Life History

Other facts

Notes

• The first public record I find of Katherine's family is in DeWitt, Arkansas, in the 1930 census.  She and her sister are living with their widowed father, James E Martin, age 61.  Their mother Byrdie Ida Gordon had passed away at some unknown time before this census.
  
  1930 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 3 April, DeWitt, District 16, page 1A, Hse/Fam #3
  Martin, James E Head Owns house $2000 real estate  M W 61 Widowed Indiana Indiana Indiana No occupation
  Martin, Katherine E  Daughter F W 18 Single AR AR Indiana No occupation
  Martin, Jewell L  Daughter F W 14 Single AR AR Indiana No occupation
  
  One genealogy had the name of James E Martin as James Edward.  I found this was wrong when I got complete names from James' granddaughter Byrdie Engle McSwain.  Her grandfather Martin was named James Edgar Martin.
  
  Katherine Engel Martin had been married before she married James Marvin McSwain.  Her first husband was Dewey Rawls.  Dewey was born 22 August 1900 in DeWitt, Arkansas, the southern county seat of Arkansas County.  After Dewey died, Katherine married James Marvin McSwain, son of James Magnus McSwain, of Ethel, Arkansas.
  
  The marriage record for Marvin and Katherine misspells both her names, recording her name as Katherin Rowls.
  
  Arkansas Marriage Index, 1933-1939
  Certificate 00216, Volume 0002
  Katherin Rowls (transcription misspelled both names)
  Gender Female
  Spouse Marvin McSwain
  License Date: 24 Sep 1938 Arkansas County
  
  Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
  Marvin McSwain
  Age 25, Birth Year abt 1913
  Residence Ethel, Arkansas, Arkansas
  Spouse Katherine Rawls
  Spouse's Age 26
  Spouse's Residence DeWitt, Arkansas, Arkansas
  Marriage 24 Sep 1938 Arkansas County
  Marriage License Date: 24 Sep 1938
  
  In the 1940 census, we learn that Marvin moved from Ethel into DeWitt, into Kathryn's home.
  
  1940 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 2 April, DeWitt, District 1-16, page 1B, Madison Avenue, Hse #18, Owns $1000
  McSwain, Marvin Head M W 26 Grade 7 b Arkansas Ethel, Ark in 1935 Farmer, Farm Tenant
  McSwain, Kathryn Wife F W 28 Grade HS-4 b Arkansas same house in 1935
  McSwain, Byrdie Engle Dau F W 5mos Single b Arkansas
  Rawls, Donald Lee Stepson M W 5 Single b Arkansas same house in 1935
  
  Marvin and Katherine divorced after the birth of two children.  Katherine later married a third time, to Robert Oscar Taylor, Jr.  They had one child, Robert Gordon Taylor, born 3 April 1948.  Many of these names and details were missing until I received more information from Katherine's daughter Byrdie Engle McSwain in May 2008.
  
  Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
  Katherine McSwain
  Age 33, Birth Year abt 1912
  Residence Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas
  Spouse's Name Robt O Taylor
  Spouse's Age 38
  Spouse's Residence N Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas
  Marriage 30 Dec 1945 Lonoke County
  Marriage License Date: 29 Dec 1945

Sources

• 1. 1940 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 2 April, DeWitt, District 1-16, page 1B, Madison Avenue, Hse #18, Owns $1000
• 2. 1930 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 3 April, DeWitt, District 16, page 1A, Hse/Fam #3
• 3. Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
• 4. Email Sources
• 5. Arkansas Marriage Index, 1933-1939
  • page 0835
• 6. Ancestry Trees
  • http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=*v08t0201&id=I0225
• 7. Obituary of Katherine Martin Taylor, RootsWeb
• 8. Ancestry Trees
  • http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=*v07t4199&id=I1024
• 9. Obituary of Marvin Martin McSwain
• 10. Social Security Death Index
• 11. Gravestones of Mt Pleasant Cemetery
• 12. Arkansas Marriage Index, 1933-1939
  • Certificate 00216, Volume 0002
• 13. Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950
  • Page 2849
• 14. Arkansas Marriage Index, 1933-1939
  • Volume 143, Page 0434, Certificate 28409