My paternal grandmother, Dorothy Nerine Gordon was born 8 Dec 1899 in rural Silvercreek Township of Greene County, Ohio, to John Ross Gordon (1864 – 1925) and Nora L. Johnson Gordon (1865 – 1923). She is just 6-months old in the 1900 Census and is living with her parents and siblings in a house owned by her maternal grandmother, Rebecca Jane Earley Johnson. John Gordon is working as a Day Laborer and Nora is a Seamstress. Grandmother Rebecca is a Carpet Weaver. Rebecca is now the owner of her house that she rented in earlier Censuses. The older children are “in school.”
Grandma Rebecca died in 1902 and by the 1910 Census, the family has moved into a rental house at 129 Columbus St., Xenia, Ohio. Father John is now a Stone Mason and the older three children have factory jobs in the “Fuse Factory” and the “Shoe Factory.” The younger three children, including Dorothy are still in school.
In 1917, Dorothy married Merten Clyde Davis (1898 – 1927). She was just 17-years old. My father, Merten Clyde Davis (1918 – 1989), was born 2 Jun 1918. On 12 Sep 1918, Dorothy and Mert are living at 118 Maryland Ave, Dayton, Ohio, according to Mert’s World War I draft card. In 1919, the Dayton City Directory shows them at 337 Troy St. In the 1920 Census; Mert Sr., Dorothy, and Mert Jr. are all in Detroit, Michigan along with Mert Sr.’s parents, Omer and Mattie Gum Davis. Mert is a Foreman and Omer is a Job Setter in the Auto Industry and living at 431 Third St in Detroit’s Ward 4. The whole family was on what I imagine as a big adventure, but by 1921, they were back in Ohio. Dorothy had a Brownie camera and took many photographs of her friends and family. She would write names and dates in the album or right on the photo. Many of those photos I have posted to Ancestry.com and Find A Grave. Some of the photos solved ancestry mysteries! Note to self: Take lots of photos and make notes!
When Mert Sr. died at age 28 on 28 Feb 1927, the family was living in Mad River Township, Montgomery County, on a farm. Mert Jr. needed a dad and by 1928, Dorothy married Clarence John “Jack” Wade (1888 – 1957). Jack was also recently a widower and had a son, William L. Wade (1920 – 1988). In 1929, they purchased their new home at 1738 Rosemont Blvd, Dayton, Ohio, where Dorothy and Jack lived the rest of their lives. It was said that during the Great Depression, their home was only one of a few on the block that was not lost. In 1938, Mert Jr. married my mother, Cora Virginia Kratz Davis and they moved in with Dot and Jack for most of the next 16-years. According to her obituary, Dorothy worked at the audit department of the finance section, Air Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force base, for 5-years during World War II.
I was born on 8 Dec 1947, the same month and day as Dorothy and as she predicted. She also predicted I would have light colored hair and eyes. That prediction did not go as well for her. She would read me my astrological fortune from the newspaper every morning and I would always have the same fortune as she. Everyone in the family read to me until I could read for myself, but Dot especially took an interest in my early education. Dot was interested in many things including Confucius, books about the meaning of dreams and comedy. We would ride the bus and go to Bingo and downtown shopping, to movies and amusement parks. At home we would play dominos, dice, cribbage, canasta, and 500-rum. I don’t think my mother minded my absence.
My parents and I moved into our new home in 1955, and while Dot was still part of my life, our time together was diminished. Dorothy passed away in March 1957, less than 2-months after Jack died.
Bio by: Wade Davis on 4 April 2015
Stepson: William L Wade (1920-1988)
Brothers:
William Ross Gordon (1892 - 1912)
John Ross Gordon (1904 - 1986)
Sisters:
Bessie Gordon Steward (1887 - 1933)
Daisy Belle Gordon Hamsher (1891 - 1959)
One more sister:
Clarice E. Gordon (1897 - 1987)
Sister's married names:
Clarice Behrman, Clarice Watkins, Clarice Behr
Grandma Rebecca died in 1902 and by the 1910 Census, the family has moved into a rental house at 129 Columbus St., Xenia, Ohio. Father John is now a Stone Mason and the older three children have factory jobs in the “Fuse Factory” and the “Shoe Factory.” The younger three children, including Dorothy are still in school.
In 1917, Dorothy married Merten Clyde Davis (1898 – 1927). She was just 17-years old. My father, Merten Clyde Davis (1918 – 1989), was born 2 Jun 1918. On 12 Sep 1918, Dorothy and Mert are living at 118 Maryland Ave, Dayton, Ohio, according to Mert’s World War I draft card. In 1919, the Dayton City Directory shows them at 337 Troy St. In the 1920 Census; Mert Sr., Dorothy, and Mert Jr. are all in Detroit, Michigan along with Mert Sr.’s parents, Omer and Mattie Gum Davis. Mert is a Foreman and Omer is a Job Setter in the Auto Industry and living at 431 Third St in Detroit’s Ward 4. The whole family was on what I imagine as a big adventure, but by 1921, they were back in Ohio. Dorothy had a Brownie camera and took many photographs of her friends and family. She would write names and dates in the album or right on the photo. Many of those photos I have posted to Ancestry.com and Find A Grave. Some of the photos solved ancestry mysteries! Note to self: Take lots of photos and make notes!
