Life History

Other facts

Notes

• In 1929, Reece married Florence Dumond in DeWitt, Arkansas.  He was living at that time in Weona, in Poinsett County, near Jonesboro.  No other records has been found for Reece.  Debra Whiddon's genealogy and one or two others have his name as Reece Franklin Lewis.
  
  His name later spelled Louis in records for Florence.  It makes us think Reece died soon after the marriage, but it could be he was working away and just happened to miss the census in 1930 and 1940.  That does not seem likely.  No death or burial record has been found for him.  A death record for Florence is provided by Whiddon, form Ellis County, Texas.  But no burial record for Florence has been found.
  
  In 1930, Florence is reported as single, but with the surname of Louis.  In the 1940 census she is reported as married, but no word is there about her missing husband.
  
  Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
  Florence Dumont
  Residence De Witt, Arkansas
  Spouse's Name Reece Lewis
  Spouse's Gender Male
  Spouse's Residence Weona, Arkansas
  Marriage 12 Oct 1929
  
  1930 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 17 April, LaGrue Township, District 17, page 10B, Point Deluce Rd, Hse #217, Fam #219
  Dumond, Katie  Head  Rents farm  F W 43  Widow AR AR AR [b abt 1887]
  Louis, Florence Dau F W 22 Single [but already has her married named, but no husband in the home] AR AR AR [b abt 1908]
  (other children are her brothers and sisters)
  
  A 1930 census record for Reece fils in some gaps.  He is living in Weona, Poinsett County, the same town reproted as his residecne in his marriage record.  He is working as a carpenter the saw mill, boarding in a house with other workers.
  
  1930 Federal Census, Poinsett County, Arkansas, 5 April, Weona (unicorporated), District 10, page 4B, 112 Main St, Hse #72, Fam #88
  Layman, Anna B H Head  F W 48  Widow First married at 19 KY KY KY [b abt 1882]
  Lewis, Reece F Boarder M W 26 First married at 25 MS MS MS Saw Mill Carpenter [b abt 1904]
  
  In 1940, Florence is the head of her household, with her 10-year-old daughter.  She is reported as Married but no husband is reported.  Her two sisters Pauline and Aline are in the home with her.
  
  1940 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 15 April, DeWitt, District 1-16, page 17B, Improvement County Addition, Hse #443, Rents $8
  Louis, Florence Head M W 31 Married [but no husband in the hsehld] Grade H-1 b Ark same place in 1935 Laundry work in own home
  Louis, Marion Dau F W 10 Grade 4 b Ark same place in 1935 [b abt 1930, after the census in April]
  Dumond, Pauline Sister F W 22 Single Grade H-4 b Ark same place in 1935
  Dumond, Aline Sister F W 22 Single Grade H-4 b Ark same place in 1935
  
  Debra Whiddon has limited documentation, but seems to speak with the authority of famly insight.  And she has a couple of interestting and helpful records attached.  She links to what appears to be the correct WWII enlistment record for Reece.  This provdies a bit of insight, reporting his marital status as Separated, with dependents.
  
  U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946
  Reece F Lewis
  Birth Year 1903 Mississippi
  Residence Newton County, Mississippi
  Enlistment 28 Oct 1942 Camp Shelby, Mississippi
  Private
  Education Grammar school
  Marital Status Separated, with dependents
  Height 72, Weight 187
  
  Whiddon also provides additonal details on Reece and Florence's daughter Marion, reporting her full name as Marion Janet and links her Social Security record which reports her name as Marion J Whiddon.
  
  U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
  Marion J. Whiddon
  Born 23 Mar 1930
  Died 6 Jun 1992
  SSN 432-44-8245 issued Arkansas (Before 1951)
  
  There is also a puzzling marriage record Whiddon references, which had not come up in previous searches we have done, reported that Reece Lewis and Florence Lewis, both of Dallas, Texas, married in Arkansas County, Arkansas, in 1950.  Could this have been a remarriage, as a renewal?  Or after a divorce we have found no record of?
  
  There are indications of divorce in the 1930 and 1940 censuses where Florence is reported under the name Louis, and as married in 1940,  but with no husband in the home.  The Dallas residence correlates with Florence's later death record in nearby Ellis County.
  
  She links a burial record in Mississippi to Reece.  The birth date for this Reeece fits Florence Dumond's husband.  Reece is buried in the same cemetery with his parents and other Lewis family members, but Florence is not among them.  She has not been found among her Dumond famly in Arkansas either, nor back in Ellis County, Texas, where a death record seems to be for her.  Folloiwng Whiddon, we will assume this is the correct Reece Lewis.
  
  Reese Franklin Lewis
  Birth Mar 16, 1904 Mississippi
  Death Aug 1, 1962 Newton County, Mississippi
  Parents:
  Willis Wesley Lewis (1876 - 1937)
  Ellie Dearing Lewis (1882 - 1948)
  Burial Poplar Springs Baptist Church Cemetery, Poplar Springs, Newton County, Mississippi
  Created by mebauc Sep 01, 2010
  --  Find A Grave Memorial #58008351, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=58008351
  
  Whiddon reports that Reece died in Johnson City, Tennessee, but the only record she attaches is the memorial from Find a Grave, which reports his palce of death as Newton County, Mississippi, where he is buried.

Sources

• 1. Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
• 2. U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946
• 3. 1930 Federal Census, Poinsett County, Arkansas
  • 5 April, Weona (unicorporated), District 10, page 4B, 112 Main St, Hse #72, Fam #88
• 4. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 5. 1940 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 15 April, DeWitt, District 1-16, page 17B, Improvement County Addition, Hse #443, Rents $8
• 6. 1930 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 17 April, LaGrue Township, District 17, page 10B, Point DeLuce Road, Hse #217, Fam #219
• 7. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
• 8. U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 2