52 Ancestors: #2 Fred Rothwell DEMPSEY 1899-1975

This is my second post in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge. I’m still experimenting with how I want these write-ups to look. This time, I tried working with a timeline generated by my genealogy program Ancestral Quest 14.

#2 Fred Rothwell DEMPSEY 1899-1975

Granddaddy and Daddy ca. 1973

Fred Rothwell DEMPSEY was born 30 October 1899 in Victor, Fayette County, West Virginia, to William Henderson DEMPSEY, a coal miner, and his wife Laura Belle INGRAM.¹ The Register of Births for Fayette County lists his mother Laura as the informant.² Fred was their 5th son and 7th child. He applied for his Social Security Number before 1951.³ This was most likely when he applied for his delayed certificate of birth which was signed by his older brother Ernest R. DEMPSEY. On the certificate, his father was listed as 38 years old and his mother as 31 years old at the time of his birth. Two children born to the mother had died before Fred’s birth. These angels were his sisters Viola (1885-1887) and Pearl (1897-1898).

Delayed Certificate of Birth No. 1368

1900 –  Fred is enumerated for the first time on the United States Federal Census.⁴

1900 U.S. Federal Census, Mountain Cove District, Fayette County, West Virginia.

1902 – birth of brother Clyde Lewis (1902-1974).⁵
1904 – birth of sister Hester Ethel (1904-2001).⁶
1907 – marriage of his oldest brother William W. “Willie” (1888-1915) to Mallie Lee GRAY.⁷
In 1910 we see Fred for the second time in a census:⁸

1910 U.S. Federal Census, Mountain Cove District, Fayette County, West Virginia.

1910 – birth of brother Earl Stanley (1910-1968) after the census.⁹
1914 – Fred, who attended 8 years of school, most likely began working at around the age of 15. World War I began. His three older brothers married during the year:
Oscar Lawrence (1892-1940) md. Fannie Belle NOBLE¹⁰
Roy Lee (1894-1947) md. Liliane Madelene NUNNERY¹¹
Ernest Rupert (1890-1955) md. Virginia Lenora “Lee” WILLS.¹²

1915 – Fred’s oldest brother Willie was killed on 5 October 1915.¹³ He had gone into a small mine at his home, accompanied by his wife and little son Gordon, to mine some coal for home use. While his wife was watching him a heavy fall of slate came in on him, killing him instantly.

1918 – On 12 September 1918, Fred filled out his World War I Draft Registration Card. He was 18 years old, of medium height, medium weight, with black hair and black eyes. His middle name was written correctly (Rothwell) on the card but then corrected to match the spelling he used in his signature. He was working as a miner for Edward MORRIS in Jodie.¹⁴ Per the 1920 census Edward L. MORRIS was the representative of Gauley Mountain Coal. At about the same time in 1917-1918, Fred’s brothers Roy and Ernest were working for the Signal Knob Coal Co. in Ansted and Oscar was working at Pemberton C & C Co. in Affinity. World War I ends.

1920 – In 1920 Fred was enumerated twice on the census. Enumerated on 13-14 January, he was living at home in Victor with his parents and three youngest siblings: Clyde, Hester, and Earl.¹⁵

1920 U.S. Federal Census: West Virginia > Fayette > ED 33 Mountain Cove District, Victor Precinct

Enumerated on the 22 January, he was living in Jodie, in the same county, in his brother Roy’s household. Fred may have just moved in with his brother’s family or he could have been living at both places, spending working days in Jodie and free time at home.¹⁶

1920 U.S. Federal Census: West Virginia > Fayette > ED 11 Jodie Falls Magisterial District

1921 – brother Clyde Lewis married Mary Etta “Marietta” HOLLY.¹⁷
1923 – Fred, 23, and Myrtle Hazel ROOP, 17, both of Jodie, were married on 20 January 1923 in Fayetteville by A. H. Perkins.¹⁸
1923 – daughter Thelma Louise (d. 1991) was born on 11 August.
1925 – daughter Lois Emma (d. 2006) was born on 24 April.
1926 – sister Hester Ethel (d. 2001) married James Arthur GROSE.¹⁹
1927 – daughter Leona Mae (d. 2017) was born.
1930 – In 1930 Fred, a coal miner is seen for the first time as the head of household on the census. The family of 5 was living in Jodie, paid $8 a month rent, and owned a radio set.²⁰

