I need help finding my grandmother’s real father

Question

I am having a hair-pulling issue with finding who my maternal grandmother’s father was! Her name is in my tree as Florine Armour because that was who her mother was married to the first time. However, with subsequent marriages, during census taking time, my grandmother would be listed by current stepfather’s surname. My mother’s last name was Wilson, but my grandmother was known by Whitehouse, Armour, Dukes, Walker, etc.  She was born in Kentucky in 1911 to Nancy Belle Whitehouse. I have not found her actual birth certificate. Jean Holt Stevens

Comments

Florence A Perrey

in the 1920 United States Federal Census

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Name:	Florence A Perrey
Age:	9
Birth Year:	abt 1911
Birthplace:	Kentucky
Home in 1920:	Central City, Muhlenberg, Kentucky
Street:	Ibert First
Residence Date:	1920
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Daughter
Marital Status:	Single
Father's Name:	Burrell G Perrey
Father's Birthplace:	Kentucky
Mother's Name:	Nancy B Perrey
Mother's Birthplace:	Kentucky
Attended School:	No
Neighbors:
Household Members Age Relationship Burrell G Perrey 36 Head Nancy B Perrey 39 Wife Henry D Perrey 19 Son Luther D Perrey 17 Son Annie M A Perrey 14 Daughter John A Perrey 12 Son Florence A Perrey 9 Daughter Benjiman F W Perrey 5 Son

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Nancy Sell Perry

 in the Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852-1965

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Name:	Nancy Sell Perry
Maiden Name:	Whitehouse
Gender:	Female
Race:	White
Death Age:	68
Birth Date:	25 Apr 1875
Birth Place:	Kentucky
Death Date:	17 Dec 1943
Death Place:	Muhlenberg, Kentucky, USA
Father:	James Whitehouse
Mother:	Jane Holland
Spouse:	Burl Perry

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Bell Whitehouse

 in the Kentucky, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1783-1965

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Name:	Bell Whitehouse
Gender:	Female
Age:	17
Birth Date:	abt 1878
Marriage Date:	12 Jan 1895
Marriage Place:	Muhlenberg, Kentucky, USA
Spouse:	Calvin Dukes
Film Number:	000557327

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Well done, Miss Betty  

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Thank you. As I said, in the censuses, Florine had the last name of whichever man her mother was married to or with whom they were living at the time.

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Thank you. Nancy’s middle name is actually Bell or Belle. My mother’s recollection was that Nancy Belle Whitehouse was her grandmother.

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Thank you.

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Her name was Nancy Bell (Whitehouse) Duke Armour Perry

Answer 1

Hello Jean.

The name of the father of your grandmother Florine Armour is John Armour.

Florine was married to Namon Wilson as can be seen in the 1940 Census. Florine's mother and step-father were living with them.

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
Namon Wilson	Head	M	56	Kentucky
Florence Wilson	Wife	F	28	Kentucky
Thomas Wilson	Son	M	12	Kentucky
Helen Wilson	Daughter	F	8	Kentucky
Charles Wilson	Son	M	4	Kentucky
Bob Wilson	Son	M	2	Kentucky
Burk Perry	Father-in-law	M	57	Kentucky
Belle Perry	Mother-in-law	F	61	Kentucky

Citing this Record
"United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K7BK-Y66 : 9 January 2021), Florence Wilson in household of Namon Wilson, Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 121-325, sheet 1A, line 24, family 10, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1376.

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Namon Wilson and Florine moved to Indiana. Namon Wilson died on 1955.

Name: Namon Wilson Vincennes
Event Type: Obituary
Event Date: 15 Dec 1955
Event Place (Original): Evansville Courier and Press, Evansville, Indiana
Sex: Male
Age: 76
Birth Date: about 1879
Death Date: about 1955
Burial Place: Fairview Cemetery
Newspaper: Evansville Courier and Press
Affiliate Image Identifier: 14C8C51A235085DE

Citing this Record
"United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPB9-45BV : 18 July 2020), Namon Wilson Vincennes, 1955.

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Florine remarried there on 1957. Her parents are listed in the record.

Name: Francis G Clark
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 24 Oct 1957
Event Place: Knox, Indiana, United States
Residence Place: Vincennes, Indiana
Race: White
Number of Previous Marriages: First
Birth Date: 25 Aug 1915
Birthplace: Keene, New Hampshire
Father's Name: Norman F Clark
Mother's Name: Vera Ethel Fish
Spouse's Name: Sharldia Floreen Wilson
Spouse's Residence Place: Vincennes, Indiana
Spouse's Previous Marriage Number: Second
Spouse's Race: White
Spouse's Race (Original): White
Spouse's Birth Date: 6 May 1911
Spouse's Birthplace: Central City, Kentucky
Spouse's Father's Name: John Armour
Spouse's Mother's Name: Nancy Bell Whitehouse
Officiator's Name: Frank Murphy
First Page Number: 510
Certifier's Name: Bette J McKinley
 

Citing this Record
"Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:8CGK-SJZM : 9 March 2021), Sharldia Floreen Wilson in entry for Francis G Clark, 24 Oct 1957; citing Knox, Indiana, United States, Marriage, Indiana Commission on Public Records, Indianapolis; FHL microfilm 007743970.

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By the way, Burl (Burrell) Perry and Nancy Belle Whitehouse married 25 Sep 1919. Burl Perry is listed "Single" in the 1910 Census. All the children listed in the 1920 Census are Nancy Belle's children. They used a middle initial in the name of each one of the children to identify their father's last name.

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
Burrell G Perrey	Head	M	36	Kentucky
Nancy B Perrey	Wife	F	39	Kentucky
Henry D Perrey	Son	M	19	Kentucky
Luther D Perrey	Son	M	17	Kentucky
Annie M A Perrey	Daughter	F	14	Kentucky
John A Perrey	Son	M	12	Kentucky
Florence A Perrey	Daughter	F	9	Kentucky
Benjiman F W Perrey	Son	M	5	Kentucky

Citing this Record
"United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHPM-YRD : 1 February 2021), Burrell G Perrey, 1920.

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Henry and Luther are the sons of Calvin Dukes (Belle's first husband). Annie, John and Florine, are the children of John Armour, and Benjamin is the son of William Walker (William Walker and Belle had another son named Daniel. Daniel died as a 3 months baby in 1913).

Comments

This was amazing research!  Thank you so much.

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You are welcome, Jean.

Many thanks for the star.