Curtis Allen Lancaster -- Lost at Sea

 

Curtis Allen Lancaster

Curtis Allen Lancaster was born on June 30, 1933 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.  He was the fifth of seven children born to Pinkney Loys Lancaster and Virginia Thomas Mitchell Lancaster.  His siblings, who all grew to adulthood, were Thomas Loys Lancaster, born in 1923; Sylvia Rebecca Lancaster, born in 1925; Dorothy Lee Lancaster, born in 1927; June Matilda Lancaster, born in 1929; Joe Boyce Lancaster, born in 1934 and James Wendell Lancaster, born in 1937.  Curtis’ father, who was a farmer, died at an early age of 41 in 1938 when Curtis was just about to turn five years old.

Curtis grew up in Hopkinsville and when he was in his early twenties in the 1950s, he moved to Seattle, Washington.  Curtis was single and liked to hunt deer.  On October 17, 1958, Curtis and his roommate, Gordon  Fowler  travelled from Seattle to the small fishing and boating community of Anacortes, Washington, located about 80 miles north on a peninsula near the many islands of Puget Sound.   There he joined a small hunting party headed for Cypress Island in the San Juan Islands group where they planned to hunt deer.

In addition to Curtis and Gordon, the hunting party included James Gant and Don Pennington, along with Pennington’s 15 year-old daughter, Estelle.   The group planned to stay in cabins on Cypress Island.  The group set out in a 16-foot outboard boat from Anacortes late on Friday evening, October 17.  Soon after the hunting party left Anacortes, they encountered a storm.  Sometime later it was determined that their boat had not arrived at Cypress Island which was only about five miles north of Anacortes.  Nothing was found to indicate that the group had ever reached the island.

Family members alerted the Coast Guard about the boat’s failure to arrive at its intended destination.  On Saturday morning the Coast Guard initiated a sea and air hunt for the missing boat.  The search continued on Sunday and Monday in a 15 by 20 mile area surrounding Cypress Island.  Helicopters and fixed wing planes as well as patrol boats were used in the search.  By Tuesday morning hopes faded for the safety of the five members of the Seattle hunting party.  Although a few days later, some wreckage assumed to be from their outboard boat, was found, no trace was ever found of any of the five occupants of the boat.  

Curtis Lancaster was only 25 years old at the time of his death.  His loss in the Puget Sound was similar to the loss another family who died there in a plane crash nearby in 1945.  See Lindsay D. Thomas’ story published as a Leaf on September 15, 2022.

Although the remains of Curtis were never recovered, a monument in his memory was erected in the Lawrence Cemetery in Trigg County, Kentucky, the cemetery where his father Pinkney and his mother, Virginia are buried.  The tombstone reads:  “In Memoriam, Curtis Allen Lancaster, Born June 30, 1933 in Hopkinsville, Ky, son of Pinkney Loys & Virginia Mitchell Lancaster. LOST OCT 18, 1958 IN PUGET SOUND”.

Curtis Lancaster Memorial

(LINEAGE:  Curtis Allen Lancaster was the son of Pinkney Loys and Virginia Mitchell Lancaster, grandson of Ezekiel Allen and Peachie Matilda Harrell Lancaster and great-grandson of Thomas Jefferson and Margaret Francis Lawrence Lancaster.  Margaret was the daughter of Ezekiel M. and Polly Sholar Lawrence.  Polly was the second child of Allen and Jemima Bridges Sholar.  Jemima was the first child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

Sidney Gordon Bridges -- Trigg County Carpenter

 

Gordon and Ernestine Bridges

Sidney Gordon Bridges was born on July 22, 1906 in the Blue Spring community of Trigg County Kentucky.  He was the third of eight children born to Drew Manley Bridges and Lena Mae Guier.  Drew was a farmer and he and Lena lived on a farm in the Mount Pleasant community of Trigg County until 1925 when they moved with their family to farm they bought in the Maple Grove community.  

Gordon’s siblings were Lola Jo, born in 1901; Robbie Bell, born in 1904; Sarah Elizabeth, born in 1907; Clifton Earl, born in 1910; John Thomas, born in 1915; Clovis Manley, born in 1918; and Mosco Doris, born in 1919.

On December 11, 1927 Gordon married Jane Ernestine Bridges in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.   Ernestine was born on June 9, 1906, in the Maple Grove community and was the daughter of Durwood Stanley Bridges and Jane”Jennie” Thomas.  Ernestine’s father Stan had taught school in Maple Grove and later became a merchant in Canton, Kentucky before becoming a famer.  Stan and Jennie settled on a farm in the Maple Grove community.  Gordon and Ernestine lived on the farm with her parents after their marriage.

Gordon did not find farming to be a successful careen and in 1934 he decided he would quit farming and become a carpenter.  He worked on many local projects in the Trigg and Christian County area building homes and barns.  He built the log American Legion Club house in Cadiz as well as working on the CCC Camp.  In 1951, he helped to build the Trigg County Hospital, the first large medical facility in Cadiz.  In addition to his carpentry work, Gordon worked with the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Corps of Engineers on several projects on dams on the Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland rivers.

Gordon was known as a passionate sportsman loving to hunt and fish.  He would travel to Colorado numerous times to hunt deer and trips to South Dakota to hunt pheasants.  He had the reputation of being the best known fisherman in the western Kentucky area.   After his retirement, Gordon worked as a fishing guide on Barkley Lake.  Country music star Eddy Arnold was one of the many fishermen that Gordon helped as a guide.  Gordon’s fishing adventures were even the subject of a newspaper article in the Louisville Courier Journal.

Gordon and Ernestine were the parents of three children, Betty Jo who was born in 1928; Billy Gordon, who was born in 1931; and Robert Stanley who was born in 1934.  Gordon and Ernestine continued to live on the farm where Ernestine was born until their deaths.

Gordon died on February 25, 1986 at the age of 79 in Cadiz, Kentucky.  He was buried in the East End Cemetery in Cadiz.   Ernestine died four and one half years later on December 11, 1990 at the age of 84 in Cadiz.  She was buried in the East End Cemetery next to her husband.

