Repass Family History & Genealogy

My Mother Katherine Adeline Pounds Repass was born in Knoxville, TN on Aug 26, 1917. Her parents names are unknown because her father apparently died c. 1918 from the Spanish Influenza pandemic leaving behind her mother and older brother John Emmett Pounds b. 1915? Unable to care for her children and meeting another man whom she wanted to marry, she abandoned her two children at a home for orphaned babies on Woodbine Avenue, Knoxville, TN c. 1918-19. She left them both on the porch of the orphanage with a note explaining why she was abandoning them. The note also included birth records and family history. Their family had apparently migrated to America from England, UK. A few years later there was a tragic fire at the "baby" home as it was known. All records were destroyed and only word of mouth recollections of each child were documented. She and her brother became wards of Knox County Tennessee and were transferred to Knox County Industrial Home and School, later renamed John Tarelton Institute. My mother and her sibling remained there until my uncle John Emmett Pounds was adopted leaving my mother behind. He visited several times and around age 16 or so his visits stopped. He wrote my mother and told her he was running away because he was being abused by the "Walker?" family that adopted him. He said they merely wanted him to work on their farm and showed no love towards him. My mother received a picture of him (which I still have) and never heard from him again. A matron at John Tarelton Homes told my mother the family that adopted Emmett, as he was known, said he left with the "Ringling Bros. circus when it came through town. This would have been in the early 1930's. No one wanted to adopt my mother because she had severe asthma and was very sickly. She went on to reside at John Tarelton Homes until her 21st birthday at which time she had to leave on Aug 26, 1938. She was hired by The Sisters of Mercy of Cincinatti to work at their new Knoxville hospital, St. Mary's (1930-2018.) She also cared for retired nuns at the nursing home called Villa Marie on Central Avenue Pike in the Inskip area of Knoxville providing them with general nursing assistant care. She was approached by The Right Reverend Mother Mary Annunciata about conversion into the Catholic faith and becoming a noviciate. After telling them she did not wish to do this, she was asked to leave. She went on to find a job as a seamstress at several Knoxville cotton mills, finally settling in at Standard Knitting Mills on Washington Ave. @ Mitchell St. where she worked making Healthknit underwear for men. Unbeknownst to her about a dozen members of my father's family worked there in some capacity including my father's uncle (my great-uncle) Sidney I. Hankins, Sr. who was President and Superintendent of the mill. My mother met and roomed with a lady named Jess Kerr Loveday, who turned out to be the sister of Rhea Kerr Hankins, who was the wife of William Deadrick Hankins, who was the brother of Sidney I. Hankins. Both gentlemen were uncles to my father Walter Howard Repass who was the fourth son of their sister Lillie Jane Hankins Repass, my grandmother. In 1953, after a divorce from his first wife, my father was visiting his Uncle Deadrick and Aunt Rhea at their home on Luttrell. St. In Knoxville's 4th & Gill neighborhood. My mother was helping my great-Aunt Rhea wax her kitchen floor when my father arrived. She had met them through Rhea's sister Jess who roomed with my mother. Mom was 35 and very single at the time. My father obviously noticed the thinly built, blonde lady working very hard on the kitchen floor. She had (caught his eye, so to speak.) He asked who she was and great-Aunt Rhea said, " Oh, that's just Adeline. She lives across the street with my sister Jess and works at the Standard Mills." That was the beginning of a great romance. Within a few months, on August 1, 1953, my mother Adeline Pounds became Mrs. Walter H. Repass. I came along as their only child on October 12, 1955. (Dad had a daughter Phyllis from his first marriage.) The rest is history. Their marriage lasted until my father's death from complications of a cerebral hemorrhage on November 5, 1989. My mother, Adeline followed him to the grave on June 11, 1996 from C.O.P.D. Her years of asthma, pneumonia, and second-hand smoke severly damaged her lungs even though she never smoked. I am Walter Deaderick Repass. Yes, I am named for my father Walter and my great-uncle Deadrick. I have an "e" in my Deaderick that was put in my birth certificate by none other than Rev. Sister Annunciata who was Administrator of St. Mary's Hospital where I was born. She personally signed my birth certificate for her friend Katherine Adeline Pounds Repass.

Jennie M Repass was born in 1863. She was in a relationship with James Edward Canavan, and had a child Helen Pieraccini. Jennie Repass died at age 57 years old in 1920. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jennie M. Repass.

Walter Howard Repass was born on February 25, 1906, and died at age 83 years old on November 5, 1989. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Walter Howard Repass.

Robert Repass of Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana was born on March 30, 1912, and died at age 73 years old in May 1985.

Robert W Repass of Wethersfield, Hartford County, CT was born on November 6, 1917, and died at age 88 years old on January 17, 2006.

Minnie Repass of Birmingham, Jefferson County, AL was born on September 20, 1886, and died at age 90 years old in November 1976.

Karen T Repass was born on April 13, 1954, and died at age 39 years old on June 16, 1993. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Karen T Repass.

Robert A Repass of Christiansburg, Montgomery County, VA was born on August 30, 1951, and died at age 59 years old on March 3, 2011.

Beatrice Repass of East Hartford, Hartford County, CT was born on July 16, 1927, and died at age 67 years old in May 1995.

Sarah Repass of Groton, New London County, CT was born on May 1, 1890, and died at age 93 years old in May 1983.

Joyce C Repass was born on December 13, 1932, and died at age 61 years old on February 18, 1994. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Joyce C Repass.

John S Repass of East Hartford, Hartford County, CT was born on October 21, 1924, and died at age 77 years old on November 10, 2001.

Jeffrey D Repass was born on April 15, 1962, and died at age 48 years old on November 21, 2010. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jeffrey D Repass.

Sandra Repass was born on December 9, 1945, and died at age 28 years old in August 1974. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Sandra Repass.

Eva Repass of Columbia, Tyrrell County, NC was born on September 15, 1907, and died at age 77 years old in September 1984.

Samuel H Repass was born on January 28, 1965, and died at age 39 years old on November 6, 2004. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Samuel H Repass.

Clyde R Repass of Chilhowie, Smyth County, VA was born on July 27, 1933, and died at age 55 years old on June 6, 1989.

James E Repass of Skaneateles Falls, Onondaga County, NY was born on March 27, 1932, and died at age 73 years old on September 21, 2005.

Francis Repass was born on October 17, 1943, and died at age 57 years old on December 20, 2000. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Francis Repass.

Frank Repass was born on September 9, 1914, and died at age 62 years old in January 1977. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Frank Repass.