Vining Family Association
One Name — Many Families
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Do you have any news to share about the Vining family? births, marriages, deaths? graduations? honors received? genealogical puzzles solved? Please send them along for inclusion in our News and Notes.

November 2026

Honoring Our Revolutionary War Patriots — America's 250th birthday! One way to celebrate patriotism this year is to discover and honor an ancestor who served during the American Revolutionary War (1775 - 1783).

Who was a Revolutionary War patriot? Patriots were soldiers, sailors, marines, militiamen and women. They also served in noncombat roles. Patriots were signers of foundational documents, public office holders, participants in the Boston Tea Party, civil servants, camp followers, spies, couriers, cooks, nurses, launderers, enslaved individuals, suppliers of clothing and equipment, and they managed farms and businesses in a patriot's absence. No act of patriotism was too small. Handing a cup of water or a blanket to a passing soldier were patriotic acts that advanced the cause of the Revolutionary War.

Where can you locate a Revolutionary War patriot's service record? The DAR Genealogical Research System is a wealth of information that lists patriots and direct lineal descendants. Genealogy databases, the Vining Family Association Online Genealogy, muster rolls, service/pension records, diaries and letters, family bibles and town vital records, land deeds, probate wills, town hall meeting minutes/records, and cemetery records, provide additional avenues for research.

The following not for profit societies list patriots, their service and descendants:

The societies are dedicated to honoring and promoting patriotic service. Members preserve and research history, volunteer in veterans hospitals, serve meals to veterans, place flags and markers on patriot graves, send holiday greetings and care packages to veterans stationed overseas. These are some of the many ways veterans are remembered and honored.

Do you know of a deceased patriot with an unmarked military grave? Or a veteran whose service was overlooked and did not receive service medals or a pension? The NSDAR and NSSAR have been instrumental in petitioning the government to recognize patriots by placing markers on their graves, correcting service records and awarding medals. How exciting would it be to add an ancestor's name to a database!

In the 250th year of America's birth, and especially this November, let us discover and honor our patriots.

Happy researching!

— Judi A. Vining

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of the following members of the Vining family:

The Vining Family Association extends its deepest condolences to their families and friends.

We've made the following updates to the online genealogy this month:

Kenneth Vining — added son Christopher; added full names of Kristen's parents; corrected display of sons' marriages; source: obituary of Kristen's father, Thomas J. Fairchild, contributed by Judi Vining.
October 2026

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of the following members of the Vining family:

The Vining Family Association extends its deepest condolences to their families and friends.

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of the following members of the Vining family:

The Vining Family Association extends its deepest condolences to their families and friends.

We've made the following updates to the online genealogy this month:

Beverly Lawrence Vining — fixed link to his father Mitchell O. Vining.
Daniel Vining — added Civil War Veteran designation and note on Grand Army of the Republic membership; contributed by Judi Vining.
Daniel Hervey Vining — added Civil War Veteran; contributed by Judi Vining.
David Vining — added Revolutionary War Patriot designation; contributed by Judi Vining.
Elmer Harold Vining — added World War I Veteran (US Army) designation; contributed by Judi Vining.
Frances Ion Vining — created entry; promoted from inline child of James Walter Vining; added birth, death, burial, and children; source: Frances's obituary in The Sumter Item.
George H. Vining — removed broken link for unknown parents.
Harmon R[ummell?]. Vining — fixed link to his father John Chester Vining.
James Walter Vining — promoted daughter Frances to her own entry with full birth date and death date; noted that daughters Eloise, Leila Mae, Mildred, Thelma, Mary Pansy, and Mattie Louise and son George Douglas died before her; corrected display of son Clarence's marriage to Barbara June Woodyard; source: daughter Frances's obituary in The Sumter Item.
Jefferson Davis Vining — fixed link to his father Vincent Vining.
Jefferson T. Vining — fixed link to his father G. M. Troop Vining.
Jonathan Vining — fixed link to Windsor, Maine, family record.
Melvin Howard Vining — added World War II Veteran and Korean War Veteran designations (US Army and US Air Force); contributed by Judi Vining.
Roberta Vining — fixed link to her father Doug Vining.
Shadrack Vining — fixed link to son Jehu Vining.
Timothy W. Vining — fixed link to son-in-law John Albion Vining.
September 2026

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of the following members of the Vining family:

The Vining Family Association extends its deepest condolences to their families and friends.

Happy 100th Birthday to Lee Vining, California, a town founded by Leroy (Lee) Vining, who moved to the area in 1852, was an early prospector and miner, and set up a local mining camp and built a saw mill.

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of the following members of the Vining family:

The Vining Family Association extends its deepest condolences to their families and friends.

We've made the following updates to the online genealogy this month:

Charles Clarence Sr. Vining — created entry; promoted from inline child of Thomas F. Vining.
Edward Junior Vining — added daughter Brenda and her spouse; added sons George and Mike and their spouses; source: grandson Brian Edward Caley's obituary.
Elbridge Winfield Jr. Vining — added wife Elaine Vining's parents, birth date and place, death date and place, and burial place; gave Jane's husband's first name Richard Beliveau; source: obituary.
Thomas F. “TF” Vining — gave head the nickname TF; promoted son Charles to his own entry with birth and death information; source: son Charles's obituary.
August 2026

The Vining Family Association welcomes new member, Glenna Clark Fallin, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The Vining Family Association received a large collection of studio and family photographs of the Vining/Hargraves families of Coffee County, Georgia, c. 1890-1920, from Dr. Antoinette Graham, a retiring antiques dealer of Florida. There are also materials related to Pinellas County, Florida.

