Details of the families and marriages of John Tyler Cadenhead and wives Mabel Clair Milam and Ruby Laura Koehler.
Spouses of John Tyler Cadenhead – clarification
There is confusion about this family so I’m going to try to clear up some misconceptions. The confusion stems from John Tyler Cadenhead marrying a mother and her daughter, and having children with each of them.
John Tyler Cadenhead and Mabel Clair Milam were married 25 January 1903 in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama. Mabel was divorced from Ernest George Walter Koehler of Dresden, Germany. Some records erroneously listed the Koehler surname as Kaler and other misspellings.
Mabel was the daughter of Laura Wimpee and Robert Milam of Gadsden, Etowah County, Alabama.
Mabel married Ernest George Walter Koehler on 11 April 1899 in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama. On the 1900 Census, Mabel and Ernest were living in Oshkosk, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Daughter Minnie Laura “Ruby” was born after the census was taken.
Their daughter, Minnie Laura A. Koehler [Minnie Laura R. Koehler] was born 31 July 1900 in Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. She would later be known as Ruby Laura Koehler and Ruby Laura Cadenhead.
Mabel and John Tyler Cadenhead gave birth to daughter Lois Cadenhead 25 January 1909 in Birmingham and son John Cadenhead 24 February 1914 in Tarrant, Alabama.
Ruby Koehler appears on the 1910 census as daughter of Mabel Cadenhead, step-daughter of John Tyler Cadenhead. Young Lois Cadenhead also appears with her parents, John and Mabel, and older half-sister, Ruby. John and Mabel are listed as married seven years (his first marriage, her second).
On his WWI draft Registration, John Tyler Cadenhead claims his wife is “Rubie Laura Cadenhead” in 1918.
On the 1920 Census, John and Mabel appear as husband and wife, Ruby Cadenhead is listed as “daughter”, the other children listed are Lois, 11, John, 6, Bob, 2 years 10 months. John Tyler Cadenhead and Mabel Milam must have divorced at some point between 1910 and 1918. John Sr.’s WWI draft record and the 1920 census give conflicting evidence regarding his wife.
Mabel later married James Curry on 3 June 1922 in Enlsey, Jefferson County, Alabama, according to Alabama marriage records.
On the 1930 Census, the family is listed as Charles Curry, with wife Mabel C., and step-son John Cadenhead. Listed in same household but as a separate family are John T. Cadenhead, 55, wife Rubie, 29, (first married at age 15 which would have been circa 1915-1916), sons Robert, 13, Warren, 10, Leland, 6, and daughter Leona, 3 years, 11 months.
John Tyler Cadenhead died 29 July 1940 in Birmingham. Ruby is listed as his wife on his death certificate and in his obituary.
Also listed in his obituary are four sons, John Jr., Robert, Warren, and Leland Cadenhead, and daughters Mrs. A.J. (Lois) Thomason and Leona Cadenhead. Deceased family members aren’t listed.
Ruby Laura Koehler Cadenhead died 21 October 1984 in Birmingham. Listed in her obituary are one daughter, Leona Cadenhead White; two sons, Leland and Rev. Robert Cadenhead; two brothers, John Cadenhead and Ernest William Koehler; and two sisters, Lois Cadenhead Thomason and Thea Koehler Terry. Deceased family members aren’t listed.
Mabel Clair Milam died in 1955 as Mabel Clair Curry in Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida. Her daughter, Lois Cadenhead Thomason, also lived in Tampa at that time.
Visit Mabel’s Find A Grave Memorial # 66726847
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66726847/mabel-clair-curry
Note: These conclusions are based on extensive research involving marriage records, birth records, census records, death certificates, obituaries of the above-named people, as well as the records of their extended family members. – akr
Updated Wednesday, 31 August 2022
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