Gordon Douglas George

The 1900 census recorded Gordon, Lloyd and Alice in the Wicomico township area of Northumberland County. They were probably still living in Mr. Pasquith's house. Alice was listed as a farmer, Gordon and Lloyd were marked as attending school that year. In 1902 Alice sold the remaining land in Irvington, her sons were listed on the deed. A January 1909 news paper clipping from the Virginia Citizen mentioned that Alice was having a home built. That was the George Home-place in Lynhams.

The 1910 census listed Gordon, 21 and Lloyd, 23 both still living with their mother in the Wicomico district of Northumberland. Alice was listed as farmer, and her sons as farm labor. Alice was marked as owning the home mortgage free.

Gordon married Orah Blanche Lewis on February 5th, 1913. She was the daughter of Fairfax Lewis and Zipporah Hale. They were married at the White Stone parsonage by Rev. Charles A. Hall. The couple's first child was born in 1915. She was delivered with the umbilical cord around her neck and did not survive. They buried her at Morattico Baptist Church. They went on to have five more children that all lived to adulthood.

In June of 1917 Gordon registered for the WWI draft. He described himself as medium height and build. His eyes were listed as hazel and his hair as black. He asked for exemption to care for his wife, child and mother - he was not drafted. On November 28th, 1917 Gordon D. George was recorded by named as the postmaster of Lynhams. His step-father, William W. Pasquith, had held the same position from 1894 to 1900.

The 1920 census listed Gordon renting a home on Ditchley Road in Northumberland. They were only a few entries away from his mother and brother who lived on Bluff Point Road in the George Home-place. Gordon's occupation was given as general store merchant. Gordon's mother passed away the following year. The Lynhams Post Office closed at some point. Records from May 1925 show the office as being reestablished with Clifford D. Jett as postmaster. Then, in June of 1928 Gordon was again named as postmaster and held the position until the Lynhams Post Office was closed in June, 1945.

The 1930 census listed Gordon, Blanche and all five of their children. Also living with them was Gordon's brother, Lloyd. Gordon was marked as the head of the household and owning the home debt-free that was valued at $4,000. Gordon was listed a farmer, Lloyd was not listed as working but probably did odd jobs and handyman work. The home they lived in would have been the George home-place. On May 17th, 1939 Gordon was elected as a deacon at Morattico Baptist Church. He was also a member of the Lower Northumberland Community League and in 1937 was listed as a trustee on the deed of sale when the Community League purchased the fromer Bluff Point Graded School.

In July, 1940 the Lynhams Post Office and store burned down. According to the article in the Rappahannock Record, Gordon saw the flames at 2:30 in the morning from his home across the road, the building was already consumed in flames and the front door was open. The article noted that the store had been broken into and robbed just a few months earlier. He moved the mail service into his home while a new building was constructed.

The 1940 census, taken in August, listed the family as still all together except for the oldest son, Luther. The home was valued at $3,500. Gordon was again listed as farmer and reported working 50 hours a week. Blanche was listed as a post office clerk. Lloyd was listed as a laborer clearing yards and working 40 hours a week. Gordon was shown as completing 4th grade, Blanche finished 7th, and Lloyd finished 5th.

In the 1950 census Gordon and Blanche were listed as ages 61 and 63. He reported working as a farmer for 78 hours the previous week. His bother Lloyd still lived in the home and he reported working 48 hours "doing odd jobs." Also living with them was their son, Marvin, his wife Alease, and two year old daughter Margaret.

Blanche died in 1951. Her death certificate gave the cause as congestive heart failure. Family lore tells that she suffered from "hardening of the arteries" also known as alzheimers. She was buried at Morattico Baptist Church.

Their son, Marvin, and his family lived in the George Home-place for some time. They helped take care of the house and farm as well as Lloyd and Gordon when their health declined. Lloyd passed away in 1961. By 1963 Gordon was no longer living at the George Home-place because of some dispute in the family. Gordon moved to a nearby property called "The Redd House." He was in poor health and had a deed drawn to permit Marvin and Alease to live with him and provide care while also paying $35 a month to buy the property. Gordon died on July 9th, 1968. His cause of death was pneumonia after a stroke. He is buried at Morattico Baptist Church.