__________________________
|
_James Michael BALDWIN _|
| |
| |__________________________
|
|
|--Thomas Michael BALDWIN
|
| _Cecil Allen KIDD ________+
| | (1921 - 1982)
|_Carolyn Lavonia KIDD __|
|
|_Frances Lavonia JOHNSON _
_William Presley CRAIN _+
| (1860 - ....)
_William "Riley" CRAIN ____|
| (1890 - ....) m 1913 |
| |________________________
|
|
|--Geneva May CRAIN
|
| ________________________
| |
|_Josie Catherine JEFFRIES _|
(1890 - ....) m 1913 |
|________________________
_Elzie CRAIN _________________+
| (1883 - 1936) m 1911
_Jesse "Hubert" CRAIN _|
| (1915 - 1974) |
| |_Kathrene "Gertrude" LOGSDON _
| (1896 - 1957) m 1911
|
|--William Gary CRAIN
|
| ______________________________
| |
|_Alice METCALF ________|
|
|______________________________
[1141] He is listed as JU Gardner in his wife's father's will.
[3880] On the 1900 Barren County, Ky., census they are listed as having been married for five years and not having any children.
[1142]
[S191]
1910 Barren County, Kentucky Census
[1143]
[S201]
1900 Barren County, Kentucky Census
[1144]
[S211]
1930 Barren County, Kentucky Census
_William Hillard GERALDS _+
| (1892 - 1956) m 1915
_James Isaac GERALDS _|
| |
| |_Betty Mae MILLER ________
| (1897 - 1992) m 1915
|
|--Joni Marie GERALDS
|
| __________________________
| |
|_Lois Marie TIDWELL __|
|
|__________________________
__________________________
|
_Joseph Nicholas KREMER _|
| (1890 - 1956) |
| |__________________________
|
|
|--Boyd Nicholas KREMER
| (1920 - 1998)
| _Albert "Harrison" CRAIN _+
| | (1859 - 1932) m 1888
|_Flora Hazel CRAIN ______|
(1903 - 1975) |
|_Sally J. LOGSDON ________+
(1868 - 1964) m 1888
_Jesse B. PEDIGO ____+
| (1792 - ....) m 1824
_Jesse C. PEDIGO ____|
| (1830 - ....) m 1848|
| |_Mary TANNER ________+
| (1802 - 1860) m 1824
|
|--Malinda J. PEDIGO
| (1855 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
|_Nancy H. WILSON ____|
(1831 - ....) m 1848|
|_____________________
[3763]
[S91]
1860 Metcalfe County, Kentucky Census
__
|
_L.B? SANDERS _______|
| |
| |__
|
|
|--John Fred SANDERS
| (1853 - ....)
| __
| |
|_Luann UNKNOWN ______|
(1824 - ....) |
|__
_Alvin C. STEPHENS __
| (1845 - 1922)
_Columbus C. STEPHENS _|
| (1867 - 1917) m 1889 |
| |_Malinda C. JAMES ___
| (1838 - 1912)
|
|--Jessie E. STEPHENS
| (1897 - 1915)
| _____________________
| |
|_Mattie E. LOCKE ______|
(1862 - 1909) m 1889 |
|_____________________
[3682]
Death certificate reads that she died at 5 p.m.
Owensboro Inquirer, Monday, Evening, Sept. 13, 1915, page 1 and 8
(Note: I tried to spell everything the way it appeared in the newspaper)
TRAGIC END OF WAYWARD LIFE OF YOUNG GIRL
Jessie Stephens Preferred Death to Reform School
Had Been Confined a Year For Her Unruly Ways
Plunged Into the River While Police Sought Her
Told Watchman She Would Drown Her Sorrows
“I would rather die than go back to the school of reform,” are words that are said to have been uttered by Jessie Stephens, the eighteen-year-old daughter of Lum Stephens, who committed suicide by drowning herself in the Ohio river about 4:30 o’clock Sunday morning. The fact that she had escaped being arrested only a short time before she committed the rash act, and the thought that, if arrested she would be returned to Greendale, are the reasons given by the police for the suicide.
Jessie Stephens was a rather pretty young girl. She was well known in Owensboro where she frequented the streets. She was a sweetheart of “Sox” Adams, and was often seen in his company. Her mother died several years ago, since which time she has resided with her father. At one time Jessie became uncontrollable, and her father had her sent to the house of reform at Greendale. She served about one year, and was allowed to return home on parole. She well understood that any return to the wayward path that led her to the reform school would subject her to being returned to complete her sentence. It is understood that she had often remarked that before she would be taken back to Greendale “she would die” the inference being that she would take her own life.