“United States Census, 1930,” images, Archive Internet ( https://archive.org/stream/15thcensus2531unit#page/n174/mode/1up : accessed 24 Jan 2014) West Virginia > Fayette > ED 10-5 Falls; citing NARA microfilm publication

1931 – son Doyle Stanley (d. 1990) was born 20 May.
1935 – son Fred Roosevelt (d. 1974) was born on 3 November.
1937 – sister Hester Ethel (d. 2001) married William R. “Bill” SKAGGS.²¹
1937 – On Sunday, 12 September 1937, the sixth reunion of the Dempsey family was held near Lover’s Leap.²²

The Charleston Gazette published Saturday, September 18, 1937

1939 – World War II began.
1940 – On the 1940 census, Fred is the head of a household with his wife and 5 children. He had 8 years of schooling and was a coal loader in the coal mines. He worked 35 hours a week and had worked 44 weeks in 1939 with an income of $1,451. They rented their home which was not a farm for $8 a month.²³

1940 U.S. Federal Census, Fred R. Dempsey household 375

1940-1941 – daughter Thelma married Fred Lawrence “Freddie” FITZWATER in Kentucky. Fred’s brother Oscar died in May²⁴ and his mother Laura in October 1940.²⁵ His father followed in January 1941.²⁶

Fred and Myrtle who were living in Jodie at the time of the census moved to Victor during the year. Their youngest son confirmed that they moved to Victor to take care of Fred’s Mom and Dad in 1940. Fred bought out his brothers and sisters — there was not so much a transfer of money but an agreement that he would inherit the house and property for taking care of his parents.

1941 – son Walter Leland (d. 1993) was born 15 April.
1941 – Daughter Lois married Nathan B. LEE.²⁷
1942 – Fred was too young for the “old man’s registration” conducted on 27 April 1942 for men not already in the military and born on or between 28 April 1877 and 16 February 1897 – men who were between 45 and 64 years old. On 16 February 1942, he was 42 years old and filled out the form for men aged 18–44.²⁸. His first grandchild was born.
1944 – son Lloyd Allen was born.
1945 – World War II ended in August and daughter Leona married Frank J. “Buck” MULLINS in November.²⁹
1952 – son Doyle married Mavis Ivalene WOOD.³⁰
1957 – son Fred married Catherine Josette WILDINGER.³¹

Fred and his wife Myrtle at their home in Victor during a visit from their son Fred and his bride in 1957.

1958 – son Leland married Nancy Lou ZICKAFOOSE.³²
1959 – brother Earl (d. 1968) married Mabel Lucille WILKERSON.³³
1961 – Fred, a member of the United Mine Workers, retired at the end of October at the age of 62. Fred and his wife began spending the winters at their home in Masaryktown, Florida.
1966 – son Lloyd married Anndra Kay McCLUNG.³⁴

Raleigh Register (Beckley), Wednesday Afternoon, January 10, 1973

1973 – On 21 January 1973 Fred and his wife Myrtle celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Their seven children and spouses were present with most of the twenty-four grandchildren born between 1942 and 1971.³⁵

Golden Wedding Anniversary – 20 January 1973 – Celebrated on 21 January 1973

Fred was Sunday School assistant superintendent at Hopewell Baptist Church and a teacher for the men’s Bible class. He died at home after a short illness on Monday, 3 February 1975.³⁶

Charleston Gazette, Wednesday, February 5, 1973

This is my tribute to the man I called Granddaddy.

This Post Was Updated on 9 January 2022: Missing source citations were added, images were watermarked, and some corrections were made to the text and format.

