Wordless Wednesday - Osieola Davis (1885 – 1955)

Osieola Davis was the sister of my 2^nd great grandmother, Lou Ella Davis Godwin. She lived in Los Angeles, CA. She was very close to my Godwin family and sent pictures to my great grandparents often. Many of these pictures were recovered from my grandfather and his sisters’ collection of photos. Osieola was often mistaken for my 2^nd great grandmother, Lou Ella in the pictures. I have sent copies of the pictures to Osieola’s grandson, Michael L. Peters to verify his grandmother was in them. Here is a snapshot of Osieola’s life:


Osieola Davis was born 20 Jan 1885 in Arkansas, the second child of James F Davis and Dora Nix (1). In 1890 her mother Dora Davis remarried to William Carpenter in Sharp County, Arkansas (2). Osieola, her sister, Lou Ella Davis, and 4 half siblings were enumerated with their mother and their step father William Carpenter on the 1900 Sharp County, AR census report in Highland Township (3). 

Osieola Davis married Samuel Loyd 19 Oct 1902 in Sharp Co., AR. Osieola and Samuel Loyd moved to Oklahoma sometime between 1900 and 1910. They were enumerated on the 1910 Hulbert, Cherokee County, OK census report. Their two children, Gladys and Davis Loyd were enumerated with them, along with Samuel’s widowed mother Malley Loyd. Samuel Loyd was a stock tender(4). He did not apply or receive any land grants in OK (5).

Osieola Davis Loyd remarried to Ester V Clark sometime between 1910 and 1920. They were enumerated with Osieola’s two children on the 1920 Jasper County, MO census report in Joplin, MO (6). Ester was enumerated as “Edward Clark.” He was a bartender in a saloon. He was from Missouri.

Osieola and Ester Clark removed to Los Angeles, CA sometime between 1920 and 1930. They were enumerated on the 1930 Los Angeles County, CA census report in Montebello Gardens, Whittier Township. Osieola’s son Davis was enumerated with them. According to the census report, they lived at 761 Elnora Street (7).

Osieola Clark died of colon cancer 22 Mar 1955 in Los Angeles, CA (1). I obtained a copy of Osieola’s death certificate from her grandson, Michael L Peters. Mike and I were not able to find an obituary for Osieola Clark. She was buried in Park Lawn Cemetery (or Memorial Park) in Commerce, Los Angeles Co., CA.

Osieola and Samuel Loyd had two children, Gladys Irene Loyd and Davis T. Loyd. Gladys Irene Loyd married Rulon Richard Peters; she died 4 Mar 1997 in Thousand Oaks, Ventura Co., CA (8). Davis T. Loyd married Annie May Stumpf; he died 18 May 1996 in Lake Isabella, Kern Co., CA. Davis and Anne had no children (9).

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Picture of Lou Ella Davis Godwin Otten on the left in the solid dark dress and her sister, Osieola Davis Clark in the print dress on the right. Original photo privately held by Lou Ella’s grandson, Lawrence Godwin, Fort Smith, Arkansas.


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Osieola Davis Clark and her dog Butch and her 1937 Dodge. Original photo privately held by Lou Ella’s grandson, Lawrence Godwin, Fort Smith, Arkansas.


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Sources:

1. Osieola Clark, death certificate, 22 Mar 1955, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Office, State of California.
2. Sharp County Marriage Records, user submitted files, online.
3. 1900 Sharp Co., Highland Twp., AR census report, 4-5 June 1900, Series T623, Roll 77, p 44.
4. 1910 Cherokee Co., Hulbert Twp., OK census report, 29 Apr 1910, Series T624, Roll 1244, page 5B, ED 12, Image 693.
5. BLM GLO records, land patent search, online.
6. 1920 Jasper Co., Joplin, MO census report, 6 Jan 1920, p. 5A (Edward V Clark, head)
7. 1930 Los Angeles Co., Montebello Gardens, Whittier Twp., CA census report, 9 Apr 1930, Roll 175, page 7B, ED 1558, Image 1119.0
8. Gladys Peters, death certificate, 4 Mar 1997, Vital Records Section, Ventura County Public Health Department, State of California.
9. Personal correspondence with Michael L. Peters, 11 Sept 2008

Tulsan Slain At His Home (1956)

There are two great-grandfathers that I never met because they died before I was born. One in particular died fairly early in life at the age of 50 and as you can see from the title of this post, he did not die peacefully.  I’m not too surprised by this because Orville Godwin didn’t live too peacefully in life either.  He was a sign painter and a drunk, and unbeknownst to us until reading this article, he was evidently married to a woman, almost 20 years his senior, named Mrs. Mildred Godwin. 