 Ernestine and Gordon

 

 Gordon Bridges

 Gordon and Ernestine Tombstone

LINEAGE:  (Sidney Gordon Bridges was the son of Drew Manley and Lena Mae Guier Bridges, and the grandson of Starkie T. and Elizabeth W. Lawrence Bridge.  Starkie was the second child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Mary was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.

Eldon Lee Reid, Jr. -- Stock Car Racer

 

 

 

Eldon Lee Reid, Jr. was born on July 15, 1973 in El Paso, Texas, the third of eight children born to Eldon Lee Reid, Sr., and Edna Jo Eggleston.  His siblings were Regina Reid, Bobbie Jean Reid, Deserae Reid, Lisa Reid,  Veronica Reid, Andrew Reid and Michael Reid. 

Eldon grew up in New Mexico and his interest in stock car racing came from his father, Eldon, Sr., who was a well known modified race car driver competing in races all over Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.  He won many races and earned numerous achievements on dirt and asphalt tracks.  He taught his son a love for the thrill of the sport.

Eldon, Jr. married  Kristi Brewer and they became the parents of seven children, Zackary Reid, Adyson Reid, Aaron Reid, Kaden Reid, Ashley Reid, Taylor Reid and Zachary Reid.  Eldon started an oil pumping business in the mid 1990s. He grew the company over the following twenty years until 2017 when he, along with his wife, Kristi, increased their company unto a complete oil field service business.

Although his father had always raced, it was a friend of his mother who actually got him interested. . "My dad is in his 50s and they'll bury my dad in his race car," Reid was quoted as saying.  His mom arranged for him to pick up a bomber car which is a lightweight racing car used to race around oval tracks. This immediately sparked a passion for racing. Over the years, Eldon made a lot of friends and shared a lot of laughs at tracks across the country. Butch and Kristi loved traveling across the country to venture to new tracks and to pick up his next new race car. His  pit crew consisted of his cousins and close friends. Even though he was mechanically inclined, Reid relied on his pit crew to keep his car in tip-top shape. 

Reid was the top-point track champion race for several years at the Carlsbad  Speedway and was ranked in high standings at the Artesia, New Mexico track, which draws a competitive field of faster drivers.  In a local interview, Reid explained, that race car drivers always like to put on a show for the fans. An old car with the windows kicked out and driven "as is" fits into the bomber class. Street cars with souped-up  motors raced in the street stock class while four-cylinder, compact cars raced in the mini-stock class. A step up from super stock is the modified class. Reid said. "It s fun. It’s just fun," he added. "It beats going to the bar." . Reid's biggest fan was his son Zachary, who became the self-appointed, race-car inspector and personal coach. His sights were set on racing one day, which would make him a third-generation stock-car driver.

Eldon Reid, Jr., died on Saturday, October 19, 2019 in Amarillo, Texas as the age of 46,  He was buried in the Carlsbad Cemetery in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

LINEAGE:  (Eldon Lee Reid, Jr. was the son of Eldon Lee Reid, Sr. and Edna Jo Eggleston, grandson of Ray Reid and Mildred Marie Smyth and great-grandson of  Fred Rod Smyth and Jewel Irene Bleeker.  Fred was the fourth child of Charles Walter Smyth and Alpha Adeline Thomas.  Alpha was the fifth child of James Clark “Muck” Thomas and Elizabeth Josephine Lawrence Thomas.  James Clark was the fourth child of James Thomas, Jr. and Margaret Ethridge Thomas.  James Thomas Jr. was the sixth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Walter Wallis Baker -- Developer of the Trail of Tears Park

 

Walter Wallis Baker was born on October 14, 1935 in Trigg County, Kentucky, the third of four children born to Clyde Edward Baker and Edna Mae Wallis.  He had two older sisters, Martha Louise, born in 1928 and Elizabeth Jane born in 1933 and one older brother, Joe Ricks, born in 1940. 

Walter lived in the Trigg and Christian County area for most of his life.  He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served during the Korean conflict.  Walter married three times.  His first wife was Norma Maxine Yates whom he married in 1954.  They were the parents of two sons, Richard Wayne, born in 1955 and Andrew Clyde, born in 1961. In 1962, Walter married his second wife, Barbara Ann Stokes and they were the parents of a daughter, Christina Louse, born in 1964.  Walter married again in 1978 to Beverly Tash Nave, a native of New York.  Walter was an accountant and operated his own business in Hopkinsville known as the Baker Accounting Service.

In late 1985, Walter and Beverly began working on an idea to create a commemorative park in Hopkinsville, to encourage interest in a tragic event known as the Trail of Tears.  The Trail of Tears was a route taken primarily by Cherokee Indians when they were forced to migrate from the southeast to Oklahoma.  A part of the trail was through Hopkinsville and Christian County.  The Bakers wanted to designate the Trail as a National Historic Trail in tribute to the importance of Native American Indians to the local history and culture with special emphasis on the Cherokee and to encourage tourism in the area through a park, a museum and related activities. They formed a local group with a donation of $1,000 from a local church to work toward their goal.

Walter and Beverly worked toward getting a congressional bill supporting the park.  On February 5, 1987, a bill was introduced in Congress to designate the Trail of Tears as a national historic trail. After committee hearings and voting, the legislation was passed and President Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law on December 16, 1987. Land, which contained the graves of the Cherokee Indian Chiefs White Path and Fly Smith, was donated for the park by the Kentucky New Era Newspaper and the Henry Morris family. In 1989, statues of the chiefs were unveiled at the park.

Following the creation of the park, Walter and Beverly worked to form a competition to be held in the park each year known as a “pow wow” to encourage attendance by Native Americans to a "non-Indian" land. Costumed dance competitions were held in a number of categories.   In 1992, the "pow wow" celebrated the Year of the American Indian. Craft demonstrations were added to the festivities, which began to attract out-of-towners. The state provided a grant to help develop the pow wow grounds as the Trail of Tears Commemorative Park, which opened in 1993. In 1996, the National Park Service designated the park as a certified site on the National Historic Trail of Tears-the first non-federal property to receive this designation.

