Who are you and how do you know my Grandmother? --Part 4

The holidays have been very busy and I wanted to write more about Flora but haven't had much time to research Flora's family.  In previous posts covering this mystery I had mentioned that my Grandmother Pearl had traveled to the Navy Hospital(In Bethesda, MD according to the telegram) near Washington D.C when notified that her son, Morris was there.  I've scanned and read over this post card many times over the years but I just now made the connection with the scene that is on the front.  It is a picture of the fountain in Cincinnati Ohio.  Odd that it wouldn't be something from Washington DC.  Did she stop over in Ohio and buy some postcards there planning to use them to write home.  Was that how she met Flora...on the bus or train?   I have a photo of what remains of the telegram she received from the Navy. Which I'm posting here also. I guess the next step is to find any descendants of Flora and see if they have anything from those years which might over clues.  My parents hadn't married yet so my mother wasn't around while this was going on. She did seem to think that one of Granny's nieces went with her...most likely Sue Bell Thompson--Papaw Cooke's niece(daughter of Rebecca L. Cook and Charlie Thompson).

Picture:  Fountain Square, Cincinnati Ohio

Addressed to :  Miss Magnus Cook 911 Dodson St Old Hickory Tenn

Postmarked Jun 8, 1945 Washington, D.C.

Message:

Have just arrived at the Station in Washington.  Have just finished eating.  Have not been out to the hospital yet which is 12 miles out .  Will write again this afternoon.  (From the Back side of post card)

Love, Mother(written on front)

Below is a photo enhanced picture of what is left of the Telegram my grandmother received.  I do not have a copy or know where the letter is that is mentioned in the Telegram.

1940 US Federal Census Findings

My shocker from the 1940 US Federal census.

Finding my Dad's maternal Grandfather, James Jakes. alive and living with my Grandparents in 1940. When I first began researching over 20 yrs ago I found a Date of death on microfiche for a James Jakes in the area in which he had lived and I incorrectly ASSumed it was him. The date was within 2 yrs of his wife's death and it seemed logical to me(the whole dying of a broken heart bit after losing a spouse). I knew where he was buried however his tombstone did not have a year of death. So I never really gave much thought to researching any more on him other than his children and his ancestors. After finding that he was still alive in 1940 I was able to search FamilySearch's online death records for TN and come up with the correct Death Cert and the correct date of death which happened the following yr. It also gave his birthdate. Prior to that I only had the yr from the tombstone and a month from census records which is off by one from what his Death Cert listed. The certificate also told his place of death-- Davidson Co. Hospital(TN). and gave M as his middle initial...something I'd never seen. Makes me wonder if it is Morrow which was his mother's Maiden name. The informant on the death cert. listed his father as James Jakes...which is probably an error. I have several records showing his father was George Jakes although I don't rule out the possibility that George's middle name might have been James.

Now I'm off in search of his 1930 census entry and also going to find out who Martha Gibson, the informant on his death certificate is. Two Gibson brothers married two of James Jakes' daughters and his Aunt Ann Jakes married a Gibson. Lots of possibilities.


I love learning :-)

Search for your family in the 1940 Census Records

1940 US Federal Census at FamilySearch


1940 US Federal Census at National Archives And Records Administration

Listing of TN/KY Hospitals Participating in Credit Plan of Nashville Regional Blood Center

 Since Halloween is tomorrow I thought this post was seasonally appropriate.

The following scans are of  a letter which my Grandfather, Thomas D. Cooke received as a pensioner.  The letter which is dated April 19th 1956, contains a listing of KY/TN hospital participating in a Credit Plan of the Nashville Regional Blood Center.