(c) 2001 Barb Wise (wisebarb@home.com) March 26, 1954 AWH/eh XC 16 586 695 HOLLEN, Woodrow F. [Transcriber's note: The "F" above shoule be "W") Claimants: (1) Inice Belle Hollen (2) James F. Davis FIELD EXAMINER'S REPORT AUTHORITY VA Form 2-3537a, from Acting Chief, Dependents Division, Veterans Benefits Office, Washington 25, D. C., bearing date of December 3, 1953. PURPOSE To develop evidence from which it can be determined whether the veteran lived in the household of James F. Davis and whether James F. Davis acted in loco parentis to the veteran during the veteran's minority prior to his entrance into the military service. EXHIBITS Exhibit A - Deposition of James F. Davis, veteran's stepfather. B - Deposition of Inice Belle Hollen, veteran's mother. C - Deposition of Elmer Apple, veteran's former employer D - Deposition of Billy Davis, a neighbor. E - Deposition of Sarah E. Holland, veteran's aunt. F - Deposition of Leland A. Jones, childhood friend of veteran. G - Deposition of Howard R. Lambdin, a neighbor. H - Deposition of Blanche Land, local grocerykeeper. I - Deposition of George W. Newkirk, a neighbor. J - Deposition of Minnie B. Newkirk, his wife. K - Deposition of Clarence Pearson, a neighbor. L - Deposition of Mae Scott, veteran's sister. M - Deposition of Bennie Selfe, a neighbor. N - Deposition of Esther Selfe, his wife. O - Field Examiner's Memorandum covering interview with Orpheus Apple, Paoli, Indiana. P - Field Examiner's Memorandum covering interview with Ruby Ferguson, Paoli, Indiana. Q - Field Examiner's Memorandum covering interview with Calvin C. Grimes, Youngs Creek, Indiana. R - Field Examiner's Memorandum covering interview with John F. Lambdin, Paoli, Indiana. S - Field Examiner's Memorandum covering interview with Edrie E. Wolfe, Paoli, Indiana. T - Certificate of Search of Records of Auditor, Orange County, Indiana. [Page 2] COMMENTS This investigation was made in and around Paoli, Indiana (Orange County) beginning March 16 and ending March 19, 1954. The area in which the investigation was made is a beautiful but rustic and very hilly portion of Orange County in southern Indiana. Due to the twisting, winding, backwoods roads, it is rather difficult for one not acquainted with the area to locate residents in the community from instructions given by natives. The farms are often over a mile apart and much of the land is not tillable. The hillsides are covered with trees and undergrowth and, generally, the farms are not very valuable and the farmer are, and apparently have been for many years, very poor. The home in which James F. Davis and his wife, Inice, and her children lived is far off a main road and was set back over half a mile from any passable county road. The site on which the home stood before its destruction and removal some years ago is now owned by one of the more prosperous residents of the area. Even the school which the Hollen children attended has been torn down and the building removed. Difficulty was encountered in locating persons who had knowledge of the family living there so long ago, and while most of the witnesses remembered the persons comprising the family, they were vague, due principally to the lapse of time, as to the facts of the veteran's residence in the home. Witness, Elmer Apple, a son of Adam R. Apple and nephew of Harrison Apple, deceased, verified that the veteran, as a boy, worked on his father's farm for him and the father, but was vague in his statements which are incorporated in his deposition. Mr. Apple seemed to make an honest effort to relate the facts, cut could recall no more concerning the veteran than he has stated. According to statements quoted on page 3 of Form 2-3537a, in the fall of 1931 the veteran is alleged to have gone to live in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Scott, Paoli, Indiana. Mrs. Mae Scott is the veteran's sister, and when she was contacted gave her statements in a vague manner. Your examiner firmly believes that she has been in communication with her mother, whom your examiner contacted previously the preceding evening, and that she was attempting to corroborate as best she could statements made by the mother. About the first thing she asked this examiner when he contacted her was a question as to why Davis would be entitled to anything, being only a divorced former husband of her mother. Effort was made to explain the rules under which he might be entitled, and she appeared frankly apprehensive and disappointed upon receiving such explanation. In taking her deposition your examiner made inquiry concerning numerous minor events and she was reluctant to be definite, but wanted to make a simple statement that the veteran did not live in the home more than a year altogether. When opportunity was afforded her at the end of the deposition to add anything she cared to, she chose to say only what is contained in her answer. She did not answer questions readily and hesitated for several minutes before answering some of the questions. She was evasive and tried to be as general as possible. It will be noted there is a variance between the statements of page 3 of the Form 2-3537a and the statements made by Mae Scott. Your examiner was not impressed favorably by the manner of testifying of Mae Scott. [Page 3] Witness James F. Davis was seen during the third day of the investigation, at his home atop a hill in the northwest part of Paoli overlooking the town. He is remarried and owns a small house which has a fair appearance outside, but which is rather worn and shabby inside. Davis stated in his deposition that he was 65 years of age, but he looks closer to 75. He is a man who is of small build, is stooped and bent, looks exhausted, frail, used up and skinny. He coughed frequently during the interview and stated that he had asthma. He lives on his Social Security