Lily Frances Bridwell is my mother-in-law. Bridwell is her maiden name and her tale is one that has been held within her heart for the past 55 years. She told me of her sorrow and asked for aid in finding a daughter that she unwillingly gave up for adoption. Because she has held this story secret for so many years, she is unclear on some of the details.
At the age of 15, her parents arranged her marriage to James Corbet Lewis. She soon divorced him and went back to her parents home with her infant son. Home was La Junta Colorado, near Fort Lyon. There, she met and fell madly in love with a young soldier, Harold "Faye" Tomlin.
They had plans of marriage upon his discharge from the service and he was shipped out. What they did not know at that time was that Francie (as she was called at that time), was pregnant. She was still living with her parents and upon the delivery of the infant, her parents demaded that she give the child up due to her unwed status.
The details which are unclear to my mother-in-law are the exact date of birth of the child which occurred sometime during the Chirstmas Season in 1941 or 1942, possibly even Christmas Eve. The hospital was either in Pueblo or La Junta, Colorado and the infant born was a girl that was named Carol Faye by her mother.
Lily does not recall signing or filling out any papers to name the infant or any agreement for adoption. It is quite possible that her parents handled all of the arrangements since Lily was still in her minority at the time of the birth.
"Francie" and "Faye" were wed, as they had planned, in 1943. They had three other children together. All three children are so different in appearance that it would be difficult to describe what Carol might look like. The only similarity of the children is that they are all quite tall and slender built with high cheekbones and a patrician nose. One has auburn hair, one is a brunnette, and one was blonde.
Lily is now in her mid seventies and would like to locate this missing daughter. There hasn't been a day go by that she hasn't wondered about Carol Faye and what kind of life she has had. She would also like Carol to know that she has always been loved and remembered by her natural mother, Lily Frances Bridwell (Lewis) Tomlin.
Lily's parents were Grace and Noah Bridwell, and it is quite possible that their names are on the adoption papers. Though they were kind and loving people, they were also very hard on their "rebel" daughter in this matter.
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