5163 Franklin: House of Good Fortune
- KP
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 10 hours ago
5163 Franklin Avenue is a home that radiates good vibes — thanks in part to a young girl born on Friday the 13th.

Josephine Frances Conrin was 11-years-old in 1924 when her parents Joseph and Jessie built this Spanish architectural gem in Los Feliz (currently for sale for $2.9 million). Enrolled at the nearby Immaculate Heart school, she excelled at golf, winning several championships and even setting a course record (79) at the Hollywood Country Club.

Jo’s good luck began on Friday, June 13, 1913, when she was born exactly 13 minutes before midnight in Kansas City, Missouri. Despite the superstitious day, “I’ve always had perfect health and a happy home life,” she insisted to the Los Angeles Times.
The newspaper put 17-year-old Jo on the front page in 1930, as she celebrated her birthday on Friday the 13th for only the second time since her birth.
Five years later, she was back in the news ahead of another Friday the 13th. “Jinx Day Held Terrorless” read the headline accompanying a photo of Jo pointing to the ominous December 13 on a calendar. At the time, she had been living in LA for 13 years and was the proud owner of a Boston terrier set to turn 13 on January 13.

By then, the Conrins had moved from 5163 Franklin to 343 North Orange Drive, a duplex in Hancock Park. “The only thing out of place in my life is that the number on my house is 343 instead of 313,” Jo told LAT. “Next time we move I’m going to see to it that we locate at the proper number.”
During World War II, Jo worked for the USO and served as the regional director for several states. In 1944, she was transferred to Hawaii and embarked from LA aboard a train — sitting in the 13th seat of the 13th car.
After the war, Jo married veteran James McDonogh on November 9, 1946. Four days later on the 13th, their marriage license was filed by the county clerk “at 1 minute past 3pm.” Sadly, weeks before their 11th anniversary, James died from cancer, leaving Jo to raise their 6-year-old son Dennis. She never remarried and lived until the ripe old age of 77.
Comments