A Generation Passes

            Just a few days ago I learned of the death on 3 Jan 2011 of Eugenia (Showalter) Farris, the last survivor of the fifty-seven grandchildren of Josiah Thomas and Sarah Catherine (Vaden) Showalter. I met her in March 2008, and she will forever remain the only one of my father’s cousins I ever met. She welcomed me into her home in Newbern, Virginia, not far from the homestead of her grandfather, Josiah Thomas Showalter, and generously shared with me her knowledge of the Showalter family. We went together to a near-by Wal-Mart so that I could scan some of her family photos onto a CD. She was already in her nineties, but her mind was keen and although she carried a cane, she was remarkably spry as well, and certainly full of life. At the time, two of her cousins and her sister Carmel, already over a hundred, still survived. Now, a generation has truly passed into history. To honor their memory, I have listed their names here in the order of the date of their death, with a few details about their lives, if they are known to me. I apologize in advance for any mistakes or omissions, and ask readers to send me any corrections.

Eugenia (Showalter) Farris, March 2008

Whitt, Vivian, b. 1897, d. 1901; daughter of Amanda Louise (Showalter) Whitt. Vivian Whitt died young.

Whitt, Della, b. 1888, d. Oct 1916; daughter of Amanda Louise (Showalter) Whitt. Della Whitt did not marry.

Showalter, Wendell Thomas, b. 15 Nov 1902, d. 20 Nov 1917; son of Edward Thomas Showalter.   Wendell Thomas Showalter died young.

Showalter, Benjamin M., b. 1908, d. 1920; son of Benjamin Winthrop Showalter. Benjamin M. Showalter died young.

Showalter, Horace Merle, b. 26 Dec 1928, d. 25 May 1938; son of Milton Vaden Showalter. Horace Merle Showalter died young.

Massie, Helen Judson, b. 10 Feb 1901, d. 10 Mar 1937; daughter of Julia Rowlett (Showalter) Massie.

      Helen Judson Massie married Horace Austin Revercomb; 3 children.

Whitt, Ruth, b. 18 Jun 1905, d. 1 Oct 1938; daughter of Amanda Louise (Showalter) Whitt. Ruth Whitt married Ivan McKinley Hess; 2 children.

      At right, Ruth (Whitt) Hess, and her son Wallace Ivan Hess, 1924

Showalter, Julian Edward, b. 23 Jun 1901, d. 26 Aug 1949; son of Edward Thomas Showalter. Julian Edward Showalter married Inez Quesenberry; 2 children; he was a teacher.

Showalter, Milton Vaden Jr, b. 23 Jun 1911, d. 20 Dec 1959; son of Milton Vaden Showalter. Milton Vaden Showalter Jr married Mary Coyne; 4 children.

Showalter, Joe Dial, b. 23 Apr 1916, d. 1 Jun 1964; son of Milton Vaden Showalter. Joe Dial Showalter married Elfreda Maxine Dailey; 3 children.

Milton Vaden Showalter, center, and l. to r., sons Bob, Harold, Vaden Jr, and Joe Dial, 1950

Whitt, Garland H., b. 28 Nov 1899, d. 27 Nov 1968; son of Amanda Louise (Showalter) Whitt. Garland Howard Whitt married Mary Rotan; 1 child.

Showalter, Elizabeth L., b. 1904, d. 1970; daughter of Benjamin Winthrop Showalter. Elizabeth L. Showalter married Frederick B. Omohundro; 2 children.

Showalter, Jessamine, b. 15 Aug 1892, d. 11 Nov 1970; daughter of C. D. M. Showalter. Jessamine Showalter married 1) William Madison LaFon; 2) Joseph Sidney Brown; 3 children from the first marriage.

      at right, C. D. M. Showalter, son Louis on knee, wife Lou Ella (English); standing, l. to r., Jessamine, Ernestine, and English, 1905

Showalter, Eustace Wesley, b. 30 Jan 1905, d. 29 Jun 1971; son of Josiah Wesley Showalter. Eustace Wesley Showalter married Ethel Mae Meredith; 4 children; he was a farmer.

Dudley, Esther Virginia, b. 26 Feb 1900, d. 1 Aug 1974; daughter of Sarah Katherine (Showalter) Dudley. Esther Virginia Dudley never married; she worked as a university administrator.

Showalter, Portia, b. Sep 1898, d. 1976; daughter of Josiah Wesley Showalter. Portia Showalter married Leonard Charles King; 2 children.

      at right, Josiah Wesley Showalter, wife Lois (Porch), daughters, l. to r., Daphne, Lucia, and Portia, 1905

Showalter, Lucia, b. Dec 1899, d. 18 Jan 1976; daughter of Josiah Wesley Showalter. Lucia Showalter married Stuart Ehrgott Wilson; 1 child.

