Florence Vass Hundley obituaries, Richmond, 1942

Richmond Times-Dispatch, November 27, 1942:
"MRS. FLORENCE VASS - Funeral services for Mrs. Florence Vass, who died Wednesday at the home of her niece, Mrs. S. C. Bass, 1900 Westwood Ave., will be held at 3 P. M. Saturday at the Joseph W. Bliley Funeral Home, Third and Marshall Streets. Interment will be in Riverview Cemetery. She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. W. R. Lawrence and Mrs. G. L. Sanderson, both of Henrico County; a brother, A. L. Vass, and two sisters, Mrs. C. Williams and Mrs. J. W. Gibbons, of Richmond."

"VASS - Died suddenly at the home of a niece, Mrs. S. C. Bass, 1900 Westwood Avenue, Wednesday, November 25, 1942, Mrs. Florence Vass. She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. G. L. Sanderson and Mrs. W. R. Lawrence; one brother, A. L. Vass; two sisters, Mrs. C. Williams and Mrs. J. W. Gibbons. The remains rest at the Joseph W. Bliley Funeral Home, Third and Marshall, where services will be held Saturday at 3 P. M. Interment in Riverview."

My Lett Ancestors -

I thought I would share this little collage that I made a few years ago. I need to ad my son to the beginning but you get the idea. It is six generations of Lett men, starting with myself and going back in time to my great-great-great-grandfather. It took me many years of digging and meeting people to find all of these photos. It is a great collection!

The men in this photo are as follows:

Kevin T. Lett (1978- )
Earl M. Lett, Sr. (1939- )
John Walter Lett, Sr. (1907-1951)
John Henry Lett, Jr. (1879-1931)
John Henry Lett, Sr. (1844-1910)
Joseph A(eperson) Lett, Sr. (1810-1864)

All of these men were born in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, except for myself. I was born in Henrico County.

(Old) Hungary Road Baptist Church in Henrico County

Hungary Road Baptist Church, located at 1733 Hungary Road, has a small cemetery to one side. That cemetery was part of the old North Run Baptist Church that moved to 2100 Lydell Drive, around 1959. The cemetery was founded circa 1910 and contains a handful of marked burials.

I met an older member of Hungary Road Baptist who was tending to the cemetery one evening. His idea of caring for the graves were removing any stone that "fell over." Because of his policy, anyone with a flat tombstone has had their marker piled up beside a tree. The man was not meaning any harm. I think he felt that he was keeping the cemetery presentable.

It has been awhile since I went to the site but I need to go back and document the remaining stones. I think the North Run Baptist folks should take more responsibility for their former congregationalists buried at the cemetery. These folks were members of the church between circa 1910 and 1959 - a lot of parents and grandparents of current members, I am sure of it.
The only names I have recorded are:

George H. Waldrop 04/30/1845 - 01/03/1904
Jacintha C. Waldrop 09/04/1845 - 02/08/1914
Martha Brock Waldrop 12/08/1826 - 12/07/1915

I moved this post here from another site I had and it contained the following comments:

blankenb4 said...

I visited this cemetery yesterday and have listed the graves on Find A Grave.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007 10:19:00 PM EDT

gm said...

You can check out the graves at the following link:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GScid=2211467

Surnames include Brock, Karns, Matthews, Palmore, Valentine, Wakefield and Waldrop.

Thanks a lot for passing on the information. From the photos here, it seems that someone may have cleaned up the cemetery a bit since I was there last.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007 10:42:00 PM EDT

CemeterySpot said...

Thanks for the great work you're doing. There is a real need to preserve and chronicle small and relatively unknown cemeteries. Often the uniqueness of the grave stones and the history of those burried in these cemeteries seems to be forgotten. At least we can use online blogs and online memorials to recapture and make available the interesting lives of those who came before us.

Monday, February 18, 2008 6:20:00 PM EST

Why do people love genealogy? What got them started?

People become interested in genealogy for different reasons. I got into it because I never knew either of my grandfathers and genealogy was a way to connect with them. My brother's mother-in-law took me to the archives for the first time when I was around twelve or thirteen years old. I was hooked from that day forward and do not regret any of it. Genealogy took over a big portion of my life, for many years. I was almost obsessed at time, especially once I became aware of the Internet. E-mail and Genforum changed my life forever. College would not have been the same without genealogy.

