In 1910 the city directory and the census shows Spencer and Gertrude Murray living in the upper flat. They rented out the lower flat. From the reverse phone directories I was able to get a list of the various people who rented. Spencer worked for the railroad and was listed as a trainman and brakeman. Gertrude did not work outside the home. On the 1920 census, Gertrude's father, Joseph Jones age 82, is living with them. Spencer was born Nov. 5, 1855 and died March 26, 1936. Gertrude was born August 8, 1867 in England and died Dec. 27, 1952 in the upper flat. They had no children.
I have vague memories of Mrs. Murray as I called her. My parents moved in the lower flat in 1947 and I was born 2 years later. I was three years old and I can remember ringing her door bell and walking up the stairs to see her. She was old and ill at the time. Her nephew was there with her and he told me she was tired and that I should go back downstairs. My next memory is going up stairs and my aunt was changing the bed. She told me Mrs. Murray had gone to the hospital and would not be coming back. Mrs. Murray had died that night.
Residents 1913 – 1947 of Lower Flat from the San Jose City Directory
Starting in 1913 the city phone directories included a reverse directory that allowed you to look up an address and see who was living there.
1913 vacant
1915 Naismith, JA
1918 Weed, Mrs. Rebecca
1920 Meyer, WM
1922 Page, C. H.
1925 Holway, Mrs. C. G.
1929 Kerisler, Mrs. Harriett
1930 Oslin, Robert
1932 Standish, E.M.
1935 Uyeda, Jas
1938 Slocum, Mrs. Ella
1939 Mouille, Mrs. Marjorie
1941 Rafferty, Patrick
1942 Colvin, Lottie
1946 Johnson, Cora
1947 Raymond and Clara Schneider