Mildred Imogene Bridges Gregory -- Banker's Wife

 

Mildred Imogene Bridges was born on Saturday, February 27, 1926 in Lyon County, Kentucky, the second child born to Albert Claud and Ethelene Bonner Bridges.  Her father, Albert Claud was born in the Maple Grove Community of Trigg County, Kentucky. He had served in World War I and after his discharge; he enrolled in vocational training in Bowling Green, Kentucky.  While there he met Ethelene Bonner who was from the Mont Community in the land between the rivers section of Trigg County.  They were married on April 17, 1922 at the courthouse in Eddyville, Kentucky.  Ethelene was the daughter of Oscar and Beulah Gray Bonner.

Mildred had three siblings. Her only sister, Margaret Virginia Bridges was born on January 5, 1923. Margaret died on January 4, 1933 at the age of 10 of influenza complicated by cerebral meningitis. Mildred had two younger brothers, Albert Claud Bridges, Jr., known as Buster, who was born on January 26, 1935 and died on March 4, 2002; and Billy Franklin Bridges who was born on January 15, 1937 and died on December 28, 1992.

During the 1940’s Mildred lived in Eddyville, Kentucky with her parents and her two brothers.  Mildred’s cousin, Pearl Bridges, who was 18 in 1940, also lived with them.  In addition they had a boarder, Amos Gray, who lived with them Amos worked as a guard at the Kentucky State Penitentiary.  Her father worked as a mail carrier at that time.

On June 7, 1947, Mildred married Eugene Franklin Gregory.  Eugene or Gene as he was known was born on February 13, 1926 and was a native of Lyon County, Kentucky and the son of Leland Franklin and Georgia Edna Lawrence Gregory.  After their marriage, Mildred and Gene moved to Decatur, Illinois where Gene used his GI Bill benefits to attend James Millikin University.  He also worked as a press operator at the Grigo Company.

While in Decatur, Mildred and Gene had their first child, Claudia Gregory, who was born on April 19, 1949. Unfortunately, Claudia died five days later on April 24, 1949 while still in the hospital.  Claudia was buried in the Graceland Cemetery in Decatur.

After Claudia’s death, Mildred and Gene returned to Kentucky and settled in Paducah.  Gene’s college classes in accounting and business helped him to obtain a position as a bank teller with the Citizen Bank and Trust Company in Paducah.  He and Mildred purchased a home in Paducah in 1951 where they lived through the 1950’s.  Here their family grew to include three sons, Leland Michael Gregory, born September 12, 1950, Leslie Alan Gregory, born February 7, 1955 and Eric Franklin Gregory, born November 17, 1957.

Gene became very successful with his banking career.  Starting out as a bank teller, he soon grew through the ranks of the banking industry and eventually became a bank president.  The rise to the top of his banking career required the Gregory family to relocate from Paducah to South Carolina in the early 1960’s.

Mildred began suffering with lupus during her later years and she died on May 5, 1990 in Belton, South Carolina at the age of 64.  She was buried in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Belton.  Her husband, Gene, died in 2006 and was buried next to her.

Tombstone of Eugene and Mildred Bridges Gregory

LINEAGE:  (Mildred Imogene Bridges was the daughter of Albert Claud and Ethelene Bonner Bridges, granddaughter of Alfred Franklin and Minnie Lancaster Bridges and the great-granddaughter of Simco N. and Emeline Martin Bridges.  Simco was the third child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges. William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Mary Thomas was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Robert Leonard Clayton -- Mistaken for a Burglar

 

 

Robert Leonard Clayton was the husband of Francis Pearl Bridges, daughter of Cornelius Neal Bridges and Emma Jean Sons. Cornelius and Emma were born in Trigg County, Kentucky as well as their daughter Francis who was born on November 17, 1899.