Some people want to find out where their ancestors came from, maybe their ethnic origin. It used to take a lot of digging to get that answer, assuming that all of the documents were in existence and available. Today we can perform a simple cheek swab and get a DNA profile that can tell you pretty much where your genes came from in this world. I happen to be a Viking ,basically, as my male ancestors were apparently from Scandinavia. I would never have known that with the help of DNA.

Other people, especially those with last names of Washington, Lee, Jackson, Adams, Monroe, Columbus, etc., all think that they are descendants of greatness and want to find their connection to their famous ancestor. Most of the time this has been passed down from parent to child, generation after generation. I have met a lot of people who descend from George Washington. I guess it is too bad that he did not have any biological children (but they do not know that I suppose). I also had a lady try to convince me that she was the illegitimate, great-granddaughter of General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson - try proving that one!

A long-standing reason for some genealogy research are health reasons. People trace diseases and medical flaws across generations to help determine the likelihood that they will inherit a given problem. This is becoming more important now that we better understand genetics and the way traits are passed among the generations. I think the importance of genetic genealogy is just starting to take shape. It will grow dramatically as the technology becomes more affordable and more readily available to a larger audience.

I would say that the majority of people performing research probably want to join a lineage society, such as the Sons of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Revolution, the Jamestowne Society or the Sons of Confederate Veterans. I have helped numerous clients with SCV, SAR and DAR applications. These generally require a lot of documentation and probably account for a large portion of paid genealogists' income. I know that I made most of my money in these pursuits, when I was doing paid research.

Other reasons for researching family history could be to get a scholarship, such as those for Native Americans. Some people trace deeds to acquire old land or maybe reclaim a family cemetery. I actually got a half acre lot put in my name from Henrico County, Virginia because it was deemed to be a family cemetery, belonging to one of my ancestors, and there was no owner of record on file. I guess I could be buried there if I wanted to push the envelope, seeing as though it is right in the middle of a modern apartment complex!

Whatever the reason, genealogy is usually considered to be one of the top two or three hobbies in America. People spend millions of hours and undoubtedly millions of dollars on genealogy every year. I probably spent over $1,000 myself on an annual basis, on my own family history projects.

No matter your motivation, genealogy is an addictive hobby that can get a hold of you and never let go. What got you involved with the hobby and what keeps you going strong?

Mamie Alease Clarke Brock of Richmond, Virginia (1887-1945)

Mamie was described as a big, happy woman. She worked as a midwife and a seamstress, making many of her grandchildren's clothes. As a midwife, Mamie would deliver a child and look after its mother for two weeks. She would go and visit the new family everyday, doing laundry and other chores for a total of $l5.00. Relatives claim that Mamie delivered hundreds of babies, including several of her grandchildren, including my own mother.

Mamie was a selfless person and gave-up the love of her life to please her mother by marring Mr. Brock. She also traveled to England, during World War I, to retrieve her sick and missing brother, Tom Clarke. Aside from her brother, Mamie also cared for her dying and disfigured mother when everyone else abandoned her.

My mother can remember being taken to the park by Mamie as a little girl. She would push her around in a baby carriage and seemed to enjoy being a grandmother. My mother also remembers Mamie making her clothes. Her most interesting recollection about Mamie occurred after her death. One night, my mother claims that Mamie came to her as an angel, standing at the foot of her bed. Mamie asked my mother to go with her, but mom refused. Mamie went back to heaven and my mother went back to sleep.

One Christmas, Mamie had gone to the Brock farm to evict a tenant. However, when she got to the house, she discovered that the family had no food or heat. The woman's husband was an alcoholic and had bought his children only a single head of cabbage for Christmas. Mamie's heart would not allow this to happen so she went to town and bought food and toys for the children. She told the husband that she was only showing compassion for the children that he still had to get them out of her house.

A few months later, Mamie came back and this time the woman was in labor. She had to deliver the baby while the drunken husband stayed in the barn. After the delivery she went outside and told the man that he had better be gone in two weeks or she would call the law. The man did move his family, but he held a grudge. A few years later, the man's wife killed him because of the abuse that she suffered. Mamie testified as a character witness in her defense.

