Margaret Susan Adkins, great-great grandmother born December 12, 1836 Coles County Illinois to September 16, 1926, Charleston, Coles County, Ill. Married in 1858 to Joel Webster Hall; they had 7 children. Married again 1875 to James Gee and they had 2 children: Lillie Belle Gee Coen and daughter Gee died 1877. Margaret's father was Charles Neal Adkins born November 19, 1811 in Scott, Kentucky and died December 8, 1858 in Charleston, Coles County, Ill. Her mother was Margaret Luke, born July 8, 1847 in Scott, Kentucky and died July 8, 1847 in Charleston, Coles County, Ill. They were married around 1831 in Scott, Kentucky. Going back one more generation, Margaret Luke's father was John Luke born October 4, 1763 in Frederick, Colony of Virginia, British Colony America and died November 19, 1852 in Fountain, Indiana. Mother Susanne Orr was born April 2, 1867 in Frederick, Virginia and died December 19, 1835 in Fountain, Indiana. They were married April 21, 1787 in Frederick, Virginia.

James Gee, great-great grandather, born March 4, 1840 in Salem, Washington County, Indiana and died December 16, 1918 in Coles County, Ill.

Great Grandmother Lillie Belle Gee Coen, Jesse's grandmother on the maternal side. Born December 19, 1875 and died July 29, 1969, both in Mattoon, Coles County, Illinois.

Great grandfather Coen, Jesse's grandfather on the maternal side.

Great Grandmother and Grandfather Coen in later years. Illinois. Married June 28, 1891 in Coles County, Ill. Alfred's father was Thomas Coen and mother Elizabeth McFarland. Lillie Belle's father James Gee and mother Margaret Susan Adkins.

Great grandfather Alfred Coen, my grandmother Olive Ruth Coen, and Arthur Coen.

Bessie, Bonnie, Donald, Authur, and Olive Ruth Coen. Olive Ruth Coen is my grandmother, mother of my father Jesse Waggoner.

Ruth Coen Waggoner, Jesse's Mom. Born June 6, 1903 in Charleston, Coles County, Illinois. She died April 18, 1993 in Charleston, Ill.

This is a much younger Olive Ruth.

Glenn Carl Waggoner, born Nov 7, 1903 in Sullivan, Moultrie, Illinois, Died Apr 29 1983 - Illinois. Parents Robert Waggoner Jr. and Iona Agatha "Ona Waggoner (born Harrison). Robert Waggoner, Jr was born April 15, 1854 in Gays, Moultrie County, Ill. and died May 30, 1935 in Mattoon, ill. HIs siblings were Alvin Jay, Emory Elzy Ellis, George, Mary Jane "Molly" and Philip Greenwood. HIs wife was Iona Agatha "Ona Waggoner (born Harrison), and children were Faye Charlota, Walter Dewey, Freda Fern, Glen Carl, Phillip Armantrout "Pete", Blanche Nellie and Vivian Beatrice. Siblings; Russell, Faye Charlota, Walter Dewey, Freda Fern, Phillip Armantrout "Pete", Blanche Nellie and Vivian Beatrice. His grandfather was Robert Waggoner, Sr., born Oct. 18, 1822 in Rutherford, North Carolina. He was a farmer. He died March 21, 1888 and is buried in the Waggoner Cemetary, Moultrie, Illinios. His wife was Margaret Jane Waggoner, ( born Armentrout ) who was born in 1828 in Green, Ohio, married in 1851 in Moultrie, Illinios and died in 1903 in Moultrie, Ill.

Ruth and Jesse, Mattoon, Illinois. Approximately 1924?

Glenn Waggoner, Jesse's Dad with Jesse, approximately 1924.

From top left: Carl, Jesse, Delores, Jenny, baby Doris, Rhita Jean, Irma, Bertie, Phyllis, Vera, Audrey, Mary Margaret.

Carl and Jesse.

Carl and Jesse.

Uncle Carl, my great grandmother Coen, my Dad Jesse and great grandfather Coen.

Ruth Coen Waggoner.

Jesse. This might have been taken in Kodiak, Alaska when he was stationed there.

Jesse and Bob Ackerman, a friend of the family.

Jesse at Kiluea Military Camp on the Big Island of Hawaii, approximately 1957. Jesse ran the kitchen and dining for the camp, an R & R camp for military families. He was meticulous in his work, wanting to create a lovely setting for families to rest and recuperate.

Jesse and friend, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Jesse, Honolulu. He liked the heat and the relaxed way of living in Hawaii. He was gone on tours quite a bit of the year and when his ship came back into port all the children associated with the ship got out of school to welcome them home.

Dale, Jesse's oldest son by his wife Betty Golden. Jesse and one of Dale's sons in Rockford, Illinois .

Jesse and Shirley in their home in Rockford. Late 1950's or early 1960's.

Jesse in his home in Rockford, Illinois. Jesse loved rocking chairs, which he is sitting in. I like this picture of him. I wonder what he made of his life as he got older.

Another picture of Jesse and Shirley. They both look very happy. I hope he was. I sure missed him.

Jesse and his third wife, Shirley and a baby ( unknown ) in their home in Rockford, Illinios. He is sitting in a rocking chair that looks very much like the rocking chairs I remember when I was a little girl living with Jesse. He loved to rock and would sit and rock for hours. He told me that when he was a little boy, oldest of the 12 children, his Mom used to tie him into a rocking chair with a little one and his 'job' was to rock the baby to sleep! He also had the job of making bread and doing a lot of the cooking. As a kid he did quite a bit of cooking at home: I think his favorite was 'hot' chili...as in spicy!

