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'''Susan Wiley''', (b Apr 18, 1957), the famous case of the "feral child" "Genie", raised under severe conditions until she was 13 years old. She was kept isolated in a back bedroom, locked in a bed surrounded by chicken-wire at night and strapped to a potty chair by day. <blockquote> Copyright 2007, Will Johnson, [mailto:wjhonson@aol.com wjhonson@aol.com], Professional Genealogist, All Rights Reserved. This page is locked, if you'd like to add or correct anything, please email me. </blockquote> If you enjoy the research done here, consider making a [http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_xclick&business=wjhonson@aol.com&amount=15.00&item_name=Genie_Wiley_Fund financial contribution] to keep research like this going. http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~wjhonson/WileyHouse.jpg <center>The Wiley House Above</center> ---- ==Susan Wiley== <table><tr><td>http://www.homeworking.ws/children/genie-wiley.jpg</td><td> What did I know when I started this article about Genie? Genie is called variously 13 or 13 1/2 in postings describing when she was discovered by authorities in 1970. Until today I had no idea of her surname, the names of her parents, siblings or where they lived except the vague "Los Angeles" area. Various postings online claim that her real name has been kept private. I had thought that was because documents were sealed, but as you see shortly, I was wrong. Her situation was discovered in 1970, and it's been reported that she was found when her mother, escaping from her abusive husband, went to social services. I knew that she was examined in various laboratory settings, that her father shot himself, and that her mother was living for some time afterwards and eventually at some point got custody of her again.</td> </tr></table> On [[Mar 6]], 2007, an editor on Wikipedia, added an newspaper article as an external link to the article on Genie, which identifies the parents as "Clark Wiley and his wife Irene". Many online postings state that the father shot and killed himself before he could be arrainged. Armed with this, and the useful tool that a name like "Clark Wiley" is quite rare, I went looking for his death entry and found it. In trying to find an obit, I found much more. An article in the ''Valley News'' of Van Nuys, California, Dec 17, 1970, (page 23C "Felony Charge Dismissed in Wiley Child Abuse Case") gives her name as "Susan". It repeats her parents names as above and adds that she had a brother or half-brother named John Wiley, calling him "Clark's son". In this same article, Irene is called "of Alhambra, California", although their home is described as being "in Arcadia". In 1970, in the Los Angeles suburb of Arcadia. Susan "Genie" was taken into protective custody. A site visitor has told me that there is a book about this case, which could possibly explain why Irene is called both of Alhambra and of Arcadia. It appears possible that Irene and Clark seperated and she went, taking Susan "Genie" with her, to live with her own mother. It was possibly at *this* time that she went to Social Services, and then they would have come to her *new* albeit temporary home with her mother, who presumably would be living in Alhambra. IF TRUE, that would then explain a number of things. Clark Wiley's mother had been "killed by a hit and run driver", and this is used to explain his bizarre actions. "Just before he was due in court to be arraigned for child abuse, he shot and killed himself", as the Valley News reports, adding that he was 70 years old, and killed himself on Nov 20. The article also states that Mrs Wiley is 50 years old. The person who sent me the above picture of the house states that it is in Temple City, California. John Wiley appears in the Temple City High School year book for one year, but after the story broke, he declined to have a picture taken. I do not know yet if the mother Dorothy Irene (Oglesby) Wiley is living, but Susan is supposed to still be alive in an adult-care home somewhere in California. Her brother John is supposed to have died along with the other grandmother (Dorothy's mother) in some kind of car accident. Some editors at Wikipedia have been quite vocal about trying to suppress her real name from her article there, in addition of course to suppressing her surname, and details about her family. ===Primary documentation=== *[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/default.aspx?htx=view&dbid=50155&iid=NEWS-CA-TH_DA_RE.1970_11_17_0012&r=an&rc=2605%2c1146%2c2697%2c1192%3b2716%2c1146%2c2827%2c1192&fn=&ln=Record+Clark+Wiley+from+1960-2007&st=d&ssrc=&pid=508937228 ''The Daily Report'' (Ontario, California)], 