One photograph has been identified: James Vining and his wife, Sarah Brooker Vining, of Coffee County, Georgia, c. 1890.

The majority of the photographs are unidentified or bear only a first name. Three of the larger studio photographs have been posted on the Research Problems page. If you are familiar with this family and would be interested in helping us identify these photographs, please contact genealogy@vining-family.org.

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of the following members of the Vining family:

The Vining Family Association extends its deepest condolences to their families and friends.

We've updated the Research Problems page with a possible answer to Problem 2, the namesake of Vinings, Georgia. Thanks to Nancy Christie and Kerry Penney for sending in the reference.

We've made the following updates to the online genealogy this month:

Bradley Allen Vining — resolved the uncertain year in Barbara's death date and added her death place; added Bradley's death place; resolved his previously uncertain birthplace on the strength of the birth certificate cited in the line of ancestry, in preference to the birthplace given on his death certificate; added the date, place, and spouse's full name for son John Milton Vining's marriage; corrected the spelling of Paul's birth county; sources: Massachusetts death certificates for Bradley A. Vining and Barbara A. (Milton) Vining, Town of Holden marriage certificate, and the 2006 Order of the Founders and Patriots of America line of ancestry; contributed by John Milton Vining.
Cecil H. Vining — gave son Cecil Eugene Vining's middle name in full, corrected his spouse and birth date, and removed his death date and burial place, which had been taken from the Find A Grave record of a like-named Cecil Edgar Vining (see ThomasJ02); contributed by Pat Vining.
David Jr. Vining — added daughter Polly (Vining) Brown's death date and burial place; contributed by Christine Hood; gave daughter Caroline's husband Jeptha Barnum's middle name and added her burial place; contributed by Christine Hood.
Edward W. Vining — gave wife Janet Washburn's middle name and parents and added her birth date and place, death date and place, and burial place; added spouses for the children Vickie and Jason; source: obituary.
Henry Vining — recorded son William H. Vining as a possible answer to the question of the naming of Vinings, Georgia; see Research Problem 2; reference contributed by Nancy Christie and Kerry Penney.
James Vining — added a photograph of James Vining and his wife, Sarah Brooker Vining, from a collection of Vining/Hargraves family photographs received from Dr. Antoinette Graham.
John Franklin Jr. Vining — added a death place for son Bradley Allen Vining, to match his own entry; source: Massachusetts death certificate for Bradley A. Vining, contributed by John Milton Vining.
Thomas Joshua Vining — added son Cecil Edgar Vining's wife and his headstone, which had been misattributed to a like-named Cecil Eugene Vining in the CecilH01 (Kansas) family.
July 2026

Happy 250th Birthday on July 4, America! Saluting Vinings for their contributions during the American Revolutionary War and through the centuries!

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of the following members of the Vining family:

The Vining Family Association extends its deepest condolences to their families and friends.

We've made the following updates to the online genealogy this month:

Frank Arnold Vining — added son Wyman's full middle name, refined his birth date, and recorded his death.
Jerry Vining — created entry; added wife Sheryl K. (née Kitchens) and children; source: obituary.
Jimmy Dale Vining — created entry.
Kamita Earl Vining — recorded daughter Yvette's death, marriage date, and birthplace; regrouped Yvette as Kamita's daughter by his first wife Elizabeth Volenski.
Theron Nash Vining — added middle name Dale to son Jimmy and promoted him to his own entry; source: obituary of Jimmy's son Dale Vining Jr.
June 2026

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of the following members of the Vining family:

The Vining Family Association extends its deepest condolences to their families and friends.

We've made the following updates to the online genealogy this month:

Bobby Edward Vining — added Bobby's birth date, death date, death place, and middle name, and identified his mother as Edward Kevlin Vining's first wife; source: obituary.
Cadar Vining — marked Cadar's birth place as uncertain to reconcile the differing places given in his own entry and his father's entry; neither is documented.
Christopher David Vining — created entry.
Edmund Pendleton Vining — added a photograph of sons Chauncey Havens Vining and Robert Jefferson Vining, contributed by Sarah Bylander Montzka; added a photograph of Edmund Pendleton Vining and his wife Sarah Louise (Havens) Vining; added a portrait of Edmund Pendleton Vining; added a younger portrait of Edmund Pendleton Vining; added a portrait of his first wife, Elizabeth ("Lizzie") Marsteller; added a portrait of son Wilkie Leroy Vining.
Festus G. Vining — added photograph, contributed by Sarah Bylander Montzka; added a childhood portrait.
Jay Middleton Vining — promoted Christopher David to his own entry; added his marriage, death, and birth place.
Jefferson Vining — added family photographs contributed by Sarah Bylander Montzka — daughters Almina E. (Vining) Wilmot, Clara M. (Vining) Drayer (with her husband Calvin C. Drayer) and Effie C. (Vining) Gruver, son William Percy Vining, and a four-generations photograph of Clara's McKinstry/Lucia descendants; corrected Almina's death date, which had mistakenly carried her husband Warren Henry Wilmot's death year (now recorded on the marriage as his); added William P. Vining's approximate (uncertain) birth year; sources: family photographs and Find A Grave; added a second four-generations photograph of daughter Clara M. (Vining) Drayer and her McKinstry/Lucia descendants; added portraits of Jefferson Vining, his wife Elizabeth Mary (Fraser) Vining, Calvin C. Drayer (husband of daughter Clara M. (Vining) Drayer), and a childhood portrait of son William P. Vining.
Jesse Pledger Vining — corrected Jesse Lawrence Vining's birth year in the child line to match his own entry, which is corroborated by the 1860–1900 census ages on his documentation page.
Nathaniel Frier Vining — changed Thomas B.'s birth place in his child line to reflect the conflict between the 1940 census and the previously recorded value, matching his own entry.
Roy Howard Vining — added a photograph of Roy Howard Vining with his identical twin brother Earle J. Vining, contributed by Ryan Moore.
Thomas B. Vining — added 1940 census to docs page; changed birth place to reflect the conflict between the 1940 census and the previously recorded value.
May 2026

