Lucetta Catherine Eubank

Lucetta Catherine Eubank, also known as Kate, was the second daughter of James Gideon Eubank and Mary Jane Harris. She was born in either Des Moines or Dexter, Dallas County, Iowa in about 1876. By the 1880 U.S. Federal Census, the family had moved to Caldwell, Sumner, Kansas, and Lucetta Catherine was 4 years old and living with her parents and sister, Olive Belle Eubank, who was 5 years old. Their family moved to Washington State around 1888 and lived there the rest of their lives. Lucetta Catherine was listed as Kate Eubank in an Ancestry.com record showing that when she was 18 years old she was married to Charles Pearl Fenton, who was 26 years old, probably in about 1894, and their first child, a daughter, Fern, was born in March of 1895 in Washington State.

A 1910 U.S. Federal Census for Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington, showed their family as follows: Charles P. Fenton, 42, Kate E. Fenton, 33, Fern, 15, Fay, 13, Roy Burton, 9, Lloyd E., 6, Lee, 6, and Harold, 3 years old. They were living at 7002 Union Avenue. Also living in their home was Bert Fenton, 43, Charles Fenton's brother. Charles and Kate had been married for 15 years, had given birth to 7 children, 6 of whom were still living. Charles and Bert were born in Ohio, their father in Connecticut and their mother in Ohio. All of the children were born in Washington. Charles was working as a rural mailman and Bert as a watchman for the railway. They owned their home free from a mortgage. Sometime between 1910 and 1920 Charles and Kate were divorced and she married Raymond James Melvin in Tacoma.

In the 1920 census, Kate's former husband, Charles P. Fenton, 51, divorced, was living with their younger children at 6920 South Union Street, in Tacoma, and they were listed as follows: Fern, 24, divorced, Lloyd, 16, Lee, 16, and Harold, 13. Charles was working as a clerk for the city light and water company and Fern as a laborer in a store.

In another 1920 census record for Tacoma, Kate, 43, and Ray, 48, were living in a rented home with her grandson, Dan Simpson, 4, the son of Kate's first daughter, Fern and her husband, Thomas B. Simpson, from whom she was divorced. Thomas B. Simpson was the son of Robert Neil Simpson and Jessie Belle Grayson, and he was born in California in 1891. Daniel Fenton Simpson was born June 2, 1915, in Tacoma. Ray was working as a trimmer in a sash & door factory. Ray was born in Wisconsin, Kate in Iowa and Dan in Washington.

In the 1930 census Kate, 53 and Ray, 58, were living alone in a home located at 7021 South Puget Sound Avenue in Tacoma, which was valued at $3,000. They had a radio in their home. Ray was working as a seller of wood. According to the census record, Kate was first married when she was 18 years old and Ray J. when he was 37 years old. They were both born in Iowa, as were both of Ray's parents. Kate indicated her father was born in Wisconsin and her mother in Indiana, but her father was actually born in Illinois in 1853, and moved to Wisconsin soon after his mother, Nancy Ann Trent Eubank, married her second husband, Peter Shult, in 1856.

Nancy's first husband, James Joseph Eubank, had left the family in Illinois in about 1853 and went to California to join the Gold Rush. He did not return for 8 years. Nancy received word from a miner friend of James Joseph Eubank that James had passed away, so she married Peter Shult in 1856 and they had 4 children of their own. When James Joseph Eubank returned to Illinois from California, he was surprised to learn that his wife had married another man and started a second family. He joined the U.S. Army in August 1862, and served in Company C, 124th Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. He was wounded in the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863, and was discharged in 1865. He then went to Kansas to visit his father and his step-mother and their children, and married his second wife, Elsie Jane Rouser, in Wathena, Kansas, in 1866. They later moved to Missouri and then to California sometime between 1880 and 1883, when they were living in San Diego, California.

In 1930 Kate's former husband, Charles, 61, was living with a new wife, Lydia C., 65, and his son with Kate, Lloyd E., 26, and his grandson, Dan Simpson, 14, who had been living with Kate and Ray in 1920. Charles was still living at the home located at 5920 South Union Avenue which he owned and was valued at $2,000. They had a radio in their home. Charles was working as a mailing clerk for the city light and water company and Lloyd was working as a laborer in a door factory

Kate's grandson, Daniel Fenton Simpson and Eileen Anita Coon had a daughter born in 1937 named Sharon K. In the 1940 census they were living at 5427 South Lawrence Street in Tacoma, and were listed as follows: Daniel F., 24, Eileen A., 22, and Sharon K., 3. Dan had 3 years of high school and Eileen had 2 years. Eileen and Sharon were both born in Oregon. Dan was working as a labor for the city bell lines (maybe the telephone company.) For the 6 weeks he worked at 40 hours per week in 1939 at that profession his income was $170. Another child was born to them in 1938, a son named Richard. For some reason, their marriage certificate for Pierce County, Washington was dated October 5, 1946. Their witnesses were James C. Coon and Mrs. J. Coon, probably Eileen's parents.

In a 1955 U.S. City Directory listing, Kate E. Melvin, was listed as the widow of Ray J. Melvin, who had passed away in 1954. Kate was still living at their home located at 7016 South Puget Sound Avenue. Kate passed away May 4, 1971, in Tacoma, Washington. Her daughter Fay passed away in 1973, son Roy Burton Fenton in 1983, and Harold in 1998. Her grandson, Daniel Fenton Simpson, passed away December 10, 1978, while living in Butte County, California. His wife, Eileen, lived another 26 years and passed away in 2004, while living in Placerville, California. I don't know if their daughter, Sharon K., is still living at this time or not, but since she was born in 1937 she would be nearly 80 years old if she is still living.

Following is a brief obituary for Lucetta Catherine "Kate" Eubank Fenton Melvin from the Tacoma News Tribune dated May 5, 1971, page C6:

"Mrs. Ray Melvin, 69-year Tacoma Resident, Dies. Kate Eubank Fenton Melvin, 95, formerly of 7016 S. Puget sound Avenue, died Tuesday. She had lived in Tacoma since 1902. Mrs. Melvin was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and spent part of her childhood in Kansas before moving to the Nisqually area and then to South Tacoma. She was a member of the Royal Neighbors. She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. George (Fay Fenton) Smith, three sons, Roy, Lee and Harold, all of Tacoma; 10 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren, and 27 great-great grandchildren."