Both Walter and Beverly were dedicated supporters of the park that they had helped to create and both worked in the operations of the park until their deaths. Walter died on August 6, 2002 in Bangor, Maine and was buried in the Dry Fork Cemetery in Lyon County, Kentucky.  Beverly died on June 11, 2010 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky and was also buried in the Dry Fork Cemetery,

 Tombstone of Walter and Beverly Baker

Grave Marker of Walter Wallis Baker

LINEAGE:   (Walter Wallis Baker was the son of Clyde Edward and Edna Mae Wallis Baker, grandson of Mark Smith and Mattie Mae Ricks Baker and great-grandson of Samuel Freeman and Sarah Adeline Thomas Baker.  Sarah Adeline was the first child of Stanley and Emily Ann Light Thomas. Stanley was the second child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas.  Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.  Mary was the seventh child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

Carl Stanley Boyd -- Mechanic

 

Carl Stanley Boyd

Carl Stanley Boyd was born on April 17, 1930 in the Maple Grove Community of Trigg County, Kentucky.  He was the son of Otis Taylor Boyd and Dora Virginia Bridges Boyd.  Taylor was a carpenter and a native of Lyon County, Kentucky.  Virginia was born in Trigg County and a great granddaughter of William Bridges and Mary Thomas Bridges.  Carl was the only child of Taylor and Virginia that grew to adulthood.  He had two brothers, Ernest Ragon, who was born in 1926 and died in 1931 and Louard Cash who was born in 1928 and died in 1928.

Carl started his education in the one-room Maple Grove School near his country home where he graduated from the eighth grade in 1946.  He then attended Trigg County High School in Cadiz.  He excelled in football playing center for the Trigg County Wildcats during his high school years. He graduated from TCHS in 1950.

After his graduation from high school, Carl enlisted in the United States Air Force.  He served three years in Europe as a special engineer mechanic.  He was discharged from the Air Force in 1954 after serving for four years.

On June 12, 1959, Carl married Audrey Faye Fisher.  Faye was born on April 14, 1942 in Pleasant Ridge, Alabama.  She was the daughter of Clifton Clay Fisher, a native of Franklin County, Alabama and Eula Ivalee Frederick Fisher, a native of Marion County, Alabama.  Carl and Faye became the parents of three children, Alan Gene Boyd, born on February 9, 1960; Dora Ivalee Boyd, born on July 17, 1961 and Clifton Taylor Boyd, born on November 13, 1973.

Carl continued his career as mechanic which he had started in the Air Force by working at Wayne Supply in Bowling Green, Kentucky and later at Rish Equipment Company in Cleveland, Ohio.  He then returned to Trigg County  where he worked for  the Kentucky State Highway Department;  Noel Concrete in Cadiz; Case Equipment Company in Christian County, Kentucky; the Tennessee Valley Authority in the Land Between the Lakes in Trigg County and Averitt Lumber Company in Trigg County.  His wife, Faye, worked for over twenty years for the Trigg Knit Manufacturing Company in Cadiz.

Carl and Faye lived and raised their three children in their home in the Maple Grove Community near where Carl was born and grew up.

Carl died on Tuesday, February 18, 1997 at his home at the age of 66.  He was buried in the Drury Bridges Cemetery in Maple Grove.  His wife, Faye died at the age of 65 on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at a nursing home in Cadiz, Kentucky.  She was buried in the Drury Bridges Cemetery next to her husband.

 Tombstone of Carl and Faye Boyd

LINEAGE:  (Carl Stanley Boyd was the son of Otis Taylor and Dora Virginia Bridges Boyd.  Virginia was the daughter of John Trice and Maggie Dora Cunningham Bridges.  John Trice was the sixth child of Cullen T. and Martha Ann Virginia Thomas Boyd.  Cullen was the twelfth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Martha Ann Virginia Thomas was the third child of Peyton and Sarah Ethridge Thomas.  Peyton was the third child of Cullen and Elizabeth Futrell Thomas.  Cullen was the first child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Fred Thomas -- U.S. Navy

 

Fred Thomas

Fred Thomas was born on May 19, 1927 in the Donaldson Creek community of Trigg County, Kentucky.  He was the seventh of nine children born to John Cullen “Taylor” Thomas and Myrtle Green Chewning Thomas.  His siblings were Lonnie Douglas, born in 1913; Herschel Jefferson, born in 1915; Eunice, born in 1918; Ruth, born in 1920; Thelma Christine, born in  1922, Guy, born in 1924; Lottie Mae, born in 1930; and Olen Ray, born in 1933.

Fred grew up in rural Trigg County, but as soon as he reached the age of 17 in 1944, he traveled to Louisville, Kentucky where he joined the U. S. Navy.  He was sent to the Naval Training Center at Great Lakes, Illinois where he received his basic naval training.  After his basic training, he was sent to Norfolk, Virginia where he boarded the USS Card.  The ship was sent into the north Atlantic where it served as a destroyer escort on German submarine patrols.

Although it was the end of World War II, Fred continued his naval career by serving on the USS Boxer.  He was also aboard the USS Brisco, which was a target ship in the 1946 Bikini Atoll atom bomb tests in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific.  In the following years, Fred served on the USS Orion, USS President Jackson, the USS Searcher and the USS Belle Grove.  He served off the shore of Korea during the Korean War as air support as well as off the coast of Vietnam.  Following the end of those wars, he spent part of his career at the Commissary Store in Charleston, South Carolina and at the USN Air Station in Pensacola, Florida.

One of Fred’s most impressive assignments was to serve aboard the USS Saratoga. He helped put the ship into commission in April 1956 and served on her for four years and four months. When he was transferred, there were only nine original crew members left on the ship. Years later in 1996, Fred was invited to attend the decommissioning ceremony of the ship in Mayport, Florida. He and his former crewmen marched off the ship together as a part of the ceremony, which was a sad and emotional day for all the men.

Fred retired from the Navy on March 29, 1965 at a rank of Ship’s Serviceman First Class after serving 21 years and three wars with the USS Navy. Fred settled in Milton, Florida where he worked as the sales manager of the local Ford dealership.  He worked for many years in that field and with other dealerships.  He was known to be a charismatic and charming man in his business and personal life.

