Mallie's brother came for a visit from California and persuaded her that she could make a better life for the children there. In the spring of 1920, Mallie, her five children, and eight other people, many related to Mallie, headed for California. At first, the group shared a small, cold-water flat in Pasadena at first. Eventually, other members of the group moved to other homes, and Mallie, the children, and Cora and William Wade remained.
Mallie got a job as a domestic, but the job was soon lost when the family she worked for moved. Looking for employment, she stumbled into a welfare office, which gave her clothing. Accounts vary as to whether she got other help from welfare. In any case, being a good worker, Mallie soon had another job as a domestic, getting up before dawn to go to work. Still, in spite of her best efforts, sometimes her family had almost nothing to eat. As soon as the children became old enough, they contributed to the family's coffers by cutting lawns, shining shoes, delivering groceries and newspapers, and running errands.
When Mallie returned home from work, tired though she was, she always found a way to give the children her attention. After supper, everyone sat at the table to do homework. In addition to the mathematics tables and the grammar rules, Mallie drilled them with the importance of family unity, kindness towards others, and faith in God.
