Sarah Loutishia Hughes -- Manufacturing Plant Worker

 

Loutishia Hughes

Sarah Loutishia Hughes was born on June 10, 1919, in Trigg County, Kentucky.  She was the ninth of ten children of Luther Lee Hughes and Mattie Patterson Light Hughes.  Luther was a well known farmer in the Warrenton Community of Trigg County.  Her mother, Mattie, was the daughter of John J. Light and Emeline Catherine Thomas Light.  Loutishia’s siblings were Harmon Marcellius, born in 1903; Verna Elizabeth, born in 1904; Mary Catherine, born in 1906; Lula Gertrude, born in 1908; Luther Bertram, born in 1909; Edna Lorene, born in 1912; Richard Stanley, born in 1914; James Raymond, born in 1916 and Thomas Alton, born in 1921.  All nine of Loutishia’s siblings lived to adulthood and were married.  Loutisha was the only one to remain single.

Loutishia attended the Warrenton School in her neighborhood while growing up.  On July 9, 1947 she was one of the early individuals to be employed at a new blue jean manufacturing plant that had opened the previous month in Cadiz, Kentucky.  The plant, known as the Little River Garment Company opened with 20 employees. It was a subsidiary of Hopkinsville’s Elk Brand Manufacturing Company.  The Cadiz plant made overalls and blue jeans and was affectionately known over the years simply as “The Overall Factory.” The plant was in a concrete block building located on Lafayette Street.  It was a major employer for the citizens of Trigg County for many years.  A major expansion of the factory came in 1975 enabling as many as 260 people to work at Elk Brand. Other garment items were also produced there over time. 

During her early days at the plant, Loutishia was in charge of sewing pockets to bib overalls. Later she worked on the plant’s production line, sewing on blue jeans.   Over the years Loutishia’s job changed, as did the style of blue jeans.  However,  her  main  jobs stayed  the  same, putting  buttons  on  the  end  of pants,  making  belt  loops  and sewing on pockets.  Loutishia retired from the clothing plant in August 1984 after 37 years of employment.  Recalling her last days, Loutishia said, they were sad days because “it was time to say good­bye. One thing I’ll always cherish is how nice the employees treated me, especially the younger ones.”

The Elk Brand Manufacturing Company employees held a special retirement dinner for Loutishia on Tuesday, October 9, 1984.  The plant manager presented her with a silver tray as a token of appreciation from all the employees for her many years of working at the overall factory.

After her retirement, Loutishia took up the hobby of making quilts, a hobby which allowed her to still use her sewing skills.  Loutishia’s diligence was evident in that she had perfect attendance for 47 years in Sunday school at her church, the Oak Grove Baptist Church in Trigg County.

Loutishia outlived her four sisters and her five brothers, dying at the age of 84 on Wednesday, August 27, 2003 in Cadiz, Kentucky.  She was buried in the Lawrence Cemetery in Trigg County, Kentucky.

Loutishia Hughes

Tombstone of Loutishia Hughes

LINEAGE:  (Sarah Loutishia Hughes was the daughter of Luther Lee and Mattie Patterson Light Hughes and the granddaughter of John J. and Emeline Catherine Thomas Light.  Emeline was the seventh 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.)

Ronald Rex Sholar -- Master of Sacred Music

 

Ronald Rex Sholar

Ronald Rex Sholar was born on October 10, 1931 in Cadiz, Kentucky.  He was the youngest of seven children born to Robert Euel Sholar and Emma Goebel Cox Sholar.  His father, Euel, worked as a repairman for the telephone company in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.  Ron’s siblings were Robert Lawrence, born in 1920; Clarence Ward, born in 1921; Elva Gwendolyn, born in 1923; Rosetta Evelyn, born in 1925; Jean Carolyn born in 1926 and Donald Euel, born in 1928.

Ron grew up in Hopkinsville and graduated from Hopkinsville High School where he played in the high school band.  He graduated from Murray State University with a bachelor’s degree in music.  At MSU he served as president of the senior class and was listed as a “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities”.  He then enrolled in the Southern Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky where he received a Master of Sacred Music degree.

