Rebecca was born in 1916 to Arminta May Strader/Stover and Robert Nelson
Both Arminta and Robert were mute and possibly deaf because of that she was taken away from them and went to go live her grandma and grandpa until she was 10

When she was 10 she was admitted to the Madison Co. Orphan Home on 10/18/1926. The record states "Mother & Father are mutes. Mother died in 1934."

The record also states as fallowed: "ran away from O.H. (Orphan's Home) July 2, 1937

Here is a 1930 censes ( she is in the orphans home )


Name: Reba Nelson
Gender: Female
Birth Year: abt 1915
Birthplace: Indiana
Race: White
Home in 1930: Union, Madison, Indiana
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Marital Status: Single
Relation to Head of House: Pupil
Father's Birthplace: Indiana
Mother's Birthplace: Indiana
Occupation:

Education:

Military Service:

Rent/home value:

Age at first marriage:

Parents' birthplace:
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Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Mary Bloomer 12

Helen Turner 11

Nellie Turner 7

Katherine Friend 10

Reba Nelson 15

Luella Lawson 13

Ethel Bennett 8

Florence Turner 9

Emory Fettie 16

Timothy Boyer 16

George Grandstaff 16

Arlo Parkhurst 16

Lewis Clem 16

Harry Thornburg 15

Charles Clark 15

John Hannand 15

William Smiley 14

Jarvis Creagmile 14

Wilson Smiley 12

Eugene Barker 13

Clarence Hensley 13

John Garrison 12



Rebecca married William Robert Gourley on November 5th 1937

They had 3 kids:

William Eugene Gourley

Eleanor Gourley she married Arlyne King

Charlene Gourley


Here is her obituary:

Rebecca May Gourley, 75, 826 W. Second St., died Thursday at Community Hospital East in Indianapolis after an extended illness. She was born May 14th, 1916, in Anderson and was a lifelong Anderson resident. She retired in 1982 as a nurses aide at Turtle Creek Health Care after 10 years of employment. She was a member of Bethany Christian Church and a C.B.'er. Survivors include a son William E. Gourley of Anderson; two daughters, Eleanor King and Charlene Gourley, both of Anderson; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Robert Gourley. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Brown & Butz Funeral Home with Rev. Gary McCaslin officiating. Burial will be at East Maplewood Cemetery. Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.