Fourth Generation
Martin William Tharnish was born on October 28, 192121, the fourth child of William Tharnish and Bessie Skinner. He was generally known as Marty.
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For the first few years of his life, Marty lived with his parents, who were living in Aurora, New York in 192531. However in 1930 Marty was with his mother and younger sister, living in Hornell, New York32. About 1941, at age 20, Marty submitted a Draft Registration Card showing he was living on Davis Road, Aurora, New York74. This Card has a later pencil notation indicating that he was living at 1410 Abercorn St, Savannah, Georgia74. This added notation was based on a second Registration Card submitted in Georgia74.
Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs indicate that Marty enlisted on May 28, 1943, and he was discharged on September 22, 194580. Marty's obituary states that he served in the Army Air Corp in World War II75. He was undoubtedly trained at Ft. Stewart, located about 40 miles southeast of Savannah. This accounts for the second Registration Card.
Marty's obituary also states that he was a member of The National Cutting Horse Association and the Sheriffs Posse75. The later was a community organization centered in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, which maintained a Horse Riding arena, held riding events, and offered activities for young children. Finally, his obituary lists the names of his eleven children75.
On April 22, 1944, Marty married Patricia Ann Shroder at Jasper County, South Carolina77. Patricia was born about 1923, at Blue Field, West Virginia77. This was during Marty's period military service and suggests he remained in Georgia for his entire enlistment. Presumably Patricia lived at the Savannah address while Marty served in the Army Air Corps. Two of the children listed in Marty's obituary lived in Georgia and may be from this marriage. It is unknown when this marriage ended, but it was clearly a short marriage, since Marty was back in New York by the early 1950s.
On August 8, 1952, Marty married Leda M. Cook, at Amherst, New York78. Leda was born about 1931, the daughter of Vernon D. Cook and his wife Daisy79. On August 22, 1952, Marty and Leda purchased property in North Tonawanda, New York. Then on March 1, 1957, they sold this property to Daisy C. Cook, Leda's mother. This sale may have been part of a divorce settlement, since on January 10, 1958, Leda Tharnish married Harold Wells at Hartland, Niagara County, New York69.
The end of his marriage to Leda marks the beginning of a blank period in Marty's life. During this period, he moved from Western New York to Christian County, Kentucky and during this period most of his children were likely born. Information on his children and any marriage are unavailable, mainly due to privacy concerns.
Public records indicate the Marty live in Hopkinsville, Christian County, Kentucky in 197682. On May 17, 1980, Marty married Ruth A. Ahonen81. Born Ruth A. Swank on December 27, 1946, she was the widow of William Ahonen, by whom she had two children. Marty died on August 28, 200021. Ruth was his last wife.
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