Rebecca Leigh (Beckie) Heath

  General Notes:

Family stories from Evelyn Hagen Mabie tell of "Becky" being from Halifax Co., Va. The marriage certificate from Richomnd, Va. for Alvah C. Hagan [Hagen] and Rebecca R. Heath records her parents as James R. Heath and Orpha Sneed from Halifax Co., Va. Becky and Alvah were married in Richmond, Va. on February 17, 1945.

The 1900 Federal Census, Virginia, Halifax Co., Roanoke District, District 54, page 34B records James R. (Dec 1840) and Orpha (Oct 1850) Heath with children Ella (Nov 1880), Charles (May 1881), James (June 1884), Hofer (Sept 1886), Joshua (Oct 1888), and Peter (June 1890). James and Orpha are listed as married for 22 years and having 6 children of which 4 are alive. Some of the figures seem suspect: they report 5 sons and 1 daughter yet only 4 living children and the birth dates for James and Orpha are not consistent with other census records.

The 1910 Federal Census, Virginia, Halifax Co., Roanoke District, District 72, page 129A, dated May 9, 1910 records James R. (57) and Orphie (41) Heath with children Ella K. (24), Hoffer H. (14), Ozie M. (4), and Rebecca L. (5/12). The two houses next door are occupied by Charles W. (24) [James & Orphie's son] and Lizze E. (19) Heath and James H. (21) and Sarah B. (19) Heath. James is a farmer and has been married to Orphie for 26 years. They report having had 16 children of whom 6 are still alive.

The 1930 Federal Census for the Roanoke District, Halifax Co., Virginia, District 24, page 60B records the widower James R. Heath (71 - father-in-law, age 25 at first marriage) living with Fitzhugh L. (44) and Ella (45) Sneed and children Hugh L. (15), Orpha M. (13), and Floyd H. (10).

The 1940 Federal Census for Richmond, VA, District 118-132, page 1653A, dated April 5, 1940 records Paul (28 - CA) and Rebecca H. (30 - VA) Douglas renting a place at the Terrace. Paul has completed 3 years of college and is employed as a Cake Dough Mixer at a Wholesale Baker earning $850 working 42 weeks during the last year. Rebecca has completed 8 years of school and is employed as a Cigarette Packer at a Tobacco Manufacturer earning $1,000 working 52 weeks during the last year. Paul was living in Los Angeles, California on April 1, 1935.

  Research Notes:

It appears that Becky married again to a Carl Edwin Heidel in that Carl's death certificate names Rbecca Heath as his wife:
Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014
Residence: Northumberland Co., VA
Occupation: Retired Greenkeeper at a Country Club
Name: Carl Edwin Heidel
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age at Death: 68
Birth Date: 17 Oct 1909 in Kansas
Cuase of Death: Carcinoma Lung
Death Date: 10 Nov 1977
Death Place: Heathsville, Northumberland County, Virginia
Burial: Smithland Baptist Church Cemetery, Heathsville, VA
Registration Date: 15 Nov 1977
Father: George Heidel
Mother: Jessie Eldora Jordon
Spouse: Rebecca Heath Heidel
Military Status: none

Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014
Name: Rebecca Heath Heidel
[Birth Date: Nov 15, 1909]
Death Date: 15 May 1994
Death Place: Lancaster, Virginia
She is buried at Smithland Baptist Church Cemetery, Heathsville, VA

Rebecca married Paul Francis Douglas on 26 May 1939 in Richmond, VA. (Paul Francis Douglas was born circa 1912 in Hollywood, California and died after 1944 in Richmond, VA.)

  Marriage Notes:

Virginia, Marriage Records, 1936-2014
Name: Rebecca Leigh Heath
Residence: Richmond, VA
Gender: Female
Race: White
Age: 29
Birth Date: abt 1910 in Halifax Co., VA
Marriage Date: 26 May 1939
Marriage Place: Richmond, Virginia
Registration Place: Richmond, Virginia
Father: James Heath
Mother: Orpha Snead
Spouse: Paul Francis Douglas
Residence: Richmond, VA
Occupation: Cake Baker, Continental Baking Company
Spouse Gender: Male
Spouse Race: White
Spouse Age: 27
Birth Date: abt 1912 in Hollywood, California
Spouse Father: Albert Douglas
Spouse Mother: Jessie Jordan


Virginia, Divorce Records, 1918-2014
Name: Paul Francis Douglas
Gender: Male
Race: White
Divorce Age: 34
Birth Date: abt 1910
Marriage Date: 26 May 1939
Divorce Date: 5 Sep 1944
Divorce Place: Richmond, Virginia
Spouse: Rebecca Leigh Douglas - Plaintiff
Cause of Divorce: Convicted of a Felony (divorce granted to plaintiff with no alimony)
Spouse Gender: Female
Spouse Race: White
Spouse Divorce Age: 34
Number of Children: 0

Rebecca next married Alvah Charles Hagen Sr., son of Edwin Walter Hagen II and Mary Elizabeth (Maime) Rannels (Reynolds), on 17 Feb 1945 in 2nd Presbyterian Church, Richmond, Va. (Alvah Charles Hagen Sr. was born on 16 Jun 1895 in Philadelphia, PA, died on 10 Feb 1968 in Highland Springs, VA. and was buried in Sunset Memorial Park, Chester, VA. E184.) The cause of his death was Toxemia (2 wks)/ Urinary Tract Infection (2yrs) / Severe Parkinson's Disease.

  Marriage Notes:

In notes from Marlena Mooring passed to Mary Lou Hagen Taylor in 1991: Alvah & Becky were married at the 2nd Presbyterian Church at 6th Street in Richmond, VA


Virginia, Marriage Records, 1936-2014
Name: Rebecca L Heath (divorced)
Residence: 115 E. 12th Street, Richmond, VA
Gender: Female
Race: White
Age: 35
Birth Date: abt 1910
Marriage Date: 17 Feb 1945
Marriage Place: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Registration Place: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Father: James R Heath
Mother: Orpha Sneed
Spouse: Alvah C Hagan (widowed)
Residence: Rte 7, Richmond, VA
Occupation: Multilithe Operator
Spouse Gender: Male
Spouse Race: White
Spouse Age: 49
Spouse Father: E W Hagan
Spouse Mother: Mary Reynolds

Virginia, Divorce Records, 1918-2014
Plaintiff: Alvah C Hagen - Plaintiff
Gender: Male
Race: White
Divorce Age: 52
Birth Date: abt 1896
Marriage Date: 17 Feb 1945
Separated: March 1946
Divorce Date: 19 Apr 1948
Divorce Place: Richmond, Virginia
Cause of Divorce: Desertion and Abandonment
Spouse: Rebecca Heath Hagen
Spouse Gender: Female
Spouse Race: White
Spouse Divorce Age: 38 born in Halifax Co., VA
Certificate Number: 1948001956
Number of Children: 0