Monday, December 29, 2008

Francis Family

Picture from Barbara Heald Feb of 1992
left to right, Beatrice, Uncle Marshall,Hazel & Jackie .
enclosed in letter (In red is my comments)
Betty,
Please forgive me for taking so long getting this together. I told my sister Betty all about you & the family reunion in July. She is so excited so I know we will see you in July.
This is a picture of Marshall and his three children that lived.
I don't know what year it was took. But I believe it was took right after Moma (Hazel) left my dad in Colo & came to Calif. She was pregnant with me. So probably late 1945.
Betty if you want any more information write and I'll do my best. Looking forward to hearing from you. (The Pace/Phillips/Adcock reunion was - & still may be held in Heber Springs, Cleburne Co, AR every July. I haven't been able to attend for years.)
Love
Barbara
P.S. Betty I can't find the picture of Hazel and all the kids, but I will send it as fast as I can.
Ans soon
These are the children of Hazel & Joe Moore
1.Wilma Jean Moore -deceased - She died when she was 3 yrs old. I don't know what year she was born. My sister can tell you
2. Charles Allen Moore "Chuck" married Nita? Stephens. Ch:
1.Joey Darren Moore,
2.Troy Moore b 1968 d 4 Jan 1990. Palmdale, Calif
3. Tawnee Moore ,
4. Tammie Moore mar Jeff Stubblefield - ch: Brook

Bakersfield Calif - Barbara did enclose address and phone numbers. At this time, I was going through a divorce, and although I wanted the divorce, it was still quite traumatic. I am sorely afraid that I didn't get back to anyone as I shoud have.
3.Betty Jean Moore Williams (twin)
Pass Christain, Miss
4. Bobby Dean Moore "Skip" (twin)
Rialto, Calif
5. Darrell Francis Moore
Newark, Calif
6. Paul DeWayne Moore
Pacific Grove, Calif
7. Barbara Ann Moore Hutchins Heald
Buttonwillow, Calif
8. 1/2 brother - Donald Leroy Stigner - father Don Stigner
Rialto, Calif

These are my children by my 1st husband, Joseph Ralph Hutchins
1. Bryan DeWayne Hutchins b 28 Aug 1965 Has one daughter - Laura Breyan Hutchins b 22 Aug 1989
2. Valerie Marshalle Hutchins Kenyan Hutchins b 7 Feb 1967 has one son Nickalas Allen Klien b 3 Aug 1987
3. Joseph Mark Hutchins b 14 Oct 1971

My present husband Harold Lester Heald b 10 Jul 1036 Colo

Marshall John Francis b KY 10 May 1885 d 10 Nov 1974 Bakersfield CA mar 1st Nancy E Phillips dau of Lewis Ancil & Laura Louisa (Lewty) Pace Phillips. Mar 2nd Pearl Lee Sharp
Nancy & Marshall Francis Children
1. Bulah Beatrice Francis Moore b 1910 d 2 Nov 1966 Bakersfield Calif
2. Hazel Larella Francis Moore Stigner b AR 11 Apr 1912 d 27 Mar 1976 Bakersfield Calif
3. Juanita Pauline Francis Webb b OK 4 Jan 1917 d 26 Jul 1947 dBakersfield Calif mar Eugene Webb.
( I would love to have any information on this Francis Family. I know of four brothers, Marshall John, (mar Nancy E Phillips my grandmother's sister) Bud, Lee & Earl Eugene Francis ( mar Nina Elverta Adcock my Mother's sister.). Odessa, Aunt Mimi (Nina's) daughter gave Marshall John & Earl Eugene's father as John Francis, & Earl's mother as Leah or Leta Mae.)