When Mamie was older, she developed cancer in her neck. The disease spread and strengthened, causing her muscles to weaken. Before she died, Mamie had become unable to hold her head up. To remedy this, doctors installed lead weights into the back of her skull to force the head upright. The weights worked, but it was not long after the surgery that Mamie passed away.

George Washington Brock of Henrico County, Virginia (1868-1937)

George stood about five feet, ten inches tall and weighed approximately 160 pounds. He had brown hair, hazel eyes and a soft voice. He usually wore overalls, a belt, big shoes and long underwear. He thought that the long underwear kept him warm in winter and cool in the summer. George never smoked nor drank, but did chew tobacco. He rarely took baths and slept in separate beds from his wife after the birth of their last child. He was a mild-tempered man and only went to beat his daughter Elna once. She sassed him in the field about a tractor and he took off after her. She ran to Mamie who made him leave her be. This was the only time she ever recalled him so upset with her.

George grew-up on a farm in Henrico County, Virginia. His parents died when he was in his early teens and he was raised by relatives. He later rented property in the same area, near Broad Street and Springfield Roads, after his marriage to Mamie. On his farm, George had horses, cows, mules and other small animals. Even though he eventually settled in the city, George could not let go of his land. He went to the country every weekend and tended to his property.

Mamie was not George's first marriage. His first wife was Maggie Ford and they had one legitimate child together. George thought that he may have had two other children by her but discovered his wife had been having an affair. The two children actually belonged to a Charlie Butler, Maggie’s future, second husband.

Being alone was not ideal for a man of forty years. George needed a wife to care for him as he got older, so he began looking for a second. One night, he went to a party and from across the room saw the woman that he wanted. She was a young girl, about twenty years-old, and George had to meet her. During this time period, you could not approach a woman. Instead, you had to be formally introduced. To get around this technicality, George got a friend to introduce him to Mamie’'s sister. To her, George was just a "country man" and she showed little interest. However, the half-sister did invite George to dinner with her family.

On the night that George went to dinner, Mamie was in the front room with her fiancé. They had been working on a quilt for their hope chest and were almost finished. Not paying any attention to the young lovers, George went into the kitchen with Mrs. Clarke and asked for her daughter’s hand in marriage. Mrs. Clarke thought that George wanted the sister and approved the marriage. However, when George explained that he wanted Mamie, Mrs. Clarke told him to marry any of her daughters that he wanted. Mrs. Clarke was from a well-to-do family and liked George because he was established.

At about the same time that her marriage was being arranged, Mamie came into the kitchen to display her finished quilt. George looked at her and said, "I'll be sleeping under that." Upon hearing this, Mamie knew what had happened. She married George, despite giving-up her true love, so that she would not disobey her mother. As for her fiancé, he never married and lived with his sister until he died. His name was Mr. Wilkerson and the last time anyone saw him was outside of Mamie's funeral. He sat on the corner and would not go inside. After Mamie was buried, Mr. Wilkerson approached her son, Edward, and gave him a large picture of her as a young woman. He told Edward that he had always dreamed of having her back but that it was too late. He had to let go because she was gone. Mamie was Edward’s mother, he deserved the picture. Mr. Wilkinson had no need for it any longer.

George loved his home in the country and allowed family members to stay there while he was away. For example, his daughter Doris and her husband lived there for awhile and ran the farm for George. One evening, Doris was washing dishes when she saw the man that Mamie had evicted looking at her through the window. Bernard would not go outside to run him off. He told Doris that she was seeing things. However, the next morning, there were two horses and several cows deathly ill. The man had poisoned George’s livestock, an emotional blow that he never recovered from.

After the incident, farmers came from all over to help George try to save his horses. The men got the animals into the barn and had to put boards under their stomachs so that they would not lie down. If they were allowed to do so, the horses would give-up and die. Despite all of their efforts, the horses did die, along with all of his other animals except for one cow and her calf. Heartbroken, George had Mamie sell his barn full of feed and his two cows. She got a mere $30.

While in Richmond, the Brocks lived on Lombardy, West Cary and Belvidere Streets. George was not happy in the city, but as mentioned before, he spent his weekends at the farm. The only problem that George had was that Mamie controlled the car. He could not drive and had to depend on her to take him to and from the country. However, she did so ever weekend, so that she could spend time with her boyfriend, Eddie Alley.

