Mary Susane Lain

Mary Susane Lain was born June 9, 1857 in Berea, Madison, Kentucky the second of five children born to Willis F. Lain and Nancy Ann Foley. Mary's older brother, John W. Lain, was one year old when she was born, and her younger brother [Charles Lain] arrived two months before she turned three. Nancy no doubt was busy during this period with three small children. By 1860, the family also had Cassius B. Lain, age 10, and Richard Foley, age 15, living in their household. Both Cassius and Richard attended school that year. At this time Mary's father, Willis Lain, is listed as a farmer with no real estate, but 800 value of personal estate.¹

Mary's family moved to Labette county, Kansas where she married John Arthur Pepperdine. John was from Montgomery county, Illinois. John and Mary were issued their marriage license January 21, 1881, two days before their marriage on Sunday, January 23, 1881. They were married "at the brides parents" in Labette county, Kansas by P. Davis, a Justice of the Peace.²

After one month of marriage, John and Mary were expecting their first child. At some point within the first ten months, the couple traveled to Illinois where the Pepperdine family had been established. Mary’s first son, Fred Pepperdine, was born November 23, 1881 in the township of Rountree, Montgomery, Illinois.³

In 1900 the family was living in Mound Valley, Labette, Kansas with their three children Fred, George, and Ben. Ben was recorded as "Bennie" on the census. John and Fred at this time are listed as farmers, Fred being 18 years old at the time. Ben was eight and was listed "at school." All members of the household could read, write and speak English.⁴

John and Mary had rented several of their residences, but by 1920, John and Mary were retired and enumerated without children in a home that they owned that was free from mortgage. John was 66 and Mary was 62.⁵

Mary had been a housewife for 50 years before her husband died in 1923. She spent the last three years of her life in California, living with her second son, George Pepperdine at 3320 West Adams Street in Los Angeles . Twenty-four days after her 75th birthday, she died on July 3, 1932 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California and was removed two days later on July 5, 1932 to Parsons, Labette, Kansas where she was buried alongside her husband John Pepperdine in the Oakwood Cemetery. (I believe it was Lot 53 Block 12). She died of chronic pulmonary tuberculosis.

Notes

1.1860 census, Madison, Kentucky, p. 70 film #803384.

2.Marriage License p. 444 ,Labette, Kansas]. Mary was 23 years old and John was 27.

3.Birth certificate of Fred Pepperdine, Montgomery, Illinois registered #3028.

4.1900 census, Labette, Kansas, p.4 film #1240485.

5.1920 census, Labette, Kansas, p. 2B film #1820536.