According to William R. Dorton's obituary  he was buried in Hart Cemetery in Callaway County, Missouri.  We found his son Robert Dorton there, but did not find William or Virginia, who both preceded him in death by a number of years.  They may be in unmarked graves, which is a possibility.  We would like to locate the graves of William R. and Virginia Dorton.  We would also like to find the maiden name of Virginia O. Dorton.  It may be Waggoner, Washum or Walker or something like that.  One source suggested it may be Pratt.  I am following up on that lead.  We are having trouble locating marriage and birth records from that era.  William and Virginia's son Arthur G. aged 2 years 8 months is buried next to Willis E. Dorton, William's father, in Dry Fork Cemetery, Guthrie, Missouri.

UPDATE:   I received the death certificate of Bertha (Dorton) Henton in the mail, and it confirmed her mother's maiden name was Virginia Pratt. I thought it may be a name beginning with the letter M or W because of the records I have from family members.  They listed her married name as V. O. M.(or possibly W. -hard to read) Dorton.  Apparently, she was Virginia O. M. Pratt.  I still do not know what the M. stands for.  I believe the O. is for Ophelia.  I located the family in Cole County, Jefferson City, Missouri from 1843 well into the 1900's.  The information I have gathered so far will be posted in my my family history book.  I found that she may have possibly been married to an H. Brown before she married William R. Dorton.  More to come on this!!

UPDATE:  In the Historical Newspaper Collection of the Missouri Historical Society I found a marriage announcement for Virginia O. Pratt and Harry Brown, late superintendent of the National Cemetery in Jefferson City.  Still looking for more information on this!!  Apparently no records of the National Cemetery survive that recorded who the superintendent was at the time.  I will have to read in the historical newspaper collection again to see if I can discover any more information.  I still have not found the record of marriage for Virginia and Robert.  A real possibility is that the newspaper got his name wrong.  Imagine that!  Something incorrect in the newspaper!!  

UPDATE:  While at the Missouri Historical Society Library in Columbia, Missouri I found a notice of publication in the newspaper for a divorce action for Virginia Pratt against her husband Harry Brown.  I need to go to the Archives in Jefferson City to see if I can locate the divorce action.  Quite interesting!!  We had no idea she was married to someone before our great grandfather.

UPDATE:  On my last trip to the Archives in July 2007 I found the divorce records and divorce decree for Virginia O. Pratt and Harry Brown.  Apparently he abandoned her and refused to participate in the divorce proceedings.  She was granted her divorce in Civil Court on Thursday, November 23, 1871.  Harry Brown was ordered to pay all court costs for this action.  Her marriage to my great grandfather took place some time after that.  I still need to find that marriage record if it still exists.