Fred was married to Lillie Mae Edwards and they were the parents of a daughter, Sharon, who was born in 1967.  Lillie Mae died of cancer in 1990.  Fred married again in 1993 to Eva Somerset Malone and he became a devoted father to his stepchildren.

Fred died on April 10, 2016 in Pensacola, Florida at the age of 88.  He was buried in the Memory Park Cemetery in Milton, Florida next to his wife, Lille Mae.

 

 

Tombstones of Fred Thomas

 

LINEAGE:  (Fred Thomas was the son of John Cullen “Taylor” and Myrtle Green Chewning Thomas, grandson of Carroll and Frances Wills Vinson Thomas, and great-grandson of James, Jr. and Margaret Ethridge Thomas.  James, Jr. was the sixth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas. )

Robert Elliott Malone -- Trigg County Farmer

 

Robert Elliott Malone

 Robert Elliott Malone was born on January 5, 1896 in Trigg County, Kentucky.  He was the youngest of seven children born to Edmund Pendleton, Jr., and Terece Elizabeth Lawrence Malone.  He grew up in the Warrenton Community of Trigg County and attended Warrenton Elementary School.

In July 1918, Elliott was drafted into the U. S. Army and was sent to Camp Taylor, Kentucky located near Louisville, where he received his basic training. He was then assigned to the Company D, 1st Pioneer Infantry and served in the occupation army in France at the end of World War I.  He was discharged from the military on July 7, 1919 and returned to Trigg County.

Elliott married Annie Lucille Williams on October 11, 1922.  Elliott and Annie drove a horse and buggy to the Cadiz home of the Reverend Henry Seymour Gillette, where Reverend Gillette married them as they sat in Elliott’s buggy.   They were accompanied by Annie’s sister, Sidney Alma, and her husband, Pink Harrell Guier, who also remained in the back of their buggy during the ceremony.

Annie was born on March 5, 1903 in Calloway County Kentucky, the daughter of Thomas Green and Johnnie Vara Thomas Williams. Annie was the second of eight children born to Tom, a farmer and Johnnie Vara.  Both of them were natives of Trigg county Kentucky, Johnnie Vara was a granddaughter of Stanley Thomas.

After their marriage, Elliott and Annie lived on the Malone family farm located about three miles west of Cadiz.  Elliott joined with his brother, Henry and they operated the farm which originally belonged to their father.  During the depression, when the farm income was very meager, Elliott and Henry supplemented their income by selling chickens as well as selling eggs, butter and cream.  The brothers even created a chicken hatchery where they raised baby chickens on the farm which were sold to a wholesale company.

To help the family finances, Elliott also worked for a few years as a door to door salesman for the J. R. Watkins Products Company selling liniment and baking materials such as pepper, vanilla, lemon and peppermint extract. In addition, he worked as a guard at Lock E. Dam on the Cumberland River.

Elliott and Annie were the parents of six children, four daughters, and two sons. They were Martha Nell Malone, born in 1925; Edmund Pendleton Malone, born in 1929 and died as an infant the following year; Celena Ann Malone, born in 1931; Betty Sue Malone, born in 1934; Vara Jo Malone, born in 1940 and Robert Elliott Malone, Jr., born in 1944.

After the death of his brother, Henry, in 1955, Elliott continued to operate the family farm.  In 1963, he and Annie moved into the family home on the farm which has been the house where Elliot was born.  He continued to operate the farm until his death.  After his death, Annie continued to manage the farm for almost 18 years until her death.

Elliott Malone died on August 15, 1964 in Cadiz, Kentucky at the age of 68.  Annie died on July 5, 1982 in Cadiz at the age of 79.  Both are buried in the Lawrence Cemetery in Trigg County.

Grave marker of Robert Elliott Malone

Grave marker of Annie Williams Malone

LINEAGE:  (Robert Elliott Malone was married to Annie Lucille Williams.  Annie was the daughter of Thomas Green and Johnnie Vara Thomas Williams, the granddaughter of William Henry and Sidney Dyer Thomas and the great-granddaughter of Stanley and Emily Ann Light Thomas.  Stanley was the second child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas.  Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.  Mary Bridges was the seventh child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

Robert Eric "Lars" Laine -- Jazz Musician

 

 Robert Eric "Lars" Laine

Robert Eric “Lars” Laine was born on February 2, 1910 in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of Franz Viktor and Gertrude Matilda Johansson Laine. During the early days of the depression Bob came to America and settled in New York City. Bob could not speak a word of English. His first job was as a dishwasher, but he was a talented jazz piano player.

After he learned to communicate better, he was invited to a party where he was asked to play the piano. A man at the party gave him his card and asked him to call him the next day. The following morning Bob went to meet the man and was ushered into a swank office. This is where he met Billy Fiske.  Billy said he liked his piano playing and wanted to help him form his own band and asked how much money he would need to start the band. Bob said, “$3,000” and Billy gave him a check for that amount.  A few years later, Billy Fiske, who had won gold on the U.S. Olympic Bobsledding team in 1928 and 1932, was the first American pilot killed in the Royal Air Force in 1940 at the beginning of World War II. Billy was a great benefactor for Bob Laine.

With Billy’s check, Bob was able to start his career as a jazz pianist and he became the first Swedish musician to make it on the America jazz scene.  He performed a solo act in the 1930’s at various New York City piano bars, among them the famous Stork Club and Nick’s. He later joined with other jazz groups and worked on a combination of swing and New Orleans jazz.  Several of his early works were documented on recordings.

Studio opportunities continued to follow him as he moved to the west coast in 1936. He spent three years working under bandleader Ben Pollack.  Ben’s band over time had included Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller. Bob’s recordings released under r Pollack’s name on the Decca label, included "Cuddle Up a Little Closer," "Nobody's Gonna Take You from Me" and a song called "Morocco,"

On September 3, 1943, Bob married Iris Faye Riley in Los Angeles, California. Iris was born on November 6, 1919 in Texas, the daughter of Thomas Henry and Grace Underwood Riley. Thomas Henry was the great-grandson of Orren Dates Bridges. Bob and Iris had one child, Iris G. Laine who was born in 1957.

