THE STORY OF KITTIE COCHRAN   Daughter of John R. Parsons & Caroline Cochran

By Linda Cunningham Fluharty, 1999. (Revised 2020)

Kittie Geraldine Cochran, born in 1893, was, at least during her lifetime, the "illegitimate" daughter of John Randolph Parsons and Caroline "Cal" Cochran of Reader, Wetzel County, West Virginia.

Kittie's biological father, John R. Parsons, married Ada/Anna Belle Yoho on 21 Dec 1893 at the home of Mechack Yoho in Wetzel County, WV (Wetzel Co. WV Marriage Bk 6, pg 278).

But at about the time of John's marriage, Caroline Cochran discovered she was pregnant with John's child, later named Kittie Geraldine Cochran.

To the marriage of John R. Parsons and wife, Ada/Anna, were born William A., Vercha Edna, Joseph Andrew and Thomas H. Parsons. John and Ada/Anna Belle divorced before 1916.

On 17 Feb 1916, John R. Parsons married Leota C. Moore (Wetzel Co., WV marriage Bk 17, pg 213) and they, too, divorced. Leota's first husband was George Stansberry.

On 24 Jan 1895 in Wetzel County, WV, Caroline Cochran, born 1 Apr 1873 to Jacob Cochran (1840-1920) and Catherine Long (1842-1924), married, Ben (Benoni) P. Bowers, born Marshall County, WV abt. 1866 (Wetzel Co., Marriages 1894-1902, Wetzel Genealogical Society). Their children were Florence E., George Clifford, Bernice B., Catherine Rosa, Earl Stanley and Claude (Claudine) Alice. Caroline divorced Ben Bowers 19 Jul 1923 in Wetzel County.

Meanwhile, Kittie, the daughter of John Parsons and Caroline "Cal" Cochran, is found in both the 1900 and 1910 Green District, Wetzel County, WV Census records, living with Presley and Catherine Martin. In the latter she is listed as a servant. Catherine Martin was Kittie's maternal grandmother, Catherine Long Cochran, who had married Presley Martin following the death of her husband, Jacob Cochran, in 1895.

Kittie married Grover C. Bucher, son of Mortimer Charles and Permelia Youst Bucher, on 23 Nov 1912 in Reader, Wetzel County, WV (Marriage record from Wetzel Co. Clerk). They apparently resided in Reader and Grover worked as a "line walker" for the gas company. Their children were Geraldine Virginia, John Paul, Clarence Lee and Hilda Caroline Bucher.

Hilda Caroline, the youngest, was born 4 April 1921. On 6 May 1921, Kittie, only 28, died of Tuberculosis and complications of childbirth.

Kittie named her husband and four children in her will: WILL OF KITTIE COCHRAN BUCHER -The estate was settled when the youngest, Hilda, reached the age of 21.

An account of the anguish experienced by Grover Bucher at the loss of his young wife is given by Wilda Parsons Siburt*, a relative of John Parsons and well-acquainted with the Parsons, the Buchers, and the story of Kittie's life and death. She states, "Grover Bucher became so despondent over Kittie's death that he could not function. He went to live with Mart [his brother]. Grover was going to kill one of the cows because, in his confusion, he believed the cow had given Kittie T. B. Finally, Grover had to be placed in Weston State Mental Hospital. He did not live very long after Kittie's death."

In fact, Grover died at Weston on 7 July 1921. His DEATH CERTIFICATE states the cause of his death as "exhaustion from acute mania".

Wilda Parsons Siburt goes on to say, "After the death of Kittie, the grandparents, Mortimer Charles and Permilia Yost Bucher, took custody of John Paul, Geraldine Virginia and Clarence Lee. The infant, Hilda, was given to Oscar and Nora Fankhouser Steel. Grandfather Mortimer Bucher, would not sign for the Steels to adopt Hilda. The Steels did not permit Hilda to be with others very much. The Steels felt that the Buchers would attempt to reclaim her."

Ironically, on 30 April 1929, eight years after Kittie Cochran Bucher's death, her biological parents, John R. Parsons and Caroline "Cal" Cochran Bowers, both divorced, were married in Wetzel County, WV (Wetzel Co., WV Marriage Bk 23, pg 92). (MARRIAGE RECORD)

Wilda Parsons Siburt states, "Caroline "Cal" was a hard working woman, who worked in a rural village to rear her children. She was a midwife, who assisted Dr. McCuskey in home deliveries and assisted at my birth (Wilda Parsons'). "Cal" would take in other women who had difficulties.... those who had been 'put out'. She also washed for people. John Parsons taught in a rural school, one or two rooms. After he and "Cal" married they lived on American or Huff Ridge. John received a small pension from WV Retirement Fund."

That Kittie Cochran was the biological daughter of John Parsons was never disputed. According to Wilda Parsons Siburt, "It was common knowledge that John Parsons was the father of Kittie b. 1893. John Parsons never denied that he was the father of Kittie, and that the unwed mother was Caroline "Cal" Cochran."

Furthermore, a son of Grover and Kittie, Clarence Lee Bucher, 81, was alive and well at the time of the original writing of this story, and he provided first-hand accounts of his family life before and after his parents' deaths. He was born 13 Oct 1917 and he died 14 Mar 2004.

Caroline "Cal" Cochran Bowers Parsons died 15 June 1940 and is buried in the COCHRAN CEMETERY near Reader, Wetzel County, WV, where Kittie and Grover are also buried.

