Old Time Brady Bunch!

As mentioned earlier, James Mattison Wiser was married twice: first to Nancy Peyton and then to Perry Amanda Cummins. When he married Amanda on March 5, 1911 he became her second husband. She was once married to a man named George Smith and had six children with him.

James and Nancy’s Story:

James married Nancy on June 30, 1892 in Casey Co. KY. She was 17 years old and he was 21 years old. I believe that Rosetta, William Madison, and John Wallace were born in the marriage of Nancy and James because they are listed on the first census after Nancy’s death but before James’s marriage to Amanda. While I also believe she is buried in Liberty, I cannot find any proof of her burial location.

James and Amanda’s Story:

On May 5, 1911 James married Perry Amanda Cummins. As mentioned earlier, she was once married to George Smith, who registered for the Army in 1908. I can find no record of a death or divorce for George. Amanda brought to the marriage with James six children: Minnie, Dillie, Essie, Mary, Dortha, and Alva.

Where did the girls go?

In the 1910 Census, James is listed as a widow, with Rosetta, William, and John as living with him. To complicate things further, the same year’s census lists Amanda as living with George and four of their six children There is no mention of Mary (born in 1906) and Dortha (born in 1908). Where did those girls go?

Now, moving to the 1920 census we see that Rosetta, William, and John Wallace are gone from James’s house and established families of their own. Further, Amanda’s children with George are also grown and married. The 1920 census also shows that James and Amanda have Mary, Dortha, Thomas, Addis, and James living with them. The latter three were born during the marriage of James and Amanda.

So , the question is where were Mary and Dortha during the 1910 census? Were they living with another relative? Also, what happened to George? After enlisting in the Army in 1908 I can’t find any information about him – no grave site, no death certificate…nothing.

Interesting side note: James and Amanda died three days apart. They both had influenza that progressed to pneumonia and that led to their death. He, living three days longer, died intestate (without a will) and his estate had to pay the Commonwealth of Kentucky $300 to probate his possessions.