Laine served in the U. S. Army beginning in 1942 for four years.  He served primarily stateside during the war.  His activity in the 1950s involved more vocal music than jazz. The family moved around between Los Angeles, Hawaii and Las Vegas, finding crooners and warblers looking for accompaniment.

For the last 30 years of his life, Bob and Iris settled in Palm Springs, California where they became the owners and operators of the Lars Laine Art Gallery.

Bob died on December 30, 1997, at Monterey Palms Convalescent Hospital in Palm Desert, California.  He was buried in the Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California.

 Robert Laine at the far right

 

Robert Laine tombstone

LINEAGE:  (Robert Eric "Lars" Laine was the husband of Iris Faye Riley. Iris was the daughter of Thomas Henry and Grace Mabel Underwood Riley, granddaughter of William Sylvester and Mary Anne Hixon Riley and great-granddaughter of Thomas W. and Peachie Elizabeth Bridges Hixon.  Peachie was the first child of Orren Dates and Mary Elizabeth Hixon Bridges.  Orren Dates was the first child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Mary was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

John Robert Vinson III --Funeral Director and Coroner

 

John Robert Vinson, III

John Robert Vinson, III was born on April 16, 1942 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.  He was the oldest of three children born to John Robert “Jack” Vinson and Doris Davis Peal Vinson.  His father worked for the U.S. Post Office and was also engaged in farming most of his life.  His siblings were two younger sisters, Anna Louise, born in 1944 and Carolyn Sue born in 1947.

John grew up on the family farm on Muddy Fork Creek north of Cadiz.  In 1953, he moved with his family to Cadiz where they lived with his grandfather after his grandmother died.  He graduated from Trigg County High School in 1960.  John attended Bowling Green College of Business for one year. He then moved to Louisville where he enrolled in the Kentucky School of Mortuary Science.

On August 27, 1961, John married Margie Ellen Rogers, the daughter of Kenneth L. Rogers, Sr. and Alberta Lyons Rogers who were Trigg County farmers.  John and Margie became the parents of three children. Their first child, Kelli Michelle was born in 1962.  A second daughter, Susan Rochelle was born in 1963 and their son, John Mark was born in 1971.

In September 1962, John graduated from the mortuary school and returned to Cadiz where he began his career at Goodwin Funeral Home as a licensed funeral director and embalmer. Goodwin’s was the first full-service funeral home established in Cadiz, having been founded in 1946 by the late A. K. Goodwin. Chat and Martha Maxfield became the owner of the business after Mr. Goodwin.  After working for Goodwin Funeral Home for nearly 30 years, John became sole owner in 1992 and was joined in the daily operations by his son.

Margie went to work for the civil service and her first assignment was to work for the draft board in Cadiz.  Later she was transferred to the Department of Agriculture where she worked as a regional reviewer and instructor.

In 1964, John ran a successful campaign and was elected as Trigg County Coroner with 77 percent of the vote, taking office in January 1965. He worked simultaneously as both coroner and an employee of the funeral home, He then ran in the next nine county elections where he was unopposed in most of the racesfor the job of coroner. He was elected to his final term with 79 percent of the vote. Upon retirement from the office of coroner in 2006 he was one of Kentucky's longest serving coroners. His son, John Mark, was then elected corner and John, III continued to serve as a deputy coroner in the years following his retirement

John was also instrumental in serving as a first responder by adapting the funeral home's hearses to operate as the county's only ambulance service until January 1979.  

On April 13, 2021, John died at the age of 78, at the Shady Lawn Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Cadiz.  He was buried in the East End Cemetery in Cadiz, Kentucky.

 

LINEAGE:  (John Robert Vinson, III was the son of John Robert “Jack” and Doris Davis Peal Vinson, grandson of  John Robert and Gertrude Wilson Vinson and great-grandson of  Henry Cullen and Mary Catherine Sumner Vinson. Henry was the first child of Thomas Allison and Emeline Thomas Vinson.  Emeline was the fifth child of Cullen and Elizabeth Futrell Thomas. Cullen was the first child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Leslie and Ronald Sholar – Young Victims of a House Fire

 

Leslie and Ronald Sholar

Leslie Eugene Sholar and Ronald Wayne Sholar were two young brothers who died in a tragic house fire on January 26, 1954 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.  Leslie Eugene or "Sonny" as he was called was five and one-half years old, born on March 8, 1948 and his brother, Ronald Wayne was four years old, born on November 26, 1949.  They were the only children, at that time, of William Eugene “Frog” Sholar and his wife, Margaret Worthington Turner Sholar. 

The Sholar family resided in a six room frame house located just outside the western city limits of Hopkinsville. Fire department personnel stated that they received an alarm of the fire at 7:10 a.m. on Tuesday morning, January 26. By the time the firemen arrived at the residence, flames were leaping out of the children’s bedroom 20 feet into the air.

Mrs. Sholar and her sons were alone in the house and she was awakened when the door to her bedroom flew open.  She first thought someone had opened the door and turned on the light.  When she realized what was happening, she tried to make her way to the children’s bedroom but was cut off by the blaze.  Her clothes on fire, Mrs. Sholar ran into the yard and collapsed.  She knew enough to roll over and over to put out her burning night clothes.  After extinguishing her clothing, Mrs. Sholar ran to the window of the boys’ room where neighbors kept her from going back into the house.   She was burned severely about the eyes, shoulders and arms.  Two of the neighbors suffered cuts about the hands and arms in an attempt to pull the boys from the burning inferno.  Mrs. Sholar was subsequently admitted to Jennie Stuart Hospital where she was listed in critical condition from her burns.   Firemen labeled the mother’s effort as one of the bravest rescue attempts in the community’s fire history.

The young boys, only 13 months difference in their ages, perished in their bedroom.  The body of the older boy was found on the floor, and firemen investigating the blaze were inclined to think he may have been attempting to reach the nearby window when he was overcome.  The body of the younger boy was found on the bed and it was believed he had awakened only sufficiently to pull the bed covers over his head in an effort to keep out the intense heat of the fire.