payments and the death compensation paid by the VA. He was gentle and polite in manner and gave every indication of telling the truth as he understood it during the taking of his testimony. He seemed to have a very good memory and gave his testimony in a straightforward manner without hesitation. He and Inice had one child, Charles Samuel Davis, who is about 22 years of age now and who resides with his mother. This child was born blind and crippled in his legs and Davis said that he paid the mother $3 a week for his support as long as he was working and able to afford it. He told your examiner of a severe beating he suffered at the hands of his stepson, Clovie Hollen, on the day preceding his separation from Inice. He had objected to Inice planning to go to English, Indiana, where he believed she was to meet on Alvin Swartz, and Clovie, just back from the Army, slapped him in the face once for each child that he had raised and then hit him with his fist with the comment "That's for me and Mom." Later Inice Hollen verified this story, except that she gave a different reason for her plan to go back to English that day. This will probably account for his apprehension when he was threatened while working in the chair factory by Clovie and set out at the end of his deposition. While these matters have no place in this investigation, they are related here simply to show the extent of feeling which has arisen between the parties. Inice Belle Hollen was contacted in her home located on State Road 37, south of Paoli about two miles, where she resides in a very small, two-room house with the son, Charles Samuel Davis, mentioned above. She is a husky woman, neat and clean, of a rather positive and dominant personality. In giving her testimony in reply to the first question asked her in her deposition, she resorted to a family bible in order to be accurate in stating the ages of her children at the time she and Davis began living together following their marriage. It will be noted that she changed her testimony as to details concerning the veteran's working for various Apple families. While the interview was in progress Charles attempted to answer questions or to inject comments, and it was necessary for your examiner to request him to desist in this. When you examiner asked her the question concerning the veteran's going in a car with Wesley Goforth to the State of Illinois and hitting a train, and [Start of Page 4] returning to Indiana after being there only a few weeks, Charles commented to his mother, "Mom, he knows everything." [TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: Charles Samuel DAVIS is the only surviving child of Inice Belle (Holland) Hollen Davis and James F. Davis. It is believed that Inice and James also had a daughter, Frances, that died as an infant (stillborn?); however, neither a birth nor death certificate has been located to confirm this information. Charles Davis was born blind and crippled. He lived his later years at the nursing home at the Gorge and passed away in 2000. Charles Davis and Clovie Walker "Jack" Hollen were the last surviving children of Inice Belle (Holland) Hollen. Both died in 2000.] The other witnesses testified in a straightforward manner, and while it is probably there are inaccuracies in their statements, it is believed that these are due to variations in memories, rather than to any intent to make mis-statements. After taking the deposition of witness, Mae Scott, your examiner had her call her sister, Pauline Stotts, and make arrangements for her to be home with your examiner arrived. (Mrs. Scott called her at her home). However, when your examiner promptly drove to her home, he was unable to secure any response to knocks on both the front and rear doors. He verified with neighbors that he was calling at the correct home before leaving the area. Nellie Walls, mentioned in paragraph 9 of Form 2-3537a, is a half-sister of Inice Hollen, but could not be located in Paoli. Mrs. Scott later stated to your examiner that Mrs. Walls would not know any more about it than she (Mrs. Scott) knew. While it may have been desirable that all of the persons named in paragraph 9 of Form 2-3537a be contacted, the remoteness of at least two of the witnesses, the removal of another, and the absence from home of others prevented complete contact with all. No one was at home at the Gilliatt home. Mr. Wayne Brubeck is a school teacher and was away teaching his classes at West Baden Springs, Indiana some 25 or 30 miles distant. Witness, Sarah E. Holland, the veteran's aunt, stated that Arthur and Lola Melton has removed from the community and she did not know where they had gone. It was not deemed necessary to return and make a further effort to contact the witnesses named. Witness, Mae Scott, stated that her brother, Clovie Hollen, is employed by a company which installs electric lines somewhere in the State of Illinois and she did not know his address. Contact was made with the two attorneys who have been assisting the step-father and the veteran's mother. Mr. James J. Farlow, Attorney, Paoli, Indiana, stated that he had taken Mr. Davis in his (Mr. Farlow's) automobile one Sunday and had gone about in the southern part of the county to get affidavits signed for him. Mr. James Tucker, Attorney, Paoli, Indiana, stated that he had been assisting, without charge, Inice Belle Hollen, the veteran's mother and had prepared affidavits for her. Neither of these attorneys had any personal knowledge of the facts in the case, but prepared the affidavits on the basis of what was told them by others. [Start of Page 5] RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that this report be forwarded to the office of origin. [Signature] A. W. Hendricks Field Examiner Regional Office Indianapolis, Indiana [End of Record] (c) 2001 Barb Wise (wisebarb@home.com)