During our Christmas dinner at my Dad's, I took several pages of research and copies of records over to my Step-mom. We went through them and she asked a few questions that I didn't have answers to and at the time I had let my subscription expire with Ancestry. All of that led me to find a new to me record data base on FamilySearch; the Oklahoma, School Records, 1895-1936.
The topic person of this post will be her grandmother, Leta Grace Moore Sloan and her siblings.
Leta Grace was the fourth child born to James Walter Moore and Mattie Dillahunty. She was born in Greenwood, Sebastian County, AR about 1914.
Other children in birth order were:
- Alta
- Alma
- unknown baby (born and died before 1910)
- Adolphus
- Leon Thomas
- Hershel (died at age two)
- Clyde
Sometime between 1918 and 1920 the Moore family moved from Sebastian County to Vann, Muskogee County, OK.
They first show up in the scholastic census report in 1921 and only the four oldest are of school age.
The next year, 1922, pay attention to how much their birth dates and months change. Who was giving this information, anyway? Also notice Alta's last name is no longer Moore. She married James Cowan in Sept of the previous year.
In 1922, you will notice they're now in District 3. I don't believe they moved, as much as there was a restructuring or labeling of the districts.
In 1923 they are still in District 3. Alma's last name has changed to Pettie becuse she married Luther Petty in Oct of 1922. Once again, their birth months and years are all over the place. I also included the instruction page that lays out the procedures and guidelines for the enumerator.
Try as I might, I cannot find this family at all in 1924 and by 1925 the two older sisters are no longer there but baby Leon has finally joined the ranks. This time they're in District 77.
The next census year I can find is 1927. Earnest Beavers was the census taker. The birth dates are becoming more and more regular now. Leta is listed as being born in July in almost all of them, though its still a toss up as to whether the year was 1913 or 1914 and the days.... well they're still random.
1928: This year James F. Beavers is the enumerator. He was the Notary Public in the previous year.
The 1929 census is very sloppy and inaccurate. The children aren't even listed in the correct order. And Leta's name is spelled horrifically. It looks like the enumerator's name is F J Vann.
Also of note -- living with the Sloan family are George Sloan's step-daughters with the same last name as his deceased wife. George was first married to Florence David. Her brother was Isaac David who was married to Mollie Wasson. Florence died in 1915; Isaac in 1913. Widows George and Mollie then married one another in 1916.
Around the year 1930 some really big changes and unbearable heartbreak begin to happen. During the next six years this family would see tremendous loss. I don't know how poor Mattie endured it.
First, notice how James Walter is no longer listed as the parent in the next scholastic census; 1930. There is no specific death date that I have been able to find for Walter, but he is said to have died around this time. He is buried in Vaught Cemetery, in Webber Falls, OK.
An outbreak of tuberculosis was about to hit this family hard claiming the life of our young, new mother, in 1933. She was only 20 years old and baby Dorothy was only three. She is also buried in Vaught cemetery. Maybe that is how Walter died as well?
What Leta was doing in Latimer County, I'm not sure but The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture states:
In 1920–21 the legislature created Eastern State Sanatorium, a treatment facility for tuberculosis patients; now operated as an Oklahoma Veterans Center, it is located two miles northwest of Talihina. Nearby, the Choctaw-Chickasaw Sanatorium for Indian tuberculosis patients was opened in 1917.
In 1935, her sister, Alma Moore Petty, dies all the way in Tulare County, CA. I don't know the exact cause. Or why she was in Tulare CA. In 1940 her remarried husband and children are in the Exeter, Tulare, California census.
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| Tulare Advance Register 26 Nov 1935 |
In April 1936, not even 5 months later, sister Alta Moore Cowan dies from pulmonary tuberculosis in Willcox, Cochise, AZ. She is buried in Sunset Cemetery there. Again, why was she all the way in AZ? The dry air was said to help TB but I have found no record of a sanatorium in Willcox. In 1940 Alta's husband is also remarried. He and his family are still living in Vann, Muskogee, OK.
In the course of six years this family of eight became a family of four. Mattie buried a husband and three young daughters. In 1940 poor widowed Mattie is living in Tulare, CA with her youngest son Clyde. She is a seamstress. Clyde is 18 and is a form setter for a curb company. As I have stated in other posts, the 1940 census asks residents where they were living in 1935. Mattie and Clyde both answered 'same place'.
I can't seem to find Adolphus in the 1940 census but his WW2 draft registration says he's still living in Vann, OK and gives his mother's address as Tulare, CA.
I can't seem to find Adolphus in the 1940 census but his WW2 draft registration says he's still living in Vann, OK and gives his mother's address as Tulare, CA.
That leaves brother Leon. He is also living in Tulare County, specifically, Visalia. His occupation is listed as laborer for the WPA. In 1935 he said he was also living in Tulare County.
This tale is not yet over. Mattie eventually remarries to a Mr. Mose Pierce Cravy. I think around 1941, going off of social pieces in the Tulare Advance Register. He passed away three years later in 1955. She would then go on to bury at least one more child before she herself died in 1982. Adolphus (named after his mother's father Adolphus Dillahunty) dies two days after the 40th anniversary of Leta's death on the 7 Aug 1973 in Tulare, CA. Mattie herself finally succumbs to death in 1982.
Leon lives to be 79, passing away in 1995. He also would've endured so much loss and the pain of watching his mother's heart break time after time with the passing of each child. I have not been able to confirm death records for Clyde. I can fill in some pieces of his life using other records. One dated 6 Dec 1963 gives his birth date as 13 Jul 1921. His middle name is Francis (most likely named after his great grandfather Francis Marion Dillahunty) and sates he is a used car salesman for Caravan Chevrolet in Tulare County. By 1964 he was selling cars for Tom & Jay's Auto Sales and his wife was named Velma. Voter registration says he was a Democrat and that he was a Taxi Driver in the 40's. I do not know his death date.
I can't imagine the heart break this mother endured in loosing so many dear loved ones; in total two husbands and at least 6 children. I cannot imagine how she remained sane.
Until next time,
Becky
This tale is not yet over. Mattie eventually remarries to a Mr. Mose Pierce Cravy. I think around 1941, going off of social pieces in the Tulare Advance Register. He passed away three years later in 1955. She would then go on to bury at least one more child before she herself died in 1982. Adolphus (named after his mother's father Adolphus Dillahunty) dies two days after the 40th anniversary of Leta's death on the 7 Aug 1973 in Tulare, CA. Mattie herself finally succumbs to death in 1982.
Leon lives to be 79, passing away in 1995. He also would've endured so much loss and the pain of watching his mother's heart break time after time with the passing of each child. I have not been able to confirm death records for Clyde. I can fill in some pieces of his life using other records. One dated 6 Dec 1963 gives his birth date as 13 Jul 1921. His middle name is Francis (most likely named after his great grandfather Francis Marion Dillahunty) and sates he is a used car salesman for Caravan Chevrolet in Tulare County. By 1964 he was selling cars for Tom & Jay's Auto Sales and his wife was named Velma. Voter registration says he was a Democrat and that he was a Taxi Driver in the 40's. I do not know his death date.
I can't imagine the heart break this mother endured in loosing so many dear loved ones; in total two husbands and at least 6 children. I cannot imagine how she remained sane.
Until next time,
Becky
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