KS Mary Henley, 25, Wichita, June 5, 1951

[SheilaRinks]

Maybe. Not sure how many people would remember, or even be alive, but if the jewelry was photographed on Mary, it could be used to make at least a tentative identification.

Mary Belle is my grandmother. Two sisters are still living, 3 children and many grands. Worth a shot!

 

[SheilaRinks]

1979 article which provides a few more details. The only thing I could find on newspapers.com/newspaperarchive.

Late to the party, don’t even know how I found this thread… I’m the 5 year old girl mentioned in the article and my life mission is to find my grandmother.

 

[SheilaRinks]

Are the known locations near military bases? Looking at the years, was Mr. Henley in the service?

Excellent genealogy work, @Quoththeraven !

jmho ymmv lrr

No, my grandfather, Herman Henley was not “is service” just a draft card

 

[SheilaRinks]

I think she could be the Blackhawk Jane Doe.

	Blackhawk Jane Doe UP14826	Mary Belle Henley MP110047
Sex	Female	Female
Race	Unknown, though reconstructions seem to have been done with a white woman in mind.	White/Caucasian
Age	17 - 30	25
DLC/DOD	Weeks prior to September 30, 1952	June 5, 1951
Height	5'7	5'8 - 5'9
Weight	Unknown	125 - 135 pounds
Hair Color	Brown/Black	Brown
Eye Color	Unknown	Brown
Distinctive Features	Prominent overbite.	Mole on chin.
Circumstances	Charred remains found under log.	Last known contact on June 5, 1951.
Distance	Wichita - Blackhawk	549 miles

I know nothing of the original case but my mother, Mary Belle’s daughter, tells the story of a television show airing a segment about a woman burned (maybe near tracks?) and the family thought there was a resemblance. My mother is now 84 and cannot recall much else. I wonder if this might be that case.

Someone, somewhere, messed up the birth dates of Mary Belle. Her Florida gravestone shows a birthdate of Feb 8, 1926. The SS Application shows her birthdate as Mar 8, 1926. There's also a MISS Mary Belle Pierce of St. Joseph, MO, born in 1926, which is where the Florida Mary Belle is from and where she married Hubert Shepard. If this MISS Mary Belle Pierce is the same as the Florida Mary Belle Pierce who married Hubert Shepard in St. Joseph, MO, then she couldn't be the same as the Mary Belle Davis Henley since her maiden name was Pierce.

I also included a 1950 census which shows Mary Belle Henley was separated from her husband and living with her mother in Putnam County, TN in 1950. They were married Oct 16, 1940.

View attachment 457974

View attachment 457972

View attachment 457969
View attachment 457968

View attachment 457965View attachment 457966

View attachment 457963

I, Mary Belle’s granddaughter, believe the women are the same. Mary Belle had a ss# but this one is different. It was created in Kansas in 1953, not long after she went missing. I am working closely with the Shepard family to try to positively identify Mary Shepard as Mary Belle thru family records, photos and memories. I can find 0 information or photos of Mary Shepard, almost as if she were hiding.

 

[SheilaRinks]

Someone, somewhere, messed up the birth dates of Mary Belle. Her Florida gravestone shows a birthdate of Feb 8, 1926. The SS Application shows her birthdate as Mar 8, 1926. There's also a MISS Mary Belle Pierce of St. Joseph, MO, born in 1926, which is where the Florida Mary Belle is from and where she married Hubert Shepard. If this MISS Mary Belle Pierce is the same as the Florida Mary Belle Pierce who married Hubert Shepard in St. Joseph, MO, then she couldn't be the same as the Mary Belle Davis Henley since her maiden name was Pierce.

I also included a 1950 census which shows Mary Belle Henley was separated from her husband and living with her mother in Putnam County, TN in 1950. They were married Oct 16, 1940.

View attachment 457974

View attachment 457972

View attachment 457969
View attachment 457968

View attachment 457965View attachment 457966

View attachment 457963

Her true Maiden name was David, she married a Henley at 13 while 3 months pregnant with her first child. He claimed they were married in Valdosta, Ga but no records are found. I have not found a marriage record at all, but he did divorce her in absentia in the later 50’s.

