Rosa O. "Rosie" Rippey was the youngest of eight children of Daniel Baxter and Nancy Catherine (Spencer) Rippey. Rosa lost two sisters, Mary (age 5) and Minnie (age 2), to flux (dysentery) in July 1885, nearly five years before she was born in southern Carroll County, Va., near Lambsburg, on 08 April 1890. Her mother, Nancy, was 41 years old when Rosa was born.
Before she was 10 years old, Rosa's ears were pierced by her brother-in-law, James Henry Turner (1870-1900). While Rosa was napping in (or near) a field, Turner woke her by piercing an ear. (Soon after, Turner was killed in a moonshine dispute with William I. Surratt, Jr., when one's hogs got into the other's corn mash. Surratt (1869-1934) briefly served some prison time but was later acquitted of murder.)
Rosa experienced further tragedy when her brother, Ewell W. Rippey (born 1887), was shot and killed in a duel with "Logan" Vernon on 29 April 1906. Ewell was clutching a fistful of chestnuts (for good luck) when he died, and Rosa kept those nuts in a trunk for decades -- until a house fire in February 1975. That fire claimed the house, along with the trunk and all of its contents, including the chestnuts and a framed photograph of Rosa's parents, Daniel Baxter and Nancy Catherine (Spencer) Rippey.
After Ewell's death, and the disappearance of another brother, "Sid," Rosa's mental health deteriorated. Although she worked at times, and was a superb worker, she also spent time institutionalized -- and seemed to thrive from a structured life.
Rosa moved away from Carroll County before 1910, and at the time of that year's Census, she was boarding with the Sanders family and working as a weaver in a cotton mill in Rockingham County, N.C. She also spent time living with the Lloyd family -- her Uncle James Ruffin and Aunt Eliza Virginia (Spencer) Lloyd. Reportedly, she was at one time in love with at least one of her Lloyd first cousins, who included James, Robert, Walter, and Henry.
Sometime after 1920, Rosa joined her brother, Benjamin Franklin "James Benjamin" Rippey, in Fluvanna County, Va. (Rosa always called him "Brother Benny," his birth name, although the rest of the world knew him as James, his adopted name.) Rosa began to look after the children of Charles Russell "Charlie" Cosner, a farmer by trade but a moonshine bootlegger on the side. Charlie Cosner's wife, Goldie Lois (Martin) Cosner, died of tuberculosis on 03 May 1925, and Rosa and Charlie were married four months later, on 04 September 1925. Rosa had no children of her own, but helped to raise Charlie's seven children who survived to adulthood.
Rosa and Charlie had a checkered, 17-year marriage that ended when Charlie succumbed to alcoholism and heart disease at the age of 54 on 28 July 1942. For example, Rosa lost an eye in a drunken brawl when Charlie threw a drinking glass at her, shattering the glass and nearly severing the eye -- which was later removed in a hospital.
Rosa seemingly never had a place to call home, moving many times during her long life. While married, Rosa and Charlie lost one home due to fire -- perhaps portending the February 1975 fire that claimed the home of her niece along with Rosa's trunk of possessions. Reportedly, Rosa -- then nearly 85 years old -- had fallen asleep while smoking in bed and had awakened to the room on fire.
In her later years, Rosa continued to prove to be a hard worker, despite sometimes running afoul of the rules for cussing out nursing home staff. After breaking her hip at the age of 95, Rosa fought to regain mobility and was able to resume walking. Rosa's colorful life drew to a close near the end of 1991, at the age of 101.
Before she was 10 years old, Rosa's ears were pierced by her brother-in-law, James Henry Turner (1870-1900). While Rosa was napping in (or near) a field, Turner woke her by piercing an ear. (Soon after, Turner was killed in a moonshine dispute with William I. Surratt, Jr., when one's hogs got into the other's corn mash. Surratt (1869-1934) briefly served some prison time but was later acquitted of murder.)
Rosa experienced further tragedy when her brother, Ewell W. Rippey (born 1887), was shot and killed in a duel with "Logan" Vernon on 29 April 1906. Ewell was clutching a fistful of chestnuts (for good luck) when he died, and Rosa kept those nuts in a trunk for decades -- until a house fire in February 1975. That fire claimed the house, along with the trunk and all of its contents, including the chestnuts and a framed photograph of Rosa's parents, Daniel Baxter and Nancy Catherine (Spencer) Rippey.
