Wilton Henry Lancaster -- Carpenter and Cabinet Maker

 

Wilton Henry Lancaster was born on August 28, 1912 in Trigg County, Kentucky.  He was the sixth of eleven children of John Jefferson Lancaster and Albirtia “Bird” Sholar Lancaster.  John Jefferson was a farmer and a carpenter and both he and Bird were natives of Trigg County.  Wilton was a descendant of Jemima Bridges Sholar.

Wilton’s siblings were Myra Lou Lancaster, born in 1902 and died at the age of two weeks; a unnamed infant, born and died at birth in 1904; Herman Crenshaw Lancaster, born in 1905 and died at the age of 11; Thomas Durwood Lancaster, born in 1907 and married Sylvia Lorene Stallons; Johnny Claude Lancaster, born in 1911 and married Birdie Lois Francis; Garnett Lee Lancaster, born in 1916 and married Destelle Alberta Green; Lula Pearl Lancaster, born in 1918 and married Robert Jesse Sholar; Beulah Frances Lancaster, born in 1920 and married Hershel Earl Gray; Joe Lacy Lancaster, born in 1922 and married Martha Gertrude Ezell, and later married Lucy Elizabeth Lancaster Britt; and Mary Bessie Lancaster, born in 1926 and married Clifton Meade Mize.

Wilton grew up on his family farm located on the South Road in Trigg County.  He attended the local rural schools and the seventh grade was the highest grade he attained before leaving school to work as a laborer.

On December 24, 1935, Wilton married Mildred Gustia Francis.  Mildred was born on April 28, 1918 in Stewart County, Tennessee, the daughter of William Troy Francis and Estella Carney Allen Francis.  William was a farmer and both he and Estella were natives of Trigg County.

After they were married, Wilton and Mildred settled on the farm in Trigg where Wilton worked as a laborer. In December 1942 they moved to Hopkinsville, Kentucky but came back to live in Trigg County in 1944.  In 1946, they again moved to Hopkinsville where they lived the rest of their lives.   After moving to Hopkinsville, Wilton worked in the home construction business.  In 1967, he along with his son, opened a custom-built cabinet shop.  Wilton remained in the cabinet making business until his retirement in 1982.  Mildred was primarily a homemaker.  She later worked as a cafeteria worker at the Christian County Middle School from 1971 to 1979.

Wilton and Mildred were the parents of five children, Wilton Henry Lancaster, Jr., born in 1936 and married Sara Frances Turner; Mary Genella Lancaster, born in 1938 and married Marvin Hulon Campbell; Gustie Lois Lancaster, born in 1941 and married Hoge Milton Greene; Dorothy Estella Lancaster, born in 1945 and married Norman Lee Decker; and Janice Kay Lancaster, born in 1948 and married Gene Roper Davie.

Wilton died on December 9, 1990 at the age of 78 at the Jennie Stuart Medical Center in Hopkinsville.  He was buried in the Green Hill Memorial Gardens in Christian County.  Mildred died on October 30, 2000 at the age of 82 at the Jennie Stuart Medical Center.  She was buried in the Green Hill Memorial Gardens next to her husband.

LINEAGE: (Wilton Henry Lancaster was the son of John Jefferson and Albirtia “Bird” Sholar Lancaster.  John was the tenth child of Thomas Jefferson and Margaret Frances Lawrence Lancaster.  Margaret was the first child of Ezekiel M. and Polly Sholar Lawrence.  Polly was the second child of Allen and Jemima Bridges Sholar.  Jemima was the first child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)

Visit the entire Thomas-Bridges family tree at:   http://tinyurl.com/thomasbridgesfamily2

Thelma Brown Bridges Calhoun -- Wife of a Correctional Officer

 

Roscoe and Thelma Bridges Calhoun

Thelma Brown Bridges was born on April 12, 1914 in Trigg County, Kentucky.  She was the oldest of five children of  Sheffer Brown Bridges and Enolia Berd Downs Bridges. Sheffer was a farmer, car salesman and service station operator.  Both Sheffer and Enolia were natives of Trigg County.  Thelma was a descendant of Drewry Bridges.

Thelma’s siblings were Nina Pearl Bridges, born in 1916 and married Joe Clifford Taylor; John Lacy Bridges, born in 1917 and married Maureen Williams and later married Norma Helen Angloff; Howard McKinley Bridges, born in 1920 and married Helen Panter and later married Dorotha Deon English; and Joel Robert Bridges, born in 1923 and married Frances Marie English and then married Alma L. Albright and later married Lucille Delgado.  Thelma had two half-sisters from her father’s second marriage to Myrtle Lucille Creamer.  They were Nancy Evelyn Bridges, born in 1933 and married Charles E. Crabtree and later married Joseph Monroe Chisenhall and Mary Louise Bridges, born in 1934 and married John Herman Herndon.

On September 7, 1935, Thelma married Marvin Roscoe Calhoun on the lawn of her father’s home in the Linton community with Rev. Brantly Boaz conducting the wedding ceremony. Roscoe was born on May 5, 1909 in Trigg County, the fifth child born to Henry Lee Calhoun and Fredonia Avis “Donie” Ricks Calhoun.  Henry was a farmer and both he and Donie were natives of Trigg County.  

