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

William F Fitzhugh

Many posts ago, I wondered who in the ancestry was a reason the surname Fitzhugh appeared as a middle name in our close family. Then, I discovered William H Fitzhugh (our six-times-great-great-uncle by marriage) who came to Virginia from England. William's wife was Sarah Tucker (a daughter of our direct ancestor). It all seemed fine, however, since our immediate progenitors lived in Texas, there must have been some closer, possibly Texas connection between the Fitzhugh family of Virginia and their more recent descendant. That Fitzhugh man apparently impressed our grandparents with his actions/life strongly enough that they named one of their kids with the surname. Therefore, I kept searching. While studying the history of Collin County, I learned a Fitzhugh family branch lived there as well. Furthermore, one of them was Colonel William F Fitzhugh, the son of John Thomas Fitzhugh and Sarah Shelton. He was born on 8 May 1818 in Hamilton, Boone County, Kentucky.

William, our sixth cousin twice removed*, volunteered and took part in the Seminole War in Florida. He was only seventeen then and that was how his military career/service started. Ten years later, in 1845, William and his parents came to Texas.

On 24 September 1847, he married Miss Mary Jane Rattan, the daughter of Mr. Thomas Rattan and Ms Gillian Hill. The ceremony took place in Collin County, Texas.

William was not only a farmer but a Texas Ranger as well. In 1847, together with other Rangers, he built a wooden palisade not far from the nowadays Gainsville. The stockade was created to protect the local settlers from the Indian raids. The place was called Fort Fitzhugh to honor Col. William F Fitzhugh, the Rangers leader. In 1850, the Fort became the Cooke County seat. Later, its name was changed to Liberty. Yet, since there had already been another Liberty place in Texas, William suggested another name for the new town: Gainsville - for General Edmund Pendleton Gaine (born in 1777 in Virginia).

Texas Ranger Monument

An interesting fact is that Mary E Clark who donated the 40-acre tract on which the town was built was probably (?) Mary Elizabeth Clark nee Gant, our third cousin four times removed. I think I will write a special post dedicated to her and her immediate family.

In 1860, William and family lived at Precinct 1 in Collin County, Texas.

Wm Fitzhugh
United States Census, 1860

Name: Wm Fitzhugh
Event: Type Census
Event: Date 1860
Event Place: Precinct 1, Collin, Texas, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 42
Race: White
Race: (Original) [Blank]
Birth Year: (Estimated) 1818
Birthplace: Kentucky
Page: 87

Household

Wm Fitzhugh, Male, age 42, born Kentucky
Mary J Fitzhugh, F, 31, born Illinois
Sarah E Fitzhugh, F, 7, Texas
John F Fitzhugh, M, 5, Texas
Louesa C Fitzhugh, F, 3, Texas
George D Fitzhugh, M, 0, Texas
Juhugh Stroad, M, 40, Pennsylvania
Gillia Ratton, F, 68, Georgia
Martin Barnett, M, 55, Kentucky

Record source:
"United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXFX-3G9 : 12 December 2017), Wm Fitzhugh, 1860.

Gillia Ratton mentioned in the Census was William's wife's mother. Mary Jane's father died in 1854.

William served with the First Regiment, Texas Mounted Volunteers in Mexican War under the command of Col. Jack Coffee Hays. He also participated in five of the Civil War battles together with his Sixteenth Texas Cavalry. He was wounded on 7 July 1762 during battle of Cotton Plant. 

Later, he came back home to Mellisa, Texas.

1870 Census recorded William, Mary and their seven children. They lived together with Mary's older brother Hampton and William's parents.

William Fitzhugh
United States Census, 1870

Name: William Fitzhugh
Event: Type Census
Event Year: 1870
Event Place: Texas, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 52
Race: White
Race (Original): W
Birth Year: (Estimated) 1817-1818
Birthplace: Kentucky
Page Number: 14
 
Household

William Fitzhugh, Male, age 52, born Kentucky
Mary Fitzhugh, F, 42, born Illinois
Sarah Fitzhugh, F, 17, Texas
John Fitzhugh, M, 15, Texas
Louisa Fitzhugh, F, 13, Texas
George Fitzhugh M, 11, Texas
Robert Fitzhugh, M, 9, Texas
Tabitha Fitzhugh, F, 5, Texas
Henrietta Fitzhugh, F, 3, Texas
Hampton Ratten, M, 29, Texas
John Fitzhugh, M, 78, Virginia
Sarah Fitzhugh, F, 73, Tennessee

Record Source:
"United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXGG-WP8 : 12 April 2016), William Fitzhugh, Texas, United States; citing p. 14, family 102, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 553,078.

