Arthur Liddell Menzies (1916 - 1973)

Born 28 Feb 1916 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Jean Thorburn Addis — married Jan 1946 (to before 1964) in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States

Husband of Barbara E (Thomson) Menzies — married 21 Sep 1964 in San Francisco, California, United States

Descendants

Died Mar 1973 at age 57 in Mill Valley, Marin, California, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Menzies Name Study.

Arthur Menzies is a member of Clan Menzies.

Birth

Arthur Liddell Menzies was born on 28 Feb 1916, Los Angeles, California, USA.^[1][2][3] He was the son of Kenneth Menzies and Victoria Waithman.

Residences

• 1920 ^[4][5]- Los Angeles Assembly District 63, Los Angeles, California, USA. Relationship to Head of House: Son, aged 3. Living with parents and brother Kenneth 7 and one employed servant Mary K Davis 45 from Maryland.
• 1930 ^[6][7]- Los Angeles (Districts 0001-0250), Los Angeles, California, USA. Relationship to Head of House: Son, aged 14. Living with parents and brother Kenneth 14 and one employed servant Mary K Davis 50 from Maryland.
• 1940 ^[8]- 57 Assembly District, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA.

Military

• 1940-1947 • WWII.^[9] United States World War II Army Enlistment Records show that Arthur L Menzies enlisted for Military Service on 25 Sep 1940 for the Philippine Department at Fort Macarthur, San Pedro, California, USA. It confirms his birth year as 1916 and his birthplace as California, USA. His stated completed education level was 4 years of high school. His civilian occupation was given as a General Office Clerk and he was single and had no dependents. Rank: Private. Regular Army: Coast Artillery Corps or Army Mine Planter Service. Serial Number: 19048713. Affiliate ARC Identifier: 1263923. Box Film Number: 03033.25.^[10]

Prisoner of War of the Japanese ^[11]

Arthur was taken as a Prisoner of War of the Japanese at the rank of Technical Sergeant; Service Number 19048713, of the Coast Artillery Corps of the Habour Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays - Unit 60th Coast Artillery Regiment (AntiAircraft) K Btry.^[12]

Marriage 1

Arthur Liddell Menzies married Jean Thorburn (Barbara E.) Addis (Scherer), real name Barbara E Sherfey in Jan 1946 at San Francisco, San Francisco County, California, USA. Her mother, Barbara Sherfey, acted under the stage name of Jean T. Addis in the San Francisco Actor's Workshop. Jean Thorburn Addis, daughter of Thomas Addis & Elesa Bolton (Partridge) Addis They had twin girls during their marriage;

• Child: Twin Ann Arthur Menzies, b. 28 Nov 1946, d. living, m. 15 May 1976, Paul R Scherer
• Child: Twin Tessa Thomas Menzies, b. 28 Nov 1946, d. 9 May 2002, m. 12 Sep 1966, William Alfred Newsom III, son of William Alfred Newsom II & Christine (Brennan) Newsom.

(1946). BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT OF TWIN DAUGHTERS. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Menzies (Jean Addis) welcomed twin daughters on Thanksgiving morning at Stanford Hospital... the new arrivals will be names Anne and Tessa... they are granddaughters of the Kenneth Menzies of Los Angeles and Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Addis" ^[13]

This marriage resulted in divorce prior to 21 Sep 1964. Death of Spouse (1): 22 Jun 1992, San Mateo, California, USA.

Marriage 2

Arthur Liddell Menzies married Barbara E (Thomson) Sherfey, daughter of Earl K Thomson & Dorothy B (Foster) Thomson on 21 Sep 1964 in San Francisco, California, USA.^[14][15] Death of Spouse (2): 8 Aug 1979, Mill Valley, Marin County, California, USA.

Death and Burial

Arthur Liddell Menzies died on 16 Mar 1973 at 110 Laurel Avenue, Stinson Beach, Marin County, California, USA. He was buried on 21 Mar 1973 in Mill Valley, Marin County, California, USA.^[16]

Research Notes

Arthur Menzies, was taken prisoner during World War II and survived the infamous Bataan death march.

Returning to San Francisco after the war, he worked as assistant curator at Strybing Arboretum, where he was considered a leading authority on California wildflowers.

Apparently unable to shake the horrors of the death march, he committed suicide - in front of [his daughters] Tessa and her sister. ^[17]

Mahonia × media ‘Arthur Menzies’ HYBRID MAHONIA

Outstanding Qualities This statuesque, evergreen shrub is a stellar specimen for the winter garden. 'Arthur Menzies' has dramatic, frond-like leaves that grow in whorls along its coarsely branched stems. Great sprays of gold flowers appear in winter, developing into grape-like clusters of wax-coated black berries by late summer and autumn. Beautiful foliage and upright growth habit make this hybrid mahonia a strong focal point in the garden. . . 'Arthur Menzies' originated at Seattle's Washington Park Arboretum. Seedlings germinated at Strybing Arboretum (San Francisco) of the frost-tender Mahonia lomariifolia were grown on in Seattle. (The original seed was from the garden of Arthur Menzies.) From the beginning this clone looked different from its siblings. After the very cold winter of 1962, it alone survived. Its relative hardiness indicated that it was a hybrid, most likely of M. bealei. It was named by Washington Park Arboretum curator Brian Mulligan for his colleague Arthur Menzies (1916 to 1973). Menzies worked at Strybing from about 1953, until his untimely death, at which time he was Assistant Director.

