Ruth Doris Allen Reed September 8, 1917 - December 31, 1967

 

Ruth Doris Allen   photo date 1938  age 21 years old 

Ruth Doris Allen Reed was born in Seneca, South Carolina on September 8, 1917, to Thompson Duncan, age 37 (1880-1918), and Marie Morgan Allen, age 25 (1892-1981). Thompson Duncan was from what is now Banks County Georgia, then known only as Habersham County in a community named Cornelia. He was working for the Southern Railroad as a pumper at the time. He is listed as having a medium build, stout body, brown eyes, and black hair. He was the son of John Duncan Allen and grandson of Colonel Thompson Allen, Confederate Veteran, who owned property there known as Allendale. Thompson worked on the railroad and Marie Morgan was a housewife and mother to twin girls, Beulah 1911-2005, Eula 1911-1992, Brother Charles Talmadge 1914-1978. After Doris' birth in 1917 another brother, Thompson William 1919-1989 was born. 

The family of seven apparently had a very hard life in the late 1900's. Thompson Duncan moved his family from Seneca to Columbia, SC after the birth of Charles Talmadge. In 1915 Thompson worked as a manager of a butcher shop named Assembly Meat Market at 721 Main Street in Columbia, SC.

The cause of Thompson's death at the age of only 38 is unknown for certain but generally understood to be from pneumonia. He is buried at Elmwood Cemetery on Elmwood Avenue in Columbia, SC.

1930 US Census showing Doris Allen at Epworth Orphanage with her brothers Talmadge and Thompson William.

  

Doris married Charles William Reed in 1939. They had three children. They were/are as follows:

Charles Allen Reed 1940-2015

Thompson William Reed 1943-present as of January 2022

Marie Elizabeth Reed 1946-present as of January 2022

They took residence in Wateree in Kershaw County in 1940. After the birth of Allen, they moved to Columbia and lived at 2019 Gadsden Street. Doris took up studying the art of cosmetology and was later  employed at the Imperial Beauty Shop on Blanding Street in Columbia, SC.  In 1959 they moved to 2021 Academy Street also in Columbia. Doris was working at Columbia Products, Shakespeare Road plant. 

Ruth Doris Allen Reed  September 1, 1962

She was apparently not in a healthy condition during this time and suffered a severe heart attack. She was treated with surgery and medicine as a bed ridden invalid for years but eventually lost her battle for life on December 31, 1967.    She died at her home on 2201 Academy Street in Columbia, SC.

Doris is finally resting at Crescent Hill Cemetery on Two Notch Road in Columbia, SC.