William Fitzhugh died on 23 October 1883 in a result of a wagon accident.

Clipping Source: DeMorse, Charles. The Standard (Clarksville, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 52, Ed. 1 Friday, November 2, 1883, newspaper, November 2, 1883; Clarksville, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth234836/: accessed August 9, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

Our relative whose middle name was Fitzhugh was born seven years later. Now I can see why and for whom he was named.

What is the connection between William F Fitzhugh and William H Fitzhufh "The Immigrant"?

He is his direct descendant - to be more precise - William H and Sarah Tucker's son's John Marmion's great-great-great-grandson.

The one who also links us with William F is, besides Rose Tucker (his five-times great-grandmother/ our seven-times-great-grandmother), is George W Fitzhugh, William's father's brother* (born in 1790, King George, Georgia/d. 17 March 1863, Collin County, Texas). George W was buried in the Fitzhugh cemetery in Lucas, Texas.

William F Fitzhugh
⇒ his father John Thomas Fitzhugh (b. 1792, Virginia/d. 27 July 1878, Collin, TX)
⇒ his brother George W Fitzhugh
⇒ his daughter Sarah Jane (nee Fitzhugh) Snider (b. 5 Dec. 1829 in Kentucky/d. 15 Jan. 1914, McKinney, Collin, TX)
⇒ her daughter Mary Ann (nee Snider) Coffey (b. 1855, Collin, TX/d.1898, Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas)
⇒ her husband Zachariah Taylor Coffey (b. 1848 Kentucky/d.1922, Collin, Texas)
⇒ his sister Nancy Jane (nee Coffey) Liggett (b. 22 June 1851, Russell, Kentucky/d. 16 March 1946, Vashti, Clay, TX)
⇒ her daughter Theodocia Ellen "Dorcie" (nee Liggett) Richards (b. 21 Nov. 1780, Allen, Collin, TX/d. 13 Dec. 1954, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas)
⇒ her son Lenzie Cecil Richards (b. 21 March 1890, Allen, Collin, TX/d. McKinney, Collin, TX)
⇒ his wife Ethel (nee Howard) Richards - our first cousin once removed
⇒ her father Robert Lee Howard
⇒ his sister Rachel Clementine (nee Howard) Gant

* based on my MyHeritage research

Information source
Texas State Historical Association Handbook
Picture by Clairissa Simmons [CC BY 4.0  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

Saint Margaret, Queen of Scots

Margaret was an English princess was born 8 Sept. 1045 in Castle Reka, Mecseknádasd, Pécsváradi, Baranya, Hungary. Her parents were Edward the Exile and Agatha. Her paternal grandfather was Edmund The Ironside. She is also our thirty-two-times-great-grandmother.*

St. Margaret's Chapel Window, Edinborough

When Margaret was 12, her father was called from the exile to England. After Prince Edward's death, Agatha took her children Christina, Margaret and Edgar the Atheling to Scotland where, in the Dunfermline Castle (1070), Margaret married Malcolm III, king of Scotland.

Margaret introduced her husband and the country to new customs and the cultural lifestyle she had learned while living in Hungary and England. She promoted arts, education and religious life. On the other hand, Malcolm was a good, loving husband and a virtuous king. The couple had eight children -
 Edward, Edmund, Ethelred, Edgar, Alexander, Edith, Mary and David.

Margaret was devoted to charity works, serving the poor and abandoned ones. She initiated the reforms of the church in Scotland. Malcolm and Margaret founded quite a few churches, including the Holy Trinity in Dunfermline. The Queen established a ferry crossing across the Firth of Forth.

Both Malcolm and Edward (one of Margaret and Malcolm's sons) were killed at the battle of Alnwick on 13 Nov. 1093.

Margaret died three days later in Edinborough Castle, having learned about the tragic death of her husband and son. She was buried in Dunfermline Abbey in Fife, Scotland.

