Woody’s Chronological History

The Man and the American sauce that still bears his name today.

12 Jan 1907 Southwood Bell Morse born.¹ Assigned SSN 497-03-9986 in Missouri.² Woody has a twin brother, Lucius Boardman Morse, documented in later footnotes.

21 April 1910 Southwood Bell Morse is counted in the U.S Census, age 3 at 6219 Westminster Pl. St. Louis, Missouri. Father is a newspaper publisher.³

August 1910 Southwood’s first known exposure to Long Beach, CA, later to become his home and business location. (Photos 23, 24).⁴

1920 Southwood is living – at about 13 – at 6219 Westminster Pl. Louis Ward 28, St. Louis (Independent City), Missouri. He is with his Father Hiriam Boardman Morse (age 54), his Mother Olive Bell Morse⁵ (age 51), an older sister Beatrice S Morse (age 18), and a twin brother Lucius B. Morse.⁶⁷

August 19, 1929 First known reference of Southwood being called “Woodie” and “Woody”. (Pictures 124 and 125). First known photograph of Ginny (Presumed to be Virginia, his wife in 1930) (Picture 118).⁸

1930 Southwood is 23 years old, married for one year to Virginia B. Morse, and residing at 7560 Byron Place, Central Township, St. Louis, Missouri, Clayton City, Ward 3. He is a Veteran, with no war nor expedition experience. His occupation is VP of an automobile company. No children.⁹

Spring 1931 Woody (as he is referred to) is photographed at a cabin. This is the last known photo of Woody in the Morse family album. (Image 154)¹⁰

1931 The St. Louis City Directory shows Southwood’s parents still living at 6219 Westminster Pl., publisher of the St. Louis Daily Record newspaper. Brother Lucius and wife Madolyn living at 7558 Byron Pl. He was a VP at the newspaper.

Southwood – no wife noted – living at 724 N Clay. Employed by Brauer Bros Shoe Co.¹¹ Note the name Brauer. A very prominent St .Louis leather manufacturer, still in business today. ¹²

July 10, 1931 Southwood Bell Morse and Virginia Mae Brauer Morse give birth to a daughter: Marilyn Brauer Morse, in St. Louis, MO. Later known as Marilyn Brauer Stuart Gaynor, she lived until July 25, 2010, passing in Palm Desert, CA.¹³

1935 Southwood (Woody) is still residing in St. Louis, Missouri.¹⁴

1938 The Portland, OR City Directory (page 979) lists Southwood (with wife Bernadette C) living at 1431 SW Park Ave. Apt 307. Occupation: President, Southwood, Inc.¹⁵ Age would be 31.

April 8, 1940 Southwood is living at 628 SE 58th Street Portland, Oregon. At age 33, he is a photographer, renting his home for $48 per month, and is living with his wife, Bernadette G. Morse – age 30. Entry also indicates his birthplace of St. Louis, Missouri.¹⁶

14 November 1944 Southwood Bell Morse, Junior (560-58-7054) is born in California.¹⁷ The mother is believed to be Mildred Barbara Geiger (Morse), Born 9 June 1900 SSN 486-16-5898 issued in Missouri who died in El Monte, CA August 21, 1986.¹⁸

13 June 1946 Southwood Bell “Woody” Morse Trademarks the Woody’s name for sauces.¹⁹

July, 1946 Southwood Bell Morse, AKA “Woody” Morse, opens Woody’s Barbecue Pantry at 427 Atlantic Avenue Long Beach, CA.²⁰ This was a barbecue restaurant.²¹

Sept. 20, 1950: S.B. Morse DBA Mrs. Chapman’s Home Foods 817 S. Mansfield Los Angeles files a Trademark for the Woody’s name for sauces. Trademark is registered June 30, 1953.²²

Date Unknown: Woody’s Bar-B-Cue Pantry registered as a business location at 1355 Daisy, Long Beach, CA.²³

Dec. 25, 1952 (Publication Date) Southwood B. Morse is divorced from Mildred.²⁴

20 May 1953 Southwood Morse (Food MFG. by trade) arrives in Southampton, England aboard the Holland America ship MAASDAM, arriving from New York, NY.²⁵ Also aboard this ship is EVA GRENAWALT.²⁶ She is a naturalized American citizen living in Los Angeles, with the same birth date (9-1-1922) as Eva Morse, Southwood’s last wife.²⁷

June 17, 1959 S.B. Morse DBA “Woody’s” Bar-B-Cue Pantry 1355 Daisy Ave. Long Beach, CA renews the “Woody’s” trademark, which is registered Feb. 23, 1960.²⁸ The 1300 block of Daisy Avenue is industrial in nature, suitable for a manufacturing plant.²⁹

October 1, 1959 Woody’s Bar-B-Cue Pantry (Entity number C0383812³⁰) and Woody’s Bar-B-Cue Mfg. Corp. (Entity number C0383813) are incorporated.³¹

