Viola Gant Sexton

Viola Winifred Gant, our aunt, was born on 25 May 1895 in Plano, Collin County, TX. Her parents were John Lee and Rachel Clementine nee Howard. The family lived in Justice Precinct No. 5 (western part of Plano).

Viola Gant
United States Census, 1900
Name: Viola Gant
Event Type: Census
Event Year: 1900
Event Place: Justice Precinct 5 (west part) Plano town, Collin, Texas, United States
Gender: Female
Age: 5
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Race (Original): W
Relationship to Head of Household: Daughter
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Daughter
Birth Date: May 1895
Birthplace: Texas
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Texas

Record Source:
"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3L3-P39 : accessed 13 August 2018), Viola Gant in household of John L Gant, Justice Precinct 5 (west part) Plano town, Collin, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 16, sheet 18A, family 350, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,621.

Viola's and her sisters' social activities were recorded in Society Columns of the County Newspapers.

At the age of 20, Viola got married. Her husband was John Clark Sexton, a Texan, son of Mr. Jefferson F Sexton and Miss Manerva Ann Mitchell. John was born on 14 Nov. 1893 in Allen, Collin, Texas.
The wedding ceremony took place on Sunday. It was elegant but quiet and rather small.

Clippings Sorce: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 29, Ed. 1 Friday, December 24, 1915, newspaper, December 24, 1915; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601597/: accessed August 13, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

Marriage certificate

Record Source:
"Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K61T-2YQ : accessed 13 August 2018), J C Sexton and Viola Gant, 19 Dec 1915, Marriage; citing Collin, Texas, United States, various county clerk offices, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Texas Dept. of State Health Services and Golightly-Payne-Coon Co.; FHL microfilm 2,316,240. 

John and Viola's first child, a daughter, was born in Texas on 3 October 1916. They named her Marzelle Clark. Later, the family moved to Oklahoma.

The WW1 draft record says that in 1917, Viola, her husband and daughter had already lived in The Sooner State.

Studying the paper, we can also learn that Viola's husband was medium built, he had brown hair and gray eyes.

Record source:
"United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZD2-ZM9 : 13 March 2018), Clark Sexton, 1917-1918; citing Bryan County, Oklahoma, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,851,608.

A year later, on 19 Sept. John and Viola's son John Thautlon was born in Oklahoma.

Not long after that, Viola got ill. I do not know what the illness was. Sadly, she never recovered and passed away on 18 Feb. 1920. She was only 24 years old.

Clipping Source:
The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 3, Ed. 1 Friday, March 5, 1920, newspaper, March 5, 1920; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570436/: accessed July 24, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

Viola's body was transferred from the Bethany Cemetery to Plano in 1948. Then, she was buried at the Rowlett Creek Cemetery, Plano, Texas.

God bless her soul.

Credits:
Photo by Mr. H. Case