Corders and Curps

Oh, my, what a day. There is no way I can relate this story in just one telling; it requires at least 2 parts. We left Zanesville early this morning and headed into Columbus to pick up Gene’s half sister, Doris. Doris had arranged for us to visit with Pat Corder. I think I better include a little background here. Gene’s mother had been married prior to her marriage to his father to a man named Harold Martin. Gene’s brother, Doug, is really his half brother—Doug’s father being Harold. Harold Martin’s parents were Thomas and Bertha Corder. Pat Corder’s grandmother was Bertha Corder’s sister. My pile of unidentified photos contained, I was sure, many of the Martins and Corders. We were anxious to spread our photos before Pat having all faith she could tell us who they were and what relationship they had to Edna.

Doris and Pat

 After a few missed turns and a couple phone calls to Doris, we finally ended up on her doorstep. We took a few minutes for hugs and greetings then piled in the truck to drive back to Newark, where Pat lives. From the time she opened the front door until we left some 3 hours later, she never stopped talking. She was a wealth of information. We learned more in those 3 hours than we had all week. I couldn’t write fast enough. Pat was also kind enough to make copies of several obituaries for me.

Gene and Doris

We knew that Doris was somehow related to the Corder’s through her mother’s side, but we didn’t know how. We were surprised to learn that Pat’s mother and Doris’s grandmother (her mother’s mother) were sisters. We didn’t realize they were so closely related. Doris, as a child, spent a great deal of time at her grandmother’s following her parent’s divorce. She, Pat, and Pat’s older sister became very close. More surprising than that was the story that Edna and Doug lived for a short period of time following her divorce with one of the sibling of Bertha Corder, her ex-in-laws. All of this certainly explained why there were so many Corder pictures in Edna’s photo album. She even had a photo of Pat’s father as a boy of about 4 years old. Incredible!

John Corder's house in Virginia

Along with the identity of the folks in the pictures and the relationships between all the Ashcrafts, Corders, Martins, and Curps there were the stories. One right after another of trips to the candy store, roller skating, breakfast of toast and coffee, and the painting of John Corder’s house.

Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow.