Verna May Wheeler, 1880-1952

Verna May Wheeler
Born: 1880, Mill Shoals, White Co., IL
Died: 5 Feb. 1952, Wayne City, Wayne Co., IL
Buried: Thomason Cemetery, Wayne City, Wayne Co., IL

Married:
1) William Thomas Allen 3 May 1900
2) Benjamin L. Gwaltney 16 Sep. 1907, his second marriage

William Allen, son of T.J. & Jane (Snowdell) Allen
Born: 29 Nov. 1868, Albion, Edwards Co., IL
Died: 1906, California
Divorced:

Benjamin F. Gwaltney son of W.J. & Maria (Murphy) Gwaltney
Born: 27 Dec. 1875
Died: 15 Sep. 1952
Buried: Thomason Cemetery, Wayne City, Wayne Co., IL

Benjamin Gwaltney md. 1) Lelah Frazier and had sons Prince & Eugene Field Gwaltney

Records:
1880 - Illinois - White Co., Mill Shoals - birth:
February 6 on tombstone
parents marriage certificate April 11, 1880
1880 census, June 23 - she is not listed with her parents on the census
June 1860 on 1900 census - which really doesn't work, but the month is a little better.
1910 census she is listed as being 20 which would put her birth in 1890.
1920, 1930 & 1940 census indicate she was born in 1881 - which is probably correct.

1898 - Ben Gwaltney served as corporal in Company D, 6th Regiment of Missouri Infantry during the Spanish American War.

1900 - Illinois - White Co., Mill Shoals - census:
Wheeler, Nathan, b. Jan. 1856, 44 md. unknown number of years, b. IL, father b. KY, mother b. IL, timber inspector, owns mortgaged home
Rebecka, b. June 1858, 41, md. unknown number of years, 2 children, 2 living [mistake, 3 children listed in this census], b. IL, father b. IL, mother b. IL
Verna, daughter/sister  b. June 1860, 39, md. 1 year, 0 children, b. IL, parents b. IL [issues with this line! sister is written over daughter]
Vernet [Lonnie], son b. Feb. 1881, 19, b. IL, parents b. IL, day laborer
Vernon [Donald], son b. Jan. 1883, 17, b. IL, parents b. IL, day laborer
Allen, William, son-in-law, b. July 1886, 18, b. IL,

1910 - April 21 - Illinois, White Co., Mill Shoals census, living next door to her parents William & Rebecca (Taylor) Wheeler:
Gwaltney, Ben, head, 35, md. 2nd for 3 years, IL, IL, IL, carpenter
Verna wife, 20, md. 2nd for 3 yrs. 1 child, 1 living, IL, IL, IL
Jessie son, 1 IL, IL, IL

1920 - 14 January - Indiana, Madison, Anderson - census - 420 Pearl Street:
Gwaltney, Ben L., head, rents, 44, literate, b. IL, father b. IN, mother b. IN
Verna, wife, 39, literate, b. IL, father b. IL, mother b. IL
Wheeler, son, 11, attended school, literate, b. IL, father b. IL, mother b. IL
Frances Marie, daughter, 8/12 b. IN, father b. IL, mother b. IL
Prince, son, 17, literate, b. IL, father b. IL, mother b. OH
Eugene, son, 16, literate, b. IL, father b. IL, mother b. OH
Allen, Ronald, stepson, 18, literate, b. IL, father b. IL, mother b. IL
Allen, Elmer, stepson, 17, literate, b. IL, father b. IL, mother b. IL

1930 - 8 April - Ohio, Montgomery Co., Harrison Twp., Shiloh Springs - census:
Gwaltney, Benjamin L., head, rents, $35, has radio, not a farm, 54, married, age at first marriage: 24, literate, b. IL, father b. IN, gardener, garden, employed, veteran, Spanish American War
Verna M. wife, 49, married, age at first marriage 19, literate, b. IL, father b. IL, mother b. IL
Eugene F. son, 26, married, age at first marriage 24, literate, b. IL, father b. IL, mother b. Illinois Ohio, machinist, auto parts motors, employed
Florence M. daughter-in-law, 20, married, age at first marriage 18, literate, b. IL, father b. IL, mother b. IL
Allen, Charles R. stepson, 28, married, age at first marriage 22, literate, b. IL, father b. IL, mother b. IL, spray painter, mfg. auto store, wheels (?), employed, veteran, WWI
Margaret E. step daughter-in-law, 26, married, age at first marriage, 20, b. IN, father b. OH, mother b. IN
Robert E. grandson, 6, b. IN, father b. IL, mother b. IN
Wanda I. granddaughter, 3/12 (?) b. IN, father b. IL, mother b. IN
Gwaltney, Frances M. granddaughter, 10, literate, b. IN, father b. IL, mother b. IL

1940 - 9 April - Illinois, White Co., Mill Shoals census:
Funkhouser, Willis, head, 23, md. completed high school, b. IL, lived same place 1935, clerk, retail grocery store, income $800
Frances wife, 20, md. completed 2 years of high school, b. IN, lived same place 1935
Gwaltney, B.L. father-in-law, 62, md. completed 8th grade, b. IL, lived same place 1935, occupation plumber, private home income $0
Verna, mother-in-law, 59, md. completed 8th grade, b. IL, lived same place 1935

Children:
Charles Ronald Allen b. 1901
Elmer Ruel Allen b. 1902
Prince H. Gwaltney b. 1902, d. 1967 md. Thelma May Neese, children:

• Marilyn b. 1930, d. 2016 md. 1954 V. Gerald McKelvey, child: Marianne
• William b. 1931, d. 2015 md. Vivian Kolenda, children: Tony, Patrick, Adam, Suzanne, Theresa, Paul
• David Allan b. 1938, d. 1967 

Eugene Field Gwaltney b. 1904, d. 1983
Jess Wheeler Gwaltney b. 1909
Frances Marie Gwaltney b. 1920 md. Willis Funkhouser

Revised 4/17/2019