1960 S B “Woody” Morse resides at 2125e Ocean Blvd. Long Beach. Phone: Geneva 9-0064³²

April 24, 1963 Woody is profiled as “Chef of the Week”. He is making sauce to cook with, sauce to serve with and flavorings for people who make their own sauces. Woody’s sauces and flavorings are sold in every state, and there are representatives in Europe, the Pacific and Far East. “Woody” Jr. is a student at USC, and his married daughter resides in San Francisco and has given him two granddaughters and a grandson. Prior to the sauce business, he had sold shoes, moved to Long Beach and sold insurance.³³

August 11, 1963 Woody’s business is profiled. Sales volume is 1 million bottles per year. Woody’s sauces are with the US Armed Forces all over the world. 1355 Daisy is identified as the manufacturing plant, with George Mefford involved with it. Woody and his wife made the sauces starting 17 years previously (1946), when they were married. They lived in Beverly Hills after marrying. They had a food concession business in Hollywood during the war.³⁴

March 18, 1965 S. B. “Woody” Morse filed a renewal of the “Woody’s” Trademark indicating use between Feb. 23, 1960 to Feb. 23, 1965 and an address of 1041 East 7th Street, Long Beach CA.³⁵ This appears to be a residential building.³⁶

1 September 1971 Southwood Morse Junior is married in Los Angeles to Barbara J. Keener (AKA Tooma from a former marriage)³⁷.

Early 1970s “Woody” and his wife Eva were known to drive in a station wagon best described as a jalopy. During this time, he was known to change the spice formula of the sauce, without telling the packer – which caused all sorts of problems. “Woody” was also known to overload trucks carrying the finished product.³⁸

July 10 1978 Southwood “Woody” Bell Morse died at Memorial Hospital, Long Beach.³⁹ Last Known Residence: 90801 Long Beach, Los Angeles, CA. Last Known Benefit: 90803 Long Beach, Los Angeles, CA.⁴⁰ Last Residence: 232 Obispo Ave. Long Beach, CA 90803 Cause: GI and Liver Failure.⁴¹

July 12, 1978 Woody’s Obituary is published in the Los Angeles Times, indicating a surviving wife, Eva, a surviving son, Southwood B. Morse, Jr., a surviving daughter Marilyn Stuart, brother Lu Morse, sister Beatrice Washburn and 3 grandchildren.⁴² These grandchildren were from daughter Marilyn and were: Daughters Robin Noble and Marleigh Gleicher and son Charles R. Stuart.⁴³

July 13, 1978 Southwood “Woody” Morse is cremated.⁴⁴

January 17, 1980 Eva Morse renews the “Woody” Trademark Showing Woody’s Bar-B-Cue Pantry still operating at 427 Atlantic Ave. Long Beach, CA 90801⁴⁵

November 19, 1980 Woody’s Bar-B-Cue (Entity number 1009989) is incorporated, showing Eva Morse as agent, at 232 Obispo Long Beach, CA.⁴⁶

February 1986 Eva Morse, wife of Southwood Bell “Woody” Morse, sells the Woody’s brand and rights to Salado Holding, Inc., which is affiliated with the Pace Brand.⁴⁷

May 29 1986 Pace places an advertising contract for Woody’s sauces with Bozell, Jacobs, Kenyon & Eckhardt.⁴⁸

April 1990 Reily foods of New Orleans, LA purchases the Woody’s Brand and rights from Pace.⁴⁹

14 May 1994 Southwood Morse Jr. dies in Los Angeles of unknown causes. Age 46.⁵⁰

Early 2007 Reily Foods discontinues the Woody’s sauce line.⁵¹

September 27, 2007 Woody’s President acquires all rights to the Woody’s formulas and trademarks. Woody’s Foods, LLP (Nevada) established. Distribution resumes.⁵²

Feb / Mar 2008 Woody’s International Shipments resume.⁵³

August, 2009 William Cereske joins Woody’s Foods as partner and Vice President.

July 25 2010 Southwood’s daughter, Marilyn Brauer Stuart Gaynor, passes away at Palm Desert, CA. She is survived by daughters Robin Noble and Marleigh Gleicher; son Charles R. Stuart; step-daughters Diane McCue and Connie Gaynor; step-sons Arne Gaynor and Matt Gaynor.⁵⁴

June 30, 2011 Eva Morse, wife of Southwood, passes away in Long Beach, CA. She continued to live in the home at 232 Obisbo for the rest of her days.⁵⁵

20 July 2012 First commercial shipment of “Woody’s” Bold ‘n Spicy sauce.

March 13, 2013 427 Atlantic Avenue is now a Community Service center at 425 Atlantic Ave. which has absorbed 427. 232 Obisbo is still maintained as a residence, and has not been sold.⁵⁶

