Pearl Emma Clara Robertshaw, b. 18 Feb. 1907 in Detroit,
Michigan and d.15 Nov. 1979 in St. Petersburg, Florida, was
the third
child born to John and May Robertshaw. She grew up in Detroit and,
as a
teen, accompanied her two younger sisters as a chaperone during
their
'show biz' careers with "Pete MacCurty's Bonton Girls" in the early
1920's, where they did dancing and comedy skits - a regular vaudeville
show for the youngsters. They would do their stint on the stages
of the
glamorous movie palaces of the day, such as the Adams Theater and
the
Michigan Theater.
It was during a tour with this
show in I believe Albion, Michigan
that she met Bertram Wessell b. about 1902 d. ?, who
just happened to
be a 'stage door Johnny.' Bert and Pearl married very soon after
they
met, on 24 June 1925 in Detroit. The two had four daughters together
-
Shirley, Dorothy, Marcella, and Gloria Jean (b. 10 June 1931 in
Laporte,
Indiana - d. 16 July 1995 in Michigan).
Bert and Pearl divorced in
the early 1930's, and Pearl married
Raymond McNall 26 August 1938. Ray and Pearl had two children
together
- Berneatta and John.
Pearl and Ray were together
until Ray passed away in the mid
1970's. Pearl herself died in 1979.