Flossie Richardson Did Not Die

On December 22, 1913, just 19 days later, Flossie Jane Richardson, daughter of Frank and Louella Richardson, married Walter Stancill Cole. Then, just weeks  later, on January 30, 1914, Marion Patterson Hudson marries Louella Harrington, his wife for the remainder of his life. 

My first thought when finding his two marriages, was that Flossie Richardson must have died. But she did not, she quickly married another man, lived a long life, moved to Albemarle and actually connects to my family tree.

Flossie was born during the season of ugly names, when folks were apt at taking the beautiful, classic names of the 18th and 19th centuries and turned them into shortened, demur versions or "nicknames" turned names. Flossie was originally the dimunitive of the name "Florence". It became very popular after the advent of the "Bobsy Twins". Flossie reminds me of the old children's tale, "Peter Cottontail", with his siblings, "Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter." 

Flossie Jane Richardson was the daughter of Edward Franklin Richardson and Louella Mauldin. Edward Franklin Richardson was the son of John Zebedee Richardson and Lavinia Simmons Richardson. He was born in Montgomery County and died in Stanly County. Louella Mauldin was the daughter of Frank Mauldin and Martha Russell, and the granddaughter of Thomas Alexander Mauldin and Mary Polly Blalock. A sister of Louella Mauldin was Wincie Ann Mauldin, my great-grandmother. 

This would make Flossie Jane Richardson and my maternal grandmother, Annie Maude Mauldin Davis, first cousins. 

Flossie Jane was born dead center in the middle of E. F. Richardson and Louella Mauldin Richardson. 

1881 - Emma

1884- Jeter Baxter 

1893- Platt

1898- Flossie Jane

1899- May

1911- Earl

1912- Anna

*Note: Due to the age difference, I believe Emma and Jeter were probably by E. F.'s first wife, Mary Ussery. 

Flossie and Patterson probably knew each other from several different sources: Patterson's mother Nealie was married to Louella Mauldin Richardson's relative, Joseph I Mauldin. Nealie and her second husband, Louis Patterson's property bordered a family of Richardson's. Mentioned in land records are J. B. Richardson; Richardson Park, a housing development bordering Lewis Dawkins development, and Jeter Richardson, Flossie's older brother. 

The Ussery's were also intermarried into both families, and both families seemed to travel back and forth between Stanly and Richmond counties quite freely. The Richardsons and Dawkins had both stumbled upon a fortune by owning farms just outside the early 20th century borders of the town of Rockingham, in Richmond County during the advent and growth of the Cotton Mill industry. People needed to live close to these factories, in order to make it to work for their shifts. No one owned cars. This was foot traffic. Like the Dawkins, the Richardson had also surveyed a portion of their farm into lots in which factory workers could live in small cottages on small lots of land, with a tiny garden patch and walk to work 5 or 6 days to work. Patterson and Flossie were probably not only neighbors, but "step-relatives" in a way, as Patterson went by the surname of Mauldin growing up. 

I do not know what happened between Patterson and Flossie. I do know there was no time for a divorce. Their marriage had to have been immediately annulled or either just simply ignored like it had never happened, but that would have made them both bigamists. I tend to think that something may have happened at the wedding, the marriage was never sanctified or consummated, and that the two youngsters had simply went to the courthouse with their parents, possibly, and had it dissolved. 

The speed at which they both remarried tends to suggest that they both had other marriage partners lined up, other people that they were interested in. Perhaps because of the closeness of the land and families, that the union of Patterson and Flossie had not been one of love, but one of familial pressure. Maybe the families had forced the marriage, and both young people were so unhappy about it, they consented after the fact to then allow them both to marry for love. But this is just speculation. 

The first child of Flossie and her first husband, Walter Stancill Cole, Sr. was Ella, born the day after Christmas in 1914, a full year after their marriage. 

The first child of Patterson and Luella Harrington was Lewis Thomas Hudson, also born on December 26, 1914. What a coincidence for these two to have had their firstborn children on the same day. But it proves that neither party was expecting when the second marriages occurred, so that was not a factor. I simply believe that Patterson and Flossie were so close, perhaps like siblings in relationship, that they simply could not function as a married couple, or either that they married only under pressure from their families, and both were secretly, or obviously, in love with someone else. Patterson with Louella Harrington and Flossie with Walter Stancell "Joe" Cole. 