When Mert Sr. died at age 28 on 28 Feb 1927, the family was living in Mad River Township, Montgomery County, on a farm. Mert Jr. needed a dad and by 1928, Dorothy married Clarence John “Jack” Wade (1888 – 1957). Jack was also recently a widower and had a son, William L. Wade (1920 – 1988). In 1929, they purchased their new home at 1738 Rosemont Blvd, Dayton, Ohio, where Dorothy and Jack lived the rest of their lives. It was said that during the Great Depression, their home was only one of a few on the block that was not lost. In 1938, Mert Jr. married my mother, Cora Virginia Kratz Davis and they moved in with Dot and Jack for most of the next 16-years. According to her obituary, Dorothy worked at the audit department of the finance section, Air Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force base, for 5-years during World War II.
I was born on 8 Dec 1947, the same month and day as Dorothy and as she predicted. She also predicted I would have light colored hair and eyes. That prediction did not go as well for her. She would read me my astrological fortune from the newspaper every morning and I would always have the same fortune as she. Everyone in the family read to me until I could read for myself, but Dot especially took an interest in my early education. Dot was interested in many things including Confucius, books about the meaning of dreams and comedy. We would ride the bus and go to Bingo and downtown shopping, to movies and amusement parks. At home we would play dominos, dice, cribbage, canasta, and 500-rum. I don’t think my mother minded my absence.
My parents and I moved into our new home in 1955, and while Dot was still part of my life, our time together was diminished. Dorothy passed away in March 1957, less than 2-months after Jack died.
Bio by: Wade Davis on 4 April 2015
Stepson: William L Wade (1920-1988)
Brothers:
William Ross Gordon (1892 - 1912)
John Ross Gordon (1904 - 1986)
Sisters:
Bessie Gordon Steward (1887 - 1933)
Daisy Belle Gordon Hamsher (1891 - 1959)
One more sister:
Clarice E. Gordon (1897 - 1987)
Sister's married names:
Clarice Behrman, Clarice Watkins, Clarice Behr
My paternal grandmother, Dorothy Nerine Gordon was born 8 Dec 1899 in rural Silvercreek Township of Greene County, Ohio, to John Ross Gordon (1864 – 1925) and Nora L. Johnson Gordon (1865 – 1923). She is just 6-months old in the 1900 Census and is living with her parents and siblings in a house owned by her maternal grandmother, Rebecca Jane Earley Johnson. John Gordon is working as a Day Laborer and Nora is a Seamstress. Grandmother Rebecca is a Carpet Weaver. Rebecca is now the owner of her house that she rented in earlier Censuses. The older children are “in school.”
Grandma Rebecca died in 1902 and by the 1910 Census, the family has moved into a rental house at 129 Columbus St., Xenia, Ohio. Father John is now a Stone Mason and the older three children have factory jobs in the “Fuse Factory” and the “Shoe Factory.” The younger three children, including Dorothy are still in school.
In 1917, Dorothy married Merten Clyde Davis (1898 – 1927). She was just 17-years old. My father, Merten Clyde Davis (1918 – 1989), was born 2 Jun 1918. On 12 Sep 1918, Dorothy and Mert are living at 118 Maryland Ave, Dayton, Ohio, according to Mert’s World War I draft card. In 1919, the Dayton City Directory shows them at 337 Troy St. In the 1920 Census; Mert Sr., Dorothy, and Mert Jr. are all in Detroit, Michigan along with Mert Sr.’s parents, Omer and Mattie Gum Davis. Mert is a Foreman and Omer is a Job Setter in the Auto Industry and living at 431 Third St in Detroit’s Ward 4. The whole family was on what I imagine as a big adventure, but by 1921, they were back in Ohio. Dorothy had a Brownie camera and took many photographs of her friends and family. She would write names and dates in the album or right on the photo. Many of those photos I have posted to Ancestry.com and Find A Grave. Some of the photos solved ancestry mysteries! Note to self: Take lots of photos and make notes!
When Mert Sr. died at age 28 on 28 Feb 1927, the family was living in Mad River Township, Montgomery County, on a farm. Mert Jr. needed a dad and by 1928, Dorothy married Clarence John “Jack” Wade (1888 – 1957). Jack was also recently a widower and had a son, William L. Wade (1920 – 1988). In 1929, they purchased their new home at 1738 Rosemont Blvd, Dayton, Ohio, where Dorothy and Jack lived the rest of their lives. It was said that during the Great Depression, their home was only one of a few on the block that was not lost. In 1938, Mert Jr. married my mother, Cora Virginia Kratz Davis and they moved in with Dot and Jack for most of the next 16-years. According to her obituary, Dorothy worked at the audit department of the finance section, Air Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force base, for 5-years during World War II.
