Recently, I was contacted about information for Roy Ropp. Roy was an autumn marriage between my 2x great aunt, Mary Elizabeth Conkey, "Bess." When I originally went to my family tree, all I really knew was that he was an artist who had married Bess in Reno Nevada, in 1963. I found out that he had quite an influential relationship with the early days of the Laguna Beach arts festivals
I started my research with Ancestry.com and quickly found that Roy had been married before and had lived in Laguna Beach, California. Looking further, I found that he was born in Kansas (in 1888), and he lived 85 years and died while living in Yucca Valley with my great aunt, in 1974. I have very wispy memories of visiting my aunt though I don't know that I recall Roy. In the family history papers that my mom left me, I found a funeral card so, it's likely that she and maybe, at least some of our family attended the service.
Though census records, I found that Roy seems to have first come to California via Palo Verde (just southwest of Blythe) in the 1920. Then, a decade later, he is recorded as living in Laguna Beach. He appears to have been quite involved in the early development of Laguna Beach in construction and also real estate. He was also an artist so the budding artist colony of Laguna most likely suited his quite nicely.
From what I could gather at Ancestry, Roy first Juanita Marie Gostling of Ohio in 1914. They had two children a boy and a girl, Roy Maccauley Ropp and Nevelie Ropp respectively. Based on the obituary that I found, Roy Maccauley survived his passing in 1974. Neville died in 1962.
Sometime after World War II, Roy is recorded as marrying Meline Snead. There is some confusion in the records I found whether this was just after the war, or in the mid 1950s. Regardless, Roy and Meline are apparently separated by 1963 when he marries Bess Conkey.
Roy was very active in the early days of the Laguna Beach Artists Festival. There are many clippings available via newspaper.com that describe various events, publicity, and some controversy associated with the formative years of the festival. There also appears to be a collection of early festival pictures and mementos in the archives at the California State University, Fullerton library. Maybe one day, I'll try to get access to that collection.
In the 1920's and 1930's Roy was active with community development, real estate, and planning for the city of Laguna beach. Roy and infant daughter are featured in publicity for an "Indian Peace Pipe" play, in August of 1921.
Roy is frequently featured in publicity articles about the Pageant of the Arts festival, frequently associated with his "living picture" exhibits featuring live models dressed to enact a famous artwork. Roy is listed in a 1934 Orange County Register article promoting the incorporation of the festival as a permanent concern for Laguna Beach.
In the 1950's Roy appears to be residing in both Laguna Beach and the Palm Springs area. He is features in several articles along with a business partner, Daniel Davey (of Santa Ana) raising awareness and funding for a native American's living in poverty and development of a permanent retirement community
I believe that my Aunt owns an oil canvas by Roy. I believe it is a modern, maybe cubist style painting. I was able to find several landscape images via art auction house sites.
Here are some of the examples that have been auctioned off in the past few years. He seems to have been quite an accomplished artist.
Even though Roy is unrelated to me, my brief sojourn into the dusty archives (well, not so dusty on the internet) was quite interesting. I am very certain there is more to know about his life. He must have been a good partner to Bess.
If you happen to read this and you know any more about Roy or Bess, do drop me an e-mail. The easiest way to do that is via the comment option on my family history site, click this link.