Oliver, niece, 34, b. Iowa, Waitress, Restaurant
Elma K. Whittington, niece, 7, b. IN

1940 Census. Montebello, Los Angeles, CA, Hh 530
742 Gerheart Ave
Thomas Donnelson, 69, b. IL
Myrtle, wife, 58, b. AL
Lilli McClardey, lodger, 48, wid, b. GA, Housekeeper, Private family

10 Oct 1940 World War II Draft Registration.
5'11", 228 lb. Scar on right hand & index finger
Elmer D. Oats of 742 Gerhart St., Los Angele Co, CA, age 22, b. Gas City, IN on 18 Oct 1917. Mrs. Myrtle Donnelson, mother, will always know his address. Employer: Mr. Samuel Rose of 4044 Whittier Blvd, Los Angeles.

California Death Index gives her birth as 8 Dec 1943, b. AL, died 30 Mar 1943, Los Angeles.

Birth	8 Dec 1882	Jackson County, Alabama
Death	30 Mar 1943	Los Angeles, California

Father	Stewart Wishard (1825 - 1906)
Mother	Sudie Webb ( - )