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Dumb Things to Do.& A Letter from Ora Lee Fredrick

I recall when I was seven years old, and we kids cleaned the Church on Saturdays, so it would be ready for Sunday. There really wasn't a lot to do, just a little dusting and sweeping out the floors. On this particular Saturday, we were romping and rough housing while working, and I climbed upon the back of one of the pews. (We all were doing that, except for Buddy. He always did his job as quickly as possible. ) All of a sudden; the pew turned over, and I landed flat on my bottom. I probably deserved a lesson, but that was a very painful one. For ages, I couldn't get up to a standing position by myself. Then, if I stooped over to pick up something, I couldn't stand back up without help. If I squated down to pick something up, I couldn't get up without help. I don't think I made that particular mistake ever again. When we lived in Spade, we had a cellar, and us kids would swing on the rafters, and drop to the floor. There was a day when just as I swung out, I went all dizzy.Next thing I knew, I woke up on the floor. That is the first time I ever fainted. It was kind of scary. But it didn't stop me from swinging on rafters. There was a big barn, seems like a mile from the house, but probably not that far. We would climb up in the loft and swing out and drop. I had a habit of going with my tongue sticking out the side of my mouth (Uncle Clifford used to do that when he was concentrating on something, and they told me I took after him that way), and this time when I dropped down, my chin hit my knee. I almost bit my tongue off! That is the thickest slimiest blood in the world. My tongue swelled so I could hardly eat. I thought I would starve to death! Then, one day. Mom cooked up a big pot of pinto beans and she cut up slices of dry salt meat in it. I would take a slice of the meat, and lay it on my poor old tongue, I couldn't even stand to suck on the meat, but the juices sure tasted good. From there, my tongue gradually healed. I had bitten clear through it, and it is still scarred on both the top and bottom from that incident.

Ora Lee Frederick was Grandma Lewty's niece. Her Mother, Arminta Pace, (Lewty's sister) married Isaac Jackson Forbus in Sebastian Co AR. I don't have the date handy, but want to do some of Ora Lee's letters, as they are about the tornado that killed Grandma Lewty and Aunt Effie. ------------------------------------------------------------- from Ora Lee Frederick 805 W Sears St Dennison Tx 22 Mar 1985 to Me on S Ong in Amarillo Tx (She was in private duty nursing for 12 or 15 years and was still working at this time.) Mary Ellen Phillips was a first cousin. Mary's mother was my mother's sister, a beautiful lady. Her husband was Lewis Phillips. Effie Phillips was Noah's wife. Was killed with Lewty in tornado. Ora Lee's brother, Robert, was at Aunt Lewty's that afternoon and was almost killed. They had put Effie's three little children under the bed and they didn't get hurt. ---Truman Phillips must have been in town at the time of the storm, because he said he went home and the home was gone. He saw Effie trying to get up but that she would fall back before he could get to her. He said it seemed like someone hit him in the face with a bucket of mud and that was the last thing he remembered until several days later.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Benjamin Sherrod & Harriet B Hancock Roland Family

Benjamin Sherrod Roland b Feb 1840,Sylvan, Lamar, TX; d 7 Apr, 1905, Sylvan, Lamar, TX a son of Sherrod Roland & Elizabeth "Betsy" Pace, mar Harriet "Hattie" B Hancock b 31 Jul ,1848, d 12 Aug, 1888.Wilson Co., TN , mar 20 Oct .,1869, Lamar Co, TX. Harriet a dau of Green H & Prudence Roddy Doak. Both are bur Roland Cemetery , Sylvan Lamar TX.
Children:
1. Ralph Sherrod Roland b 28 Nov 1870 Lamar Co TX d 12 Apr 1959, Los Angeles Co, CA, mar Annie Lovinia Moore b 27 Jan 1872 FL; d 6 Feb 1957 Los Angeles Co, CA mar 9 Nov 1892 Lamar Co., TX. Annie's mother was a Rooney.
2.Berta Roland b abt 1873 Lamar Co., TX d 20 Jan 1904 Lamar TX of consumption. mar 5 Jan 1892 Joseph Virgil Biard b 13 Oct 1868 Biardstown, Lamar, TX. bur Evergreen Cemetery, Paris, Lamar TX
3Robert Roland b abt 1875 Lamar Co TX
4.Albert Roderick Roland b Jan 1876 Lamar Co Tx Mar Zala Belle Bills.
5. Charles Roland b Apr 1880 Lamar Co, TX d Amarillo, Potter, TX Worked in concrete, and poured a lot of the sidewalks in Amarillo. Charles was murdered & the records sealed.
6. Harry Roland b Sep 1885 Lamar Co TX, mar Carline Sadler 2 Sep, 1908 Lamar Co TX
7. Carrie Roland b 2 Oct 1877 Lamar Co, TX d 17 Nov 1877 Lamar Co TX
8. Tommie Roland b 28 Dec 1878 Lamar Co, TX d 30 Dec 1878 Lamar Tx

