James Robert Bodine was born March 3, 1859. He first married Georgia A. Depoyster of Muhlenberg County on March 30, 1882 (Muhlenberg Co. Marriage Bonds, Book 13, p. 206). He was twenty-three and she was twenty-one. She was born June 8, 1860± and died on December 4, 1882± after only being married a little more than eight months (Muhlenberg Co. Cemeteries, III, p. 30). Family tradition says she may have died in childbirth along with the child. She is buried at Sears Cemetery near Paradise, Kentucky. James Robert then married Ella Reid on September 7, 1887† at J. Reid's house in the town of Nelson in Muhlenberg County. He was twenty-eight years old and she was twenty-two. Ella Reid was born May 18, 1865 in Ohio County, Kentucky. Her father, Jonathan Reid, was from Ohio County and her mother, Sarah R. Butler, from Sumner County, Tennessee. (J.R. Bodine and Ella Reid's marriage bond. See the previous reference. The names come from family information.) J. R. Bodine listed his occupation as farming (Muhlenberg Co. Marriage Bonds, Book 16, p. 502). He was educated in the public schools and in Henderson, Kentucky. He was "one of the most substantial farmers in his section and was instrumental in getting up the Home Deposit Bank..." An article in the Times-Argus in 1987 discussed the founding of this bank. The following are quotes from that article:
"The First National Bank of Central City was born out of an argument that took place on April 22, 1902.
"On that date, Mr. James Robert Bodine, a leading citizen of that day, had gotten very upset with the owners of the Central City Deposit Bank. While walking up the street following this unhappy episode at the bank, he met Dr. William R. McDowell. After discussing the situation, they decided to organize their own bank. Dr. McDowell would serve as president and Mr. Bodine would be on the board of directors (he served as director). They called their bank the Home Deposit Bank...On April 21, 1906, the Home Deposit Bank received its charter as a national bank and changed its name to the First National Bank of Central City.
"After spending 63 years at the corner of First and Broad Streets, the First National Bank moved into its present location at 114 Broad Street on March 17, 1969...Eighty-five years after Dr. McDowell and Mr. Bodine opened their doors for business, this FDIC-member bank has gained a reputation as one of the strongest financial institutions in Western Kentucky." (Information from an article reprinted in the Times-Argus of Central City, KY from the O and N supplement to the Logan County News of Friday, July 8, 1904. Reprinted on November 16, 1977, p. 13. This includes a picture of J.R. Bodine. See also The Times-Argus of Central City, KY, September 2, 1987, p. 9.)
The house above belonged to James Robert Bodine. It was being rented to someone else when it burned down. J. R. Bodine and his wife were living in Central City by that time in, I think, Aunt Eula's house. The people standing in front might be (L-R): Charles Sharp Bodine and his parents James Robert and Ella Bodine.
The Bodine farm was located on about 230 acres of land lying north-south on a bend of the Green River about four miles east of South Carrollton. Some of this farm was originally part of a 500 acre tract surveyed in 1833 for Edmund Finch by virtue of three Kentucky Land Office warrants (Surveyor's Book 1-3, p. 562). In 1834, 200 acres of this land was sold to Joseph Bell (Muhlenberg Co. Deeds, Book 8, p. 254). The heirs of Joseph Bell then sold 100 acres of this to James Robert Bodine on January 22, 1891 ( Muhlenberg Co. Deeds, Book 41, p. 218). This is the land between the road and the river. The rest of the land was originally surveyed for William Sharp in 1839 (Surveyors Book 1-3, p. 695). Sharp's heirs sold this land to L. R. Slaton. The surveys were not done very well and J. R. Bodine and Slaton's lands overlapped each other. Everything had to eventually be worked out in court between Slaton's heirs and J. R. Bodine. It wasn't until 1905 that things were finally cleared up. It looks like J. R. Bodine had to eventually buy some of the Slaton land and that's how the farm came to have around 230 acres. (For a full accounting of this rather complicated affair, see the Abstract of Title done for J. R. Bodine by the Logan County Abstract Company in Russellville, Kentucky on July 15, 1907.)
James Robert Bodine died on September 11, 1929. His wife, Ella (Reid) died on January 22, 1933. They are buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery. His obituary was in the CENTRAL CITY TIMES-ARGUS, Central City, Kentucky, Thursday, Sepember 12, 1929. (NOTE: It is clear that the following is James Robert Bodine's obituary as evidenced by the date of death, and the named survivors. His father's name was used in error.) It read the following:
R. W. BODINE (sic) DIES
WEDNESDAY MORNING
Organized First National
Bank; Served as Director
Until Recent Years Robert W. Bodine (sic), one of the most widely-known citizens of the county, passed away at his home in this city on Wednesday of infirmities incident to his advanced age. During his active years, Mr. Bodine was one of the most prominent citizens of this community. He was instrumental in the organization of the First National Bank here, one of the leading financial institutions in the state, in 1906, and following its organization served as a member of the board of directors for several years, leaving the bank on account of failing health.
Mr. Bodine was also one of the most successful farmers in the county, owning a large farm near this city on the banks of the Green River, where he made his home for some thirty years of his life.