Caroline Cochran Bowers Parsons

John R. Parsons died 4 Dec 1947 in Parkersburg, Wood County, WV, at the home of his son, Thomas.

The preceding events had a profound effect on the life of Hilda Caroline Bucher.

In Washington County, Ohio, Hilda married (MARRIAGE RECORD) Charles Edward Fluharty, born 9 August 1913 in Lincoln County, WV, the son of Charles Lemuel Fluharty and Virginia Josephine Bench, of Folsom, Wetzel County, WV. Hilda had been raised using the surname STEELE, although she had never been adopted, and she used the name STEELE on her marriage license applicaton. Her maiden name is STEELE on the birth records of her three sons.

Hilda knew her Bucher siblings, raised by Bucher relatives, but her foster parents, the Steeles, did not permit her to see them often. After she was married to Charles Fluharty, her brother, John Paul Bucher, lived with them at times.

In the OBITUARY of Hilda's foster mother, Nora Fankhouser Steele, Hilda is listed as Nora's sister, "Mrs. Hilda Bucher Fluharty." While growing up, Hilda thought of Nora as her mother and Nora's sister, Ida Fankhouser Fox, as her aunt.

Charles and Hilda Fluharty settled in area of Weirton that is in Brooke County. She happily raised her three sons Duane Lemuel, Eugene Richard and Charles Larry Fluharty. Her life revolved around church and family, and for most of her married life her foster mother's sister, Ida Fankhouser Fox, lived with the family.

Charles & Hilda Fluharty with sons, Duane, Eugene & Larry.

Hilda Caroline Bucher (aka "Hilda Steele") Fluharty

Hilda did not have a birth certificate, and it was believed that her birth had not been registered. Because she was raised by foster parents and used their surname, STEELE, including on her marriage license, she was essentially lost in public records. The exception is that she was named in her mother's will, as well as in her siblings' obituaries.

Hilda did not apply for a Social Security Card until the mid 1970s when her husband was planning to retire from Weirton Steel. A Birth Certificate was required and she didn't have one. It is not known if she found her birth certificate in Wetzel County with her birth registered as Hilda Bucher, but possibly.

Since Hilda used the surname STEELE on all official records for her entire life, she became very distraught. She began to believe that she had committed a crime by using the SURNAME STEELE when she had not been adopted. She also believed that her sons were illegitimate because she had not used her original name, BUCHER, on their birth records.

In order to synchronize her records to satisfy the legal requirements to get the Social Security Card, Hilda had to provide sworn affidavits to prove her birth date, the names of her parents, the name on her school records, her marriage license, etc. She ultimately did obtain the Delayed Birth Certificate, but at great cost to her emotional health.

[Note 2020: A certified copy of Hilda's Delayed Birth Record was obtained. Her name is stated as Hilda Carolyne Bucher, biological parents, Grover Bucher and Kittie Cochran. Her name was "AMENDED" to Hilda Carolyne Steele, evidently based on the affidavits she provided that explained the circumstances of her parents' deaths and her upbringing. - The middle name spelled as "Carolyne," which is not the way she spelled it, raised the possibly that there was an original birth record under BUCHER. - DELAYED BIRTH RECORD]

The death of Hilda occurred unexpectedly at her home in Brooke County on January 5, 1977. Her husband died in 1992. They are buried at Highland Hills Memorial Gardens, Follansbee, Brooke County, WV. (OBITUARY)

Hilda's brother, John Paul Bucher, died June 30, 1974 in Weirton. (OBITUARY)

Sister, Geraldine Bucher Murphy, wife of Roy Murphy, died 31 May 1952. (OBITUARY)

Brother, Clarence Lee Bucher, died in 2004. This article about his 50th Wedding Anniversary provides a good biography:

LEE BUCHER OBITUARY - News-Register - Wheeling, W. Va. - Tuesday, March 16, 2004: Bucher, C. Lee "Gig", of New Cumberland, W. Va., passed away Sunday, March 14, 2004. Lee was born October 13, 1917 in Reader, W. Va., the son of Grover Cleveland and Kittie Cochran Bucher. - He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, John Bucher; two sisters, Geraldine Murphy and Hilda Fluharty; and his wife, Ann Richmond Bucher. - He is survived by his daughter and her husband, Kitty and Ed Binkowski of New Cumberland; and granddaughters, Beth and Don Michel of Mars, Pa. and Allison and Seth Wilson of Morgantown, W. Va. He also has a son, David Bucher and wife, Donna of Hodges, S.C.; grandchildren Leslie Bucher of Maltimore, Md. and Andrew and Susan Bucher of Honolulu, Hawaii and their mother, Judy Bucher of Elizabeth City, N.C. - Lee was a CCC volunteer; a World War II Army Veteran; a 1980 retired mechanic of PPG Industries; a former member of the Paden City (W.Va.) Fire Dept.; and helped organize the little Legion, pony league and American Legion baseball organizations in Paden City during the 1950's and 1960's. - He had been a member of the Paden Fork and New Manchester Christian Churches. He also belonged to the Chester, W. Va. American Legion and Chester A.F.M. Lodge No. 142. - Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, 2004. Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at the Iams Funeral Home, St. Rt 2, New Martinsville. He will rest beside his wife in Greenlawn Cemetery, New Martinsville.

(*Mrs. Siburt, a former teacher in Wetzel County, related the family history to genealogist Eloyce Parsons Trader. Eloyce documented it in a letter.)