Friday, March 6, 2015

James Rudy Willett (1889-1970)

James Rudy Willett was born on September 10, 1889 in Maxon Mill, McCracken County, Kentucky.  He was the son of Dennis Edward Willett and Alice Lulu Hill.  He was raised on the family farm in McCracken County.

Rudy married Anna Katherine “Annie” Tempel on October 26, 1910 in McCracken County, Kentucky.  They were both 21 years old.  Anna was born on February 14, 1889 in Fenton, Missouri, the daughter of Adam Tempel, Jr. and Anna K. Tempel.

Rudy and Annie had two children:

Frances Olivia Willett          born September 1, 1912
Temple Willett                       born December 5, 1915

After their marriage, Rudy and Annie settled on a farm in Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky.  Rudy worked with his father and brothers, farming and running a mill.

Rudy registered for the draft for the First World War on June 5, 1917 in McCracken County, Kentucky.  He was described as of medium height and build, with blue eyes and black hair.  Rudy claimed exemption from the draft due to his needing to provide for his wife and children.  He did not serve in the war.

By 1930, Rudy and Annie had moved their family to a home on Washington Street in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee.  There, Rudy worked at a bakery.

Anna Katherine Tempel Willett died on November 1, 1931 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee.  She took her own life, after a long and difficult struggle with depression.  Anna was buried near her parents in the Maplelawn Park Cemetery in Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky.  She was 42 years old at her death.

Rudy married again around 1935 to Emily Lucie Jones Walker, also a widow.  Emily was born on April 4, 1895 in Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky, the daughter of George Jerome Jones and Annie Jane Delvin.  Emily’s first husband, James William Walker, died in 1934.

In 1940, Rudy and Emily were living in a home in Hillsboro, Florida, where Rudy was working as a supervisor for a retail bakery. 

James Rudy Willett died on July 8, 1970 in Polk County, Florida.  He was buried in Lakeland Memorial Gardens in Lakeland, Polk County, Florida.  He was 80 years old at his death.

Emily Lucie Jones Walker Willett died four years later, on March 7, 1974 in Polk County.  She was laid to rest next to her second husband in Lakeland Memorial Gardens in Lakeland, Polk County, Florida.  She was 78 years old at her death.


Notes for James Rudy Willett
Birth & Death:  Ancestry.com. Web: Florida, Find A Grave Index, 1800-2012 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.  Find A Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi : accessed 28 January 2013.
1900 US Census:  Year: 1900; Census Place: Massac, McCracken, Kentucky; Roll: 540; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 0075; FHL microfilm: 1240540.  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
1910 US Census:  Year: 1910; Census Place: District 7, McCracken, Kentucky; Roll: T624_493; Page: 1B; Enumeration District:0131; FHL microfilm: 1374506.  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
WWI Draft:  Registration State: Kentucky; Registration County: McCracken; Roll: 1653653.  Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.
1920 US Census:  Year: 1920; Census Place: Paducah, McCracken, Kentucky; Roll: T625_589; Page: 9A; Enumeration District:157; Image: 194.  Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.
1930 US Census:

Notes for Anna Katherine Tempel
Birth & Death:  Tennessee State Library and Archives; Nashville, Tennessee;  Tennessee  Death Records, 1908-1959; Roll #: 11.  Ancestry.com.  Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1958 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
1900 US Census:  Year: 1900; Census Place: Woodville, McCracken, Kentucky; Roll: 540; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0077; FHL microfilm: 1240540.  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
1910 US Census:  Year: 1910; Census Place: District 7, McCracken, Kentucky; Roll: T624_493; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0131; FHL microfilm: 1374506.  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
Burial:  Ancestry.com. U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.  Find A Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi



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