Firemen could not determine the exact cause of the blaze and said they did not believe it started from the coal furnace that was used to heat the house. The family used butane gas for cooking purposes, but none of the neighbors heard an explosion. The father had prepared an early breakfast for himself and had already left for his work in nearby Clarksville, Tennessee.  He said there was no evidence of fire when he left the house.

The two little boys who spent their short lives together were buried in a single coffin and were interred in a single grave in the Riverside Cemetery in Hopkinsville.  Only their father could attend the double funeral as their mother was hospitalized.  William and Margaret subsequently became the parents of a daughter, Ronsonlyn Sholar, who was born on January 31, 1957.

Tombstone of Leslie and Ronald Sholar

 Newspaper photo of mother, Margaret Turner Sholar

LINEAGE:  (Leslie Eugene and Ronald Wayne Sholar were the sons of William Eugene “Frog” and Margaret Worthington Turner Sholar, grandsons of John William and Eliza Jane Steger Sholar and great-grandsons of Drewry Bridges and Helen Wiles Sholar.  Drewry Bridges Sholar was the tenth child of Allen and Jemima Bridges Sholar.  Jemima was the first child of Drury and Charity Cahoon Bridges.)

Mary Elizabeth Williams Griffin -- Baby Left on the Doorstep

 

Mary Elizabeth  or "Georgia Ann " Williams was born in 1918 in Paducah, Kentucky,  although the exact circumstances of her birth may never be known as she was born into an unfortunate family environment and was not taken care of or raised by her mother or father.

When she was still an infant of a few weeks, she was found on the doorstep of the home of Cora Trainor on Berger Road in Paducah, Kentucky. The following note was attached to her:  "Please take care of my little girl. Someday you will know. My name is Mary Elizabeth. You shall be rewarded."  Apparently, at first Cora Trainor (who was later identified as her actual grandmother) was not aware that the infant on her doorstep was her granddaughter, according to a Paducah newspaper article of March 8, 1919. 

The incident was reported in the Louisville Courier Journal newspaper as follows: "Baby Girl is Left on Porch: Paducah, KY, - A six-weeks-old girl baby was found by Mrs. Charles Trainor Wednesday night on the front porch of her home on the Berger Road. There is no clue to the parentage of the child. A note asked the finder to care for the infant and be rewarded. The child was neatly dressed. Mrs. Trainor had not decided what disposition she will make of the find."  Subsequently Georgia Ann as she was called was raised into adulthood by Cora and her unmarried sister-in-law, Annie Trainor.

Several later references indicated that Mary Elizabeth’s mother and father were actually Lura Elizabeth Trainor and John W. Williams of Paducah.  A birth certificate for Mary Elizabeth was created as a "Delayed" document and issued on October 9, 1950 from the State of Kentucky showing Lura Trainor and John Williams as her parents, and stating that she was born on November 10, 1918. According to this birth certificate this was a first birth, legitimate, and was attested to by W. J. Bass, MD, Paducah, KY, on September 23, 1950. He was apparently the attending physician. It was also attested to by F. Swenter, who was Georgia Ann’s uncle, and should have known the circumstances and the actual data concerning the birth. It is believed that the certificate was probably requested by Mary Elizabeth herself.

According to Lura’s obituary, she was married to John Williams on October 14, 1918, about a month before Mary Elizabeth’s birth, but the obituary stated  that there was considerable mystery surrounding their child’s birth and the identify of her parents. Lura died at the young age of 26 of tuberculosis, a year after her child’s birth.  She died on a Pullman car on a train while traveling to a TB treatment center in Texas. Her obituary further stated just before she died, she asked that God would forgive her and said that she was sorry that she had ever met John Williams.

Georgia Ann married James Thomas “Jimmy" Griffin on November 24, 1947.  Jimmy was a native of Stewart County, Tennessee and the son of Plomer and Amanda Jane Vinson Griffin.  He was a civil engineer who worked for the Army Corp of Engineers. In January 1948, Jimmy and Georgia Ann moved to New Albany, Indiana, where she worked as a nurse.   They lived in New Albany for the rest of their lives. They had no children.

Georgia Ann died on Apr 15, 1992, and was buried in the Kraft Graceland Memorial Park in New Albany along with Jimmy who had died on December 2, 1987.

 Tombstone of Mary Elizabeth :Georgia Ann" Williams Griffin

 

Lura Trainor Williams, mother of "Georgia Ann"

LINEAGE:  (Mary Elizabeth Williams was the wife of James Thomas Griffin. James was the son of Plomer Milton and Amanda Jane Vinson Griffin, grandson of James Henry and Martha Alice Futrell Vinson and the great-grandson of Baylous Prent and Amanda Jane Thomas Vinson.  Amanda Jane was the fifth child of James, Jr. and Margaret Ethridge Thomas.  James Thomas, Jr. was the sixth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Leslie Ernestine Wyatt -- Preacher and Teacher

 

Leslie E. Wyatt

Leslie Ernestine Wyatt was born on December 1, 1926 in Trigg County, Kentucky.  He was the fourth of seven children born to Sherman Franklin Wyatt and Bessie Burton Sholar. Bessie was a great granddaughter of Jemima Bridges Sholar. Leslie’s siblings were Wilford Eugene, born in 1921; Opha Pauline, born in 1923; Evie Lurline, born in 1924, Franklin Austine, born in 1929; Maddax Garnettene, born in 1933 and Dorlis Odean, born in 1937.

Leslie grew up on a farm in the Delmont community of Trigg County and attended the local county schools. Wyatt had an inexhaustible desire to learn, and he was promoted early, skipping the third grade and studying and earning credit for his junior and senior years of high school in one year, in 1944.  Following his graduation Leslie traveled to Chattanooga where he began a career as a preacher.  He decided to attend Freed Hardeman College in Henderson, Tennessee as he wanted to be more skilled and effective in his preaching

It was at Freed Hardeman that Leslie met IvyNell Lawson from Yazoo City, Mississippi. Upon his graduation, Leslie and IvyNell were married in her parents’ home in Mississippi on September 8, 1946. They subsequently became the parents of two daughters, Linda in 1952 and Lenelle in 1957.

