Person Page

     Thanes Walter Davis was born on 18 December 1919 in Bakersville Twp., Mitchell Co., North Carolina.⁴ He married Myrtle Elizabeth Carroll, daughter of Mattie Withers, on 24 May 1941 in Claiborne Co., Tennessee.⁵ He died on 7 June 1981 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Lexington, Fayette Co., Kentucky, at age 61.⁶ He was buried at Pineville Cemetery in Bell Co., Kentucky.⁶
     In May of 1940 he and his brother Lawrence were living together in Little Creek, Bell Co., Kentucky, both working as coal miners.⁷ When he registered for the World War II draft in July 1941 he was living in Rella, Bell Co., and working at the "loading point" for the Bell Coal Co.⁸ He later worked in construction in Barbourville, Knox Co., Kentucky,², and his obituary says he was a retired iron worker, and a member of Iron Workers Union No. 379 in Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., Indiana.^6,9

     Jack M. Davis was born on 7 February 1924 in Bakersville Twp., Mitchell Co., North Carolina.² He married Nina Grindstaff on 30 October 1950 in Marion Twp., McDowell Co., North Carolina.⁵ He died on 15 September 1985 at Aultman Hospital in Canton, Stark Co., Ohio, at age 61.⁶ He was buried at Indian Run Cemetery in East Canton, Stark Co., Ohio.⁷
     He served in the U. S. Army during World War II, enlisting on 14 September 1944, and being discharged on 30 December 1946.⁸
     When he registered for the World War II draft in June 1942 he was working for the Bell Coal Co. in Little Creek, Bell Co., Kentucky.⁹ He was working in construction in Pineville, Bell Co., in 1964.³ His death record lists his occupation as millwright, working in blast furnaces, steelworks, and rolling and finishing mills.¹⁰

     Marvin John Davis was born on 31 October 1926 in Bakersville Twp., Mitchell Co., North Carolina.⁴ He married Pearl Elsie Miller about 1953 in Spartanburg, Spartanburg Co., South Carolina.^2,1 He died on 2 February 2009 at age 82.¹ He was buried on 6 February 2009 at Vians Valley Presbyterian Cemetery in Bakersville, Mitchell Co., North Carolina.¹
     When he registered for the World War II draft in October 1944 he listed his residence as Toecane, Mitchell Co., North Carolina, but his employer as the Cronin China Co. in Minerva, Carroll Co., Ohio.⁵
     At some point after their marriage he and his wife Pearl moved to Bristol, Sullivan Co., Tennessee, where their daughter Bertha was born in 1959², and where he worked for Coca-Cola, and as a salesman for the Fuller Brush Company. They later moved to Canton, Stark Co., Ohio, where he was a salesman for the National Life and Accident Insurance Company, winning the "Top Hat" sales award several times. After his retirement they moved to Houston, Harris Co., Texas, then several years later to Clearwater, Pinellas Co., Florida, to be closer to their daughter and her family.¹

     David Sullins Bennett was born on 13 May 1910 in Tipton Hill, Mitchell Co., North Carolina.⁴ He married Maude Lorene Davis, daughter of James Henderson Davis and Bertha Bowditch, on 7 November 1928 in Bakersville, Mitchell Co., North Carolina.¹ He died on 19 February 1986 at St. Joseph Hospital in Asheville, Buncombe Co., North Carolina, at age 75 from a heart attack.² He was buried on 23 February 1986 at Vians Valley Presbyterian Cemetery in Bakersville, Mitchell Co., North Carolina.²
     After their marriage he and his wife Maude lived for a time with his parents in Bakersville Twp., Mitchell Co., North Carolina.⁵ By 1935 they owned their own house in Bakersville Twp., and had a servant with them by 1940.⁶ He was working as a farm laborer in 1930, then got into the car business and was working as a salesman for City Motors in Bakersville in 1940.^6,7 He was later co-owner of Bennett & Edwards Motor Co. in Spruce Pine, Mitchell Co., North Carolina.⁸
     He and Maude moved to Black Mountain, Buncombe Co., North Carolina, in 1985.⁹

