Biography of Florilla Beau Cole Shannon - Mercer Co. WV Biography of Florilla Beau Cole Shannon of Mercer Co. W.Va. as told to me by my Father, Clarence Edward Shannon. Florilla Beau Cole Shannon was born in Mercer Co. W.Va. in 1870. one of three children born to Augustus Washington Cole,Jr. and Lucy A. Wright of Mercer Co. The story told is that Augustus and Lucy never married, but their children were given the Cole surname. Other children being two son's Joseph David Cole and Ulysses Grant Cole. Florilla married on 10/21/1886 to Charles Wesley Shannon born abt 1867, the son of Samuel Douglas Shannon and Mary Ann Blankenship from Williston area of Mercer Co. W.Va. Children of the marriage born in Mercer Co. W.Va. were as follows; Ada: born 12/21/1888 ---- died 8/?/1971 in Portsmouth, Ohio. Samuel Douglas: born 9/18/1891----died 9/30/1955 in Campbell Co. Va. Clarence Edward: born 2/17/1894-----died 9/4/1969 in Mercer Co. William: born ? ---Story is he died during diphtheria epidemic at age 18 Florilla was widowed at young age and with young children. Charles Wesley died as a result of pneumonia he caught while helping neighbors roof a barn in bad weather. She loved horses and was a great rider, but was thrown from a horse which resulted in a head injury and secondary eplileptic seizures. While home alone, and cooking she had a seizure fell upon a coal cook stove and by the time she was found she was burnt so severly that she was blinded in one eye. after this accident she couldn't be left alone and lived with and kept house for her Father until his death. Dad said he didn't know who admitted her to state hospital after her Fathers death, and she had been dead and buried months before her children were ever notified and they were never told where their Mother was buried. She was entitled to 1/3 of her Fathers estate ( Augustus Washington Cole,Jr.) which she should have inherited upon his death. They were (as he called it) swindled out of their Mother's share of the estate which was a considerable amount of farmland,etc in mercer Co. W.Va. My goal of the past year has been to find the hospital my Grandmother was in when she died, and her burial site. I have searched court records, sent letters to state agencys and have learn the following confirmed by Public documents. Know all men by theie presents: That we U.G. Cole and Joseph D. Cole, surety, are held and firmly bound unto the state of West Virginia in the just and full sum of fifteen hundred dollars, to the payment whereof well and truely to be made we bind ourselves and each of us bind his heirs, executors and adminstrators, jointly and severally, firmly by those presents. Sealed and with our seals and dated 5th day of October,1915. The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas the above bound U.G. Cole, has this day been appointed Administrator of the estate of the late A.W.Cole,Jr. deceased," WITH THE WILL ANNEX." Now therefore, if the said U.G. Cole shall faithfully discharge the duties of his said office and shall account for and pay over as required by law all money which may come into his hands by virtue of this said appointment then this obligation to be void; else to remain in full force and virtue. (Revenue Stamp .50) U.G. Cole (Seal) Joseph D.Cole (Seal) Acknowledge and approved by Lowery G. Bowling, Clerk, this the 5th day of October, 1915 Teste: Lowery G. Bowling, Clerk The above document makes no mention of their Sister, Florilla nor her children/heirs. There is documentaition to support that 8 months later (6/14/1916) she was admitted to the Mildrew Mitchell-Bateman State Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia and it is documented in the Physicians Certificate of admission, that her Parents and husband are deceased, her youngest child is 16 years of age, and "Family states she is insane." Her documented diagnosis is "Epileptic." Admission papers are signed by U.G.Cole, her brother and Dr. Uriah Vermillion of Mercer Co. W.Va. whose name is recorded in Mercer Co. court records as the person reporting the death of her Father, A.W.Cole,Jr. (Date of death 9/16/1914) Submitted by E. Fay Shannon **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************