Sunday's Obituary - Fern Bruce Warren Williams, Mt. Vernon, IL

Fern Bruce 1920's

Mt. Vernon Register News 28 Jun 1958

My great-grandmother, Charlotta Ruth Banks Wade Berry's half sister, Fern Bruce.  Fern was the daughter of Sarah Eva Talley and Frank Z. Bruce.  She was born 6 Jul 1900 in Mt. Vernon, IL and died 28 Jun 1958 also in Mt. Vernon.  She is buried at Oakwood Cemetery.

Sunday's Obituary - Cecil Bruce Jackson Stewart - Mt. Vernon, IL

Cecil Bruce Jackson Stewart
Born:  18 Mar 1894 Jefferson Co, IL
Died:  23 Jan 1921 Mt. Vernon, Jefferson Co, IL
Mother:  Anna Osborn
Father:  Frank Z. Bruce

She was my great-great grandmother Sarah Eva Talley Bruce's step-daughter.   Such a short sad life, she died at the age of twenty-six of double pneumonia.  When she was only nineteen years old her first husband Will Jackson died in 1913 in an accident in the railroad yards in Chester, IL leaving her with one son Ray who was born the same year.  On 17 Sep 1918 she married Charles Robert Stewart of Mt. Vernon, a widower with four children.  She had one child with Charles Stewart, a son Charles Edwin Stewart born in 1920.  She had one full sister Opal Bruce Ward and four half-sisters, Fern, Wade, Nina and Edna Bruce.  She is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Mt. Vernon.

Cecil Bruce abt age 10  ca 1905

Mt Vernon Register News 24 Jan 1921

Sunday's Obituary - Wave Bruce Warner

My grandmother, Doris Smith's aunt, her mother's half sister, Wave Bruce Warner, she was the daughter of Frank Zopher Bruce and Sarah Eva (Talley) Bruce.  Her husband was Jack Warner, baseball scout from Los Angeles and former Detroit Tigers' 3rd baseman 1925 - 1928.

Wave Bruce Warner 1920's

Wave B. Warner
Mt. Vernon


Wave B. Warner, 89, Mt. Vernon, died 6:44 p.m. May 10, 1991, at Good Samaritan Regional Health Center.  Mrs. Warner was born Feb. 26, 1902, in Jefferson County, a daughter of Frank Z. and Sarah Eva (Talley) Bruce. July 27, 1925, in Los Angeles, she married John R. "Jack" Warner, who died March 13, 1986.


Services will be 2 p.m. Sunday at the chapel at Mt. Vernon Memorial Gardens with J. Howard Kraps officiating. Burial will follow in Mt. Vernon Memorial Gardens.  Friends may call after 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the chapel in Mt. Vernon Memorial Gardens.


Mrs. Warner is survived by several nephews, nieces, great-nephews, and great-nieces.  Mrs. Warner was a member of First Presbyterian Church.  She was preceded in death by her parents and six sisters.  Memorials may be made to the Jefferson County Heart Association and will be accepted by Hughey Funeral Home at any time.  Hughey Funeral Home is in charge of the services.


Source: Mount Vernon Register News
Date:  May 11, 1991

Sunday's Obituary - Laura Alpha Neibel Wilson

My Paternal Grandmother

Sunday's Obituary - Daniel W. McGuire - Murfreesboro, TN

Daniel Washington McGuire 

Born: 15 Aug 1869

Died: 9 Jan 1953

Father:  William Henry McGuire

Mother:  Amanda Jane Martin

I have written previously of my 3X great-grandmother, Amanda Martin Sewell McGuire Clifton who has fascinated me for over twenty years.  I have spent much time documenting her life.  One detail I had trouble with was finding the death date and place for her son Daniel W. McGuire from her second marriage to William Henry McGuire.  Several months ago, my distant cousin, Mike Clemmons who writes, Clemmons Family History and is also descended from Amanda contacted me to let me know he was going to the Nashville, TN area and would look for the obituary.  Aren't genealogy cousins great?!?  He was successful and several mysteries were solved.  I had always assumed Daniel's middle name was William after his father, but according to the obituary it is Washington.