On August 21, 1955, Ron married Gloria Fern Phillips at the First Baptist Church in Clay, Kentucky.  Gloria was born on July 4, 1933 in Crittenden County, Kentucky, the daughter of Samuel Boyd and Georgia King Phillips. She was a graduate of Murray State University with a degree in Education and taught in numerous positions during her career.  Ron and Gloria were the parents of four children, Ronald Rex, Jr., born in 1956; Phillip Jeffery, born in 1957; Stephen Gregory, born in 1959 and Jill Elizabeth born in 1961.

After becoming a Baptist minister, Ron served as the minister of music in a number of Kentucky churches, beginning with the First Baptist Church in Clay, Kentucky in 1952. He ended up serving as a minister of music for over 70 years, ending up serving for his last 20 years as the Music Director for the Sinking Fork Baptist Church in his home town of Hopkinsville.

While Sholar not only loved music, he loved the Lord as he was known as the longest-serving member as minister of music in the history of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. During his life, he had a collection of instruments he played which included a triumph trombone, as well as other instruments. Upon his death, these instruments were donated to Hopkinsville High School, which were used by the students of the band. His son was quoted as saying, “It felt only right to donate Dad’s instruments to Hopkinsville High School.  My Dad, my siblings and I all went to Hoptown High and we all played in the band. It felt natural to return his instruments to our old stomping ground. We love that kids today are able to use all the instruments and truly enjoy them.”

Ron was known as a man of music. The entire Sholar family was musically inclined. Gloria played the piano, Ron, Jr. played the trumpet, Phil played the trombone, Steve played the trumpet and Jill played the flute and harp.

Ron died on January 23, 2022 at the age of 90 in the Bowling Green Medical Center.  He was buried in the Flat Lick Cumberland Presbyterian Church  Cemetery in Herndon, Kentucky.  His wife, Gloria, died on February 5, 2001 in Hopkinsville at the age of 67 and was also buried in the Flat Lick Cumberland Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

 

 Ron Sholar

 

Tombstone of Ronald and Gloria Sholar

LINEAGE:  (Ronald Rex Sholar was the son of Robert Euel and Emma Goebel Cox Sholar and the grandson of Drewry and Rosetta Olive Grigsby Sholar.  Drewry was the son of William Bridges and Mary Hutt Sholar. William was the fourth child of Allen and Jemima Bridges Sholar.  Jemima was the first child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

Robert Eugene Francis - County Attorney

 

 

 

Robert "Bobby" Eugene Francis 

Robert “Bobby” Eugene Francis was born on June 30, 1935 in Trigg County, Kentucky.  He was the third of six children born to Clarence Averitt “Avery” Francis and Berta “Bertie” Adeline Thomas Francis.  Avery was a long-term well known barber in Cadiz, Kentucky and Bertie was a housewife and a great-granddaughter of Starkie Thomas.  Bobby’s siblings were Clarence Layton, born in 1929; Billy Clayton, born in 1933; Betty Ann, born in 1938; Donna Louise, born in 1941 and Carl Ray, born in 1945.

 

Bobby attended Trigg County schools and graduated from Trigg County High School.  He went on to serve as an enlisted man in the U.S. Army, serving a tour of duty in Germany. On August 60, 1958, Bobby married Bernadine Powell Coombs, of Hopkinsville, in Robertson County, Tennessee.  Bernadine was born on May 15, 1936, the daughter of Wesley Elvis and Susan West Powell, both natives of Christian County, Kentucky. Wesley was a Baptist minister.

 

Bobby and Bernadine were the parents of three sons, his stepson, James Steven Coombs Francis, was born in 1956.  Clarence Averitt Francis II was born in 1959 and Robert Wesley Francis was born in 1960.

 

Bobby and Bernadine settled in Hopkinsville, Kentucky and he began working for the federal Social Security Administration. He worked fourteen years with SSA. While working for the SSA, Bobby attended night school at Austin Peay State University in nearby Clarksville, Tennessee, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree.   While still working for the SSA, Bobby subsequently transferred to Louisville, Kentucky.  In Louisville, Bobby obtained his law degree after attending night school at the University of Louisville Law School. Bernadine and his sons remained in Hopkinsville while Bobby pursued his law degree in Louisville.