Thelma and Roscoe begin their early married life in the Lock E community on Donaldson Creek where Roscoe worked as a farmer on his father’s farm. Later in his life Roscoe worked as a correctional officer at the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Eddyville, Kentucky.  He retired from the penitentiary in 1974 after working over 16 years at the institution.  Thelma worked at the Hilltop Kash Market on the Canton Road for ten years, retiring in 1985.  She also worked at the Heritage House in Cadiz for five years

Thelma and Roscoe were the parents of five daughters, Virginia Murl Calhoun, born in 1936 and married James Warren Stubblefield; Stella Pearl Calhoun, born in 1940 and married James Carlton Jones; Margaret Jewell Calhoun, born in 1943 and married Clarence Hopson Thomas, Jr.; Wanda Gail Calhoun, born in 1945 and married Thomas Anthony DeName; and Bobbie Marie Calhoun, born in 1947 and married Harold Denny Mize and later married Joel Atchison.

Roscoe died on January 21, 1996 at the age of 86 at the Shady Lawn Nursing Center in Trigg County.  He was buried in the Lawrence Cemetery in Trigg County.  Thelma died on August 7, 2013 at the age of 99 at the Shady Lawn Nursing Center.  She was buried in the Lawrence Cemetery next to her husband.

Thelma Bridges Calhoun

 

Roscoe Calhoun

 

A young Thelma and Roscoe

 

Thelma and Roscoe tombstone

LINEAGE: (Thelma Brown Bridges was the daughter of Sheffer Brown and Enolia Berd Downs Bridges.  Sheffer was the fourth child of John Richard and Nancy Bell Meador Bridges.  John was the fifth 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.)

Visit the entire Thomas-Bridges family tree at:   http://tinyurl.com/thomasbridgesfamily2

Carl Trice "Bunny" Bridges -- Surveyor and Manager

 

Carl Trice "Bunny" Bridges

Carl Trice Bridges was born on February 1, 1934 in Trigg County, Kentucky.  He was the oldest of two children of  John Carl Bridges and Julia Bell Thomas Bridges. John Carl was a farmer and mechanic who worked for the Trigg County Board of Education.  Both John Carl  and Julia Bell were natives of Trigg County.  Carl Trice or Bunny as he was known was a descendant of Cullen Bridges, Cullen Thomas and Starkie Thomas.

Bunny’s sibling was his sister, Rose Claire Bridges, born in 1932 and married Bruce Stanley Maxwell, Jr. and later married Samuel Dell Freeman, Jr.

Bunny attended the Oak Grove rural elementary school in his early years.  He then went on to attend the Cadiz Elementary School and graduated from Trigg County High School.  In the fall of 1955, the U.S. government began drafting personnel for the U.S. Navy for the first time since World War II.  Bunny was drafted into the Navy on November 21, 1959 in and was assigned to the boot camp at the Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois.  He was then assigned to the U.S. Naval Auxiliary Air Station at Brown Field in Chula Vista, California. Bunny was a true land loving sailor as he had shore duty for his entire enlistment  He was honorably discharged from the Navy on November 21, 1961.

On June 21, 1958, Bunny married Shelvia Jean Curling at the Oak Grove Baptist Church with Rev. J. Norman Ellis officiating.  Shelvia was born on April 10, 1938 in Trigg County, Kentucky, the daughter of Paul Curling and Annie Lurlene Lyons Curling.  Paul was the owner and operator of a trucking company and both he and Annie were natives of Trigg County.  Shelvia attended elementary school at Canton and graduated from Trigg County High School.

After leaving the Navy, Bunny was employed by the J. Steven Watkins Engineering Company where he worked on surveying the land that is now Lake Barkley.  He then worked as an insurance agent with Commonwealth Life Insurance Company. In April 1966 he accepted a position with Christian Quarries where he worked as a manager.  He later worked for the Rogers Group, Inc. in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, where he was employed until he retired.  Shelvia worked as bookkeeper for Woodruff Lumber Company, the Elk Brand Manufacturing Company, the Ky-Tenn Livestock Market and as bookkeeper and deputy clerk at the Trigg County Circuit Clerk’s office.

Bunny and Shelvia were the parents of two sons, Richard Kyle Bridges, born in 1962 and married Wanda Sue Skinner and later married Tammy Sue Wynn and David Paul Bridges, born in 1965 and married Leslie Dawn Stroud.  

Bunny and Shelvia’s marriage ended in divorce.  Shelvia died on December 6, 2009 at the age of 71 at the Jennie Stuart Medical Center in Hopkinsville. She was buried in the Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Trigg County.

Bunny died on September 3, 2014 at the age of 80 at the Trigg County Hospital in Cadiz.  He was buried in the Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.

