Person:Ola Rector (1)

OLA ELMER RECTOR was born on September 30, 1889 in Milford Township, Barton County, Missouri.

Ola was a farmer, carpenter, coal miner, and auto mechanic. He owned an automobile repair shop in Milford, Missouri for a time.

The 1900 census shows Ola living with his parents in Milford Township, Barton County Missouri.

Ola married MARIE ANGELINE HARRIS, the daughter of WILLIAM ALBERT HARRIS and MARGARETTE LOUISA HENDRIX, on September 10, 1910 in Lamar, Barton County, Missouri. Ola and Marie were married by Paul Tucker, Judge of Probate.

The 1910 census shows Ola living with his parents in Milford, Milford Township, Barton County, Missouri.

In 1911 Ola was living with his wife in Milford Township, Barton County, Missouri.

Ola became a member of Harmony Baptist Church, Barton County, Missouri on July 22, 1917.

The 1920 census shows Ola living with his family in Doylesport Township, Barton County, Missouri.

The 1930 census shows Ola living with his family in Milford Township, Barton County, Missouri.

Ola enjoyed hunting and fishing. He played the fiddle at barn dances along with John Russell and Delbert Pritchett.

Ola died of a tumor located on the spinal cord on March 2, 1937 in Milford Township, Barton County, Missouri. He is buried in Howell Cemetery, Milford Township, Barton County, Missouri.

1. ↑ Barton County Births 1883 - 1893.
2. ↑ The Lamar Democrat.
3. ↑ Certificate of Death, File No. 11057.
4. ↑ Cemetery Records for Barton County, Missouri, Volume 2
   Page 27.
5. ↑ Schopf and Collins. Barton County Directory
   Page 261, 8 Nov 2007.
6. ↑
   Death Follows Five Years of Suffering From a Disease,
   That was Long, Mysterious and Beyond Solution
   
   Ola Rector 47, who died, Tuesday at his home, on the old Judge Isenhower place, two and a quarter miles northeast of Milford, suffered terrible tortures, from a cancer of the spinal cord in the lumbar or lower region of the spine. Ola as six feet tall, and powerfully built, industrious and successful when his trouble came. He first began to complain of a severe pain in his back. He still looked the picture of health, and went about his work, in spite of his suffering. Friends and neighbors, as the weeks went by began to conclude there wasn't much the matter with Ola. Dr. Claude Duckett, who treated Ola during his long illness, says when his friend first came to see him, complaining of his back, he looked so well and so strong that he didn't really believe there was anything seriously wrong.
   
   As the months went by the pains not only continued in the back, but they ran down the backs of the thighs. Dr. Duckett then for a time thought Ola had sciatic rheumatism. But in time he concluded it was not rheumatism. What it was however, he frankly said, he couldn't tell. Ola went through Dr. Herbert Smith's clinic, at Pittsburg. Dr. Smith was pretty sure he had sciatica. He punctured the sciatic nerves administering a special treatment.
   
   A year and a half after Ola began to suffer, he had to take to his bed. He suffered so much, he ate little. It got to the point he had to have mild sedatives to sleep.
   
   Dr. Duckett had Ola taken finally to the Bell Memorial Hospital. The diagnosticians were absolutely unable to determine the cause of his trouble. He was brought back to suffer for months, then he was taken again to the great Bell Memorial Clinic. The specialists still shook their heads. Finally Dr. Duckett had him taken again, last May, when representatives of the American Medical Association from every state in the Union had gathered. It was during this visit that an examination of the patient's spinal fluid, convinced the doctors that he was suffering from a cancerous growth, in the lower part of the spinal cord. It was then that Dr. Francisco, a noted bone specialist, performed an operation on Ola called stabilizing the spinal column. It consisted of taking a piece of bone from the patient's leg, and grafting it along on the processes in the lumbar region of the spine, where it was apparent the cancer was in the cord. As the bone attached itself to the column, it made this part of it absolutely rigid or stiff, so that as he moved this part of the spine would remain immobile. Before as the column "gave" to the motions of the body, it disturbed the diseased part of the cord. With the bone attached to hold it stable, this did not occur.
   
   For about two months Ola was much easier. He could sleep and he ate quite well. He very perceptibly gained in weight. But the time came, when the malignancy grew on past the "stabilized" area. The terrible pain came back. The cancerous growths began to extend through the bowels. At one point, at least the intestine was stopped up by the growth. In addition to suffering all of the pain, Ola began to vomit. He could hold nothing on his stomach. His only relief was the most powerful opiates. Just before the end, two and quarter grains of morphine were administered every hour. Even this would not produce sleep. It had to be accompanied by another powerful lethal drug. He was emaciated to skin and bone. All that he suffered, during the long period of his affliction, no man can conceive. His wife, ever at his side, saw all of this anguish. It was an experience that made death a thrice blessed relief.
   
   The body was taken to the Beeny Mortuary to be prepared for burial. Funeral services, conducted by Geo. Beeny, were held at the Milford Christian Church, at 2 o'clock, Wednesday afternoon, with interment in Howell Cemetery.
   
   Before her marriage to Ola, in 1910, Mrs. Rector was Miss Anna Harris. Ola leaves her with four sons, Orville, who is married, lives at Nevada; Loren, who has a position in Nevada; Cecil 18, and Leon eight, both at home.
7. ↑ 1900 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com. 1900 U.S. Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004. Original data: United States. 1900 United States Federal Census. T623, 1854 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. Barton, Missouri, ED 23, roll T623 838, page 7B.
8. ↑ 1910 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004. Indexed by ProQuest from microfilmed schedules of the 1910 U.S. Federal Decennial Census. Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. 1910 Federal Population Census. T624, 1,784 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. Milford Twp, Barton, Missouri, ED 26, roll 768, part 1, page 13A.
9. ↑ The World War I Draft Registration Card shows Ola Elmer Rector was 27 years old. He was living at RFD 1, Milford, Missouri. His birthday was September 30, 1889. He was a natural born citizen. He was born in Milford, Missouri. He was a farmer. He was employed in Newport Township, Missouri He was married and had two children. He was described as being tall, medium build, dark grey eyes, black hair, and had the lost of four fingers on his right hand.
   
   Ancestry.com. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-18 [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2002. National Archives and Records Administration. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. M1509, 4,277 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
   Roll 1683091, DraftBoard 0.
10. ↑ 1920 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2005. Indexed by Ancestry.com from microfilmed schedules of the 1920 U.S. Federal Decennial Census. Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration.1920 Federal Population Census. T625, 2,076 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C. Doylesport, Barton, Missouri, ED , roll , page , image 832.
11. ↑ 1930 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census. [database on-line] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2002. Indexed by Ancestry.com from microfilmed schedules of the 1930 U.S. Federal Decennial Census.1930 United States Federal Census. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2001. Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. 1930 Federal Population Census. T626, 2,667 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. Milford, Barton, Missouri, ED 10, roll 1175, page 3B, image 956.0.