Friday, July 25, 2008

Albert & Artie Roland Family

Wedding Picture Albert & Artie Roland



Albert Martin Roland b Jul 7, 1900 Sylvan,Lamar,Tx d of cancer 4 Jun 1959 Dimmitt ,Castro, Tx mar Artie Mae Adcock 14 Aug 1924 Hugo, Choctaw, Ok. Artie was born 26 Jun, 1907 Heber Springs, Cleburne, AR d 29 Nov 1982 of old age, at home in Amarillo, Potter, Tx . Artie a dau of Stephen Alford & Mary Ellen Phillips Adcock. Albert was my father. An Oklahoma Aggie, he was a welder, blacksmith and mechanic. In school he took home economics, just - because he wanted to. He could sew, crochet and knit. He was a terrific cook, but didn't do that all too often. Artie, my mother had very little schooling, and taught herself to read & write by reading labels on canned food. Her writing wasn't the best, but was readable. She spelled words the way they sounded. Dad and Mother lived on the Dyer Place in Hale Center, TX . Dad's mother and dad lived there also, as did Dad's brother, Paul Thomas Roland. They were farming. Mother said they lived in one side of a grainery, with only a tarp hung up between where they lived, and where the grain was stored. Someone would come and steal grain at night while Dad was gone. Mother was always scared and tried to keep the kids real quiet.
Christine, Helen Ruth, Betty Jo, Roderick Steven, & Mary Louise Roland.
Nade about 1938/39 this made at same time. Betty, Louise,Buddy, Chrissy & Helen.

Children




1. Helen Ruth "Sister" Roland b 19 Mar 1928 in Hale Center, Hale, TX - d 19 Aug 2010 at home in Nathan, Howaed, AR, mar William Martin "Pete" White 29 Jul 1947 Murfreesboro, Pike, AR. Pete d at home 12 Oct 1973 Nathan Howard AR of a heart attack Pete was Navy Helen was named for Mother's Aunt Ruth who was murdered in Cleburne Co Ar in The '30's. She was badly beaten, and carbolic acid had been forced down her throat. She was alive when her brother ,Dave Phillips, found her, but didn't name her killer. All she would say was, "Give me a gun, I'll kill the s__ of a b____!" Aunt Nita went to Heber Springs shortly after her death and saw the spoon that held the acid that killed her. She said it was badly discolored, almost black, from the acid. (Her killer was never found.) Both Pete & Helen - Church of Christ.



2. Roderick Steven "Buddy" Roland b 1929 Hale Center, Hale, TX d 13 May 1993 Bossier City, Bossier Par., LA in a 3 vehicle accident One a semi. He died on impact, and the pickup burned, with Rod inside. His children had him cremated, and he is buried between Mom & Dad's feet at Hart Cemetery Hart, Castro Tx Rod mar 25 May 1964 Clara Enhi in Amarillo, Potter, TX. Rod was named for both grandfathers. Mother didn't know to spell it Stephen - so - Roderick for Grandad Albert Roderick Roland & Steven for Stephen Alford Adcock. Rod was born with cataracts in both eyes, as was Helen & Louise. He had surgery on one eye and it didn't work. I was living in Plainview after the last surgery, and he could finally see well enough to get his drivers license. He ordered his birth certificate (required) and when it came in about six weeks later, It had him as Albert Martin Jr. He sent it back to have it corrected, and when it came back, about six weeks later, it had Rodderick Steven Roland. he came by the house, and said, " Sis, I'm not going to send it back. That would be another six weeks". So, his drivers licence had Rodderick, and a lot of people think he spelled it that way. He didn't. Also, in Mother's things - letters - pictures, etc. , that I got after her death, there was an announcement of his birth that Granny Zala Roland had filled out. She wanted it spelled Rhoderic, and filled the announcement out that way. So- a lot of people think his name was Rhoderic. It wasn't. Because Granny Roland wanted it spelled that way, didn't mean Mom &; Dad did. Rod's death certificate had him as Rodderick Martin! It didn't even have Roland.