Robert was born on June 25, 1887, the son of Warham Johnson Clayton and Ann Eliza Scarberry. The Claytons were born in Kentucky and Robert was born in Princeton, Kentucky.  The family lived in the Bucksnort community of Caldwell County in 1900.  Robert was the second oldest child of fifteen children of Warham and Ann.

Robert left Caldwell County as a young man and moved to Palmer, Pennsylvania where he purchased an interest in a garage in Adah, Pennsylvania. Robert was inducted into the armed services on March 28, 1918 at Uniontown, Pennsylvania and was assigned to the Aviation School at the Kelly Air Force Base in Texas.  He was honorably discharged a few months later on October 22, 1918 as World War I was ending.

While living in Pennsylvania he met and married his first wife, Bessie Pearl Dearth of Fayette County, Pennsylvania. On January 9, 1923, Bessie, age 30 at the time, died from injuries suffered when an automobile in which she was riding was struck by a train.  Following the death of his wife, Robert sold his interest in the garage and returned to live in Princeton, Kentucky.

While living in Princeton, Robert met Frances Pearl Bridges and they were married on June 23, 1925.  They became the parents of four sons, Robert Leonard Clayton, Jr., who was born in 1925, Harold Clayton, born in 1926 but died at 2 ½ months, Charles Edward Clayton, born in 1928 and James O. Clayton, born in 1929.

On the late Sunday evening of November 23, 1930, Robert lost his life in a tragic incident.  On that evening, Robert and his wife Frances along with their three young children were traveling in the family car just outside Princeton.  Unfortunately, the car ran out of gas.  Robert left Mrs. Clayton and the two younger children in the car alongside the road and took five-year old Robert, Jr., with him in search for some help.  They came upon a small wayside filling station that was closed. Robert knocked on the door of the station in an attempt to get the attention of the owner.  The owner approached the door from the inside, but Robert, who suffered from a hearing defect, failed to hear the approaching owner call in response and continued to rattle the door.  The owner, thinking the intruder was a potential burglar fired a gun through the closed door.  The bullet struck Robert just above the heart, killing him instantly.

Robert was buried in the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Princeton, Kentucky.  His wife, Frances died on February 13, 1985 in Evansville, Indiana and was buried next to her husband.

Tombstone of Robert and Frances Bridges

LINEAGE: (Robert Leonard Clayton was the husband of Frances Pearl Bridges.  Frances was the daughter of Cornelius Neal and Emma Jean Sons Bridges, granddaughter of William Joseph and Sarah Wills Bridges and great-granddaughter of Simco and Emeline Martin Bridges.  Simco was the third child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Mary Thomas was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Robert Henry Thomas -- Farmer, Miller and Carpenter

 

Robert Henry “Bob” Thomas was born on February 19, 1867, on Donaldson Creek in Trigg County, Kentucky.  He was third of eight children born to Carroll Thomas and Margaret Jane Reid Thomas. Carroll was the son of James Thomas, Jr. and Margaret Ethridge Thomas and Margaret Jane was the daughter of Matthew Reid and Martha Vinson Reid.

On December 20, 1888, Bob married Lille Belle Thomas of Trigg County, who was the daughter of Peyton Thomas and Sallie Ethridge Thomas.  Her exact birth date has not been found in any of the family records. However, an old Upper Donaldson School record dated 1888, lists her name as Lille Belle Thomas, age 20, which make her birth year as 1868.

After his marriage, Bob built a log cabin on property that he had acquired from his father.  In this log cabin he began a milling operation along with housekeeping with his new wife. This log structure stood until 1978 when it was destroyed by a tornado.  Today a highway commemorative marker indicates the location of the cabin site.

Bob and Lille had only one child, Robert Peyton Thomas who was born on November 12, 1889. He married Birdie Lee Gordon of the Dry Creek Community of Trigg County.  Lille Belle died on December 4, 1899 when Robert Peyton was only twelve years old.  She was buried in the Peyton Thomas Cemetery in Trigg County.

