Our Family:Information about Bessie Italy Gunn
Bessie Italy Gunn (b. 1889, d. 17 Dec 1967)
Bessie and Grand Daughter Brenda Jackson |
Bessie Italy Gunn (daughter of John Wesley Gunn and Susan Brinkley) was born 1889 in Bedford Co, TN, and died 17 Dec 1967 in OakWood Cemetery, Tullahoma, TN.She married John Marion Jones, son of Samuel Jones and NC Mother Pearson-Elizabeth Dye.
Notes for Bessie Italy Gunn:
Bessie Gunn recalled by her grand daughter Lois 'Ginger' Tobitt Jackson ' Granny made ice tea every day. She cooked the best beans, biscuits and hot blackberry jam. She had her back broken when she was a baby. They took her all over the USA looking for doctors to help, but by the time anyone found out what was wrong, it was too late to set her back. She was Crippled with a hump back. She loved to Crochet and loved to play with the grand kits in their play house even in her old age. She was a fan of western movies. And she visited the cemetery every Saturday to visit her daughter's grave. Marion Jones died of Diphtheria at age 4. Bessie never accepted the loss of her child. She lost all of their children from the youngest to the oldest. Except Zula Mae who was alive (at the time of this interview). Because of Bessie height she didn't like tall people, however she married a tall man.
Bessie Gunn recalled by her grand daughter June Tobitt-Tyler, "Granny was only about 4 ft high.
Family legend has it that Bessie had her back broken as an infant. One story says that a sister dropped her. Another is that a member of the family accidentally sat on her. In either case, the incident damaged her spine. But the damage was not discovered for some time.
It is said that she cried constantly. her parents took her all over the country to find out what was wrong. Finally years later, a doctor diagnosed that her back had been broken and as a result she was a humpback.
Children of Bessie Italy Gunn and John Marion Jones are:
- +Zula Mae Jones, b. 18 Mar 1909, Tullahoma TennesseCoffee County, d. 24 Jul 1995, Tullahoma TennesseCoffee County.
- +Kathleen Jones, b. 30 Apr 1913, Tullahoma Tennessee, d. 10 Jun 1983, OakWood Cemetery, Tullahoma, TN.
- +Annie Sue Jones, b. 14 May 1919, Tullahoma Tennessee, d. 13 Apr 1955, OakWood Cemetery, Tullahoma, TN.
- Marion M. Jones, b. 1927, Tullahoma Tennessee, d. 1931, OakWood Cemetery, Tullahoma, TN.