3. Mary Louise "Maryn Louise - because a cousin said it that way", Roland b 6 Jul 1931 Hale Center, Hale, TX - d 16 Mar 2009 at Ft Worth, Tarrant. Tx - mar Huey P Lockeby 20 Aug 1949 in Murfreesboro, Pike, AR. Huey was b 2 Jan 1930 Shreveport, Caddo Par, LA and d 23 Nov 1994 in Amity, Clark. AR. Huey was son of William Carl and Mertie (Myrtle) Alice Cooley Lockeby. He was Army. Lou was named Mary for Mary Phillips Adcock and Louise for Mary's mother Laura Louisa "Lutie" Pace Phillips. Huey told me once that he was named for Huey P Long, and if I could find out what that P stood for, we would know his middle name. When I found out it was Pierce, he decided he liked Pretty better! Men!



4. Betty Jo Roland b 1 Apr 1933 Hale Center, Hale, Tx (me) Mar James Clyde Funderburk 16 Jan 1854 Tucumcari, Quay NM. Ora, and J T Adcock were witnesses, as was Christine, my younger sister. .James was b 2 Aug 1933 in Murfreesboro, Pike, AR a son of Elvis Dee and Mary Ellen Parker Funderburk. James d May 6, 2003 & is bur Hicks Cemetery, Pike, AR James was Air Force. Dad said I was named after a little town in TX, and when I got my birth certificate and it had me as Bettie, and that was how Bettie, TX was spelled, I decided to believe him. I had always, and still do, spell it Betty. My Jo was also spelled Joe on my bc. James and I were divorced Sep 1992.



5. Zala Christine " Chrissy or Tina" Roland b Dec 7, 1957 Eggshell, Howard, AR. There is no such place now, and her bc says, Nashville. The Zala is for Dad's mother. She mar 27 Jul 1956 John Henry Davis inClovis Curry NM John Henry d 1999 Weatherford, Parker TX. When I visited Chris & John , John would take me to see all the old houses - huge &; beautiful - in Weatherford. He would sing, but he would sing a line of one song, then a line from another, and so on . At his funeral, I had this feeling that the choir was going to do it that way. Of course, they didn't!



6. Charles Lee Roland b 27 Jun 1940 Spade, Lamb, Tx mar Mary Helen Arrington 27 Sep 1959 in Olton, Lamb,TX. Charles was named for Dad's Uncle Charles Roland that was also victim of an unsolved murder. He worked in concrete in Amarillo, TX. He put his name in a squashed circle on a lot of sidewalks in Amarillo,. I used to see them and wonder if that Charles Roland was kin, and when Uncle Paul and Aunt Shirley Roland visited me abt 1988, he confirmed that it was his and Dad's uncle. He said another Uncle, Ralph Roland, raised his family there close to Amarillo. Dad may also have had an Uncle Lee Roland, or Charles may have been Charles Lee. Mother said, at the time, that she named Charlie for Dad's boss, Charlie Byers, at Spade, Lamb, Tx. Dad farmed for Mr Byers.She told me later that she thought we were too young to discuss murder.



7. Clifford Martin "Tooter" Roland b 5 Apr 1944 Levelland, Hockley, Tx mar 27 Jul 1962 Hart Castro TX Velma Ruth Jenntngs (Jones) . They had one son, Floyd Martin, 8 Jul 1965 - 17 Apr 2004. Cliff and Velma div abt 1971/72. He mar 2nd Sharon Sue (Brown/ Suder) ( b 21 Jun 1048 - d 10 Nov 2011 Houston, TX) in Amarillo, Potter, TX. a daughter of William and Dorothy Brown

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Mother's folks




Name: Stephen Alford ADCOCK b 16 JAN 1880 Franklin Co AR, d 1940 Pike City, Pike, AR



Father: James Alford ADCOCK b: 9 OCT 1830 in Humphrey Co.,TN Mother: Permelia ENGLISH TURNER b: ABT. 1836 in KY



Marriage 1 Mary Ellen PHILLIPS b:6 Dec 1880 d 1963 Murfreesboro,Pike, AR., 4 Mar 1900, Heber Springs, Cleburne Co AR. A daughter of Lewis Ancil and Laura Louisa "Lewty/Lutie" (PACE) PHILLIPS. Both are buried at Mt. Tabor Cemetery, Pike Co, AR. Located about halfway between Nashville & Murfreesboro, AR.


