Dale, tall, dark wavy hair, brown eyes and the son of a preacher man, met Ruth, very attractive, blue eyes, beautiful smile and the stepdaughter of a farmer. It was love at first sight. He had brought his mother, Minnie to the farm to buy milk. Ruth was ironing and her mother Bertha told her to wash her face and comb her hair because the preacher’s wife and son had come. She told her mother, she really didn’t care, she wasn’t wanting to impress anyone. So the story goes and the following December, they announced their engagement. On 26 June l937 they were married in the Kuhntown Methodist Church. Dale’s father Rev. Watts solemnized a large wedding with several attendants, who had made their own gowns and bouquets.

Thomas Dale Watts was born 18 April l914, the first son of Glenn Dale and Minnie Jane Thomas Watts. In his early childhood, he had Infantile Paralysis (known now as Polio). They had been told he would never walk again, but with the love, prayers and support of Minnie’s family, he did walk and in his youth was able to play baseball. He was a good pitcher. His siblings were George Dallas, Donald Eugene and Robert Charles. A sister Betty Jean died in infancy. Paternal grandparents were George Lee and Lillian Davis Watts, from Fairmont WV George and Harriet Ashby Thomas were his maternal grandparents and Mannington WV was their home.

Ruth Aldene Hughes Watts was born 16 January l9l8 at home in Brave, Pa. Her father was Richard Allen Hughes, son of Franklin and Keziah Conner Hughes and her mother was Bertha Ellen Kiger Hughes. Ruth’s father Richard died of tuberculosis when Ruth was two months old. She was raised by her mother in the home of her grandparents Josephas and Mary Ann Kughn Kiger in Kuhntown. Her grandfather owned the store and the big house beside the store (which was their home) was operating as a hotel for travelers and hucksters. When Ruth was ten years old, her mother Bertha married Simon Siegel Hoy. Two years later, on Ruth’s twelfth birthday, a baby brother Simon Stanley was born. Ruth was thrilled because she had prayed so many years for a baby brother and would get very upset with Dr. Steele because he didn’t bring a little baby in his little black satchel to her house. God answered her prayers. Ruth was very smart, always made A’s. Her family couldn’t afford for her to go to college, but Dale entered her life and from then on thoughts were on marriage. She and Dale had one daughter, Marilyn Elaine born 7 April l938. Marilyn married Samuel Jack Kerr, whom they loved as a son. Marilyn and Jack gave them two beautiful grandchildren, Jeffery Jack (m. Lillian Loeffler) and Holly Lynn (m. Louis Renda). Ruth passed away on 30 January l987 in Monongahela. A great granddaughter, Amanda Ruth was born one month later. Then in June another great granddaughter was born, Jennifer Lynn. Two great grandsons were born Matthew Dale Kerr (1988) and Joseph Kerr Renda (1989).

Ruth owned and operated the Kuhntown General Store in the l950’s. In the l970’s she clerked at Miller’s Department Store in Charleroi.

Dale passed away 28 December l987. Dale was a carpenter. He built the home that he shared with Ruth and Marilyn in Kuhntown. It was a gray bungalow with a red front door. His family helped in building this home. His father, brothers and uncle all come to help and a happy family time it was.

Compiled by their daughter, Marilyn, 2005.