Daisy May (Murkin) Fentress (1892 - 1970)

Born 22 Oct 1892 in Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Henry Grady Fentress Sr. — married 19 Nov 1913 (to 16 May 1925) in Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died 23 Jun 1970 at age 77 in Jefferson, Colorado, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: David Fentress [send private message]

Biography

Birth

Daisy May (Murkin) Fentress was born 22 Oct 1892^[1][2] in Tennessee. She was the daughter of Joseph Flavous Murkin I (born in Tennessee) and Mary Elizabeth (Cook) Murkin (born in Illinois)^[3][4].

Marriage and children

Daisy married Henry Grady Fentress Sr. on 19 November 1913 in Davidson County, Tennessee^[5][6]. In September 1920 Daisy and Henry Grady Fentress Sr. and their first two children (Henry G. Jr. - age 4 years, 5 months and Helen L. - age 1 year, 2 months) were living in rented accommodation at 401 N. 16th St. in Nashville^[7]. In September 1920, at the time of the birth of the third child, George, the family was living at 1113 Forrest Avenue in Nashville^[8]. In 1924, the family was living at 1414 Greenwood Avenue in Nashville and Henry Sr. was listed as a salesman^[9]. Daisy filed for divorce in Davidson County, Tennessee and this was granted on 16 May 1925^[10], Daisy accusing Henry Grady of just just about every possible grievance that could be used to obtain a divorce. Daisy and the three children had almost no further contact with Henry Grady after that^[11]. In the 1930 census^[12], Daisy was divorced and living on 17th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee, USA with her 3 children. In 1932, at the time of the demise of her father (Mar 1932), she was living at 1819 Broad Street, Nashville^[13].

Professional accomplishments

Daisy was an accomplished musician^[11]. She taught music in her home in 1930^[12]. She is known to have hosted (or otherwise participated in) a program of classical music on one of the Nashville radio stations^[11] - see newspaper clipping attached to this profile. Sometime in 1946 or before (uncertain), Daisy moved to Casper, Wyoming to be near her eldest son, Henry Grady Jr.^[11]. There she earned a living selling insurance^[11].

Death

Sometime in the 1960's Daisy moved to Denver to the home of her youngest son, George^[11]. She passed away on 23 Jun 1970 in Jefferson County, Colorado^[1][14]. Her ashes are interred in Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Colorado^[11][15].

Research Notes

• Spelling of the middle name ('May' or 'Mae') : "May" is used in the marriage certificate^[5], in the marriage record^[5], in the newspaper wedding announcement^[6] and in the birth certificate of George H Fentress (attached). The FindAGrave source^[15] shows Daisy's middle name as "Mae". "May" is how her grandson^[11] remembers her name and the majority of sources seem to concur so it has been marked as certain.
• Father's first name is unclear - "F. Joseph" (according to the 1910 census^[3]) or "Joseph Flavous" (according to Joseph's death certificate^[13] and the moiety document^[2]). "Joseph Flavous" is assumed to be correct.
• Be careful about the three generations of Joseph F. Murkin. Daisy's Father was Joseph F. Murkin I (1858-1932). Daisy's Brother was Joseph F. Murkin II (1887-1968). Daisy's nephew was Joseph F. Murkin III (1832-2000).
• Daisy's age as recorded in the 1930 census^[12] does not compute. Given a birth date of 22 October 1892 and that the censuses are enumerated early in the year, she would have been 7 at the time of the 1900 census (ok), 17 at the time of the 1910 census (ok), 27 at the time of the 1920 census (ok), 37 at the time of the 1930 census (enumerated 9 April 1930 where she listed as "36"), 27 at the time of the birth of George H Fentress on 13 September 1920 (date of birth on certificate) where she is shown as 27 (ok). Conclusion: the 1930 census got the 36 wrong and it should have been 37.
• The 1900 census^[3] shows the family name to be "Murkins". No other evidence was found that would corroborate this. "Murkin" assumed to be correct.
• The name of the 4 year old son in the 1920 census source^[7] is incorrectly indexed. Should be "Henry G" (Jr.) and not "Henry T" - same name as the father.

Sources

^{[11] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [12] [13] [14] [1] [15] [2]}

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} United States Social Security Death Index database, FamilySearch (19 May 2014), Daisy Fentress, Jun 1970; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing). This shows that "Daisy Fentress" (age 78, born 22 Oct 1892, last resident in Jefferson County, Colorado) died in Jun 1970.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Daisy's birth date from a letter dated 30 December 2002, from George Fentress to his children regarding an inheritance received from his cousin Joseph Murkin III (30 Apr 1932 - 5 Dec 2000). A copy of this letter is in the possession of David Fentress and a scan of the thereto attached moiety chart is attached to this profile.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} United States Census, 1900 database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 10 September 2017), Daisy Murkins in household of Joseph F Murkins, Nashville city Ward 4, Davidson, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 79, sheet 4B, family 90, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,564. This was enumerated on 4 Jun 1900 and shows the Murkin(s) family living at 910½ Jackson Street, Nashville. Members :

   "Joseph F Murkins" (Head, Male, married 18 years, age 41, born Jul 1858 in Tennessee, parents born in Germany, Occupation coal oil salesman)

   "Mary E Murkins" (Wife, married 18 years, age 33, mother of 4 children of which 3 are living, born Nov 1866 in Illinois, parents born Illinois)

   "Lee Murkins" (Son, age 17, born Feb 1883 in Missouri)

   "Joseph F Murkins" (Son, age 13, born Jan 1887 in Arkansas)

   "Daisy Murkins" (Daughter, age 7, born Oct 1892 in Tennessee).

