Lena and Grant

Grant, Lena, and one of her prize chickens
(collection of Thurman McGinnis).

Following their marriage (see post of 20 Dec 2015), Lena Clouse and Grant Tapscott lived in Clark and Edgar counties, where Grant worked as a farmhand and Lena produced prize chickens and children, eventually fourteen (children not chickens)—Mabel (1904-1904), Ray Arthur (21 Nov 1905-4 Jul 1962), Edith Irene (8 Feb 1909-15 Jan 1989), Floyd Lloyd (6 Jan 1911-9 May 1977), Stella Mildred (15 Mar 1913-23 Feb 1985), Esther May (25 Jan 1915- 9 Jun 1929), Bertha Jane (29 Mar 1917- 20 Feb 2008), Clifford Allen (15 Apr 1919-8 May 1920), Carroll Don (1 Nov 1921-4 Mar 1922), Mary Jean (29 Aug 1923-2 Jun 2009), Wilma Norene (28 Jan 1925- 14 Nov 2006), Wilbert Dean (28 Jan 1925-11 Dec 1926), Charles Frederick (28 Jun 1926-26 Jul 1984). And finally there was the fourteenth child, an unnamed boy, who was stillborn 21 Jun 1928 in Buck Twp, Edgar County, the same day that Lena passed away from shock due to childbirth. Fourteen children were just too many.

Lena left behind seven living children, still in their teens or younger. Family members say that Grant went to pieces and farmed the children out. But if so, they were all back together by 1930, living in Danville, Illinois.

Marker in Marshall Cemetery (2014).

By 1955 Grant was married again, to Helen (sometimes "Ellen") Jenkins. “Jenkins” was probably Helen’s name from an earlier marriage since she had a son Harold Jenkins. According to a family member, Grant and Helen lived together in Danville in what appeared to be extreme poverty, at least part of the time residing in a shack with no indoor plumbing. Grant died 22 Jan 1961 and is interred with Lena in the Marshall, Illinois, cemetery.

I need help. Can anyone tell me anything about Grant Tapscott’s second wife, Helen? Leave comments.