Gene McVay was a kind, Christian, soft-spoken man who never met a stranger. He loved to tell tales and poke fun with simple little jokes. His childhood was a tough one that led him to be understanding of others who had very little.
Their folks, Thomas Henry "Tom" McVay and Mattie Martha Powers Manard McVay produced four children together. She had a child of unknown sex that did not live long during a brief prior marriage. Tom married Martha the 19th January 1899 in Belleville, Yell County, Arkansas. There was a little girl known only as "Lil Sis" that did not live long. The three boys were; Henry Lee b. 11 May 1903, Harvey Eugene b. 25 June 1905 and George Alfred b. 28 December 1907. The Tom McVay family never lived outside of Yell county according to census records. And yet, in his adult years, Gene told that he was born in Waldron, Scott County, Arkansas. The Tom and Martha McVay family can be found on the 1900 US Census in Danville, but in 1910 they are living on Fourche Valley Road in the small township of Gravelly close to the border between Yell and Scott Counties.
Martha passed in 1910 according to the two older sons. Both Lee and Gene could recall the scene of her burial; their dad after burying their mother went down to the small creek-bed and toted back to the cemetery the largest 'river rock' he could carry. He placed it on her grave. So the three young boys, ages 3, 5 and 7, were now motherless. Her cause of death remains a mystery.
Gene recalled his father not being around much after that. He mentioned that there was a young woman that was living with them that did the motherly things for the boys, keeping house. The US Census shows two cousins living with the McVays in 1910. The boy, Dewey, and girl, Jessie were of the same generation as Tom. Their parents had been the brother and sister-in law of Sissy Ringer McVay, Tom's mom. They too were orphaned by the death of both parents prior to 1910.
Gene's dad worked with a photographer by the name of Cloninger. 1880 Census shows this man living just up the road from Tom's home. Tom answered the census questions stating he was simply a farmer. However, his son and future daughter-in law, Mildred remembered him toting equipment and helping the photographer set-up his backdrops for pictures in the little towns around Yell Cty.
In 1918, Tom remarried to a young lady who ended up filing their marriage license after Tom passed that month, Oct. She filed in Dec and remarried another fellow. Her name was Carrie May Test. His death was believed to be due to the Spanish Flu. Gene recalled the locals practically living in the cemeteries digging around the clock for a time due to the rate of deaths.
Gene told of living/sleeping in barns with his younger brother and a small band of orphaned juveniles led by a man he described as "bad". He never wanted to get specific but did admit they stole to survive. He and George were 13 and 10 respectively at the time his dad passed. Their older brother, Lee, managed to get 'adopted' by a local doctor and his family. He benefited greatly thanks to that.
Gene met Mildred Wilmuth Jennings McVay at the local water-well in the area of Liberty Hall. She said they spoke and smiled at each other, "He never forgot me!" They married 21 August 1926 on the front porch of the Liberty Hall store by the proprietor.
They had six children in total over a 15 yr period from 1927 til 1942. Four boys and two girls.
In 1936 they moved from Yell County to Mississippi County onto the new Dyess Colony. Road 14, house 302. They lived here until 1953. During that time period Mildred invited a George cousin of hers to come conduct a 'revival'. He was Buford Anderson George, a church of Christ minister. They were baptized during the week long meeting in the Tyronza River located just across the road from their farm. This was a lifelong commitment that the two never wavered from til death.
The family was a cotton family. They had two mules; Tom and Meg. My mother said they were never hungry. They just had no money.
In 1953, Gene 'lost his farm'. The house had burned to the ground in 1951 and he never recovered from the rebuild. He moved the family to Cabot for a short time. His eldest daughter had moved there after marrying. The family lived there for a brief period and returned to Dyess and lived down on the 'Center' for a few months while their third son, Bobby graduated. They then moved North to Rockford, Illinois to find work. Gene went to work at Rockford Clutch. A job he held until he retired at age 63. He had had a minor heart attack and moved his wife South back to Arkansas. Lonoke was the choice due to the location of that eldest daughter. He wanted Mildred to be close to a daughter if he passed.
In Lonoke he was active in the church and did little handyman projects for extra cash. He was the greatest grandpa there was.
In 1981 around Thanksgiving, he started having issues with balance. He began using a cane and his daughter, Violet was proactive and got him into a doctor, the week after Thanksgiving. He was diagnosed with brain tumors, inoperable.
He had a rough time but never complained. He was admitted to the Jacksonville Convalescent Hospital in February of 1982. He fought to survive until his passing the 25 of July 1982. One month past his 77th birthday.
He is sorely missed.
~~~~
I hope to edit this and add more info on the family members that I don't have control of on Find a Grave.
