Emily Elizabeth, her real name was born to a Cherokee mother. When her mother died, she was living with her Uncle Perry Summers and she got married off at the age of 15. Her husband Elias was very abusive and put her down for her Cherokee background. When he died, she made her living by working a boarding house, sewing shrouds for the Jones Funeral home in LaCenter, Kentucky. She sold Singer Sewing machines and worked in Cairo doing demonstrations in homes. She was a good salesman but she remained poor. When my mother was orphaned at 10 years old, she took my mother in poor as she was. Lela had a heart for the children. Her daughter had BBQ's for the area ministers and Lela would help her. She said she wouldn't help though unless the children were fed first. My sister who remembers Lela said she was a very nice old lady. She was always good to the children.
She wanted to be called Lela after a nanny that cared for her as a child. That is the name on her tombstone.
She turned down two offers of marriage as she felt that any suitor that she accepted would inherit her family trials. She nursed and cared for anyone who needed it. She took in her brother Dave, her sister Eliza, who were both much older than her and need care in the elder years. She cared for Dr Maynor who her husband worked for as Caretaker. She was so poor that when her son died, my grandfather Orbin, she had to borrow money to bury him as well as her husband Elias who died in 1920
She was the mother of
Orbin B., Lee Roy, Olla and Offa, Mamie Askew, Vernia Beatrice.
She wanted to be called Lela after a nanny that cared for her as a child. That is the name on her tombstone.
She turned down two offers of marriage as she felt that any suitor that she accepted would inherit her family trials. She nursed and cared for anyone who needed it. She took in her brother Dave, her sister Eliza, who were both much older than her and need care in the elder years. She cared for Dr Maynor who her husband worked for as Caretaker. She was so poor that when her son died, my grandfather Orbin, she had to borrow money to bury him as well as her husband Elias who died in 1920
She was the mother of
Orbin B., Lee Roy, Olla and Offa, Mamie Askew, Vernia Beatrice.
Emily Elizabeth, her real name was born to a Cherokee mother. When her mother died, she was living with her Uncle Perry Summers and she got married off at the age of 15. Her husband Elias was very abusive and put her down for her Cherokee background. When he died, she made her living by working a boarding house, sewing shrouds for the Jones Funeral home in LaCenter, Kentucky. She sold Singer Sewing machines and worked in Cairo doing demonstrations in homes. She was a good salesman but she remained poor. When my mother was orphaned at 10 years old, she took my mother in poor as she was. Lela had a heart for the children. Her daughter had BBQ's for the area ministers and Lela would help her. She said she wouldn't help though unless the children were fed first. My sister who remembers Lela said she was a very nice old lady. She was always good to the children.
She wanted to be called Lela after a nanny that cared for her as a child. That is the name on her tombstone.
She turned down two offers of marriage as she felt that any suitor that she accepted would inherit her family trials. She nursed and cared for anyone who needed it. She took in her brother Dave, her sister Eliza, who were both much older than her and need care in the elder years. She cared for Dr Maynor who her husband worked for as Caretaker. She was so poor that when her son died, my grandfather Orbin, she had to borrow money to bury him as well as her husband Elias who died in 1920
She was the mother of
Orbin B., Lee Roy, Olla and Offa, Mamie Askew, Vernia Beatrice.
She wanted to be called Lela after a nanny that cared for her as a child. That is the name on her tombstone.
She turned down two offers of marriage as she felt that any suitor that she accepted would inherit her family trials. She nursed and cared for anyone who needed it. She took in her brother Dave, her sister Eliza, who were both much older than her and need care in the elder years. She cared for Dr Maynor who her husband worked for as Caretaker. She was so poor that when her son died, my grandfather Orbin, she had to borrow money to bury him as well as her husband Elias who died in 1920
She was the mother of
Orbin B., Lee Roy, Olla and Offa, Mamie Askew, Vernia Beatrice.
Gravesite Details
The birthdate on the headstone does not match the date on her death certificate. Lela is also not her real name. Her birth name is Emily Elizabeth. The dates with this family are inconsistent.
Family Members
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