My Trails into the Past

Fred James Davey, the great-uncle of my husband, and older brother of his grandmother, Matilda Pearl Davey Gorrell, was born 27 November 1878 in Louisville, Kentucky to Frederick Henry Davey and Matilda “Tillie” Wollenweber. [1] He was the oldest of four and was just eight years old when his mother died in 1885. Not much is known about Fred’s early life until his marriage. He married Laura Hollowell in Joplin, Missouri on 16 March 1898 with his father giving his assent to the marriage. [2] Machinist Two years later, he is found living at 904 Main Street, Joplin, living with his mother-in-law, Medley Hollowell. He worked as a machinist, Fred likely following in his father’s footsteps. [3] Laura had died on 29 Jan 1899. [4] A 1906 directory in Springfield, Missouri, showed he was a machinist with Frisco Systems shops. [5] The same year, he married Alice Christine Pfotenhauer on 19 June in Joplin at the First Christian Church. [6] He continued working as machinist in Springfie...