© 2014-2022, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

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1. West Virginia Vital Research Records Project (database and images), West Virginia Division of Culture and History, A collaborative venture between the West Virginia State Archives and the Genealogical Society of Utah to place vital records online via the West Virginia Archives and History Web site accessible at https://archive.wvculture.org/vrr, West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, FHL microfilm 1992377, Fayette, West Virginia, Delayed Certificate of Birth, Fred Rothwell Dempsey, 30 Oct 1899, citing Victor, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=3313971&Type=Birth : accessed 7 March 2013). ↩
2. Ibid., West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, FHL microfilm 584762, Fayette County, West Virginia, Register of Births, line 40, Fred Dempsey, 30 Oct 1899, citing Victor, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view2.aspx?FilmNumber=584762&ImageNumber=98: accessed 29 December 2021). ↩
3. “U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014” (database, no images), Ancestry.com (citing Social Security Administration; Washington D.C., USA. Original data Social Security Death Index, Master File. Fred Dempsey; born 30 Oct 1899; died Feb 1975; last residence Victor, Fayette County, West Virginia 25938; SS #236-09-8251 issued in West Virginia before 1951. ↩
4. 1900 U.S. Federal Census, (index and images), Ancestry, citing Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication T623, 1854 rolls, West Virginia, Fayette County, Mountain Cove District, enumeration district 17, sheet 25A, line 1-7, household 425-437, Wm. H. Dempsey. (http://search.ancestry.com/ : accessed 23 December 2014). ↩
5. WVCulture.org, West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, FHL microfilm 584762, Register od Birth, line 15, Clyde Lewis Dempsey, 13 Apr 1902, citing Victor, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view2.aspx?FilmNumber=584762&ImageNumber=145 : accessed 2 January 2022). ↩
6. Ibid., West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, FHL microfilm 1992738, 1904 Delayed Birth Certificate (reviewed 19 April 1955), Hester Ethel Dempsey, 21 Sep 1904, citing Victor, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view2.aspx?FilmNumber=004017262&ImageNumber=2983 : accessed 11 Jan 2014). ↩
7. Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 584765, Register of Marriage, 1907, page 34, 7th line from bottom, William W. Dempsey and Mollie L. Gray, 24 Dec 1907, citing Victor, Fayette, West Virginia. (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view2.aspx?FilmNumber=584765&ImageNumber=422 : accessed 2 January 2022). ↩
8. 1910 U.S. Federal Census, (index and images), Ancestry, citing Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C., NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls, West Virginia, Fayette County, Mountain Cove magisterial district, enumeration district 20, sheet 6B, lines 51-55, household 71-71, William H. Dempsey. (http://search.ancestry.com/ : accessed 23 Dec 2014). ↩
9. WVCulture.org, West Virginia Births, 1853-1930, FHL microfilm 1992947, Birth certificates no. 1751-4000, 1910 (Registration dates 1940-1942), image 319 of 3811, Delayed Birth Certificate, Earl Stanley Dempsey, 15 Nov 1910, citing Victor, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=3291597&Type=Birth : accessed 2 January 2022). ↩
10. Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 494264, Fayette, West Virginia, Register of Marriages, page 36, line 37, Oscar Dempsey and Fannie Noble, 04 Feb 1914, citing Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=12058248&Type=Marriage : accessed 2 January 2022). ↩
11. Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 494264, Fayette, West Virginia, Register of Marriages, page 36, line 14, Roy Dempsey and Liliane Nunnery, 19 Mar 1914, citing Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=12058248&Type=Marriage : accessed 2 January 2022). ↩
12. Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 494264, Fayette, West Virginia, Register of Marriages, page 37, line 43, Ernest R. Dempsey and V. Lenora Wills, 16 Nov 1914, citing Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=12058226&Type=Marriage : accessed 2 January 2022). ↩