The Vining Family Association welcomes Mary E. Peters, of Seattle, Washington, as our newest life-time member. Welcome, Mary!

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of the following members of the Vining family:

The Vining Family Association extends its deepest condolences to their families and friends.

We've made the following updates to the online genealogy this month:

Albert Clifford Vining — created entry; promoted from inline child of Ernest W. Vining; added wife Alta Esther, son William, and Albert's full birth date and place; added William's full name, birth/death/marriage/adoption details from his obituary; promoted William to his own entry.
Alcide Joseph Vining — resolved birth and death dates by separating them from his younger brother Alcide's records (the brothers' similar names had been conflated); added mother's maiden surname.
Alver Nathaniel Vining — added wife Mary Ethel to Nathan Felix Vining's child line; promoted him to his own entry; source: obituary of his daughter Wanda Diane Vining Holloman.
Artie Vining — expanded inline daughter Ruth to full name Helen Ruth Vining with birth, death, burial, and marriage details; contributed by Debbie Parker; added previously omitted child Bobby J. Vining from 1950 census.
Benjamin Franklin Vining — resolved George Albert's child-line birth year and added death date, place, and burial; source: gravestone via Find A Grave.
Benjamin John Vining — corrected death date from 23 December 2020 to 22 December 2020.
Bernard Roy Vining — added Bernard's death information from his obituary.
Bobby Leigh Vining — added death date; contributed by his daughter Sarah (Vining) Fournier.
Bruce Edward Vining — created entry; source: obituary of Bruce Edward Vining.
Cecil E. Vining — added wife Myrtle “Lorene” (Disher) Vining's death (7 May 2025, Augusta, Georgia); source: Lorene's obituary at Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors.
Celia Vining — created entry; added baptism, marriage, death and burial; added daughter Mary Leavitt Stoddard's burial. Note: Obadiah Stoddard's place of origin corrected from Weymouth to Scituate.
Charles Macon “Pat” Vining — added daughters Ima Jean and Alice; source: Ima Jean's obituary.
Charles Ray Vining — renamed the existing “Gary Vining” child to Gary Wayne Vining (distinct from his nephew Gary Paul Vining); added note that Frank Guiffreda later married Viola's sister-in-law Netye Douglas Vining; Charles Ray's 1966 funeral notice names three surviving daughters as Mrs. Paul Gordon, Mrs. Frank Guiffreda, and Mrs. Albert Husser; the first two clearly match Esther B. and Viola H., but Mrs. Albert Husser is not yet identified with any documented daughter (Alberta H. is later documented as “Alberta Myers” in Douglas's 2001 obituary, but no source ties Mrs. Albert Husser and Alberta Myers to the same person).
Charles Wendell Vining — updated child Forest Glee's birth place, death, and spouse surname from his obituary.
Clarence J. Sr. Vinning — created entry from a Morgan City–area newspaper obituary clipping; open question: Clarence's parents are unknown and he is not yet linked to an existing Louisiana Vining line (Stephensville/Patterson suggests proximity to the Alcide Joseph Vining family but no source ties them); promoted son Melvin to his own entry; added his death date from his obituary; added Clarence's approximate birth year from 1950 census; linked to parents in John35.
Craig Eugene Vining — added spouse Janet M. Humphreys (b. 7 January 1970); contributed by William Cory Vining.
Dallas Claude Vining — added middle name Max for Frederick Chittenden, husband of daughter Barbara Gay Vining; added biographical tribute and portrait photograph of Barbara; contributed by Linda Basinger (Barbara's daughter).
Daniel Hugh Vining — created entry; promoted from inline child of Virgil Vernon Vining; added wife and children; promoted son John to his own entry.
David Burchim Vining — added David's death info and burial; added marriage date; corrected wife's surname; refined wife's death date.
David H. Vining — corrected burial location to Vining Cemetery, Frontenac, Goodhue County, Minnesota (cemetery is on the original Vining family property in Frontenac, within Florence Township); refined Charles D. Vining's birth date from July 1858 to 9 July 1858 (derived from age-at-death on tombstone); refined Otis A. Vining's birth date from February 1855 to 24 February 1855 per tombstone inscription; refined Rocksy Susan (Edwards) Vining's birth date from 1819 to 23 August 1819 per tombstone inscription, corroborated by 1860 census (age 41) and 1870 census (age 51) in the David H. Vining household.
David Jr. Vining — corrected David H. Vining's burial location to Vining Cemetery, Frontenac, Goodhue County, Minnesota (on the original Vining family property in Frontenac, within Florence Township).
David Roswell Vining — added birthplace from father's 1996 obituary; added death, place of death, and burial.
Donald Vining — added maiden name and death info for spouse Wanda; noted Donnie predeceased her; fixed children's marriage structure; promoted Kyle to his own entry; source: obituary of Wanda Headley Vining.