Showalter, Louis Reverdy, b. 31 Oct 1903, d. 14 Feb 1976; son of C. D. M. Showalter. Louis Reverdy Showalter married Elizabeth Nelson; 3 children; he worked for an insurance company.

Showalter, Thomas P., b. 2 Feb 1902, d. 22 Jan 1977; son of George Henry Pryor Showalter. Thomas Preston Showalter married Veta Mae Winningham; 1 child; when he enlisted in the U. S. Air Force he gave his profession as gunsmith, armorer, diesel mechanic, camera repairman, instrument maker.

Showalter, Robert Lane, b. 20 Jul 1909, d. Jun 1978; son of Milton Vaden Showalter. Robert Lane Showalter married 1) Dorothy Yantis; 2) Charlotte Hoffman; 2 children from the first marriage.

Showalter, Aileen K., b. 18 Apr 1908, d. Aug 1980; daughter of Milton Vaden Showalter. Aileen K. Showalter married R. L. Crouch.

      at right, Avis Belle (Dial) Showalter, second from left, and daughters, l. to r., Belle, Aileen, and Christine, 1950

Dudley, Homer W., b. 14 Nov 1896, d. 18 Sep 1980; son of Sarah Katherine (Showalter) Dudley. Homer W. Dudley married Leta Marie Fairbairn; 3 children; he was a scientist at Bell Labs, a pioneer in the electronic synthesis of human speech.

Dudley, Virgil S., b. 19 Jun 1895; d. 29 Jan 1982; son of Sarah Katherine (Showalter) Dudley. Virgil Showalter Dudley married 1) Esther Dahl; 2) Elizabeth Valine Foote; 2 children by the first marriage; he was an executive at Montgomery Ward.

      at right, l. to r., Katharine, Virgil, and Homer Dudley, 1899

Showalter, Ernestine, b. 3 Feb 1895, d. 20 Feb 1982; daughter of C. D. M. Showalter. Ernestine Showalter married Ralph T. Stewart; 1 child; she was a clerk and librarian.

Showalter, Daphne, b. 29 May 1897, d. Apr 1982; daughter of Josiah Wesley Showalter. Daphne Showalter married Prescott W. Townsend; no children.

Randolph, Everett M. Jr, b. 4 Jun 1908, d. 8 Aug 1982; son of Jennie Taylor (Showalter) Randolph.       Everett Maxon "Max" Randolph Jr married Elsie Leah Cox; 2 children; he was a telephone lineman.

Showalter, Josiah Thomas, b. 7 Nov 1911, d. Jul 1984; son of Alexander Merle Showalter. Josiah Thomas Showalter married Nancy Bartlett; 5 children; he was a doctor.

      at right, Dr A. M. Showalter, seated, with son, Dr Joe Showalter, 1957

Showalter, George Wallace, b. 22 Dec 1912, d. Aug 1984; son of George Henry Pryor Showalter. George Wallace Showalter married Mary Aletha Lucas; 2 children.

Randolph, Vance , b. 12 Mar 1917, d. Oct 1984; son of Jennie Taylor (Showalter) Randolph. Peyton Vance Randolph married Kathleen "Kay" Rose.

Dudley, Katharine Louise, b. 14 May 1898, d. Mar 1985; daughter of Sarah Katherine (Showalter) Dudley

      Katharine Louise Dudley did not marry; she was a teacher.

Massie, Nancy Ryals, b. 1913, d. Mar 1986; daughter of Julia Rowlett (Showalter) Massie. Nancy Ryals Massie married Clarence Watson Meadows; 4 children.

Showalter, English, b. 15 Oct 1897, d. 4 Mar 1986; son of C. D. M. Showalter. English Showalter married Jean Lee Staples; 3 children; he was a lawyer.

Showalter, Beulah M., b. 11 Mar 1914, d. 26 Apr 1987; daughter of Edward Thomas Showalter. Beulah Marie Showalter married Richard D. Gowin; 2 children.

Showalter, Helen, b. 24 Jul 1907, d. Aug 1988; daughter of George Henry Pryor Showalter. Helen Showalter married Ernest Edgar Hawkins; 4 children

G. H. P. Showalter with daughters Thelma, Helen, Margaret, and sons Thomas P., George W. and G. H. P. Jr, 1947

Massie, Elizabeth D., b. 1904; d. 30 Nov 1988; daughter of Julia Rowlett (Showalter) Massie. Elizabeth Daggs Massie married Cabell Seal Davis; 2 children.

Showalter, Cyril Waller, b. 18 Aug 1904, d. 10 Apr 1989; son of Edward Thomas Showalter. Cyril Waller Showalter married Gae Phillips; 1 child.