After the death of his first wife, Robert Henry married Ora Agnes Bridges on April 7, 1901. Ora Agnes was the daughter of Cullen T. Bridges and Virginia Thomas Bridges.  Ora Agnes was a direct descendant of Drury and Charity Calhoun Bridges.  After he remarried, Bob built a new home about 100 yards east of his original log cabin.  In this home he raised his second family.

Bob and Ora Thomas had three children, Ruby Virginia, born on May 11, 1902, Henry Cullen, born November 24, 1903 and Edison Hugh, born on June 5, 1912.  Edison Hugh was the author of the family history, The Thomas and Bridges Story 1540-1840.

Bob was a capable farmer, a carpenter of considerable skill as well as operating a grist mill for many years, all trades of which he used to make a living for his family.  He helped to organize and was a stockholder in the first community telephone system on Donaldson Creek.  This system was connected with several systems in surrounding communities and for many years, the party line switchboard was operated out of his home.

Bob was a musician of considerable talent. He loved to play the violin or fiddle and often got together with his brothers, Bud, Edd and Charlie, to form a “string band” for the entertainment of family, friends and neighbors.

Except for a short period of time when his family lived in Paducah, Kentucky, Bob and Ora lived their entire life at their home on Donaldson Creek. They were members of the Donaldson Creek Baptist Church. Bob was active in political affairs and always voted at election time, usually for the Democratic Party.  When the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920 permitting women to vote, Ora was one of the first in her precinct to do so.

Robert Henry Thomas died of Pneumonia on January 27, 1948 at the age of 81 in the Western State Hospital in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.  He was buried next to his first wife, Lillie, in the Peyton Thomas Cemetery.  Ora had died on October 28, 1933 and was buried in the Drury Bridges Cemetery.

Tombstone of Robert H. and Lillie Belle Thomas

Tombstone of Ora Bridges Thomas

LINEAGE:  (Robert Henry Thomas was the son of Carroll Thomas and the grandson of James Thomas, Jr.  James, Jr. was the sixth child of James Thomas and Mary Standley Thomas.)

George Clyde Cunningham -- Farmer and Construction Worker

 

George Clyde Cunningham was born on June 11, 1904 in Trigg County, Kentucky.  He was the second of seven children born to Elmer Ellsworth “Ell” Cunningham and Rosa Lee Bridges Cunningham.   His father, Ell was a farmer and had served as a magistrate for the Maple Grove Community in Trigg County.  His mother was the daughter of Cullen T. and Virginia Thomas Bridges.

On February 11, 1923, Clyde married Robbie Bell Bridges of Trigg County. Robbie was also a descendant of the Thomas-Bridges Family, being the daughter of Drew Manley and Lean Guier Bridges. Drew was a descendant of the Starkie Bridges family. Clyde and Robbie became the parents of six children, Aubrey Hershell, Albert Dale, Alfred Leslie, Dolly Mae, Martha Rhea and Mava Dale.

Clyde was primarily a farmer in the Warrenton community of Trigg County, but he was also involved in many construction projects. In 1926, Clyde worked on the construction of Lock and Dam 50 which was built on the Ohio River in Crittenden County, Kentucky. The dam was one of three dams built on the lower Ohio River in the 1920s for the purpose of insuring a nine-foot boating stage on the river at all times during the year.  Clyde also worked on the clearing of the land for Kentucky Lake which was formed by the Kentucky Dam which was begun in 1938 and completed in 1944.

Another construction project that Clyde was proud to have participated in was the construction of Maple Grove Baptist Church. He and Robbie were charter members of the Maple Grove Baptist Church and he along with his sons helped with the construction of the church in 1944-1945. Clyde was ordained as one of the first deacons in the church on January 24, 1945.

Clyde and Robbie lost their second son, PFC Albert Dale Cunningham in World War II.  He was killed in action on November 28, 1944.  He was buried in the Epinal American Cemetery in southern France with full military honors.  In 1948 his body was brought home and reburied in Trigg County.

