52 Ancestors: # 2- My Grand Aunt: Fern HARTLINE-CLARK

Today's story is about my Paternal Grandmothers sister, my grand Aunt. Her name was Fern HARTLINE by birth. In the photo to the left Aunt Fern is the lady on the right, the gentleman behind her is her husband Albert "Curly" CLARK.  To the left of them is my father Floyd "Junior" EADS and my Mother Margaret. The man next to my mother is my grand uncle Jimmy HARTLINE, Aunt Ferns older brother and also my grandmothers brother.  The two men on the far left are my Paternal Grandfather Columbus EADS and my Uncle Lloyd Gene "Teddy" EADS, my fathers brother.

Aunt Fern and Dad were pals. I remember my father telling stories of the two of them walking to school together. My father was full of mischief and was always doing or saying something silly. He related one story about a time they were on their way to school together and Aunt Fern stopped dead in her tracks and looked at him and said: "Hey Junior! You smell something?" of course Dad being the clown that he was, there was not a shy bone in his body he very vehemently stated: "Yeah! I messed in my pants!". I thought he would die laughing as he related that story to my mother and I one Sunday afternoon. Of course, my mother being one to become easily embarrassed just blushed and chuckled and said :"Oh Junior!".

Fern HARTLINE was born 6 May, 1931 to John Newman "Lack" HARTLINE and Alice Mae JOHNSON. She was the youngest of seven children born to John and Alice. She grew up in Liberty Township, which was about halfway between Dexter and Bernie, Missouri.

Aunt Fern and I share a Wedding Anniversary Date. She was married on 22 October, 1949 (exactly 38 years before my husband and I would wed on that date). She married Albert "Curly" CLARK. They were married in Arkansas, most likely Piggott in Clay County. Their place of residence was listed as Malden, Dunklin, Missouri.

Ancestry.com. Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Original data:

"Arkansas County Marriages, 1838–1957." Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009, 2011. "Arkansas County Marriages, 1838–1957," database, FamilySearch; from Arkansas Courts of Common Pleas and County Clerks. Digital images of originals housed at various county courthouses in the State of Arkansas. Marriage records.

After their marriage Aunt Fern & Uncle Curly lived in Malden and St. Louis for a little while, in 1958 they moved to Dexter, Stoddard, Missouri. Aunt Fern worked at the Hickory House Restaurant for a while and also the Dexter Memorial Hospital. She and Uncle Curly were of the Assembly of God faith and attended church in Essex, Stoddard, Missouri. 

Aunt Fern & Uncle Curly had two children born to their union, a Daughter named Judy Ann CLARK (AUBUCHON) and a son Albert "Larry" CLARK.

I remember visiting with Aunt Fern and Uncle Curly a few times as a child. I never knew my Paternal Grandmother, her sister, Bertha as she died before I was born, but I did get to know Aunt Fern.

                                  (c) Obituary as appeared in The Southeast Missourian on
                                       23 May, 1997

This post is part of the 52 Ancestors: 52 Weeks Challenge at No Story too Small