I was born on 8 Dec 1947, the same month and day as Dorothy and as she predicted. She also predicted I would have light colored hair and eyes. That prediction did not go as well for her. She would read me my astrological fortune from the newspaper every morning and I would always have the same fortune as she. Everyone in the family read to me until I could read for myself, but Dot especially took an interest in my early education. Dot was interested in many things including Confucius, books about the meaning of dreams and comedy. We would ride the bus and go to Bingo and downtown shopping, to movies and amusement parks. At home we would play dominos, dice, cribbage, canasta, and 500-rum. I don’t think my mother minded my absence.
My parents and I moved into our new home in 1955, and while Dot was still part of my life, our time together was diminished. Dorothy passed away in March 1957, less than 2-months after Jack died.
Bio by: Wade Davis on 4 April 2015
Stepson: William L Wade (1920-1988)
Brothers:
William Ross Gordon (1892 - 1912)
John Ross Gordon (1904 - 1986)
Sisters:
Bessie Gordon Steward (1887 - 1933)
Daisy Belle Gordon Hamsher (1891 - 1959)
One more sister:
Clarice E. Gordon (1897 - 1987)
Sister's married names:
Clarice Behrman, Clarice Watkins, Clarice Behr
Grandma Rebecca died in 1902 and by the 1910 Census, the family has moved into a rental house at 129 Columbus St., Xenia, Ohio. Father John is now a Stone Mason and the older three children have factory jobs in the “Fuse Factory” and the “Shoe Factory.” The younger three children, including Dorothy are still in school.
In 1917, Dorothy married Merten Clyde Davis (1898 – 1927). She was just 17-years old. My father, Merten Clyde Davis (1918 – 1989), was born 2 Jun 1918. On 12 Sep 1918, Dorothy and Mert are living at 118 Maryland Ave, Dayton, Ohio, according to Mert’s World War I draft card. In 1919, the Dayton City Directory shows them at 337 Troy St. In the 1920 Census; Mert Sr., Dorothy, and Mert Jr. are all in Detroit, Michigan along with Mert Sr.’s parents, Omer and Mattie Gum Davis. Mert is a Foreman and Omer is a Job Setter in the Auto Industry and living at 431 Third St in Detroit’s Ward 4. The whole family was on what I imagine as a big adventure, but by 1921, they were back in Ohio. Dorothy had a Brownie camera and took many photographs of her friends and family. She would write names and dates in the album or right on the photo. Many of those photos I have posted to Ancestry.com and Find A Grave. Some of the photos solved ancestry mysteries! Note to self: Take lots of photos and make notes!
When Mert Sr. died at age 28 on 28 Feb 1927, the family was living in Mad River Township, Montgomery County, on a farm. Mert Jr. needed a dad and by 1928, Dorothy married Clarence John “Jack” Wade (1888 – 1957). Jack was also recently a widower and had a son, William L. Wade (1920 – 1988). In 1929, they purchased their new home at 1738 Rosemont Blvd, Dayton, Ohio, where Dorothy and Jack lived the rest of their lives. It was said that during the Great Depression, their home was only one of a few on the block that was not lost. In 1938, Mert Jr. married my mother, Cora Virginia Kratz Davis and they moved in with Dot and Jack for most of the next 16-years. According to her obituary, Dorothy worked at the audit department of the finance section, Air Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force base, for 5-years during World War II.
I was born on 8 Dec 1947, the same month and day as Dorothy and as she predicted. She also predicted I would have light colored hair and eyes. That prediction did not go as well for her. She would read me my astrological fortune from the newspaper every morning and I would always have the same fortune as she. Everyone in the family read to me until I could read for myself, but Dot especially took an interest in my early education. Dot was interested in many things including Confucius, books about the meaning of dreams and comedy. We would ride the bus and go to Bingo and downtown shopping, to movies and amusement parks. At home we would play dominos, dice, cribbage, canasta, and 500-rum. I don’t think my mother minded my absence.
My parents and I moved into our new home in 1955, and while Dot was still part of my life, our time together was diminished. Dorothy passed away in March 1957, less than 2-months after Jack died.
Bio by: Wade Davis on 4 April 2015
Stepson: William L Wade (1920-1988)
Brothers:
William Ross Gordon (1892 - 1912)
John Ross Gordon (1904 - 1986)
Sisters:
Bessie Gordon Steward (1887 - 1933)
Daisy Belle Gordon Hamsher (1891 - 1959)
One more sister:
Clarice E. Gordon (1897 - 1987)
Sister's married names:
Clarice Behrman, Clarice Watkins, Clarice Behr
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