George was employed by the city and walked to and from work everyday. On his way home, he would search for anything recyclable, especially foil cigarette wrappers. He would later sit in the backyard and ball-up the foil to sell. He had a pull-string pouch that he kept his recycling money in. Mamie did not have the heart to ask him for that money although he never spent it on anything. The pouch never left his body.

As it has become obvious, George loved animals. The family had a pair of black cats which had kittens in the kitchen cupboard. Not realizing it one day, George let the male cat into the house, thinking it was the female. He felt terrible when the male killed all of the kittens. He took their death to heart.

Two weeks before George died, he had a heart attack. The doctors told him to take two weeks of vacation and after fourteen days he went back to work. Mamie objected to his decision and was so furious that she refused to pack his lunch that day. George went into the kitchen, made a sandwich and set-off for work. The night before, he told Mamie that he had helped her raise all of the other children but that he was not going to be around for Elna. She was confused by him saying such a thing.

About noon, George returned home with two men. They sat in the truck and Mamie offered them some soup but they were not hungry. George sat around for a few minutes. His daughters, Elna and Alease, were on the front porch when George got ready to leave. Almost as if he knew he was going to die, George watched his two girls through the back window until they drove out of sight. He had a second heart attack while cleaning-up Monroe Park less than an hour later. George was rushed to Memorial Hospital, but it was too late. He died shortly after arriving.

About an hour after George died, one of his fellow workers showed-up at the Brock home. He gave Doris her father's hat and belt, but his money pouch was gone. No one ever saw it after that point. The only positive aspect about George's death was that he got his one wish - to die with his shoes on.

At his funeral, Mamie saw George in a suit for one of the first times since their wedding. She made the comment that "if he looked that way more often, I could have loved him." After the services at Bliley's, George was buried on the old Brock homestead on Broad Street Road. In the early 1980's, all of the graves from that site were moved to Westhampton Memorial Park on Patterson Avenue because of the expanding road.

Ollie Katherine Bush Rowsey Stinnett of Henrico County, 1922-1995

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Tuesday, November 21, 1995:
"STINNETT - Mrs. Ollie Katherine Stinnett, 73, of Henrico County, passed away Monday, November 20, 1995. She is survived by her son, Eugene R. Rowsey; three daughters, Rosa S. Wright, Cora S. Steele and Tina S. Duhamel; three sons-in-law; seven grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and other loving family and friends. Mrs. Stinnett was a devoted volunteer at St. Mary's Hospital. Her remains rest at Joseph W. Bliley Funeral Home's, Staples Mill Chapel, 8510 Staples Mill Rd., where the family will receive friends 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday. A graveside service will be held 10:30 a.m., Wednesday at Mount Calvary Cemetery."

Ollie is buried in section 3A, lot 142 of Mount Calvary Cemetery in Richmond.

Henry Brock of Henrico County, c. 1791-1843

Henry Brock was a prosperous farmer in western Henrico County, Virginia. He owned at least forty-three slaves at the time of his death. His two-hundred acre farm was located on Old Coal Field Turnpike, later known as Broad Street Road. At the time Mr. Brock purchased his land, that portion of Henrico County was rich in coal - hence the road's name. There were several active mines in and around the area.

Henrico County, Virginia Will Book 11, pages 273-274:
I NEED TO GET CUT OFF PARTS FROM THE COUNTY COPY.