Showalter, Ruby Mae, b. 17 Dec 1905, d. 21 Apr 1989; daughter of Edward Thomas Showalter. Ruby Mae Showalter married Ellery D. Stafford; 2 children; she was a teacher.

Showalter, Margaret, b. 15 Jul 1910, d. 6 Dec 1989; daughter of George Henry Pryor Showalter. Margaret Showalter married Eugene Thweatt Flewellen; 1 child.

Willard M. Showalter, 1935

Showalter, Willard M., b. 13 Dec 1914, d. 22 Mar 1990; son of Benjamin Winthrop Showalter. Willard Merle Showalter married Katharine "Kitty" Brown; 1 child; he was a banker.

Showalter, Christine, b. 24 Dec 1920, d. 3 Jul 1990; daughter of Milton Vaden Showalter. Christine Showalter married Earl Reynolds Hensley; 3 children.

Showalter, Lenore, b. 20 Jan 1920, d. 4 Jan 1991; daughter of Edward Thomas Showalter. Lenore Showalter did not marry; she worked for the telephone company.

Whitt, Vaden, b.  19 Jul 1892, d. 3 Feb 1993, daughter of Amanda Louise (Showalter) Whitt. Martha Vaden Whitt married Oscar Edward Gladfelter; no children; she was a clerk

Whitt, Celia, b. 10 Jun 1890, d. 7 Jul 1993, daughter of Amanda Louise (Showalter) Whitt. Celia Whitt did not marry; she was a dietician.

Vaden, Vivian, Celia, and Della Whitt, 1899

Showalter, Kathryn V., b. 10 Oct 1909, d. 27 Mar 1995; daughter of Edward Thomas Showalter. Kathryn Vaden Showalter married Robert Grimes Yeager; no children; she was a teacher.

Showalter, Thelma, b. 18 Aug 1904, d. 4 Jun 1995; daughter of George Henry Pryor Showalter. Thelma Showalter married Richard Oscar Kenley Jr; 2 children.

Showalter, Harold E., b. 28 Feb 1915, d. 11 Jun 1998; son of Milton Vaden Showalter. Harold Elmore Showalter married Johnnie Lee Stovall; 2 children.

Showalter, George H. P. Jr, b. 6 Jul 1916, d. 28 Aug 1998; son of George Henry Pryor Showalter. George H. P. Showalter Jr married Mary Ann Hoover; 2 children.

Brown, Joseph S. Jr, b. 20 Jan 1911, d. 28 Mar 2001; son of Annie Beatrice (Showalter) Brown. Joseph Sidney Brown Jr married Edith Pauline Smith; 1 child.

Showalter, Virginia, b. 31 Dec 1916, d. 15 Mar 2002; daughter of Alexander Merle Showalter. Virginia Showalter married Joseph Magner McGrath; 2 children.

Showalter, Winifred, b. 21 Nov 1917, d. 21 Aug 2003; daughter of Edward Thomas Showalter. Winifred Showalter married Cloyd Craig Shelburne; 2 children.

Massie, Edward Rodney Jr, b. 1910, d. 20 Feb 2004; son of Julia Rowlett (Showalter) Massie. Edward Rodney Massie Jr married Mary Margaret Barnard; 2 children; he was a lawyer.

Showalter, Elizabeth, b. 21 Jun 1912, d. 22 May 2004; daughter of Edward Thomas Showalter. Elizabeth Showalter married Raymond C. Walker; 5 children.

Norman F. Showalter, 1942

Showalter, Norman F., b. 12 Dec 1920, d. 12 Aug 2005; son of Benjamin Winthrop Showalter. Norman Franklin Showalter married Virginia Suzette Gaskins; 2 children; he was a banker.

Showalter, Annie Carmel, b. 3 Aug 1907, d. 29 Jan 2009; daughter of Edward Thomas Showalter. Carmel Showalter did not marry; she worked for the U. S. State Department Agency for International Development and then as a teacher.

Randolph, Eleanor Geline, b. 20 Mar 1920, d. 7 Apr 2010; daughter of Jennie Taylor (Showalter) Randolph. Eleanor Geline "Jane" Randolph married 1) Samuel Bexton Guynes; 2) John Norvell "Pete" Green; 3 children by the first marriage; she was a teacher.

Showalter, Avis Belle, b. 5 Sep 1918, d. 31 Jan 2010; daughter of Milton Vaden Showalter. Avis Belle Showalter married E. V. Smith Jr; 2 children.

Showalter, Eugenia, b. 31 Oct 1915, d. 3 Jan 2011; daughter of Edward Thomas Showalter. Eugenia Showalter married Henry Arthur Farris; 3 children.

l. to r., Eugenia, Ruby, Kathryn, Lenore, Carmel, Beulah, and Cyril Showalter, 1935