In 1250, Margaret was canonized by Pope Innocent IV. The feast day of St. Margaret Queen of Scotland is 16 November, the day of her death.

St. Margaret's Chapel, Edinborough Castle, Edinborough, Scotland

-----

The ancestry line*

Margaret Canmore (of Wessex)
⇒ her son King David mac Maíl Choluim (b. about 1083, Fordoun, Kincardineshire, Scotland/d. 24 May 1153, Carlisle, Cumberland, England)
⇒ his son Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon (b. 19 Nov. 1114, Kelso, Roxburghshire, Scotland/d. 12 June 1152, Kelso, Roxburghshire, Scotland)
⇒ his son David, 8th Earl of Huntingdon (b. about 1152, Stirling, Stirlingshire, Scotland/d. 17 June 1219, Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Scotland)
⇒ his daughter Margaret MacLochlan (b. about 1175, Galloway, Wigtownshire, Scotland/d. April 1234, Dundrennan Abbey, Kirkcudbright, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland)
⇒ her daughter Devorguilla Nic Alan of Galloway (b. about 1218, Fotheringhay Castle, Galloway, Wigtownshire, Scotland/d. about 1290, Kempston, Bedfordshire, England)
⇒ her daughter Alianora Comyn nee de Balliol (b. about 1242, Badenoch, Scotland/ d. 1302, Lochindorb Castle, Strathspey, Scotland)
⇒ her son Sir John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch (b. about 1269, Badenoch, Inverness-shire, Scotland/d. 10 Feb. 1306, Church of Greyfriars, Dumfries)

Clan Comyn/Cumming Crest

⇒ his son William McCumin (b. about 1290)
⇒ his son Fergus McCumin (b. about 1315)
⇒ his son John MakCubyn (b. about 1345)
⇒ his son John Fergus MakCubyn (b. about 1365)
⇒ his son John MakCubyn (b. about 1390)
⇒ his son Fergus MakCubyn (b. about 1415)
⇒ his son Dougal MakCubyn (b. about 1440)
⇒ his son Sir Fergus MakCubyn (b. about 1465)
⇒ his son John MakCumbyn (b. 1490/d. 1542 Scotland)
⇒ his son Lord Fergus MakCumbyn (b. about 1513, Dunscore, Dumfriesshire and Galloway, Scotland/d. battle of  Pinkie Cleugh, About 10 Sep. 1547)
⇒ his son John MacCubbins (b. about 1533, Dunscore, Scotland/d. 1580, Scotland)
⇒ his son Fergus MacCubbins (b. abt. 1558, Galloway, Scotland/d. 1615, Parish Ayrshire, Scotland)
⇒ his son John MacCubbins (b. abt. 1579, Maccubbinstone, Dunscoir, Scotland/d. 1631)
⇒ his son John Fergus MacCubbins (b. 1603 Ayr, South Ayrshire, Scotland/d. 1686, Ayrshire, Scotland)
⇒ his son John MacCubbins (b. about 1630, Knockdolian, Ayrshire, Scotland, South Ayrshire, Scotland/d. about 1686, Anne Arundel County, Maryland)
⇒ his daughter Sarah Griffith nee MacCubbins (b. 1659, Cardigan, Wales/d. Oct 23 1699, Middle Neck Hundred, Anne Arundel County, Maryland)
⇒ her son Orlando Griffith (b. 17 Oct. 1688, Anne Arundel County, Province of Maryland/d. 15 March 1757, Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Province of Maryland)
⇒ his daughter Sarah A Dorsey nee Griffith ( b. 1712, Majors, Maryland/d. 28 May 1780, Maryland)
⇒ her daughter Rachel Anne Holbrook nee Dorsey (b. 15 Feb. 1737, Eldersburg, Baltimore, Maryland/d. 15 August 1804, Kentucky)
⇒ her son William Holbrook (b. 1765, Rowan Co., NC/d. 13 Jan. 1844, Forsyth, Georgia)
⇒ his son Samuel Asberry Holbrook (b. 25 May 1787, Rowan, NC/d. 13 Dec. 1845, Forsyth Georgia)
⇒ his daughter Mary Hagood nee Holbrook (b. 1816, Cherokee, Georgia)/d. 10 Feb. 1883, Cherokee, Georgia)
⇒ her daughter Hannah E Ledbetter nee Hagood/Haygood (b. 1838, Georgia) - our great-great-grandmother