"In the name of God Amen I Henry Brock of the county of Henrico being at present in my usual mind and memory and knowing that it is appointed unto all men to die; do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament, that is to say I wish and desire that after my deth my Boddy may be decently buryed and as to what propperty that it has pleased Almighty God to bestow on me I dispose of in the following manner. I have loned onley to my Daughter Elizabeth N. Phillips one negro name Mary Ann aged about eleven years + a little boy named John aged about four years, a cow + calf. I wish for my Executers to be heareafter named at some suitable time to advertise and sell all of my hed of horses save two + my hed of cows save four which I wish to stay on my plantation for the use of my wife and younger children. I wish that my just debts should be paid out of the proceds of the above named propperty and the balance of the same with the heir of of [sic.] all my negroes to be in safekeeping either in bank or other safe deposit my Executors who is to have the management of is to be responsible for its safekeeping, except such a part as may be necessary to assist in giving my children a propper Edducation + maintenance of my young children. Should the following provetions fail to do that; I wish that my wife, Mary Ann Brock should keep her children with her that they may be raised + educated; and for that purpose to keep on the place the above named two horses and four cows, with my man Jessee; a boy Sam, + Sharlott a yellow woman; and a part of Mary's children, such as cannot be put out to an advantage to the estate, as my boys may grow up, I wish that they may be put to some business that will be most suitable to their advantages + the capasity of their mindes +c, until my youngest son shall arrive at the age of twenty one as my children shall arrive at twenty one [two words off page] that they may have something near that loaned to my daughter Eliz[off page] loned to them onley until the division of the estate when my young[off page] be twenty one years of age then I wish my estate divided as below[off page] [cannot decipher two words] that my estate be brot together and equally divided betw[off page] my children to wit 1 Elizabeth N. Phillips, 2 Martha Ann Brock, 3 Robert Henry Brock, 4 John James Brock, 5 William Richard Brock, 6 Mary Frances Henryetter Brock and 7 Sarah Marceller Brock and if my widdow is [off page] living that their be an ample support left for her on the premisses as long [off page] she shall remain my widdow; if she should at any time ceese [off page] be my widdow; then she shall forfeit all claim to any portion of my estate at any time; or if she should die before the time as above specif[off page] for the division of the estate, that the children to choose gardeants if they should be to young for that purpose that my executors to bee hereafter named, with the council and advice of my oldest sons, act or chose for them until they shall be able to choose for them selves; and at the death of my wife the portion appropiated for her support must return [off page] be divided among my surviving children as above named; and I wish [off page] to be understood that if any of my children should die without a lawful issue of their boddy that their potion or potions return to my surviving children as above named +c done with my own hand and after my own concil as witness my hand this twenty eighth day of April in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and forty three. Henry Brock (seal) Test Woodson Ford, Charles Griffin, Robert Ford.

{I ordain and appoint to this my last will and testament as my Executors to the same John C. Brock and Edwin Phillips. H. Brock.}

At a monthly Court held for Henrico County at the courthouse [off page] monday the second day of October 1843. This last will and testament of Henry Brock deceased was this day presented in court proved by the oaths of Woodson Ford, Charles Griffin and Robert Ford the witnesses to the same and ordered to be recorded and Edwin Phillips one of the executors in the said will named appeared in Court and John C. Brock another of the executors therein named by his writing addressed to the Court refused to take upon themselves the burthens of the execution of the said will. And on the motion [off page] Mary Ann Brock, widow of the testator, who made oath according to law and with Fendall Griffin, Edward Griffin and Fleming Griffin her securities (who made oath as to their sufficiency), entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of ten thousand dollars, conditioned as the law directs. A certificate was granted the said Mary Ann Brock for obtaining letters of administration on the estate of the said Henry Brock deceased with his said will annexed in due form. And the said Mary Ann Brock personally appeared in Court and renounced the provisions made for her by the will of her said husband and refused to accept the same. Teste Loftin N. Ellitt[cannot read]."

Richmond Whig and Public Advertiser, June 30, 1843:
"Died - On June 24, at Aspin Grove, Henrico County, Henry Brock, in his 32d year, leaving a wife and seven children."

Religious Herald, July 6, 1843:
"DIED, on the 24th instant, at his late residence, 'Aspin Grove,' Henrico county, HENRY BROCK, in the 52d year of his age, after an illness of twelve weeks of liver affection. The deceased was for many years a deacon of the Baptist Church at Deep Run; and it may be truly said he was a man of sound and unshaken faith, and of most stern and unwavering integrity, rendering him thereby uniform in his course of life. He was a kind and affectionate husband, a devoted father, a good neighbor, and most humane master, all of which characteristics, when combined in any human being, make a good citizen. But, he had more - he, it may be truly said, was a Christian, a lover of Jesus Christ, and had an unwavering confidence in God, of which, in his walk and conduct through life, he gave testimony; and in his attachment to his Saviour, who is a safe retreat to all prepared spirits. He has left a wife and seven children, and numerous relations and friends to mourn his loss - but not as those without hope, for their loss is his inestimable gain. 'Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they shall have a right to the Tree of Life, and shall enter through the gate into the city.'"

