52 Ancestors 52 Weeks Week 15

"Kate"

Catherine Alexander was known as Kate. She was born in June of 1883 in Jackson County, Indiana. She was the daughter of John H. Alexander and Margaret Amanda Adkins. She had 4 brothers and 2 sisters, and her brother William Hays was my great-grandfather.

On July 3, 1899 she married John Everett Wilkerson in Jackson County, Indiana. They had 3 children; Olive, Earl and Louise. In the May 25, 1910 issue of the Jackson County Banner there was a tidbit about them:

"John Wilkerson, wife and children of Guthrie Creek, are spending a few days here with her mother, Mrs. Alexander."
Things must have gone downhill from there as sometime before 1916 they were divorced. I found an article about the death of Kate on February 22, 1828 in the Jackson County Banner:

"Word has been received here of the death of Catherine Wilkerson of Indianapolis. She was raised at Norman Station and is better known by the name of Kate Alexander. She was 43 years of age and the mother of three children, Earl Wilkerson, Mrs. Olive Nunn and Mrs. Louise Wolfla. She leaves a sister, Mrs Darius Fish of Norman and a brother, Wm. Alexander of Indianapolis."

Kate and her children had been living in Indianapolis, Indiana for some time. She did not marry again. I have to try to tract what happened to the children after her death. 

Her ex-husband, John Everett Wilkerson, remarried on June 21, 1916 to Rudy May Foster. They had 7 children together. On December 13, 1952, John Wilkerson died. Ruby survived him. In his obituary his wife and all 7 of their children were mentioned. At the end of the article, it said, "Three children by a previous marriage also survive." Wow. Cold.

I would like to find out what happened to the three children. Perhaps I could find out that Kate was happy in those few years between her divorce and her death.  Much to do.

Source:
Family Tidbit: Jackson County Banner; Brownstown, Indiana; Wednesday, May 25, 1910; Page 6
Catherine Wilkerson Death: Jackson County Banner; Brownstown, Indiana; Wednesday, February 22, 1928; Page 3
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