Lewis Kiser & Lola Mae Osborne, 1879-1902 (Pre-Marriage Years)

About This and Succeeding Folders:

These pages about Lewis and Lola have been difficult to compose. First, there is not that much genealogical information available for Lewis; second, there is some question about Cecil’s biological relationship to them (more about that later); and third I have very few photos.

Most of what I have learned about Lewis & Lola and their ancestors has come from three sources:

1) family verbal tradition [mostly from Granny Kiser, Kate, Nancy, and Don]

2) US Census records

3) online websites, such as FamilySearch.com.

I will proffer all the pertinent information gathered about the Kiser and Osborne families; however, the next step is to determine Cecil’s true lineage.

Jackson County, OH

Nicholas County, WV

Lewis Kiser, circa 1932

Lola Mae Osborne, circa 1935

What We Know (and Don’t Know) about Lewis During This Span of Time:

• Lewis was from Ohio. [Information from FamilySearch.com shows he was born in Wellston, Jackson County, OH.] This generally corresponds with what the family says.

• We have no information about his parents, other than they passed away when he was young.

• Lewis apparently lived with a local doctor for a while. See Uncle Don’s account.

• Don indicates that Lewis was about 12-1/2 or 13 when he left Ohio and journeyed to WV. The reason he left is detailed in his story.

• Lewis had two siblings, Henry and Ruth (ages unknown). I also do not know the birth order of the three children.

  • 12:10 [KISERv2: Lewis Kiser’s lineage (12:10-13:48)]

    Don: Amy was sharp until she passed. The only thing I know was…they really did not know where Grandpa came from.

    Kate: They said he came from down along the Ohio River or something.

    Don: Because Grandpa, he wouldn’t go to school. Cause Mom…the last people she’d heard of. They were well-to-do. He was a doctor of some sort and well-to-do and was going to send Grandpa to school and make sure he had a good education. Well, Grandpa…Mom said she thought he was like 12 ½ or 13 years old. He ran off from them. Only thing she knew it was down in southern Ohio or some place. And they really didn’t know where Grandpa came from. But whoever was attempting to adopt him was well do people, and they were going to try to make something out of Grandpa and he didn’t like it and he ran off. [Later research indicates that Lewis was born in Wellston, Jackson County, Ohio.]

    Kate: Well, he must have run off about to Belva, because he got right mixed up with Lola. Lola Mae.

    Don: I am just going by what Mom told me, ‘cause I don’t know.

    Mike: Lola Mae Osborne?

    Kate and Nancy: Yes.

What We Know (and Don’t Know) about Lola During This Span of Time:

• Lola was born and raised in either Dixie or Belva, WV. Their marriage certificate says Dixie; other sources say Belva. According to Granny, they lived in Dixie. Kate thought they lived in Belva, right along WV16.

• As you can see on the map, the two towns are adjacent…perhaps they lived on the border or moved from one town to the other.

• I do not know how/where Lewis and Lola met.