The Warrens and the Duckworths

 

As you work on the Richard family history, one fact continues to pop up. As they travel across the United States, the Duckworth family traveled with them. Virginia, Illinois, Missouri and Michigan all find the Richard clan living in close proximity of the Duckworths.

Are we related? You would think that some budding romance between the two families must have occurred. But not until my Father’s generation did a blood relative of mine marry a Duckworth and even then they were not  Richard.

My Dad’s father passed when he was eight and when he was thirteen his mother married Edward Chadwell. The story changed depending on the telling, either his new step-dad threw him out or he left home. Whichever might be the case, the two did not get along and so Earl began to run the roads.

During that time he lived with his half-brother Homer Warren in Illinois for a time. But most often he talked about staying with ‘Aunt May’ Duckworth or his cousin, Uncle ‘Lawn’ (Alonzo) and Aunt Effie Warren.

Aunt May was the grandmother to my Dad’s best friend Walter Duckworth.

The Warrens are related to the Richard’s through my paternal grandmother’s sibling Texas Rogers (1872-1903). Texas married Matthew Warren (1871–1900). Many of their children played a part in Earl’s life, but the most significant one was Alonzo (Lonzo) Warren (1891-1981). He married Effie Elizabeth Harris (1893-1966). Their daughter Retha Leona Warren (1919-2004) went on to marry Walter (Wicker) Duckworth (1916-2010).

At last a tie to the Duckworths!

Our trips to Missouri always included visiting Aunt May. I don’t remember a lot about those trips but it seemed that Dad coming in was like him visiting his mother.

Uncle ‘Lawn’ and Aunt Effie moved to Flint and lived just down Augusta St from our home.

Wicker and Retha moved to Flint and lived two doors from us on Augusta for a number of years.

Copyright Roy Richard