Malinda’s story is short, but I believe everyone should be remembered after passing, particularly if they have no descendants.
I decided to include this family sketch not only because of Malinda, but because her husband’s story is devoid of many details, too, in spite of the fact that his Boston obituary called him “Doctor.”
Malinda J. Williams was born c1858, Roane County, Tennessee, the first child born to Matthias and wife Milly A. Elizabeth Shackelford. She is at home in the 1860 and 1870 censuses, but then only appears once more when she married.
Malinda married Brookens C. Kelsay on 5 August 1876 in Roane County.
Brookens never let much grass grow under his feet, as he was born in Washington County, Tennessee, the son of David and Catherine (McCracken) Kelsay and was one of ten siblings.
Aside from the 1860 and 1870 census records, Brookens only appears in a handful of other records.
After the 1870 census, Brookens appears in the marriage books of Meigs County, Tennessee, where a license was taken out to marry M.E. (possibly Margaret E.?) Kelsay on 7 May 1874. However, there is no further entry by a minister indicating that the marriage took place. Other entries in the book have both the license date and the wedding date.
He then married Malinda in 1876, but she is gone by 1880. Whether she died soon or they went their separate ways, Malinda has been lost to time and apparently had no children.
Next, in 1880, Brookens is enumerated in Pulaski, Giles, Tennessee, occupation is physician and his wife is 14 year old Annie R. (MNU).
What happened to Annie is not known, but five years later, Brookens married Lula Davis, 8 April 1885, Tipton County, Tennessee.
By 1900, Brookens and Lula are living in Boston Ward 21, Massachusetts with no children and Lula reporting she had never given birth.
Brookens’ story ends on 30 March 1903 of dilatation of the heart and bronchitis, when he died in Boston. He is buried at Evergreen Cemetery, Brighton, Suffolk, Massachusetts. Lula died on 19 April 1932, also in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts.
From the details uncovered so far, it appears that not only did Malinda die with no children, but Brookens also died leaving no descendants.