. . .

Arthur L. Menzies (1916-1973) worked as a gardener for the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department in 1946 (following 3.5 years in a coal mine as a prisoner of war during World War II). In 1947, he left to catalog rock garden plants for noted Bay Area horticulturist Victor Rieter. As Victor began downsizing his nursery, Art was persuaded to take the Civil Service Gardener's Examination, following which he returned to Golden Gate Park in 1953 and to the Park's Arboretum sometime thereafter. He served as Plant Accessions Supervisor under Strybing Director Percy "Jock" Brydon (who was director from 1960-1969) and Roy Hudson (director from 1969-1971). Director John Bryan (1971-1979) implemented the necessary administrative process to win for Art the title of Assistant Director, which he held until his untimely death. Arthur Menzies was a great man in his own right. He was Assistant Director of our garden until his death in 1973. I quote an excerpt from the memorial article written in our newsletter: "...a walking encyclopedia of flora and fauna...[h]e was known in horticultural circles throughout the world for his expertise, as is evidenced by his global correspondence and exchange of seed and plant material." Our award-winning native garden, the Arthur L. Menzies Memorial Garden of Native Plants, was named in his honor. In the 1970s some 13 of a possible 14 species of Mahonia were recorded as being on view in the Native Garden.If you are interested in further information about Art Menzies and the memorial garden, I recommend two articles in California Horticultural Journal, v.36, no.2 (April 1975), p.54-62.

Arthur L. Menzies Garden of California Native Plants April and May are the best times to experience California natives at the peak of their bloom. Take in bright blue wild lilac amidst a carpet of meadowfoam, iris, poppies and other amazing plants in the Arthur L. Menzies Garden of California Native Plants. This garden is awash in color, buzzing with pollinators and awaiting your next visit. Join us in celebrating one of San Francisco Botanical Garden's most cherished gardens with this special feature, including art, resources, photos, events and more.

With displays of over 500 taxa (species and cultivars), the four-acre Arthur L. Menzies Garden of California Native Plants features arroyos, ponds and woodlands, and at its center, a wildflower meadow. This historic collection of plants is at its peak bloom now! April and May are the best times to visit and catch a glimpse of bright blue wild lilac amidst a carpet of meadowfoam, iris, poppies and other amazing California native plants.

Natural Habitat Garden magazine author Ken Druse wrote of the Arthur L. Menzies Garden, "Beyond a collection, it is perhaps the most beautifully planned and maintained public garden in the country dedicated to habitat-style planting."

Charlie & Melody Wambeke Arthur L Menzies Garden of California Native Plants Botanical Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park 150712-144116 C4e Captured this image of a sign announcing the entrance of the Arthur L. Menzies 4 acre garden of California Native Plants located on the southern border of the Botanical Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Though we visit the Botanical Garden at least a few times a year, we went two of the twelve days of the Flower Piano event in July 2015. https://www.flickr.com/photos/31603030@N08/19928931145/

Sources

1. ↑ California Birth Index, 1905-1995, Birth, Marriage & Death. BIRTH.
2. ↑ U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Court, Land, Wills & Financial. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs Births, Death File, 1850-2010, Military.
3. ↑ Birth: Family Search https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V25Z-6Y2
4. ↑ 1920 United States Federal Census, Census & Voter Lists.
5. ↑ United States Census, 1920: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHQN-CHN
6. ↑ 1930 United States Federal Census, Census & Voter Lists.
7. ↑ United States Census, 1930: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCJB-GW8
8. ↑ 1940 United States Federal Census, Census & Voter Lists.
9. ↑ U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, Military.
10. ↑ United States World War II Army Enlistment Records: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8GX-XFQ
11. ↑ United States World War II Prisoners of War of the Japanese: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXZX-CZT
12. ↑ Center for Research Allied POWs Under the Japanese by Roger Mansell. Affiliate ARC Identifier: 731002.
13. ↑ "Teazle's Tidbits", 3 Dec 1946, Oakland Tribune, page 8 : "Double Feature", accessed at "Gavin Newsom", by Will Johnson, professional genealogist copyright 2007-8, all rights reserved: https://sites.google.com/site/countyhistorian/gavin-newsom
14. ↑ California, U.S., Marriage Index, 1960-1985, Birth, Marriage & Death.
15. ↑ Marriage (2): https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V6X3-WX4 and https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V6LZ-C9W
16. ↑ Death: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPHK-96P and https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V958-22J
17. ↑ Gonzalez, Newsom: What makes them run / From modest beginnings, Newsom finds connections for business, political success, by Julian Guthrie, Published 4:00 am, Sunday, December 7, 2003: http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Gonzalez-Newsom-What-makes-them-run-From-2510021.php