Henry Brock's estate was assessed and attested to before a justice of the peace on November 24, 1843 by Robert Ford, John Ford, Sr. and Alfred Winston. They estate included such items as eighteen slaves, a clock, three guns, a barouche and harness, several horses, two buffalo and other livestock. The total appraised value of Henry's estate was $4,317.12 as presented to the court on January 1, 1844.

At his estate sale, Henry's former belongings sold for a total of $750.77. Most of the items were purchased by his wife, including her paying rent for the dwelling house and land, plus rent for a cattle field. One of the interesting items sold, but not included in the inventory, was a lot of books. This sale account was also presented to the court on January 1, 1844.

Henry's landed estate was divided in late 1857, after the last of his children turned twenty-one or married. Concessions were made for his widow's upkeep but most of the land was divided amongst his children. There is a great plat of this land division in Henrico County's Deed Book #74, p. 371.

The Brock homestead was demolished at some point, perhaps at the time of the road's widening in the mid-1950s. Situated on present-day West Broad Street, I believe that the former Brock land is occupied by the Virginia Home for Boys (8716 West Broad Street). From an aerial photograph, it appears the Boy's Home tract is the precise size and shape of the Brock property. I believe that the old homestead was situated where their main entrance sign exists today.

Henry Brock also owned a piece of land several miles to the East of the home tract. This property was given to the Lawrence and Philips families at the time of Henry's estate division. This property passed into the Shepherd family and eventually became the modern-day London Towne Apartments on Shrader Road. The Brock cemetery is located at the end of Loveridge Court. It is actually where the current playground is positioned. There is only one stone in the graveyard. It is a large, unmarked field rock sticking out of the ground beside a tree.

There is also another cemetery located on the North side of the building there but no markers exist in that cemetery. The two cemeteries are technically owned by the heirs of Henry Brock, not London Towne. The parcel ID number for the county is 764-755-4330. The cemeteries are depicted on official county maps in the tax assessors office.

Descendants of Andrew Loving Vass of Richmond, Virginia, 1877-1968

Descendants of Andrew Loving Vass

Generation No. 1

1. ANDREW LOVING 3 VASS (JOSEPH A. 2, HENRY 1) was born August 17, 1877 in Hanover County, Virginia, and died November 15, 1968 in Richmond, Virginia. He married BESSIE MAY JARVIS August 18, 1903 in Richmond, Virginia, daughter of WILLIAM JARVIS and ALICE SHELL. She was born September 17, 1886 in Manchester, Chesterfield County, Virginia, and died August 30, 1974 in Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia.

Notes for ANDREW LOVING VASS:
Andrew was tall and slender with blue eyes, dark brown hair and a soft voice. He was devoted to his mother and sisters, walking around with the license in his pocket for a long time before marrying. He worked for Trediger Iron Works as a puddler and drank heavily until the birth of his last child, commenting that he could have bought the finest house in Richmond if he had back all of the money he spent on booze. Andrew injured his hand and become a trash man, walking through the streets of Richmond with his mule and cart, collecting garbage until his retirement.

More About ANDREW LOVING VASS:
Burial: November 18, 1968, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia
Cause of Death: acute myelogenous leukemia

Notes for BESSIE MAY JARVIS:
Bessie’s first pregnancy resulted in a fetal demise. She had three young children die and slammed her breast in a car door, leading to its removal. As an older woman, Bessie was taking off her gown and bent over, lowering herself onto a bedpost and punctured her eyeball. Bessie’s heart hardened, becoming so strict that she would not allow her teenage children to leave their front yard. She was not sociable and did not care for small children. Bessie became so stingy that if she had a piece of fruit, she would let it go bad before she shared it with you.

More About BESSIE MAY JARVIS:
Burial: September 2, 1974, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia
Cause of Death: arteriosclerosis cardiovascular disease
Medical Information: cardiovascular accident

More About ANDREW VASS and BESSIE JARVIS:
Marriage: August 18, 1903, Richmond, Virginia

Children of ANDREW VASS and BESSIE JARVIS are:

i. JOSEPH ANDREW4 VASS, b. November 2, 1906, Richmond, Virginia; d. July 30, 1984, Mechanicsville, Hanover County, Virginia; m. (1) HILLARY ESTELLE WALTON, February 12, 1926, Richmond, Virginia; b. Bet. 1909 - 1910, Richmond, Virginia; m. (2) PRIVATE, 1933, King and Queen County, Virginia.

