Olive Susan "Ollie" (Thornton) Tarvin Reams

Olive Susan (Ollie), the daughter of James. D. Thornton and Carolyn Matilda "Tillie" (Clark) Thornton was born in Bracken County, Kentucky on 7 May 1874.  She was Tillie's last known child.

Ollie married Edward Raymond "Davey" Tarvin, at the age of 16, on 22 May 1890 in Campbell Co., Kentucky.  He was a son of Dewitt N. Tarvin and Elizabeth O. Kercheval. 

Ollie and Davey became the parents of at least 11 children:
1) Nellie May, born 10 April 1891
2) Susie, born 5 March 1893
3) Lillian "Lillie" born June 1894
4) Amelia M. "Willie", born 9 May 1899

These 4 daughters are at home with their parents, who in 1900 are shown as Ollie and Raymond, and living in Carthage, Campbell County, Kentucky.  One of their children, as this time, unknown, has died.

5) James Dewitt, born in April of 1902-1905 (depending on the record you look at.)
6) Niley, sometimes called "Sy", born 7 Oct 1904
7) Alean "Allie" born 8 Feb. 1907
8) Flora, born 7 June 1909
9) Virginia, born 8 June 1912
10) David, born 20 Jan 1916
11) Victor Vernon, born 9 July 1919.

In January1920 at the time of the census, in Carthage, the 3 oldest children are no longer at home, however there are still 8 with them + 2 grandchildren: 9 year old Charles Coffee (or Coffey) and 8 year old Raymond Coffee (or Coffey), who were born in Ohio. They seem to be children of Nellie May, the oldest child, as she has died of tuberculosis in Anderson, Hamilton, Ohio.  Her death date was 27 April 1913.

Then on 18 February, 1920, Ollie, the mother of at least 9 living children is left a widow at age 46 with the sudden death of her husband due to pneumonia.  The children become scattered with relatives, for how can she care for them?

In 1931, her daughter, Virginia dies and Ollie gives the information for her death certificate as Ollie Tarvin.  She has to repeat this the following year, when she loses another child, David. 

Another son, James D. died in 1940. 

Ollie's death certificate gives the surname of Reams or Reems.  At what point she married Mr. Reems/Reams, I have not yet learned.  A Joseph Reams/Reems was the informant on her death record, and which does indicate she is married.  Is this Joseph her husband?  No Joseph by either spelling has been recorded on the Findagrave website.

Ollie and her first husband are buried in Carthage, Campbell County, at the Mount Gilead Cemetery.  Ollie's name has been posted incorrectly there and also transferred in the same way to the Findagrave website, as it shows her maiden name as Reams, not Thornton. 

I don't have a stone photo yet, but it will be warm enough soon to seek more information.

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