Birthdays from my family tree for the week of April 20.
April 20
Mahala Susan Hall Wilson (my great-grandmother on my mother's side), b. 1888 in Rowan County, Ky.; d. Oct. 3, 1979, in Bath County, Ky. My Great Granny Wilson was a midwife and herb doctor, in addition to homemaker and farmer's wife. She grew up not far from the place where she would raise a family, on land her father sold to her brother-in-law in the 1920s, then sold it to his brother — Mahala's husband Burl — just a few years. Mahala and Burl passed the property to my grandfather, Oliver, and they both continued to live there until the frailty of age forced them into nursing homes. Mahala died when I was 8. I don't remember any long talks or heart-to-hearts with her, but she taught me to string beans. I remember her sitting on the porch of her home, a pile of beans in her apron, snapping and stringing with dexterous finger, tossing her handiwork into a metal bowl.
Caleb Lee Presley (my first cousin once removed on my mother's side), b. 2005. The son of Haley Wilson Presley, who was named for Mahala Susan Wilson — also born on this day. Happy birthday, Caleb. Hope you have a great one.
Mary Polly Howard Winkleman (mother-in-law of Saul Kidd, my first cousin twice removed on my father's side), b. 1850 in Morgan County, Ky.; d. Dec. 16, 1929, in Elliott County, Ky. Mary married Andrew J. Winkleman. Their daughter, Allie Fair, married Saul Kidd.
Anna L. Wilson (my first cousin four times removed on my mother's side), b. 1853 in Licking, Morgan County, Ky.; no details available about her death. Anna was the daughter of Abijiah Brooks Wilson and Catherine C. Wilson Wilson. There are two Abijiah B. Wilsons in my family tree. This Abijiah — we'll call him Abijiah 1 — was the uncle of the other Abijah — we'll call him Abijah 2. Abijah 2 was my 2G grandfather. Interesting fact about Abijah 1: He married a Wilson, who was his sixth cousin. I've told you a bunch about Abijahs, mostly because I don't know much at all about Anna.
Charles "Henry" McBrayer (my first cousin twice removed on my father's side), b. 1889 in Wagner, Rowan County, Ky.; d. April 7, 1977, in Kettering, Clark County, Ohio. Charles was the son of Lewis Parker McBrayer and Martha Jane Kidd McBrayer. Martha Jane was the daughter of Edumund Kidd and Amanda Ramey Kidd. Edmund was my 2G grandfather.
April 22
Cloria Mae Hall (my first cousin three times removed on my mother's side), b. 1885 in Rowan County, Ky.; d. Sept. 15, 1960, in Morehead, Rowan County, Ky. Cloria was the daughter of William Thomas Hall and Sarah R. Riddle Hall. William was the brother of George Washington Hall, who was the father of Mahala Susan Hall Wilson. I don't know much about Cloria Mae's life.
Edna J. Wilson (my second cousin twice removed on my mother's side), b. 1915 in Breathitt County, Ky.; d. Oct. 1, 2006, in Beckley, Raleigh County, WVa. Edna was one of seven children of Lee Wilson and Mary Stidham Wilson. (Lee, you'll remember, bought land from Mahala Susan Hall's husband and then sold lit to Mahala's husband, Lee's brother Burl.) According to Edna's obituary posted on the Find A Grave website, she "was a homemaker and a loving mother. She attended Herndon High School and was a charter member of Sweet Home Baptist Church in Maben. she was a descendant of the Wilson family that founded Morehead State College in Morehead, Ky. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Vern W. Clay; two sons, Thomas Lee Haynes and Terry Clay; three sisters, Cora Edmonds; Opal Mills and Maxine Bower; and three brothers, Estil Wilson; Lacy Wilson; and Alvin Wilson." A few notes on this obit. I'm not sure who was meant by the family the founded Morehead State. The history on the school's website makes no mention of a founding Wilson. Possibly, it is a reference to Cora Wilson Stewart, an adult-literacy crusader who spent some of her schooling at Morehead State. Also, I have a record of a brother Marvin Wilson, who is not listed in the obit, but no sibling named Alvin.
April 23
Temperance Tschudi Judy (my 5G great-aunt-in-law on my mother's side), b. 1788 in Fort Hatfield, Giles County, Va.; d. 1881 in Springfield, Clark County, Ohio. Temperance Judy married Michael Wilson Sr. She was born at Fort Hatfield in 1788, according to a history on Ancestry.com, at a time when families in Giles needed the security of forts to protect themselves from the Indians.
Mary Kidd (my first cousin twice removed on my father's side), b. 1883 in Rowan County, Ky.; d. Jan. 28, 1921. Mary was the daughter of John M. Kidd and Sarah Caudill Kidd.
William Asa Templeman (my 2G uncle-in-law on my mother's side), b. 1888 in Rowan County, Ky.; d. Aug. 10, 1968. "Acie" married Anna Elizabeth Williams, daughter of William Washington Williams and Rebecca Caudill Williams, and sister of my great grandfather, Andrew Jackson Williams.
William Edgar Dehart (my ex-uncle-in-law on my father's side), b. 1928 in Elliott County, Ky.; d. June 11, 2007. Edgar married my Aunt Bernice in 1950; they divorced in 1977. Edgar and Bernice moved to Springfield, Ohio, in the 1960s. My mom and dad followed not long after, when Edgar got my father a job in Springfield at Robbins & Myers, a pump manufacturer where he also worked. My dad went from a floor worker to foreman to engineer over the course of his career, and when Robbins & Myers opened a plant in Columbia, S.C., my dad was transferred there.
My ex-uncle-in-law Edgar Dehart fills his plate during a family gathering at his house. In the background, my dad reaches over me to ladle gravey. I can't tell who the woman to my left is, but others at the table are my Uncle Elvis Kidd, Uncle Pat Kidd and Pat's stepson, Hank.
April 24
Daniel Boone Tolliver (uncle-in-law of Elizabeth Kidd Tolliver, my first cousin twice removed), b. 1851; d. May 26, 1910.
Ruth Ray Miller (my wife Debi's great aunt), b. 1928 in Kershaw County, S.C.; d. July 8, 2005, in Camden, Kershaw County, S.C. Ruth was the sister of Clarence Richard Ray, my wife's paternal grandfather. Clarence also married a woman named Ruth.
Nadine Cox Kidd (my aunt-in-law on my father's side), b. 1935 in Kentucky; d. Oct. 1, 1992. Nadine was married to my Uncle Elvis. She also was a patenral aunt of Kathleen Cox Harper, who married my maternal cousin, Wayne Harper. Visiting Elvis and Nadine was always a big thrill when I was little. Nadine was a horse lover, and they always had a horse or two in their barn for my sister and I to ride.
April 25
Ruby O. Debord (my first cousin twice removed on my mother's side), b. 1913 in Breathitt County, Ky.; d. 1986 in Milwaukee, Wisc. Ruby was the daughter of Levi Debord and Laura Belle Williams, sister of my great grandfather Andrew Jackson Williams.
Kathy Mullens (my step cousin on my father's side), b. 1949. Kathy is the stepdaughter of my late Uncle Pat. Happy birthday, Kathy.
April 26
Davis W. Kidd Jr. (my third cousin on my father's side), b. 1942 in Breathitt County, Ky. I've never met Davis or his immediate family and am not sure if he is still living. His mother was Myrtle Mae Lambert. My paternal grandmother was also a Lambert, but I'm not sure if the two were related. Davis' father, Davis Kidd Sr., was my grandfather Elmer Kidd's first cousin.