Melvina "Vina" G. Bess, second child of two, was born Mar 10, 1872 in Arkansas to Easter E (Bumgarner) & Ransom "Rance" Bess. Her parents married in Yell County, Arkansas Sept. 19, 1867. Her father was a farmer born in Mississippi who later became a Freewill Baptist preacher. Her mother was born in Georgia. Melvina lost her mother at an early age as Easter died in 1876 when Melvina & her older sister, Mary Rebecca, were 4 and 8 years old, respectively. They were apparently still living in Yell County, Arkansas at the time.
By the time Vina was 13 she had had two step-mothers and now had 4 half siblings from her father's subsequest two marriages. Her father Rance's second marriage was to Georgia A. Baker on Mar. 3, 1878. They had 2 children, a daughter L.L. born about 1879 and son Jasper A. "Jap" Bess born Oct. 12, 1880. Rance married a 3rd time to Margaret Elora Buchanon on Sept 11, 1882 and they had twins, Joseph Syrus and Alice Mariah on June 26, 1885. The two marriages and births of the latter 4 children all where while they were living in Yell County, Arkansas.
Vina & Peter Lee Bowerman, who was born in Texas, were married in Yell County, Arkansas on Jan. 9, 1888. Their first child, daughter Norah Etter, was born Oct. 2, 1888 but I'm not sure where they were living at that time. By the birth of their 2nd child, William Herbert in 1890, they were living in Bonham, Texas. Their 3rd child, Mary Costa, was born in 1897 in Montague County, Texas. In April 1899 they were in Bebee, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma where Dewey Rance was born. Three months later Norah Etter died at the age of 10.
Three years after daughter Norah's death, Vina died in childbirth when Lattie Elizabeth was born on May 7, 1902 in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. Vina's sister, Mary Rebecca (Bess) Jones & her husband William Chapman "Bud" Jones, raised Lattie. They had a daughter Beulah who was born that same year, plus 5 other children at the time.
Melvina was buried at Egypt Cemetery, northwest of Ada beside her daughter Norah. Her husband Peter, who remarried after her death was later laid to rest near them, as was her father Ransom Bess when he died. All her children with the exception of Norah lived long, full lives.
Children:
Norah Etter Bowerman
William Herbert Bowerman
Mary Costa Bowerman
Dewey Rance Bowerman
Lattie Elizabeth Bowerman
Melvina "Vina" Bess appears on the 1880 U.S. Federal Census, living in Spring Creek Township, Yell County, Arkansas. Her name is listed as V.C. The "C" appears to be an error as her headstone shows her middle initial to be "G". She was 8 years old at the time of the census, attending school and living in the household with her father, Ransom, step-mother G.A. (Georgia), sister M.B. (Mary Rebecca, her full sister), and L.L., her half sister, who was 1 year old. Georgia's brother. W.W. Baker was also living with them.
Melvina Bowerman appears as "Vina" in the 1900 Census living in Chickasaw Nation in Indian Territory (now Pontotoc County, Oklahoma) living with husband Peter who was a farm laborer. Vina is marked as being able to neither read nor write. Their children are listed as Herbert, Oscar (which was an error, should have read Costa), and Baby, who was Dewey Rance.
By the time Vina was 13 she had had two step-mothers and now had 4 half siblings from her father's subsequest two marriages. Her father Rance's second marriage was to Georgia A. Baker on Mar. 3, 1878. They had 2 children, a daughter L.L. born about 1879 and son Jasper A. "Jap" Bess born Oct. 12, 1880. Rance married a 3rd time to Margaret Elora Buchanon on Sept 11, 1882 and they had twins, Joseph Syrus and Alice Mariah on June 26, 1885. The two marriages and births of the latter 4 children all where while they were living in Yell County, Arkansas.