Donald Dent Sr. Vining — added head's full middle name, Sr. suffix, birth, death, and burial; linked to parents; added marriage year; noted son-in-law John Kunkel predeceased; expanded son Donald Jr.'s middle name; source: obituary of Donald Dent Vining Sr.
Douglas Herbert Vining — promoted son Gary Paul Vining to his own entry; added Douglas's first wife Pearl Constant and second wife Netye “Zel” Douglas with full life dates, parents, and burials; restructured children into four groups by mother (Pearl's three sons; Netye's two documented daughters; Joyce, mother undocumented; stepson Jeffrey Sylvest by Netye's earlier marriage to Marvin Sylvest); filled in spouse first names for the children's marriages; added 1950 US census for Douglas's household with Pearl Constant; established birth order Ronald – Gary – Donald and added approximate birth years for Ronald and Donald.
Douglas Robert Vining — promoted from inline child of ReginaldW01 to his own entry; added wife Dolores J. (Britten) Vining's life dates, parents, and burial from her 2025 obituary.
Earl Lee Vining — promoted Gregory Carl Vining to his own entry.
Earnest James Vining — created entry; sources: 1940 US census (in Hezekiah “Kie” Vining household, Florida, age 3), Find a Grave memorial, Florida marriage index (Earnest Vining and Pamela Rae Libert, January 1960, certificate 967, vol. 1860), Florida divorce index (Earnest Vining and Pamela L. Vining, March 1966, Hamilton County, certificate 4711), and obituary of son Bruce Edward Vining; gravestone reads “Earnest James Vining” while Bruce's obituary spells the father's name “Ernest”.
Edwin Johnson Jr. Vining — added wife Grace's birth, death, burial, and parents from her obituary; added sons Donovan and Edwin J. III; added wives for Darren and Donovan.
Elbridge Winfield Vining — promoted son William Francis to his own entry; added 1950 census source.
Elias Vining — resolved Thomas's child-line death year per gravestone.
Elisha Vining — added daughter Celia Vining; refined son Israel's birth date; added first Israel's birth and Weymouth baptism record; noted reviewed Elisha Jr.'s probate (case 21657, no inventory or distribution); noted History of the Town of Hingham (1893) supports Levi Gardner spelling for daughter Mary's husband.
Elmo William Vining — resolved uncertain birth place per 1900 census.
Ernest W. Vining — promoted son Albert Clifford to his own entry; added Albert's wife Alta.
Forest Glee “Bud” Vining — added nickname, death date and place, birth place, marriage date and place, spouse surname; added son Jacob; source: obituary.
Francis “Frank” Vining — resolved Olen Marshall's child-line birth place per 1920, 1930, and 1940 censuses.
Frank Booth Vining — added birth and death dates and places for son Frank Booth Vining Jr. from his gravestone; contributed by Lynn.
Frank Christensen Vining — added wife Barbara's birth, death, burial, parents, and nickname; added marriage place; added spouses for children Craig and Jacqueline; source: obituary.
Frank Lathan Vining — added wife Jennie Nora Hemstad's full name to Frank Lathan Vining Jr.'s child line; promoted him to his own entry; source: obituary of his daughter Judy Lae Osborn.
Frank Louis “F.L.” Vining — created entry; sources: 1930 US census (in Willis W. Vining household, age 7, Louisiana), obituary of son Frank “Dwayne” Vining Sr. (March 2023), and obituary of second wife Betty Louise Brunner Vining (October 2025); Frank's full birth date, death date, and place of death are not yet documented.
Frank Lathan Jr. Vining — created entry; added marriage to Jennie Nora Hemstad and daughter Judy Lae (b. 1940, d. 2026, m. Kenneth I. Osborn); source: obituary of Judy Lae Osborn.
Gary Paul Vining — created entry; sources: obituary of Gary Paul Vining (which names his mother as Pearl (Constant) Threton, i.e. Pearl Constant Vining who later remarried a Threton), and obituary of Frank Donald Guiffreda (October 2022) which identifies Netye Douglas Vining as Douglas Herbert Vining's later wife (mother of Patricia, Peggy, and Jeffrey, not Gary).
George Albert Vining — corrected death date and place, confirmed birth date, added birth place and burial; source: gravestone via Find A Grave.
George Washington Vining — corrected Myrtle Esther Vining's burial location to Vining Cemetery, Frontenac, Goodhue County, Minnesota (on the original Vining family property in Frontenac, within Florence Township); corrected name from Myrtle Esther Vining to Myrtle Eraline Vining (per death card and tombstone), birth date from 19 June 1898 to 23 June 1897 (per tombstone, corroborated by 1900 census age 2), and noted death date discrepancy 7 vs 8 January 1901 (tombstone says 7, Minnesota death card says 8).
Gregory Carl Vining — created entry; promoted from inline child of Earl Lee Vining; added second wife Tina Pelham (née Young) and stepchildren John Paul Pelham and Laura Jo Pelham (m. Juan Santos); contributed by Gregory Carl Vining.
Harry Ray Vining — promoted Virgil Vernon Vining to his own entry; refined birth/death/burial places to include county.