So who was it that Flossie was in love with?

Walter Stancill Cole was born on June 5, 1896 to Eli Marshall Cole and Mary Lee Thomas Cole. At the age of 4, he lived in Montgomery County, North Carolina.

They would marry on December 22, 1913 in Richmond County, North Carolina. As before mentioned, their first child, Ella Lee Richardson Cole, was born a year later, on December 26, 1914. I am not sure why the surnames of both parents were included with her name. Perhaps some legal transaction concerning the two marriages in one month were still in limbo.

According to Ella's birth record, the young family was living in neighboring Scotland County in 1914. The poor little girl did not live long. She passed away of a digestive disorder in Laurenburg, Scotland County. Oddly, her grandfather, E. F. Richardson was the informant and the undertaker was "Walter Cole". Was her father also the undertaker?

The family was also living in Scotland County when the second child, James Edgar Cole, was born.

Name:	Cole
Gender:	Male
Race:	White
Event Type:	Birth
Birth Date:	24 Feb 1916
Birth County:	Scotland
Parent1 Name:	Walter Cole
Parent2 Name:	Flossie Richardson Cole
Roll Number:	NCVR_B_C088_66001

He was quickly followed by brothers Platt Dewitt Cole in 1918, Walter Stancill Cole, Jr. in 1919 and finally, sister Ruby Louise Cole in 1923.

The 1920 census finds Flossie back in Richmond County, living with her parents, and her two little boys. It was probable that her husband, who was a WWI vet, was on active duty at this time, and Ruby was born upon his return.

Name:	Flossie Cole [Flossie Richardson]
Age:	23
Birth Year:	abt 1897
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1920:	Rockingham, Richmond, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Daughter
Marital Status:	Married
Father's Name:	Frank Richardson
Father's Birthplace:	United States [United States of America]
Mother's name:	Luellen Richardson
Mother's Birthplace:	United States [United States of America]
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Frank Richardson 66 Luellen Richardson 38 Earl Richardson 9 Anna Richardson 8 Flossie Cole 23 Eden Cole 3 [3 10/12]  Plat Cole 1 [1 4/12]

Walter Stancill Cole maintained a career in the military before settling back down in North Carolina with a second family. His divorce from Flossie may have been in effect before Ruby was born, and he remarried his second wife, Bertha, in 1931, while stationed in Virginia. But things were not that simple for Flossie Jane. Oh, No, not simple at all.

Walter Stancell Cole and his second wife, Bertha.

Ruby Louise Cole, the youngest child of Flossie and Walter S. Cole, was born on November 3, 1923.
The youngest child of Millard Fillmore Hathcock and his first wife Helen Sanders Hathcock was Nellie Arlene Hathcock on August 19, 1922.

Helen Sanders Hathcock died December 30, 1926.

The first child of Millard Fillmore Hathcock and Flossie Richardson, Blanceh Ella Hathcock, was born in 1924. A second child is recorded as arriving in 1926, and must have died as an infant.
The third child of Millard Fillmore Hathcock and Flossie Richardson Hathcock was Millard Frank Hathcock on  September 12, 1929.

Name:	Lassie I Hathcock [Lossie J Hathcock]
Gender:	Female
Birth Year:	abt 1901
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Race:	White
Home in 1930:	Harris, Stanly, North Carolina
Map of Home:	View Map
Marital Status:	Married
Relation to Head of House:	Wife
Spouse's Name:	Milerd F Hathcock
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Occupation: Education: Military service: Rent/home value: Age at first marriage: Parents' birthplace:	View image
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Milerd F Hathcock 38 Lassie I Hathcock 29 Walter S Hathcock 10 Platte S Hathcock 12 Lonnie Hathcock 12 Robert L Hathcock 11 Raeford H Hathcock 9 Ruby G Hathcock 6 Nellie A Hathcock 7 Blanche E Hathcock 5 [5 6/12]  Millard F Hathcock 0 [7/12]  Daisy M Hathcock 17

The 1930 census finds Flossie living in Stanly County. The family is located in the Harris District, which is in Northeast Stanly County.  Walter, Jr., Platt and Ruby, are mistakenly listed as Hathcock in this his, hers and theirs family. Lonnie, Robert, Raeford and Nellie are Millard's children by his first marriage. Then Blanche and  Millard Frank are Millard Fillmore and Flossie's children together. Daisy M. Hathcock, listed at the bottom, is also Millard's by his first wife, Helen.