Vina & Peter Lee Bowerman, who was born in Texas, were married in Yell County, Arkansas on Jan. 9, 1888. Their first child, daughter Norah Etter, was born Oct. 2, 1888 but I'm not sure where they were living at that time. By the birth of their 2nd child, William Herbert in 1890, they were living in Bonham, Texas. Their 3rd child, Mary Costa, was born in 1897 in Montague County, Texas. In April 1899 they were in Bebee, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma where Dewey Rance was born. Three months later Norah Etter died at the age of 10.
Three years after daughter Norah's death, Vina died in childbirth when Lattie Elizabeth was born on May 7, 1902 in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. Vina's sister, Mary Rebecca (Bess) Jones & her husband William Chapman "Bud" Jones, raised Lattie. They had a daughter Beulah who was born that same year, plus 5 other children at the time.
Melvina was buried at Egypt Cemetery, northwest of Ada beside her daughter Norah. Her husband Peter, who remarried after her death was later laid to rest near them, as was her father Ransom Bess when he died. All her children with the exception of Norah lived long, full lives.
Children:
Norah Etter Bowerman
William Herbert Bowerman
Mary Costa Bowerman
Dewey Rance Bowerman
Lattie Elizabeth Bowerman
Melvina "Vina" Bess appears on the 1880 U.S. Federal Census, living in Spring Creek Township, Yell County, Arkansas. Her name is listed as V.C. The "C" appears to be an error as her headstone shows her middle initial to be "G". She was 8 years old at the time of the census, attending school and living in the household with her father, Ransom, step-mother G.A. (Georgia), sister M.B. (Mary Rebecca, her full sister), and L.L., her half sister, who was 1 year old. Georgia's brother. W.W. Baker was also living with them.
Melvina Bowerman appears as "Vina" in the 1900 Census living in Chickasaw Nation in Indian Territory (now Pontotoc County, Oklahoma) living with husband Peter who was a farm laborer. Vina is marked as being able to neither read nor write. Their children are listed as Herbert, Oscar (which was an error, should have read Costa), and Baby, who was Dewey Rance.
Melvina "Vina" G. Bess, second child of two, was born Mar 10, 1872 in Arkansas to Easter E (Bumgarner) & Ransom "Rance" Bess. Her parents married in Yell County, Arkansas Sept. 19, 1867. Her father was a farmer born in Mississippi who later became a Freewill Baptist preacher. Her mother was born in Georgia. Melvina lost her mother at an early age as Easter died in 1876 when Melvina & her older sister, Mary Rebecca, were 4 and 8 years old, respectively. They were apparently still living in Yell County, Arkansas at the time.
By the time Vina was 13 she had had two step-mothers and now had 4 half siblings from her father's subsequest two marriages. Her father Rance's second marriage was to Georgia A. Baker on Mar. 3, 1878. They had 2 children, a daughter L.L. born about 1879 and son Jasper A. "Jap" Bess born Oct. 12, 1880. Rance married a 3rd time to Margaret Elora Buchanon on Sept 11, 1882 and they had twins, Joseph Syrus and Alice Mariah on June 26, 1885. The two marriages and births of the latter 4 children all where while they were living in Yell County, Arkansas.
Vina & Peter Lee Bowerman, who was born in Texas, were married in Yell County, Arkansas on Jan. 9, 1888. Their first child, daughter Norah Etter, was born Oct. 2, 1888 but I'm not sure where they were living at that time. By the birth of their 2nd child, William Herbert in 1890, they were living in Bonham, Texas. Their 3rd child, Mary Costa, was born in 1897 in Montague County, Texas. In April 1899 they were in Bebee, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma where Dewey Rance was born. Three months later Norah Etter died at the age of 10.
Three years after daughter Norah's death, Vina died in childbirth when Lattie Elizabeth was born on May 7, 1902 in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. Vina's sister, Mary Rebecca (Bess) Jones & her husband William Chapman "Bud" Jones, raised Lattie. They had a daughter Beulah who was born that same year, plus 5 other children at the time.
