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- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 6 Sep 2011.
Mrs. Ada Lou Allen Hardin obituary
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 2 Nov 2012.
Shady Grove fire victims finally back in new home
Robert and Kate back home
It took a lightning-caused fire less than an hour to destroy a Shady Grove home, and after five months the couple who are in their 80s who escaped without harm returned to their new sweet home.
Robert and Kate James were getting ready to eat breakfast on April 26 when lighting struck the corner of their home setting their den on fire. The lightening then continued down a downspout crossing the driveway and traveling up a nearby tree.
Thanks to the work of contractor Eddie Ball and support of the James daughter Barbara Cureton they moved back into a new home that looks outwardly much like their original one at the same location.
On Sunday, October 28, the women of Shady Grove Baptist Church led by the couples niece Arzella Shelton hosted a house warming. Robert was back in a recliner very near the same spot in his new livingroom he had enjoyed since the house was built in 1972. The spot where the fire burned his favorite TV.
Kate James said she appreciated all the well wishes from family and friends as they shared in the James family blessings.
Although she has a new home, fully furnished with more useable floor space she said she misses her belongings.
Most of these she had accumulated during the 62 years of their marriage and family heirlooms that date much older.
She recalled that when the lightning started the fire and flames suddenly consumed the den, all she and Robert could think about was the safety of their dog, Rusty, and housecat, Mindy. Rusty was in the den and when Robert opened another door the dog escaped outside. Kate rescued Mindy, a senior cat.
Her handbag was in a chair in the dinning room, but in the crisis she didn't think to pick it up or try to rescue any other belongings. Among these being dozens of antique quilts, all the family photos, and furniture-a lifetime's collection of all the things that make a home a home.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com).
Just Plain Talk: Spring fire didn't destroy everything family had
(c)2012 NPT PHOTO BY DAVID POPIEL
The new home built by Eddie Ball Construction was ready to move in by late September. It looks strikingly like their former home on the same spot. Their home of 40-plus years burned in late April 2012.
Author: David Popiel
Some sunshine greeted military veterans this weekend on the eve of Veterans Day in our hometown, awaiting an early Thanksgiving and a warming trend to reduce fuel bills.
We got some interesting news at Fox & Hounds banquet room during our Tuesday Kiwanis meeting. Newport Kiwanian Tim Dockery, parks and recreation director, reported the club had a successful Halloween event again this year for local children. More than 4,800 people went through the park gates Halloween night and of that number 1,100 were children ages 10 and under. The club provided funds to buy 1,200 candy bars to give to these children, said Dockery. It was a safe night filled with candy and fun at Newport City Park thanks to Kiwanis and park and recreation staff.
Lifestyle restored by new home
I continue my visit of a couple of weeks ago to the Robert and Kate James home in Shady Grove, the site in April 2012 of a devastating fire that destroyed their home of about 40 years. Most everything they had accumulated was lost but a few items did survive. Most importantly they have their family and friends, especially those in the Crum family.
Yet, there were some surprises in days after the fire, a bleak time but their daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Herb Cureton, took them in and began the rebuilding.
Barbara (Robbie) said she was able to rescue many of the shrubs, including some hydrangeas given as gifts decades ago. She moved these into the vegetable garden setting them into the soil until the days they could be moved for late summer landscaping.
This replanting took place after master mason Larry Shults completed the brick work. The slightly darker red brick and the missing giant maple tree struck by lightning are among the few things that let people know this is a different house.
Johnny Raines had commented to Kate, she said, that "if you didn't know better you would never know the house had gone."
During the clearing of the debris a few items were found including two of Kate's rings, one a diamond wedding ring found by her daughter and another by her nephew Timmy Ramsey. The jewelry had fallen straight down from the bedroom to the basement floor.
Then she got another surprise, as her daughter reminded her of their original sofa and chair that they began housekeeping with was still being stored at Arvel James' home. He is Robert's brother. The orange-red maple chair and sofa are now in the new home's sunroom.
These pieces and others were purchased from Southern Furniture Sales about 62 years ago. And a kitchen item that Kate hadn't known was missing returned home.
Sheila Huskey, a church friend brought in Kate's Tupperware cake cover that she had left at the church more than a year ago. It still had some cake in it and so Kate gave it to Sheila, who took the covered cake home.
- [S112] Census, 1940.
name: Robert James
titles & terms:
event: Census
event year: 1940
event place: Edwina, Civil District 8, Cocke, Tennessee, United States
gender: Male
age: 13
marital status: Single
race (original):
race (standardized): White
relationship to head of household (original):
relationship to head of household (standardized): Son
birthplace: Tennessee
estimated birth year: 1927
residence in 1935: Same House
enumeration district number: 15-18
family number: 134
sheet number and letter: 8A
line number: 15
nara publication number: T627
nara roll number: 3881
digital folder number: 005461287
image number: 00550
Household Gender Age Birthplace
head Frank James M 54 Tennessee
wife Rebecca James F 54 Tennessee
son Arnel James M 17 Tennessee
daughter Artell James F 15 Tennessee
son Robert James M 13 Tennessee
- [S113] Manes Funeral Home, (http://www.manesfuneralhome.com), 2 Jan 2013.
(February 21, 1927 - January 2, 2013)
Robert Lorenzy James, age 85, of Newport passed away Wednesday, January 2, 2013 at his home with his family by his side. Robert was a retired farmer and was employed by F.M. Greer Hardware until the store closed. He was a member of Shady Grove Baptist Church where he attended as long as his health permitted. He was preceded in death by his parents Frank and Rebecca Crum James, sister Artell J. Mantooth and niece Frankie Lynn James. Robert is survived by his wife of 63 years, Anna Kate Allen James; daughter Barbara (Herbert) Cureton all of Newport and son Dennis (Kelli) James of Indianapolis; grandchildren Courtney (Will) Beckner of Sevierville and Austin Day; brother Arvel James; brother and sister-in-law Hollis and Dean Allen; brother-in-law J.W. Hardin; special niece Arzella (Jerry) Shelton and family all of Newport and many other family and friends. Funeral services will be held at 7:00 pm Friday, January 4, 2013 at Manes Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Jackie Swanger and Rev. Ransom Hall officiating. Burial will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, January 5, 2013 at Shady Grove Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm Friday prior to Funeral Service. Manes Funeral Home in charge.
- [S147] Find a Grave, (Memorial: 103021308).
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
name: Frank James
titles & terms:
event: Marriage
event date: 13 Jun 1919
event place: Cocke, Tennessee, United States
age:
estimated birth year:
father:
father's titles & terms:
mother:
mother's titles & terms:
spouse: Rebecca Crumm
spouse's titles & terms:
spouse's age:
spouse's estimated birth year:
spouse's father:
spouse's father's titles & terms:
spouse's mother:
spouse's mother's titles & terms:
reference number: 436
film number: 1572601
digital folder number: 004485968
image number: 01547
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
name: Robert Lorenz James
titles & terms:
event: Marriage
event date: 18 Feb 1950
event place: Cocke, Tennessee, United States
age: 22
estimated birth year: 1928
father:
father's titles & terms:
mother:
mother's titles & terms:
spouse: Anna Kot Allen
spouse's titles & terms:
spouse's age: 22
spouse's estimated birth year: 1928
spouse's father:
spouse's father's titles & terms:
spouse's mother:
spouse's mother's titles & terms:
reference number: 483
film number: 1928652
digital folder number: 004485967
image number: 00291
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