 

[SheilaRinks]

Mary Belle DAVIS Henley 1951 KS

Clipping found in The Wichita Beacon published in Wichita, Kansas on 12/4/1979. Mary Belle DAVIS Henley 1951 KS

www.newspapers.com

I’ve never seen a high school yearbook photo of a woman listed under her married name. That’s a first for me. I feel like the Mary Godsey who died in 2004 could be her. What are the chances she shares with someone with the same name, DOB, and parents? Then again, this is a very recent addition to NamUs, so surely this has all been checked out.

My grandmother “married “ (not record found) and yes returned to school. She enjoyed school and was able to skip a few grades. Remember she was only 13 when she married my grandfather and was already pregnant with my mother. Yes, I believe the women are the same. Currently wrapping up final talks with the family to attempt to prove it

 

[SheilaRinks]

I've never submitted a potential match. Would you just contact NAMUS with this or what about the DOENetwork?

Mary did not have dentals

 

[SheilaRinks]

He was in the military. Or, possibly just had a draft card. Fold 3 doesn't show any enlistment. Note that on the 1940 census, he was 20, she was 14. Also, of note is that she was named Mary Bell on two of the below documents, (not Mary Belle), both on the draft card (on Ancestry.com), dated 16 Oct 1940 and also on the April 9, 1940 census.

Sources below from Ancestry.com.

View attachment 458637

View attachment 458641View attachment 458642

My grandfather only had a draft card, never served. It’s Mary Belle (easy to mistake) She also used Mary Beth

 

[SheilaRinks]

Her true Maiden name was David, she married a Henley at 13 while 3 months pregnant with her first child. He claimed they were married in Valdosta, Ga but no records are found. I have not found a marriage record at all, but he did divorce her in absentia in the later 50’s.

Davis, not David

 

[SheilaRinks]

I've never submitted a potential match. Would you just contact NAMUS with this or what about the DOENetwork?

NAMUS/Wichita Police have Family DNA that has not been processed yet (waiting since 2023!). Please submit and possibly push for processing if you believe this might be a match. The description of belongings and jewelry do not sound familiar however there was time that had passed and IF it was Mary Belle Henley she could have acquired different items. Since there appears to be skeletal remains DNA may be the best course of action.

 

[SheilaRinks]

I would not bet on it all having been checked. I recall the Stella Horrell case. She disappeared in the 1940s and was found to have lived a full life and died in the 1990s - all of which could be traced through Ancestry.
On the married name in a yearbook, it reminds me of our rugby captain (and a future international) at school. He made an error when he and his girlfriend were 15. They got married at 16 and remained at school until 18 (with a flat provided by parents). The look on the faces of opponents when his wife and toddler came to watch daddy play in school matches was wonderful.

It’s been checked out. I’ve been working on identifying and verifying the individuals vs Mary Belle since I received the hit in 2019. I believe they are the same person. Too many coincidences, and how would a stranger know my great grandparents name? A clerical error, maybe. Assumed identity, possible (but why?)
Currently working with family members of the deceased to confirm identity. It is a delicate situation as you can imagine.
And, yes, my grandmother was 3 months pregnant at 13 with my mother in 1940 when she married Herman Henley (although no marriage records have been found). She did return to school and even attended University for a quarter. Herman divorced Mary Belle in absentia in the late 1950s to remarry.

 

[SheilaRinks]

The following was posted on ancestry.com. Link below

https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/164231244/person/342138051744/media/3bcbc1ea-4eec-4aec-b1bc-404b21c3c0d6?_phsrc=PdK246&_phstart=successSource

I’m the Ancestry poster. Information has been confirmed since this post. I believe the Ancestry link has been updated with said information and documentation.

 

[SheilaRinks]

Census enumerators are busy, and usually record what they're told -- so losing the E of Belle is no surprise.

Same for the draft card.

Hmm, the 1950 Census lists a child uder the age of 2 -- so where is Mr. Henley by this time?

What happened to the 3 children after her disappearance?