13. Ibid., West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 584755, Register of Death, right page, line 39, Willie W. Dempsey, 05 Oct 1915, citing Ansted, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view2.aspx?FilmNumber=584755&ImageNumber=351 : accessed 2 January 2022). ↩
14. “United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” database with images, FamilySearch, citing NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.) West Virginia, World War I Selective Service System draft registration cards, 1917-1918 > DGS 5153754 > West Virginia Fayette County, no. 2, C – Z > image 654 of 5399. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YY8-SHFJ?cc=1968530&wc=M9W1-QJG : 16 October 2019), . ↩
15. 1920 U.S. Federal Census, (index and images), Ancestry, citing Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C., NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls, West Virginia, Fayette County, Mountain Cove District, Victor Precinct, ED 33, sheet 7A, household 107-109, William H. Dempsey. (http://search.ancestry.com/ : accessed 11 Jan 2014). ↩
16. Ibid., West Virginia, Fayette County, precinct 9, Falls magisterial district, Jodie, ED 11, sheet 17A, household 295-295, Roy L. Dempsey. The official enumeration day of the 1920 census was 1 January 1920. (http://search.ancestry.com/ : accessed 10 Jan 2014). ↩
17. WVCulture.org, West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 494264, Fayette, West Virginia, Register of Marriage, 1921, page 37, line 40, Clyde Dempsey and Maretta (sic) Holley, 31 Mar 1921, citing Ansted, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view2.aspx?FilmNumber=494264&ImageNumber=166 : accessed 8 January 2021). ↩
18. Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 494264, Fayette, West Virginia, Register of Marriage, 1923, page 39, line 4, Fred R. Dempsey and Myrtle Roop, 20 Jan 1923, citing Fayetteville, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view2.aspx?FilmNumber=494264&ImageNumber=168 : accessed 14 November 2010). ↩
19. Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 494264, Fayette, West Virginia, Register of Marriage 1926, page 61, line 31, Jas. A. Grose and Hester E. Dempsey, 24 Apr 1926, citing Morning Side Farm, Mt Cove, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=12054913&Type=Marriage : accessed 8 January 2022). ↩
20. 1930 U.S. Federal Census, (index and images), Ancestry, citing Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C., NARA microfilm publication T626, 2,667 rolls, West Virginia, Fayette County, Falls magisterial district, Jodie, ED 10-5, sheet 2A, line 25-29, household 28-22, Fred R. Dempsey. (http://search.ancestry.com/ : accessed 15 July 2002). ↩
21. “Virginia, Marriage Records, 1936-2014,” (index and images), Ancestry, citing Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia, Roll: 101169047 > 1937 > Certificate Range: 05854-06222 > image 252 of 394 > Certificate 6099 > W. Ralph Skaggs and Ethel Demsey, 26 Mar 1937, citing  Tazewell, Lee County, Virginia. (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9279/images/43067_172028008153_0432-00252 : accessed 22 September 2021). ↩
22. The Charleston Gazette (Charleston, West Virginia), Newspaperarchive.com, a database created from microfilm copies of the newspaper; searchable text version and newspaper images, copyright 2006 Heritage Microfilm, Inc., Saturday, 18 September 1937, page 4, column 7, “Dempsey Family Has Sixth Annual Reunion”. (https://newspaperarchive.com/ : accessed 24 March 2006). ↩
23. 1940 U.S. Federal Census, (index and images), Ancestry, citing Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940 population schedule, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D. C., NARA microfilm publication T647, 4,643 rolls, West Virginia, Fayette County, Falls magisterial district, Jodie, enumeration district 10-5, sheet 20A, line 10-16, household 375, Fred R. Dempsey. (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/145857738:2442?ssrc=pt&tid=164805854&pid=102139759144 : accessed 31‎ Mar 2012). ↩
24. WVCulture.org, West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 1983478, Wayne, West Virginia, Standard Certificate of Death, Registered No. 7439, Oscar L. Dempsey, 11 May 1940, citing Huntington, Wayne County, West Virginia.  (http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=1058154&Type=Death : accessed 8 January 2022). ↩