     Allona L. Archer was born on 15 August 1917 in Tennessee.¹ She married Lawrence Edwin Davis, son of James Henderson Davis and Bertha Bowditch, possibly on 20 March 1934 (see below) in Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle Co., Kentucky.^4,2 She died on 15 July 1991 at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio, at age 73.¹ She was buried at Jellico Cemetery in Jellico, Campbell Co., Tennessee.⁵
     The marriage date of 20 March 1934 for Lawrence Davis and Allona Archer is from the Bowditch genealogy by Frederick Bowditch. No other source has been found online that gives their marriage date, and the 1934 date may be incorrect. Allona gave birth to a girl, Georgia Miller, in 1937 in Harlan Co., Kentucky, and Georgia's social security records list William Miller as her father.^6,7 Further, Lawrence and Allona are listed separately in the 1940 census. Lawrence and his brother Thanes are listed as lodgers with the family of T. L. Summers in Little Creek, Bell Co., Kentucky. Both are listed as single, with their residence in 1935 listed as Toecane, North Carolina.⁸ Allona and her daughter Georgia are listed in 1940 living with her parents James and Minnie Archer in Pineville, Bell Co., Kentucky. Allona is listed as married, but without her husband present, and both she and Georgia are listed with the surname Archer. Allona's entry says she was living in Harlan Co., Kentucky, in 1935.³ Finally, when Lawrence registered for the World War II draft on 16 October 1940 he named his father as his contact person.⁹
     At some point she and Lawrence moved to Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio. (Allona's daughter Georgia was living there at the time of her marriage in 1972, Lawrence was a member of Carpenters Union No. 200 in Columbus, and he was listed as being of Columbus in his brother Thanes's 1981 obituary.)^10,2,11 They soon afterward moved to LaFollette, Campbell Co., Tennessee, where they were living at the time of Lawrence's death in 1982.² She later moved back to Columbus to live with her daughter's family.¹²

     Frank Parsons was born on 19 January 1901 in Chuckey, Greene Co., Tennessee.³ He married Hattie Mary Davis, daughter of James Henderson Davis and Bertha Bowditch, on 26 April 1934 in Toecane, Mitchell Co., North Carolina.^1,2 He died on 2 September 1989 in Tennessee at age 88.⁴ He was buried at Mine Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Mitchell Co., North Carolina.⁵
     He and his wife Hattie, and their daughter Claudia, are listed in Bakersville Twp., Mitchell Co., North Carolina, in the 1940 census.⁶
     He was a Missionary Baptist Minister, and also had a farm.^3,2

     Jack McDonald Riddle was born on 22 December 1918 in Linville Twp., Avery Co., North Carolina.¹ He married Vera Jane Davis, daughter of James Henderson Davis and Bertha Bowditch, on 16 December 1939 in Gate City, Scott Co., Virginia.² He died on 5 August 2001 at home in Spruce Pine, Mitchell Co., North Carolina, at age 82.^5,4 He was buried at Grassy Creek Memorial Cemetery in Mitchell Co., North Carolina.⁴
     After their marriage he and his wife Vera lived for a time with his parents in Spruce Pine, Mitchell Co., North Carolina, and are listed with them there in the 1940 census.⁶
     He served in the U. S. Air Force during World War II, enlisting on 27 July 1942 and being discharged on 13 July 1945.^7,4 Before the war he was working as a grocery store clerk⁶, and later worked for the U. S. Postal Service.⁴
     He and Vera had an adopted son, Donald Wayne Riddle.⁴

     Kitty Lee Warren was born on 12 January 1918 in Rella, Bell Co., Kentucky.^3,4 She married second Samuel Fred Davis, son of James Henderson Davis and Bertha Bowditch, on 13 May 1939 in Middlesboro, Bell Co., Kentucky.¹ She died on 30 October 2012 at home in Bell Co., Kentucky, at age 94 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.⁴
     She was a member of the first graduating class at Bell County High School, and believed strongly in the value of education. She made certain that her children graduated from college, and a scholarship fund was established in her and her husband Fred's name for Bell Co. students.⁴
     After their marriage she and Fred lived next to her parents in Bell Co., Kentucky, and are listed there in Mag. Dist. 2 in the 1940 census.⁵ After Fred's death in 1998, her daughter an unknown person and her husband Stanley lived with her and cared for her the last 14 years of her life.⁴