WELLS, RIGGS, GOUGE, COLEMAN, GREGG, TAYLOR, SWEARINGEN, THOMAS

My GOUGE Branch

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Minnie Mae (GOUGE) WELLS
Born: August 16, 1868, Troy, Miami County, OH
Died: January 1, 1933, Hayti, Pemiscot, MO

Unfortunately, neither my sister, Wanda RIGGS KETELHUT, nor I got to meet our grandmother Minnie, since she passed away just 3 months before Wanda was born. Our mother, Daisy Evelyn (WELLS) RIGGS, Minnie's eleventh surviving child of fifteen births, related stories of how Minnie had been struck by lightning and blinded. Our mother had preserved Minnie's mangled glasses, and their condition caused me to wonder how Minnie could have survived such trauma. Her Death Certificate states that she was a "Blind Pensioner".

Minnie was the second of eight children. The responsibilities she would have had within her family no doubt ensured that she would be a woman of strong bearing. On May 31, 1886 she became a bride at age 17 and since she was so young her father, James F. GOUGE, had to file a Consent Letter with the County Clerk of Randolph County, IL. Within the next 23 years she would give birth 13 times, 10 of those surviving.

Athough Minnie's Death Certificate shows a date of birth of Aug. 16, 1865, this does not appear to agree with the information provided in the Letter of Consent, dated May 31, 1886, which states that she is 17 years of age. Her Marriage License , dated May 31, 1886, also states that the next year she will be 18. Her correct date of birth would appear to be Aug. 16, 1868.

Minnie is shown in this scan of a tintype picture. She would have been about 53 years old. On the left is her 12th surviving child, Marie. On the right is her 11th surviving child, Daisy Evelyn, who would have been 7 or 8 years old. Minnie's sorrowful expression may indicate that this picture was taken about 1918, the year in which her husband and father of her children, Edwin Finley WELLS, may have died. The place of the picture and his death may have been Walnut, AR.

The following old postcard was found in Minnie's bible. It was sent from St. Louis, MO, Aug. 22, 1918, arriving in Walnut, AR, Aug. 26, 1918, and addressed to Miss Minnie WELLS, from E. DWYER. He says that he will send her money that week. We can suppose from this evidence that around 1918, Minnie was widowed with 12 children and was perhaps trying to collect on monies owed to her husband, Edwin Finley WELLS.

Parents of Minnie Mae GOUGE

James Franklin GOUGE, b. September, 1842, Shelby County, OH
Nancy Ann SWEARINGEN, b. 1845, Clark County, OH
Married October 12, 1865, Miami County, OH

swearingen marriage license

Children of James Franklin and Nancy GOUGE

Albertie L. GOUGE, b. 1866, Chester, Randolph Co., IL
Minnie Mae GOUGE, b. August 16, 1868, Troy, Miami Co., OH; d. January 1, 1933, Hayti, Pemiscot Co., MO
William GOUGE, b. 1869 OH
John Thurman GOUGE, b. May 8, 1874, Troy, Miami Co., OH; d. November 9, 1942, Oran, MO
Eva S. GOUGE, b. October, 1874, OH
Clifford GOUGE, b.1878, OH
Nettie L. GOUGE, b. March, 1885, IL
Robert James GOUGE, b. January, 1888, Chester, Randolph Co., IL

Parents of James Franklin GOUGE

Duffe GOUGE, b. 1812, OH; d. 1858
Married Christena NICHOLS May, 1838 in Shelby Co., OH

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