Isabelle Thomas Francis -- Hospital Employee

 

Isabelle Thomas was born on November 17, 1904 in the Oak Grove community of Trigg County, Kentucky, the oldest of two daughters born to John Vernon Thomas and Clemmie Wilson Thomas.  John Vernon was a farmer, an automobile accessory dealer, hospital and drug store employee as well as the operator of a tourist home.  He and Clemmie were both natives of Trigg County and John Vernon was a great-grandson of Starkie Thomas.  Isabelle’s younger sister was Louise Thomas, born in 1913 and married Herman Jefferson Boyd.

Isabelle grew up in the Oak Grove community, attended the local schools and graduated from the Cadiz High School.  She went on to teach in several elementary schools and in the Civilian Conservation Corps.

On December 25, 1922, Isabelle married Otis Houston Francis at the home of their minister, Rev. John T. Cunningham. Otis was born on Beechy Fork Creek on November 29, 1898, the son of George Washington Francis and Miranda Arthelia Brown Francis. Both George and Miranda were natives of Trigg County and George worked as a farmer. 

Otis did not complete grade school, but basically went out on his own working as a farmer. He first rented land, becoming a sharecropper and later owned and managed his own farm in the Oak Grove community.  He also worked as a carpenter and worked several years on large projects such as dams, bridges and large buildings.  In the late 1920s, Otis and Isabelle moved to Toledo, Ohio where they lived for several years before moving back to Kentucky where Otis again worked on their farm and Isabelle assisted her husband in his farming operations.

Otis and Isabelle were the parents of two sons, Thomas Houston Francis, born in 1923 and married Mary Helen Alvey and Philip Vernon Ragon Francis, born in 1928, who married Mary Lillian Shelton and later married Patricia Ann Zimmerman.

On December 29, 1948, Otis died at the age of 50 on his farm in Trigg County after a long illness with cancer.  He was buried in the Starkie Thomas Cemetery in Trigg County.

Following Otis’ death, Isabelle began working at the Western State Hospital in Hopkinsville.  In this job she served as an aide, nurse, receptionist, switchboard operator and other areas of service. Isabelle retired after working over 20 years at the hospital.

Isabelle died on May 29, 1985 at the age of 80 in Owensboro, Kentucky at the Owensboro-Davies County Hospital.  She was buried in the Starkie Thomas Cemetery next to her husband.  

 

Isabell Francis tombstone

 

Otis Francis tombstone

LINEAGE: (Isabell Thomas was the daughter of John Vernon and Clemmie Wilson Thomas.  John Vernon was the fifth child of Jonathan Starkie and Julia Dyer Thomas.  Jonathan was the third child of William Bridges and Nancy Jane Rogers Thomas. William was the first child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas.  Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)