Lawrence Orville Godwin Sr was born October 12, 1905 in Hardy, AR to Alvin and Lou Ella (Davis) Godwin. He married Nova Lee Peters, November 9, 1927 in West Plains, MO.  They had 3 daughters and a son (my grandfather). They were divorced around 1945 and Orville moved around a lot going from one job to another.

In 1956 Orville was living with his wife, Mildred, in a small apartment in Tulsa when he was gunned down by his neighbor, Mr. T. H. Hubbard. Although Mr. Hubbard confessed to shooting Orville, he did not say why, except that Orville had taken his gun earlier that day and was threatening to kill him with it.

On to the story….PS it took up 3 pages in the newspaper and contained 2 pictures, one of the killer and one of the grieving widow.

Picture of T. H. Hubbard being led away by police


From the “Tulsa Daily World,” 11 Sept 1956, Tulsa, OK

Tulsan Slain at His Home; Neighbor

Held, Confesses Shooting, Gives No

Reason

WIFE PLEADS WITH SLAYER TO BE SPARED

Argument Over Gun Apparently Figures in East Side Death

Lawrence Oliver Godwin, 54,  of 1305 E. 1^st St., was shot by a neighboring resident who admitted the shooting after his arrest.

T. H. Hubbard, 54, a concrete finisher, was arrested within 5 minutes after police were called at 5:14 p.m.  He was seized at the home of a son about a half-block from the shooting scene.

Detectives Woody Wilson and Jim Gott said they recovered the death weapon from the home of the son, Eddy Hubbard, 1329 ½ E. 1^st St.

The elder Hubbard, who made a signed statement to police within the hour, confessed firing shots at his neighbor but offered no sensible reason for shooting him.

Wife Knows No Motive

Mrs. Mildred Godwin, 69 year-old wife of the slain man who witnessed the shooting, also was unable to offer any motive for the slaying.

Mrs. Godwin said the gunman also pointed his weapon at her, after firing shots at her husband, but did not fire at her when she threw up her hands and pleaded:

“Don’t shoot me!  Please don’t shoot me!”  Mrs. Godwin said she had been lying on a bed resting when Hubbard came to the door.  She said she let him in and that he pulled a gun from his pocket and began firing.
Her only suggestion of a motive was that she had overheard her husband and Hubbard talking Sunday night on the Godwin’s front porch about a gun.

Gives Hazy Account

“I didn’t hear all they said, but I heard him (Hubbard) say he wanted his gun,” Mrs. Godwin said.  She denied any knowledge of a gun and said to her knowledge there had never been a gun in her home.

Hubbard, in his statement, gave a hazy account of Godwin’s coming to his sleeping room Monday afternoon a short while before the shooting and getting his (Hubbard’s) pistol.

The shooting suspect claimed Godwin picked up the pistol and hurriedly walked back to his own apartment with it.  Hubbard said he followed and walked into Godwin’s bedroom.

He said the pistol lay on the foot of Godwin’s bed and claimed Godwin told him he was going to kill him.  Hubbard said he then reached down, picked up his own pistol and began firing.

Neighbors Hear Shots

The shots were heard by  several neighboring residents and Mrs. Eva Livesy, who lives in another apartment at 23 S. Peoria Ave. said she saw Hubbard walk off the Godwins’  porch and stuff a pistol inside his shirt. 

Mrs. C. O. Freeman, 19 S. Peoria Ave., whose husband owns the houses in which both the victim and suspect lived, also saw Hubbard leave the house and walk northward toward an alley and toward his son’s home.

Neighbors said Hubbard and Mr. and Mrs. Godwin all drank heavily.  Dozens of empty whisky and vodka bottles were found in Hubbard’s sleeping room, located only a few yards from the Godwins’ porch.

Denies Knowing Victim

A baffling aspect was that Hubbard denied knowing Godwin and Mrs. Godwin claimed she did not know Hubbard.

“I had seen him around a few times but I didn’t know him,” Mrs. Godwin said.

Freeman, the landlord, said Hubbard had lived at 23 S. Peoria Ave. only a few weeks.  The Godwins had lived at their address about 4 months.