Their folks, Thomas Henry "Tom" McVay and Mattie Martha Powers Manard McVay produced four children together. She had a child of unknown sex that did not live long during a brief prior marriage. Tom married Martha the 19th January 1899 in Belleville, Yell County, Arkansas. There was a little girl known only as "Lil Sis" that did not live long. The three boys were; Henry Lee b. 11 May 1903, Harvey Eugene b. 25 June 1905 and George Alfred b. 28 December 1907. The Tom McVay family never lived outside of Yell county according to census records. And yet, in his adult years, Gene told that he was born in Waldron, Scott County, Arkansas. The Tom and Martha McVay family can be found on the 1900 US Census in Danville, but in 1910 they are living on Fourche Valley Road in the small township of Gravelly close to the border between Yell and Scott Counties.
Martha passed in 1910 according to the two older sons. Both Lee and Gene could recall the scene of her burial; their dad after burying their mother went down to the small creek-bed and toted back to the cemetery the largest 'river rock' he could carry. He placed it on her grave. So the three young boys, ages 3, 5 and 7, were now motherless. Her cause of death remains a mystery.
Gene recalled his father not being around much after that. He mentioned that there was a young woman that was living with them that did the motherly things for the boys, keeping house. The US Census shows two cousins living with the McVays in 1910. The boy, Dewey, and girl, Jessie were of the same generation as Tom. Their parents had been the brother and sister-in law of Sissy Ringer McVay, Tom's mom. They too were orphaned by the death of both parents prior to 1910.
Gene's dad worked with a photographer by the name of Cloninger. 1880 Census shows this man living just up the road from Tom's home. Tom answered the census questions stating he was simply a farmer. However, his son and future daughter-in law, Mildred remembered him toting equipment and helping the photographer set-up his backdrops for pictures in the little towns around Yell Cty.
In 1918, Tom remarried to a young lady who ended up filing their marriage license after Tom passed that month, Oct. She filed in Dec and remarried another fellow. Her name was Carrie May Test. His death was believed to be due to the Spanish Flu. Gene recalled the locals practically living in the cemeteries digging around the clock for a time due to the rate of deaths.
Gene told of living/sleeping in barns with his younger brother and a small band of orphaned juveniles led by a man he described as "bad". He never wanted to get specific but did admit they stole to survive. He and George were 13 and 10 respectively at the time his dad passed. Their older brother, Lee, managed to get 'adopted' by a local doctor and his family. He benefited greatly thanks to that.
Gene met Mildred Wilmuth Jennings McVay at the local water-well in the area of Liberty Hall. She said they spoke and smiled at each other, "He never forgot me!" They married 21 August 1926 on the front porch of the Liberty Hall store by the proprietor.
They had six children in total over a 15 yr period from 1927 til 1942. Four boys and two girls.
In 1936 they moved from Yell County to Mississippi County onto the new Dyess Colony. Road 14, house 302. They lived here until 1953. During that time period Mildred invited a George cousin of hers to come conduct a 'revival'. He was Buford Anderson George, a church of Christ minister. They were baptized during the week long meeting in the Tyronza River located just across the road from their farm. This was a lifelong commitment that the two never wavered from til death.
The family was a cotton family. They had two mules; Tom and Meg. My mother said they were never hungry. They just had no money.
In 1953, Gene 'lost his farm'. The house had burned to the ground in 1951 and he never recovered from the rebuild. He moved the family to Cabot for a short time. His eldest daughter had moved there after marrying. The family lived there for a brief period and returned to Dyess and lived down on the 'Center' for a few months while their third son, Bobby graduated. They then moved North to Rockford, Illinois to find work. Gene went to work at Rockford Clutch. A job he held until he retired at age 63. He had had a minor heart attack and moved his wife South back to Arkansas. Lonoke was the choice due to the location of that eldest daughter. He wanted Mildred to be close to a daughter if he passed.
In Lonoke he was active in the church and did little handyman projects for extra cash. He was the greatest grandpa there was.
In 1981 around Thanksgiving, he started having issues with balance. He began using a cane and his daughter, Violet was proactive and got him into a doctor, the week after Thanksgiving. He was diagnosed with brain tumors, inoperable.
He had a rough time but never complained. He was admitted to the Jacksonville Convalescent Hospital in February of 1982. He fought to survive until his passing the 25 of July 1982. One month past his 77th birthday.
He is sorely missed.
~~~~
I hope to edit this and add more info on the family members that I don't have control of on Find a Grave.
Gene McVay was a kind, Christian, soft-spoken man who never met a stranger. He loved to tell tales and poke fun with simple little jokes. His childhood was a tough one that led him to be understanding of others who had very little.
