She was married five times. At least.
A couple of weeks ago, I said my grandfather’s sister, Lillie Vashti Lanier, was married at least four times and that I hadn’t found her in 1920 or 1930 census records. When I threw that “at least” in there it wasn’t so much because I believed she’d been married more. It was just because there are gaps in her life that I don’t know anything about so I couldn’t be sure four was it.
After learning from the 1940 census that Lillie was living in New Orleans in 1935, I took a closer look at the 1930 census. And I finally found her. With a new surname.
Lillie Manning lived at 2418 Amelia Street in New Orleans. As luck would have it, a couple of relatives were living with her – that’s the only way I knew this was my Lillie. Her older sister, Hettie McRae (listed as Hattie MacRae), and Hettie’s son, Jack White, were listed as roomer and lodger. Lillie and Hettie were both widows. All three were working: Lillie as a cashier in a hotel, Hettie for Crystaline Company and Jack as a sign painter.
I’m still looking for Lillie in 1920, but the current list of her husbands looks like this:
1. Jesse Walls: Lillie and Jesse were married in Fulton County, Georgia on 26 Feb 1910. According to the 1910 census, they lived in Atlanta, Georgia at 9 Carroll Pl. Her mother (Nancy Jane Lanier), sister (Sallie Belle Dial) and niece (Dorothy Dial) lived with them.
2. Jack Young: Jack requires a post all his own (coming soon), mostly to explain how I went wrong with him.
3. Mr. Roberts: Lillie’s last name was Roberts at the time of her mother’s death according to the obituary published in the LaGrange Reporter in LaGrange, Georgia on 14 Oct 1926.
4. Mr. Manning: Lillie’s last name was Manning in the 1930 census. Mr. Manning was apparently deceased.
5. James Henry Dixon: Lillie married James in 1935 and he was her last husband. Well, at least, Dixon was her last name when she died in 1987 (36 years have his death) and she’s buried beside him.
I really wish I’d known Aunt Lillie.
What a busy girl Lillie was. Are you sure she only had five husbands?
I’m not at all sure that five is all. 🙂
I love interesting ancestors, and it sounds like Aunt Lillie was QUITE interesting! :o)
Thanks, Laura. I suspect she was quite interesting.
I’m sure Aunt Lillie would have a lot to say about life! What an interesting ancestor of yours, Linda.
Celia, Aunt Lillie would have had a lot to say about many things if anyone could have made her talk. She was the keeper of some big family secrets.
I love ancestors that get married lots of times. There are always interesting stories behind those marriages!
Greta, I hope I can find one or two of those stories about Aunt Lillie. And it’s great to see you back on the scene. 🙂
Wow! She was busy! What a fun and interesting ancestor you have in Lillie!
Hi, my name is Gina, my grandmother is Dorothy Dial, I have been looking for people in my family history. My grandma always talked about her Aunt Lillie. I am starting to find out more about my family now. Her mother is Sallie. My grandma was married 2x that I know of. My grandfather is George Chevalier.
Gina – Please e-mail me at lindafmccauley@gmail.com. I’d love to compare notes and probably have a good deal of info to share with you. I don’t have any way to contact you so I really hope you see this.
Linda
Curious … if Lillie was 32 in 1930 and married in 1910, then that would make her 12 at her first marriage. A stretch for most communities. Of course fibbing on the age may have helped with the husband collecting.
Catherine – It looks like she started shaving a few years off her age – maybe because of younger husbands. She was listed as 8 yrs old, born in 11/1891 in the 1900 census with her parents which matches her birth date on the SSDI. That’s probably pretty accurate so she was really 38 in 1930. She continued the reduced age in 1940, claiming to be 43 at that time.