Marilyn, A Gift

"I knew I belonged to the public and to the world, not because I was talented or even beautiful but because I had never belonged to anything or anyone else." -Marilyn Monroe

The Inception

Most people would tell you that Marilyn Monroe's life story began on June 1, 1926 in the Charity Ward of Los Angeles General Hospital. That isn't true. Yes, that is the birthday of Norma Jeane Mortenson as it plainly states on her birth certificate. It is no secret that baby Norma Jeane was born that day to Gladys Pearl Monroe. But, then again it also states that her father was Edward Mortenson. This is the first of many lies that Norma Jean (and Marilyn) would have to lug around for 36 years. No. It would be fair to say that Marilyn was incepted several generations back. She inherited from her family, a legacy of abandonment. Either by suicide, by mentally vacating, or just plain leaving-they all went away eventually. Norma Jean lived completely alone, and Marilyn Monroe would later die that way. But what lead up to that last day, August 5, 1962? As Marilyn asked in a final interview, how will we describe her to others? In this post, we will examine the circumstances and experiences that shaped the women in Marilyn's family and essentially, shaped her. Albeit, their influence was mostly through their absence.

Norma Jeane's Birth Certificate

This is going to be dark.

Is it ironic that the baby who would become Marilyn Monroe was born in a charity ward. As if this was a gift to her. When in fact, she would be a gift to the world. She would go on to say that she never belonged to anyone, but to the public. This was never more evident than in her babyhood. I mean, she went from her mothers arms, to a house directly across the street at the ripe old age of thirteen days. Surely, she did not belong in either home. Biographers have indicated that her mother knew she was incapable of caring for her baby. Others have testified that her own grandmother, also in the home, tried to murder the infant. No one talks about what could have transpired in that thirteen days. This infant had the ill-fortune of being born into a home with two women with an untreated mental illness, and evidently one of those women had homicidal tendencies. No one can say what the circumstances were, but the past can speak for itself. Gladys and Marilyn believed the family was cursed. I think I probably would too, if my lineage were as follows:

Tilford Marion Hogan born 1851-Died 1933, suicide by hanging
 Father of


Della Mae Hogan born 1876-Died 1927, insane and institutionalized
Wife of



death certificate of Otis Elmer

Otis Elmer Monroe born 1866-Died 1909, insane (syphilis) and institutionalized
Father of



Gladys Pearl Monroe born 1902-Died 1984. insane and institutionalized.

Certainly looks like a curse. And I guess genetics can be a curse. But, it is less likely that any wizadry was performed on old Tilford and his descendants than DNA was hard at work. And, the syphilis couldn't of helped poor Otis.



But, Where is Papa?

Then there is the matter of Marilyn's Father. Lets not entertain that he could have possibly been Gladys' former husband, Martin Edward Mortenson. It could not have. He was 2 years gone before Norma Jeane was conceived.
Jasper Newton Baker was the father of Gladys' other children, and Norma Jeane Mortenson was baptized as Norma Jeane Baker by Aimee Semple McPherson into the Church of Christian Science.


Stan Gifford

The fact is, Marilyn believed her father to be one Charles Stanley Gifford. He was a supervisor where her mother worked as a film cutter at Consolidated Film Industries. And, he was a real asshole according to his ex wife Lillian Priestier. An excerpt from her divorce petition records him telling his wife:

"Well you little son of a bitch. Everybody in Culver City knows what you are; nothing but a little whore...Keep still and don't talk to me, or I will knock you on one side of the jaw and knock you over backwards. I would like to knock you with this gun so hard you wouldn't wake up..."


And, Ms. Priestier had this to say about his subordinates at work:

"Plaintiff (Lillian) was informed (by Gifford) and believes that during such absenses, defendant was carousing with persons who were employed with him in the laboratory and others, both male and female, drinking intoxicating liquors and dancing, and otherwise indulging in recreation apart from the plaintiff"

What a guy. I'm not sure that life would have been better for Marilyn with him in the picture. I think the cross the street neighbors, the Bolenders tried their best. And Norma Jeane got to spend a few years there being protected and just being a kid. But, according to my own research, he was a Mayflower Descendant. I bet Marilyn would have loved that.


Perhaps, the one act of love Gladys could show her daughter was to move her in to the neighbor's house as a boarder. Gladys could visit Norma Jeane as often as she would like. And whatever happened during those first 13 days of Norma Jeane's life, would never happen again. Until it did. In Ida and Albert Bolender's own words, Norma Jean's grandmother Della came over, busted a window, and gained entry. She then proceeded to attempt to suffocate the baby with a pillow and the police were called. Grandma's genetic curse was in full play and she was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Norwalk, California.

Thank God for early childhood amnesia.



Della Hogan Monroe at Age 3. There is almost a resemblance.

It is said that this is Elmer, but I disagree. Too new. If it is anyone, it is Della's son Marion, who disappeared and was declared dead.