Grace Helen Brown1,2,3

ID# 7354, (1889 - 1981)
FatherLemuel Reed Brown4,1,5 (7 Mar 1853 - 24 Sep 1940)
MotherSarah Frances Winston4,1,6 (8 Jun 1859 - 13 Nov 1927)

Key Events:

Birth: 4 Sep 1889, Lynchburg, Virginia7,8,9
Marriage: 30 Jun 1915, Lynchburg, Virginia, Ralph R. Wheatley (23 May 1893 - )10,11,12
Divorce: before 1940, Ralph R. Wheatley (23 May 1893 - )13
Marriage: 1942, Joseph Watson Prenger (22 Jun 1911 - 2 Mar 1985)14,15,16
Death: 27 Sep 19814,17

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Grace Helen Brown was born on 4 Sep 1889 in Lynchburg, Virginia.7,8,9
     She appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Brookville, Campbell Co., Virginia, in the household of her parents, Lemuel Reed Brown and Sarah Frances Winston.5 She appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Lynchburg, Virginia, in the household of her parents.18
     Grace married first Ralph R. Wheatley, son of F. H. Wheatley, on 30 Jun 1915 in Lynchburg, Virginia.10,11,12
     Grace appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Elon, Amhurst Co., Virginia, in the household of her father, Lemuel Reed Brown, with her daughter, Helen. The record seems confused, and there may well have been others in the household. Lemuel is listed as married, but his wife is not listed. His daughter is listed, but the name is shown as Ralph Wheatley, though all the other information seems to be correct for Grace. Neither Grace nor Ralph can be found elsewhere, so it appears that he was actually supposed to be listed here, and perhaps Grace's mother was too.19
     Grace and Ralph appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, at 1453 Arabella St., enumerated 7 Apr 1930, reporting that they rented their home, for $75 per month, and that they owned a radio. Their children Helen and Lee were listed as living with them.20
     Grace and Ralph were divorced before 1940.13
     Grace appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, at 1422 Amelia St., enumerated 16 Apr 1940, reporting that she rented her home, for $35 per month. Her daughter Lee was listed as living with her, both reporting they had lived in the same city five years before. Also listed as living with them were two lodgers, Kenneth Baudoin, a research editor at the Works Progress Administration, and Joseph Watson Prenger, her future husband.21
     Grace married second Joseph Watson Prenger, son of Joseph Frank Prenger and Jessie Myrtle Watson, in 1942.14,15,16
     Grace and Joseph appeared on the 1950 Federal Census of New Orleans, Orleans Co., Louisiana, at 819 Lavestin, enumerated 13 Apr 1950, reporting they lived in a home that was not on a farm.22
     Grace died on 27 Sep 1981 at age 92.4,17

Children:
     Children with Ralph R. Wheatley:

  • Helen Wheatley23,24,25 (abt Jun 1916 - 13 Jun 1936)
  • Lee Elizabeth Wheatley24,21,26 (abt 1921 - 18 Dec 2014)

Children:
     There were no children with Joseph Watson Prenger

Citations

  1. [S3519] "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940," FamilySearch.org, record for Ralph Wheatley and Grace Helen Brown, citing FHL #2048489 and pg 11, ln 166.
  2. [S3512] "Deaths: Prenger," The Times-Picayune, 29 Sep 1981, shows father's surname as Brown.
  3. [S3514] Lemuel R. Brown household, 1910 U.S. Census, Lynchburg City, Virginia, shows name as Grace H. Brown.
  4. [S3512] "Deaths: Prenger," The Times-Picayune, 29 Sep 1981.
  5. [S3513] Lemuel Brown household, 1900 U.S. Census, Campbell Co., Virginia.
  6. [S3513] Lemuel Brown household, 1900 U.S. Census, Campbell Co., Virginia, shows the child as daughter of Sallie's husband, and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  7. [S3519] "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940," FamilySearch.org, record for Ralph Wheatley and Grace Helen Brown, citing FHL #2048489 and pg 11, ln 166, shows year, as 1892, town, and state.
  8. [S3513] Lemuel Brown household, 1900 U.S. Census, Campbell Co., Virginia, shows month, year, as 1889, age 10 and state.
  9. [S1000] "Social Security Death Index," Ancestry.com, record for Grace Prenger, Soc. Sec. No. 435-16-1491, shows date.
  10. [S3515] Ralph Wheatley household, 1930 U.S. Census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, shows married, with his first marriage at age 23 and hers at 26.
  11. [S3511] Grace Wheatley household, 1940 U.S. Census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, shows Grace and daughter with surname Wheatley, and Grace as divorced.
  12. [S3519] "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940," FamilySearch.org, record for Ralph Wheatley and Grace Helen Brown, citing FHL #2048489 and pg 11, ln 166, shows date, town, county, and state.
  13. [S3511] Grace Wheatley household, 1940 U.S. Census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, shows Grace as divorced.
  14. [S13007] Joseph W. Brenger household, 1950 U.S. Census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, shows married, with her married more than once and 10 years since she last married, widowed, divorced or separated.
  15. [S66] Pound, Family File "POUNDA~1.FTW," 31 Jan 1999, shows year.
  16. [S3512] "Deaths: Prenger," The Times-Picayune, 29 Sep 1981, shows her as his wife.
  17. [S1000] "Social Security Death Index," Ancestry.com, record for Grace Prenger, Soc. Sec. No. 435-16-1491, shows month, year, and last residence, as 70118, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana.
  18. [S3514] Lemuel R. Brown household, 1910 U.S. Census, Lynchburg City, Virginia.
  19. [S3516] Lemuel R. Brown household, 1920 U.S. Census, Amherst Co., Virginia.
  20. [S3515] Ralph Wheatley household, 1930 U.S. Census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana.
  21. [S3511] Grace Wheatley household, 1940 U.S. Census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana.
  22. [S13007] Joseph W. Brenger household, 1950 U.S. Census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana.
  23. [S3516] Lemuel R. Brown household, 1920 U.S. Census, Amherst Co., Virginia, shows Helen as Lemuel's granddaughter.
  24. [S3515] Ralph Wheatley household, 1930 U.S. Census, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, shows the girl as daughter of Grace's husband.
  25. [S3518] "Fall from Horse Instantly Kills New Orleans Girl," The Times-Picayune, 14 Jun 1936.
  26. [S10245] Lee Wheatley Woolfolk obituary, Times-Picayune.