Sunday, January 19, 2014

Ralpha B. Spragens (Spraggin): A Simple Farmer and Family Man

What I know about Chester's brother, Ralpha, is pretty short.  He seems to be a man who lived a pretty uneventful life in Kentucky.

He was the second in the family and life the others, grew up without a mother and doing hard labor on a rented farm.  In fact, later census records show he only received as high as a 3rd grade education.

It would appear Ralph would farm his entire life.  A census at age 20 shows him boarding at a home in the same county he was raised with 7 people who are not his relatives and he is still farming.  He is able to read, but not able to write.

Eventually he will marry Mattie Reynolds, another born and raised Kentucky girl from Spencer county.  They will have three children, two daughters and a son, Christine, Everett, and Lula.

In a sad turn for the family, baby Everett will live only two days due to a premature birth.

His daughters, at least, appear to have been given at least a decent education.  Christine attends school until 8th grade and Lula at least until grade 6.  Christine at age 24 is single and still living at home.

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