Laura Virginia Hanna (1867-1943)

Laura Virginia Hanna was born on January 26, 1867 in Conway County, Arkansas.  She was the daughter of William Samuel Hanna and Mary E. Morgan.  Laura lost her mother when she was still a child.  Her father remarried to Alice Myrtle Boggess, a widow, when Laura was ten years old.  Laura was raised in Hamilton, Conway County, Arkansas.

Laura married Robert T. “Bob” Gordon on November 4, 1886 in Conway County, Arkansas.  She was 19 years old and he was 23 years.  Bob was born in September 1860 in Washington, Conway County, Arkansas, the son of Green Gordon and Martha Webster.

After their marriage, Bob and Laura rented a home on South Main Street in Morrilton, Conway County, Arkansas.  In 1900, Bob was providing for his family by working as a carpenter.

Bob and Laura were the parents of two children:

Mabel Gordon           born May 1889

Ruby M. Gordon       born April 1891

Robert T. Gordon died in 1900, leaving Laura a widow with two young children.  Bob died in Morrilton, Conway County, Arkansas at the age of 40 years. 

Laura remarried the following year, to a widower named Charles W. Hershey.  They were married on June 30, 1901 in Conway County, Arkansas.  Charles was born on June 26, 1853 in Illinois, the son of Joseph M. Hershey and Catherine Liard.  Charles’ first marriage was to Laura Belle Swift on March 30, 1884 in Wabash County, Illinois.  Charles brought two children to the marriage.

In 1910, Charles and Laura were living and working on a farm on Damascus Road in Walker, Faulkner County, Arkansas.  Also listed in their household were their three unmarried daughters: Lena and Minnie Hershey, and Ruby Gordon.

Charles and Laura parted ways sometime after 1910.  In 1921, Laura was living in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas.  She was listed as the widow of “Chas W” Hershey in the Dallas City Directories for the years 1921, 1922, 1924, 1929, 1931, 1932, and 1934.

In 1940, Laura was renting a home at 613 Crocket Street in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas.  She was employed as a manager of a “Rooming Store.”

Laura Virginia Hanna Gordon Hershey died on December 15, 1943 in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas.  The cause of death listed was influenza and old age.  Laura was buried in the Restland Memorial Park in Dallas.  She was 76 years old at her death.

Notes for Laura Virginia Hanna

Birth & Death:  “Laura Virginia Hershey,” Ancestry.com. Texas, Death Certificates, 1903–1982 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

1870 US Census:  “Laura Hanna,” Year: 1870; Census Place: Union, Conway, Arkansas; Roll: M593_50; Page: 82B; Image: 459; Family History Library Film: 545549.  Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

1880 US Census:  “Laura Hannah,” Year: 1880; Census Place: Hamilton, Conway, Arkansas; Roll: 41; Family History Film: 1254041; Page:294B; Enumeration District: 038; Image: 0333.  Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. 

Marriage to Robert:  “Laura Hanna,” Ancestry.com. Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

1900 US Census:  “Laura Gordon,” Year: 1900; Census Place: Morrilton, Conway, Arkansas; Roll: 55; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0016; FHL microfilm: 1240055.  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

Marriage to Charles:  “Laura Gordon,” Ancestry.com. Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

1910 US Census:  “Charley W Hershey,” Year: 1910; Census Place: Walker, Faulkner, Arkansas; Roll: T624_49; Page: 15A; Enumeration District:0025; FHL microfilm: 1374062.  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.

City Directories:  “Laura V. Hershey,” Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

1940 US Census:  “Laura Hershey,” Year: 1940; Census Place: Dallas, Dallas, Texas; Roll: T627_4175; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 255-78.  Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

Notes for Robert T. Gordon

Birth:  1900 US Census

1880 US Census:  “Robert Gordon,” Year: 1880; Census Place: Washington, Conway, Arkansas; Roll: 41; Family History Film: 1254041; Page: 312C; Enumeration District: 039; Image: 0368.  Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.

Notes for Charles W. Hershey

Birth & Death:  “Charles W Hershey,” Ancestry.com. U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

(http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi) Accessed 23 April 2015

1860 US Census:  “Charles Hershey,” Year: 1860; Census Place: Wabash, Wabash, Illinois; Roll: M653_234; Page: 13; Image: 13; Family History Library Film: 803234.  Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

1870 US Census:  “Charles Hershey,” Year: 1870; Census Place: Wabash, Wabash, Illinois; Roll: M593_286; Page: 509A; Image: 221; Family History Library Film: 545785.  Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

1880 US Census:  “Charles Hershey,” Year: 1880; Census Place: Wabash, Wabash, Illinois; Roll: 256; Family History Film: 1254256; Page: 35B; Enumeration District: 123; Image: 0074.  Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. 

Marriage to Laura Swift:  “Tuttle Family Tree,” Ancestry.com, (http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/6088424/person/-1073346800) accessed on 23 April 2015

1900 US Census:  “Charles W Hershey,” Year: 1900; Census Place: Lick Mountain, Conway, Arkansas; Roll: 55; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0008; FHL microfilm: 1240055. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

1910 US Census:  “Charley W Hershey,” Year: 1910; Census Place: Walker, Faulkner, Arkansas; Roll: T624_49; Page: 15A; Enumeration District:0025; FHL microfilm: 1374062.  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.

1930 US Census:  “Charles W Hershey,” Year: 1930; Census Place: Craig, Van Buren, Arkansas; Roll: 97; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 0009; Image: 101.0; FHL microfilm: 2339832.  Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.

1940 US Census:  “Charles W Hershey,” Year: 1940; Census Place: Craig, Van Buren, Arkansas; Roll: T627_178; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 71-9.  Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.