Alma Lettie French1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 10920, (1890 - 1964)
FatherMorgan F. French4,5,6 (26 Mar 1854 - 20 Jun 1927)
MotherAlma Lee Overby7,8,6 (28 Oct 1867 - 28 May 1913)

Key Events:

Birth: 5 Jun 1890, Paducah, Kentucky9,10,11,12
Marriage: 1 Jun 1914, 222 Commercial Ave., Fulton, Kentucky, Dr. Charles Gordon Warner (19 Sep 1872 - 21 Mar 1965)13,3
Divorce: before Mar 1917, Dr. Charles Gordon Warner (19 Sep 1872 - 21 Mar 1965)14,15
Marriage: 10 Apr 1918, Graves Co., Kentucky, John Saunders Cobb (4 Oct 1877 - 30 Nov 1951)16,17,18
Death: 25 Apr 1964, 728 Eva, Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee19,20
Burial: Calvary Cemetery, Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee21

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Alma Lettie French was born on 5 Jun 1890 in Paducah, Kentucky.9,10,11,12
     She appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Civil, Weakley Co., Tennessee, in the household of her parents, Morgan F. French and Alma Lee Overby.4 She appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of South Fulton, Obion Co., Tennessee, in the household of her parents.5
     She worked at the Fulton Leader newspaper before taking nursing courses. She was a trained nurse at the Riverside Hospital in Paducah for several years before her marriage.22,23
     Alma married first Dr. Charles Gordon Warner on 1 Jun 1914 at the home of Dr. and Mrs. R. T. Rudd, 222 Commercial Ave., Fulton, Kentucky, with Rev. D. W. Fooks offciating.13,3
     Alma and Charles were divorced, apparently before Mar 1917 as he re-married then.14,15
     Alma married second John Saunders Cobb, son of Joshua Clark Cobb and Manie Saunders, on 10 Apr 1918 in Graves Co., Kentucky, with W. M. Wood offciating.16,17,18
     Alma and John settled in Memphis, Tennessee, shortly after they married. It appears she lived there more or less continuously the rest of her life. But it seems to have only nominally been his home as he lived elsewhere, in some cases for extended periods, as he changed employment. But he did appear in Memphis in the 1920, 1930, and 1940 census, perhaps because she reported that as his residence, and he has not been found in any census elsewhere.
     Alma and John appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee, at 205 South Wellington St., enumerated 8 Jan 1920, reporting that they rented their home. Her daughter Mary was listed as living with them.17
     She was a school nurse for the city of Memphis health department, reporting in 1940 she had worked 50 hours the last week of March, and 52 weeks the prior year, earning $1,440. She retired by 1950.24,25,26,27,28
     Alma and John appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee, at 1531 Monroe, enumerated 13 Apr 1930, reporting they rented their home, for $45.00 per month, and owned a radio. Her daughter Mary was listed as living with them, as was her half-sister Ivie.29
     Alma and John appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee, at 728 Eva St., enumerated 8 Apr 1940, reporting they owned a home valued at $3,000, and that they had lived in the same house in 1935. Her daughter Mary, her husband Allen Martin Gillum, and their infant son were listed as living in the same dwelling.30
     She wrote children's poetry, publishing three volumes. She published When I Was a Gay, Wee Child in 1942, Felicianna, a Story in Verse for Young People in 1946, and This Is Her Song in 1950.31
     Alma and John apparently separated before 1950, whether legally or not is unknown. He appears in Los Angeles in the 1950 census, listed as married, which she was living in Memphis with her daughter, listed as separated.32,33
     Alma appeared on the 1950 Federal Census of Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee, in the household of her daughter Mary and her husband, Allen Martin Gillum, and their four children.33
     Her second husband died on 30 Nov 1951 in Los Angeles Co., California.34
     Alma died on 25 Apr 1964, at her home, 728 Eva, Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee, at age 73.19,20 She was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Memphis, Shelby Co., Tennessee.21

Children:
     Child with Dr. Charles Gordon Warner:

  • Mary Gordon Warner35,36,37 (9 Mar 1915 - 17 Aug 2001)