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¹Ancestry.com search for “Southwood Bell Morse”.
²Social Security Death Index.
³http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1910USCenIndex&rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-d&gsfn=Southwood+Bell&gsln=Morse&msbdy=1907&dbOnly=_83004006%7c_83004006_x%2c_83004005%7c_83004005_x&uidh=2rf&pcat=35&fh=0&h=176855948&recoff=
⁴http://toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/mss/morse_family_chimney_rock_park/album_01_01-53_morse.htm
⁵Southwood Morse’s California Death Certificate Los Angeles County records Reel 0364 Frame 912
⁶1920 US Census, accessed through ancestry.com
⁷Centennial History of Missouri Page 334
⁸http://toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/mss/morse_family_chimney_rock_park/album_02_101-194_morse.htm
⁹Lines 7, 8 1930 US Federal Census Enumeration District 95-31 Sheet 14-A Reference 249
¹⁰http://toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/mss/morse_family_chimney_rock_park/album_02_101-194_morse.htm (Image 154)
¹¹1931 St. Louis, Missouri City Directory. Accessed through ancestry.com
¹²http://www.macraesbluebook.com/search/company.cfm?company=408743
¹³http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thedesertsun/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=144515781#fbLoggedOut
¹⁴Source: 1940 United States Census for Portland, Multnomah, Oregon Enumeration district 37-284 Sheet 2B line 41 and 42
¹⁵http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=2469&iid=15512204&fn=Southwood&ln=Morse&st=r&ssrc=&pid=996929801
¹⁶Source: 1940 United States Census for Portland, Multnomah, Oregon Enumeration district 37-284 Sheet 2B line 41 and 42
¹⁷SSA Death Index
¹⁸CA Death Index
¹⁹Trademark documents reviewed by Woody’s President during an ²⁰oral history 3 Oct 2011.
Oral History from Woody’s President, while reviewing historical business documents, 3 Oct 2011.
²¹Oral history from Richard Harris, President of Triple H Foods, during an interview. 4 Oct 2011.
²²Us Patent and Trademark Office Registration Number 0576501
²³Oral History from Woody’s President, while reviewing historical business documents, 3 Oct 2011.
²⁴Los Angeles Times 25 Dec. 1952 Page B9 http://search.proquest.com/hnplatimes/docview/166408268/1324542091466B90DE0/3?accountid=46298
²⁵ http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=BT26&h=4292893&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=7884
²⁶http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-g&gsfn=Eva+&gsln=Grenawalt&msbdy=1922&cpxt=0&catBucket=rstp&uidh=2rf&cp=12&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=4292864&db=BT26&indiv=1
²⁷http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=1629&iid=30849_120521-04342&fn=Eva&ln=Grenawalt&st=r&ssrc=&pid=7943077
²⁸US Patent and Trademark Registration number 0693592
²⁹Google Earth search November 4, 2011
³¹California Secretary of State’s Office
³²1960 edition of the Long Beach telephone directory p709
³³Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram April 24, 1963 Page W9.
³⁴Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram August 11, 1963 Page R-1 and R-2.
³⁵Affidavit filed with the US Patent office March 18, 1965
³⁶Google Earth search 4 November 4, 2011
³⁷CA Marriage Index
³⁸Oral history from Richard Harris, President of Triple H Foods, during an interview. 4 Oct 2011. Confirmed in an oral interview with Woody’s President, who reported hearing the same story from the owners of another food packer, during the same time period. 4 Oct 2011
³⁹Southwood Morse’s California Death Certificate Los Angeles County records Reel 0364 Frame 912
⁴⁰SSI Death index.
⁴¹Southwood Morse’s California Death Certificate Los Angeles County Health records Reel 0364 Frame 912
⁴²LA Times July 12, 1978 Page B24 http://search.proquest.com/hnplatimes/docview/158626518/1324542091466B90DE0/9?accountid=46298
⁴³http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thedesertsun/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=144515781#fbLoggedOut
⁴⁴Southwood Morse’s California Death Certificate Los Angeles County records Reel 0364 Frame 912
⁴⁵Renewal subscribed 17 January 1980. From the files of Woody’s Foods Ltd.
⁴⁶California Secretary of State’s office.
⁴⁷Oral History from Woody’s President, while reviewing historical business documents, 3 Oct 2011.
⁴⁹http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?action=interpret&id=GALE%7CA176380017&v=2.1&u=longbeach&it=r&p=STND&sw=w&authCount=1
⁵⁰CA Death Index
⁵¹Email sent to an inquiring customer by Reily Foods, Sherry Stewart, dated September 17, 2007
⁵²First mention of sale in an email from Reily Foods to a customer by Brenda Macaluso, Consumer Affairs Manager, dated September 27,2007
⁵³Oral history given by Woody’s President 3 Oct. 2011
⁵⁴http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thedesertsun/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=144515781#fbLoggedOut
⁵⁵US Social Security Death Database, US Public Records index, Volume 1
⁵⁶On the ground visits and Zillow search March 13, 2013