I thought I'd add some background to this story from a genealogical perspective.
The Kentucky Vital Records Index, 1911-1999 shows Lora's birth date as 27 Feb, 1920 with the birth taking place in Elliott County, Kentucky. Her mother's name is listed as Lavinia Hill.
FamilySearch
We then see
Lora Skaggs, age 17, from Grayson, Carter County, Kentucky and
Leonard Cains, age 21, from Hitchens, Carter County, Kentucky, applying for a marriage license as shown in the Grayson East Kentucky Journal, April 30, 1936.
Attachment below.
Next we find
Lora Skaggs, now
Lora Cains, in the 1940 US Census, at age 20.
FamilySearch
She is living in the Town of Carbon in the Cabin Creek Magisterial District in Kanawha County, West Virginia, with her husband,
Leonard Cains, age 21, Leonard's widowed father,
James, age 64, and their one year old daughter,
Ruth Evelyn.
Leonard was employed as a coal loader in the mining industry. All were born in Kentucky except for
Ruth Evelyn, who was born in West Virginia.
Leonard, Lora and James Cains were living in Carter County in 1935 according to the census.
The 1930 US Census shows
Leonard Cains, age 11, living with his parents,
James and
Gracie Cains, both age 56, in Hitchens Precinct, Carter County, Also living there were his sisters,
Ruby and
Carmine, age 28 and 21, both public school teachers. Another sibling was
Albert, age 17.
James Cains was a miner in the fire clay industry. All were born in Kentucky according to the census.
FamilySearch
The Register of Marriages for Kanawha County, W. Virginia show that
Leonard Theodore Cains and
Dora Skaggs, both divorced, were issued marriage licenses and married on the same day, May 12, 1955. Both were born in Kentucky and both resided in Decota, Kanawha County, W. Virginia, at the time of their marriage. They were married in Chesapeake, W. Virginia, by Rev. A. H. Chapman.
West Virginia Vital Research Records - Record Image
The Miami County, Ohio marriage application records show that
Joan Ernestine Cains, 20, another daughter of
Leonard T. Cains and
Lorraine Skaggs, and born in Charleston, W Virginia, and
Thomas Lee Hines, 18, applied for a marriage license on March 29, 1963 (she) and June 2, 1963 (he). A consent to Joan's marriage was on file from her father as was a copy of decree. Under 'mother' on the form, it was listed as (divorced) with no signature. Joan was listed as living at an address in Troy, Miami County, Ohio.
FamilySearch
The register of marriages for Kanawha County, W. VA., show that on Jan 14, 1956,
Ruth Evelyn Cains, 16 married
David Maxon Nunn, 18. He was residing in Sharon, Kanawha County, W. Virginia and she was residing in Decota, Kanawha County, W. Virginia.
West Virginia Vital Research Records - Record Image
They later divorced October 14, 1966 in Miami County, Ohio. They had 5 children.
Ruth Evelyn Nunn applied for marriage to
Gerald Lee Metcalf February 20, 1967 in Miami County. She had been living in Tipp City, Miami County, Ohio.
Gerald Lee Metcalf, also divorced, had 2 children from a previous marriage.
Claude Arnold Cain, age 23, son of
Leonard T Cains and
Lora Skaggs, had been living in Troy, Miami County, Ohio and applied for marriage there, August 5 , 1964.
The only thing I couldn't find was the date when
Leonard and
Lora got divorced.
Did
Leonard have to wait a certain period of time before remarrying?
Did
Lora have to be legally be declared dead before
Leonard could remarry?
Did
Leonard divorce before or after
Lora's disappearance?
Leonard married again, May 12, 1955. I'd assume that when
Lora disappeared, that she was raising
Ruth below, at that time.
"The register of marriages for Kanawha County, W. VA., show that on Jan 14, 1956, Ruth Evelyn Cains, age 16, married David Maxon Nunn,"
Was it Aunt
Dora Mae that raised
Ruth?
"I was told that her aunt that raised her got rid of everything that belonged to their mother."
Is there anyone in touch with the other descendants of Lora's parent's family (the Skagg's and Hill's)? Usually they have a better closer knowledge of what went down at the time of the disappearance.
"A report was made when she went missing by her parents I was told. Everything was done on paper back then and we think it was lost."
