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· A life in the study

Roy Kenneth Wilson

Born at Bernice in 1920 and died at Aberdeen in 1937.

born 12 Sep 1920 at Bernice, Delaware died 4 Feb 1937 at Aberdeen, Grays Harbor

Also written Roy K. Wilson

Roy Kenneth Wilson was born on 12 September 1920, the tenth and youngest child of James Israel Wilson and Lucy M. Harris.1 He was born at Bernice, in Delaware County, Oklahoma, where his parents had been farming that January.2–3

In the early 1920s the family moved to Grays Harbor, on the coast of Washington. In April 1930 Roy, nine, was the youngest of six children still living with their parents in a rented house at Junction, in Grays Harbor County, with his brothers Floyd, Odis and Woodrow and his sisters Ruth and Millie.4

Roy had been delicate since early childhood, with a chronic lung disease, bronchiectasis, and from the spring of 1935 he was under the care of an Aberdeen doctor, Harry C. Watkins. In February 1937 he came down with bronchopneumonia, and he died at home, 1110 West Perry Street, on the morning of 4 February 1937, aged sixteen; his father gave the details for his death certificate.2 He was buried four days later in Fern Hill Cemetery, Aberdeen, where his mother was buried in 1940 and his father in 1941 (see their profiles).2

What we know

Proven

  • Birth at Bernice, 1920
  • Death at Aberdeen, 1937
  • Burial at Fern Hill Cemetery, 1937
  • 2 homes, from the census and other records

What's still open

Nothing the notes flag. Which is not the same as nothing left to find.

Sources

Source 1

1 Washington, U.S., Death Records, 1937

Sources 2–3

2 Washington State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1937
3 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Township 5

Source 4

4 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Junction

Life in time

12 Sep 1920

Birth , Bernice, Delaware, Oklahoma, United States

proven Sources 2, 3, 4

How we know

  1. 1920 Birth 12 Sep 1920 · Bernice, Delaware · proven

    From his death certificate, for which his father was the informant. The Ancestry index of the same certificate gives Missouri (see Research Notes).

    His Washington death certificate, read on the image, gives 12 Sep 1920 at Bernice, Oklahoma; his father gave the details. The family was farming in the Bernice precinct of Delaware County, Oklahoma, in January 1920, eight months before, and his age in April 1930, 9, fits.

    Sources 2, 3, 4

  2. 1930 Residence Grays Harbor County, Washington · proven

    "Junction" (E.D. 45), sheet 2A, dwelling 31, family 34. Son "Roy K.", 9, the youngest child in the household of his parents, James I. and Lucy M. Wilson, with Floyd, Odis, Ruth, Woodrow and Millie.

    His parents and his brothers and sisters of the 1920 household identify him. Index entry attached to him in the family tree; image not re-read.

    Source 4

  3. 1937 Residence Feb 1937 · Aberdeen, Grays Harbor · proven

    1110 West Perry Street, Aberdeen, his parents' home; 13 years in Aberdeen (that is, since about 1924).

    The death certificate gives his residence and the length of residence in the city.

    Source 2

  4. 1937 Death 4 Feb 1937 · Aberdeen, Grays Harbor · proven

    At home, 1110 West Perry Street, at 11:40 a.m., aged 16 years, 4 months and 22 days; bronchopneumonia, with chronic bronchiectasis from early childhood.

    His Washington death certificate, read on the image, gives the date, the place and the cause; his father, Jas. I. Wilson, was the informant.

    Sources 1, 2

  5. 1937 Burial 8 Feb 1937 · Fern Hill Cemetery, Aberdeen · proven

    Elerding Mortuary, Aberdeen.

    The death certificate gives the burial.

    Source 2

  • proven

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Places in this life

4 places, in order
1 2 3 4
  1. 1 Bernice, Delaware County Birth 12 Sep 1920
  2. 2 Grays Harbor County, Washington Residence 1930
  3. 3 Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County Residence Feb 1937 · Death 4 Feb 1937
  4. 4 Fern Hill Cemetery, Aberdeen Burial 8 Feb 1937

Hollow markers are placed approximately, at the town, county or region.

