Grace Annis Gwartney Nichols

Grace is Kevin's great-grandmother; he met her many times before her death in 1983.

Early Life

Grace Annis (Ann?) Gwartney was born on 19 August 1889 in Hiwasse, Benton County, Arkansas, in the furthest northwest corner of the state. Grace was the fourth and final child of James Gwartney and Laura Ann Hassell; her father died at age 40 a year after her birth.

Grace's mother Laura remarried twice. In 1893, she married Francis M "Frank" Boggs, who had about seven children from his previous marriage to Louisa Prose. Boggs was seventeen years older than Laura. They had one son, Leo, Grace's half-brother, who was born in 1895. Frank Boggs died in March 1897; their son Leo died at age two six months later.

Laura next married widower Richard Edwards in 1899 when Grace was about ten years old. Richard had nine daughters from a previous marriage to Mary Polly Galyean, at least four of whom were living with Richard, Laura, Grace, and two of her full siblings in 1900. Laura and Richard had no children together.

Married at age 16

Grace married Clinton Wakefield "Clint" Nichols on 17 January 1906 in Pineville, McDonald County, Missouri. Grace was 16; Clint was 20. Like Grace, Clint was born and raised in Hiwasse.

According to the U.S. Census, Grace and Clint both still lived in Benton County AR in 1900. Many of Clint's aunts, uncles and cousins, lived in McDonald County, Missouri. It's not yet known if Grace and Clint lived in McDonald County for a short time after they married and before they permanantly relocated to Kansas City, Kansas.

Side note: Richard Edwards' first wife, Mary Polly Galyean, was a half-sister of Clint Nichols' mother, Ama Perilla Galyean. Grace and Clint were half-step-first-cousins before they married. So while Grace wasn't related by blood to her nine Edwards step-sisters, all of her descendants are.

Kansas City, Kansas

Shortly after their marriage, Grace and Clint moved to Kansas City, Kansas, where they spent the rest of their lives. All six of their children were born there, starting with their oldest son, Harold Clint Nichols in 1907.

Six children

All six of Grace and Clint's children were born in Kansas City, Kansas:

• Harold Clint Nichols (1907-1978) - born 9 May 1907, died 29 Jul 1978, both in Kansas City Kansas. m1: Alice Johnson; they had twin sons; divorced. m2: Mina Dale Kessinger
• Leona Hazel Nichols (1908-1995) - born 20 Sep 1908 in Kansas City KS; died 15 Jan 1995 in Kansas City MO. Never married.
• Beulah Clarease Nichols Ireland (1909-2009)
• Vivian Marjorie Nichols Wall (1911-1999) - born 20 Aug 1911 in Kansas City, KS; died 23 Mar 1999, San Diego CA. Married Lester Lee Wall. Children count to come.
• Paul Gwartney Nichols (1915-1990) - born 23 Mar 1915 in Kansas City KS; died 13 Dec 1990, Dallas TX. Married Winifred Geraldine Sullivan; two sons.
• Dorothy Maxine Nichols Bowers (1916-2004) - born 6 Sep 1916 in Kansas City KS; died 30 Dec 2004 in Kansas City KS. m1: Robert Stanley Bowers; two sons and one daughter. m2: Jay Ralph Heineman.

Kevin is the grandson of Grace's third child, Clarease.

Deaths

Clint Nichols died on 18 November 1964 in Kansas City, Kansas at age 79. Grace Annis Gwartney Nichols died on 29 March 1983 at age 93. They're buried at the Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Kansas City, Kansas.

Sources

Grace is referenced:

• 1900 U.S. Census in Dickson, Benton County AR, at age 10 - along with her second step-father Richard Edwards, her mother, four step-sisters and two of her three siblings: Maggie and Jesse.
• 1910 U.S. Census in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas on S. Mill St. at age 20 - along with her husband Clinton, children Harold, Leona and Clarease, her husband's brother and Archie Nichols, and her husband's (?) cousin Grover C Wages.
• 1915 Kansas state census in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas at age 26 - along with her husband Clinton and children Harold, Leona, Clarease, Vivian and Paul.
• 1920 U.S. Census in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas on Gilmore Ave, at age 30 - along with her husband Clint and children Harold, Leona, Clarease, Vivian, Paul and Maxine.
• 1925 Kansas state census in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas at age 35 - along with her husband Clinton and children Harold, Leona, Clarease, Vivian, Paul and Maxine.
• 1930 U.S. Census in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas on S. Bethany, at age 40 - along with her husband Clint and children Harold, Leona, Clarease, Vivian, Paul and Maxine.
• 1940 U.S. Census in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas, at age 50 - along with her husband Clint and daughter Leona.