Children:
     There were no children with John Saunders Cobb

Citations

  1. [S12159] Morgan F. French household, 1900 U.S. Census, Weakley Co., Tennessee, shows name as Let A. French.
  2. [S12164] "Social Circles," The Paducah Sun, 3 Jun 1914, shows name as Alma Lettie French.
  3. [S12156] Marriage Book, Graves Co., Kentucky, 9:50, John Sanders Cobb and Alma French Warner, and shows her as divorced.
  4. [S12159] Morgan F. French household, 1900 U.S. Census, Weakley Co., Tennessee.
  5. [S12165] Morgan Francis French household, 1910 U.S. Census, Obion Co., Tennessee.
  6. [S12158] Alma French Cobb, Certificate of Death.
  7. [S12159] Morgan F. French household, 1900 U.S. Census, Weakley Co., Tennessee, shows girl as daughter of Alma's husband and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  8. [S12165] Morgan Francis French household, 1910 U.S. Census, Obion Co., Tennessee, shows girl as daughter of Olusa's husband and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  9. [S12159] Morgan F. French household, 1900 U.S. Census, Weakley Co., Tennessee, shows month, year, age 9, and state.
  10. [S12156] Marriage Book, Graves Co., Kentucky, 9:50, John Sanders Cobb and Alma French Warner, shows age 22 at marriage 10 Apr 1918, city, and state, as Paducah, Kentucky.
  11. [S12168] Alma French Cobb obituary, The Commercial Appeal, shows born in Fulton, Ky.
  12. [S12158] Alma French Cobb, Certificate of Death, shows date and state.
  13. [S12164] "Social Circles," The Paducah Sun, 3 Jun 1914, shows married Monday, home, address, city, and offciant.
  14. [S12166] Marriage Book, Henry Co., Tennessee, C. G. Warner and Emma C. Hinton, 14 Mar 1917, shows bond date 14 Mar 1917.
  15. [S12156] Marriage Book, Graves Co., Kentucky, 9:50, John Sanders Cobb and Alma French Warner, shows her as divorced.
  16. [S12156] Marriage Book, Graves Co., Kentucky, 9:50, John Sanders Cobb and Alma French Warner, shows date, county, state, and officiant.
  17. [S3311] John S. Cobb household, 1920 U.S. Census, Shelby Co., Tennessee.
  18. [S3312] John Saunders Cobb, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, shows her as his nearest relative.
  19. [S12158] Alma French Cobb, Certificate of Death, shows date, address, city, county, and state.
  20. [S500] Findagrave.com, online, memorial # 155318981, Alma French Cobb, shows date and includes tombstone photo showing same.
  21. [S500] Findagrave.com, online, memorial # 155318981, Alma French Cobb, includes tombstone photo.
  22. [S12168] Alma French Cobb obituary, The Commercial Appeal, shows worked for small-town newspaper before taking nursing course.
  23. [S12164] "Social Circles," The Paducah Sun, 3 Jun 1914, shows was connected with the Daily Leader then nurse at hospital two or three years.
  24. [S3311] John S. Cobb household, 1920 U.S. Census, Shelby Co., Tennessee, shows occupation as nurse R.N. and industry, which is unreadable.
  25. [S12157] John Cobb household, 1930 U.S. Census, Shelby Co., Tennessee, shows occupation as nurse, and industry as public health.
  26. [S12162] John S. Cobb household, 1940 U.S. Census, Shelby Co., Tennessee, shows occupation as school nurse, and industry as city health dept.
  27. [S12167] Allen M. Gillum household, 1950 U.S. Census, Shelby Co., Tennessee, shows not working and not looking for work.
  28. [S12158] Alma French Cobb, Certificate of Death, shows occupation as retired nurse - city of Memphis.
  29. [S12157] John Cobb household, 1930 U.S. Census, Shelby Co., Tennessee.
  30. [S12162] John S. Cobb household, 1940 U.S. Census, Shelby Co., Tennessee.
  31. [S12168] Alma French Cobb obituary, The Commercial Appeal.
  32. [S12163] John S. Cobb household, 1950 U.S. Census, Los Angeles Co., California.
  33. [S12167] Allen M. Gillum household, 1950 U.S. Census, Shelby Co., Tennessee.
  34. [S885] "California Death Index, 1940-1997," Ancestry.com, record for John Saunders Cobb.
  35. [S3311] John S. Cobb household, 1920 U.S. Census, Shelby Co., Tennessee, shows the girl as daughter of Alma's husband.
  36. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Mary Gordon Gillum, Soc. Sec. No. 411-15-1924.
  37. [S12157] John Cobb household, 1930 U.S. Census, Shelby Co., Tennessee, shows girl as daughter of Alma's husband.