The Oscar Mendheim Family

Oscar (William Oscar) Mendheim was born February 19, 1875 to William and Minerva Mendheim. His mother died when he was about 4 years old. His father apparently wasn't up to the task of raising small children alone since Oscar was taken in and raised by William and Catherine McKissick. Oscar married Jesse Mae Olliff and they had 15 children (see chart above). Four of the children died as infants and the remaining 11 made it to adulthood. He lived in Houston County most of his life, first in Ashford and later in Dothan.

Oscar was my grandfather and all ready an "old man" (72 years old) when I was born. I was able to spend time with him though as he didn't die until 1972, just before my first child was born. In the later years of his life, he refused to have cataracts removed and went blind from them. Although blind his mind was very sharp until the very end. He lived a remarkable span of our historical times, from Civil War reconstruction and the horse and buggy days to having men land on the moon!

	Left - Oscar and Jesse about 1950 Above - Oscar with his children: R1 - Ella, Hettie, Ruby - R2 - Bill, Henry, Ida - R3 - Otis, Emory, George, Ralph, Eunice - about 1970's (and I don't know who is pictured between Emory and Bill; maybe Charlie Windsor)
Ralph was the youngest of Oscar and Jesse's children. He was born April 9, 1923 in Houston County, Alabama and grew up in Ashford, Alabama. He met Johnnie B Dudley and they were married 08 Jan 1943 before his 20th birthday. They had four children (Gloria D., Charlotte A., Dudley E. and Phyllis D.). They lost Gloria to an accidental shooting when she was 5 years old and the other three live in Alabama, Florida and Alabama respectively. He died Feb. 2, 1979 after a bout with cancer and I miss him deeply!