According to a statement made by her father, the young girl had been up in the city Saturday afternoon to purchase a pair of slippers and had promised to return home no later than 7 o’clock, but got in the company of Adams. This was that last he saw of her until her body was taken out of the river Sunday afternoon.
Officers Bellew and Pegram, in making their rounds in the western end of the city about 3:30 o’clock Sunday morning, visited an empty two-story dwelling at 606 Eleventh street, where (Continued on Page Eight.)
TRAGIC END (Continued from Page One.)
the young girl formerly lived with her father. Adams and the Stephens girl were found in the building, and as soon as they discovered the officers were on the place, the couple made an effort to escape. Adams, who was suffering with a broken arm, had trouble in getting out of the building and was captured. He was taken to police headquarters, and locked up on the charge of disorderly conduct. The Stephens girl made her escape by going through the second-story window, and lowering herself to the ground by means of some tree limbs, or wires of some kind, is the theory of the police. After getting to the ground, she ran to the home of Mrs. Elza Logsdon, a short distance away, where she secured a blue kimona, which constituted nearly all of her clothing.
The supposition is that the probability of her arrest and return to the house of reform preyed so heavily on the young girl’s mind that she immediately concluded to end all. She made her way to the river, and after descending the bank between Allen and St. Ann streets climbed over on the little boat “Katy D” from which she jumped into the river.
As soon as the girl went aboard the “Katy D”, Arthur W. Hicks, the nightwatchman was awakened. He went out on the boat and asked her what she was “fixing to do” when she replied, “I am going to drown my sorrows”. Mr. Hicks started for her but before he could reach her she jumped into the river. Mr. Hicks could not swim and he was powerless to assist the drowning girl except by means of a pole which he used, but without success.
As soon as the tragedy had occurred police headquarters were notified that a girl had jumped into the river, and Officer Mercer at once suspected that it was the Stephens girl who had committed the act. The officers made every effort to locate her during the day Sunday, and having failed, they were satisfied it was she that had committed suicide.
The news of the drowning spread throughout the city, and throngs of people lined the river bank during the day watching those who were dragging the river for the body, anxious to learn who the unfortunate girl could be. At 4:30 o’clock in the afternoon, the body was recovered by J.W. Thixton and two others, who were in his boat. A trot (sic) line on which were attached several large fish hooks brought the body to the top of the water. It was recovered below the wharfboat two feet from the outer edge. It was taken charge of by Coroner Gillison, and removed to his undertaking establishment and prepared for burial.
At the inquest held, only the evidence of A.W. Hicks and Booker Colvey the latter a negro, was introduced before the jury, who returned a verdict that the girl came to her death by suicidal drowning.
The young girl is survived by her father and stepmother, and brother, E.P. Stephens, of Huntingburg, Ind., also two uncles, E.O. Lott, of Lebanon, and S.O. Lott, of Dallas Texas, and grandfather, A.C. Stephens, of Dayton, O.
Miss Stephens was a member of the Christian church, and on account of the absence of Rev. M.G. Buckner from the city, the funeral services will be conducted by Rev. H.J.E. Stephens, pastor of the Whitesville Christian church, from the residence of her parents at 606 Locust street on Tuesday morning at 9:30 o’clock with interment in the Elmwood cemetery.
The Messenger, Owensboro, Ky., Tuesday Morning, Sept. 14, 1915, page 2
FEARING ARREST DROWNS HERSELF
Jessie Stephens, Aged Eighteen, Ends Her Life
JUMPS INTO OHIO RIVER AT EARLY HOUR SUNDAY.
HAD ESCAPED FROM A HOUSE
Girl Thought That She Would Be Returned to School of Reform
Fearing that if arrested by the police she would be returned to the school of reform at Greendale, from which she was paroled in March of this year, Jessie Stephens committed suicide at an early hour Sunday morning by drowning herself in the Ohio river at the foot of St. Ann street.