Their folks, Thomas Henry "Tom" McVay and Mattie Martha Powers Manard McVay produced four children together. She had a child of unknown sex that did not live long during a brief prior marriage. Tom married Martha the 19th January 1899 in Belleville, Yell County, Arkansas. There was a little girl known only as "Lil Sis" that did not live long. The three boys were; Henry Lee b. 11 May 1903, Harvey Eugene b. 25 June 1905 and George Alfred b. 28 December 1907. The Tom McVay family never lived outside of Yell county according to census records. And yet, in his adult years, Gene told that he was born in Waldron, Scott County, Arkansas. The Tom and Martha McVay family can be found on the 1900 US Census in Danville, but in 1910 they are living on Fourche Valley Road in the small township of Gravelly close to the border between Yell and Scott Counties.
Martha passed in 1910 according to the two older sons. Both Lee and Gene could recall the scene of her burial; their dad after burying their mother went down to the small creek-bed and toted back to the cemetery the largest 'river rock' he could carry. He placed it on her grave. So the three young boys, ages 3, 5 and 7, were now motherless. Her cause of death remains a mystery.
Gene recalled his father not being around much after that. He mentioned that there was a young woman that was living with them that did the motherly things for the boys, keeping house. The US Census shows two cousins living with the McVays in 1910. The boy, Dewey, and girl, Jessie were of the same generation as Tom. Their parents had been the brother and sister-in law of Sissy Ringer McVay, Tom's mom. They too were orphaned by the death of both parents prior to 1910.
Gene's dad worked with a photographer by the name of Cloninger. 1880 Census shows this man living just up the road from Tom's home. Tom answered the census questions stating he was simply a farmer. However, his son and future daughter-in law, Mildred remembered him toting equipment and helping the photographer set-up his backdrops for pictures in the little towns around Yell Cty.
In 1918, Tom remarried to a young lady who ended up filing their marriage license after Tom passed that month, Oct. She filed in Dec and remarried another fellow. Her name was Carrie May Test. His death was believed to be due to the Spanish Flu. Gene recalled the locals practically living in the cemeteries digging around the clock for a time due to the rate of deaths.
Gene told of living/sleeping in barns with his younger brother and a small band of orphaned juveniles led by a man he described as "bad". He never wanted to get specific but did admit they stole to survive. He and George were 13 and 10 respectively at the time his dad passed. Their older brother, Lee, managed to get 'adopted' by a local doctor and his family. He benefited greatly thanks to that.
Gene met Mildred Wilmuth Jennings McVay at the local water-well in the area of Liberty Hall. She said they spoke and smiled at each other, "He never forgot me!" They married 21 August 1926 on the front porch of the Liberty Hall store by the proprietor.
They had six children in total over a 15 yr period from 1927 til 1942. Four boys and two girls.
In 1936 they moved from Yell County to Mississippi County onto the new Dyess Colony. Road 14, house 302. They lived here until 1953. During that time period Mildred invited a George cousin of hers to come conduct a 'revival'. He was Buford Anderson George, a church of Christ minister. They were baptized during the week long meeting in the Tyronza River located just across the road from their farm. This was a lifelong commitment that the two never wavered from til death.
The family was a cotton family. They had two mules; Tom and Meg. My mother said they were never hungry. They just had no money.
In 1953, Gene 'lost his farm'. The house had burned to the ground in 1951 and he never recovered from the rebuild. He moved the family to Cabot for a short time. His eldest daughter had moved there after marrying. The family lived there for a brief period and returned to Dyess and lived down on the 'Center' for a few months while their third son, Bobby graduated. They then moved North to Rockford, Illinois to find work. Gene went to work at Rockford Clutch. A job he held until he retired at age 63. He had had a minor heart attack and moved his wife South back to Arkansas. Lonoke was the choice due to the location of that eldest daughter. He wanted Mildred to be close to a daughter if he passed.
In Lonoke he was active in the church and did little handyman projects for extra cash. He was the greatest grandpa there was.
In 1981 around Thanksgiving, he started having issues with balance. He began using a cane and his daughter, Violet was proactive and got him into a doctor, the week after Thanksgiving. He was diagnosed with brain tumors, inoperable.
He had a rough time but never complained. He was admitted to the Jacksonville Convalescent Hospital in February of 1982. He fought to survive until his passing the 25 of July 1982. One month past his 77th birthday.
He is sorely missed.
~~~~
I hope to edit this and add more info on the family members that I don't have control of on Find a Grave.
