Martha Nell Thomas Bush -- Wife of a Civil Engineer

 

Martha Nell Thomas Bush

Martha Nell Thomas was born on January 14, 1932 in the Walnut Grove community of Christian County, Kentucky. She was the eighth and youngest daughter of Hugh Early Thomas and Georgia King Boyd Thomas.  Hugh was a farmer and both he and Edna were natives of Trigg County.  Martha was a descendant of Starkie Thomas.

Martha’s siblings were Edna Earl Thomas, born in 1911 and married Luther Bertram Hughes; Eliza Pearl Thomas, born in 1913 and married Thomas Aaron Dunn; Rosie Delle Thomas, born in 1915 and married Millard Otis Munger and later married Artie Ray Cunningham; Mary Elizabeth Thomas, born in 1917 and married William Forrest Mize; Louise Thomas, born in 1920 and married Douglas Hopson Thomas; Huel Early Thomas, born in 1923 and married John Thomas “Toppy” Edwards and Imogene Thomas, born in 1925 and married John Douglas Wetton.

Martha’s early years were spent in Christian County but her family moved to Cadiz and she graduated from Trigg County High School.  She continued her education by attending the Bethel Women’s College in Hopkinsville.

On February 19, 1952 Martha married Charles Owen Bush in Corinth, Mississippi.  Charles was born on May 24, 1932 in Trigg County. He was the son of Alonzo Carlton and Mary Charlotte Givens Bush.  Alonzo was a prominent farmer and a native of Trigg County. Charlotte was also a native of Kentucky.  Charles graduated from Trigg County High School and attended Murray State University.  He joined the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and served a two-year tour of duty in Japan and was discharged in 1955.  After his discharge, he returned to college and graduated from the University of Kentucky in January 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering.

Charles and Martha lived in several places during their early years of marriage as  Charles worked in highway construction and the coal industry.  He was the founder/co-owner of the Bush Contracting Company, the T. C. H. Coal Company and the Bush and Burchett Concrete Construction Company which built bridges in eastern Kentucky.  Martha worked at the J. W. Cowherd and Company, the E. R. Street Company and the University of Kentucky Agricultural Economics Department. The family settled in Frankfort, Kentucky where Charles also operated a large farm in the area.

Charles and Martha were the parents of three children, Charles Owen Bush, Jr., born in 1956 and married Sandra Lane Shroat; Karen Lynn Bush, born in 1961 and married David Allen Wilhelm and later married Frank Mace; and Kimberly Kay Bush, born in 1966 and married John Todd Suter.

Charles died on February 6, 2020 at the age of 87 at his home in Frankfort.  He was buried in the East End Cemetery in Cadiz.  Martha died five months later on July 15, 2020 at the age of 88 at her home in Frankfort.  She was buried in the East End Cemetery next to her husband.

Charles Owen Bush

 

Martha and Charles

LINEAGE:  (Martha Nell Thomas was the daughter of Hugh Early and Georgia King Boyd Thomas.  Hugh was the sixth child of Robert Allison and Emma Nora Cunningham Thomas.  Robert was the fifth child of Stanley and Emily Ann Light Thomas.  Stanley was the second child Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas.  Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)