After Ewell's death, and the disappearance of another brother, "Sid," Rosa's mental health deteriorated. Although she worked at times, and was a superb worker, she also spent time institutionalized -- and seemed to thrive from a structured life.
Rosa moved away from Carroll County before 1910, and at the time of that year's Census, she was boarding with the Sanders family and working as a weaver in a cotton mill in Rockingham County, N.C. She also spent time living with the Lloyd family -- her Uncle James Ruffin and Aunt Eliza Virginia (Spencer) Lloyd. Reportedly, she was at one time in love with at least one of her Lloyd first cousins, who included James, Robert, Walter, and Henry.
Sometime after 1920, Rosa joined her brother, Benjamin Franklin "James Benjamin" Rippey, in Fluvanna County, Va. (Rosa always called him "Brother Benny," his birth name, although the rest of the world knew him as James, his adopted name.) Rosa began to look after the children of Charles Russell "Charlie" Cosner, a farmer by trade but a moonshine bootlegger on the side. Charlie Cosner's wife, Goldie Lois (Martin) Cosner, died of tuberculosis on 03 May 1925, and Rosa and Charlie were married four months later, on 04 September 1925. Rosa had no children of her own, but helped to raise Charlie's seven children who survived to adulthood.
Rosa and Charlie had a checkered, 17-year marriage that ended when Charlie succumbed to alcoholism and heart disease at the age of 54 on 28 July 1942. For example, Rosa lost an eye in a drunken brawl when Charlie threw a drinking glass at her, shattering the glass and nearly severing the eye -- which was later removed in a hospital.
Rosa seemingly never had a place to call home, moving many times during her long life. While married, Rosa and Charlie lost one home due to fire -- perhaps portending the February 1975 fire that claimed the home of her niece along with Rosa's trunk of possessions. Reportedly, Rosa -- then nearly 85 years old -- had fallen asleep while smoking in bed and had awakened to the room on fire.
In her later years, Rosa continued to prove to be a hard worker, despite sometimes running afoul of the rules for cussing out nursing home staff. After breaking her hip at the age of 95, Rosa fought to regain mobility and was able to resume walking. Rosa's colorful life drew to a close near the end of 1991, at the age of 101.
Rosa O. "Rosie" Rippey was the youngest of eight children of Daniel Baxter and Nancy Catherine (Spencer) Rippey. Rosa lost two sisters, Mary (age 5) and Minnie (age 2), to flux (dysentery) in July 1885, nearly five years before she was born in southern Carroll County, Va., near Lambsburg, on 08 April 1890. Her mother, Nancy, was 41 years old when Rosa was born.
Before she was 10 years old, Rosa's ears were pierced by her brother-in-law, James Henry Turner (1870-1900). While Rosa was napping in (or near) a field, Turner woke her by piercing an ear. (Soon after, Turner was killed in a moonshine dispute with William I. Surratt, Jr., when one's hogs got into the other's corn mash. Surratt (1869-1934) briefly served some prison time but was later acquitted of murder.)
Rosa experienced further tragedy when her brother, Ewell W. Rippey (born 1887), was shot and killed in a duel with "Logan" Vernon on 29 April 1906. Ewell was clutching a fistful of chestnuts (for good luck) when he died, and Rosa kept those nuts in a trunk for decades -- until a house fire in February 1975. That fire claimed the house, along with the trunk and all of its contents, including the chestnuts and a framed photograph of Rosa's parents, Daniel Baxter and Nancy Catherine (Spencer) Rippey.
After Ewell's death, and the disappearance of another brother, "Sid," Rosa's mental health deteriorated. Although she worked at times, and was a superb worker, she also spent time institutionalized -- and seemed to thrive from a structured life.
Rosa moved away from Carroll County before 1910, and at the time of that year's Census, she was boarding with the Sanders family and working as a weaver in a cotton mill in Rockingham County, N.C. She also spent time living with the Lloyd family -- her Uncle James Ruffin and Aunt Eliza Virginia (Spencer) Lloyd. Reportedly, she was at one time in love with at least one of her Lloyd first cousins, who included James, Robert, Walter, and Henry.
