Earnest and Alma

June 30, 1893 Earnest Eugene Cain was born in Appling County, a rural farming community in Southern Georgia. He was one of nine children born to Alexander and Emma Jane Johnson Cain.  Earnest’s life seems surprisingly simple. He was raised on a farm and he died on a farm, working as a turpentine laborer sometime in between. He never served in any wars, wasn’t the pioneer of any great inventions – he was simply what he was – a farmer.

Sometime before 1912, 19 year old Earnest met and married a 15 year old Alma Jeanette Carter – daughter of a local farmer, and also a child born into a large family. They settled down on property adjacent to (and likely rented from) Alma’s father, and started a family.

While they weren’t college educated, they both were able to read and write. They continued to work on their rented farm, eventually having nine children themselves. Both Earnest and Alma are remembered as strict disciplinarians, even with their grandchildren.

Earnest died in Georgia November 15, 1945. Alma remarried a man by the name of Anderson, eventually moving to North Carolina where she died on September 25, 1965.

Earnest Eugene Cain b: 30 Jun 1893 d: 15 Nov 1945
   m: circa 1912
    Alma Janette Carter    b: 7 Sep 1898 d: 25 Sep 1965
        1. Gussie Lou                    b: 20 Apr 1915 d: 29 Oct 2001
        2. Eugene Alexander     b: 22 Oct 1918 d: 13 Feb 2002
        3. Odis Lee                        b: 1 Feb 1921 d: 2 Oct 2005
        4. Irvin Wallace              b: 1924 d: 1924
        5. John Wesley                b: 19 Feb 1925 d: 2 Apr 1960
        6. Myrtle                           b: 1928 d: unknown
        7. (Living)
        8. Braxton                         b: 22 Mar 1937 d: 20 Apr 1979
        9. Carolyn Ann                 b: 29 Sep 1940 d: 18 Nov 1965