Family

Father James Israel Wilson 1882–1941 Mother Lucy M. Harris 1883–1940
This page Roy Kenneth Wilson 1920–1937
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The evidence 5 facts with their grades, 4 sources, and the research notes

Facts

Fact Date Place Grade Sources
Birth 12 Sep 1920 Bernice, Delaware, Oklahoma, United States proven 2 , 3 , 4
Residence 1930 Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States proven 4
Residence Feb 1937 Aberdeen, Grays Harbor, Washington, United States proven 2
Death 4 Feb 1937 Aberdeen, Grays Harbor, Washington, United States proven 1 , 2
Burial 8 Feb 1937 Fern Hill Cemetery, Aberdeen, Grays Harbor, Washington, United States proven 2

Research notes

  • Identity: "Roy K.", 9, in 1930 is the youngest child of James I. and Lucy M. Wilson, born after the census of January 1920.4 The Washington death record attached to him in the family tree gives Roy Kenneth Wilson, born 12 Sep 1920, died 4 Feb 1937 at Aberdeen, which fits his age and the family's home.1 Nothing else links the death record to him yet: reading the certificate, which should name his parents, is the first task.
  • Birth: His death certificate gives 12 Sep 1920 at Bernice, Oklahoma, with his father as informant.2 The Ancestry index of the certificate (as the family tree takes it) gives Missouri, apparently the indexer's error; the family was in the Bernice precinct of Delaware County, Oklahoma, in January 1920, and it was there eight months later.1, 3 FamilySearch (GV5P-KC5) gives 1921.
  • Death and burial: Read on the certificate image: bronchopneumonia with chronic bronchiectasis, at home, 1110 West Perry Street; burial at Fern Hill, 8 Feb 1937.2 The certificate gives both parents' birthplaces as Benton County, Arkansas: right for his mother, whose own certificate gives Sulphur Springs, Benton County; for his father the family tree gives Arkansas as well. The Aberdeen Daily World for early February 1937 may carry a notice.
  • Sources: His Washington death certificate has been read on the image (Digital Archives, 27 Sep 2026). The 1930 census entry is an index entry attached to him in the Ancestry tree, not re-read. No WikiTree profile for him was found by the duplicate check of 26 Sep 2026; he was created as Wilson-142662 on 27 Sep 2026.

Working notes

  • WA death cert (M-1, no. 20, 1937) read: b. Bernice, Okla.; bur. Fern Hill 8 Feb 1937

Sources

  1. 1

    "Washington, U.S., Death Records, 1907–2017," database, Ancestry.com, record 7151329, Roy Kenneth Wilson: died 4 February 1937, Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County, Washington; born 12 September 1920, Missouri; as entered from this record in the Ancestry tree, where it is cited for his name, birth and death (the record itself has not been re-read in this study).

    Ancestry

  2. 2

    Washington State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate of Death, registration district M-1, registered no. 20 (1937), Roy Kenneth Wilson: died 4 February 1937 at 11:40 a.m., 1110 West Perry St., Aberdeen, Grays Harbor County, his residence (13 years in the city); male, white, single; born 12 September 1920, Bernice, Oklahoma; age 16 years, 4 months, 22 days; no occupation; father Jas. I. Wilson, born Benton Co., Arkansas; mother's maiden name Lucy Harris, born Benton Co., Arkansas; informant Jas. I. Wilson, 1110 W. Perry, Aberdeen; cause bronchopneumonia (2 Feb 1937) with chronic saccular bronchiectasis (early childhood); physician Harry C. Watkins, M.D., Aberdeen, attended April 1935 – 4 February 1937; burial 8 February 1937, Fern Hill, Aberdeen; undertaker Elerding Mortuary, Aberdeen; filed 5 February 1937; "Department of Health, Death Certificates, July 1, 1907–2001," image, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives (digitalarchives.wa.gov/Record/View/770C535D9BE498DDDCAF6B48E30687DB), accessed 27 September 2026.

  3. 3

    1920 U.S. Federal Census, Township 5 (Bernice precinct), Delaware County, Oklahoma, E.D. 22, sheet 10A, lines 17–27, enumerated 29–30 January 1920, "Elza W Willson" (son, 2, born Missouri) in the household of James I. Willson (head, 37, born Arkansas; farm), with Lucy M. (wife, 35, born Missouri) and their children Cyril (15), Tulla D. (13), Hellen A. (12), Floyd P. (10), Odis A. (6), Ruth E. (4), Jewel L. (3), Elza W. (2) and Millie M. (under one year), all born Missouri; NARA T625, roll 1458; image 4385099_00298; database with images, Ancestry.com.

  4. 4

    1930 U.S. Federal Census, Junction, Grays Harbor County, Washington, E.D. 45, sheet 2A, dwelling 31, family 34, "Elzie W Wilson" (son, 13, born Oklahoma, attending school) in the household of James I. Wilson (head, 48), with Lucy M. (wife, 45) and their children Floyd P. (19), Odis A. (16), Ruth E. (14), Elzie W. (13), Millie M. (10) and Roy K. (9); FHL microfilm 2342222; database with images, Ancestry.com (index read).

    Ancestry