Mahala Holcomb was the younger sister of my 3x great-grandmother Hannah (Holcomb) Walker. Both of them were the daughters of Azariah and Susan Holcomb.
Mahala Holcomb was born 25 March 1830, probably in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri where her father Azariah Holcomb was actively buying town lots. Mahala married as her first husband Sanders Wheeler, and they had at least three children: William Henry, Huldah Ann, and James Oliver Wheeler. After his death, she married Allen Taylor Painter on 2 February 1864 in Pineville, McDonald County, Missouri. At the time of their marriage, the Wheeler children ranged in age from nine to eighteen years old. Allen Painter was a widower, his wife Nancy Davis having died in 1856. Allen and Nancy had two sons together: James Andrew and Thomas Allen Painter. Allen and Mahala lived together for about 39 years and had three children: Florence E., Susan Nettie, and Clara Fatina Painter. Altogether, there were eight children.
I see some resemblance between Mahala (Holcomb) Wheeler Painter, and her niece, Louisa Rebecca (Walker) Nevill, who was my 2x great-grandmother.
On 25 March 1901, the extended family gathered in Pineville to celebrate Mahala's 71st birthday:
The Larkin "Myers" mentioned above was actually Larkin Marrs.
In November of 1901, the Painters visited their children. Since Oronogo is in Jasper County, Missouri, that might be where they went. Besides visiting their children, we learn that Allen Painter was a champion pumpkin grower. Maybe he entered his pumpkins in a county fair. Politically, he leaned toward Jeffersonian democracy. Additionally, he was 70 years old.
In 1902 the community news column reported several children visiting the Painters. The Greers and Wheelers from Carterville, Missouri as well as Hulda (Wheeler) Marrs.
Then Mahala died on 24 June 1903. A detailed obituary for her can be found on her Findagrave memorial. Within a month, Allen Painter like many widowers decided to "break up his housekeeping" and live with his children. The question at this point is which child was he planning to live with in Carterville? Because Allen Painter seemed to have a very good relationship with his step-children, it cannot be assumed that he went to live with a biological child. He must have had quite the reputation as a gardener. The humorous little jibe at him indicates that he must have been a very enthusiastic gardener.
Six years later Allen Painter returned to Pineville to live with his sister Elizabeth Bradley. He had spent the previous years from about 1906 to 1909 living with his step-daughter Hulda (Wheeler) Marrs. At the age of 80, he did not need glasses and was still a Democrat. Note that he is still called "'Uncle' Allen Painter," an honorific that can probably be attributed to his advanced age.
Just four years later in 1913, Uncle Allen Painter had reached the ripe old age of 90. My how time flies. In reality, he was, closer to 88, but hey, that's close to 90. Again, he is visiting someone in his Bradley sister's family. From this, we learn that in addition to being a gardener he was an ardent fisherman. Most notably, he still does not need glasses.
Part Two: Allen Painter Run Down by Train
My husband is 75 and doesn't wear glasses to read. When he was younger he was near sighted but his eyes improved with age. Or something. LoL
ReplyDeleteI wish my eyesight would improve with age! Still nearsighted.
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