Herman Albert Vining — added daughter Jo Ann (Vining) Williamson's death; source: her obituary at Williams & Lord Funeral Home.
Hezekiah “Kie” Vining — promoted Earnest James Vining to his own entry; added his middle name, full birth date (29 March 1937), and death information (15 August 2006, buried Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Deep Creek, Columbia County, Florida).
Horace Oscar Vining — corrected burial location to Vining Cemetery, Frontenac, Goodhue County, Minnesota (on the original Vining family property in Frontenac, within Florence Township); corrected birth date from 27 February 1847 to 23 February 1849 (tombstone inscription at Vining Cemetery; corroborated by 1860 census, age 11, and 1870 census, age 21).
Howard Herman Vining — added marriage date 20 December 1969 for Lorna Ione Vining and Orville Redding; added September 1957 for Virginia Mae Vining and Gordon Genz; contributed by Jean Vining Springer; added death date, place, and burial for Virginia Mae (Vining) Genz; source: obituary.
Israel Vining — added documentation of Revolutionary War service (1832 pension declaration and Mass. Secretary of State service certification), marriage, and death; refined birth date; added Abia's cause of death; added baptism dates for six children.
Jack Harrison Vining — added birth date/place and death date/place for Madge Burt Alexander; source: Legacy.com obituary.
James Washington Vining — resolved Peter S.'s child-line birth place per 1910 and 1920 censuses.
Jehu S. Vining — corrected the child-line link for son Shadrack (b. 1816) to his actual entry ShadrackJ02 (m. Nancy Clifton); it had been wrongly linked to ShadrackJ01, a different, later Shadrack Joshua (b. 1858).
John Vining — added wife's maiden name; resolved son Alcide's full given name, added his wife and place of death; source: Louisiana death certificate (state file no. 8669) for Alcide Joseph Vining; merged in the John Vinning entry (previously held separately): added John's death date and gravestone, a second marriage and bond, additional children documented in the 1900 and 1910 censuses, and an open question about whether John is the Jean-Baptiste of LA Ancestry trees; added father's name, mother's maiden surname, narrowed birthplace, added place and date of death and burial; source: Louisiana death certificate (state file no. 8595) for John Vining; linked youngest son's child-line to his own entry ClarenceJ02.
John Cecil Blue Vining — created entry; promoted from inline child of Daniel Hugh Vining; added wife and daughter.
John Henry Vining — added wife Verna Belle (Dyke) Vining's full life dates (17 July 1927 – 29 January 2025), parents (John Dyke and Margaret Sikkema), birthplace and death place; added marriage date (11 January 1947, Clinton, Iowa); noted daughter Deborah's second marriage to Robert Thies and her death predeceasing her mother; added son John's wife Sheila; source: Verna's obituary at Lensing Funeral Home.
John Keith Vining — added Eva (Hromick) Vining's parents (Peter Hromick and Polly Stupnikoff), birth place (Marcelin, Saskatchewan, Canada), and death (17 September 2025, Heather's House Hospice, Fargo, North Dakota); noted son-in-law Steve Malakowsky as deceased; source: obituary of Eva Vining.
John Wesley Vining — added nickname “Ancilla” for Ratna Surjadi; contributed by John Wesley Vining.
Keith Burchim Vining — corrected mother's surname.
Keith Edward Vining — added birth place, death, and spouse; noted both daughters' marriages; source: obituary of Keith Edward Vining.
Kevin Brian Vining — corrected mother's surname.
Kyle Vining — created entry; source: obituary of mother Wanda Headley Vining.
Leonard John Vining — added Louise Chatfield's middle name Newcomb; added death date (19 June 2024) and birth place (Liberty, New York) to Leonard John Vining Jr.'s child line; source: obituary of Leonard John Vining Jr.
Leonard John Jr. Vining — added birth place (Liberty, New York), death date (19 June 2024); added middle names for children Louise Ann and Lowell Edward; noted Jill Zieber as deceased; source: obituary.
Lorenzo Devaro Vining — marked birth place uncertain.
Melvin J. Vinning — created entry from Melvin's obituary.
Mike Lee Vining — added daughter Dorothy's birth, marriage, and death from her obituary; added first names for daughters Joy and Mary.
Nathan Felix Vining — created entry; added marriage to Mary Ethel and children Wanda Diane (b. 1952, d. 2026, m. [...] Holloman), Rhonda (m. Jim Yearwood), and Jerry; source: obituary of Wanda Diane Vining Holloman.
Noah Vining — added burial for wife Mary Leavitt (Stoddard) Vining.
Olen Marshall Vining — resolved uncertain birth place per 1920, 1930, and 1940 censuses.
Oliver Vining — resolved uncertain birth place per 1920 census.
Orpha M. Vining — added documentation for Orpha's life 1880-1952 (censuses, marriage record, NY State Death Index, gravestone); restructured marriage to David Frayer (23 September 1901, Meredith, NY); added daughter Cora Frayer; added David's parents and Greene County origins; narrowed David's death window to 1915-1920 from the 1920 census; added burial location Ashland, Greene County, NY.
