Julie's Mecklenburg, Virginia Discoveries

Charlie Lee Clark was the son of George Clark and Blanche Woodard. Charlie was born in Richford, New York, but was raised in Halifax County, Virginia. Charlie married Rosa Drewery Dortch, who was known by her friends and family as Drew Dortch. (Her brother, Robert Leonard Dortch was the previous veteran spotlight on this website.) Relatives told me that Eugene Dortch who was listed in records as the son of Charles Dortch and Rosa Perkinson (Drew’s parents), was really the son of Charlie Clark and Drew Dortch. Drew and Charles were not married when Eugene was born, so he was adopted by Drew’s parents. Eugene and Drew were raised in Mecklenburg, Virginia. I’m not sure if Charlie ever lived in Mecklenburg or how he and Drew knew each other. On the 1930 Census, Charlie is living with his parents in Halifax county, VA, listed as single, and Drew is with her parents in Mecklenburg, VA, listed as single. I first see them together (noted as married) on the 1935 Richmond City directory. On the 1940 Census, Eugene was living with his parents at 3112 Elwood Avenue. I found a 1940 “for rent” ad in the Richmond Times Dispatch Newspaper for this Ellwood Avenue house . Listed as 7 rooms, $40.00 per month. Charlie and Drew rented this home for decades! Between 1935 and 1939 Charles and Drew are listed on city directories at 2 different apartments on South 3rd street. Charlie lived at this Ellwood Ave home from 1940 until his death in 1960. Drew is believed to have stayed in this same home until her death in 1980. This home is in the area of Carytown. It’s near museums and monuments. It’s also not far from Maymont, where I believe this picture of Charlie (above) was taken; near the waterfall and Italian gardens. Link to see Maymont info: https://maymont.org/visit/

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Charlie was in his mid 30’s when he joined the Navy during WWII. Charlie survived his ship being sunk by the Japanese in the Pacific Ocean. He would have been 39 years old at the time of this event! Before and after the war, Charlie worked for Dupont.

Charlie and Drew’s tombstone are the two front tombstones in this picture. This cemetery is the Richmond National Cemetery, in Henrico, Virginia. On Charlie’s military papers (not pictured in this post), under physical descriptions and markings, the record says: tattoo Left tricep, in horseshoe “R. D. D”. (His wife’s initials)

Pictures of Charlie and his family are from Jamie Malagorski and Aggie Reynolds. Virginia Oakley Shutt and Mary Walker (Drew’s cousins & friends) also talked to me about Drew and Charlie back in 2002-2003.