From Vicki Adcock Gore 14 May 2009

*Note: Granny started piecing this quilt top before she went blind, then finished it after she went blind. She gave it to Mother in 1943 when she and Daddy married. She kept it in a cedar chest for a long time, then gave it to me. We finally got it hand quilted by some ladies in Murfreesbobo. Mother bound the edges completely by hand. We think it is 70 years old.
I just love it!
my beautiful quilt...I love it so much,,,very precious, with Granny Adcock, Mother and the senior citizen quilters working on it.
. Located abt halfway between Murfreesboro & Nashville, AR.

Children:

1.Nina Elverta (Mimi or Kate) Adcock b 20 Mar 1901 Heber Springs, Cleburne, AR, d 30 May 1988 in Lamont, CA mar Earl Eugene Francis b 1900 in Texarkana,,Tx son of John and Leah / Leta (Penrod) Francis. Leta was full blood Indian. This is who Oleta is named after.



2.Heber (Hebe) Sherman Adcock b 4 Mar 1903 Heber Springs, Cleburne, AR d 17 Apr 1959 Hot Springs,AR bur Fourche Loupe Cemetery mar Mary Venita Sifford Aug 21, 1024 in Hugo, ,Choctaw, Ok. Aunt Nita told me that they were married by a Roland - a brother to Albert Roderick Roland. Uncle Heber was named for Heber Springs , and for Granny Mary's baby brother, Jesse Sherman.,



3.Gladys Marie Adscock b 15 Mar 1905 Heber Springs, AR Died at about age 7 Heber Springs, Cleburne, AR.



4.Artie Mae ADCOCK b: 27 JUN 1907 - Heber Springs Cleburne AR d 29 Nov 1982 Amarillo, Potter, TX mar Albert Martin Roland son of Albert Roderick and Zala Bell Bills Roland 14 Aug 1924 in Hugo, Choctaw, Ok .Albert M son of Albert Roderick & Zala Belle Bills Roland was b 1900 in Sylvan, Lamar, TX d 4 Jun 1959 Dimmitt, Castro, TX both are bur tn Hart Cemetery, Hart, Castro, TX



5.Elva Edith (Jude or Judy) ADCOCK b: 15 JAN 1909 Heber Springs, Cleburne, AR d 6 Oct 1997 in Stephenville, Erath, TX. mar 4 Apr 1928 Jodie Luke Sechrist a son of Elias Wagner and Sarah Darcus Mathews Sechrist. in Hale Center, Hale, TX Jodie was b 12 Jan 1890 Victor, Erath, Tx d 26 Sep 1983 Stephenville, Erath, Tx bur Liberty Cemetery, Huckaby, Erath, TX



6, Paul Meryl Adcock b 27 Sep 1914 Heber Springs, Cleburne, Ar d Oct 1914 Heber Springs, Cleburne, AR.



7..Curtis Alton (Buck)ADCOCK b: 8 JUL 1912 Heber Springs Cleburne, AR, d Mar 1967 at home in Pike City, Pike, AR. mar Ida Bell York. Uncle Curt was a heavy breather, and Aunt Ida woke and didn't hear him. She knew he was dead and just started screaming. She told ne this when we visited her in Murfreesboro, AR. This was after her second marrige - to Joe Stokes. Ida was b 13 Apr 1929 d 4 Nov 2000 bur Pike City Cemetery, Pike City, Pike, AR



8.Clifford Gerome ( Tooter )ADCOCK b: 4 MAR 1916 Heber Springs, Ark. mar Dochaphene Fox 14 Aug 1943 d in 16 May 1983 of a heart attack, bur Stratford, Sherman,TX 1983



9.Jobe Truman ( J.T.)ADCOCK b: 13 MAR 1918, Heber Springs, Cleburne, AR d 19 Mar 1994 in Lubbock, Lubbock, TX mar Ora Vercie Funderburk a dau of Elvis Dee And Mary Ellen Parker Funderburk(Jobe was named for Granny Mary's brother,Jobe Littleton Phillips, And Truman for another of her brothers, Truman Judson. Phillips)