*based on my MyHeritage research 

Credits:
Information:
Wikipedia, geni.com
Pictures:
The window: By Kjetil Bjørnsrud New york - Own work, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=781637
The map: CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1225892
St. Margaret's Chapel: By Jonathan Oldenbuck - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5383510
Clan Comyn Crest: By Celtus (Celtus @ english wikipedia) - Own work by uploader. The crest image is adapted from the following below., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4899961 

Lyndon Baines Johnson

President Lyndon Baines Johnson, born in the heart of Texas, was related to the Harrington family (via the Baines and the Huffmans)*.

Rear View of President Johnson birthplace

Mr. Lyndon was Silas Liter Harrington's third cousin. Who was Silas? I have already written about him and his wife Vera Virginia Andrews, our fourth cousin twice removed, in another post.

Silas was born in Texas, in 1896.

Here is the relation line between Mr. Lyndon and Silas:

Silas' father Joseph Alfred Harrington (b. 31 March 1784, Collin Co., TX/d. 9 April 1957, Plano, Collin, TX)
⇒ his father Silas Liter Harrington (b. 29 April 1851, Plano, Collin, TX/d. 21 March 1932, Collin Co., TX)
⇒ his mother Martha Harrington nee Huffman (b. 1830/d.1864)
⇒ her brother John Smith Huffman III (b. 7 May 1825, Bourbon Co., Kentucky/d. 22 June 1865, Plano, Collin, TX)
⇒ his daughter Ruth Ament Baines nee Huffman (b. 10 Dec. 1854, Rowlett, Collin, TX/d. 13 Feb. 1936, San Antonio, Bexar County, TX)
⇒ her daughter Rebekah Johnson nee Baines (b. 26 June 1881, McKinney, Collin, TX/d. 12 Sept. 1958, Austin, Travis County, Texas)
⇒ her son Lyndon Baines Johnson (b. 27 August 1908, Stonewall, Gillespie County, TX/d. 22 Jan. 1973)

The place where President Lyndon B Johnson was born

Here is our relation to Vera Virginia Andrews Harrington

⇒ her mother Ora Susan Andrews nee Forman (b. 23 Feb. 1869, Plano, Collin, TX/d. 1932, TX)
⇒ her mother Lucettie Abigail Forman nee Thomas (b. 16 August 1823, Warren County, Kentucky/d. 20 Jan. 1897, Plano, Collin, TX)
⇒ her husband Jarrot Howard (our great-great-grandfather)



*All the information based on my own MyHeritage research

Photos:
1. By Billy Hathorn - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32361537
2. By Larry D. Moore, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49669589

Double Gant Line and Lollar Family

The double line because our paternal 5-time great-grandfather, John Spencer Gant and our maternal 6-time great-grandfather, William Gant were brothers.

I have written quite a few posts about John Spencer's father John and his descendants, our ancestors, but somehow, I missed William's side. Time to make it up!

Both William and John were sons of John Gant and Anna Brantley. William was their eldest child who was born on 2 May 1732 in Isle of Wight, Virginia. About 1756, when he was 24, William married Miss Ann Wood, the daughter of John Wood and Martha Anna Britain. William's bride was born on 12 August 1736 in Lincolnshire County, North Carolina. The marriage took place in Granville County, North Carolina.

William and Ann had eleven children. Their eldest son was Giles (b. 2 August 1756 in Granville, NC), their third child and second daughter was Elizabeth (b. circa 1757 in Granville, NC as well). The two, Giles and Elizabeth are our direct ancestors (which actually makes a triple Gant line).

How come?

Giles married six years younger Elizabeth Armstrong on 17 January 1783. She was born on 4 Feb. 1762 in Mecklenburg, NC to William Armstrong and Margaret Woods.

Elizabeth, Giles' sister married Mr. Jacob Lollar (born about 1750 in Burke, NC) to Isaac K Lollar and Elizabeth Hellums. Jacob was a Revolutionary War soldier - he served in North Carolina.

And then, one of Elizabeth and Jacob Lollar's sons, Hugh Gant Lollar (b. about 1786 in Lincoln County, NC) married one of Giles and Elizabeth Gant's daughters, Margaret Gant (b. 1791, NC).

