Ora B McWilliams was born September 30, 1882 in Licking County, Ohio to Thomas Ray McWilliams and Catherine A Bricker. He died September 18, 1942 at 11:30 am at the age of 59 in Newton, Licking County, Ohio. His death certificate lists cause of death, but I can’t read it clearly. Likely something to do with his arteries as contributory cause is listed as arteriosclerosis (thickening of the arteries). He was buried on September 20 at Wilson Cemetery. The funeral home was R.E. Householder. Ora was listed as a farmer. ¹ Ora’s WWI draft card lists him has medium height and medium build with brown eyes and black hair². His WWII draft card lists his address as RFD #3 Newark, Newton, Licking, Ohio (6 miles North Newark on State Route 657). His telephone is the St. Louisville exchange number 274. He is 5’10” and 155 lbs with a light complexion³.
Blanche Dee Price was born December 11, 1888 in Netwon Township, Licking County, Ohio to Charles K Price and Evaline Alice Jones4. She died on September 9, 1976 in Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio at the age of 87. She was in a long-term care facility at the time of her death5.
Per Ora’s WWI draft card, the family is living at 4 Mt Vernon, Knox County, Ohio in 1918². In 1920 Ora and Blanche own a farm free of mortgage on Sycamore Road in Miller Township, Knox County, Ohio. Both are able to read and write. The farm is listed as a general farm6. The 1930 census lists Ora and Blanche as living on Chatan Road in Netwon, Licking County, Ohio. The are renting a farm next to Charles and Eva Price7. Per Martha (my grandmother) the family lost their farm during the Great Depression. Charles and Eva had a farm with two houses. Charles and Eva lived in one house and Ora and Blance lived in the other. Martha remembers cousins coming and going and not realizing it was the Depression. Two of Charles’ brothers live nearby. In 1940 the family is still living in Netwon (though the census doesn’t say what road but it is the same house as before though both of Blanche’s parents are dead). They now own their own farm valued at $3,000. Ora and Blanche are both listed as having an 8th grade education. A lodger, Joe Carter aged 13 lives with them8. Per grandmother Joe came to live with them when his parent remarried. His sister continued to live at home. Joe lived with them for a while and then an older lady stayed with them for a while. Grandmother helped take care of her and inherited her furniture upon death.
Ora and Blanche were married February 3, 1912 in Licking County, Ohio9. They had three children.
- Kathryn A McWilliams (1913-2002) m. Stanley Elliott Martin (1913-1997)
- Martha Elizabeth McWilliams (1917) m. Robert Sanford Baker (1915-1988)
- Robert Raymond McWilliams (1928-2011) m. Katherine Ryan
My Family Tree 