Funeral services will be held on Friday at Mount Olive Church, conducted by the Rev. H. H. Jones and interment will be in the cemetery nearby.
Surviving are Mrs. Robert W. Bodine (sic), wife of the deceased; one son, Charles Bodine, Detroit, Mich.; two daughters, Mrs. Y. E. Short and Miss Elah (sic) Bodine, city; one sister, Mrs. C. M. Martin, Greenville, and two grandchildren.
EF said that James Robert left his son Charles out of his will because Charles married Mary Jane Goodman. James Robert thought she was "below" their station. The Goodmans were "sharecroppers." Charles's sisters did not like this marriage arrangement. So Charles had to break Jim Bob's will. In the meantime, he and Mary Jane had to live in a little shack and some other places until they could get their land back. EF's parents and a black man named Charlie Bright helped Charles break the will saying Jim Bob was not mentally stable when he had made it. EF is not sure how they hired a lawyer to break the will.
Just before Charles moved in after breaking the will, Tom Belcher, who had a long-term rental of the house, burned the house down. He had Ethel Bryant burn it down. This had to do with insurance scam.
EF said Charlie Bodine broke the tongue out of a two roll planter and therefore stayed up till 1 o'clock, by lantern, fixing it. He did not want to face EF's father. EF said Charles was a really honest man. He was also very proud and would not take any help from others. That did put him in a fix sometimes.
EF said that in 33 or 34 the casket story happened. One of Charles and Mary Jane's children died or miscarriaged and they ordered a casket made from up the river a bit. It was brought down on a boat and handed off to them on the bank of the river. EF put in a good word for Charles that he would pay for it.
EF has a book called "Just Yesterday We Were Children" with some stories about Ohio County and the Opossum Hunters and maybe Muhlenberg County. Some Opossom Hunters getting arrested in Ohio County was called the Night Rider Case. Neither EF's family or Charles Bodine were ever involved with the Opossum Hunters.
EF said that a girl, Charles's first baby, was buried behind the blue house on they were staying in on 5th street. We droved past two blue houses later on, but we could not remember correctly which one EF said - the one on the left or the one on the right. This was the first house but not on the corner. If that is so, then it is probably the one on the left since that is the first one on that side of the street past the corner.
EF said Dad was up at Louisville Children's hospital for maybe four years off and on during several trips to have surgeries and such. Grandma would usually travel with him.
Charles and wife had nothing when they first got married. They lived in some other places first before they could move onto the land. They moved up on the hill. EF said Grandad would often ride a cow. They first live in the Blue house and then up on the hill. Then they lived down at the river bank. It was five years or longer before they could move onto the farm. EF was not sure when Charles Bodine did eventually start living back out on the farm.
From Ronny Bodine (Nov. 30, 2018):
1st marriage--1882--GEORGIA A. DEPOYSTER.
From Muhlenberg County, Kentucky Marriage Records:
James R. Bodine, 23, of Muhlenberg Co., farmer, born in Muhlenberg Co. AND Georgia A. Depoyster, 21, of Muhlenberg Co., born in Muhlenberg Co., were married 30 March 1882. First marriage for both parties.
Burials in Sears Cemetery, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky.
(For grave marker photo see Find A Grave Memorial No. 39221123)
GEORGIE A. BODINE Born June 8, 1860 Died Dec. 4, 1882
2nd marriage--1887--ELLA REID.
From Muhlenberg County, Kentucky Marriage Records:
J. R. Bodine, 28, of Muhlenberg Co., farmer, born in Muhlenberg Co. AND Ella Reid, 22, of Muhlenberg Co., born in Ohio Co., KY, were married 7 Sept 1887. His 2nd marriage, her 1st.
From the Kentucky Death Certificate of James Robert Bodine, married, farmer, born 27 March 1859 in Kentucky, son of Robt. W. & Sally (Sharp) Bodine, died 17 Sept 1924 in Central City, Muhlenberg County, buried Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Yamon Short, of Central City, informant.
From the Kentucky Death Certificate of Ella Bodine, widowed, born 18 May 1865 in Kentucky, dau. of Jonathan & (unknown) Reed, died 22 Jan 1923 in Central City, Muhlenberg County, buried Mt. Olivert Cemetery. Y. E. Short, of Central City, informant.
Obituary, The Messenger (Owensboro, KY) of Tuesday, 24 Jan 1933.
Central City, Ky., Jan. 23.---Mrs. Ella Bodine, 63 years old, died at her home here, at 3:25 o'clock Sunday morning following a stroke of apoplexy sustained at an early hour. She had lived in this section many years and was widely known throughout the territory. She was the widow of Jim Bob Bodine, himself widely known throughout the county in his lifetime. Surviving are her son, Charles Bodine, and two daughters, Miss Eula Bodine and Mrs. Ernest Short, all of the county. Funeral services were held at 1 o'clock this afternoon from Mt. Olivet church with burial following in Mt. Olivet Cemetery.
Burials in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky.
(For grave marker photo see Find A Grave Memorial No. 80723410)
BODINE ELLA 1865---1933 JAMES R. 1859---1929