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- From: "Barrke"
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2001 12:30 AM
For many years I heard my father (Raymond H. Smith) speak of a first wife by the name of Virginia Winder. Her father (always referred to as "the old man") was supposed to have been a ship's captain on the Eveline Pearl.
My father was born in 1891 and Virginia Winder in 1892. Dad was 16 years and Virginia 15 at the time of marriage. Virginia gave birth to one son named Ray Smith who was raised by the Winder family. The marriage was short lived due to Virginia's death.
Dad came back to Delaware and in 1915 married Mary Taylor and had two children with a third on the way. Mary was jostled by the crowd while watching a parade and fell down the marble steps of the courthouse. Complications arose and Mary died in 1920 or thereabout.
In 1928 he married my mother Marie Legg and together they had five children. Dad died in 1955.
My half-brother and half-sister always insisted that Virginia Winder was just a figment of Dad's imagination. I'm not so sure about that. The Winder family lived in or near to Wheeling, West Virginia. I always told my sister that I would attempt to find out if possible if it is fact or fiction.
The only thing I have found so far is John Winder married Clarissa Harris and one of their children was named Estell Virginia Winder. I haven't been able to pursue this bit of information since I am not very skilled in research. Your page was listed today on Cyndislist. I took a look and indeed you have Harris and Smith in your line. Does this sound like anyone you may have heard of? I would really like to know if Virginia Winder really existed and if she and my dad were married. I could put to rest the constant poo-pooing of my half-sister. Any information you might have will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance. Emily L. McDaniel
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1892 - Bef 1915 (22 years)