Novis Perry Dye (1894 - 1986)

Born 23 Jul 1894 in Missouri

Husband of Rachel Hester (Embrey) Dye — married 8 Nov 1913 in Dunklin County, Missouri

Died 23 Dec 1986 at age 92 in Caruthersville, Pemiscot, Missouri

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Sherry Juedeman [send private message]

Biography

(2 May 2015) Surprising information today on Ancestry.com. Researching my mother's Aunt Rachel Embrey Dye a bit, I found a lot of info on her spouse Novis Dye and her children. They married 8 November 1913; their oldest child Imogene was 6 in the 1920 census for Deview Township, Woodruff County, Arkansas, close to Patterson. Woodruff is bordered by Cross County to the northeast, which is where Rachel and her siblings were born. By then, they also had 3 year old Lerlean, both girls having been born in Missouri. Novis was employed in general labor.

By 1930, the family has relocated to Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., California, District 6 or 60, hard to read. There are now 4 more children, and Imogene is not listed. At 16, perhaps she has married or is living elsewhere, perhaps she has died. They are: Lerlean 12, Marvalee 10, Novis Jr. 6, Willard 2 1/2, and George 7 months. The birth places are Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Utah, and California respectively. A lot of travelling during the 1920s, perhaps due to his job as a brakeman for the railroad. This was listed as his position in the 1930 census.

By 1932, twins Charles and James were born (although Ancestry.com indexes James as 2 yrs old in 1940 census). At some point during the early years of the Depression, Novis was involved in a burglary. This came up on Ancestry.com as related records. He may have lost his job, but with 7 children to feed, things would have been tight anyway. I didn't delve into this too much, not really interested in Novis's character, but I know a lot of crimes were committed out of desperation during those years. The record did indicate that he was sentenced but it was unclear whether he served time or was placed on probation.

He left the family and California behind, returning to Southeast Missouri, Caruthersville, Pemiscot County where he married Lizzie Williams, 13 November 1939. The 1940 census lists them together there with Lizzie's son from a previous marriage and Novis is now a proprietor of a restaurant.

Aunt Rachel lives in the same house as in 1935, 1440 Downey Road, Montibello, Los Angeles, California, which she owns. It was valued at $1500. Marvalee, Novis Jr., Willard, David (George?), Charles, and James remain at home. She's 44 and says there is no source of income. She indicates that she is married, but on the form, Novis's name is crossed out and Rachel's inserted as head. Did she know Novis had left the state and remarried? Raised Pentacostal, would Rachel have recognized divorce as a possibility? Or perhaps Novis just remarried without a divorce? Surely with family still in Southeast, she would have heard of this. (TBCon't)Juedeman-1 20:00, 2 May 2015 (EDT)

Sources

• Missouri marriages on-line for Novis Dye and Rachel Embrey, 8 November 1913
• 1920 census for Novis Dye, Deview Twnsp., Patterson, Woodruff County, Arkansas, fam#13
• 1930 census for Novis Dye, Assembly District 60 (or 6/), Los Angeles, California fam#360
• 1940 census for Rachel Dye, Montibello, Los Angeles, California fam # 247
• 1940 census for Novis Dye, Caruthersville, Pemiscot, Missouri