Cora Virginia “Ginny” Kratz was born 5 Sep 1917 in Dayton, Ohio; to Paul John Kratz (1884 – 1947) and Ruby Straw Wilson (1891 – 1983). In the 1920 Census, she is living in Dayton with her parents and her brother Paul John Kratz, Jr (1915 – 2002). In the same household are her grandmother, Cora Wilber Wilson (1872 – 1957) and her uncle, Jesse Wilson (1895 – 1976). Both her father and uncle are working as painters in an automobile factory. As late as 1926, the City Directory shows both parents at home at 431 E. 6th St. In 1927 they have no listing in the Directory and by 1928, Mrs. Ruby Kratz is listed alone at 429 E. 6th.
From 1928 until my mother, Ginny was married in 1938, her mother, Ruby supported the family by taking in roomers in her rented homes. Nearly every City Directory showed them at a different address, mostly in Dayton’s Oregon District near 5th Street and Wayne Avenue. The area was also known, less affectionately, as “Filth and Wine.” Ginny always attended school and was a good student. She was a 1937 graduate of Stivers High School. My mother liked to tell the story that her boyfriends would bring her candy and she would hide it from her brother, who would always find it and eat it.
Ginny met my father, Merten Clyde Davis (1918 – 1989) sometime about 1937 at a dance at the Bus Station. He had a nice car and would bring take-away hamburgers and malted-milks to her house (and they say the path to a “man’s” heart is through his stomach). They were married 11 Jun 1938 in Newport, Kentucky and moved in with Mert’s parents. I was born in 1947 and Ginny began her “Mom” period. Mert has a short bio that has some more information about the early years of their marriage. It should be posted near where you find this bio. Ginny and Mert (and I) lived with his parents until 1955 when the house at 3915 Kittyhawk Dr. was completed.
Ginny had lived with her in-laws for 17-years while they saved for a home of their own. Finally the new home was a reality. The home was built to specifications and my parents got to chose from each option. There were all new appliances and painting and draperies. Most of the furniture was new as well. The new house was of relatively low maintenance and that left Ginny with a bit more time on her hands.
In 1960 my father bought a year-old (bright red) 1959 Cadillac convertible. The Caddy was a very large car. Ginny was 42-years old and had never learned to drive. It was decided that she would learn to drive to help out on the long vacation trips and to be able to drive herself on errands. She got her driver’s license and did a good job of driving the Caddy on trips. She had a couple of minor accidents in the neighborhood because the car was so large to maneuver. This brings us to:
Ginny’s three cars! Too small – a white 1960 Fiat 500 Bianchina. Ginny learned to drive a stick shift. A “Roadrunner” decal was applied to the door. Little bigger – in 1962 a red Chevrolet Corvair was purchased with an automatic gearbox. Just right – in 1968 a beige Pontiac Firebird went on grocery duty. I had to have one myself, but that’s another story.
Ginny goes to beautician school! In 1962, Ginny decided it was time to have a skill to market should the need arise. She wisely chose something she was interested in and along with her neighbor, Mabel Buttry (1911 - 1989) she enrolled in the Richard Weston School of Cosmetology and earned her state license. Ginny worked one day a week (usually Saturday) at a nearby beauty salon and years later worked one day a week for her friend Mabel, who actually needed to work full time after her husband died. Both Ginny and Mabel did hairdressing for the deceased at local funeral homes.
My mother was afraid of both birds and horses but loved to watch the horses race both on television and at the track. My wife, Liz finally managed to get her to pet a horse and there was much trepidation. So if you come across the photo of Ginny on a camel in Morocco, I have no idea how that was accomplished. Ginny contributed (a small amount of) money for the restoration of Ellis Island in New York. She assumed our immigrant ancestors were processed there. I wish I could show her our family tree on Ancestry where all of our people had arrived long before Ellis Island. Her name is on the wall there anyway.
Bio by: Wade Davis on 17 February 2015
From 1928 until my mother, Ginny was married in 1938, her mother, Ruby supported the family by taking in roomers in her rented homes. Nearly every City Directory showed them at a different address, mostly in Dayton’s Oregon District near 5th Street and Wayne Avenue. The area was also known, less affectionately, as “Filth and Wine.” Ginny always attended school and was a good student. She was a 1937 graduate of Stivers High School. My mother liked to tell the story that her boyfriends would bring her candy and she would hide it from her brother, who would always find it and eat it.
Ginny met my father, Merten Clyde Davis (1918 – 1989) sometime about 1937 at a dance at the Bus Station. He had a nice car and would bring take-away hamburgers and malted-milks to her house (and they say the path to a “man’s” heart is through his stomach). They were married 11 Jun 1938 in Newport, Kentucky and moved in with Mert’s parents. I was born in 1947 and Ginny began her “Mom” period. Mert has a short bio that has some more information about the early years of their marriage. It should be posted near where you find this bio. Ginny and Mert (and I) lived with his parents until 1955 when the house at 3915 Kittyhawk Dr. was completed.
Ginny had lived with her in-laws for 17-years while they saved for a home of their own. Finally the new home was a reality. The home was built to specifications and my parents got to chose from each option. There were all new appliances and painting and draperies. Most of the furniture was new as well. The new house was of relatively low maintenance and that left Ginny with a bit more time on her hands.
In 1960 my father bought a year-old (bright red) 1959 Cadillac convertible. The Caddy was a very large car. Ginny was 42-years old and had never learned to drive. It was decided that she would learn to drive to help out on the long vacation trips and to be able to drive herself on errands. She got her driver’s license and did a good job of driving the Caddy on trips. She had a couple of minor accidents in the neighborhood because the car was so large to maneuver. This brings us to:
Ginny’s three cars! Too small – a white 1960 Fiat 500 Bianchina. Ginny learned to drive a stick shift. A “Roadrunner” decal was applied to the door. Little bigger – in 1962 a red Chevrolet Corvair was purchased with an automatic gearbox. Just right – in 1968 a beige Pontiac Firebird went on grocery duty. I had to have one myself, but that’s another story.
Ginny goes to beautician school! In 1962, Ginny decided it was time to have a skill to market should the need arise. She wisely chose something she was interested in and along with her neighbor, Mabel Buttry (1911 - 1989) she enrolled in the Richard Weston School of Cosmetology and earned her state license. Ginny worked one day a week (usually Saturday) at a nearby beauty salon and years later worked one day a week for her friend Mabel, who actually needed to work full time after her husband died. Both Ginny and Mabel did hairdressing for the deceased at local funeral homes.
My mother was afraid of both birds and horses but loved to watch the horses race both on television and at the track. My wife, Liz finally managed to get her to pet a horse and there was much trepidation. So if you come across the photo of Ginny on a camel in Morocco, I have no idea how that was accomplished. Ginny contributed (a small amount of) money for the restoration of Ellis Island in New York. She assumed our immigrant ancestors were processed there. I wish I could show her our family tree on Ancestry where all of our people had arrived long before Ellis Island. Her name is on the wall there anyway.
Bio by: Wade Davis on 17 February 2015
Cora Virginia “Ginny” Kratz was born 5 Sep 1917 in Dayton, Ohio; to Paul John Kratz (1884 – 1947) and Ruby Straw Wilson (1891 – 1983). In the 1920 Census, she is living in Dayton with her parents and her brother Paul John Kratz, Jr (1915 – 2002). In the same household are her grandmother, Cora Wilber Wilson (1872 – 1957) and her uncle, Jesse Wilson (1895 – 1976). Both her father and uncle are working as painters in an automobile factory. As late as 1926, the City Directory shows both parents at home at 431 E. 6th St. In 1927 they have no listing in the Directory and by 1928, Mrs. Ruby Kratz is listed alone at 429 E. 6th.
From 1928 until my mother, Ginny was married in 1938, her mother, Ruby supported the family by taking in roomers in her rented homes. Nearly every City Directory showed them at a different address, mostly in Dayton’s Oregon District near 5th Street and Wayne Avenue. The area was also known, less affectionately, as “Filth and Wine.” Ginny always attended school and was a good student. She was a 1937 graduate of Stivers High School. My mother liked to tell the story that her boyfriends would bring her candy and she would hide it from her brother, who would always find it and eat it.
Ginny met my father, Merten Clyde Davis (1918 – 1989) sometime about 1937 at a dance at the Bus Station. He had a nice car and would bring take-away hamburgers and malted-milks to her house (and they say the path to a “man’s” heart is through his stomach). They were married 11 Jun 1938 in Newport, Kentucky and moved in with Mert’s parents. I was born in 1947 and Ginny began her “Mom” period. Mert has a short bio that has some more information about the early years of their marriage. It should be posted near where you find this bio. Ginny and Mert (and I) lived with his parents until 1955 when the house at 3915 Kittyhawk Dr. was completed.
Ginny had lived with her in-laws for 17-years while they saved for a home of their own. Finally the new home was a reality. The home was built to specifications and my parents got to chose from each option. There were all new appliances and painting and draperies. Most of the furniture was new as well. The new house was of relatively low maintenance and that left Ginny with a bit more time on her hands.
