Corene Belew (#271) August 10, 1937, daughter of William Belew and Ivy Shelton.(2) She was born Abt. 1917, and died March 15, 1943. Between 1925-1935 William Denise Belew(TN, 1886-1959) moved his family from Lawrence County, Tn., to New Madrid County, Mo. and Iva Shelton Belew (AL, 1894-1969), sharecroppers, with 3 of their children. Daughter Corene married John Littrell’s son Noble. Like Grandpa John they were in New Madrid County in 1935 Remember, Kizzie’s grandmother was a Belew also. The two families were county neighbors in Tennessee before 1935, New Madrid County, Mo., (LA Forge) in 1935, and then Mississippi County, Mo., in 1940.
Noble and Corene got married in 1937 in Charleston, Mo. She already had a child at the time, Billy Belew(?). Billy must have been born earlier in 1937 for him to be 5 years old in 1943. But where was he on the 1940 census where Noble and Corene are living with Noble’s parents, John & Kizzie?
Seven households away from John and Kizzie, on the 1940 census, is Corene’s parents and siblings… and Billy. On the census he is listed as Billy Harold Belew, son of W.D. and Ivy (Iva Shelton) Belew. Obviously he was WDs grandson, not son. His age is consistent with an early 1937 birth.
Corene was ill for a long time with TB. She died from complications from TB and alcoholism. Rex says he believes that Ivy adopted Billy(William Harold) and raised him. Rex says that Ivy wanted to raise Billy because she didn't have any sons. Noble married Azilee in September 1943 in Georgia. Noble, Azilee, and Rex moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee soon after.
Ivy Belew raised Billy as her own to the grave. Her 1969 obituary list as a surviving son, Bill Belew of Hampton, Virginia. On the other hand, her daughter Mary Juanell "Jill" (Belew) Johnson’s obituary, list Billy Belew of Hampton, Virginia as a surviving nephew along with Rex. Mary Juanell’s obituary was in 2005.
sources: Penny Chapek, Nancy Littrell, and the Missourian 3-9-1943.
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