Ruth Lucille Edgington (1891-1961), wife of Dwight H. Dodge (1891-1960)

 1900 U.S. Census - Leadville, Lake, Colorado

 1910 U.S. Census - Leadville, Lake, Colorado

1920 U.S. Census - Buena Vista, Chaffee, Colorado

1930 U.S. Census - Lemon Cove Judicial Township, Tulare, California

 Marriage record to Lee Anderson - June 10, 1912

 Marriage Record to Roy R. Randall - November 2, 1913

Divorce from Roy Randall - July 6, 1920 (Date of Divorce)

Obituary for Mary Jane (Lynn) Edgington; mother of Ruth Edgington - August 16, 1941

 SSN Application for Ruth (Edgington) Dodge - August 1, 1941

 Death Record for Ruth (Edgington) Maxon - November 6, 1961

Obituary for Ruth (Edgington) Maxon

An interesting the somewhat elusive person I have found in my genealogy research is Ruth L. Edgington, wife of Dwight H. Dodge. At first, Ruth was an elusive person to research, but information has been forthcoming and I've been able to piece together her life. Ruth was born in October of 1891 in Leadville, Colorado, where she was raised. Ruth appears to have been married a total of four times. Her first husband was a man named Lee Anderson, whom she had married in June of 1912 in Leadville. Nothing else is known of Lee Anderson. It is unknown if he died shortly after their marriage or if they divorced. 

Ruth's second husband was Roy Randall. Roy was born February 1883 in South Dakota and grew up in Nebraska. They were married in November of 1913 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Ruth was from Chaffee County, Colorado and Roy Randall was from Nebraska when they married. They briefly lived in Weston County, Wyoming before returning to Buena Vista in 1915.  Roy filed for divorce from Ruth in the fall of 1919. Roy accused Ruth of mental cruelty. Roy wrote that 'My wife would refuse to cook for me; she cussed me and wanted others around...she finally left me entirely - or have anything to do with [me].' The divorce was granted in July of 1920. 

At this time Ruth leaves Colorado, with Dwight H. Dodge. Dwight was born in March of 1891 in Buena Vista and grew up there. Dwight was a farmer and rancher and at the time they left in 1920, Dwight sold all his livestock, farming machinery and interest in the ranch he bought in 1917. It is very likely Dwight & Ruth married after leaving Colorado while traveling to California (there is no marriage record for Dwight & Ruth in Colorado and so far, I've been unable to locate a marriage record). They moved to Kern County, first living in the town of Fellows and then the town of Edison before settling in Woodlake, in Tulare County, California in 1922. 

In 1941, Ruth applies for a Social Security Number. She is working at El Rancho Kitchen in Visalia, a few miles from Woodlake. She uses the restaurant address for her mailing address. She lists her date and place of birth and her parents. Ruth's father, Ellsworth Edgington, passed away in August of 1933. Her mother, Mary Jane Lynn, passed away in Buena Vista, Colorado in August of 1941. They are both buried in Leadville, Colorado. It is interesting to note is that her mother's obituary does not list Ruth as a surviving child. Ruth's parents had lived in Buena Vista since 1913. In the 1920 Census, Ruth is listed as Ruth L. Randall and is enumerated next to her parents. The information listed for Ruth (age, birthplace, parents' birthplace) in the 1920, and 1930 Census (when she is living in California), matches the information given for Ruth in the 1900 & 1910 Census records.

Dwight & Ruth lived together in Woodlake until 1950, according to the local directories. Dwight and Ruth appear to have moved and divorced sometime after 1950 (I've also been unable to find a divorce record). Ruth remarried once more, this time to a widower named Donald Alvero Maxon during the 1950's (I'm also attempting to locate a marriage record for Ruth & Donald Maxon). Donald lived in Tulare County, California from the time of his birth in 1887. Donald was previously married to Minnie May Mehrten. They married in 1915 and were together until Minnie's death in 1951.  Ruth passed away in Springville, Tulare County, California in November of 1961. Her death record lists her Social Security Number, date and place of birth as well as names of her parents. According to her death record and obituary, Ruth was cremated. She was later buried in the Exeter District Cemetery.

Written by Stan Morgan, who took this picture: 'Cemetery record notes the grave as being at Section 1, Blk OJ, Lot 13, Grave 6. However, the Maxon Family Plot Map at the cemetery shows burial of ashes at Section 1, Block J, Lot 20, Grave 5 and this is the most likely location & is represented by the flower arrangement.' (from www.findagrave.com; memorial page for Ruth Lucille Edgington Maxon)

**2016 Update: Ruth divorced her first husband, Lee Anderson, in March of 1913. The Carbonate Chronicle, a newspaper from Leadville, Colorado, reports: 'Upon her allegations that since she and her husband were married, June 10, 1912, hardly a day had passed without a quarrel, Mrs. Ruth L. Anderson yesterday obtained a divorce from Lee Anderson in the County Court. "We didn't quarrel very much during the first three weeks," testified Mrs. Anderson, "but from then on we hardly spoke without quarreling. I guess it was the fault of the both of us, but I tried to do everything I could to smooth matters over." Mrs Anderson further stated that the frequent quarrels had led to numerous attacks of nervous disorders, and that her physician had advised her that the best mode of procedure led through the divorce courts.'

***2019 Update: Ruth married her fourth husband, Donald Alvero Maxon, on September 11, 1952, in Las Vegas Nevada. The Visalia Times-Delta dated September 24, 1952 reports: 'Lemon Cove - Donald Maxon and Mrs. Ruth Dodge, both of Lemon Cove, have announced their wedding. The two were married at Las Vegas, Nev., on Friday, Sept. 12. Mr. and Mrs. Maxon will make their home in Lemon Cove, on the Maxon Ranch.' Below is the marriage certificate and marriage license. I am now in the process of searching for the divorce record for Ruth & Dwight Dodge. An initial request from Washoe County, Nevada did not yield any results.