Fabulous Photos!

 I haven't blogged in awhile, but today, while doing some genealogy on my mom's side (Mendenhall), I came across some distant cousins. This family had some FANTASTIC photos that I just couldn't help sharing!

Jacob Dorval Cox (1870-1963) was the son of Lucretia Mott Baily (1846-1928) & John Henry Cox (1843-1929). He is my 7th cousin, 5x removed. Jacob was one of 8 boys!

Jacob married Nelle Jewel Fort (1876-1945) and they had 3 daughters.:

1. Thelma Lucretia Cox (1899-1969)

2. Thyra Rebecca Cox (1902-1928)

3. Rhea LeFort Cox (1904-1993)

Between 1904 when Rhea was born and 1910, the family moved from the small town of Shirley, Indiana to Los Angeles, California. In 1910, Jacob was working as a book-keeper for a cement contractor and by 1930, he was working as an accountant. 

Don't you just LOVE the mustache?! 

Here is a picture of Nelle, probably around the time she was married., I don't know the exact date of the photo, but she was married in 1894.

The three Cox sisters- Thelma in the back, Thyra on the left and then Rhea sitting.

Jacob and Nelle's first daughter was Thelma Lucretia Cox, born 29 Aug 1899 in Shirley, Indiana. 

Thelma married Otto Harry Lewis (1900-1973) in Los Angeles and together, they had one son:

Donovan Keith Lewis (1922-2007)

Jacob and Nelle's second daughter was Thyra Rebecca Cox, born 15 Jan 1902 in Shirley, Indiana. 

Thyra was passionate about dance and was featured in a number of silent films and was a dancer with the Marian Morgan dance troupe. 

Unfortunately, Thyra died at the young age of 26 from tuberculosis. 

Rhea LeFort Cox was the last child of Jacob and Nelle. She was born on 20 Mar 1904 in Shirley, Indiana. In 1922, she won the title of the L.A. Times "Southwest Most Beautiful Girl"-- the equivalent of Miss Cali., Ariz, Oregon and Washington State. She received $1500 cash and a modeling contract. The picture above (bottom left) is from Goldwyn Studios in Hollywood. 

Rhea married Robert William Heck (1904-1990) in 1930 and they had 3 children: Elaine, Robert and Pamela. 

Star Wars (1977-2019)

Early January, I made a post of cousins of mine who were actors in The Wizard of Oz- you can read that post here. I have some cousins who were in the Star Wars films, so here you go! 

The Original Trilogy- 

1977- Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope 

1980- Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back

1983- Star Wars: Episode VI- Return of the Jedi

Prequel Trilogy-

1999- Episode I- The Phantom Menace 

2002- Episode II- Attack of the Clones 

2005- Episode III- Revenge of the Sith

Sequel Trilogy-

2015- Episode VII- The Force Awakens

2017- Episode VIII- The Last Jedi 

2019- Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker

~George Lucas (born: George Walton Lucas Jr.)- my 8th cousin, 2x removed

born: 14 May 1944 in Modesto, California

George was born George Walton Lucas Jr., the son of George Walton Lucas Sr. (1913-1991) & Dorothy Ellinore Bomberger (1913-1989). He has 3 sisters: Wendy, Ann & Kathleen. 

George is the writer, producer and director for the very successful 'Star Wars' franchises. Before researching him, I knew he had been the director of the films, but I had no idea he wrote and produced them as well. Needless to say, just from Star Wars alone, even if he never did anything else in his life, he'd be set. Net worth? 4.6 billion dollars! (as of 2020). 

George has married twice- first time in 1969 to Marcia Lou Griffin (b. 1945) and then second to Mellody Hobson (b. 1969) in 2013. He has two daughters- Amanda Lucas (adopted)(b. 1981) & Everest Hobson Lucas (b. 2013). 

~Mark Hamill (born: Mark Richard Hamill)

born: 25 Sep 1951 in Oakland, California

Mark was born Mark Richard Hamill to William Thomas Hamill Jr. (1926-2014) & Virginia Suzanne Johnson (1927-1998). He has 6 siblings- Jeanie, Will, Kim, Terry, Jan & Patrick. 

Mark Hamill and Siblings

Mark Hamill is best known for playing Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, which won him the Saturn Award for Best Actor three times.

Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in 1977 A New Hope

Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in 2017 The Last Jedi

Mark married Marilou York (b. 1951) on 17 Dec 1978. They have 3 children: Nathan (b. 1979), Griffin (b. 1983), and Chelsea Elizabeth (b. 1988). 

~Carrie Fisher (born: Carrie Frances Fisher)- 10th cousin

born: 21 Oct 1956 in Beverly Hills, California

died: 27 Dec 2016 in La Jolla, California 

Carrie was born Carrie Frances Fisher on 21 Oct 1956 to Edwin Jack Fisher (1928-2010) & Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (1932-2016).  She has three siblings: Todd, Tricia Leigh, and Joely. Carrie died on 27 Dec 2016 at the young age of 60 of a heart attack. Her mother, actress Debbie Reynolds, literally died a day later.

Carrie was best known for her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars.

Carrie as Princess Leia in 1977 A New Hope

Carrie as Princess Leia in 2019 The Force Awakens 

(Although she had already passed before this film was made, editors used unused film and pulled them together to create a role for her in this film)

Carrie married musician Paul Simon in 1983 and divorced in 1984. She was with Bryan William Lourd until 1992. Together, they had a daughter- actress Billie Lourd (b. 1992).

Carrie Fisher is buried with her mother at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California. (Plot- Courts of Remembrance Section, Map #A71, Sarcophagus 84)