The 1940 census finds the family still in Harris. It was difficult to find due to the nearly illegible handwriting of the census taker. And it presents a bit of a mystery.

Name:	Clossie Huthbeer
Age:	37
Estimated birth year:	abt 1903
Gender:	Female
Race:	White
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Marital Status:	Married
Relation to Head of House:	Wife
Home in 1940:	Harris, Stanly, North Carolina
Map of Home in 1940:	View Map
Inferred Residence in 1935:	Harris, Stanly, North Carolina
Residence in 1935:	Same Place
Sheet Number:	4B
Attended School or College:	No
Highest Grade Completed:	Elementary school, 4th grade
Income Other Sources:	No
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Millard T Huthbeer 50 Clossie Huthbeer 37 Daisy Huthbeer 27 Rasford Huthbeer 18 Nells Huthbeer 17 Ruby Huthbeer 14 Brant Huthbeer 10 Frank Huthbeer 14 Bain Huthbeer 8 Carl Huthbeer 6 Iney Huthbeer 2 Robert Huthbeer 21 Baisy Huthbeer 20

The "Huthbeers" are really the Hathcocks. Millard T. is Millard F. and Clossie is obviously Flossie. Daisy is Millard's oldest daughter Daisy, Rasford is Raeford and Nells is Nellie. Ruby is Ruby Cole, but then there is Brant, who is listed as a male. Then Frank (Millard Frank), Bain (Donald Bain) has joined the family along with Carl (Carl Phillmore Hathcock), and Iney is actually the Rev. Ivey Richard Hathcock. Robert is Robert Lee Hathcock, Millard's  son and "Baisy" is Robert's wife Daisy.

There are no records of any kind concerning Millard and Flossie having a son "Brant" or "Brantley". There is that birth record of a child being born in 1926, but no further record of that child. While it says "10" on the transcription, the ages for "Brant" and Ruby on the actual form look more like 15 and 17. The piece of the puzzle missing is Blanche. Her future husband Adam Claude Hinson, is securely recorded as living with his parents, age 18.

ame:	Adam Hinson
Age:	18
Estimated birth year:	abt 1922
Gender:	Male
Race:	White
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Marital Status:	Single
Relation to Head of House:	Son
Home in 1940:	East and Southeast Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina
Map of Home in 1940:	View Map
Street:	County Road Left State Highway 740
Inferred Residence in 1935:	East and Southeast Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina
Residence in 1935:	Same Place
Sheet Number:	16B
Occupation:	Laborer
Attended School or College:	No
Highest Grade Completed:	Elementary school, 6th grade
Hours Worked Week Prior to Census:	40
Class of Worker:	Wage or salary worker in private work
Weeks Worked in 1939:	12
Income:	156
Income Other Sources:	No
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Philus H Hinson 49 Lois Hinson 47 Adam Hinson 18 Billie Hinson 17 Robert Hinson 13

Taking my best guess, I would say the census taker got more than her name wrong in the 1940 census, and also wrong on her gender. Brant is probably Blanche, as Blanche is missing and there was no child called Brant. If so, he should have also showed up in the 1930 census, being older than Frank, and he did not. 

Both Flossie and Millard had been the parents of 5 children each coming into the relationship, but of course, Flossie's first daughter had died. 

The children of Millard Fillmore Hathcock and his first wife Helen Sanders were:

The children of Flossie Jane Richardson and Waler Stancell Cole, Sr. were:

She is buried at the Palestine Cemetery near Albemarle, North Carolina.

Link to the Obituary of youngest son, Rev. Ivey Richardson Hathcock


Flossie Richardson did die, but not in 1913. She lived a long and full life. This first cousin of my Grandmother, has many descendants today. What happened between her and first husband Patterson Hudson and second husband Walter S. Cole can only be guessed upon, but Flossie was not afraid to move on with her life and that she did.