 

After passing the bar exam, Bobby and his family moved to his hometown of Cadiz where in May 1971 he established a law practice, with his office being located on the second floor over the CreditThrift store on Main Street in downtown Cadiz.

 

 On January 31, 1973 Bobby announced that he was a candidate for the office of county attorney.  In the following election in May, he upset the incumbent by 482 votes and became the county attorney.  Bobby served for two terms as county attorney, but in 1981, he was defeated in his bid for a third term by another local attorney.

 

Aside from fulfilling the duties of county attorney, Bobby was active in civic and social work in Cadiz and Trigg County.  He was a member of the Kentucky Bar Association, serving as president of the Trigg County Chapter, and as a director of the Kentucky State County Attorney’s Association, representing the nine counties in the Pennyrile Area.  He played a major role in implementing the Senior Citizens  Center,  the  Trigg  County Recreation  Complex,  the  re-opening of  the  American  Legion  swimming pool,  and the reorganization of the Trigg County Hospital .

 

Following the end of his political career, Bobby returned to his law practice in Cadiz.  The firm subsequently opened offices in Paducah and Henderson where he specialized in social security disability laws.  His wife, Bernadine died on March 15, 1983.  On June 29, 1985, Bobby married his second wife, Loralene Barber Stewart in Trigg County. Loralene was born on October 1, 1950 in Christian County, Kentucky and was the daughter of Joe Douglas and Myrtie Mae Marshall Barber.  Joe was a great-grandson of Simco Bridges. 

 

Robert Eugene Francis died on March 15, 2006 at the Trigg County Hospital in Cadiz at the age of 70.  He was buried in the Trigg Memory Acres Cemetery in Trigg County, a cemetery that Bobby had co-founded in 1972. 

 

Bobby Francis tombstone

 

Bobby Francis military tombstone

 

LINEAGE: (Robert Eugene Francis was the son of Clarence Averitt and Berta Adeline Thomas Francis and grandson of Wesley Gunn and Eliza Henderson Thomas.  Wesley was the sixth 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.

Olif Clifton Thomas -- Rubber Industry Worker

 

 

 

Olif Clifton Thomas was born on November 16, 1907 in the Donaldson Creek community of Trigg County, Kentucky.  He was the first of seven children born to Alfred Herman Thomas and Maggie Lee Emma Carr Thomas, both natives of Trigg County with Alfred being the great-grandson of Cullen Thomas.  Alfred grew up on a farm but moved with his family to Akron, Ohio in the 1920s where he worked in the rubber industry.  Maggie worked as a housewife.

Olif’s siblings were Mary Thomas, born in 1909; Edith Eugenia Thomas, born in 1913; Rollo Ellis Thomas, born in 1915; Nora Lee Thomas, born in 1918; Sammie Virginia Thomas, born in 1923 and Marian Shirley Ann Thomas, born in 1931.

Olif spent his youth working as a farmer along with his father in the Donaldson Creek area.  In 1927, he moved along with his family to Akron, Ohio where his father began working in the rubber industry, primarily in the manufacture of tires. During the 1920s, many families moved to Akron, Ohio for the jobs that were available as Ohio emerged as the leader of rubber production in the United States and Akron became known as the “Rubber Capital of the World.” Shortly after arriving in Ohio, Olif, like his father also joined the rubber industry when he became an employee of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. Olif was an employee with the company for more than 30 years until his early retirement in 1958 due to a heart ailment.

Olif enjoyed returning to Kentucky to visit his home county.  He made numerous visits to Cadiz where he would spend a Saturday or two meeting old friends around the courthouse and in the local stores. Although he lived in Ohio, he considered Kentucky his true home.