A head-scratcher, for certain.

jmho ymmv lrr

The 3 children are my mother and uncles. They were raised by their grandmother (Mary Belle’s mother). Those individuals don’t know this group exists and they are older and don’t speak of their mother-proceed with care please. MB’s 2 living sisters are a no-go. They won’t even discuss her with me. I as a generation removed am able to view MB objectively and am the only family member completely invested in finding her.
Yes, census mistakes are common as are all recorded information from that long ago.
Where was Herman in 1950? Anywhere but with his children and wife. It was a turbulent marriage and he was not the fatherly type.
There are wild stories of him having some involvement in MB’s disappearance but trust me, it’s just a juicy story, he didn’t care enough to track her down and harm her. He simply moved on. He died in 2007.
The Kansas police have all the possible “suspects” which are not, nor have ever been true suspects or even persons of interests, all were ruled out immediately.

 

[SheilaRinks]

Hi all, I am Mary Belle Henley’s granddaughter. I thought I was the only one who was searching for answers. To accidentally find this while searching for an old document is amazing. Thank you all for investigating missing individuals! If you knew what it meant to families to have strangers trying to connect dots, you’d smile.
I am 100% objective about Mary Belle and any possible outcome. Yes, I have been aware of the connection to the deceased individual in Florida since 2019 and am working that angle
of trying to identify her through her family members.
I love a great sleuth! When your grandmother has been a missing person your entire life you are destined to be However, please help me by not pushing the family of the deceased Florida woman. If you can find a photo, yes! She is an enigma. Even with the church, funeral home and cemetery in Florida.
Also, my mother is 84 now. Her brothers are older as well. Please respect that they have dealt with trauma beyond a mother disappearing. Mary Belle has two living sisters who will not speak of her. They are a no-go.
What do I think happened? She lived a fast life. It is possible that she met her end shortly after June 1951. Hopefully one day DNA will identify her remains if that is the case. Do I believe she changed socials and assumed a new life? It is possible. I have my own theories as to why she would not have returned home but it is speculation.
I will search for her until I have an answer or
leave this earth. Thank you for helping.
I believe I am very close!
For what it’s worth, a podcast was in talks with us but because MB is not a true Missing Person Case it was scrapped. I am a writer and am working on a fictional version of her life (nothing from here will be used).
I am in the process of reaching out to a Kansas newspaper or outlet to try to get a followup story from the defunct Beacon done.
There’s an Instagram account that I never update but it’s there @findingmarybelle
And I try to update my Ancestry page for her with the latest documents. Some things there are for my reference only, take with a grain of salt. I’m not sure if I can post the link here.
I’m waiting to be certified as a family member.
Thank you again and keep sleuthing!

 

[cenazoic]

Currently working with family members of the deceased to confirm identity. It is a delicate situation as you can imagine.

Hi Sheila, glad you found us, and welcome to Websleuths!

Can you discuss further what the confirmation process looks like? It sounds like, from a previous comment, that y’all are trying to match up Mary Belle and Mary Shepard via means other than something like DNA. Is there a reason not to go that route? In other words, using something like 23and Me to see if members of Mary Shepard’s family show up as cousins or half-siblings or whatever? And please forgive me if that’s an impolite question- I’m just curious about the process, and it struck me that personal DNA kits (vs waiting on NamUs) would be a relatively quick and easy way to confirm it.

MB’s 2 living sisters are a no-go.

Thanks for this. If it’s any reassurance, it’s against Websleuths’ rules to contact family members:

“*Do not become personally involved in cases by reaching out to case players and then post about it on the forum. If members want to help, they should respond only to valid requests for volunteers.”

That said, it sounds like you’ve made a ton of progress on your grandmother’s case and I’m excited to hear about your future discoveries. And of course, if there’s anything we can do to help, please let us know!

 

[SheilaRinks]

Hi Sheila, glad you found us, and welcome to Websleuths!

Can you discuss further what the confirmation process looks like? It sounds like, from a previous comment, that y’all are trying to match up Mary Belle and Mary Shepard via means other than something like DNA. Is there a reason not to go that route? In other words, using something like 23and Me to see if members of Mary Shepard’s family show up as cousins or half-siblings or whatever? And please forgive me if that’s an impolite question- I’m just curious about the process, and it struck me that personal DNA kits (vs waiting on NamUs) would be a relatively quick and easy way to confirm it.