Peter S. Vining — added full birth date (day and month); fixed broken parent link to James Washington Vining.
Ralph Spellman Vining — removed duplicate speculative "R[ene?] Vining" child entry (same person as Ronald, whose middle name is now confirmed as Rene); enriched Ronald Rene's child line with birth place, marriage date/place, death date, and burial; corrected spouse surname to Baylis; source: obituary of Ronald Rene Vining.
Reginald W. Vining — promoted son Douglas Robert Vining to his own entry; added his marriage to Dolores J. Britten.
Ricky Michael Vining — added death date; contributed by his niece Sarah (Vining) Fournier.
Robert Vining — created entry; added wife Annie and ten children; source: 1920 U.S. census of Bartow, Jefferson County, Georgia (household recorded under surname 'Vinnig'/'Virnig').
Robert Lucius Vining — added birthplace, marriage date and place, spouse Evelyn's father and birth/death/residence details, son David's birthplace; corrected death date and specified place of death; attached 1932 Lewisburg Journal marriage announcement, 1950 US Census, and 1996 Lancaster New Era obituary as sources.
Robert Matthew Vining — created entry; added wife Maggie B. and children; sources: obituary of Annie Estella Vining; 1920 and 1940 U.S. censuses.
Rodney Bertrand Vining — added wife Meredith Elaine Sprague Vining's death (18 February 2025, Wilton, Maine) and planned burial at Lakeview Cemetery; added daughter Cathy's husband's first name (Rich); source: Meredith's obituary at Wiles Remembrance Center.
Ronald Rene Vining — added middle name Rene; added birth place (Kalamazoo, Michigan), death date (17 November 2023), and burial (Fort Custer National Cemetery); added marriage date/place (24 June 1961, Ionia, Michigan); corrected spouse surname to Baylis; added daughters' husbands Jeffrey Ball and Anthony Gettig; source: obituary.
Ronald Winston Vining — added death dates for sons Bobby Leigh and Ricky Michael; contributed by Sarah (Vining) Fournier.
Roswell S. Vining — corrected son Robert Lucius's death date and added his birthplace; from his 1996 Lancaster New Era obituary.
Russell Dale Vining — added documentation for Russell's life 1900-1930 (federal censuses and 1918 WWI draft card); added probable birth place (Windham, NY); inferred marriage to Flossie Leah Turk as ca. 1923 and Flossie's birth as ca. 1905 from the 1930 census.
Samuel E. Vining — corrected birth date of 2nd wife Harriet A. Booth from the previously listed (unsourced) “20 February 1855 or 1856” to 3 August 1853 (Southwick, Massachusetts confirmed) based on her appearance as “Hattie A. Booth” age 11 in the 1865 Massachusetts state census; added that census image to the documentation. Noted that her parents and brother (Charles Collins Booth) are buried at Southwick Cemetery; contributed by Lynn.
Scott Osborn Vining — added spouse Lillian's father, identified via brother Robert Lucius's 1932 marriage announcement (Lewisburg Journal) which confirmed the two spouses as sisters.
Shadrack Vining — identified parent — son of Jehu S. Vining (b. 1816, Jefferson County GA; matches Jehu's child line and the 1850/1860 censuses).
Sterling Vining — removed Ronald Vining and Gary Vining from Sterling's children list; per Blake D. K. Vining's earlier contribution they are sons of Donald Earl Vining (Sterling's son), not of Sterling directly.
Theron Nash Vining — added daughter Geraldine (Vining) Irby's death and burial info and her husband's full name; added spouses for brothers Lavelle, Huey, Larry, and Jimmy; source: Geraldine's obituary at Legacy.com.
Thomas Vining — corrected birth place to match parent entry and the 1900, 1910, and 1920 censuses.
Thomas Cleburne Jr. Vining — added Helmut Stepp marriage date (August 2017) for Angela, and noted alternate spelling Leckie for Kenny Beckie's surname; contributed by John Wesley Vining.
Thomas Ebenezer Vining — expanded son Donald's name, birth, and death details, and linked to his entry; source: obituary of Donald Dent Vining Sr.
Virgil Vernon Vining — created entry; promoted from inline child of Harry R. Vining; added marriage to Elberta Dale on 10 March 1946 (source: Elberta's memoir *Life Goes On*); noted POW service in Japan during World War II; added son Daniel's middle name and promoted him to his own entry.
Walter Ray Vining — corrected daughter-in-law's surname; added son David's death and burial.
William Francis Vining — created entry; promoted from inline child of Elbridge Winfield Vining; added wife Carolyn's full name, life dates, and parents from her obituary.
William George Vining — created entry from William's obituary.
Willis W. Vining — added wife Rittia's maiden name (Morse) and promoted son Frank Louis “F.L.” Vining to his own entry (with marriages to Helaine Hutchinson Fossier and Betty Louise Brunner); sources: obituary of Frank's son Frank “Dwayne” Vining Sr. (March 2023) and obituary of Frank's second wife Betty Louise Brunner Vining (October 2025).
Woodzay Joseph Vining — added stepdaughter Susan David and her husband Raymond Quibedeaux; contributed by Tina Comeaux.
April 2026