Their folks, Thomas Henry "Tom" McVay and Mattie Martha Powers Manard McVay produced four children together. She had a child of unknown sex that did not live long during a brief prior marriage. Tom married Martha the 19th January 1899 in Belleville, Yell County, Arkansas. There was a little girl known only as "Lil Sis" that did not live long. The three boys were; Henry Lee b. 11 May 1903, Harvey Eugene b. 25 June 1905 and George Alfred b. 28 December 1907. The Tom McVay family never lived outside of Yell county according to census records. And yet, in his adult years, Gene told that he was born in Waldron, Scott County, Arkansas. The Tom and Martha McVay family can be found on the 1900 US Census in Danville, but in 1910 they are living on Fourche Valley Road in the small township of Gravelly close to the border between Yell and Scott Counties.
Martha passed in 1910 according to the two older sons. Both Lee and Gene could recall the scene of her burial; their dad after burying their mother went down to the small creek-bed and toted back to the cemetery the largest 'river rock' he could carry. He placed it on her grave. So the three young boys, ages 3, 5 and 7, were now motherless. Her cause of death remains a mystery.
Gene recalled his father not being around much after that. He mentioned that there was a young woman that was living with them that did the motherly things for the boys, keeping house. The US Census shows two cousins living with the McVays in 1910. The boy, Dewey, and girl, Jessie were of the same generation as Tom. Their parents had been the brother and sister-in law of Sissy Ringer McVay, Tom's mom. They too were orphaned by the death of both parents prior to 1910.
Gene's dad worked with a photographer by the name of Cloninger. 1880 Census shows this man living just up the road from Tom's home. Tom answered the census questions stating he was simply a farmer. However, his son and future daughter-in law, Mildred remembered him toting equipment and helping the photographer set-up his backdrops for pictures in the little towns around Yell Cty.
In 1918, Tom remarried to a young lady who ended up filing their marriage license after Tom passed that month, Oct. She filed in Dec and remarried another fellow. Her name was Carrie May Test. His death was believed to be due to the Spanish Flu. Gene recalled the locals practically living in the cemeteries digging around the clock for a time due to the rate of deaths.
Gene told of living/sleeping in barns with his younger brother and a small band of orphaned juveniles led by a man he described as "bad". He never wanted to get specific but did admit they stole to survive. He and George were 13 and 10 respectively at the time his dad passed. Their older brother, Lee, managed to get 'adopted' by a local doctor and his family. He benefited greatly thanks to that.
Gene met Mildred Wilmuth Jennings McVay at the local water-well in the area of Liberty Hall. She said they spoke and smiled at each other, "He never forgot me!" They married 21 August 1926 on the front porch of the Liberty Hall store by the proprietor.
They had six children in total over a 15 yr period from 1927 til 1942. Four boys and two girls.
In 1936 they moved from Yell County to Mississippi County onto the new Dyess Colony. Road 14, house 302. They lived here until 1953. During that time period Mildred invited a George cousin of hers to come conduct a 'revival'. He was Buford Anderson George, a church of Christ minister. They were baptized during the week long meeting in the Tyronza River located just across the road from their farm. This was a lifelong commitment that the two never wavered from til death.
The family was a cotton family. They had two mules; Tom and Meg. My mother said they were never hungry. They just had no money.
In 1953, Gene 'lost his farm'. The house had burned to the ground in 1951 and he never recovered from the rebuild. He moved the family to Cabot for a short time. His eldest daughter had moved there after marrying. The family lived there for a brief period and returned to Dyess and lived down on the 'Center' for a few months while their third son, Bobby graduated. They then moved North to Rockford, Illinois to find work. Gene went to work at Rockford Clutch. A job he held until he retired at age 63. He had had a minor heart attack and moved his wife South back to Arkansas. Lonoke was the choice due to the location of that eldest daughter. He wanted Mildred to be close to a daughter if he passed.
In Lonoke he was active in the church and did little handyman projects for extra cash. He was the greatest grandpa there was.
In 1981 around Thanksgiving, he started having issues with balance. He began using a cane and his daughter, Violet was proactive and got him into a doctor, the week after Thanksgiving. He was diagnosed with brain tumors, inoperable.
He had a rough time but never complained. He was admitted to the Jacksonville Convalescent Hospital in February of 1982. He fought to survive until his passing the 25 of July 1982. One month past his 77th birthday.
He is sorely missed.
~~~~
I hope to edit this and add more info on the family members that I don't have control of on Find a Grave.
Inscription
Married August 21st, 1926.
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To Know Thee was to Love Thee.
Gravesite Details
Husband of Mildred, father of Margaret, Herbert, Violet, James, Bobby and Troy
Family Members
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