Shelvia

LINEAGE: (Carl Trice Bridges was the son of John Carl and Julia Bell Thomas Bridges.  John Carl was the fifth child of John Trice and Maggie Dora Cunningham Bridges.  John Trice was the sixth child of Cullen T. and Martha Ann Virginia Thomas Bridges.  Cullen T. was the twelfth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges. Julia Bell was the first child of Smith and Ida Mae Meador Thomas. Smith was the third child of Jonathan Starkie and Julia Dyer Thomas.  Jonathan was the third child of William Bridges and Nancy Jane Rogers Thomas.  Wiliam was the first child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas.  Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.  Martha Ann was the third child of Peyton and Sarah Ethridge Thomas.  Peyton was the third child of Cullen and Elizabeth Futrell Thomas.  Cullen was the first child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.) 

Visit the entire Thomas-Bridges family tree at:   http://tinyurl.com/thomasbridgesfamily2

Douglas Eugene Bridges -- Tavern Operator

 

Douglas Eugene Bridges

Douglas Eugene Bridges was born on August 11, 1909 on the Beechy Fork Creek in the Maple Grove community of Trigg County, Kentucky. He was the youngest of five children born to Mark Dale Bridges and Mallie Mae Lancaster Bridges.  Mark Dale was a farmer and both he and Mallie were natives of Trigg County.  Eugene was a descendant of both Cullen Bridges and Cullen Thomas.

Gene’s siblings were Nellie Cleveland Bridges, born in 1892 and married Mark McCarty; Flo Templeton Bridges, born in 1897 and married Ira Clifton Bridges; Preston Dale Bridges, born in 1899 and died at the age of 1½  years old; and Percy Dillard Bridges, born in 1902 and married Edna Pearl Thomas.

Gene grew up in Maple Grove and attended the one-room Maple Grove School. When he was a young man he went to Paducah, Kentucky to attend a business school and then he later went to work as a printer.

On December 24, 1928 Gene married Katherine Elizabeth Edwards who he had met while working in Paducah.  Katherine was born on June 27, 1909 in Ballard County, Kentucky.  She was the daughter of William Francis Edwards and Nora Lee Stewart Edwards.  William worked as a railroad employee and both he and Nora were natives of Ballard County,  Katherine came down with scarlet fever and died on February 14, 1929, six weeks after their marriage. She died in Paducah and was 20 years old.  She was buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Paducah.

Some time after Katherine died, Gene left Paducah and settled in Alton, Illinois where he was employed as a factory worker. In Alton he met Dixie Louise Minton.  Gene and Dixie were married on August 24, 1931 in St. Charles, Missouri. Dixie was born on February 2, 1913 in Kansas City, Missouri. She was the daughter of Louis Naplian Minton and Maude Sanders Minton.  Louis had worked as a coal miner and in the restaurant industry and he was a native of Webster County, Kentucky.  Maude was a native of Clinton County, Illinois.

Gene and Dixie were the parents of two children, Jacquelyn Lee Bridges, born in 1932 and married William Henry Wohlert and later married Eldon C. “Twirp” Williams and Ronald Eugene Bridges, born in 1936 and died at the age of three months.

Gene and Dixie returned to Cadiz where they operated for some time the American Legion Hut located on the Legion Hill.  Gene and Dixie were divorced and Dixie and their daughter, Jacquelyn moved back to Alton where Jacquelyn grew up.  Dixie died on April 14, 1982 at the age of 69 and was buried in the Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in Godfrey, Illinois next to her second husband, Clyde Hitch.

On April 23, 1943, Gene married his third wife, Leatha Louise Plumlee.  Leatha was born on August 21, 1919 in Sullivan, Kentucky and was the daughter of Ellis Davis Plumlee and Nancy Della Wilson Plumlee. Ellis worked as a coal miner and was a  native of Allen County, Kentucky.  Nancy was a native of Warren County, Tennessee. 

Gene and Leatha lived in Alton, Illinois where they lived for 30 years and then moved to East Alton where he lived for 14 years.  He was the owner and operator of the NoMan’s Tavern in Wood River, Illinois.

Gene and Leatha were the parents of one child, a son, Michael Dale Bridges, born in 1947. Michael worked in Hollywood, California in the costume and wardrobe department for several television series.

Gene died on April 9, 1969 at the age of 59 at the Alton Memorial Hospital in Alton.  He was buried in the Rose Lawn Memory Gardens in Bethalto, Illinois.  Leatha died on January 1, 1996 at the age of 79 in East Alton, Illinois.  She was buried in the Rose Lawn Memory Gardens next to her husband.

Katherine Edwards Bridges

 

Gene and Leatha tombstone

LINEAGE:  (Douglas Eugene Bridges was the son of Mark Dale and Mallie Mae Lancaster Bridges.  Mark Dale was the fifth child of Cullen Thomas and Martha Ann Virginia Thomas Bridges.  Cullen was the twelfth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges.  William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.  Martha Ann was the third child of Peyton and Sarah Ethridge Thomas.  Peyton was the third child of Cullen and Elizabeth Futrell Thomas.  Cullen was the first child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)

Visit the entire Thomas-Bridges family tree at:   http://tinyurl.com/thomasbridgesfamily2