Vining Newsletter Archive

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.

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

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.

Benjamin John Vining — corrected death date from 23 December 2020 to 22 December 2020.

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 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).

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).

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).

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”.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 D. 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.

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.)