Allen and Virginia were married in 1939. He was 22 and she was 15. At first they lived with Allen’s family, which included his Uncle Fulton Midgett, Fulton’s wife Mattie and Granny Midgett, Fulton’s mother and Allen’s grandmother.
His grandmother’s house had been Allen’s home since he was a boy. Allen’s father, Amberst, had died when Allen was only six months old. Allen’s mother, Agnes, who was working as a hotel cook and was required to live at the hotel, was unable to take care of Allen.
As a result, when Allen was small (some say when he was 16 months, some say about three years), his Uncle Fulton rode his horse to bring Allen to live with his grandparents, Sarah “Granny” Midgett and William Abbott Midgett.
© 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003 Portia Isaacson Bass and Veta Leigh. All rights reserved.