She had been found earlier in the morning by the police in company with Robert (Sox) Adams, in a vacant house at eleventh and Cedar streets. Adams was arrested and taken to the station, but the girl, clothed only in a thin gauze shirt and stockings, escaped from the officers by jumping from the second story window into a tree nearby. Her clothes were taken to the station by the police. After the girl had escaped from the police she borrowed a calico wrapper from a neighbor, Mrs. Elza Logsdon, of Eleventh street. She made here way to the river and wading several inches of water, crossed two boats to a third tied farther out into the river. A.W. Hicks, who was sleeping on one of the boats, was awakened by the noise and asked her what she was going to do.
“I Am going to Drown Myself.”
“I am going to drown myself.” She said. He told her not to do that and started toward her.
“Yes, I am, too,” she replied and before he could reach her she plunged into the stream, and was carried out of his reach by the current. According to his testimony, he ran for a spike pole with which to take her out of the water, but she was entirely out of his reach when he returned. He said he saw her come up once and then disappear from sight.
The police were notified by him that a girl had drowned herself, and they at once suspicioned that it was the Stephens girl. They had made every effort to find her Sunday morning, but without avail.
Crowd Soon Gathers.
A crowd soon gathered along the river front, and hundreds of people watched the numerous attempts to recover her body. It was not found until 4:45 o'clock Sunday evening, when Joe Bradley, dragging the river with a hook, caught it a few feet above the L and E wharfboat. With a large crowd following, the body was taken to the undertaking rooms of James Gillison, and over a hundred people waited on the outside for several hours to view the remains.
Coroner Gillison held an inquest Monday morning. A verdict of suicide by drowning was returned by the jury. R.C. Clements, C.P. Conyers, R.W. Hines, J.J. Jones, W.G. Kimberlin and W.T. Phipps composed the jury.
The girl was eighteen years old and is survived by her father, C.C. Stephens, and stepmother; a brother, E.P. Stephens of Huntingburg, Ind.; two uncles, S.O. Lott of Dallas, Texas and E.O. Lott, of Lebanon, Ky. The funeral services will be held this morning at 10 o'clock from the residence of her father at 606 Locust street, conducted by Rev. H.J.E. Stephens, pastor of the Whitesville Christian chuch. Interment will be in Elmwood cemetery.
Sweetheart of “Sox” Adams.
Jessie Stephens was well known in Owensboro and was a pretty girl. She was a sweetheart of “Sox” Adams, and the two had been in trouble with the police several times during the past three years. She was first brought to the attention of the authorities when she was implicated with young Adams in the summer of 1913. Adams was sent to the school of reform in 1913, and she was sentenced for five years, but on intercession of friends the sentence was suspended during good behavior and she went to Slaughterville to make her home with relatives. She remained there only a short time, and returning to Owensboro, go into trouble again, and was sent to Greendale. At the reform school she made a good record and was paroled on March 26, 1915. She went to Huntingburg, Ind., to make her home with her brother, but soon returned to this city and lived with her father. “Sox” Adams had returned form the school of reform and when the girl got into trouble with him again, her father took her to Dayton, Ohio, on July 19, where he hoped to get work. They had been there only a short time, when he was injured and both returned to this city, where she had since made her home.
Saturday night the police received word that the girl and Adams were together in a vacant house on Eleventh street and the arrest of Adams followed. He was fined $10 in police court yesterday morning on a charge of disorderly conduct.
[3683]
The Messenger, Owensboro, Ky., Wed. Morning, Sept. 15, 1915, page 2
Deaths and Funerals
Funeral of Jessie Stephens
The funeral services over the remains of Jessie Stephens, the eighteen-year-old daughter of C.C. Stephens, who committed suicide early Sunday morning, were held from the residence at 606 Locust street, Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock, conducted by Rev. H.H. Stephens, pastor of the Whitesville Christian church. A large crowd accompanied the remains to Elmwood, where the interment took place.
She is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Section D, lot 44
[3678]
[S272]
1900 Daviess County, Kentucky Census
[3679]
[S273]
1910 Daviess County, Kentucky census
[3680]
[S53]
Death Certificate
[3681]
[S279]
Elmwood Cemetery, compiled by Brenda and Bill Little, 1984
_____________________
|
_John TOLLEY ________|
| (.... - 1850) m 1806|
| |_____________________
|
|
|--Sally TOLLEY
|
| _John CRAIN _________+
| | (1738 - 1831) m 1770
|_Jane CRAIN _________|
(1788 - 1870) m 1806|
|_Frances POND _______
(1750 - 1812) m 1770