More About JOSEPH ANDREW VASS:
Burial: August 2, 1984, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia

More About JOSEPH VASS and HILLARY WALTON:
Divorce: Bef. 1933
Marriage: February 12, 1926, Richmond, Virginia

More About JOSEPH VASS and PRIVATE:
Marriage: 1933, King and Queen County, Virginia

ii. RAYMOND ELMORE VASS, b. April 16, 1908, Richmond, Virginia; d. April 18, 1990, Mechanicsville, Hanover County, Virginia; m. SETHELLE MORRISON, September 2, 1933, Richmond, Virginia; b. August 19, 1902, Statesville, Southampton County, Virginia; d. September 22, 1991, Newport News, Virginia.

More About RAYMOND ELMORE VASS:
Burial: April 20, 1990, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia

More About SETHELLE MORRISON:
Burial: September 25, 1991, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia

More About RAYMOND VASS and SETHELLE MORRISON:
Marriage: September 2, 1933, Richmond, Virginia

iii. HERBERT ELTON VASS, b. November 5, 1909, Richmond, Virginia; d. April 7, 2003, Ashland, Hanover County, Virginia; m. PRIVATE, November 11, 1929, Richmond, Virginia; b. Bet. 1910 - 1911, Richmond, Virginia.

More About HERBERT ELTON VASS:
Burial: April 10, 2003, Westhampton Memorial Park, Henrico County, Virginia

More About HERBERT VASS and PRIVATE:
Marriage: November 11, 1929, Richmond, Virginia

iv. LOUISE E. VASS, b. January 26, 1911, Richmond, Virginia; d. March 19, 1912, Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia.

Notes for LOUISE E. VASS:
According to Hazel Vass Hargrove, Louise was in her highchair while her brother, Herbert, was climbing on its rails. The chair fell backwards and Louise hit her head on the floor. The baby went into convulsions and died from the trauma. This is contrary to the cause of death as pneumonia listed on her death certificate.

More About LOUISE E. VASS:
Burial: March 20, 1912, Riverview Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia
Cause of Death: broncho pneumonia

v. HAZEL VIRGINIA VASS, b. February 23, 1914, Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia; d. October 28, 2001, Glen Allen, Hanover County, Virginia; m. (1) CARLTON EDWARD BROCK, May 27, 1932, Richmond, Virginia; b. September 30, 1912, Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia; d. July 27, 1958, Richmond, Virginia; m. (2) CARLETON PERNELL HARGROVE, August 4, 1959, Dillon, South Carolina; b. October 15, 1920, North Carolina; d. December 1975.

Notes for HAZEL VIRGINIA VASS:
Hazel attended school until the fifth grade. At the age of fifteen, she left home and went to live with her best friend and future sister-in-law, Mattie Brock. Hazel worked at the Southern Dog Biscuit Company for a few years but later opted to stay home with her children and babysat others. She loved animals, raised African violets and lived alone during her widowhood.

More About HAZEL VIRGINIA VASS:
Burial: October 31, 2001, Signal Hill Memorial Park, Hanover County, Virginia
Cause of Death: pancreatic cancer

Notes for CARLTON EDWARD BROCK:
Edward delivered messages for Western Union, worked at the Broad Street train station, drove for the Yellow Cab Company, painted for the Jefferson Hotel and worked as a janitor at the Cripple Children's Hospital. On the side, he wrote numbers and sold liquor during the prohibition period. Edward was a lady's man, so much that one woman came to his funeral and told his widow that "you may have had his children, but I loved him."

More About CARLTON EDWARD BROCK:
Burial: July 30, 1958, Riverview Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia
Cause of Death: acute massive myocardial infarction, complete thrombosis of right coronary

More About CARLTON BROCK and HAZEL VASS:
Marriage: May 27, 1932, Richmond, Virginia

Notes for CARLETON PERNELL HARGROVE:
Carleton worked as a painter and general handyman. He was seriously injured after falling from a roof and spent the rest of his life in a nursing home.