According to the 1910 Wilson County, Tn and 1930 Rutherford County, TN he listed his occupation as Chief Engineer Ice Factory.  According to the obituary he worked for the Christy and Huggins Company, and ice company and Coca Cola bottlers for forty-two years.

He was survived by his wife Lucy and two daughters, Mrs. Josephine Patterson and Mrs. Margaret Price.  There was no mention of a son Howard Jefferson McGuire who was born in 1892.

Thanks again Mike!

Sunday's Obituary - Joseph Washington Wade

Joseph Washington Wade 7 Sep 1875 – 14 Jan 1942

Joseph Washington Wade 12 Apr 1912

My great-grandfather, Joseph Washington Wade, was born 7 Sep 1875 to Joseph R.H. and Elizabeth (Pelt) Wade in Carmi, White County, Illinois.    He was married to Charlotta (Lottie) Ruth Banks on 24 Apr 1912 in Chester, Randolph County, Illinois.  This small obituary was placed in the Mt. Vernon Register News (Mt. Vernon, IL)  on the day of his death.  

According to his death certificate (see below), he died of bronchial pneumonia and undernourishment.  The funeral director was H. A. Myers of Myers Funeral Home and he was eventually buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Mt. Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois.

Sunday's Obituary - Charlotta Ruth Banks Wade Berry

Charlotta Ruth Banks Wade Berry

Charlotta Ruth Banks Wade Berry 
31 May 1895 - 9 Sep 1960


My great-grandmother, Charlotta Ruth Banks, was born 31 May 1895 in Wabash County, IL to Sarah Eva Talley and Sherman Banks (see previous story).  Charlotta grew up without her father and had four younger half-sisters when her mother remarried Frank Z. Bruce.  On 24 Apr 1912 at the age of sixteen Charlotta married Joseph Washington Wade who was twenty years older than her.  Their first child, my grandmother Doris, was born 27 Aug 1913 followed by Mildred in 1917 and Hugh Joseph in 1919.

Charlotta ca 1905 age 10

Great-grandfather Joseph was a foreman at the car shops in Mt. Vernon, IL cand they lived a good life for the times. Unfortunately, sometime around the late 1920's business slowed and Joseph lost his position.  Sometime after 1930 Charlotta and Joseph divorced and Charlotta later married Mack Berry.  Charlotta was bedridden in the last years of her life; as a little girl I remember going with my parents to her home in Granite City, Illinois.  She and her husband kept many Chihuahua's as pets and the dogs on her bed would growl and snap at me.  As I young child I was terrified of them, strangely enough I now have two chihuahua's of my own.  Charlotta died 9 Sep 1960 in Madison County, Illinois and is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

Sunday's Obituary - Robert Calvin Smith - Mt . Vernon, Il

Bob Smith Age 35

Robert Calvin Smith 16 Sep 1888 - 31 Oct 1958

Last week I wrote briefly about my great-grandmother Verna Merritt Smith.  This week's obituary is about her husband, my great-grandfather Robert Calvin Smith.  Robert, or Bob as he was called, was born in Mt. Vernon, IL on 16 Sep 1888 to Milton A. and Mary F. (Scott) Smith.  Despite trying his hand early on at his father's occupation as a plumber, with the advent of automobiles Bob quickly found his niche.  Smith men have always been very mechanically inclined and working with engines seemed to be his calling.  He ran a garage in Mt. Vernon for many years with several of his sons.

Bob & Verna Smith 1950's

At some point in the late 1940's or early 1950's poor health forced him to retire from his garage.  He and Verna spent a couple of winter in Flagstaff, Arizona and then Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  I like this picture of them - not sure where it's taken, but he looks very relaxed and enjoying his retirement.  On 31 Oct 1958 (my third birthday) he died in a Fort Lauderdale nursing home.  He was buried in Williams Cemetery in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

Sunday's Obituary - Mary F. Scott Smith - Mt . Vernon, Il

Mary Frances Scott Smith

My great-great-grandmother, Mary Frances Scott Smith was born in Mt. Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois on 17 Apr 1862 to Joseph McDonald "Mack" Scott and his wife Delilah (Hunt) Scott. She was the fourth of eight children of whom only two would live to adulthood, the other being her sister Rebecca Jane Scott who married Cyrus Edward Bullock. On 2 Mar 1886 In Mt. Vernon, Mary married Milton Albin Smith, son of Daniel and Barbara Ann (Wade) Smith. She died in Mt. Vernon on 17 Aug 1936.  She is buried in Williams Cemetery.