10.Bessie Berthel ADCOCK b: 9 AUG 1922 Hugo Choctaw OK mar James Fred Dean in AR Aunt Bert was named for Granny Mary's sister Beaulah Berthel Phillips

Memories

I borrowed this picture off the web for a jigsaw puzzle . It is so close to what I remember!
This Must Have Been 1935/ 36
It was a trip to AR. Mom's mother had gone blind, and her Dad's mind was going bad.They decided that Mom needed to go back and help take care of her folks. We had made the cotton harvest in Texas, meeting up with Aunt Mimi and Uncle Earl Francis, Aunt Jude and Uncle Jodie Sechrist, and pulling bolls with them. When the harvest was over, we went on to AR. I remember riding in the back of the vehicle (a Ford pickup, or a car that Dad had put a bed on.) Us kids would go "Ahhhhh" just as long as we could. Hitting bumps it would quaver, and we thought that sounded great.I don't really remember this part - but talking to Buddy later - Dad would pull up to a service station. He would ask the gas price. He thought it was too high and say,"Just fill it up with water." (Wouldn't he love the prices today!!!!) I know he must have bought gas.I am not sure just where we stayed when we first got to Pike City. I do remember Granddad Adcock. He seemed to me to be a really big (tall) man .Dark complection. (Later, when Gwen had to do a family tree in school, her teacher said he was Indian, told what kind, and where he was from.)How I wish I had written that down!!He let us follow him around and HELP him. He was clearing out a fence corner, and throwing rocks over a fence. I got in the way, and got hit in the head with a rock.Chris was born at a little place called Eggshell, just out of Nashville, Howard County, AR. Her birth certificate says Nashville. I remember the night she was born. Dad took us to a neighbor's house , and my memory here is not so good, although it could have been worse. The man led me out onto the porch, took his penis out and put it in my hand. I don't remember what he said, but it scared me, and I ran back inside.I must have told Mom, but don't recall doing so. When I mentioned it as a grownup, she was surprised that I remembered it, and said that Dad had gone over and jumped the man.I am not sure how I feel about not knowing that Dad had done that.I think if I had known that maybe I would have come closer to forgetting. Who knows? Maybe not.Granny was still able to get around at this time. I remember that her hair was very, very long. White as snow. She would let us kids brush her hair. We loved that. Her ears had been pierced and she kept broom straw through the holes. She would break them real short. We liked getting to turn them daily.Then Mom went outside one day, and Granddad had the baby (Christine) on the chopping block, and had the ax. Scared her really bad. He said we were having chicken for supper.That is when Mom and Dad decided that Mom couldn't take care of him and worry that he would harm the children.

Bread Tree

Random -
This was passed on to me. Mom to Chris and Chris to me
Mom decided she would make yeast bread one day after she and Dad married. A chore she had not tried, alone, before. She mixed her dough, and waited a bit and it hadn't risen. After a bit more - it still hadn't Another short wait, and she just knew she had done it wrong. Not wanting Dad to feel she had wasted groceries, she carried it out and buried it by the back door. Now that the sun could warm the dough, it rose. She didn't know that, though, until Dad came in laughing. He told her they had a bread tree coming up by the back door.

Early Memories

This picture is from Clarendon Tx, but is so close to what I remember.

Black Duster - this was at Stratford,TX, 1935, but this is how it looked. My earliest memory is of a black duster sand storm at Pampa, Texas, March 25, 1935. I was less than 2 years old at that time, but for the most part, the memory is quite clear.My older brother said he figured the reason I remembered the storm was because I almost choked to death. My memory is a little off, because it seems like we were outside playing, that Mother saw the dust rolling in and came got us. To me it seems like she was carrying a baby, but as I was the baby at that time, she would have been carrying me. Or,I was chasing tumbleweeds with the rest of the kids. There were four at that time. Anyway - she made the kids hold hands and on to her skirts. She got us to the house, but she had clothes hanging out in the line. She told us to stay in,and went and got the clothes. It was so dark, you couldn’t see. We had an electric light bulb overhead, and it was just a faint glow. Mother came back and called each child, and everyone answered until she called me. Helen Ruth, called "Sister", Roderick Steven called "Buddy", "Maryn Louise" (actually Mary Louise but a cousin pronounced it this way). everyone answered, "I’m under the bed", but Betty Jo didn’t answer. I was in the floor, choked on the dust. The naked electric light bulb in the ceiling was just a glow, barely seen through the dust. They called them black dusters, but the haze I recall was red.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Old Letters




