Tenth Generation

132. Henrietta L. "Retta" BIGELOW (~) was born on 24 February 1889 in Wisconsin.^{98,140,287,288,289} (She may have been named after her father's sister, Ella Henrietta Bigelow.) She appeared in the census in 1895 in Lincoln Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷⁷ She appeared in the census in 1900 in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI.⁹⁸ Retta appeared in the census in April 1910 in Warren County, TN.²⁶⁷ (Her mother's birth place was mistakenly listed as Vermont.) She appeared in the census in 1920 in McMinnville, Warren County, TN.^272,289 (An in-depth search of the 1930 Census records for Tennessee and Texas failed to find her, her husband, or their daughter, Grace.) She lived in Phillips, Hutchinson County, TX in June 1927.^57,290 The obituary of her brother Osmon listed her residence as "Whittenburg," Texas. Whittenburg was a ghost town in Hutchinson County in the Texas Panhandle. The city was founded as Whittenburg, was merged with Pantex in 1938, and is now part of the city of Phillips. Retta lived at her home in Midland, Midland County, TX in September 1938.^271,273 A letter from her (using the name "Retta C.") dated 18 September 1938 to her cousin Elton Griggs in Missouri mentions, "My daughter married Jan. 24, 1937 and the same day my brother Osmon's oldest daughter had a little girl killed here in Midland. Then my daughter and son-in-law came out here and he works for my niece's husband and I am living with my niece...and I do dressmaking for a living and have 80 customers, so I am kept busy sewing from early morning till midnight most every night... Then June 30, 1937, I was in a car accident in Ft. Worth; the girl I was with was killed and my left shoulder was hurt pretty bad and still bothers me quite a lot...."

(She was living with the family of FloJean Gibbins, the oldest daughter of her brother Osmon. She may have been divorced from her husband, Warren Cummings, because she did not mention him in her letter. However, he use of the name "Retta C." may have indicated that she was using his surname.) She lived at her home in Carlsbad, Eddy County, NM in November 1939.^236,291 A letter that she wrote to a cousin, Elton Griggs, on 9 November 1939 contains the return address of "Mrs. Frank Stahl, 111 S. Guadalupe, Carlsbad, New Mexico." She appeared in the census in 1940 in Carlsbad, Eddy County, NM.²⁹² An occupation was not listed for her, but her total wages in 1939 were $750. The census indicates that she had been living in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, TX in 1935. Retta lived in Midland, Midland County, TX in 1941.²⁹³ She was living with her husband Frank at 910 West Missouri Avenue. She wrote a letter to her cousin Mattie Griggs Vandervort on 23 March 1952 in Midland, Midland County, TX.²⁹⁴ "Dear Cousin Mattie: I know you think I am the world's worst, but it seems I can never get to the desk. There is always so much to do on Sat. and Sunday and I never stop through the week. I am always so busy and then there is the yard. But everything got killed night before last--it had been so warm everything had put out--and the last two weeks we have had the worst sand storm every day but today has been pretty but cold. I sure hope we don't have any more cold now.

I am sending you a picture from the paper taken in my living room four days after I was 63 and the baby is Osmon's great-grandson. The girls on the table are Osmon's granddaughters--the one on the right is the baby's mother, and she had another boy Monday the 17th.

Now, let me hear from you when you can. We are all well and hope you are.

Love, Retta"

(According to the newspaper picture/article, she lived at 903 North D Street in Midland.) She died in June 1977 at the age of 88 in Oklahoma.²⁸⁸ (According to the Social Security Death Index, her last residence was in Duncan, Stephens County, OK.) Retta has Ancestral File Number LDZG-ZPM.

Henrietta L. "Retta" BIGELOW (~) and Warren Pleasant CUMMINGS were married on 6 December 1908 in McMinnville, Warren County, TN.^{83,140,146,295,296} Newspaper Article: "Word has been received from Tennessee of the marriage of Retta Bigelow, only daughter of Geo. Bigelow, formerly of LaGrange."

In a letter written by her mother dated 13 June 1909 to her uncle Roswell, she mentioned that "Retta & her husband have moved in the house with Willard & I." They^{83,140,146,295,296} were divorced before 1925.²⁹⁷ Warren Pleasant CUMMINGS¹⁸, son of Robert Finis CUMMINGS and Elizabeth CALLICOTT, was born on 29 July 1890 in Reeves, Obion County, TN.^18,267,282 He appeared in the census in 1900 in Warren County, TN.²⁸² He was listed as age 11 and a "Nephew" in the household of Samuel H. Newby in Civil District 13. His occupation was "Farm Laborer." He appeared in the census in 1910 in Warren County, TN.²⁶⁷ Their household was in the 13th Civil District and his occupation was "Farmer, General Farm." Warren appeared in the census in 1920 in McMinnville, Warren County, TN.^57,272 His household was on the Smithville Pike in the 1st District, and his occupation was "Farmer, General Farm." He appeared in the census in 1930 in Kenedy Township, Karnes County, TX.²⁹⁷ His occupation was "Manager, Machine Shop." He appeared in the census in 1940 in Nueces County, TX.²⁹⁸ His occupation was "Welder, General." The census indicated that he lived in Gladwater, TX in 1935. Warren lived in Corpus Christi, Nueces County, TX in 1940.²⁹⁸ He died in December 1980 at the age of 90 in Prescott, Nevada County, AR.²⁹⁹ He has Ancestral File Number LDDT-Y8S.

Henrietta L. "Retta" BIGELOW (~) and Warren Pleasant CUMMINGS had the following children:

Henrietta L. "Retta" BIGELOW (~) and Frank Cathers STAHL were married between probably October 1938 and November 1939 in Midland, Midland County, TX.^{57,83,140,288,292} Retta was listed in the 1910 Census as the wife of Warren Cummings, but she also married Frank Stahl sometime before November 1939.

She was listed as "Mrs. Henrietta Cummings" in a March 1952 newspaper picture and article. She is listed in the Social Security Death Index as "Henrietta Cummings." Frank Cathers STAHL, son of William Henry STAHL and Isabella M. UNKNOWN (STAHL), was born on 4 January 1888 in Kansas.^292,300 He appeared in the census in 1900 in Cherokee, Montgomery County, KS.³⁰¹ He appeared in the census in 1940 in Carlsbad, Eddy County, NM.²⁹² His household was at 111 South Guadalupe and his occupation was "Driller, Oil." His total wages in 1939 were $1,000.

The Census indicates that he was living in Tampico, Tamanlipas, Mexico in 1935.

. Frank lived in Midland, Midland County, TX in 1941.²⁹³ His residence was at 910 West Missouri Avenue and his occupation was "Driller." He died on 5 September 1965 at the age of 77.^300,302 He was buried at Fairview Cemetery in Cherryvale, Montgomery County, KS.³⁰²