25. Ibid., West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 1983556, Fayette, West Virginia, Certificate of Death, Registered No. 12945, Laura Ingram Dempsey, 08 Oct 1940, citing Victor, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=1063678&Type=Death : accessed 8 January 2022). ↩
26. Ibid., West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999, FHL microfilm 1983558, Fayette, West Virginia, Certificate of Death, Registered No. 1724, William Henderson Dempsey, 02 Jan 1941, citing Victor, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=1067455&Type=Death : accessed 8 January 2022). ↩
27. Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 567448, Clay, West Virginia, Marriage License application no. 250, Nathan B Lee and Lois Dempsey, 26 Dec 1941, citing Ansted, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=10990083&Type=Marriage : accessed 8 January 2022). ↩
28. “U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947” (database, original images on Fold3), Ancestry.com (citing original records at The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri), WWII Draft Registration Cards for West Virginia, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 125 > Dempsey-Dernberger > Dempsey, Forest-Dernberger, Ralph > images 10-11 of 1886 (front and back of card). Name: Fred Rothwell Dempsey; Race: White; Age: 42; Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head); Birth Date: 30 Oct 1899; Birth Place: Victor, West Virginia, USA; Residence Place: Victor, Fayette, West Virginia, USA; Registration Date: 16 Feb 1942; Registration Place: Victor, Fayette, West Virginia, USA; Employer: Gauley Mtn Coal Co; Height: 5 ft 9 in; Weight: 157; Complexion: Ruddy; Hair Color: Brown; Eye Color: Brown; Next of Kin: Myrtle Dempsey. (www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 November 2021). ↩
29. WVCulture.org, West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 494265, Fayette, West Virginia, Register of Marriages, 1945, page 115, line 24, Frank Jr Mullins and Leona Mae Dempsey, citing Victor, Fayette County, West Virginia.  (http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=12068722&Type=Marriage : accessed 8 January 2022). ↩
30. Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 494265, Fayette, West Virginia, Register of Marriages, 1946, page 49, line 29, Doyle S Dempsey and Mavis I Wood, citing Victor, Fayette County, West Virginia.  (http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=12072909&Type=Marriage : accessed 8 January 2022). ↩
31. Certified copy of the 1957 Marriage Record obtained at the Commune of Echternach. ↩
32. WVCulture.org, West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 494266, Fayette, West Virginia, Register of Marriages, 1958, page 45, line 32, Walter Leland Dempsey and Nancy Zickafoose, citing Edmond, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=12079332&Type=Marriage : accessed 8 January 2022). ↩
33. Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 494266, Fayette, West Virginia, Register of Marriages, 1959, page 46, line 24, Earl Stanley Dempsey and Mabel Lucille Wilkerson, citing Blue Jay, Fayette County, West Virginia. (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=12079418&Type=Marriage : accessed 8 January 2022). ↩
34. Ibid., West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970, FHL microfilm 495654, Nicholas, West Virginia, Book 26, Page 91, Application for Marriage License dated 7 May 1966, License issued 13 May 1966, Lloyd Allen Dempsey and Anndra Kay Mc Clung, married 14 May 1966, citing Mt. Lookout, Nicholas County, West Virginia. (http://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=11444309&Type=Marriage : accessed 9 January 2022). ↩
35. Raleigh Register (Beckley, West Virginia), database created from microfilm copies of the Beckley, West Virginia, newspaper, Ancestry.com Historical Newspapers Collection, Wednesday Afternoon, 10 January 1973, page 18, column 3, “Couple to Observe Golden Anniversary”. (https://www.ancestry.com/ : accessed 29 September 2008). ↩
36. Newspaperarchive.com database created from microfilm copies of the newspaper; searchable text version and newspaper images, copyright 2006 Heritage Microfilm, Inc., The Charleston Gazette (Charleston, West Virginia), Wednesday, 5 February 1975, page 6D, column 1, “Obituary Notices,” Fred Dempsey. (https://newspaperarchive.com/ : accessed 23 March 2006). ↩