17 Nov 1970, page A-2, "Parents Charged in Girl's Imprisonment" : [picture of Susan] "Susan Wiley, a teenager with the mentality of a 12 to 18 month old infant, was kept a prisoner in the home of her elderly parents for 13 years. No reason was given for her confinement...." "...The girl's plight was discovered by a social worker who visited the home...the family applied for welfare aid and an eligibility worker was sent to their home.... A son John, 18, was sent to live with his grandparents following the arrest of his parents." *[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=CAdeath1940%2c&rank=0&gsfn=Clark&gsln=Wiley&sx=&gs1co=2%2cUnited+States+&gs1pl=7%2cCalifornia&year=&yearend=&sbo=0&ufr=0&srchb=r&prox=1&ti=0&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&o_iid=21416&o_lid=21416&o_it=21416&fh=0&recid=7913222&recoff=1+2 California Death Index 1940-97] showing "Clark G Wiley born 29 Mar 1901 Oregon, died 20 Nov 1970 Los Angeles County, California *[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=view&dbid=7683&iid=NEWS-CA-VA_NE.1970_12_17_0114&r=an&rc=3599,308,3847,450;3825,1246,3930,1292;3442,1292,3554,1338;3813,1654,3921,1700;3446,1879,3571,1925;3619,2700,3740,2746;3823,4146,3946,4192;4215,704,4330,750;4013,929,4135,975;4269,1121,4385,1167;4378,2113,4490,2159;4017,2267,4139,2313&fn=&ln=Record+Clark+Wiley+from+1970-1970&st=d&ssrc=&pid=508970098 ''Valley News'' (Van Nuys, CA), Dec 17, 1970, page 23C "Felony Charge Dismissed in Wiley Child Abuse Case"] *[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=0&f2=&f1=Wiley&sx=&f9=&f5=&f4=&rg_f3__date=&rs_f3__date=0&f6=&f7=Oglesby&gskw=&prox=1&db=cabirth1905&ti=0&ti.si=0&gl=&gss=rfs&gst=&so=3 California Birth Index 1905-1995] showing "Susan M Wiley born 18 Apr 1957 Los Angeles County, California. Mother's maiden name: Oglesby". Searching on *any* child born to father Wiley and mother Oglesby we get the whole family: "Dorothy Irene Wiley born 2 Jun 1948, Robert Clark Wiley born 15 Sep 1949, John Gray Wiley born 11 Mar 1952, and Susan [as above]. All born in Los Angeles County." *[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=0&f1=&f2=&f0=wiley&sx=&f4Day=&f4Month=&f4Year=&f6=&f5Day=&f5Month=&f5Year=&f7=&f10=&f9=Oglesby&f3=&f8=&prox=1&f4=++&f5=++&db=cadeath1940&ti=0&ti.si=0&gl=&gss=rfs&gst=&so=3 California Death Index 1940-1997] showing "Dorothy Irene Wiley born Jun 2, 1948 California, died Aug 19, 1948 Los Angeles County, California. Mother's maiden name Oglesby" and "Robert Clark Wiley born Sep 15, 1949 California, died Sep 17, 1949 Los Angeles County, California. Mother's maiden name Oglesby" ===Secondary Sources=== *[http://www.mymultiplesclerosis.co.uk/misc/wild-child.html An article which gives her real surname] and a photograph *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genie_(feral_child) "Genie"] on Wikipedia ===Further reading=== These two books were pointed out to me by a page reader Kelly Weedon, 2008. *"Genie: A scientific tragedy", by Russ Rymer *A paragraph on Genie appears in the book: "Savage Girls and Wild Boys: A History of Feral Children", by Michael Newton *Here are just a few of the papers in which her name was reported as "Susan Wiley" : [http://content.ancestry.com/browse/view.aspx?dbid=7044&iid=NEWS-WI-OS_DA_NO.1970_11_17_0001&rc=3545,362,3675,416;941,3983,1045,4025;1066,3983,1190,4025&pid=508937217&ssrc=&fn=&ln=Record+Clark+Wiley+from+1970-1970&st=g ''Oshkosh Daily Northwestern'' (Oshkosh, Wisconsin)] 17 Nov 1970, page 1, "Parents Are Arrested for Retarding Child"; Reno Evening Gazette (Reno, Nevada); Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, New Mexico); Bennington Banner (Bennington, Vermont); Holland Evening Sentinel (Holland, Michigan); Iowa City Press Citizen (Iowa City, Iowa); Kingsport News (Kingsport, Tennessee); Lima News (Lima, Ohio); News Journal (Mansfield, Ohio); Post Crescent (Appleton, Wisconsin); Yuma Daily Sun (Yuma, Arizona); Bucks County Courier Times (Levittown, Pennsylvania); Chronicle Telegram, The (Elyria, Ohio); Coshocton Tribune (Coshocton, Ohio); Derrick (Oil City, Pennsylvania); El Paso Herald-Post (El Paso, Texas); Florence Morning News (Florence, South Carolina); Fond Du Lac Commonwealth Reporter (Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin); Manitowoc Herald Times (Manitowoc, Wisconsin); Morning Herald (Uniontown, Pennsylvania); Nevada State Journal (Reno, Nevada); Red Bluff Daily News (Red Bluff, California); San Antonio Express (San Antonio, Texas); Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, Wisconsin); Stevens Point Daily Journal (Stevens Point, Wisconsin); The Advocate (Newark, Ohio); The Capital (Annapolis, Maryland); The Chillicothe Constitution Tribune (Chillicothe, Missouri); The Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pennsylvania); The Daily Report (Ontario, California); The Daily Times News (Burlington, North Carolina); The Daily Tribune (Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin); The Gettysburg Times (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania); The Progress (Clearfield, Pennsylvania); The Times Recorder (Zanesville, Ohio); The Zanesville Signal (Zanesville, Ohio); Valley News (Van Nuys, California) **[http://content.ancestry.com/browse/view.aspx?dbid=7044&iid=NEWS-WI-OS_DA_NO.1970_11_17_0001&rc=3545,362,3675,416;941,3983,1045,4025;1066,3983,1190,4025&pid=508937217&ssrc=&fn=&ln=Record+Clark+Wiley+from+1970-1970&st=g ''Oshkosh Daily Northwestern'' (Oshkosh, Wisconsin)] 17 Nov 1970, page 1, "Parents Are Arrested for Retarding Child" transcribed [[Susan_Wiley/Oshkosh_Article|here]] **[http://content.ancestry.com/browse/view.aspx?dbid=7044&iid=NEWS-WI-OS_DA_NO.1970_11_20_0001&rc=3460,371,3579,421;2547,2983,2623,3025;2665,3404,2748,3446;3571,2587,3650,2629;3777,3017,3879,3059;3092,3596,3193,3638;3213,3596,3334,3638;3729,3546,3839,3588;3860,3546,3970,3588;179,6850,262,6892&pid=508940289&ssrc=&fn=&ln=Record+Clark+Wiley+from+1970-1970&st=g ''Oshkosh Daily Northwestern'' (Oshkosh, Wisconsin)] 20 Nov 1970, page 1, "Man Who Kept Daughter in Diapers is Shot" transcribed [[Susan_Wiley/Oshkosh_Article_2|here]] ==Clark G Wiley== <table><tr><td>http://www.homeworking.ws/children/clark-wiley.jpg</td><td>Clark Wiley was born 29 Mar 1901 in Oregon. He married Dorothy Irene Oglesby sometime before 1948 and probably in California. They had four children, all born in Los Angeles County, California but two died young: #Dorothy Irene Wiley born 2 Jun 1948, died 19 Aug 1948 #Robert Clark Wiley born 15 Sep 1949, died 17 Sep 1949 #John Gray Wiley born 11 Mar 1952 #Susan M Wiley born 18 Apr 1957 Clark Wiley has been described as some sort of recluse. He was the main power in the home, his wife Dorothy being nearly blind was totally dependent on him. Clark and Dorothy were the parents of Susan Wiley called "Genie" in popular books and scientific papers about her case. Just prior to going to trial, with his wife Dorothy, on Felony Child Abuse charges, Clark Wiley killed himself 20 Nov 1970, with a bullet. Charges against Dorothy were subsequently dropped.</td></tr></table> ===Primary documentation for 2=== *[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=0&f2=&f1=Wiley&sx=&f9=&f5=&f4=&rg_f3__date=&rs_f3__date=0&f6=&f7=Oglesby&gskw=&prox=1&db=cabirth1905&ti=0&ti.si=0&gl=&gss=rfs&gst=&so=3 California Birth Index 1905-1995] showing "Susan M Wiley born 18 Apr 1957 Los Angeles County, California. Mother's maiden name: Oglesby". Searching on *any* child born to father Wiley and mother Oglesby we get the whole family: "Dorothy Irene Wiley born 2 Jun 1948, Robert Clark Wiley born 15 Sep 1949, John Gray Wiley born 11 Mar 1952, and Susan [as above]. All born in Los Angeles County." *[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=CAdeath1940%2c&rank=0&gsfn=Clark&gsln=Wiley&sx=&gs1co=2%2cUnited+States+&gs1pl=7%2cCalifornia&year=&yearend=&sbo=0&ufr=0&srchb=r&prox=1&ti=0&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&o_iid=21416&o_lid=21416&o_it=21416&fh=0&recid=7913222&recoff=1+2 California Death Index 1940-97] showing "Clark G Wiley born 29 Mar 1901 Oregon, died 20 Nov 1970 Los Angeles County, California *[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=view&dbid=7683&iid=NEWS-CA-VA_NE.1970_12_17_0114&r=an&rc=3599,308,3847,450;3825,1246,3930,1292;3442,1292,3554,1338;3813,1654,3921,1700;3446,1879,3571,1925;3619,2700,3740,2746;3823,4146,3946,4192;4215,704,4330,750;4013,929,4135,975;4269,1121,4385,1167;4378,2113,4490,2159;4017,2267,4139,2313&fn=&ln=Record+Clark+Wiley+from+1970-1970&st=d&ssrc=&pid=508970098 ''Valley News'' (Van Nuys, CA), Dec 17, 1970, page 23C "Felony Charge Dismissed in Wiley Child Abuse Case"] *[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=0&f1=&f2=&f0=wiley&sx=&f4Day=&f4Month=&f4Year=&f6=&f5Day=&f5Month=&f5Year=&f7=&f10=&f9=Oglesby&f3=&f8=&prox=1&f4=++&f5=++&db=cadeath1940&ti=0&ti.si=0&gl=&gss=rfs&gst=&so=3 California Death Index 1940-1997] showing "Dorothy Irene Wiley born Jun 2, 1948 California, died Aug 19, 1948 Los Angeles County, California. Mother's maiden name Oglesby" and "Robert Clark Wiley born Sep 15, 1949 California, died Sep 17, 1949 Los Angeles County, California. Mother's maiden name Oglesby" ==Dorothy Irene Oglesby== Dorothy Irene Oglesby married Clark G Wiley and they had four children, two of whom survived childhood. [[Category:True crime]] [[Category:California]]
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