Olif’s wife, Mellie Juliette Cox, was born in the Maggie community of Trigg County, Kentucky on March 12, 1909, the daughter of John Chappell Cox and Sibbie Ophelia Martin Cox. John was a native of Trigg County and Sibbie was a native of Christian County. Mellie lost her mother when she was ten years old and at an early age she learned to cook and be a housekeeper. In 1929, she moved from Kentucky to live with her sister, Ruby, in Akron, Ohio.  She worked as a housekeeper for several families and then as a teletype operator for Western Union.  On February 13, 1933, in Ohio, Mellie did something she said she would never do, she married a “Thomas” boy from Trigg County.

Olif and Mellie were the parents of four children, Layton Chappell Thomas, born in 1933; Judith Arlene Thomas, born in 1937; Larry Clifton Thomas, born in 1938 and Lonnie Clark Thomas, born in 1945.

Olif died in Akron on February 13, 1967 at the age of 59.  He was buried in the Greenlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Akron.  His wife, Mellie, died on July 12, 2004 in Akron at the age of 95.  She was buried in the Greenlawn Memorial Park next to her husband.

Mellie Thomas, wife of Olif Thomas

 

LINEAGE:  (Olif Clifton Thomas was the son of Alfred Herman and Maggie Lee Emma Carr Thomas and the grandson of James Dillard and Sarah Armentia Sholar Thomas.  James Dillard was the fifth 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.)

John Robert Thomas -- Survivor of Pearl Harbor

 

John Robert Thomas

John Robert Thomas was born on November 15, 1919, in Lyon County, Kentucky, the fourth of seven children born to William Robert “Willie” Thomas and Emma Rogers Thomas.  Willie had one son, Harland Truman, born in 1905, by his first wife, Mary Jane Ingram Thomas.   Willie and Emma’s other children were Milton Ward “Chuck”, born in 1910;  Mary Agnes, born in 1912;  William Howell, born in 1915; Eunice Grace, born in 1917; an unnamed infant, born and died in 1923 and Cecil Wayne, born in 1926.  Willie and Emma were both natives of Trigg County, Kentucky and were lifelong farmers.

When John was seven years old, the family moved from Lyon County to Trigg County where John grew up in the Canton District and attended Trigg County Schools.  He attended the new high school in Cadiz and was a member if the first class to graduate from Trigg County High school in May of 1938.

After graduating from high school, John enlisted in the U. S, Navy in 1939.  He received his basic military training at the Naval Station in Norfolk, Virginia.  He was then assigned aboard the battleship, the USS Oklahoma as a Chief Boatswain’s Mate.

On December 7, 1941, John was aboard the USS Oklahoma which was docked at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese made their infamous attack. A total of 429 men died on the ship during the attack and survivors jumped off the ship 50 feet into boiling hot water in order to escape the ship before it sunk. John was one of those who jumped from the ship and managed to swim until he was rescued.

After Pearl Harbor, John was assigned to the USS Enterprise before being transferred to the South Pacific where he participated in the Solomon Island Campaign.  He fought against the Japanese march against New Zealand and Australia.  His final major invasion was the battle for the island of Iwo Jima.  
John was discharged from military service in December 1945 after having served six years for his country during World War II.  Instead of returning to his home in Trigg County, Kentucky, he settled in California. There he was employed with the Southern California Edison Utility Company where he worked until his retirement in 1979.

As a civilian, John became an active member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.  He served for five terms as national president of the organization.  He also was an active member of the American Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Prior to 1950, John married his first wife, Opal Winters, a native of Illinois, who worked as a bookkeeper.  John and Opal lived in Cypress, California. They were divorced on January 20, 1984.  His second marriage was to Phyllis Ann Evans who he married on February 22, 1984 in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Phyllis was born October 19, 1918 in Columbus, Ohio. John had no children.

John died on July 1, 2005 in Columbus, Ohio at the age of 86.  He was buried in the Harrison Township Cemetery in South Bloomfield, Ohio.  His wife, Phyllis, died February 5, 2011 at the age of 93 in Columbus.  She was buried in the Harrison Township Cemetery near her husband.

 Tombstone of John R. Thomas

Tombstone of Phyllis Thomas

LINEAGE: (John Robert Thomas was the son of William Robert “Willie” and Emma Rogers Thomas and the grandson of Robert Allison and Emma Nora Cunningham Thomas.  Robert Allison was the fifth 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.)