Eugenia (Thrower) Cawthon (1908 - 2000)

Ancestors

Died 17 Feb 2000 at age 91 in Sparta, Tenn.

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Frank Thrower [send private message]

Biography

Eugenia and Joe Cawthon married in 1928, and adopted two children, Ashley who was born Oct 11, 1940, and Kay a few years later.

A hilarious story about the adoption was told to me by my 1st cousin, Joann Lunsford McCrae. Seems Joe and Genie had been talking about adopting a baby. Unbeknownst to Genie, Joe and his sister-in-law, Archie Lunsford, went to an adoption agency in Jacksonville, paid multiple visits with Archie posing as Joe's real wife! Ashley was "procured" (so to speak) and on Christmas morning 1940, Joe presented his wife with the "ultimate gift", a baby boy. All highly illegal - pretending to be someone you aren't; forging signature; etc. Guess the adoption laws and process back then were more lax than they are now.

Ashley as a grown man, married, lived in Daytona Beach, then moved to Sparta, TN, where he died July 19, 1995 of cancer. He was married, but no children.

After his mother Eugenia became a widow, she, too, moved with Ashley and his wife to Sparta. Ashley had bought a timeshare at Ormond Beach, FL, before they became the rage, and sold it for a reported $1M years later. He'd always wanted to be a farmer, and that what he did. Moved to Sparta, TN, bought a farm, raising hay.

Ashley knew he had cancer but told neither his wife or mother until the end. He had made health provisions for his mother, "Genie", so that she would be cared for and have no money worries. After Ashley died his wife continued to be a caregiver for Eugenia until it was no longer feasible. Eugenia suffered long and painfully with rheumatoid arthritis until she died at 94.

Adopted daughter Kay became estranged frm her parents and brother, and lost all contact with them. It was her choice.

Sources

• Nephew, Frank B. Thrower, Jr.