The story of the few descendants of a prominent Wayne County family has been received by this paper this week which is a counter report to the story of Mrs. Eliza Ann Clark, of Lick Creek, which was published in our issue of January 22nd. It will be recalled that Mrs. Clark had a total of 469 descendants, 381 of whom were living at the time of her death a few weeks ago. Mrs. Clark probably had more direct descendants than any other person in this county.
In contrast with this long lineage is the history of the Bloss family who have been life long residents of this county, living in the Lavalette neighborhood.
Ezekiel S. Bloss and his wife Martha Ann Morris Bloss were born on lower Twelve Pole in this county a little more than one hundred years ago. They were married on December 13, 1838. To the union were born nine children, five of whom died young. The late E. S. Bloss, one of the descendants, was for many years Circuit Clerk in this county.
The four living members of this family are John L. Bloss of Huntington, age 69, who has one son Harry C. Bloss; E. M. Bloss, of Dickson, this county, age 67, who has one daughter, Mrs. Addie Turner of Dickson; H. M. Bloss, of Huntington, age 63, who has two daughters, Mrs. Pearl Ferguson and Mrs. Jennie Dempsey, both of Huntington; and V. A. Bloss, of Dickson, age 57. There are eight great grandchildren, making in all a total of only sixteen living descendants of this old family, which is said to be the smallest family of the county, considering its age. These sixteen descendants, taken in contrast with the 381 members of the family of Mrs. Clark, indicate what is believed to be the largest and smallest families in the county.
The marriage of Mrs. Mary Ann Spurlock, of Wayne, to B. G. Chapman, who has recently been located at Radnor, on Saturday, January 24th, was the climatical chapter of a romance which began more than forty years ago. Both the bride and groom are 67 years of age. They were each other's first sweetheart while they were still in their teens many years ago. But fate somehow decreed that they drift apart. Other romances were soon underway which later resulted in the marriage of Mrs. Spurlock (then Miss Mary Ann Ferguson) to Burwell Spurlock and following that the marriage of Mr. Chapman to Miss Belle Spurlock, daughter of the late Jesse Spurlock.
But Mrs. Spurlock's husband and Chapman's wife both died some years ago. And so the thread of the love-in-youth was picked up a few months ago when the two became sweethearts again after a lapse for nearly half a century.
The marriage, which was performed at the home of Mrs. Spurlock in Wayne by Rev. J. H. Walker at 9:00 Saturday evening January 24th, was kept a secret until this week. Mr. and Mrs. Chapman will make their home here. Both of them are well known in this county. The bride is the daughter of the late Burwell Ferguson and the groom a son of the late Billie Chapman.
Transcription by June White