Matilda Florence "May" Forinash
1875 - 1944 (68 years)-
Name Matilda Florence "May" Forinash Nickname May Birth 1 Sep 1875 Braxton Co., WV 
[1, 2] Gender Female Census 8 Jun 1900 Holly District, Braxton Co., WV [3] 1900 - Head of household was Robert Lewis, farmer, born Apr 1877 in West Virginia, parents born in West Virginia. Matilda L., his wife, was born Sep 1877 in West Virginia, parents born in West Virginia. They had been married for 1 year, Matilda had bore two children, both living. Also in the household was their daughter, Rosa B. Lewis, born Mar 1900 in West Virginia, and Matilda's son from her previous marriage, William I. Blagg, born Apr 1895 in West Virginia.
Occupation 1920 Richwood, Nicholas Co., WV [4] washerwoman Residence 1920 Richwood, Nicholas Co., WV [4] Riverside Drive Find A Grave Link https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40386121 Find A Grave Memorial 40386121 Death 14 Mar 1944 Summersville, Nicholas Co., WV [1, 2] Cause: undetermined, found dead in bed Burial 18 Mar 1944 Blacks Chapel Cemetery, Camden-On-Gauley, Webster Co., WV [1, 5] Person ID I19618 Meadow Bluff Meanderings Last Modified 7 Nov 2025
Father William Dexter Forinash, b. 25 Nov 1848, Lewis Co., VA d. 24 Oct 1890, Braxton Co., WV (Age 41 years) Mother Cyntha Jane Hardman, b. 26 Mar 1848, Lewis Co., VA d. 19 May 1934, Sutton, Braxton Co., WV (Age 86 years) Marriage 11 Mar 1868 Braxton Co., WV [6] - Married by George J. Marsh. [6]
Family ID F1672 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 Carydon Hook "Carry" Blagg, b. 21 Jan 1870, Chapel, Braxton Co., WV d. 30 Jul 1952, Hettie, Braxton Co., WV (Age 82 years) Marriage 3 Jul 1894 Newville, Braxton Co., WV [7] - Married by U. W. Morrison, a minister of the M. P. Church, at the home of Synthia J. Forinash.
Children 1. William Ivy "Bill" Blagg, Sr., b. 18 Apr 1895, Newville, Braxton Co., WV d. 11 Jan 1989, Hinton, Summers Co., WV (Age 93 years)Family ID F8277 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 7 Nov 2025
Family 2 C. Robert Lewis, b. Apr 1877, Webster Co., WV d. Abt 1917 (Age 39 years) Marriage 21 May 1899 Newville, Braxton Co., WV [8] - Married by Thomas Jackson, a minister of the gospel, at the bride's residence. Information on the bride and groom was provided by John B. Morrison. [8]
Children 1. Rosa Bell "Rosie" Lewis, b. 18 Mar 1900, Braxton Co., WV d. 27 Nov 1976, Winchester, VA (Age 76 years)2. French Lee Lewis, b. 19 May 1901, Braxton Co., WV d. 22 Mar 1965, Richmond Heights, Cuyahoga Co., OH (Age 63 years)3. Gladis Burl Lewis, b. 2 Jul 1903, Braxton Co., WV d. 6 Apr 1990, Summersville, Nicholas Co., WV (Age 86 years)4. Dovie Pearl Lewis, b. 25 Dec 1906, Braxton Co., WV d. 23 Sep 1988, Weirton, Hancock Co., WV (Age 81 years)5. Orville Dexter Lewis, Sr., b. 9 Feb 1908, Herold, Braxton Co., WV d. 5 Oct 1981, Summersville, Nicholas Co., WV (Age 73 years)6. Opal May Lewis, b. 7 Apr 1912, Herold, Braxton Co., WV d. 7 May 1912, Herold, Braxton Co., WV (Age 0 years)7. Bertha Ellen "Bertie" Lewis, b. 7 Jun 1913, Widen, Clay Co., WV d. 28 Jan 2004, Ravenna, Portage Co., OH (Age 90 years)8. Delbert Wallace Lewis, Sr., b. 26 Aug 1916, Clay Co., WV d. 28 Oct 1982, Summersville, Nicholas Co., WV (Age 66 years)Family ID F8300 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 10 Sep 2025
Family 3 John Adams "Adam" Hart, b. 9 Mar 1873, Gad, Nicholas Co., WV d. 26 Jan 1961, Warren, Trumbull Co., OH (Age 87 years) Marriage 14 Dec 1935 Summersville, Nicholas Co., WV [9] - Married by O. E. Elkins, a minister of the gospel.
