Lula’s siblings were 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 four months; 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 later married Ellen Hawley Watson.
Lula began her education in the one-room Warrenton School where she attended for eight years. She then attended the Cadiz High School where she graduated in 1936. She went on to Bowling Green, Kentucky and enrolled at the Western Kentucky Teacher’s College, now University, graduating in 1941. During this period of time, she also taught in the Oakland, Warrenton and Linton Schools in Trigg County.
On November 6, 1943, Lu, as Lula became to be called, married Lawrence Allen Wilson at the bride’s home in Cadiz, Kentucky. Larry, as Lawrence was called, was born on August 31, 1919 in Apollo, Pennsylvania, the son of Russell Andrew Wilson and Margaret Eleanor McElfresh Wilson, both natives of Pennsylvania. At the time of their marriage Larry was a second lieutenant in the U. S. Army stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky where he was assigned to the Twelfth Armored Field Artillery Division.
After Lu and Larry were married, they were transferred to several army posts throughout the country, including Camp Barkeley near Abilene, Texas, and Fort Knox, near Louisville, Kentucky. Larry was sent overseas in September 1944 where he was involved in several fierce German battles in France and Austria, Larry sustained several battle injuries but after a stay in a field hospital, he insisted on returning to battle where he stayed until the end of the war He returned to the states in late November, 1945.
While Larry was overseas, Lu worked with her sister, June, in a Tennessee Eastman Lab in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. They unknowingly were involved in the making of the two atomic bombs which eventually were used to end World War II.
After the war, Larry and Lu settled in his hometown of Apollo, Pennsylvania, He, like several generations of his family, worked in the steel mill in the small town. They later moved to Vandergrift, Pennsylvania where Lu taught school in nearby Apollo and Larry attended the University of Pittsburgh.
After Larry received his B.S. degree in 1948, he and Lu moved to Lafayette, Indiana where Larry accepted a position with the Alcoa Corporation. He served as the Personnel Plant Director for the company which required he and Lu to move to several locations throughout the country including Cleveland, Ohio, Evansville, Indiana, Vancouver, Washington and Massena, New York. When Larry ended his career with the company, he was the Manager of Industrial Relations in Alcoa’s Pittsburgh, Ohio office,
Larry and Lu had two sons, Andrew Thomas Wilson, born in 1951 and married Ronnie Gail Emden and Daniel Lawrence Wilson, born in 1952.
Larry died on April 30, 1983 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the age of 63. Lu died on December 31, 2005 in Wilsonville, Oregon at the age of 86.
LINEAGE: (Lula Vinson was the daughter of Carey Thomas and Mallie Mae Guier Vinson and the granddaughter 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. Mallie Mae Guier was the fourth child of Nahan Stanley and Emma Lee Sumner Guier. Emma was the second child of Benjamin Miles and Henrietta Gabrella Bridges Sumner. Henrietta was the first 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.)
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