Allie Magnolia DINKINS was the sister of Woodrow DINKINS (1912-1931) who I wrote about last week. She was the daughter of John W. DINKINS (1879-1960) and Mary Jane MARTIN DINKINS (1878-1942). Like Woodrow and me, Allie and I, have the same 3rd great-grandfather, Joel E. MARTIN (1793-1877). This makes us 3rd cousins, once removed.
Early life
Allie was born in 1908 in South Carolina, probably Richland County. Allie’s father was a farmer in the Pontiac area of Richland County which is north east of Columbia.
In 1920 Allie, her parents, and her siblings were farming in Pontiac on Old Charleston Road. Allie’s sister, Hattie, and her husband lived on the farm next door. Two farms away in the other direction was the MEDLIN family, including Eddie MEDLIN.
Allie marries
In 1925, Allie married Eddie MEDLIN. Allie was about 16, and Eddie about 18.
In 1930, Eddie and Allie and their two children, Ruby and Junior, lived in Winnsboro Mills Village in Fairfield County, South Carolina. Eddie was a drawing hand at a cotton mill. According to the census, both Eddie and Allie could read and write.
Eddie dies
1931 was bittersweet for Allie. In June, Allie gave birth to a third child, a son named Allen. About a month later, Eddie committed suicide by putting a gun to his head while standing near his parked Ford roadster ‘on the Kelly’s mill pond bridge between Pontiac and Blythewood near the Richland-Fairfield County line’ according to The State newspaper.
1931 Ford Lo-boy roadster…perhaps Eddie’s roadster was like this
Curiously, Eddie ‘was with Maggie JACOBS, a 17-year old girl, until after midnight’ the night before he killed himself.
Maggie ‘told the coroner, as did others, that Medlin had said several times recently that he would take his own life. Despondency was given as his motive.’ It was also reported that he was intoxicated the evening before his death.
Allie goes on with life
From what I can tell, Allie moved back home with her parents. What choice did she have? She had three young children, one of them a newborn, and no job of her own. She likely went to work once she was recovered from childbirth, if she was able to find work.
According to the 1940 census, Allie’s three children were living with her parents in Winnsboro, Fairfield County. Allie likely was, too, but I can’t be sure. Keep reading to find out why.
from an 1899 book titled Wedding Bells
A second chance & the other Christmas tragedy
In the mid 1930’s Allie married Johnny LEE (1914-1976). I was glad to see Allie remarry.
In late 1937, Allie and Johnny lived in Dentsville, Richland County. Allie became ill with what was likely an abscessed tooth or a sinus infection. The infection spread to her brain causing a brain abscess.
A brain abscess can develop over a few weeks’ time or can develop suddenly. It could be successfully treated now, but not in 1937. Allie died at Columbia Hospital on 25 December 1937. Such sadness for Allie’s parents and children.
Allie is buried at Spring Valley Pentecostal Holiness Church cemetery in Pontiac, Richland County, South Carolina.
What happened to Allie’s children and her husband, Johnny?
Allie’s parents raised her three children. They grew to adulthood and each lived to about 70 years of age.
Johnny married again a few years after Allie’s death. He married Laconia DINKINS (1916-1980), Allie’s sister. Johnny and Laconia were married for many years and had two children together.
Copyright © 2016 Nancy H. Vest All Rights Reserved
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