Determined to make a better life for his future family, Leslie continued his education at Union University in Jackson, TN and then went on to earn a BS degree at Peabody College in Nashville.  Upon graduation from Peabody, he went on to teach at Cornersville High School in Cornersville, TN, and at the same time began preaching at the Cornersville Church of Christ.

In 1953, the family moved to Mathiston, Mississippi where Leslie worked full-time with the church at Mathiston, had a radio program on Sunday mornings and traveled to two smaller towns to preach in the afternoons. Although he loved his career in the ministry, Leslie did not lose sight of wanting to make a larger impact on young people, teaching them to prepare for their futures. In 1956, he returned to Nashville where he taught business education at David Lipscomb High School. He remained a teacher at the high school until his retirement in 1992

While serving as a full time teacher, he still wanted to continue preaching and would preach at many congregations in Nashville and surrounding counties filling in for preachers who were away. In 1958, he became the preacher for a congregation in Nolensville, TN.  During this time at Nolensville while also teaching at David Lipscomb, he pursued and received his Masters of Education degree in 1962. In 1986, he left the Nolensville congregation and became the associate minister of the Shelby Ave. Church of Christ in Nashville where he served until his retirement.

IvyNell died in 2020, at which time the couple had been married for 74 years.  Leslie died two years later on January 18, 2022 in Nashville. Leslie and IvyNell are buried in the Woodlawn Memorial Park in Nashville.

LINEAGE:  (Leslie Ernestine Wyatt was the son of Sherman Franklin and Bessie Burton Sholar Wyatt, grandson of Ishmal Worth and Sarah Ann Newton Sholar and great-grandson of Thomas J. and Martha Jane Rogers Sholar.  Thomas J. was the seventh child of Allen and Jemima Bridges Sholar.  Jemima was the first child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

John Carl Bridges -- School Vehicle Mechanic

 

John Carl Bridges was born on October 16, 1904 On Beechy Fork Creek in the Maple Grove community of Trigg County, Kentucky.  He was the fifth of eleven children born to John Trice and Maggie Cunningham Bridges.  His siblings were Lillie Jane, born in 1899 and died as an infant; Lucy Lee, born in 1900, Lola Frances, born in 1902; Dora Virginia, born in 1903; Mary Pauline, born in 1908; Queen Alexander, born in 1909 and died as an infant; Hilda Agnes, born in 1910; Beulah Louise, born in 1913; Clifford Elmo “Pete”, born in 1917 and Dorothy Allene, born in 1920.

Carl grew up on a farm and became a farmer for most of his life.  However, he was very interested in the mechanics of motor vehicles.   Before he grew to manhood, he had several times taken apart and put back together the engine of the first Ford automobile owned by his father. By the time he was an adult he was an established mechanic.

Carl worked for a period of time for the Ford dealership in Cadiz.  In 1934 he converted his pickup truck to a school bus and secured a contract with the Trigg County Board of Education to transport students from their homes in the Maple Grove and Donaldson Creek communities to the school in Cadiz.  He worked continuously for the Board for over thirty years except for a few months during World War II when he was employed in the war effort.

In 1938, the Board constructed a central garage for its growing fleet of buses and Carl was placed in charge of the operations as the head mechanic and as the Director of Transportation.  His responsibility was to maintain and keep in operation all the motor vehicles owned by the Board of Education. During his thirty years with the school board, Carl begin with three county buses  which grew into a fleet of thirty modern school buses which transported over 1,600 children daily, covering 1,400 miles per day at an annual cost of $100,000 at the time.  Under Carl’s supervision the Trigg County School Bus system became noted as one of the most efficiently and safely operated school transportation system in the state.  At the time of his retirement in 1966, it was estimated that school children had ridden over seven and one-half million miles on buses maintained and checked by Carl without a single serious mechanical failure. 

On June 1, 1926, Carl married his childhood sweetheart, Julia Thomas who was born on August 1, 1905 and was the daughter of Smith and Ida May Meador Thomas. Around the time of his marriage, Carl was helping his carpenter father built Julia’s parents’ second home.  During the building process, Carl had written “Carl Bridges plus Julia Thomas” in bold large letters on the ceiling of an upstairs closet.  The marking wasn’t discovered until the house was remodeled in 1970 after both of them had died.

Carl and Julia were the parents of two children, Rose Claire, born in 1932 and Carl Trice “Bunny”, born in 1934.  They were also the foster parents of Betty Ann Bridges who came to live with them in 1935.  Betty was born as Ossie Bell Creek in 1920 and changed her name in 1941.

Julia died on January 26, 1969 at the age of 63 in Cadiz, Kentucky.  Carl died six months later on August 8, 1969 in Cadiz at the age of 64.  Both Carl and Julia were buried in the Starkie Thomas Cemetery in the Oak Grove Community of Trigg County.

John Trice and Maggie Cunningham Bridges Family

From Left...back row Homer Francis, Carl Bridges, Frances Bridges Francis, Lucy Bridges Thomas, Virginia Bridges Boyd, James S. Thomas (husband of Lucy) Front row.... Hilda Agnes Bridges, John Trice Bridges, Beulah Bridges Thomas, Dora Maggie Cunningham Bridges holding Clifford (Pete) Bridges, Mary Pauline Bridges Thomas
 

Tombstone of Carl and Julia Bridges

LINEAGE:  (John Carl Bridges was the son of John Trice and Maggie Dora Cunningham Bridges, the grandson of Cullen T. and Ann Virginia Thomas Bridges and the great-grandson 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.)

Clifford Ray Sumner -- A Man of Many Jobs

 

Clifford Ray Sumner

Clifford Ray Sumner was born on September 11, 1912 on a farm in Arditta, Howell County, Missouri, the second child of ten children born to William Stanley Sumner and Frankie May Wilson.  William Stanley was a grandson of Orren Dates Bridges, who was born in Trigg County, Kentucky. Ray grew up on the family farm and attended a one-room school in Cureall, Missouri.