Hubbard listed his permanent address at Rt. 5, McAlester.  He said his wife lives there and that he has 10 children.  He is employed  by the Western Concrete Co.  Godwin was a sign painter for the Summers Sign Co., 408 E. 2^nd St.  His wife said they were married 10 years ago.  He is survived by a former wife and three daughters of Fort Smith, Ark., she said.

Differ on Number of Shots

Witnesses to the shooting reported hearing five shots fired and Mrs. Godwin thought there were four, but Detectives Wilson and Gott said six rounds had been fired from the revolver.

W. A. Lang, County Investigator, said a preliminary examination of the body at the scene disclosed two wounds.  Both struck in the left arm and ranged into the chest, Lang said.

J. Howard Edmondson, County Attorney, and Earl Beddoe, Assistant Police Chief, directed the interrogation of Hubbard and questioning of witnesses at police headquarters.

Arrangements for Godwin are pending with the Tulsa-Whisenhunt Funeral Home.

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Godwin Rites Today

Graveside services for Lawrence Oliver Goodwin, 54, of 1305 ‘E. 1^st St., Tulsa sign painter, will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday in Rose Hill Cemetery under the direction of the Tulsa-Whisenhunt Funeral Home.  Godwin was shot to death Monday afternoon at his home.

Treasure Chest Thursday – Death Certificate of Alvin Godwin

Alvin Godwin (1879-1950) was my 2nd great-grandfather, the father of Orville Godwin who was murdered in Tulsa in 1956.  Alvin was married in 1899 to my 2nd great-grandmother, Lou Ella Davis Godwin of Ash Flat, Arkansas.  They had two children, Lorine and Lawrence “Orville” Godwin born in 1903 and 1905.  Lou Ella and the children left Alvin early on. Alvin remained behind on the family farm with his parents, David and Zilphia Pulley Godwin. He died in a rest home in Springfield, MO in 1950. His remains were removed to the family cemetery in Saddle, AR where a single small block inscribed with “Alvin Godwin” marks his grave.

I learned the following from this death certificate:

His residence: Trotten Rest Home in at 809 Garfield Street, Springfield, MO
He was widowed
He was born January 27, 1879 in Saddle, AR which matched my records
He died November 17, 1950
He was a retired farmer, he did not serve in the armed forces
His cause of death was acute hemorrhage and cancer to the face….hmmm that sounds like it must have been pretty painful
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Up until just recently, we had never seen a photograph of Alvin Godwin. However a cousin, Jo, recently sent us a photo of Alvin sitting with his parents, David and Zilphia and two females. This picture was probably from the 20s or 30s because David Godwin died in 1928.

Picture (L to R) of David Godwin, his wife Zilphia Ann Pulley Godwin, unknown female, Alvin Godwin, & unknown female, taken 1920s. Original privately held by Jo Nicholson, Mammoth Springs, AR, digital image emailed to me 2010.

Amanuensis Monday – John F Dry Estate File

Transylvanian Dutch blog author John Newmark started the Monday blog theme called Amanuensis Monday. According to John, “amanuensis” means:

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

This week I am posting a transcript of 2 documents that were included in the estate files of John F Dry of Perry County, Illinois.

John F Dry was born about 1780 and died 25 August 1847 in Perry County, Illinois. John F and Elizabeth Dry’s son, John Moses Dry married Sarah GODWIN, March 30th, 1837, in Perry County, Illinois.

I believe Sarah GODWIN was the sister of my ancestor Elijah GODWIN of Lawrence County, Arkansas.

I have done a lot of research on the DRY family because they were instrumental in reconstructing my GODWIN family once they left Randolph County, North Carolina, moved to Putnam County, Indiana, and finally settled in Perry County, Illinois in the early 1830s.


John F Dry’s sister Ellen married Cornelius GODWIN, and his sister Sarah married (2nd) Nathan GODWIN both of whom were probably both brothers of my ancestor Elijah GODWIN.


Below are two documents. The first is the Administrators Oath of Jeffery Thornsberry. Jeffrey  THORNBERRY  was the 2nd husband of Sarah DRY (the daughter of John F Dry and sister of John Moses Dry). Sarah DRY married 1st to Nathan GODWIN  in 1835. Nathan must have died because in 1840, Sarah married Jeffrey THORNBERRY. 


