Bill H. Sumner
Bill H. Sumner was born on February 10, 1940 in Trigg County, Kentucky, the oldest of two children born to Bayliss Hugh Sumner and Ruby Helen Calhoun Sumner. Bayliss and Ruby were both natives of Trigg County. Bayliss grew up in the Donaldson Creek community and was a farmer. He was a descendant of both Drewry Bridges and Perry Thomas. Bill’s only sibling was Bobbie Nell Sumner, born in 1942 and married Harlan Calhoun.
Bill grew up on his father’s farm on Donaldson Creek and attended the Upper Donaldson Grade School. He went on to attend Trigg County High School in Cadiz where he graduated in 1958.
On October 6, 1959, Bill was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was sent to Fort Jackson, South Carolina where he received two months of basic training. He was then transferred to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas where he received two months of medical training. On February 20, 1960 he was sent to Fort Campbell, Kentucky where he worked at the U.S. Army Hospital in medical supply for two years. Bill was scheduled to be discharged on October 7, 1961 but because of the Berlin Crisis his term of duty was extended for 120 days. He was honorably discharged on February 5, 1962 with the rank of a Private First Class.
Bill married Brenda Shemwell on December 7, 1963 at the Julien Baptist Church in Julien, Kentucky. Brenda was born on March 13, 1945, the daughter of Delmar Lloyd Shemwell and Iva Beatrice Sumner Shemwell, both natives of Trigg County, Kentucky. Delmar was a farmer. Brenda grew up on her father’s farm near the Caledonia community of Trigg County. She graduated from Trigg County High School in 1963.
After the completion of his military service, Bill returned to Trigg County where he was employed with the Christian County Soil Conservation Service in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. After two years, he went to work for Thomas Industries in Hopkinsville where he was employed for sixteen years. In 1980, Bill became the owner and operator of Sumner’s South Road Market. The market was on the same site on the South Road in Trigg County of an earlier grocery owned by Bill’s uncle which was well remembered as the “Ted Thomas Grocery.” In addition to operating the market, Bill returned to farming which included raising cattle. Brenda worked in several positions over the years including the medical records section of Jennie Stuart Memorial Hospital and bookkeeper for W. Jeff Hammond Moving and Storage, both in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. She worked in the Trigg County Government with the County Judge, Trigg County Sheriff as Deputy Sheriff and bookkeeper for the sheriff’s office.
Bill and Brenda were the parents of two children, Tamara Lynn Sumner, born in 1966 and married John Perry Fourqurean, Jr.; and John Kevin Sumner, born in 1967 and married Amy Elizabeth Stagner.
Bill died on December 18, 2015 at the age of 75 in the Jennie Stuart Medical Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky as a result of a farm accident. He was buried in the East End Cemetery in Cadiz.
Bill's tombstone
Bill's military tombstone
LINEAGE: (Bill H. Sumner was the son of Bayliss Hugh and Ruby Helen Calhoun Sumner and the grandson of Thomas “Tommie” Darnell and Lula Bell Thomas Sumner. Tommie was the third child of James Edmond and Mary Louisa Bridges Sumner. Mary Louisa was the second child of Drewry and Peachie Ann Tart Bridges. Drewry was the fourth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges. William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges. Lula Bell Thomas was the fifth child of Chilton Allen and Martha Ann Duncan Thomas. Chilton was the tenth child of Perry and Elizabeth Josephine Bridges Thomas. Perry was the third child of James and Mary Standley
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