The Vining Family Association welcomes Christine Hood as our newest annual member. Welcome, Christine!

The Vining Family Association welcomes Kathleen Shoaf Frey, of Fruit Heights, Utah, as our newest life-time member. Welcome, Kathleen!

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of a member of the Vining family:

The Vining Family Association extends its deepest condolences to his family and friends.

We've made the following updates to the online genealogy this month:

Billy Coleman Vining — added birth date (22 Oct 1929), death (15 Aug 2025, Little Rock AR), burial, confirmed marriage date (24 Dec 1950), added second marriage to Carolyn Davis, Polly Ann noted as died in infancy, added spouse Tamara for Lon; source: obituary of Billy Coleman Vining Sr.
Clayton Merle Vining — noted Bruce and Deborah predeceased Betty; fixed children's marriage field bug; source: obituary of Betty Elaine Hubbard Vining.
Daniel Rutledge Vining — identified mother's maiden name as McClanahan, son George's full name as George Joseph Vining III, and George's wife as Alice W.; source: obituary of Daniel Rutledge Vining Jr. in The Retrospect, 21 April 2026.
Daniel Rutledge Jr. Vining — added death, wife, and children; source: obituary in The Retrospect, 21 April 2026.
Donald Dent Sr. Vining — added marriage year 1994 for Kathy Vining and Herb DeLone; source: obituary of Kathy Vining DeLone.
Eugene F. Vining — added John Eric's birth place (Willshire, OH), death (6 Sep 2025, Ohio City OH), marriage to Teresa Nave (12 Aug 1978, Huntington IN), and link to new entry JohnE04; source: obituary of John Eric Vining.
Fred N. Vining — added siblings Patricia Hudson, Freda Flamm, and Shirlene Fletcher (deceased); fixed marriage field bug; source: obituary of Virginia Vining Miles.
Howard Herman Vining — added Augusta's maiden name Gaetke; source: Findagrave record, contributed by Jean Vining Springer.
John Eric Vining — created entry; source: obituary of John Eric Vining.
Neil Carroll Vining — added Erik Vining (b. 23 April 2009, Ft. Stewart, GA), son of Neil and Suzanne; added Devyn's marriage to Alex Adcock (2023); source: Erik Vining.
Thomas Ebenezer Vining — fixed date→spouse bug for Ruth/Donald child marriages; marked Ruth Young and Donald Vining as predeceased (before 15 Aug 2025); updated Billy's marriage date to 24 Dec 1950 and added his death; source: obituary of Billy Coleman Vining Sr.
February 2026

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of members of the Vining family:

The Vining Family Association extends its deepest condolences to their families and friends.

Vinings in the News: Mike Vining, a decorated military veteran, was featured in an interview, which you can watch here.
January 2026

The Vining Family Association wishes Thomas "Tom" Vining, founder of the Vining Family Association, a very Happy Birthday and all the best in the New Year.

December 2025

The Vining Family Association wishes everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year!

November 2025

The Vining Family Association wishes everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.

September 2025

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of the following members of the Vining family:

The Vining Family Association extends its deepest condolences to their families and friends.
August 2025

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of two members of the Vining family:

The Vining Family Association extends its deepest condolences to their families and friends.
April 2025

The Vining Family Association welcomes Austin Nolen as our newest life-time member. Welcome, Austin!

December 2024

The Vining Family Association wishes you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a very Happy New Year!

January 2024

We'd like to welcome John Milton Vining as our newest lifetime member. Welcome, John!

The Vining Family Association is looking for a volunteer Genealogist who would be interested in validating research and updating the site. They would work directly with the webmaster and do not need any technical training. If you're interested, please email info@vining-family.org.

October 2023

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Nancy Viniing Startin, age 90. Nancy was a life member of the Vining Family Association and mother to Tammy Nolen, VFA Board of Directors. Nancy will be greatly missed. The Vining Family Association extends it deepest condolences to Tammy and family.

May 2023

The Vining Family Association wishes a very Happy 90th Birthday to VFA Life Member, Nancy Vining Startin. Congratulations, Nancy, on this amazing milestone!

January 2023

Welcome to our newest Life Member:

The Vining Family Association welcomes Charlotte M. Vining, of Flower Mound, Texas, as a life member. She is a new Member at Large, replacing John Vining who is the Website Manager.

September 2022

Congratulations — Congratulations to John Vining, Website Manager of the Vining Family Association, and Clare Moran, on the birth of their daughter, Nell Moran Vining, on September 5, 2022!

August 2022

Vining Essay Contest — The Vining Family Association announces an essay contest. The contest is open to anyone who is interested in writing a 1,500 maximum word essay on a Vining. The essay may be about a Vining of the writer’s choice and may be expository, narrative or descriptive in nature. The winning essayist will receive an Ancestry DNA Kit and have their essay published in the Vining Family Association’s Newsletter.
Entries may be emailed to Judi A. Vining at judi.vining@aol.com.