Jeffrey THORNBERRY testified that his Father-in-Law, John F Dry, died on or about the 25th of August, 1847 without a will. Here is the transcript: 


Administrators Oath, filed 6 Sept 1847


“State of Illinois
Perry County
Act. Jefferson Thornberry duly sworn deposes and says that John F Dry late of said county departed this life on or about the 25th day of Aug 1847 and that so far as he knows or believes, he died without making any last will and testament.
Jefferson Thornberry”


The second document is the “Affidavit of Heirs of John F Dry” filed 4 Oct 1849 in which John F Dry lists all the heirs of his deceased Father, John Moses Dry, and his wife’s name – Elizabeth – who has since died and not produced any more heirs.


"Affadavit of heirs of John F Dry” 
filed 4 Oct 1849


“State of Illinois
Perry County
Act.John M Dry being duly sworn deposes and says that John F. Dry, late of said county deceased left at the time of his death a widow Elizabeth Dry, who is since deceased without other heirs than those herein aforementioned as the heirs of the said John F Dry that the said John F Dry left at the time of his decease:


1.  Daniel M Dry
2.  Leah Jinks, wife of Weston Jinks
3.  Lydia Bridges, wife of John Bridges
4.  John M Dry
5.  Ellen Godwn, wife of Cornelius Godwin
6.  Sally Thornsberry, wife of Jeffrey Thornsberry
7.  Daniel Dry
8.  John Dry
9.  Edmond Dry
10.  Paul Dry
11.  Jackson Dry


His children and heirs of law him surviving who are all now living as far as I know or believe.

John M Dry (his mark)”
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Notes:
The John F Dry Estate file was probate file no. 158 retrieved from the Perry County courthouse by a volunteer for me. This packet also included an admistrator’s oath and a Sale Bill.
Images:

Thornberry’s affidavit of date of death of John F Dry

John M Dry’s affidavit of heirs of John F Dry

Copyright © 2010 by Ginger R. Smith, http://genealogybyginger.blogspot.com/

Tombstone Tuesday - Thomas A Putman

"Thos A. Putman, Apr 26, 1845, Nov 21, 1918" - Privately held by Ginger R. Smith. Photographed by Ginger R. Smith, May 6, 2006 at Forest Park Cemetery, Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Thomas Adolphus Putman was my 3rd Great-Grandfather. He was born April 26, 1845 in Hall County, Georgia to Berry Barton Putman and Martha Francis Tate. He married my 3rd Great-Grandmother, Martha Ann Ward on January 20, 1969 in Arkansas. He died November 21, 1918 in Bloomer, Arkansas and was buried in the family plot in Forest Park Cemetery in Fort Smith, Arkansas. 

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This post is part of the daily blogging theme hosted by GeneaBloggers.

Tombstone Tuesday - Martha Ward - Putman

Tombstone Inscription reads "Martha Ward-Putman, July 24, 1850 - Jan 11, 1924" - Photograph in the personal collection of Ginger R. Smith, taken May 6, 2006 by Ginger R. Smith, Forest Park Cemetery, Fort Smith, Arkansas. 

Martha Ann Ward was my 3rd great-grandmother.  She was the daughter of Castleton and Mary Ward, both natives of Tennessee. Martha Ward married my 3rd great-grandfather, Thomas Adolphus Putman, January 20th, 1869 in Sebastian County, Arkansas. They had 4 children, Nona, Rosalie, Annie, and Pearl Putman. Thomas Putman preceded Martha in death. Martha was 69 years old when she died of a heart attack from complications from bronchitis. She was buried in the family plot beside her husband in Forest Park Cemetery in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

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This post is part of the daily blogging theme hosted by GeneaBloggers.

Funeral Card Friday: James E. Hribal

Funeral Card of James E Hribal, Rockport, Illinois, citing services on 20 December 1978; privately held by Jennie Lee (Godwin) Johnson, Rockport, Illinois. Funeral card mailed from Jennie Lee Johnson to her brother Larry Godwin of Fort Smith, Arkansas,  08 October 2008, then passed on to his granddaughter, Ginger R. Smith of Durham, North Carolina who digitized and returned the photos to Jennie via mail.

James Eugene Hribal was born December 10, 1958 in Rockford, Illinois to parents Jennie Lee Godwin and Richard "Dick" Hribal. He died December 16, 1978 in Rockford. He had just turned 20 years old. He and my mother were first cousins which would make him my first cousin once removed on my GODWIN side. His mother Jennie Lee (Godwin) Hribal Johnson is my grandfather, Larry Godwin's sister.

This post is part of a Monthly First Friday blogging theme suggested by Dee Akard Welborn. Dee encourages geneabloggers to highlight our funeral card collections on the first Friday of each month.