Charles Witchel Bee, often called "Charley", was the only natural child of George Bee and Anna Marie Thomas. George Bee fell in love with his sister-in-law, Anna, after Albert, his younger brother, died at 23 years of age. He also took in her two children, Joshua and Carrie, and raised them as his own.
George’s mother, Jane Amelia Southall Bee Wright, moved in the couple after she was widowed a second time around 1870, in Patoka, Pike, Indiana.
Albert Bee, Jane’s son, had died in 1859. I imagine it was a surprise, for Anna Marie to give birth again, 15 years later in 1871, to Charles Witchel. Unfortunately, the couple’s happiness was short lived. Anna died 3 years later at the age of 47.
By 1880, George is retired from tin smithing. It was just Charles and his father. George died in 1885. Charles waited a long time to marry. His first marriage was to Sarah Overton, around 1900. Sarah had stomach problems and was in pain enough to use morphine for 6 years. She died in 1907, apparently without issue. Two years later, at age 37, he married Zennia / Zena Booth, 15, in 1909.
Though he never attended school, Charley could read and write. He was toiling away in a pump station when he got married to Zena. Later, the opportunity arose to work for bank and he snapped it up. By 1920, Charley was an assistant cashier working for First National Bank. He moved Zena and their two boys, from their residence on East Street in Patoka to Cherry Street. Come 1930, shortly before the Great Depression, the family relocated again to Union Street, owning their second home.
Within a few months, banks were closing across the country. I don’t know if this contributed to Charley’s death…. However, if you didn’t have the money, you were not likely to go to the doctor. On May 24th, 1932, Charles died of a ruptured gall bladder. Zena was beside herself. This was the beginning of the Great Depression.
Within 1 ½ years, Zena settled down with John Edward Manion of Daviess, Indiana. Little can be ascertained on what happened next. When Zena died in 1942, she was entered into Oak Hill Cemetery as Zena Bee, MOM; next to Charles Witchel Bee.
Children:
. Orvis James Bee 1910-1990
. Charles Witchel (Jr.) Bee 1916-1996
George’s mother, Jane Amelia Southall Bee Wright, moved in the couple after she was widowed a second time around 1870, in Patoka, Pike, Indiana.
Albert Bee, Jane’s son, had died in 1859. I imagine it was a surprise, for Anna Marie to give birth again, 15 years later in 1871, to Charles Witchel. Unfortunately, the couple’s happiness was short lived. Anna died 3 years later at the age of 47.
By 1880, George is retired from tin smithing. It was just Charles and his father. George died in 1885. Charles waited a long time to marry. His first marriage was to Sarah Overton, around 1900. Sarah had stomach problems and was in pain enough to use morphine for 6 years. She died in 1907, apparently without issue. Two years later, at age 37, he married Zennia / Zena Booth, 15, in 1909.
Though he never attended school, Charley could read and write. He was toiling away in a pump station when he got married to Zena. Later, the opportunity arose to work for bank and he snapped it up. By 1920, Charley was an assistant cashier working for First National Bank. He moved Zena and their two boys, from their residence on East Street in Patoka to Cherry Street. Come 1930, shortly before the Great Depression, the family relocated again to Union Street, owning their second home.
Within a few months, banks were closing across the country. I don’t know if this contributed to Charley’s death…. However, if you didn’t have the money, you were not likely to go to the doctor. On May 24th, 1932, Charles died of a ruptured gall bladder. Zena was beside herself. This was the beginning of the Great Depression.
Within 1 ½ years, Zena settled down with John Edward Manion of Daviess, Indiana. Little can be ascertained on what happened next. When Zena died in 1942, she was entered into Oak Hill Cemetery as Zena Bee, MOM; next to Charles Witchel Bee.
Children:
. Orvis James Bee 1910-1990
. Charles Witchel (Jr.) Bee 1916-1996
Charles Witchel Bee, often called "Charley", was the only natural child of George Bee and Anna Marie Thomas. George Bee fell in love with his sister-in-law, Anna, after Albert, his younger brother, died at 23 years of age. He also took in her two children, Joshua and Carrie, and raised them as his own.
George’s mother, Jane Amelia Southall Bee Wright, moved in the couple after she was widowed a second time around 1870, in Patoka, Pike, Indiana.
Albert Bee, Jane’s son, had died in 1859. I imagine it was a surprise, for Anna Marie to give birth again, 15 years later in 1871, to Charles Witchel. Unfortunately, the couple’s happiness was short lived. Anna died 3 years later at the age of 47.
By 1880, George is retired from tin smithing. It was just Charles and his father. George died in 1885. Charles waited a long time to marry. His first marriage was to Sarah Overton, around 1900. Sarah had stomach problems and was in pain enough to use morphine for 6 years. She died in 1907, apparently without issue. Two years later, at age 37, he married Zennia / Zena Booth, 15, in 1909.
Though he never attended school, Charley could read and write. He was toiling away in a pump station when he got married to Zena. Later, the opportunity arose to work for bank and he snapped it up. By 1920, Charley was an assistant cashier working for First National Bank. He moved Zena and their two boys, from their residence on East Street in Patoka to Cherry Street. Come 1930, shortly before the Great Depression, the family relocated again to Union Street, owning their second home.
Within a few months, banks were closing across the country. I don’t know if this contributed to Charley’s death…. However, if you didn’t have the money, you were not likely to go to the doctor. On May 24th, 1932, Charles died of a ruptured gall bladder. Zena was beside herself. This was the beginning of the Great Depression.
Within 1 ½ years, Zena settled down with John Edward Manion of Daviess, Indiana. Little can be ascertained on what happened next. When Zena died in 1942, she was entered into Oak Hill Cemetery as Zena Bee, MOM; next to Charles Witchel Bee.
Children:
. Orvis James Bee 1910-1990
. Charles Witchel (Jr.) Bee 1916-1996
George’s mother, Jane Amelia Southall Bee Wright, moved in the couple after she was widowed a second time around 1870, in Patoka, Pike, Indiana.
Albert Bee, Jane’s son, had died in 1859. I imagine it was a surprise, for Anna Marie to give birth again, 15 years later in 1871, to Charles Witchel. Unfortunately, the couple’s happiness was short lived. Anna died 3 years later at the age of 47.
By 1880, George is retired from tin smithing. It was just Charles and his father. George died in 1885. Charles waited a long time to marry. His first marriage was to Sarah Overton, around 1900. Sarah had stomach problems and was in pain enough to use morphine for 6 years. She died in 1907, apparently without issue. Two years later, at age 37, he married Zennia / Zena Booth, 15, in 1909.
Though he never attended school, Charley could read and write. He was toiling away in a pump station when he got married to Zena. Later, the opportunity arose to work for bank and he snapped it up. By 1920, Charley was an assistant cashier working for First National Bank. He moved Zena and their two boys, from their residence on East Street in Patoka to Cherry Street. Come 1930, shortly before the Great Depression, the family relocated again to Union Street, owning their second home.
Within a few months, banks were closing across the country. I don’t know if this contributed to Charley’s death…. However, if you didn’t have the money, you were not likely to go to the doctor. On May 24th, 1932, Charles died of a ruptured gall bladder. Zena was beside herself. This was the beginning of the Great Depression.
Within 1 ½ years, Zena settled down with John Edward Manion of Daviess, Indiana. Little can be ascertained on what happened next. When Zena died in 1942, she was entered into Oak Hill Cemetery as Zena Bee, MOM; next to Charles Witchel Bee.
Children:
. Orvis James Bee 1910-1990
. Charles Witchel (Jr.) Bee 1916-1996
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