Smith Family, Mt. Vernon, Illinois 1920's

This is the only picture I have ever seen of her, it's taken in Mt. Vernon around the middle 1920's.  From L-R; Mary Frances Scott Smith, son Milton McDonald Smith and wife Sylvia Allen Smith, son Robert Calvin Smith, son Roy, and  Robert's wife Verna Merritt Smith, son John Smith and wife Lena (unknown) Smith.  Daughter Fannie and husband Alva Merritt are missing from the picture.  Also missing is daughter Dollie Ann Smith Hayes who died in March1923.

Mt. Vernon Register News 18 Aug 1936

Sunday's Obituary - Daniel Gale "Danny" Smith

Daniel Gale Smith

Daniel Gale Smith


Daniel "Danny" Smith, 65, of Mt. Vernon, died at 1:20 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, 2011, at St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon, Illinois

Danny was born Sunday, Dec. 30, 1945, in Mt. Vernon, the son of Diamond Milton and Doris Charlotte (Wade) Smith.

Danny is survived by two sons, William Smith of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and Daniel Nabors and wife Yvonne of Navarre, Fla.; a daughter, Shannon Thomas of Atlanta; six grandchildren; two special grandchildren, Chase Chelf and Alanah Chelf of Mt. Vernon; two sisters, Pat Wilson and husband Art of Mt. Vernon and Sue Stewart and husband Dwight of Mt. Vernon; several nieces and nephews including David Gale Smith, Jeremy Diamond Smith, Ted Wilson, Todd Wilson and wife Stacy of Mt. Vernon, Robert Thomas, Jennifer Clevenger and husband Ray of Centralia, Jamie Houle and husband Derek of Mt. Vernon (Danny made his home at Jamie and Derek's house, Teresa Rogers and husband Jim of Plantation, FL, and Tracy Hawkins and husband Lyndon of Apache Junction, AZ, Wade Stewart and wife Lauren of Edwardsville,IL, Paul Stewart and wife Patty of Buckner, KY and Danny Warner and wife Melissa of Chattanooga, TN; and two lifelong friends, Jeff Roberts of Sebring, Fla., and Kenny Rogers of Okeechobee, Fla.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Yvonne Warner; a twin brother, David G. Smith; and four nephews, Joshua Smith, Trent Wilson, Derek Warner and Donnie Warner.

Danny was a self-employed carpenter, and accomplished cabinet maker and woodworker, was musically talented and was a cherished brother, father, grandfather, uncle and friend.


Funeral services were held at 7:30 pm on Saturday, April 16, 2011 at Hughey Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.  Mr. Marty Mills officiated.  Cremation following the funeral service and inurnment of ashes will be held at Williams Cemetery in Jefferson County, Illinois at a later date.

Williams Cemetery, Jefferson County, Illinois

Note:  This obituary was created using the original obituary from the Mt. Vernon Register News, the Hughey Funeral Home Register and my own additions.

Sunday's Obituary - Otis Greene Wilson

My Great-Grandfather Otis Greene Wilson
Born:  23 Apr 1872 Mt. Vernon, Il
Died:   16 May 1958 Napa, CA
Father:  David Johnson Wilson
Mother:  Anzonetta Carolina Daniels

Otis Greene Wilson 1872 - 1958

Sunday's Obituary - Howard Mathis Wilson

Howard Mathis Wilson

Sunday's Obituary - Doris C. Wade Smith

My Maternal Grandmother - Doris Charlotte Wade Smith

Sunday's Obituary - Milton Albin Smith

My Great-Great-Grandfather, Milton A. (Dick) Smith 1863 - 1954

Sunday's Obituary - Diamond Milton Smith

My Grandfather - Diamond Milton Smith 1910 - 1997