4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} United States Census, 1910 database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 12 August 2017), F Joseph Murkin, Nashville Ward 2, Davidson, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 19, sheet 8B, family 179, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1495; FHL microfilm 1,375,508. This was enumerated 22 Apr 1910 and shows the family living at 1624 10th Street, Nashville. Members:

   "F Joseph Murkin" (Head, Male, married 28 years, age 50, born Tennessee, parents born in Germany, occupation salesman for an oil company)

   "Mary E Murkin" (Wife, married 28 years, age 43, born Illinois, parents born Illinois)

   "Daisy M Murkin" (Daughter, age 17, born Tennessee).

5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950 database with images, FamilySearch (3 November 2017), Henry G Fentress and Daisy M Murkin, 19 Nov 1913; citing Davidson, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. 6815, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 2,073,831. Tennessee Marriages, 1796-1950] database, FamilySearch (8 December 2014), Henry Grady Fentress and Daisy May Murkin, 19 Nov 1913; citing , Davidson, Tenn., reference Bk 30 cert 6815; FHL microfilm 200,319. This shows that "Henry Grady Fentress" married "Daisy May Murkin" on 19 Nov 1913 in Davidson County, Tennessee. Celebrant for the marriage was S. P. DeVault of the Third Baptist Church. The scan of the marriage license is in the next following image (# 974) and shows the full names of the happy couple.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Newspaper wedding report attached to this profile.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} United States Census, 1920 database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 10 August 2017), Henry G Fentress, Nashville Ward 23, Davidson, Tennessee, United States; citing ED 89, sheet 16B, line 57, family 368, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1735; FHL microfilm 1,821,735. This was enumerated as at 14 JAN 1920, and shows the family living in rented accommodation at 401 N. 16th Street in Nashville, Tennessee. Members :

   "Henry G Fentress" (Head, Male, age 28, born Tennessee, parents born Tennessee, occupation advertising agent for a printing company)

   "Daisy Fentress" (Wife, age 27, born Tennessee)

   "Henry T Fentress" (Son, age 4 and 5/12, born Tennessee)

   "Helen L Fentress" (Daughter, age 1 and 2/12 , born Tennessee).

8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Birth certificate of George H Fentress - third child (attached to this profile).
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} September 1924 Nashville city directory. A scan of the relevant page is in the possession of David Fentress.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Minutes of the Third Circuit Court, Davidson County, Tennessee Book 13, page 243. These can be seen on image 481 of the film strip. This shows that a divorce was granted to Daisy by the County Court of Davidson County, Tennessee on 16 May 1925. A transcript of the relevant judgement is with Marilyn (Fentress) Morrow, Tekamah, Nebraska and a copy is in the possession of David Fentress.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8} First-hand information from Daisy's grandson, partially corroborated by the eldest daughter of Daisy's eldest son.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3} United States Census, 1930 database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 12 August 2017), Daisy Fentress, Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 179, sheet 7A, line 36, family 145, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2242; FHL microfilm 2,341,976. The Fentress household was enumerated on 9 April 1930. They were living in a rented home at 1607 17th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee. Members :

    "Daisy Fentress" (Head, Female, divorced, age 36, born Tennessee, parents born Tennessee, occupation working from home as a music teacher)

    "Henry G Fentress" (Son, age 15, born Tennessee)

    "Helen L Fentress" (Daughter, age 11, born Tennessee)

    "George H Fentress" (Son, age 9, born Tennessee).

13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2} Tennessee Death Records, 1914-1963 database with images, FamilySearch (25 May 2014), Joseph Flavous Murkin, 17 Mar 1932; citing Cemetery, Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, 4371, State Library and Archives, Nashville; FHL microfilm 1,876,786. Note that this is the death record of "Joseph F. Murkin I". It shows that Joseph died on 17 March 1932 at age 72 and was born on 26 July (no year given). Given a birth date of 26 July and 72 years of age at the time of his death, then he would have been born on 26 July 1859. Father was "J. Murkin", born in Germany. Mother was "Catherine Miller", born in Germany. Joseph died 17 March 1932 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Cause of death unreadable by me. At time of death, he was living at 3 Seymour Street in Nashville and was retired from (unreadable by me - maybe Standard Oil Co.). Buried in Spring Hill Cemetery, Nashville on 19 March 1932. Informant for death cert was Mrs. Daisy Fentress, 1819 Broad Street, Nashville.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} Funeral service handout for Daisy. Copy with David Fentress (Daisy's grandson), original with Kenneth Fentress (Daisy's grandson). This says that "Daisy M. Fentress" passed away on 23 Jun 1970.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} Find A Grave: Memorial #59425328 for Daisy Mae (Murkin) Fentress (accessed 3 Mar 2020).
    The gravestone is is shown and says "DAISY M. FENTRESS, 1892-1970".
    The entry says "Daisy Mae Murkin Fentress, Birth 22 Oct 1892, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, USA, Death Jun 1970 (aged 77), Lakewood, Jefferson County, Colorado, USA, Burial Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Jefferson County, Colorado, USA".
    Links to memorials for both parents, spouse, one sibling and one child are provided.
    Additional text reads: "Tower of Memories, First Floor".