Melvina was buried at Egypt Cemetery, northwest of Ada beside her daughter Norah. Her husband Peter, who remarried after her death was later laid to rest near them, as was her father Ransom Bess when he died. All her children with the exception of Norah lived long, full lives.
Children:
Norah Etter Bowerman
William Herbert Bowerman
Mary Costa Bowerman
Dewey Rance Bowerman
Lattie Elizabeth Bowerman
Melvina "Vina" Bess appears on the 1880 U.S. Federal Census, living in Spring Creek Township, Yell County, Arkansas. Her name is listed as V.C. The "C" appears to be an error as her headstone shows her middle initial to be "G". She was 8 years old at the time of the census, attending school and living in the household with her father, Ransom, step-mother G.A. (Georgia), sister M.B. (Mary Rebecca, her full sister), and L.L., her half sister, who was 1 year old. Georgia's brother. W.W. Baker was also living with them.
Melvina Bowerman appears as "Vina" in the 1900 Census living in Chickasaw Nation in Indian Territory (now Pontotoc County, Oklahoma) living with husband Peter who was a farm laborer. Vina is marked as being able to neither read nor write. Their children are listed as Herbert, Oscar (which was an error, should have read Costa), and Baby, who was Dewey Rance.
By the time Vina was 13 she had had two step-mothers and now had 4 half siblings from her father's subsequest two marriages. Her father Rance's second marriage was to Georgia A. Baker on Mar. 3, 1878. They had 2 children, a daughter L.L. born about 1879 and son Jasper A. "Jap" Bess born Oct. 12, 1880. Rance married a 3rd time to Margaret Elora Buchanon on Sept 11, 1882 and they had twins, Joseph Syrus and Alice Mariah on June 26, 1885. The two marriages and births of the latter 4 children all where while they were living in Yell County, Arkansas.
Vina & Peter Lee Bowerman, who was born in Texas, were married in Yell County, Arkansas on Jan. 9, 1888. Their first child, daughter Norah Etter, was born Oct. 2, 1888 but I'm not sure where they were living at that time. By the birth of their 2nd child, William Herbert in 1890, they were living in Bonham, Texas. Their 3rd child, Mary Costa, was born in 1897 in Montague County, Texas. In April 1899 they were in Bebee, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma where Dewey Rance was born. Three months later Norah Etter died at the age of 10.
Three years after daughter Norah's death, Vina died in childbirth when Lattie Elizabeth was born on May 7, 1902 in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma. Vina's sister, Mary Rebecca (Bess) Jones & her husband William Chapman "Bud" Jones, raised Lattie. They had a daughter Beulah who was born that same year, plus 5 other children at the time.
Melvina was buried at Egypt Cemetery, northwest of Ada beside her daughter Norah. Her husband Peter, who remarried after her death was later laid to rest near them, as was her father Ransom Bess when he died. All her children with the exception of Norah lived long, full lives.
Children:
Norah Etter Bowerman
William Herbert Bowerman
Mary Costa Bowerman
Dewey Rance Bowerman
Lattie Elizabeth Bowerman
Melvina "Vina" Bess appears on the 1880 U.S. Federal Census, living in Spring Creek Township, Yell County, Arkansas. Her name is listed as V.C. The "C" appears to be an error as her headstone shows her middle initial to be "G". She was 8 years old at the time of the census, attending school and living in the household with her father, Ransom, step-mother G.A. (Georgia), sister M.B. (Mary Rebecca, her full sister), and L.L., her half sister, who was 1 year old. Georgia's brother. W.W. Baker was also living with them.
Melvina Bowerman appears as "Vina" in the 1900 Census living in Chickasaw Nation in Indian Territory (now Pontotoc County, Oklahoma) living with husband Peter who was a farm laborer. Vina is marked as being able to neither read nor write. Their children are listed as Herbert, Oscar (which was an error, should have read Costa), and Baby, who was Dewey Rance.
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