They did not bear or adopt children. His nickname was "Mack". More formally, he went by his middle name. His parents had U.S. citizenship.

No listing has been found in the 1910 Fed. Census Soundex card index. The family was perhaps in Argentina.

The 1920 Fed. Census for Missouri (T625_958, enum. dist. 548, sheet 4B, lines 79-82, dated 03 January) lists John Harland, his parents, and his brother living at 5118a North Market St. in the 27th ward of the city of St. Louis. His father, Elmer P. McBroom is 45, born in Missouri, father born in Missouri, mother born in Illinois. He is an general electrician, wage worker. He is able to read, write, and speak English. John Harland's mother, Maud, is 36, born in Tennessee, father born in Ohio, mother born in Tennessee. She is able to read, write, and speak English. She has no occupation. John Harland himself is listed as merely "J. Harland". He is 9 years old, born in Argentina, father born in Missouri, mother born in Tennessee. He is attending school. John's brother, Elmer P. Jr. is 4 years, 6 months old and was born in Missouri of a father born in Missouri and a mother born in Tennessee. They are renting the house.

The 1930 Fed. Census for Missouri (T626_1223, enum. dist 95-21, supv. dist. 9, sheet 3B, line 94) shows John H. McBroom, 19 years old, born in Argentina, father born in Missouri, mother born in Tennessee. He is single and unemployed; no occupation is listed. He is boarding at the Robert Koch Hospital located in the Carondolet Township of St. Louis County. Date of the Census is April 5. [He was boarding at this hospital to test new medicines. His compensation helped pay tuition.]

Harland married Alberta P. Thoma (-1G) on 18 October 1935 in Dallas County, Texas. He was 25 at the time and she was 23. I presume that they met in St. Louis but do not know why they married in Texas.

At the time of John Harland's S. S. application (3 Dec. 1936), he and his wife, Alberta, were living at 951 S. Western Ave. in Los Angeles, CA. He was working at the National Institute of Music and Arts at the same address. I suppose it was his own business. Although he was born in Argentina, he was born of parents with U.S. citizenship. His birthdate, place, and parents' names are given. His S.S. # is 567-16-2189.

At the time of Alberta's S.S. application (15 Mar. 1938), she and her husband, John Harland, were living at 2102 Jackson in Houston, Texas. She was employed at the Jay Scott Studio at 903 Rusk in Houston (since 11 Mar. 1938).

In Mar. 1940 Alberta (probably also Harland) was traveling in Mexico. This was her first time out of the country according to correspondance. In June 1942 they lived in New Orleans. Our mother's brother (Winfield) visited them then. In July 1942 Alberta moved back to St. Louis and probably lived with her mother. In Jan. & Feb. 1943 she was living in Ft. Worth, Texas, probably with her husband. Their address was 213 W. Leuda.

He was a chemical engineer and also a pilot and musician, but he probably spent most of his working career in mining..

In June of 1944 Alberta and Harland visited his parents and brother's family at his parents' home in Mena, Arkansas.

His mother died some unknown date after June 1944.

In January of 1946 Alberta and her husband were living at 3413 Portland in Minneapolis, MN. Her mother came up to spend some extended time there. By July of the same year her mother had gone back to St. Louis. In Dec. of 1946 Alberta and Harland were still in greater Minneapolis.

His father, Elmer Peyton McBroom, died 9 Jan. 1951 in Sevier County, Utah (Utah Death Index, 1905-1951, #1951004421). He was 79 years old.

In July 1954, Harland and Alberta were living at 209 Elizabeth in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the early 1950's Harland earned and lost a fortune from uranium mining. To find uranium he flew over areas in Utah and Colorado looking for stunted plant growth. When these were noticed from the air, he would drop bags of flour. The he and his partner, Floyd Fattick would drive out to the area, take samples and stake a claim where positive samples were found. He and Floyd also worked claims along the border of Colorado (Green River?). Their company was called Power Resources Corp.

He may have also lived in Glendale, CA; Burbank, CA; and Hawaii. In about 1964 he was in Hollywood, working for Technical Oil Tool Co. which made oil rig drill equipment but quit because the company patented his invention without compensation. In Dec. 1968 and in 1969 they were living in Burbank, CA.

Click thumbnail to enlargen the picture of Alberta and Harland or Albert?:
John McBroom and his wife Alberta click picture to enlarge

Then he and a couple partners went to Guyana to stake out diamond and gold mining claims. He bought some gold dredges in the U.S. and then returned to Guyana. He hired a crew and went up the Demarara River to the claims to set up operations.

He died in June 1975 at Georgetown, Guyana of a ruptured duodenal ulcer. At the time his wife was staying in St. Louis County.

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They did not have any children. Alberta died in 1990 in St. Louis County. His brother Elmer also died after 1975.

Created Wed, 30 May, 2000. Updated 4 Feb. 2005.