In 1960 my father bought a year-old (bright red) 1959 Cadillac convertible. The Caddy was a very large car. Ginny was 42-years old and had never learned to drive. It was decided that she would learn to drive to help out on the long vacation trips and to be able to drive herself on errands. She got her driver’s license and did a good job of driving the Caddy on trips. She had a couple of minor accidents in the neighborhood because the car was so large to maneuver. This brings us to:
Ginny’s three cars! Too small – a white 1960 Fiat 500 Bianchina. Ginny learned to drive a stick shift. A “Roadrunner” decal was applied to the door. Little bigger – in 1962 a red Chevrolet Corvair was purchased with an automatic gearbox. Just right – in 1968 a beige Pontiac Firebird went on grocery duty. I had to have one myself, but that’s another story.
Ginny goes to beautician school! In 1962, Ginny decided it was time to have a skill to market should the need arise. She wisely chose something she was interested in and along with her neighbor, Mabel Buttry (1911 - 1989) she enrolled in the Richard Weston School of Cosmetology and earned her state license. Ginny worked one day a week (usually Saturday) at a nearby beauty salon and years later worked one day a week for her friend Mabel, who actually needed to work full time after her husband died. Both Ginny and Mabel did hairdressing for the deceased at local funeral homes.
My mother was afraid of both birds and horses but loved to watch the horses race both on television and at the track. My wife, Liz finally managed to get her to pet a horse and there was much trepidation. So if you come across the photo of Ginny on a camel in Morocco, I have no idea how that was accomplished. Ginny contributed (a small amount of) money for the restoration of Ellis Island in New York. She assumed our immigrant ancestors were processed there. I wish I could show her our family tree on Ancestry where all of our people had arrived long before Ellis Island. Her name is on the wall there anyway.
Bio by: Wade Davis on 17 February 2015
From 1928 until my mother, Ginny was married in 1938, her mother, Ruby supported the family by taking in roomers in her rented homes. Nearly every City Directory showed them at a different address, mostly in Dayton’s Oregon District near 5th Street and Wayne Avenue. The area was also known, less affectionately, as “Filth and Wine.” Ginny always attended school and was a good student. She was a 1937 graduate of Stivers High School. My mother liked to tell the story that her boyfriends would bring her candy and she would hide it from her brother, who would always find it and eat it.
Ginny met my father, Merten Clyde Davis (1918 – 1989) sometime about 1937 at a dance at the Bus Station. He had a nice car and would bring take-away hamburgers and malted-milks to her house (and they say the path to a “man’s” heart is through his stomach). They were married 11 Jun 1938 in Newport, Kentucky and moved in with Mert’s parents. I was born in 1947 and Ginny began her “Mom” period. Mert has a short bio that has some more information about the early years of their marriage. It should be posted near where you find this bio. Ginny and Mert (and I) lived with his parents until 1955 when the house at 3915 Kittyhawk Dr. was completed.
Ginny had lived with her in-laws for 17-years while they saved for a home of their own. Finally the new home was a reality. The home was built to specifications and my parents got to chose from each option. There were all new appliances and painting and draperies. Most of the furniture was new as well. The new house was of relatively low maintenance and that left Ginny with a bit more time on her hands.
In 1960 my father bought a year-old (bright red) 1959 Cadillac convertible. The Caddy was a very large car. Ginny was 42-years old and had never learned to drive. It was decided that she would learn to drive to help out on the long vacation trips and to be able to drive herself on errands. She got her driver’s license and did a good job of driving the Caddy on trips. She had a couple of minor accidents in the neighborhood because the car was so large to maneuver. This brings us to:
Ginny’s three cars! Too small – a white 1960 Fiat 500 Bianchina. Ginny learned to drive a stick shift. A “Roadrunner” decal was applied to the door. Little bigger – in 1962 a red Chevrolet Corvair was purchased with an automatic gearbox. Just right – in 1968 a beige Pontiac Firebird went on grocery duty. I had to have one myself, but that’s another story.
Ginny goes to beautician school! In 1962, Ginny decided it was time to have a skill to market should the need arise. She wisely chose something she was interested in and along with her neighbor, Mabel Buttry (1911 - 1989) she enrolled in the Richard Weston School of Cosmetology and earned her state license. Ginny worked one day a week (usually Saturday) at a nearby beauty salon and years later worked one day a week for her friend Mabel, who actually needed to work full time after her husband died. Both Ginny and Mabel did hairdressing for the deceased at local funeral homes.
My mother was afraid of both birds and horses but loved to watch the horses race both on television and at the track. My wife, Liz finally managed to get her to pet a horse and there was much trepidation. So if you come across the photo of Ginny on a camel in Morocco, I have no idea how that was accomplished. Ginny contributed (a small amount of) money for the restoration of Ellis Island in New York. She assumed our immigrant ancestors were processed there. I wish I could show her our family tree on Ancestry where all of our people had arrived long before Ellis Island. Her name is on the wall there anyway.
Bio by: Wade Davis on 17 February 2015
Family Members
Siblings
Children