Some of these letters, I find, I can no longer make out. I had cataract surgery a couple of years ago, and lost close vision. I do have reading glasses. Some of these letters and post cards are from back in the '50's ,'40's

and 30'ss and written in pencil. Quite yellowed and faded. I am hoping to find someone interested enough , and that can see, to help me get them on the pc


This one is from Odessa Francis Moore Duford daughter of Nina & Earl Francis ( grand daughter of Stephen and Mary Phillips Adcock) Odessa never dated her letters, and I didn't think to date them when they came in - so - if they are not still in the envelopes, I have no way of dating them. We corresponded frequently 1n the mid '80's into the '90's.




(Maybe I should explain, here, that I lost a daughter 22 Feb 1987, and just couldn't focus on much of anything for awhile. Darla had 3 children, and I took them to raise. Not sure that was a good choice, that , at that time, I was sane enough to give children the support they needed. Neverless, I kept them for the next 6 years. Then was told I had to get out from under the stress. That was really a tough time. I loved and missed them so much.)'


The letter: (and this is how it starts.)


Odessa Francis Moore, born in Auther City, Texas in 1922, married (Frank) Edwin Moore 1935 at Paducah, Tx, We had a girl, Dorothy Moore, born in Canyon, Texas 1939. A boy born in Canyon Texas in 1941, Charles Moore. Cecil Moore born in Canyon Texas in 1842, Patricia Mae Moore. born in Tulare, Calif., 1944. William DuFord born in 1951 in Bakersfield, Calif., father William Duford. Ronnie Lee born in 1956 in Bakersfield, Debbie Diann Duford born in 1856 in Bakersfield. Wes Duford born in 1957 in Bakersfield. This is my family.


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(she begins listing her sisters and brothers)


Oleta Francis born 18 Oct in Hugo, Oklahoma, Edward Francis born 2 Jan 1925 in Arther City,Texas, Donald Lee Francis born in Hale Center out of Lubbock Texas 1929, Bill 5 Aug 1932 Bill - Billie Gene Francis in Arkansas close to Highland (Hope) . Aunt Nita (Mary Venita Sifford married Heber Sherman Adcock. Heber a brother to Nina Elverta Francis. or Aunt Mimi-Odessa's mother} will probably know what the name is. He was born in 1932. Mary Earlene Francis born 6 May at Paducah, Texas, close to Meador City.She was born in 1935. The year I got married and the same month 9 May in Paducah, Texas. Earleen married Alford Landon Youngblood.


Barbara Ann Francis born in Wasco, Calif., close to Shabter, Calif., born 1941, April 8, if I am not mistaken.


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Nina Laveorda, they called her Mimmie, it was a nickname. This is what she told me her name was. I was looking for a baby when she said "Let me name it. " I said, " If it's a girl?," She said," It'll be Nina Gale." I said, "O'k." It was born a boy, a mean one ,too.My Mom was born in 1901 in Heber Springs, Arkansas to Mary Adcocks and Steve Adcocks. She died Labor Day, May 30, 1988 and was burried June 3rd in Bakersfield California.


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My Dad (Earl Eugene Francis)was born in Texakana,Tezas on the Oklahoma line (?) born in 1900 to Leah or Leta Mae, that's who they named Oleta after, I think after his mother. She was a real full blooded Indian. She is probably Great Granny Adcocks age when she had him. His dad was John Francis. I have no idea how old he was, probably around 30, because Uncle Lee and Uncle Marshall was grown up then, I guess. I would like to have their ages, birth records.( This Marshall Francis married Nancy -Nannie-Phillips, sister to Mary Ellen Phillips Adcock. Mother called them Uncle Marshall , Uncle Lee & Uncle Budd)