Thanks for this. If it’s any reassurance, it’s against Websleuths’ rules to contact family members:

“*Do not become personally involved in cases by reaching out to case players and then post about it on the forum. If members want to help, they should respond only to valid requests for volunteers.”

That said, it sounds like you’ve made a ton of progress on your grandmother’s case and I’m excited to hear about your future discoveries. And of course, if there’s anything we can do to help, please let us know!

Absolutely, and maybe someone here might have an idea I can try.
Mary and Hubert Shepard did not have children. Hubert has children from a previous marriage. Those that are living are in their 80’s. And I hate the idea of disturbing someone of that age. I don’t like the idea of disturbing anyone. But I have reached out to what would be my peers, Hubert’s grandchildren. If they in turn decide to discuss this with an older family member to mine memories, I feel it would be better received. So far the family has not replied. I can’t push. Maybe they don’t know anything about Mary. Maybe they don’t trust my intentions. We live in a scammers world so I can’t blame them.
So there is no DNA connection to the Shepard family.
If MB lived did she ever have children? I haven’t successfully dug back through all the surnames yet.
My DNA is in Ancestry in the hopes of finding a “new” cousin some day. My mother was not interested in submitting her DNA. The thought of half siblings that possibly had a better, longer relationship with MB is too much for her.
I’m trying a new tactic to try to draw a comment from any Shepard family member.
I’ve added Hubert into my family tree on Ancestry, with an unverified note. And in searching through hints and his family I’ve messaged a few to see if they remember Mary. No response yet.
I added a photo of Mary Belle to Mary B. Shepard’s Find A Grave page, with a note that the two women weren’t confirmed to be one in the same.
My father is deceased and I never visit the site for him. I forget someone listed his grave half the time. But when I do if someone has left a photo it would 100% get my attention.
I try to be completely transparent in the fact that I do not know if the women are one in the same.
If they aren’t, it is disrespectful to the true Mary B Shepard and hinders the search for Mary Belle.
I/we may never know unless someone in the family says “yeah, that looks like her” or NAMUS has a DNA match.
Keep sleuthing! There has to be one photo of Mary Godsey Pierce Shepard somewhere!
I’m working on the Pierce surname now but not certain I have the correct groom, Albert maybe…
Breaks come in waves. I’ll have success for a bit and then months go by with nothing.
Thanks for the compliment. I feel as if I don’t do enough or I’m missing something. It drives me insane that I can’t locate my grandparents marriage records.
Mary Belle Davis and Herman “O.T.” Henley
Ringgold, Valdosta, GA
April 16, 1940
Per Herman Henley’s Divorce Decree in 1963
But that has nothing to do with what happened to Mary Belle.
Someone asked where Herman was in 1950 and the answer is I have yet to find him on a census, anywhere.
Try Dayton, Ohio. He ran away to family there often and occasionally worked there.
Marion and Abbey May where the parents of Herman’s half siblings in Dayton.
My oldest uncle told me once that when I die Mary Belle will be forgotten because no one cares as much as I do.
Individuals and volunteers who keep digging carry on when family no longer looks.
Unlike all of you, I am personally involved. Biologically involved. I can’t abide by some of the rules if this group because of who I am.I knew at 4 years old that I would find my grandmother. I remember when the article came out in the Beacon. I’m the little girl.
I won’t hider your search. If I can answer questions or clarify something I’ll be happy to but you all have fresh eyes. Thank you!

 

[alb1on]

It’s been checked out. I’ve been working on identifying and verifying the individuals vs Mary Belle since I received the hit in 2019. I believe they are the same person. Too many coincidences, and how would a stranger know my great grandparents name? A clerical error, maybe. Assumed identity, possible (but why?)
Currently working with family members of the deceased to confirm identity. It is a delicate situation as you can imagine.
And, yes, my grandmother was 3 months pregnant at 13 with my mother in 1940 when she married Herman Henley (although no marriage records have been found). She did return to school and even attended University for a quarter. Herman divorced Mary Belle in absentia in the late 1950s to remarry.