Hugh Gant Lollar and Margaret Gant are our 4-time great-grandparents.

The posters show clearly that both Hugh Gant Lollar and Margaret Gant Lollar had the same grandparent (William Gant) and great-grandfather (John Gant).

Hugh Gant Lollar Jr. was Hugh Sr. and Margaret Lollar's sixth child, the fourth son.

Hugh Gant Jr. married at the age of 23, on 6 Jan. 1840 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. His spouse was Nancy Bagwell.

Nancy Bagwell
mentioned in the record of Hugh G. Loller and Nancy Bagwell
Name: Hugh G. Loller
Spouse's Name: Nancy Bagwell
Event Date: 06 Jan 1840
Event Place: Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

Record Source:
"Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F315-Q5P : 9 February 2018), Hugh G. Loller and Nancy Bagwell, 06 Jan 1840; citing reference ; FHL microfilm 1,290,745.

Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Gant Lollar Jr. had five daughters and five sons. Their fourth child and second son, our great-great-grandfather James Wiley Lollar, was born circa 1846 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Lake Tuscaloosa

His first wife was Malvina Donoretta (Dunreath) Bradley (b. 1845 in Panola, Texas), the daughter of John Mortimer Bradley and Elizabeth McFadden.

Hawthorn-Clabaugh-Patterson House is now the location of the Carthage Chamber of Commerce, Panola, TX

Melvina D Bradly
mentioned in the record of James W Loller and Melvina D Bradly
Name: James W Loller
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 18 Jul 1867
Event Place: Hopkins, Texas, United States
Spouse's Name: Melvina D Bradly

Record Source:
"Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGD-FH2 : 22 December 2016), James W Loller and Melvina D Bradly, 18 Jul 1867; citing Hopkins, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 1,298,848.

Three years later, the couple lived in Texas with two children.

Wiley Lollar
United States Census, 1870
Name: Wiley Lollar
Event Type: Census
Event Year: 1870
Event Place: Texas, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Race: White
Race: (Original) W
Birth Year: (Estimated) 1845-1846
Birthplace: Alabama
Page Number: 57

Household
Wiley Lollar Male, age 24, born Alabama
Donaretta Lollar, F, age 22, born Texas
Joseph Lollar, M, 2, born Texas
Sarah Lollar, F, 0, born Texas

Record Source:
"United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXGM-X2P : 12 April 2016), Wiley Lollar, Texas, United States; citing p. 57, family 396, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 553,091.

James and Melvina had only two children* - a boy Joesph W (b. 19 April 1868 in Hopkins, Texas) and a girl Sarah (b. 1870). Melvina passed on 3 Nov. 1873 in Hopkins, TX).

Joseph W, our great-grandfather, married at the age of 21. His wife was Emma Pierce, the daughter of Jesse Pierce and Florence Edwards. It was in Marion County, TX on 26 Sept. 1889.

Record Source:
"Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV1H-W36N : accessed 27 July 2018), Joseph Lollar and Emma W Pierce, 29 Sep 1889, Marriage; citing Marion, 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 1,481,608.

An interesting thing is that on Emma's gravestone the date of her birthday shows 15 March 1879.

If Emma had been born in 1879, on the day of her marriage she would have been 10 years old. It seems like a mistake, especially that Census records say Emma Pierce, daughter of Florence was born in 1876. 14-year-old bride makes more sense.

Emma Pierce
United States Census, 1880
Name: Emma Pierce
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1880
Event Place: Precinct 6, Harrison, Texas, United States
Gender: Female
Age: 4
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Race (Original): W
Relationship to Head of Household: Granddaughter
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): GDau
Birth Year (Estimated): 1876
Birthplace: Texas, United States
Father's Birthplace: Georgia, United States
Mother's Birthplace: Mississippi, United States
Sheet Letter: B
Sheet Number: 539
Person Number: 3
Volume 1
 
Household
Danl Brown, Male, age 76, North Carolina, United StatesNaomi Brown,  Wife, F, 60, North Carolina, United States
Florrence Pierce, Daughter, F, 23. Mississippi, United States
Emma Pierce, Granddaughter, F, 4, Texas, United States

Record Source:
"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFNV-42Y : 15 July 2017), Emma Pierce in household of Danl Brown, Precinct 6, Harrison, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district ED 51, sheet 539B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1310; FHL microfilm 1,255,310.

