Vivian Simpson Roaten Pendergrast
Contributed by Darlene Roaten Mauch
When Vivian’s children, James Simpson Roaten
and Kenneth Nowlin Roaten were about 7 and 10, the courts of Memphis, TN awarded
the children to their father John James Roaten. I was told by my grandmother,
Vivian Simpson, that John James, her husband, had paid off the judge and in
those times that could have happened. John James, I am told by a cousin, was a
roughian in his early days. He liked to fight and drink a lot.
Email
from Charlotte Knight Watkins (granddaughter to “Nanny Grast”) on 11/25/2003
Something you may want to include or pass
along. When we were little we couldn't say Pendergrast, Vivian Simpson's name
by her second husband...... what we always knew it to be. So we always
called her.....until her death and still refer to her as...."Nanny
Grast." She wasn't my Grandmother (I was from the marriage after her
son died) but I loved her as if she were. She loved Lawerence Welk,
always had the best smelling pantry filled with bananas and "Ritz"
crackers that were so special to us. As a treat she would give us
butterscotch candy!!! In her garden she had figs & persimmons....... and
when I was really little she had the most glorious long gray hair that she
would comb out at night and braid. She had a great faith in God and could be
strict but to me....... going to spend the night at Nanny Grast's house.....
was one of the BEST memories I have as a child.
Her son died tragicly and left a young
widow who was pregnant with his child and a young baby. 3 years later her
son's widow remarried and the following year they had me. She didn’t have
to accept me. (even after our mother divorced my father) As far as we
knew there was no blood to tie us, but she was kind to me and treated me
as if I was her own. Now she didn't leave me in her will... but that was
o.k. that wasn't important. She treated me better
than my own Grandmothers that were tied to me by blood and because of
that I will ALWAYS LOVE HER and continue to have fond memories,
and the utmost respect and love for her. You can put it in whatever
words you wish.
37. MYRTLE VIVIAN8 SIMPSON
(WILLIAM PENN7, WILLIAM RANDOLPH6, JOHN5, GEORGE4,
GEORGE3, RICHARD2, JOHN1) was born 26 Nov 1898302,
and died June 17, 1994 in Memphis, TN. She married (1) JOHN JAMES ROATEN303
Bef. 1921. He was born in New Albany, MS, and died Unknown. She
married (2) HARVEY PENDERGRAST304 Aft. 1930. He died about 1960.
Notes for JOHN JAMES ROATEN:
Lived in Memphis.
Children of MYRTLE SIMPSON and JOHN
ROATEN are:
82. i.
JAMES SIMPSON9 ROATEN, b. 24 Apr 1921, New Albany, MS;
d. 15 Jul 1981, Memphis, TN.
83.
ii. NOWLIN KENNETH ROATEN, b. Aug 1, 1924
d. January 21, 1949, Memphis, TN.