Goodbyes, Shared Memories and Pictures From Long Ago.

Last week my Great Aunt Frances passed away at the age of  95. She was my grandmother's oldest sister. There was eleven years between them but they were very close, in later years anyway. Frances lived in Texas and like I've written before, Mammy lived here in Arkansas. Mammy would make frequent trips to Texas to visit and there were occasional long distance phone calls that lasted forever (at least in the mind of a young girl who was instructed to be quiet while she was talking). I accompanied Mammy on a few of those trips back home to Texas. I remember very little, but I do remember Aunt Frances' house. There was mint in her back garden that Uncle John B took the time to show me. And the walls in the hallway of their home were lined with old photos.

Two of Aunt Frances' granddaughters reached out to me to share a few pictures they had come across while going through her things. I am beyond grateful that they would think of me in their time of sorrow.  Lisa sent me pictures of myself from the few trips I made down there. A few were from a trip to the nursing home where I along with Aunt Frances' grandchildren visited with Grandma Jones (attached below).  The others were from the trip my Nall family made in 1994 for Grandma Jones' funeral. I attached it to my blog post In Remembrance -- Myrtle Rutherford And there was even one of my Bampy and his air plane! I've attached it to my blog post The Big Move.

I'm in the bottom right corner. Mammy made my dress.

Today Elaina sent me pictures I have never seen before from my Mammy's younger (single digits) years. And of her Daddy, John Arthur Jones, who passed away when Mammy was only 4. I had never seen pictures of him until a few years ago and even then, I it was only one photo. 

I wanted to return the favor by sharing these pictures here so that others may have access to them for years to come.

I remember my Mammy talking about this "house on wheels." She wanted to move it up here to Arkansas so badly. I even remember her having us drive by where it was located on one of our last trips down to Texas. She never got that blue house, but I believe she did get a little trunk that had been stored inside it and it had lots of old flour sacks in it. I think. The memory can be a funny thing some times.






To those who read this, I hope you will enjoy the memories these pictures stir up. That you will cherish your loved ones while you can. And that you will always share any family memories, pictures, and memorabilia. This is how we can assure our loved ones stay alive in memories for generations to come.

Much love to you all.

Until next time,
Becky

The John Calvin Jones Cousins

Another short and sweet post. Today's prompt is COUSIN. I wanted to find a way to share a compiled booklet about my JONES family, affectionately referred to by my grandmother as her 'Cousins Book'. (click link). 

There are a few photographs, stories and a wealth of information contained in the work put together by the Jones cousins. As sometimes happens in works this large there are a few errors here and there (my birth date is wrong) but by and large it is just such a precious thing to have if just for the stories shared within it.

One of my favorite stories is found on page 207. It describes the beloved Buffalo Horn Hat Rack. It was restored and was seen by many at a 1993 Jones Reunion. It says that David Jones (grandson of Frank Jones) was the last named owner of this rack.

The story goes...

While on Sweetwater Creek John Calvin and Leona picked up buffalo horns, still on the skulls. They scraped the horns, polished them with powdered charcoal, rubbed them with a woolen cloth until you could almost see your picture on the horns. Then they mounted them on a horse shoe frame with a mirror inside and used it for a hat rack. Bob Jones said Frank told him the man at the store built the horseshoe frame for Leona to put the buffalo horns on. (possibly Frank Exum. ) The frame is made from an Arbuckle Cofffe box.

A granddaughter of Frank Jones sent me the following photographs of the buffalo had rack. This first photo was taken March 1980, in the home of Frank and Pearle Jones in Plainview, TX. The little boy with Frank is Kay Jones Merkling's oldest child, Joseph Legarde, aged 3.





This second photo shows the "restored" hat rack, hanging in the home of Chuck and Ella Mae Jones, in Plainview. This photo isn't dated.



Here is an updated Table of Contents to the Jones Legacy.


Until next time,
Becky

John Calvin Jones Family Photo Album

Today I had the most wonderful surprise waiting for me in my Facebook messages. A cousin, Diane, sent me snapshots of pictures belonging to her grandfather, "Bill" Jones, the youngest son of my 2nd great grandfather, John Calvin Jones. I love that she has these treasures and that she has shared them with me! Not all the photographs are labeled. If anyone knows who the unmarked photos are of, please speak up! 

Mamie Jones (1883-1943)

Lula Mae "Lou" Jones (1882-1914)

I Remain Your Loving Son

 Below is another letter I received on CD from my cousin Diane (she descends from the youngest Jones boy, Bill.) It was written by Jasper Helton Jones (1897-1983) while he was staying in Memphis Texas. One of my favorite things about his letter is the stationary he used. It was from the Cobb Hotel. Four years later that same hotel would be severely damaged by fire, if not destroyed completely.

