Birthdays from my family tree for the week of Aug. 3:
Aug. 4
Melvina Manerva Catron Lambert, (my 3G aunt-in-law on my mother's side), b. 1842 in Wythe County, Va.; d. Aug. 11, 1876 in Moccasin Precinct, Elliott County, Ky. Melvina married Elias Lambert, who died in 1926 in Rowan County, Ky., at age 89. My paternal grandmother was a Lambert and likely a relative of Elias, but I've not established the connection. Rather, Melvina is the grandmother of Alexander Lambert, who married Malissa Jane Stidham, a maternal first cousin three times removed on my mother's side. I don't know a lot about Melvina's life, except that she was still living in Whythe, Va., at age 18, a year after marrying Elias, who also was born there. By 1870, the couple were living in Elliott County, Ky. Melvina died in 1876, a week after her 34th birthday.
Aline Hoats Brinson, (my wife Deborah Renee Ray's aunt-in-law on her father's side), b. 1909 in Walterboro, Colleton County, S.C.; d. Jan. 9, 1969, in Charleston, Charleston County, S.C. Aline was the wife of David Lee Brinson, who ran a cafe in Charleston. David was gunned down in the street in 1938, two days short of his 31st birthday. I'm not sure if his killer was ever brought to justice. The couple had three children.
Annette Cooksey Trent, (wife of Danny Keith Trent, my first cousin once removed), b. 1959. Happy birthday!
Lisa Marie Mills, (my wife Deborah Renee Ray's second cousin on her father's side), b. 1961. Happy birthday, Lisa.
Aug. 5
Mildred Faye Fultz, (my great aunt-in-law on my father's side), b. 1919; d. Oct. 20, 1995. Mildred was married to my great uncle, Clyde Tracy Lambert. They had two children, both of whom died young — Harold in a motorcycle accident and Johnny in a murder. Mildred and Uncle Trace divorced, but I'm not sure when.
Luther Earl Kidd, (my second cousin once removed on my father's side), b. 1920 in Rowan County, Ky.; d. June 28, 1996, in Rowan County, Ky. Luther was the son of David and Elizabeth Martt Kidd. David was a cousin of my grandfather, Elmer Kidd. He was a farmer and sawmill worker. Luther also was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Della C. Kidd and Clella B. Kidd, and one sister, Ruby Kidd Lykins. He was survived by his wife, Nola Slusher Kidd of Morehead; and two brothers, the Rev. Davis Kidd and Stanley Kidd, both of Morehead. He was preceded in death by brother Zora Kidd, who died the day he was born (or was stillborn). Elizabeth, his mother, died seven days later, of influenza and the effect of Zora's premature birth, three months before his due date.
James Kenneth Ray, (my father-in-law). Happy birthday, Jimmy! Hope you have a great day.
Aug. 6
Catherine "Callie" Wilson Wilson, (my 4G aunt-in-law), b. 1863 in Camargo, Montgomery County, Ky.; d. Nov. 21, 1922, in Bath County, Ky. Callie married Abijah Brooks Wilson, my maternal 4G uncle. She also was from a line of Wilsons who hailed, originally, from Virginia, then migrated to Kentucky, then Ohio. I don't think Callie's line of Wilsons is related to the line she married. Interestingly, her sister, Sarah Jane, also married a man with the Wilson surname — Abijah's brother, Isaiah. Sarah Jane and Isaiah named one of their children after Abijiah, and that man was my 2G grandfather.
Johnny B. Wilson, (my 3G uncle on my mother's side), b. 1873 in Kentucky; d. Aug. 10, 1873. Johnny died just four days after he was born. He was one of at least 14 children of Isaiah Wilson and Sarah Jane Wilson Wilson.
John B. Caudill, (husband of Ida McBrayer, my first cousin twice removed on my father's side), b. 1887 in Morgan County, Ky.; d. Dec. 22, 1957, in Rowan County, Ky. I have Caudills who are blood relatives on my mother's side and by marriage on my father's side. I've not traced enough of John's ancestry to know if or how he is realted to them.
Aug. 7
Jesse Allen Lewis, (my 3G uncle on my mother's side), b. 1887 in Morgan County, Ky.; d. Jan. 30, 1956, in Rowan County, Ky. Jesse was the brother of Miriam Frances Lewis Kendall, my 2G grandmother.