For two years prior to finishing high school, Ray hopped aboard freight trains and travelled over the country, working for his meals and lodgings and enjoyed new places and adventures. 

In 1934, Ray joined the U.S. Army where he was stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma from boot camp until his discharge as a master sergeant in 1937. Upon leaving the military, Ray married Frances Maurine Sullivan on July 11, 1937. Their son, Tommy Ray Sumner was born in 1938 and they had a daughter, Carole Ann Sumner, born in 1946.

When World War II began, Ray was recalled to his regiment where he served in Africa, Italy, France and Germany.  Ray was a top ranking NCO and was promoted to Second Lieutenant during the end of his military tour. 

After the war, Ray and his family settled in Bristow, Oklahoma where he opened a grocery store. However, Ray soon tired of working inside, so he and his father-in-law sold the store and moved both of their families to Costa Mesa, California in 1946. Ray, along with his brother-in-law owned a boat manufacturing company. After several years, business was slow and they changed from building boats to building kitchen cabinets and the business flourished.  In 1951, Ray left the manufacturing business and went to work for the Metcalf Company who built large commercial buildings. One of Ray’s favorite assignments was the building of the Prudential Insurance Building on Wilshire Boulevard in downtown Los Angeles.

The day after the completion of the insurance building, Ray left the construction company and moved his family to Yucca Valley, California.  There Ray worked as a general contractor building houses.  In March of 1960, Ray took a job as a building inspector for San Bernardino County.  Fourteen months later, he received a job offer to work as a construction superintendent for Homestead Supplies in Banning, California.  This job required a lot of travel and in 1963 Ray went back to working for himself as a general contractor. That same year he and his wife Maurine were divorced.  He later met Mary Ann Miller, whom he married on December 7, 1968 in Los Angeles.  Ray and Mary moved to Baldwin Park, California where he worked in the switch room for General Telephone. After five years, he was unhappy working inside again, so he and Mary moved to Big Bear, California where they both worked for Homestead Supplies.  In 1976, Ray and Mary were divorced.

Ray married his third wife, Hazel Huff Baxter on April 5, 1980.  On March 10, 1982 Ray and Hazel were riding their Harley Davidson motorcycle when they were involved in a traffic accident.  Ray sustained a massive brain injury and was in a coma for five months.  After he regained consciousness, he was allowed to return home.

Ray did well until the summer of 1986 when he slowly regressed by not talking or being able to walk.  In October of 1986 Ray was put into a convalescent center in Yucca Valley.

Later that year, Ray caught pneumonia and died in his sleep on December 20, 1968 at the age of 74 years.  He was buried in the Joshua Tree Memorial Park in Joshua Tree, California. His wife, Hazel, died in 2007 and was buried next to him.

Tombstone of Ray and Hazel Sumner

Ray, Maurine and son, Tommy

 Ray and his third wife, Hazel, in the 1980s

LINEAGE:  (Clifford Ray Sumner was the son of William Stanley and Frankie May Wilson Sumner, the grandson of Aaron Cornelius and Martha Caroline Bridges Sumner and the great-grandson of Orren Dates and Mary Elizabeth Hixon Bridges.  Orren was the first child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cahoon Bridges.  Mary was the fifth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Dustin Roe Mayer -- Cowboy

 

Dustin Roe Mayer

Dustin “Dusty” Roe Mayer was born on a Sunday morning, June 26, 1983 in Greenfield, Massachusetts, one of the few members of this family born in New England.  He was one of the two children born to Loren Roe Mayer and Mary Elizabeth Cantrell. His only sibling, Molly Anne, was born in 1981.  His father, Loren was a native of Greenfield.   His mother, however, was a native of Tarrant County, Texas and was a descendant of Allen Sholar and Jemima Bridges.

Dusty spent his early years in New England.  When he was five years old, he and the family moved to Roy, New Mexico.  It was there that his fascination with the cowboy life began. The family moved for a short time to Houston, Texas, but moved back to Roy where Dusty completed his high school.  After completing his education, Dusty would never leave northern New Mexico again.

In high school, Dusty learned to play the trombone, was active on the soccer team, was a Boy Scout and attained a brown belt in judo. But mainly his high school days were filled with rodeos and bull-riding and he adopted and embraced the hard work required of an American cowboy.

In 2005, Dusty married Jessica de Baca and they moved to the Ojo Feliz Ranch, located near the community of Wagon Mound, New Mexico.  While living on the ranch, they became the parents of their three children, Jasper, Parker and Scarlett.  At the ranch, Dusty worked as his lifelong profession, a cowboy. In addition, Dusty continue to participate in rodeos, primarily working in the rodeo sport of bull riding. Dusty enjoyed working with leather crafts and had learned the art of saddle making. He was a great lover of animals, especially his horses and cattle, and he felt most at home outdoors.  While working on the ranch, he was responsible for gathering, branding and shipping many a head of cattle.
Dusty was an active member of the New Mexico Maverick Club.  The Maverick Club was the sponsor of quintessential small-town Fourth of July rodeos since 1923.  Dusty participated in a series of riding and roping contests derived from the working skills of the American cowboy.  

On Sunday morning, June 2, 2019, Dusty lost his life doing what he loved.  While working as a cowboy. Dusty’s horse fell on him as he was riding at the ranch in Ojo Feliz, New Mexico.  Dusty was only 35 years old at the time of his death and left behind three young children, Jasper 13, Parker 9, and Scarlett 5.

Dusty was buried in the Roy Cemetery in Roy, New Mexico.

LINEAGE: (Dustin Roe Mayer was the son of Loren Roe and Mary Elizabeth Cantrell Mayer, grandson of William Allen and Joyce Laree Hobbs Cantrell and great-grandson of William Emory and Vida Viola Vinson Cantrell.  Vida was the daughter of Jesse Allen and Elizabeth Sims Vinson.  Jesse was the first child of Thomas Allison and Alpha Gemima Sholar Vinson. Alpha was the ninth child of Allen and Jemima Bridges Sholar.  Jemima was the first child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)