I chose my first descendancy project, and naturally run into a big question. My choice is Francis "Frank" Marion Brock. First thing I wanted to do was make sure I had all sources for Frank entered and copies of his docs linked in. You know, everything nice and neat. Then along comes probems!
Frank was widowed when his first wife, Irene Matilda Brock, died in February of 1918. They had married in 1883. He remarried Manerva Jane Newton Clayton on March 2, 1919 in Polk County, Tennessee. In the 1920 Polk County census he is listed with wife Mary, which must be a census taker mistake. Also a Bessie and Noah Clayton, listed as Step-children, and Alexander Brock, which is his 11 year old son, Elliot Alexander. His 16 year old son, Lawrence Brock, is next door, I need to say, 'as the crow flies' as these are farms, listed as a lodger. His occupation is farm labor. He is lodging with a James V. Copeland. Frank is 57 according to this census, which puts his birth year as about 1862 or 1863.
Found in the News:
Polk County News; Benton, Tennessee; Thursday, 13 March 1919; Page 1: Newspapers.com
MARRIED
"Uncle" Frank Brock has been sprucing up and hieing himself away to Archville every week or so, but his friends could not find out the cause, until County Court Clerk received a pair of marriage license endorsed thereon in substance. "Joined Frank Brock and Manerva Clayton in the Holy Bonds of wedlock" This Feb. 7, 1919, Signed R. L. Jenkins D. D.
In the 1930 census, it lists Frank and Manerva Brock renting with a street address in Benton, Polk, Tennessee, and listed as a laborer odd jobs. He is 65 which puts his birth year about 1865. Just for my record, neither can read or write. So 10 years later they are still together.
The big problem comes with the death cert. The informant is G. D. Brock. G. D. is his son George Dewey, mostly know as Dewey. It is listed as Cleveland, Bradley County, Tennessee. Polk is right next door, so that is ok. It lists him as having been born on December 25, 1859. His gravestone says, December 25, 1862. The census is all over the place on age. I have found no birth cert. and most unlikely to do so considering it is Tennessee and they did not start registering them until 1908, some counties started by 1874, but I haven't found his listed. Without a birth cert. which do you take?
Next his father is listed as John Brock born in N.C. His father was actually Andrew Jackson Brock, also known as Andy, born in Tennessee. Dewey, the informant, did have a grandfather named John Raborn. He was the father of Matilda Raborn. It said D K (Don't Know) in Franks mothers name. She was actually Emeline Jack Brock. As for the North Carolina, I haven't a clue.
Problem number 2: Frank is listed as Widowed. This is simply not true. On the death cert of Manerva, listed Monerva, she is listed as wife of Frank Brock, widowed. Her death was July 1, 1945 in Ducktown, Tennessee. The 1930 census has them together. WTH, Dewey? If you think I haven't seen a second wife written out of a man's life by his kids, think again. This is the second one I have come by, the first one was in my lifetime. I've tried to find Manerva in the 1940 census, but I've had no luck. She was probably living with one of her children from her first marriage. Her daughter Mariah Cain was the informant on her death cert, maybe that is where she is, but haven't found her yet.
The third thing about this death cert is the cause of death. It said:
Died Suddenly
No Doctor
heart failure
I've never seen anything like that before. In box 24. where the doctor is supposed to sign, it was signed by G. D. Brock and the M. D. is marked out. Under contributory causes it has written in 199. That is sudden death. That's all.
Yes, my mind went there. What really killed Frank?
I thought it would be simple. HA. It never is.
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