Mary, James and George are the children of James Reynolds Turner and Antha Velma Lee. James and Velma married in 1932 in Glasgow, KY. James was 62 years old and Velma was 20.
In 1933, they started their family with the birth of Mary Louise in 1933. James Van Lee followed in 1934 and George Pollard in 1939. Mary, James and George are half-siblings to the 7 children James Reynolds shared with his first wife, Lizzie Ballard who died in 1931.
Unexpectedly, James Reynolds died in May 1941 of a paralytic stroke. He was 71 years old. Heartbreakingly, Velma lost her husband at the age of 29 and her children were 8, 7 and 2. Later that year, in December 1941, the United States declared war on Japan after the Japanese bombing on Pearl Harbor.
- What year did Mary, James and George go to orphanage?
- What was the name of the orphanage? Location?
- At what age did George get adopted?
- Confirm that George’s name, especially middle name changed at the time of adoption.
- When did Mary leave the orphanage?
- What did Mary do when she left the orphanage?
- When did James leave the orphanage?
- Did James go directly to the service from the orphanage?
- What branch of service was James in?
- How and when did George, Mary and James reunite after going their separate ways?
- How did they keep in touch during their time of separation?
Years later when Velma recounted the difficult decision to place the children in the orphanage, she indicated that she never gave her consent for George’s adoption. The children were placed in the orphanage for the sole purpose of keeping them safe and well-cared for.