Daniel and Naomi Brown were Emma's mother's (Florence's) parents. Emma's father Jesse died before the 1880 Census.

Harrison County Courthouse, Texas

 The Census from 1900 confirms that Emma, Joseph's wife was born in February 1876, not in 1879.

Joseph Lollar
United States Census, 1900
Name: Joseph Lollar
Event Type: Census
Event Year: 1900
Event Place: Commissioner's Precinct 3 (south of T.& P. R.R.), Bowie, Texas, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 32
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Race (Original) W
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Head
Years Married: 10
Birth Date: Apr 1868
Birthplace: Texas
Marriage: Year (Estimated) 1890
Father's Birthplace: Alabama
Mother's Birthplace: Texas

Household
Joseph Lollar Head, Male, age 32, born Texas
Emma Lollar, Wife, F, age 24, b. Texas
Jesse Lollar, Son, M, age 10, b. Texas
Ethel Lollar, Daughter, F, age 5, b. Texas
Ivy Lollar, Daughter, F, age 3, Texas
Infant Lollar, Son, M, age 0, Texas

Record Source:
"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M32B-7LR : accessed 27 July 2018), Joseph Lollar, Commissioner's Precinct 3 (south of T.& P. R.R.), Bowie, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 10, sheet 20A, family 221, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,613.

The Infant Lollar recorded in the Census was most probably George Isabell Lollar, born 16 June 1900.

Joseph and Emma had thirteen surviving children. Ethel B. Lollar was our grandmother.

Joseph W Lollar (Joe) passed on 28 September 1931 in Harrison, Texas.

His wife Emma died three months later from heart failure, on 9 December 1931.

Their daughter Ethel contracted TB at the age of 58. She was sick for six months and passed away in McKnight State Sanatorium on 5 July 1954 at 12:40 pm. The Sanatorium was situated at 110 Pecos Street in Terrel, Tom Green County, Texas. Ethel and her parents were buried in Harleton, Texas at Smyrna Cemetary.

I wrote more about Ethel B Lollar, her husband Samuel Hollie McIntosh and their children in that post.

UPDATE:

* I have been informed by a family genealogy researcher,  Mr. Richard Mc A., that Malvina and James had another child, Hugh Lee Lollar (born on 4 April 1872/died in 1959, in Oklahoma).

---

Credits
Posters made with MyHeritage software,
Photos of gravemarkers: 
Emma Lollar Pierce - gabby
Hugh Gant Lollar Jr. and Nancy Bagwell: Craig Burton
Lake Tuscaloosa: By RollTide13 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14580632,
Carthage Chamber of Commerce: By Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61253412
Harrison County Courthouse: By Renelibrary - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59746190

Ethel Howard and Her Society Life

Ethel Howard, our 1st cousin once removed, was mentioned in the post related to her parents, Robert Lee Howard and Dora Elizabeth Angel.

The Howards were part of the early Collin County prominent society. Their daily activities and family matters were announced in the social columns of the local newspapers. Studying those old papers you can learn what certain persons did, where they went or whom they met on a given day.

When Ethel grew up, her whereabouts and major life events also became "public", known to the citizens of Plano and McKinney, the readers of The Plano Star Courier and The Weekly Democrat-Gazette.

25 May 1912 - Saturday, Ethel was 19 then. A day in Frisco.

Clipping source: Perkins, Tom W. & Wilson, Walter B. The Weekly Democrat-Gazette (McKinney, Tex.), Vol. 30, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 30, 1912, newspaper, May 30, 1912; McKinney, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth292099/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

24 June 1912, Monday

She had her cousins for dinner. Ina was Ethel's relation via her mother's side. Victoria and Viola were Ethel's first cousins.

Clipping source:  Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 27, 1912, newspaper, June 27, 1912; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570549/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

1/2 February 1913, a day with friends in Sherman

Miss Ethel Cothes was Mary Ethel Cothes, daughter of Herman Cothes and George Anna Brown of Kentucky. She was three years older than our Ethel (Mary Ethel Cothes was born on 17 January 1889).

