Part Two -----------------------

Part II: The Death of Nookie Kendrick

During the years that Alice had been in Georgia, she became quite a drinker. Some say she always keep a bottle of Bourbon Whiskey close by! Locals have said that she carried a rifle around with her while at home. She was afraid of something or someone but no one knew what or why. Her nephew, Billy Rodgers is clamed to have said, by family members; that the reason she left New York City was because she got into trouble with some gangsters. It is speculated that her carrying the gun around with her was because she was in fear of retributions from them. It is also said (as the story goes) that during arguments between Jim and Alice, she would fire the gun leaving bullet holes in the walls, doors, and ceiling of the Rock House. ( We have talked to people who clamed to have been in the Rock House after the Kendricks moved out; some claimed they saw the bullet holds and a past resident said there was only one in the ceiling, that's all!)

Some of the boys that were friends of Nookie say they were afraid of Alice. Whenever they would sleep over with Nookie, they always stayed in the boat house. ( I have seen this boathouse, built by James Christian Kendrick Sr.; it is not just a rain cover for a boat, but much more the size of a small house on stilts attached to a deck and dock over the lake. As a past teenager myself whose had several teenage boys stay over, We would have preferred to stay in this boat house to the main house anytime! As a parent who has had several teenage boys stay the weekend {up all night} in my home, I would have loved to have been able to send them out to a house away from the rest of the family.

In July of 1943, Edna married her long time love, Wallace Ward, against the wishes of Alice. They moved into an apartment in Manchester. Throughout their courtship Alice had tried everything she knew to keep them apart. Her wishes were for Edna to continue college and move back to New York City, to a good job. (It is said, Alice even had Nookie to get Edna's mail form the mailbox and bring it to her as to prevent Edna from hearing from job offers in Atlanta where Edna had placed job applications.) In April 1943, Wallace and Edna's first child was born. insert Alice and Wallace picture here

Nookie was put in school locally in 1943, as he hated the military school he was in. As the story goes; Alice's drinking caused many problems for her husband and children. Alice and Nookie's relationship especially suffered. For reasons unknown to others, Alice was very angry with him most of the time. ( In doing some records searches at the Meriwether County Courthouse in Greenville, Ga.; I discovered a court case in the books against Nookie Kendrick. He was charged by the Grand Jury for the offense of "Burglary" and to be tried in the May term 1943," for the burglary on March, 31 1943 of a grist mill and place of business belonging to Dave Smith, wherein valuable goods, wares and product were contained and stored. There situate, felonious and burglariously did break and enter, with the intent to steal." In the May 1943, he was found guilty and to be sent to the County Work Camp for 1 year of hard labor. In this typed document from Superior Court, 1 year hard labor was lined out by pen and beside it was hand written" time served, for good behavior". I found no record of any time served in jail by Nookie. This may have been why Alice was angry at him and didn't trust him! ) James and Alice had there problems as well and he and Nookie stayed at the Kendrick Farm, down the road from the Rock House, a lot when the marriage got rocky.

December the 5th, 1943; in the late afternoon, James Christian Kendrick was found dead in the Rock House yard. He was shot in the back, one 22 cal bullet had severed his spine, his dog was still sitting beside where he lay.

Next Part III : Death