Yes, having found your tree on Ancestry and the comments I appreciate you have done all that is possible to check the identity. When I posted I was thinking more of the police/LE checks. In the Horrell case it seemed that it was a secret known in some parts of the family but not others and that LE had not done fairly basic checks. I do wonder if you have the possibility of DNA comparison. My mother in law died in 2004 and we still have various items which would have her DNA. Obviously it would depend on whether the family have kept suitable items.

 

[SheilaRinks]

Yes, having found your tree on Ancestry and the comments I appreciate you have done all that is possible to check the identity. When I posted I was thinking more of the police/LE checks. In the Horrell case it seemed that it was a secret known in some parts of the family but not others and that LE had not done fairly basic checks. I do wonder if you have the possibility of DNA comparison. My mother in law died in 2004 and we still have various items which would have her DNA. Obviously it would depend on whether the family have kept suitable items.

I can’t say exactly what the detectives and police have or haven’t throughly checked out as I’m sure some are their methods are private. I did data research for a PI so I know the drill. I do believe Detective Chisholm with Wichita Cold Cases has been as transparent as he can be. He has provided information predating MB disappearance that I keep private for various reasons. Nothing he has shared would help find her. She was on a destructive lifestyle path though.
There is absolutely nothing of my grandmother’s save a few letters she wrote during 1950-June 5, 1951. The letters are private but I will share they do not lead to anything helpful in her disappearance. She did want to come home though but did not have money for a train ticket.
I’m not 100% certain how long DNA remains on items but I assume these letters are very old and have been handle too much for DNA to remain.
As far as Mrs. Shepard’s DNA? If I can reach a family member who has a belonging, it might be possible to match that to my mother or myself, again if it is not too old.
My family is maddening when it comes to MB! Why did her mother not report her missing in 1951? Unless she did not want her to come home. Tough love 1950’s style? MB “ran away” a few times, literally running off with a circus once but she always came back. Perhaps at first her mother believed MB would eventually come back? But she didn’t.
If she became Mary B Godsey, Pierce, Shepard what was she doing between 1951 and when that SS# was created in 1953?
My Ancestry tree is a bit of a mess because of all the unverified information.

 

[alb1on]

I can’t say exactly what the detectives and police have or haven’t throughly checked out as I’m sure some are their methods are private. I did data research for a PI so I know the drill. I do believe Detective Chisholm with Wichita Cold Cases has been as transparent as he can be. He has provided information predating MB disappearance that I keep private for various reasons. Nothing he has shared would help find her. She was on a destructive lifestyle path though.
There is absolutely nothing of my grandmother’s save a few letters she wrote during 1950-June 5, 1951. The letters are private but I will share they do not lead to anything helpful in her disappearance. She did want to come home though but did not have money for a train ticket.
I’m not 100% certain how long DNA remains on items but I assume these letters are very old and have been handle too much for DNA to remain.
As far as Mrs. Shepard’s DNA? If I can reach a family member who has a belonging, it might be possible to match that to my mother or myself, again if it is not too old.
My family is maddening when it comes to MB! Why did her mother not report her missing in 1951? Unless she did not want her to come home. Tough love 1950’s style? MB “ran away” a few times, literally running off with a circus once but she always came back. Perhaps at first her mother believed MB would eventually come back? But she didn’t.
If she became Mary B Godsey, Pierce, Shepard what was she doing between 1951 and when that SS# was created in 1953?
My Ancestry tree is a bit of a mess because of all the unverified information.

I was thinking of a DNA comparison of you with anything left by Mrs Shepard. It is surprising what turns up in lofts and garages where old items have been stashed and forgotten after a death. That is assuming Mrs Shepard's family would agree to such a comparison if they could find a suitable item.

 

[SheilaRinks]

I was thinking of a DNA comparison of you with anything left by Mrs Shepard. It is surprising what turns up in lofts and garages where old items have been stashed and forgotten after a death. That is assuming Mrs Shepard's family would agree to such a comparison if they could find a suitable item.

That would be fantastic to try if given the chance.