Divorce Bef 1941 Family ID F14457 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 4 Jul 2010
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Event Map 
Marriage - 3 Jul 1894 - Newville, Braxton Co., WV 
Marriage - 21 May 1899 - Newville, Braxton Co., WV 
Occupation - washerwoman - 1920 - Richwood, Nicholas Co., WV Residence - Riverside Drive - 1920 - Richwood, Nicholas Co., WV 
Marriage - 14 Dec 1935 - Summersville, Nicholas Co., WV Death - Cause: undetermined, found dead in bed - 14 Mar 1944 - Summersville, Nicholas Co., WV = Link to Google Earth
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Photos forinash-matilda.jpg
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Notes - 1920 Nicholas Co, WV Census
Richwood Township
28/302/324 Lewis, Matilda Head 40 Washerwoman?
Frinchey Son 17
Orval Son ??
Dovie Dau 16
Birdie Dau 7
Delbert Son 4
The Nicholas Chronicle, Summersville, WV, Vol. LXII, No. 47, Thursday, 23 March 1944
MRS. LEWIS FOUND DEAD IN BED
Mrs. May Lewis, 64, was found dead in the bed at her home on last Thursday. An inquest was held before Squire M. J. Maloney, acting as coroner. The verdict of the jury was that she came to her death by natural causes. She had been dead about 48 hours.
Several children and grand children survive.
Interment was made at Blacks Chapel with the Simmons Mortuary in charge.
- 1920 Nicholas Co, WV Census
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Sources - [S1384] West Virginia State Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, WV State Department of Health Death Certificate, (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/ :2009.), death certificate 3698 (1944), May Florance Lewis, accessed 7 Nov 2025. (Reliability: 3).
- [S1340] West Virginia. Nicholas County., Nicholas Co., WV Death Register, (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/ :2009.), Book 3, L, line 33, May Florence Lewis, accessed 7 Nov 2025. (Reliability: 3).
- [S1406] West Virginia, Braxton County, FCR: Braxton Co., WV 1900, (http://www.ancestry.com: National Archives and Records Administration, 2004), T623, roll 1756, Holly District, enumeration district (ED) 3, sheet 4A, p. 42, dwelling 58, family 59, Matilda L. Lewis, accessed 10 Sep 2025 (Reliability: 3).
- [S1374] West Virginia, Nicholas County, FCR: Nicholas Co., WV 1920, (http://www.ancestry.com: National Archives and Records Administration, 2010), 11 Jun 2010, T625, Richwood, enumeration district (ED) 3, sheet 17B, p. 17, dwelling 302, family 324, Matilda Lewis, accessed 11 Jun 2010 (Reliability: 3).
- [S2511] West Virginia. Summersville., The Nicholas Chronicle (Summersville, WV - Microfilm), "MRS. LEWIS FOUND DEAD IN BED," 23 Mar 1944. (Reliability: 3).
- [S1256] West Virginia. Braxton County., Braxton Co., WV Marriage Register, (Digital images. West Virginia Division of Culture and History, West Virginia Vital Research Records. http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/ : 2009.), marriage register, 1: 6, line 13, Forinash-Hardman, 1868; accessed 20 Jun 2010. (Reliability: 3).
- [S1256] West Virginia. Braxton County., Braxton Co., WV Marriage Register, (Digital images. West Virginia Division of Culture and History, West Virginia Vital Research Records. http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/ : 2009.), marriage register, 2: 398, Blagg-Forinash, 1894; accessed 8 Jun 2010. (Reliability: 3).
- [S1256] West Virginia. Braxton County., Braxton Co., WV Marriage Register, (Digital images. West Virginia Division of Culture and History, West Virginia Vital Research Records. http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/ : 2009.), 21 Jun 2010, marraige register, 4: 125, Lewis-Forinash, 1899; accessed 21 Jun 2010. (Reliability: 3).
- [S1307] West Virginia. Nicholas County., Nicholas Co., WV Marriage Register, (Digital images. West Virginia Division of Culture and History, West Virginia Vital Research Records. http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/ : 2010.), marriage register p. 476, Hart-Lewis, 1935; accessed 4 Jul 2010. (Reliability: 3).
- [S1384] West Virginia State Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, WV State Department of Health Death Certificate, (http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/ :2009.), death certificate 3698 (1944), May Florance Lewis, accessed 7 Nov 2025. (Reliability: 3).