Clipping source:  Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 37, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 6, 1913, newspaper, February 6, 1913; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570342/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

23 May 1913 - Ethel Howard was 20 years old, she graduated from Plano High School.

Ethel is mentioned in the second place regarding the list of graduates. Since the names are not given in the alphabetical order, I assume her final results might have been the second best in the class.

Note that Ethel's class colors were purple and gold and the class flower was the sweet pea.
The class motto: "If I am not for myself who is? If for myself only what am I? If not now, when?" seems to be a paraphrase of the thought by Hillel, Jewish scholar and philosopher: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?" Ethics of the Fathers, 1:14

Clipping source:  Perkins, Tom W. & Wilson, Walter B. The Weekly Democrat-Gazette (McKinney, Tex.), Vol. 30, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 29, 1913, newspaper, May 29, 1913; McKinney, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth992654/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

12 June 1913, Thursday

Ethel played the game of 42 at her cousins'.
 

Clipping source: Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 12, 1913, newspaper, June 12, 1913; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570558/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

Lula, Viola and Ethel were cousins. Thanks to a marriage in the family, Tessie also was Ethel's relative. She was a cousin of Georgia Lou Mayes who had married Ethel's cousin Leffel.

22 June 1913, Sunday

Ethel spent the day with the Dillehays in Plano.

Clipping source: Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 26, 1913, newspaper, June 26, 1913; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570504/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

Jim Dillehay was Mr. James Allen "Jimme" Dillehay. His children Cassie (b. 1890), John (b. 1894) and Allie (b. 1896) were around Ethel's age.

12 April 1914, Sunday. Ethel is 21. She meets Leona Mathews.

Clipping source: Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 47, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 16, 1914, newspaper, April 16, 1914; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601809/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

9 July 1914, Ethel's father Robert Lee is sick.

Clipping source: Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 9, 1914, newspaper, July 9, 1914; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601693/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

1 November 1914, Sunday in McKinney.

Clipping source: Wankan, Fred E. & Bagwill, Arthur A. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 24, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 5, 1914, newspaper, November 5, 1914; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601684/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

28 March 1915, Sunday

22-year-old Ethel spent the day with friends and her two years younger brother Claudie (b. 1894).

Clipping source: Wankan, Fred E. The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 44, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 1, 1915, newspaper, April 1, 1915; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601628/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

26 Sept. 1915, Sunday

Ethel gives a luncheon which was a "family only" event. Ethel (1897) and Florence (1898) Richards were sisters of Ethel's future husband Cecil. The latter one married Claudie (Ethel's brother) two years later.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 30, 1915, newspaper, September 30, 1915; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601621/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

7 November 1915, Sunday

A month after the family luncheon at Ethel's, she was hosted by Florence and Ethel Richards - her future sisters-in-law. Forrest Richards present at the dinner was her future brother-in-law.

There is a mistake in the surname Gant (not Grant). What's more? Clark Sexton became Viola Gant's husband in December 1915, Fred Lunsford married Ethel Richards (one of the hostesses) two years later.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 11, 1915, newspaper, November 11, 1915; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601770/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

Another piece of information about the same Sunday dinner and more mistakes - Claudie Howard, not Claudia. Misses Richards, not Miss Richard.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 11, 1915, newspaper, November 11, 1915; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601770/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

December 1915, Ethel and friends attend a dinner hosted by her cousin Victoria Gant

The marriage of Viola Gant and Clark Sexton announced at dinner, took place on 15 Dec. 1915.

Other marriages which took place some time later (considering the guests mentioned in the clipping):
Ethel Howard + Cecil Richards
Florence Richards + Claudie Howard
Ethel Richards + Fred Lunsford
Marion Bourn + Leslie Yarbrough.

Clipping source: 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 July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

2 March 1916, Thursday - Ethel and Cecil got married

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 40, Ed. 1 Friday, March 10, 1916, newspaper, March 10, 1916; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601631/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

The wedding colors (including the cake) were pink and white. Cecil Richard's (the groom's) mother's grandfather was Salathiel Coffey, a Collin County pioneer.

Ethel Richards who found a ring in a piece of cake married Fred Lunsford in 1917.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 41, Ed. 1 Friday, March 17, 1916, newspaper, March 17, 1916; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601592/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.