Jan 14, 1917
Dear Father :
This leaves me fine and dandy. It is pretty cold up here. This morning I just came from the post office and got a letter from Mr. Wilson and he won't get here before Tuesday morning. I saw a lady that knows Mrs Brice. She said she sure was a fine lady. She has two boys age 12 and 16. I think one of them is going to school here and the other one in Chicago going to school. Barn Bates has been awful nice to me. He has been trying to get me a job until Mr. Wilson came but couldn't find any. Work is awful scarce up here. Know there is more Jones's up here than anything. One named J C Jones. I haven't gotten but one letter from you. I'm going back to the post office after a while and see if I have any mail from you. How is Grandma? Better I hope. Is Ora out in Camp or at home? Mrs. Wilson said to tell you not to be afraid of me, she said I was the best boy in town. Well this is a busy little place. But everything is filled with hands. I hope Papa is getting along alright. I am going to have to get about $30 worth of clothes before long if it don't get warmer. Be sure and send my mail to Box 316 in care of Mr. Chas Germany. He is the man that is working where Mr. Wilson is going to work. Everything is sure handy around here. We have electric lights water route and paved sidewalks all over town and it is so handy. I wrote Claude a letter but never have heard from him yet. We have a Rooming House downtown where all of the drunk men stay. They arrested 4 of them the other night. It is right over Waples-Platter house. Well I have got me a pretty girl spotted know and I believe I am get her what do you think about it? I think it will be mighty nice to have a bed partner these cold nights. I almost freeze sleeping by myself. Well if you are ever in Memphis come around to see me. My phone number is 185? (page is torn) I am home almost at any hour at night. Well I had better close. Hoping to hear from you occasionally. 

I remain your loving son,
Jasper H Jones
Memphis, Texas
Box 316 c/o Chas Germany
P.S. (Written on back of envelope) The ground is covered in snow and is still snowing

To read the original letter click the links below:

1. Page 1
2. Page 2
3. Page 3
4. Page 4

I really struggled making out the 'Waples-Platter House' in Jasper's letter.... It was a grocery chain.

Waymarking.com 

Considering that Waples-Platter House was a grocery chain, I believe the Mr. and Mrs. Wilson that Jasper refers to in his letter was James Roger Wilson and his wife Willie. In the 1920 Memphis census he lists his occupation as a commercial traveler for Grocery House Wholesale.

Wichita Daily Times
Wichita Falls, Texas
Tuesday, April 1, 1913

Barn Bates is most likely Barney Dyan Bates. He was living in Comanche, TX in 1910 with his father, Moses and in 1920 he was married and living in Wichita. 

I don't know who Ora is. I wondered briefly if that was my 2nd great grandmother Ora McClung Rutherford. Jasper's brother John Arthur married Ora's daughter Lurie Myrtle Rutherford, but I feel like he would've called her Mrs. Rutherford, not Ora. 

The Charles Germany was Charles Bailey Germany.

One must wonder if that 'pretty girl' he spotted turned out to be his wife, Miss Winnie Lou Charters. The two of them married April 1918 the same week as his brother Frank and Miss Pearle Brown.

The Claude referred to in his letter was one of his older brothers, Claude William Jones (1889-1938)

I would say the grocery industry and Memphis Texas didn't hold much for Jasper. He was working in the oil industry for a Mr. Frank Cullinan, in Electra, Texas by the time he registered for the draft in Aug 1918

I hope you're enjoying these letters as much as I am!

Until next time,
Becky

Remember Me to Mrs. Hughes.

Yesterday I received a wonderful gift in the mail; a CD with pictures of several letters belonging to my Jones line. Most all of them are dated 1915 - 1917. I hope to slowly transcribe them and add them here to the my blog. I will start with this one, written Sept 1916, by Miss Lydia Pearl Brown. She was at one time employed by my 2nd great grandparents Mr. and Mrs. John Calvin Jones, to teach their children. She eventually married their son Thomas Franklin Jones 04 April 1918.

Frank Jones

4 Sawyer Avenue,
Denton, Texas 

My dear Mrs Jones,
I really don't remember whether I have answered your letter or not. If not, I am now. I am so glad to be settled once more. I never was so tired just going from one place to another in all of my life. Sister has her a real nice little home here and has it well furnished. She has everything except what is being shipped from home. We think they will come in tomorrow. We are only two blocks from the college and can look out and see the two main buildings. The college is on a high hill and can be seen from most any part of the Town.  

Denton is one of the busiest towns I was ever in for its size. Of course these two schools here is what gives them the trade. The business part of town is not very large but they have about 7,000 inhabitants.

I certainly wish it was so you could send Fannie Leigh and Emma here to school. Of course they are not far enough advanced yet, but when they do I consider this college here the finest we have in the South. Well, it is the only one of its kind in the South. If I happen to know bad luck. I think I will put in four years of hard study here. I have my course mapped out for that any way whether I succeed or not.

I'm expecting to get me a few pupils to bear my expenses. I have the promise of one and think I will have no trouble getting three or four more. That is as many as I can handle well and go to school too, as I am going to have a pretty heavy course anyway. 

Hope you enjoyed your trip up to Mr Jim's. Frank wrote me that you had gone up there for a few days.
How are you liking your new home by now? I know you enjoy it though for you feel as if it were yours and not someone else's and the time and work put out on it is not wasted. 