Ruth. I like this picture of her, taken when she was in her 80's.

Jesse's Dad, Glenn Waggoner with Aunt Jenny, oldest of the girls. Aunt Jenny used to say that Glenn could not remember all the girls' names so he would call them all 'Sis'!

Jesse all decked out in his uniform. He was an impeccable dresser, very tide and precise. Both my parents were organized and clean in both the house when we lived together and in their clothes and dress. Wonder where this is? Looks like Hawaii.

Jesse Dale Waggoner, born in Mattoon, Illinois October 2, 1922. Eldest of 12 children.

Glenn, Ruth, baby Carl and Jesse.

Robert and Ona Agatha Harrison Waggoner, my paternal great-grandparents, parents of my grandfather Glenn and 2 other children. Here is Walter, or Dewey, and Faye. Robert 1854 to 1935 and Ona 1869 to 1947. Walter Dewey 1899 to 1961 and Faye Charlotte 1896 to 1959. Robert was born in Moultrie, Illinois April 15, 1854 to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Waggoner. Robert and Ona got married in Windsor June 19, 1894. The obituary notes: "Mr. Waggoner spent his entire life on the farm. He belonged to the Masonic Lodge at Gays."

This is Ona's obituary from 1947. It notes she was born September 12, 1869 near Gays, Illinois, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Harrison.

Robert Waggoner and son Walter Dewey. Robert was born April 15, 1854 in Gays, Moultrie County, Ill. h died May 30, 1935 in Paradise, Coles County, Ill. Father of Glen Carl Waggoner.

My grandfather Glenn Waggoner and his wife, Effie.

Jesse, looks to be still wearing overalls...16, 17?

A very young Jesse with unknown friend.

From top left: Glenn holding baby Doris, Ruth, Carl, Jesse, Rhita Jean, Delores, Jenny, Mary Margaret, Irma, Bertie, Phyllis, Vera and Audrey.

I have no idea how old Jesse is here. I found the picture on the Family Search website as I continue to research family. Love the mischievous grin!

Jesse, approximately 16, in the CCC camps in Illinois around 1938. Jesse is the one with the X over his head!

Carl and Jesse newly enlisted. Funny that both enlisted in the Navy and neither one knew how to swim. Apparently Jesse almost did not make it into the Navy because he almost failed the swimming test.

Carl, Grandma Olive Ruth and Dad Jesse.

Jesse.

A very young Jesse, Jenny, Rhita, Delores and Carl.

Jesse with his first wife, Betty Golden and Aunt Jenny. Unknown other person. Chicago or did Aunt Jenny go to New York where Betty was from?

Jesse in Kodiak, Alaska. I don't know how long he was stationed there: 1947 to 1948?

Jesse's marriage to Milly, Kodiak, Alaska, approximately May of 1948.

Jesse and baby Stanley Quentin at Francis and Lillian's farmhouse in Silvana, Wa.

Jesse and Aunt Mary, wife of Louis Brundell, Milly's Uncle. Arlington, Wa. Aunt Mary was a very sweet woman who loved growing a whole yard full of flowers.

Jesse and friend on the beach on Oahu. This was a 'military' only beach we went to almost every Saturday afternoon. I don't remember Jesse swimming and Milly was terrified of the water. But the three of us kids swam like fishes. We often had to get out of the water as sharks were sited too close to the shoreline.

Top left: Irma, Delores, Carl, Phyllis, Audrey, Rhita Jean, Bertie, Mary Margaret, Vera and Jenny. This was taken at a family reunion held in southern Illinois, around Charleston.

Jesse, November 1958. This would have been taken about two months after he left Milly in Waukegan, Illinois. He was stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station in 1958 after leaving Hawaii.

Lorna and Paul Waggoner, Jesse's second son. Bea and Carl Waggoner.

Grandfather Glenn Waggoner and Jesse. I don't know if they were close at all. Aunt Bede, Rhita Jean, said he never could remember all the girl's names, and called them 'Sis'.

Top left: Audrey, Phyllis, Margie, Rhita, Delores, Jenny, Carl, Grandma. Bottom left: Doris, Bertie, Irma and Vera. The only one of the 12 kids missing here was my Dad, Jesse, oldest of the 12.

My Aunts at a family reunion doing their dance - costumes and all!

First family reunion, 1958: Carl, Bea, Grandma Coen, Milly and Jesse.

1958: First Waggoner Family Reunion and we had recently returned from Hawaii: Milly, Jesse, Min, Lynn and Stan.

Jesse and his brother, Carl about 1958.

Jesse and his third wife, Shirley, in the 1960's or early 1970's.

The whole family! Top left Glenn Waggoner with his wife, back row Carl, Jenny, Rhita, Doris, Audrey, Jesse, Ruth in front and her husband, Marvin. Bottom row from left: Vera, Irma, Doris, Margie, Irma and Bertie.

Top left: Jesse, Vera, Rhita, Delores, Jenny, Carl. Bottom left: Bertie, Irma, Audrey, Margie and Phyllis. This was taken Labor Day, Sept. 1967. Grandma Ruth, who sent this to me, said: "The girls couldn't stop yakking. Ha."