Sometime after 1920, Rosa joined her brother, Benjamin Franklin "James Benjamin" Rippey, in Fluvanna County, Va. (Rosa always called him "Brother Benny," his birth name, although the rest of the world knew him as James, his adopted name.) Rosa began to look after the children of Charles Russell "Charlie" Cosner, a farmer by trade but a moonshine bootlegger on the side. Charlie Cosner's wife, Goldie Lois (Martin) Cosner, died of tuberculosis on 03 May 1925, and Rosa and Charlie were married four months later, on 04 September 1925. Rosa had no children of her own, but helped to raise Charlie's seven children who survived to adulthood.
Rosa and Charlie had a checkered, 17-year marriage that ended when Charlie succumbed to alcoholism and heart disease at the age of 54 on 28 July 1942. For example, Rosa lost an eye in a drunken brawl when Charlie threw a drinking glass at her, shattering the glass and nearly severing the eye -- which was later removed in a hospital.
Rosa seemingly never had a place to call home, moving many times during her long life. While married, Rosa and Charlie lost one home due to fire -- perhaps portending the February 1975 fire that claimed the home of her niece along with Rosa's trunk of possessions. Reportedly, Rosa -- then nearly 85 years old -- had fallen asleep while smoking in bed and had awakened to the room on fire.
In her later years, Rosa continued to prove to be a hard worker, despite sometimes running afoul of the rules for cussing out nursing home staff. After breaking her hip at the age of 95, Rosa fought to regain mobility and was able to resume walking. Rosa's colorful life drew to a close near the end of 1991, at the age of 101.
Before she was 10 years old, Rosa's ears were pierced by her brother-in-law, James Henry Turner (1870-1900). While Rosa was napping in (or near) a field, Turner woke her by piercing an ear. (Soon after, Turner was killed in a moonshine dispute with William I. Surratt, Jr., when one's hogs got into the other's corn mash. Surratt (1869-1934) briefly served some prison time but was later acquitted of murder.)
Rosa experienced further tragedy when her brother, Ewell W. Rippey (born 1887), was shot and killed in a duel with "Logan" Vernon on 29 April 1906. Ewell was clutching a fistful of chestnuts (for good luck) when he died, and Rosa kept those nuts in a trunk for decades -- until a house fire in February 1975. That fire claimed the house, along with the trunk and all of its contents, including the chestnuts and a framed photograph of Rosa's parents, Daniel Baxter and Nancy Catherine (Spencer) Rippey.
After Ewell's death, and the disappearance of another brother, "Sid," Rosa's mental health deteriorated. Although she worked at times, and was a superb worker, she also spent time institutionalized -- and seemed to thrive from a structured life.
Rosa moved away from Carroll County before 1910, and at the time of that year's Census, she was boarding with the Sanders family and working as a weaver in a cotton mill in Rockingham County, N.C. She also spent time living with the Lloyd family -- her Uncle James Ruffin and Aunt Eliza Virginia (Spencer) Lloyd. Reportedly, she was at one time in love with at least one of her Lloyd first cousins, who included James, Robert, Walter, and Henry.
Sometime after 1920, Rosa joined her brother, Benjamin Franklin "James Benjamin" Rippey, in Fluvanna County, Va. (Rosa always called him "Brother Benny," his birth name, although the rest of the world knew him as James, his adopted name.) Rosa began to look after the children of Charles Russell "Charlie" Cosner, a farmer by trade but a moonshine bootlegger on the side. Charlie Cosner's wife, Goldie Lois (Martin) Cosner, died of tuberculosis on 03 May 1925, and Rosa and Charlie were married four months later, on 04 September 1925. Rosa had no children of her own, but helped to raise Charlie's seven children who survived to adulthood.
Rosa and Charlie had a checkered, 17-year marriage that ended when Charlie succumbed to alcoholism and heart disease at the age of 54 on 28 July 1942. For example, Rosa lost an eye in a drunken brawl when Charlie threw a drinking glass at her, shattering the glass and nearly severing the eye -- which was later removed in a hospital.
Rosa seemingly never had a place to call home, moving many times during her long life. While married, Rosa and Charlie lost one home due to fire -- perhaps portending the February 1975 fire that claimed the home of her niece along with Rosa's trunk of possessions. Reportedly, Rosa -- then nearly 85 years old -- had fallen asleep while smoking in bed and had awakened to the room on fire.
In her later years, Rosa continued to prove to be a hard worker, despite sometimes running afoul of the rules for cussing out nursing home staff. After breaking her hip at the age of 95, Rosa fought to regain mobility and was able to resume walking. Rosa's colorful life drew to a close near the end of 1991, at the age of 101.
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