Alpha B (Smith) Armstrong (abt. 1906)

Born about 16 Sep 1906 in Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, United States

Wife of Louis Daniel Armstrong — married 11 Oct 1938 (to 2 Oct 1942) in Houston, Harris, Texas, United States

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Biography

Alpha (Smith) Armstrong is a part of US Black heritage.

Alpha B Smith was born about 1907 in Indiana, United States.^[1]

She and her mother probably moved to Chicago, Cook County, Illinois by 1920, where an Alpha Smith, age 13 years, was enumerated with Florence Smith, her mother, during the 1920 census. They appear to have lived in a large boarding house or hotel at 5504 Everett Avenue.^[2] In 1930, they were living at 3310 Cottage Grove Avenue, which they rented for $35 per month.^[3]

Some time after 1935, Alpha left Chicago.^[4] She married Louis Daniel Armstrong on 11 October 1938, in Houston, Harris County, Texas.^[5] By 1940, they were enumerated on the census living at the Curry Hotel in Manhattan, New York City, New York.^[1] They were divorced by 1942, when Louis remarried.

Research Notes

In the passenger lists, Louis Armstrong is also aboard the same ships at the same time.. In the 1932 sailing, he traveled with his manager, Johnny Collins, who had listed a New York address. Also listed at that address were Louis Armstrong and Alpha Smith.^[6][7]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (familysearch.org : 15 Dec 2019), Alpha B Armstrong in household of Louis Armstrong, Assembly District 22, Manhattan, New York City, New York, New York, United States; citing ED 31-1962, sheet 63A, line 2, residents at the Curry Hotel; Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627, roll 2672, Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012)

   Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

   Louis Armstrong Head Male 39 Louisiana

   Alpha B Armstrong Wife Female 33 Indiana

2. ↑ "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (familysearch.org : 26 Dec 2020), Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, Alpha Smith in household of Florence Smith, ED 343, sheet 13B, line 51, family 228; NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 310; FHL microfilm no 1,820,310;

   Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

   Florence Smith Lodger Female 30 Indiana

   Alpha Smith Lodger Female 13 Indiana

3. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (familysearch.org : accessed 21 Jan 2021), Alpha Smith in household of Florence Smith, Chicago (Districts 0001-0250), Cook, Illinois, United States; citing ED 47, sheet 3A, line 22, family 39, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 417; FHL microfilm 2,340,152

   Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

   Florence Smith Head Female 43 Kansas

   Alpha Smith Daughter Female 22 Indiana

   Noah Woods Roomer Male 56 Indiana

   John Ingram Roomer Male 34 Alabama

4. ↑ The 1940 census indicates she was still in Chicago in 1935.
5. ↑ Harris County Clerk's Office; Houston, Texas; Harris County, Texas, Marriage Records
6. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24JT-LM1 : Fri Mar 08 06:38:40 UTC 2024), Entry for Alpha Smith, 1932.
7. ↑ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24J8-HNL : Fri Mar 08 08:19:30 UTC 2024), Entry for Alpha Smith, 1935.

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