More About CARLETON PERNELL HARGROVE:
Cause of Death: fall from a roof

More About CARLETON HARGROVE and HAZEL VASS:
Divorce: May 10, 1973, Richmond, Virginia
Marriage: August 4, 1959, Dillon, South Carolina

vi. LUCILLE LOTTIE VASS, b. December 29, 1915, Richmond, Virginia; d. November 29, 2004, Richmond, Virginia; m. JOHN ROGER REID, JR., April 11, 1933, Richmond, Virginia; b. May 24, 1914; d. September 16, 1996, Richmond, Virginia.

More About LUCILLE LOTTIE VASS:
Burial: December 4, 2004, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia

Notes for JOHN ROGER REID, JR.:
Buster served in the United States Army as a young man.

More About JOHN ROGER REID, JR.:
Burial: September 18, 1996, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia

More About JOHN REID and LUCILLE VASS:
Marriage: April 11, 1933, Richmond, Virginia

vii. MARGARET ALMETER VASS, b. September 5, 1918, Richmond, Virginia; d. June 28, 1920, Richmond, Virginia.

Notes for MARGARET ALMETER VASS:
Bessie was blind at the time Margaret was burned. She had just undergone surgery to remove cataracts from both eyes. Margaret was in the house and picked up a long stick match from inside the hearth. It caught her dress on fire and Margaret swallowed the flames, scorching her mouth and throat. One of the other children called for Bessie, who then desperately tried to save her child in vain.

More About MARGARET ALMETER VASS:
Burial: June 29, 1920, Riverview Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia
Cause of Death: burns accidentally received from playing with matches

viii. WILLIAM WEST VASS, b. February 18, 1921, Richmond, Virginia; d. November 14, 1930, Richmond, Virginia.

Notes for WILLIAM WEST VASS:
On the morning of November 10, 1930, William missed the school bus. He ran and jumped onto the door ledge of the moving bus to get the driver's attention. William slipped and fell beneath its wheels and was crushed. He was taken to Memorial Hospital where he died four days later. It was a very painful and traumatic death.

More About WILLIAM WEST VASS:
Burial: November 16, 1930, Riverview Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia
Cause of Death: auto accident - fractures of ribs, pelvis and right arm

ix. DOUGLAS LOVING VASS, b. February 27, 1926, Virginia; d. September 12, 1986, Richmond, Virginia; m. MYRTLE RAY MASKALL; b. March 9, 1929; d. May 14, 1996, Richmond, Virginia.

More About DOUGLAS LOVING VASS:
Burial: September 15, 1986, Washington Memorial Cemetery, Dutch Gap, Henrico County, Virginia

More About MYRTLE RAY MASKALL:
Burial: May 16, 1996, Washington Memorial Cemetery, Dutch Gap, Henrico County, Virginia

Henrico woman finds tombstone in her yard after storm

As seen on NBC 12 News, September 23, 2004:

The mystery of the broken tombstone that showed up on a Henrico County woman's front yard is now solved. It has been traced it back to a cemetery on Richmond 's Southside. Her name was Nanny Skinner Simms and she was just 34 when she died on Christmas Day 1918.

Initially, Joyce Fry said she was "creeped out" by the tombstone lying on her front yard. Now, she's relieved that the stone will soon be reunited with it's rightful owner. "If it were my relatives, I'd want to have it back," says Fry.

Genealogist Kevin Lett saw the story about the tombstone that washed up with all the other debris from Gaston. He didn't have much to go on -- just the day and the year of death, and the inscription, "Kinner Simms." Library of Virginia records reveal a Nanny Skinner Simms died in Richmond on December 25th, 1918.

"There was only one person who died on the 25th in 1918, after that it was easy," says Lett.

Records show that Nanny Simms lived on Decatur Street, in a home that no longer exists. She died of pneumonia at Virginia hospital, now known as VCU Medical Center. But, when we found her grave at Maury Cemetery -- it already had a marker. It turns out the stone in Fry's front yard -- is the original that got replaced. Fry says she's still willing to return it, "I need her to get it back where it belongs."

So how did the broken stone show up in Lakeside? The cemetery manager says the stone was probably discarded and ended up with other rubble. Fast forward to two weeks ago after the floods tear up Fry's street, county workers bring in rocks and boulders to fix a sinkhole in her street."

Minnie Roh"