Carey and Mallie Guier Vinson -- Distinguished Trigg County Farm Family

 

Carey and Mallie Guier Vinson

Carey Thomas Vinson, Sr. was born on June 1, 1898 on the family farm in Trigg County, Kentucky. He was the second of four children born to Jesse Monroe Vinson and Forrest May Thomas Vinson. Carey’s father Jesse was a native of Lonoke County, Arkansas, although Carey’s paternal great-grandmother was Emeline Thomas from Trigg County, Kentucky and a daughter of Cullen Thomas.  Forrest was a native of Trigg County and a descendant of Starkie Thomas.  Jesse was a successful farmer and operator of a horse-trading business.

Carey was the only one of the four children of Jesse and Forrest to grow to adulthood. Carey’s siblings were Clifton B. Vinson, born in 1896 and lived only one day; Mary Julia Vinson, born in 1907 and lived only two months; and Lula Vinson, born in 1908 and lived for one- and one-half years.

Carey grew up in the Warrenton community of Trigg County and attended the Warrenton Grade School through the eighth grade and then went on to attend the Cadiz High School, but was only able to complete one year as he had to quit school to assume the responsibility of operating the family farm due to his father’s illness. His father died in 1916 when Carey was 18 years old.

On January 6, 1918, Carey married Mallie Mae Guier at her home in Trigg County with her brother, Amos, and her good friend, Nellie Thomas, as their attendants.  Mallie was born on September 7, 1898 in Trigg County, the youngest of four children of Nathan Stanley Guier and Emma Lee Sumner Guier. Both Nathan and Emma were natives of Trigg County where Nathan was a farmer. Emma was a granddaughter of Drewry Bridges. Mallie’s siblings were Frank Elmer Guier, born in 1893 and married Eula Franklin Thomas; Amos Ira Guier, born in 1894 and married Ambie Lois Bridges; and Jesse E. Guier, born in 1896 and died at the age of 17.

In 1920 Carey and Mallie purchased his grandfather Henry’s farm and moved into the home that Henry had built in the 1880s. The house was renovated in 1959 when the back portion of the house was replaced with a modern structure.  Carey farmed over 1000 acres  and was well known as a progressive farmer using conservation practices on his farmland.  Her served on many conservation and forestry committees in the county and was a charter member of the Trigg County Farm Bureau.

In addition to his farm, Carey worked as a bookkeeper for the Thompson Loose Leaf Floor in Hopkinsville in the 1930s.  He also served on the county ration board during World War II.  He was instrumental in promoting a public drive to build a hospital in Cadiz.  He owned and operated a small business known as Vinson’s Garage which started out as a blacksmith and automobile repair shop and later became a center of community activity in the Warrenton and Oak Grove communities.

Carey was a lifelong member of the Democratic party and was active in political activities. On the other hand, Mallie was a staunch member of the Republican party.  This produced some very interesting political discussions in the family.

Carey and Mallie were the parents of six children, Lula Vinson, born in 1919 and married Lawrence Allen Wilson; June Theresa Vinson, born in 1921 and married Johnny Edmond Yeates, Jr.; Jesse Stanley Vinson, born in 1923 and married Kathryn Constance Sweeney; James Monroe Vinson, born in 1925 and died at the age of one; Carey Thomas Vinson, Jr., born in 1926 and married Winnie Nell Petty; and Clyde Roger Vinson, born in 1940 and married Marcia Randolph Dean and then married Ellen Hawley Watson.

Carey died on January 20, 1969 at the age of 70 in the Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.  He was buried in the Vinson Cemetery in Trigg County.  Mallie died on June 7, 1986 at the age of 87 in the Trigg County Hospital in Cadiz.  She was buried in the Vinson Cemetery next to her husband.

Young Carey Vinson

 

Young Mallie Guier

 

Carey and Mallie tombstone

LINEAGE: (Carey Thomas Vinson was the son of Jesse Monroe and Forrest May Thomas Vinson. Jesse was the fourth child 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.  Forrest May was the first 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.)

(Mallie Mae Guier Vinson was the daughter of Nathan Stanley and Emma Lee Sumner Guier.  Emma was the second child of Benjamin Miles and Henrietta Gabrella Bridges Sumner.  Gabrella was the first child of Drewry and Peachie Ann Tart Bridges.  Drewry was the fourth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridge.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)