Judith Elaine Williams, (my first cousin once removed on my mother's side). Happy birthday, Judy. Hope you have a great day.
Aug. 8
Maria Magdalena Daude Lambert, (my 5G grandmother on my father's side), b. 1742 in Froschen Pfalz, Bayern, Germany; d. April 29, 1805, in Wythe County, Va. Maria married Johann Heinrich Lambert in 1763 or 1760. Sometime between 1766 and 1772, Johann and Maria immigrated to America, originally settling in Pennsylvania. By 1784, Johann and Maria had moved to Reed Creek, Va., according to biographical notes posted at Ancestry.com by one of his descendants, Brett London.
The couple had 11 children, although some died before adulthood. The first three were born in Germany. The fourth, Barbara Lambert, was born Oct. 3, 1772, in Pennsylvania, the first of the Lambert line to be born in America. Three were born in Pennsylvania. Four more were born in Reed Creek, Wythe County, Va. Maria Daude Lambert died in 1808 in Wythe County, Va.
Sarah Elizabeth Slusher Jennings, (my second cousin twice removed on my father's side), b. 1887; d. Aug. 30, 1954. Sarah was the daughter of Joseph Slusher Jr. and Sarah Elizabeth Jennings Slusher and the wife of John Milt Jennings. That's right — the daughter was named for her mom, who was a Jennings-Slusher, and she married a Jennings, making her a Slusher-Jennings. Incidentally, Sarah and John Milt were the parents of Jesse Franklin Jennings, who married my maternal grandfather's sister. And not only is Sarah a relative by marriage on my mother's side, she is related to my mother by marriage through her Hall line, as well.
Hessie Ray Lewis Hall, (wife of Perry Arthur Hall, my 2G uncle on my mother's side), b. 1900 in Morehead, Rowan County, Ky.; d. Nov. 8, 1979, in Shelby, Sharon Township, Richland County, Ohio. I am related to Lewises through my mom's maternal line and my father's paternal line. I'm not sure if Hessie is from the same family of Lewises because I've not traced her ancestors. Her husband, Perry, was a brother of my great grandmother, Mahala Susan Hall Wilson.
Ludy Atlas Barker Kidd, (my great aunt-in-law on my father's side), b. Kentucky; d. Jan. 23, 1983, in West Liberty, Morgan County, Ky. Ludy married Albert Kidd, my paternal grandfather's brother, in 1926.
Louise Bower, (wife of Lacy Wilson, my first cousin twice removed), b. 1923 in Maben, Wyoming County, WVa.; d. June 28, 1998, in Wayne County, Mich. Louise married the son of my 2G uncle, Lee Wilson, and his wife, Mary Merida Stidham. Lee once owned the farm where my mother grew up. Lee sold the property to his brother — my wife's grandfather — Burl Wilson. He later moved to West Virginia, where he raised his family. That is where Lacy and Louise met. I'm not sure when and under what circumstances they moved to Michigan.
Gary Lynn Buck,(my wife Deborah Renee Ray's first cousin once removed on her father's side ), b. 1940; d. July 28, 1986. Gary was the son of Frank Buck and Dorothy M. Brinson Buck. He had a twin brother, Franklin.
Franklin Buck, (my wife Deborah Renee Ray's first cousin once removed on her father's side ), b. 1940; d. June 14, 1988. Gary was the son of Frank Buck and Dorothy M. Brinson Buck. He had a twin brother, Gary.
Aug. 9
Robert H. Boyd, (husband of Caroline Margaret Wilson, my first cousin three times removed on my mother's side), b. 1824 in Greene County, Pa.; d. Feb. 15, 1905. I don't know much about Robert, but Caroline was the daughter of Valentine Wilson and the third of his three wives, Nancy Donnels Roberts Wilson. Valentine was a wealthy landowner in Greene County, Ohio.
Ernest Bradley, (husband of Lucille Ray Bradley, paternal great aunt of my wife, Deborah Renee Ray), b. 1907. I don't know when Ernest died. He married Lucille Ray, the sister of my wife's grandfather, Clarence Richard Ray.