Now let me hear from you sometime. Pardon this terrible paper, but this is every bit we have in the house. It is the worst I have ever saw.  

With love to you and the children. Remember me to Mrs. Hughes . - Pearl

If you would like to view the actual letter you can do so by clicking the following links.

1. Page one
2. Page two
3. Page three
4. Page four
5. Page five

Whomever had the letters after Mrs. Jones (Leona Bass) had a bit of confusion with the closing and thought maybe this letter was from Mrs. Hughes, who was John Calvin's mother. You can see their note scribbled on the back of the envelope.

I have written about Mrs Mattie Hughes here and here and here. 

Lona and Pearle at Bomarton, TX

Pearle mentions former pupils and future sister-in-law's Fannie Leigh and Emma. Here they are on the Coffman Ranch

I believe the college Miss Pearle is referring to in her letter is Texas Normal College, now referred to as UNT.

UNT's Digital Library

Corsicana Semi-Weekly Light Corsicana, Texas
Tuesday, April 4, 1916

Until next time,
Becky

Mattie Teel - Another Look

There are a handful of ancestors that leave me with more questions than answers. My 3rd great grandmother, Mattie Teel, is one of them. I have written about her here, and here.

Mac and Mattie Hughes

I mentioned in my previous post that I believe Mattie was living in Cordell, Washita, Oklahoma in 1910. In a desperate attempt to find more information I began searching for more newspaper articles about Mattie from The Gateway To Oklahoma History in the Cordell area.

I found this snippet from January 1904

Mattie's son John Calvin Jones was known to be living in Mobeetie, Texas, about 20 miles from Miami during this time. I don't think its a long shot to assume either the newspaper got the name wrong, or J C was indeed living in Miami, or Miami was a larger better known community than Mobeetie, so an approximate location was given.

I also found an interesting article dated June of that same year where it is said that MC Jones sent his wife away to Texas and struck up an affair with a married woman. His age of "sixty or more" is the same age my "Mac Hughes" should be.

The Cordell Weekly Beacon. (Cordell, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 47, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 16, 1904

Upon the news of her husband's affair I found these two articles where charges for divorce were filed:

The State Republican. (Cordell, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 51, Ed. 1 Friday, February 1, 1907

The Herald-Sentinel. (Cordell, Okla.), Vol. 15, No. 28, Ed. 1 Saturday, February 2, 1907

The case files for their divorce are missing but you can find documentation for the missing file here: It gives their names as M H and M C Hughes. Another piece of the puzzle. A middle initial for Mattie.

In 1907 Mattie and M C Hughes would have been in their late 60's early 70's, which makes sense when the above article says "the rest of their allotted time".

And then on 14 May 1908, in Washita County, OK there is a marriage license for M. C. Hughes and Mrs. Mattie Hughes (she would've still had her previous married name). I believe they divorced and then remarried. 

If you can't read the above  Marriage Record it can be found by clicking the link that takes you to Family Search.

Mattie died in 1919 and is buried in Truscot, Knox County, TX where her son and his family are buried. I am not sure if this M C Hughes is the same Anguish McAlester Hughes that was married to Permelia A. "Amelia" Parson but I believe it to be as their son Joe M Hughes can be found living in Roger Mills County, OK in 1900 the same time as my Mattie would have been in the next county over with "Mac" In 1920 M C Hughes is found living with his first wife Permelia in Navarro County, TX. He was not living with her in 1900 or 1910. During their separation, Permelia remarried to a Mr. Tickle.  Her obituary is below:

One last interesting article found while I was doing my research comes from July 1904 less than a month after Mac was accused sharing the affections of another man's wife in the hotel he owned. The Cordell Weekly Beacon. (Cordell, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 21, 1904, newspaper

 

I do think I am on the right trail here. I do however wish I could find Mattie and her son, John Calvin in at least one census together. She was most likely pregnant during the 1860 census and she never shows up again until 1910 and he doesn't appear until 1900. I'll keep searching. If anyone happens across this and knows where I could find Mattie's will and or probate/estate records, I would appreciate you pointing me in that direction.
Until next time,
Becky 

After posting this, I kept on searching for more information. I think I may have found one more piece to her puzzle.

Tax records place M.C. Hughes in Clay county during the 1880's. Birth records for a few of his children place J. C. Jones and his new family in Clay county in the 1880's. And there is a marriage record index for Martha Conkey and M. C. Hughes 19 Aug 1883 in Clay County. I believe this indicates that my Mattie Teel/Jones/Hughes was also married to someone with the last name of CONKEY. The only problem is I can't find a single record for anyone with the last name of Conkey in that area during that time. I'd really like to get a look at the actual record to see if there is any other information or if maybe the name Conkey was transcribed wrong.

Clay County, TX is right next to Cooke County, TX where J.C. and Leona Bass were married in 1881

Not only have I struggled to find census records for the Jones, Hughes, Conkey families during 1870 or 1880, I also cannot find census records for Leona Bass' family during those years either. Something tells me the census takers struggled in this area of TX and I.T.