Fern (Gray) Conner
Privacy Level: Private with Public Biography and Family Tree (Yellow)

Fern (Gray) Conner

Fern F. Conner formerly Gray
Born 1930s.
Ancestors ancestors
Daughter of and
Sister of , , [private brother (1930s - unknown)], [private sister (1950s - unknown)] [half] and [private brother (1960s - unknown)] [half]
Mother of , [private daughter (1960s - unknown)] and [private son (1960s - unknown)]
Died 2010s.
Problems/Questions Profile manager: Rebecca Wooster private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 10 Mar 2022
This page has been accessed 210 times.

Biography

Lola Fern was born August 2, 1931, the daughter of Lafe Gray and Floral Maple Gray.[1]

Tuberculosis very much shaped Lola Fern's life. Her mother, Flora, was diagnosed when Lola Fern was young (10-12) and was admitted to the Arkansas Tuberculosis Sanitorium [2]. Lola Fern was sent to live with her Grandma Gray Martha Addaline (Killion) Gray , then her Aunt Osie Osie Belle (Maple) Richardson and finally to her Grannie Maple Martha Levina (Clayton) Maple. When Lola Fern was old enough she moved to the Sanitorium and lived with Dr. Dicky where she did childcare and where she could visit her mother.

Dr. Dicky
Mom and Daughter


Many of the patients worked at various jobs within the sanitorium. Fern worked in the laundry, as did Rose Catlett. Fern and Rose became friends and remained friends for the rest of their lives.

Rose and Fern









In April of 1950,[3] Fern was 18 years old, living at the Sanitorium, and working as a waitress. She worked 49 hours the week before the census was taken.

On October 18, 1952 she married Bill Conner in Logan, Arkansas. [4][5] They were married at the court house. Together they had 2 daughters and a son, followed by 7 granddaughters, and 7 great-grandchildren.

Front row from left to right: granddaughter Lydean Wooster, Bill, great-grandson Samuel Harveston, Fern, son Wayne, granddaughter Hannah Conner. Middle row left to right: granddaughter Rachel Wooster, daughter Rebecca Wooster, great-grandson Gavin Edwards, granddaughter Amber Harveston Edwards, granddaughter Ashlee Harveston Dowling, great-granddaughter Molly Conner. Back row left to right: son-in-law Gary Wooster, granddaughter April Harveston Less, daughter Donna Harveston, son-in-law Lee Harveston, daughter-in-law Dawna Conner
The whole family in May of 2009


Greatgrandma and Sammy

Fern's greatest joys were family, babies, and her yard. After dealing with multiple health problems, Fern died on the 12th of January, 2017. Her body was cremated and her ashes are with her family.

Beloved Wife and Mother


Images from Fern's childhood, as well as other Gray family photos can be found at Gray Family Photos and Sources



Images from Fern's married life as well as other Conner family photos can be found at Conner Family Photos & Sources.


Sources

  1. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQVR-ZH3 : 8 January 2021), Lafe Gray, Beech Grove, Greene, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 28-15, sheet 5B, line 67, family 80, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 139.
  2. ↑ https://abandonedar.com/tuberculosis-sanatorium/
  3. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/62308/images/43290879-Arkansas-056689-0035?pId=32965237. United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Booneville, Logan, Arkansas; Roll: 1469; Sheet Number: 34; Enumeration District: 42-10. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1950 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2022.
  4. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61775/images/61775_01_00691-03047?pId=91209022. Arkansas Department of Vital Records; Little Rock, Arkansas; Marriage Certificates; Year: 1952; Film: #8. Source Information: Ancestry.com. Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2019.
  5. ↑ Wedding - p"Arkansas County Marriages, 1838–1957." Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009, 2011. "Arkansas County Marriages, 1838–1957," database, FamilySearch; from Arkansas Courts of Common Pleas and County Clerks. Digital images of originals housed at various county courthouses in the State of Arkansas. Marriage records./p [1]
  • Information regarding the Arkansas TB Sanitorium is all part of the Conner/Gray family story as related to Rebecca Conner Wooster by her Mother.


  • Death - Body was cremated and ashes are in husband's possession Conner-5698.

Only the Trusted List can access the following:
  • Fern's formal name
  • full middle name (F.)
  • exact birthdate
  • birth location
  • exact deathdate
  • death location
  • personal memories about Fern (1)
  • images (1)
  • private siblings' names
  • private children's names (3)
  • spouse's name and marriage information
For access to Fern Conner's full information you must be on the Trusted List. Please login.


Is Fern your relative? Please don't go away!
 star icon Login to collaborate or comment, or
 star icon contact private message the profile manager, or
 star icon ask our community of genealogists a question.
DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Fern by comparing test results with other carriers of her mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known mtDNA test-takers in her direct maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Fern:

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.

Genealogist-to-Genealogist (G2G) Forum posts:
Comments: 1

Leave a message for others who see this profile. If you prefer to keep it private, send a private message to the profile manager. private message
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.
Conner-5644 Rebecca (Conner) Wooster
"Tuberculosis, which caused scarring of the lungs and led to many deaths, was spread by the fluids of the respiratory tracts of infected persons; the bacteria that caused it could become airborne when those fluids dried." https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/arkansas-state-tuberculosis-sanatorium-2237/

TB spread such fear that Mom drilled into each of us kids that we were to NEVER eat or drink after any one else. Food left on a plate went down the garbage disposal. A cookie was never shared. I remember that when my own children were born it took me a long time before I would let them drink from my glass. Rebecca (Conner) Wooster

posted by Rebecca (Conner) Wooster
edited by Rebecca (Conner) Wooster

Featured National Park champion connections: Fern is 15 degrees from Theodore Roosevelt, 23 degrees from Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, 16 degrees from George Catlin, 16 degrees from Marjory Douglas, 23 degrees from Sueko Embrey, 18 degrees from George Grinnell, 28 degrees from Anton Kröller, 17 degrees from Stephen Mather, 22 degrees from Kara McKean, 17 degrees from John Muir, 19 degrees from Victoria Hanover and 24 degrees from Charles Young on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.

G  >  Gray  |  C  >  Conner  >  Fern (Gray) Conner

Categories: Mariposa, California | Camarillo, California | El Rio, California | Booneville, Arkansas | Cremated, Ashes With Loved Ones | Arkansas Tuberculosis Sanatorium