Friday, February 16, 2018



52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 7 : Valentine

I have 15 members that were either born or died on Valentines Day. I know nothing about most of them other than the data that has been found. One family came to mind immediately when I saw this challenge. The family of Minnie (Samples) White her story, what little I know of it, breaks my heart.

 When I was working on adding sources for her family I realized that 3 of the children and her husband all died on the same day. I then decided to look at the death records to see why. I originally thought maybe a car accident or a house fire. I did not expect to find what was on each of the records.

The order of the events is not know by this writer but the outcome is known.

On 14 February 1932 while Minnie was in the hospital after having her 7th child,(1) her husband, Bolton White went home and changed their lives forever. Bolton struck his oldest daughter Louise White ,who at the time was twelve, in the head with a poker fracturing her skull. He then struck, three and a half year old, Hilda White in the head with a poker fracturing her skull. He used a hatchet and struck, five and a half year old, Elen Joan White in the head fracturing her skull. All three girls would die that day from their injuries. He struck eleven year old James White in the head with a hatchet fracturing his skull. James survived the attack but died on March 1, 1932 from complications of a skull fracture. On 14 Feb 1932, Bolton dead by his own hand, from a gunshot to the chest.

I cannot imagine the pain and sorrow Minnie and the surviving children felt. To always have a day which is associated with love become one that would be remembered as the worst day of their life.  I have looked to see if there are any newspaper articles that may help explain why, then I realized even if I found them there would never be an explanation for what went on that day. 


#52Ancestors



(1)As told by a family member from William Patterson Samples line to the author

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