February 2022

Weymouth, MA 400th Anniversary — Congratulations and best wishes to Weymouth, Massachusetts, on its 400th anniversary (1622–2022) - Vining Family Association

December 2021

Tom Vining's retirement — VFA Member John Vining is now the Website Manager for the Vining Family Association.
Thomas F. Vining, creator and Website Manager of the Vining Family Association has retired. Tom did an amazing job maintaining the website and researching genealogy when requested. Tom helped many people discover their roots and ancestors. We wish Tom well in his retirement.

March 2021

Welcome to our newest Life Member — We welcome Elizabeth “Libby” (Vining) Hanifin (Ocean Ridge, Florida) as a Life Member of the Vining Family Association.

Manget Clifford Vining — information sought — The Vining Family Association received the following request via e-mail:
I’m trying to locate any information members may have about Manget Clifford Vining (1916–1994), particularly any information relating to his service during WW2 where I believe he was posted to the UK, at least during the early part of 1944. I’d love to know what regiment he served in. I applied to the National Personnel Records Center in St Louis over a year ago but what with covid I don’t see that yielding any results anytime soon. I’d also love to locate a picture of him if anyone has one.
Any thoughts or help you can offer will be gratefully welcomed. With thanks and best wishes, Stephen (stephenrose@btinternet.com)

February 2021

Harold Rowe “Hal” Holbrook (17 February 1925 – 23 January 2021) — Many of you may remember the late actor Hal Holbrook’s portrayal of Mark Twain in his long-running one-man show. When he was a young child, he and two sisters were raised by his paternal grandparents. His paternal grandfather was Allen Vining Holbrook (see 1930 census of South Weymouth, Weymouth, Norfolk County, Massachusetts), whose Vining line through his mother is Lois Bates Vining, Allen Vining, Noah Vining, David Vining, Richard Vining, John Vining, John Vining, John Vining (the immigrant ancestor in that line). —Judi Vining

Vining authors — Vickie Vining has written a book, Life Goes On: The Story of Elberta Loucille Dale Vining. Elberta married Virgil Vining, who appears under his father, Harry Ray Vining, in the online Vining Genealogy. The book tells Elberta’s story, starting with her birth in Chaflin, Kansas, and it contains many photographs and interesting details of her life. It is available on Amazon. —John Vining (editor’s note: Elberta is the grandmother of John Vining, who serves on the Vining Family Association’s Board of Directors, and Vicki is his aunt.)

Thomas F. Vining, website manager for the Vining Family Association and lead author Ruth Gortner Grierson, have published their first book together, Living on the Edge: A Guide to Tide Pool Animals, Seaweeds, and Seaside Plants. This is a guide to the common flora and fauna of the coastal habitats of Mount Desert Island and southern Maine, but it covers species that can be found north and/or south of Maine. A popular columnist for the weekly Mount Desert Islander, Ruth has written a nature column in newspapers for at least 50 years and in her nineties shows no sign of slowing down. Tom holds a graduate degree in botany from the University of Maine, and as a former interpretive ranger at Acadia National Park, shared his love of natural history with visitors to the park. The book is beautifully illustrated with colored photographs and includes delicious recipes from some of the items in the area. Most importantly, Ruth and Tom have raised awareness of the need to preserve the beautiful coastline of Maine for future generations. Available from www.vfthomas.com.

Looking for an interesting historical read? — Check out Penn by Elizabeth Gray Vining, a Quaker from Philadelphia, PA. This book was considered by scholars for many years to be the primary source on Penn’s life. More to follow in the Spring 2021 Newsletter… —Judi Vining

Arthur Vining Davis — If you watch many Public Broadcasting shows, you will find some of them are sponsored by The Arthur Vining Davis Foundation. Mr. Davis died in 1962 as one of the 10 richest men in the US and left his fortune to a couple of foundations. In today’s dollars, it was almost 3.5 billion. If you are like me, you have probably wondered if you are related to Mr. Davis. His mother’s maiden name was Mary Frances Vining, and her father was Samuel Albert Vining. Looking up Samuel shows Vinings in Weymouth, Massachusetts, going back to John Vining in 1662. Unfortunately, Arthur Vining Davis’s family tree does not match mine (at least in the US). However, because of his foundation, more people have learned how to pronounce Vining. How do you explain to folks the proper way to say Vining? —Jim Vining
(editor’s note: Watch for more about Arthur Vining Davis in the Spring 2021 newsletter.)

January 2021

Perhaps some of you remember the research done by Charles Andrew Vining of Florida, who died 10 August 2004. Charles Martin Vining, his oldest child, contacted the Vining Family Association about books and journals that his father had acquired in his research, and he subsequently donated them to the library of the association. The material they contain has been a valuable addition to the online Vining genealogy, and we thank him for his generosity.

During January two individuals have contacted the Vining Family Association with updates for the online Vining genealogy. Thank you for their contributions.

A note from the Web Manager of the online Vining genealogy. No one should be a “son of [?]”, and I am trying to eliminate that designation. On the first day of a month, I focus on those Vinings whose first name begins with A and whose father is unknown to us, and I try to find the missing connection. Then on the second day of a month, I work on the B individuals who are designated as a “son of [?]”. Sometimes I am successful at making a connection, but sometimes when I do, I simply push the unknown connection back one generation. You can help by looking for those who are a “son of [?]” and seeing if you can find the missing link. Be sure to let me know if you do, so I can update the online genealogy. Thanks, Tom.