Clyde died at the age of 69 on October 19, 1973 as a result of a farming accident.  He was preparing to do some farm work with his tractor and bush hog.  The equipment was in gear when he started and both the tractor and bush hog ran over him causing multiple injuries.  Clyde was buried in the Allen Cemetery in Trigg County, Kentucky.  His wife, Robbie, died on May 4, 2004 at the age of 99 and was buried beside Clyde in the Allen Cemetery.

Tombstone of George Clyde and Robbie Bridges Cunningham

LINEAGE:  (George Clyde Cunningham was the son of Rosa Lee Bridges and the grandson of Cullen T. and Virginia Thomas Bridges.  Cullen was the twelfth child of William Bridges and Mary Thomas Bridges. William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Mary Thomas was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Patricia Adams Oberbillig -- Minister

 

Patricia Ann Adams Oberbillig was born in Akron, Ohio on August 30, 1943, to Jim Floyd Adams and Maggie Bell Hargroves Adams, who were both born in Trigg County, Kentucky. She was the tenth of eleven children born to Jim and Maggie. She lived in Cadiz, Kentucky, during her younger childhood. She returned to Akron during elementary school and graduated from South High School in 1961. 

Pat married James Richard Ryan on February 10, 1962 when she was 18 years old.  James was a native of Akron, Ohio.  Trisha and James had two children, Kent Richard on September 11, 1962 and Connie Lynn on January 9, 1964. The family eventually settled in Des Moines, Iowa in 1974 after short stints living in Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky.

Raising her children was Pat’s primary focus for several years but eventually knew that she was called to be in ministry. She first attended Drake University and received her Bachelor's degree in 1982 (summa cum laude). Pat then travelled to Kansas City, Missouri each week for three years to earn her Master of Divinity (MDiv) at Saint Paul School of Theology and was ordained into ministry in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in 1985.

Pat's ministry in the central Iowa area spanned more than three decades. She served as chaplain at Ramsey Home from 1983 to 1994. She was a chaplain at Hospice of Central Iowa and pastor at Runnells Christian Church in Runnells, Iowa from 1994 - 1999. She served Plymouth Congregational Church in Des Moines as the Minister of Pastoral Care beginning in 1999 and retired in 2008. Pat never really retired as she continued her ministry through Iles Funeral Homes in Des Moines as the Community Education Director. She was active in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) regional ministry serving on the Commission on Ministry from 2006 - 2016, including four years as Chair of the Ordination Unit. 

Pat's love of music, and particularly singing, was central in her life. Her beautiful, clear soprano voice was a gift to all. Over the years, she shared her voice in church choirs, community ensembles, and performances at the Des Moines Playhouse, including Desiree in "A Little Night Music." Her voice and the many solos she shared are cherished memories for family and friends. Amazing Grace, O Holy Night, and especially The Lord's Prayer will always be heard by many in Pat's soaring voice.

On September 18, 1999, Pat married her second husband, Robert Charles Oberbillig. They shared 19 years together before her death. They loved cheering for the Chicago Cubs, the Des Moines Symphony, the Des Moines Metro Opera, traveling the world, enjoying good food and wine, and most especially spending time with their large family and many friends.

She died at home in Des Moines, Iowa on October 2, 2018 after a five-month struggle with Glioblastoma. She was cremated.

LINEAGE:  (Patricia Ann Adams Ryan Oberbillig was the daughter of James Floyd and Maggie Bell Hargroves Adams, the granddaughter of John Quincy and Suphronia Adeline Williams Adams and the great-granddaughter of John Wylie and Martha Jane Coleman Adams. Martha Jane was the second child of Alfred Boyd and Alpha Thomas Coleman.  Alpha was the second child of Perry and Elizabeth Bridges Thomas.  Perry was the third child of James and Mary Standley Thomas. Elizabeth was the sixth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)