Francis Warburton Guilbert was born in 1896 into Racine’s wealthy class to parents A. Arthur Guilbert, architect, and Bessie Bull Guilbert, daughter of Stephen Bull, one of the giants of the Case Corporation.
“Gerald Karwowski, a local history buff who operates the Oak Clearing Museum near Union Grove, said Guilbert wrote 3,114 songs … Jerry has 1,485 pieces of unpublished Guilbert sheet music so he has a way to go to get a complete file of Guilbert music.” — Racine Journal Times, September 9, 1996.




1922: Death of father A. Arthur Guilbert
1926: Mother Bessie Bull Guilbert becomes ill
1928: Death of mother Bessie Bull Guilbert
April 7, 1930, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA, Francis 33 is an Actor and Composer for Motion Pictures. He rents his home @ $90 per month and has a roommate, Clarence S. Bliss 50, an Insurance Salesman. From the 1930 Federal Census.


Ashes of the late F. Warburton Guilbert, former Racine resident, who died September 22 in Hollywood, will be brought to Racine and will be deposited in a grave on the Stephen Bull lot in Mound cemetery. Services will be held Friday at 2 p. m. at the grave. Rev. Alexander Simpson of St. Luke’s Episcopal church will officiate. Mr. Guilbert was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. A. Arthur Guilbert and a grandson of the late Stephen Bull. Mr. Guilbert had won a wide reputation as a composer and musical director. Many of his productions were presented in radio broadcasts and in moving pictures. He also appeared in numerous stage productions. His death followed a short illness. The body was cremated in Los Angeles.