Gwendolyn Jerryl Collins

Gwendolyn married Masaru Dennis Tatsumi [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Patricia Dawn Tatsumi

Gwendolyn married Thomas Patrick Beattie [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Sarah Anne Beattie
2. Shannan Ashlea Beattie

Notes:

Buried:
GRid=151004524

Benjamin married Okley Hellon Ridings on 31 Oct 1941 in Lee Co, VA. Okley (daughter of Herbert Luther Ridings and Lula Leone Massengill) was born on 27 Jul 1925 in Lee Co, VA; died on 14 Mar 2009 in Guilford Co, NC; was buried in Lorain Co, OH. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

School records show her name Opal Helen Ridings

Died:
Helen R. Collins, 83, passed away on Saturday. Mar. 14, 2009 at Pennybyrn at Maryfield in High Point, NC. Graveside services will be held on Saturday, 11:30 am at Resthaven Memory Gardens in Avon, OH. The family will receive friends on Friday evening from 7 to 9 pm at the Dicicco-Berry Funeral Home in Westlake, Ohio.

Mrs. Collins was born in Lee County, VA, the daughter of Luther H. and Lula L.( Massingill) Ridings. Mrs. Collins was a longtime resident of Cleveland and spent her later years in Sheffield Lake, OH.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Benjamin H. “Junior” Collins, her eldest son, Luther Wayne Collins and eldest daughter, Janice Darlene O’Neal.Surviving are her daughters, Gwen Beattie and husband Thomas of Greensboro, NC and Marilyn Goshorn and husband James of Sheffield Lake, OH and son, Edward Collins and wife Monica of Seven Hills, OH. Grandchildren surviving are Sue Ailor and husband David, James Davis; Benjamin, David and John Collins, Jennifer O’Connell and husband Jacob, Amanda Mestrovich and husband Jason, Katelyn Collins, Patricia Tatsumi-Ficht and husband Lee, Sarah Beattie and Shannan Beattie; great-grandchildren; Crystal Davis, Dana Ailor, Heather Johnson, Stephanie Davis, Brandon Tatsumi, Ryan Ficht, Michael Collins, Hailey Collins, Evelyn and Sydney O’Connell, Brandon and Dylan Mestrovich; great-great-grandchildren, Bailey Smith, Cheyanne Davis, Dakota Dixon, and Addison Wise.

Buried:
GRid=37769208

Notes:

Buried:
GRid=60585021

Herbert married Lula Leone Massengill on 28 May 1923 in Claiborne Co, TN. Lula was born on 12 Dec 1908 in Claiborne Co, TN; died on 26 Jul 1983 in Lee Co, VA; was buried in Lee Co, VA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
GRid=179039264

Notes:

Henderson came from his uncle "Wm Henderson Toliver"

Why the family moved to Lee Co VA?

In 1901 the Yellow Creek Coal and Lumber Company was formed with E. S. Helburn, Joe Bosworth, J. G. Fitzpatrick and A. H. Rennebaum as owners of the company. These men, known locally as "The Yellow Creek Crowd" were active and influential civic leaders for many years. Their families were close friends with their wives working together on community activities and their children often intermarried. The strength of these men and others who owned the mines kept many of the mines operating as non-union mines for years.

In 1910, mine operators in District 19 refused to sign the UMWA contract when it came up for renewal. By 1919, there was again a strike to force the recognition of the UMWA in the mines. In 1921, the UMWA called a general strike that lasted into 1922. This idled twelve to fifteen thousand miners in the area. Nonunion miners who tried to work were threatened and even fired upon. Eventually all the mines were closed.
Finally the strike was settled and miners returned to work. In 1924, District 19 broke with the UMWA and accepted a reduction in wages. Then the depression hit and times were tough for all. Times remained unsettled through the 1930’s with boom and bust years for the coal industry.

Buried:
GRid=40730347

William married Rachel Shelton about 1902 in Claiborne Co, TN. Rachel (daughter of William Martin Shelton, Sr. and Nancy Capps) was born on 15 Sep 1884 in Claiborne Co, TN; died on 15 Mar 1962 in Marion Co, IN; was buried in Lee Co, VA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Rachel's sister Mittie married Wm's brother Melvin (Jack)

Buried:
GRid=41628317