This morning, I received a booklet with a color picture of Charles Richard “Dick” Waits’ headstone.  Recently, I sent a request (with payment) to the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) to place a floral spray at Dick’s headstone.  They placed the flowers on November 11, Veterans Day, and took the above picture.  Please visit my other blog posts for more information on Dick’s life and his military service.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits/sister of Charles Richard Waits)

Woody Burl Davis, my grand uncle, was born 9/26/1925 in Mexia, Texas, to Sherman and Margie Davis (Kirkpatrick.)  The oldest of four children, Woody served as a Private with the United States Marine Corps during World War II (see earlier post.) 

“W. B.” married Marjorie Ann Johnson and had three children: Judy Kay, Cheryl, and John.  He worked for the Mexia State School, a residential facility for those with developmental disabilities.  Woody passed away on June 22, 2001, in College Station, Texas.  He was buried in Point Enterprise Cemetery, located in Mexia.

I remember visiting the Point Enterprise Cemetery while living in College Station.  My wife and I took a short road trip to visit Woody’s gravesite and took the pictures just before sunset. 

Brian Davis – James Michael Davis – James Nead Davis (brother of Woody Burl Davis)

James Isaac Kirkpatrick Military Headstone

James Isaac Kirkpatrick, my 4th great grandfather, was born 10/13/1827 in Tennessee.  He later moved to Cherokee County, Texas and married Martha Margaret Fulton there on 12/9/1949.  “Isaac”, as he was known, lived in Cherokee County the rest of his life.  He prospered as a farmer, and, according to the 1860 United States Federal Census, owned a 12 year-old female house slave.

Isaac served as a Private in the 17th Texas Cavalry (Confederate States of America) during the Civil War.  He passed away on 4/15/1912 at the age of 84 and was buried in Union Grove Cemetery in Jacksonville, Texas. 

To this point, I have been unable to locate any information on his lineage.  I hope to visit the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research in the near future, with the hopes of uncovering more information.

Brian Davis – James Michael Davis – James Nead Davis – Marjorie Leaine Davis (Kirkpatrick) – Woodie Tarrant Kirkpatrick – John Marion Kirkpatrick – James Isaac Kirkpatrick

Wiley Berry and Leta Louise Gibson (McKinney) Headstone

I recently received the following comment on ancestry.com regarding the above picture, taken in the Noonday Cemetery in Noonday, Smith County, Texas:

Her actual birthdate was October 22, 1911. Years ago, I found her birth certificate entry made by her father, Samuel McKinney filed at the Smith County Courthouse in a large book. I’ve been told that when this headstone was made, the year 1911 was put on (or was to be put on) the stone, but she thought she was born in 1912 and made them change it. She was my grandmother; I’m the daughter of her eldest daughter. I gave her a copy of her birth certificate at her birthday party one year – I think it made her mad because she said that made her one year older! We all still smile when someone mentions that story.

The comment was submitted by Barbara Purdue (Massey), a distant cousin through the Gibson family (see post below regarding Eliza Ruth Gibson (Harris).  I’ve replied to her comment and hope to post more information soon.

Brian Davis – James Michael Davis – James Nead Davis – Marjorie Leaine Davis  (Kirkpatrick) – Burla Eugene Kirkpatrick (Gibson) – Berrien Wiley Gibson (common ancestor)

The tombstone featured this Tuesday is of my 3rd great grandmother, Eliza Ruth Gibson (Harris).   My wife and I visited her grave 2/09, on a road trip through northern Texas.  Eliza Ruth was born in 1839 in Washington County, Arkansas to Samuel and Jane Harris (Smith).   Her family moved to Cherokee County, Texas between 1844 and 1850.  She later married my 3rd great grandfather, Berrien Wylie Gibson, on 6/24/1858 in Tyler, Smith County, Texas.   They resided in Smith County, Texas until Berrien Wylie’s death in 1888.  She was later committed to the North Texas Hospital for the Insane (now the Terrell State Hospital) in Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas.  Eliza Ruth was a patient there from approx. 1900, until her death on 10/21/1920. 

Eliza Ruth Gibson Death Certificate

Her death certificate lists the cause of death as “Arteriosclerosis”, with “Insanity” as a contributing factor.  Due to privacy laws, I have been unable to obtain any of her patient information from the hospital or the state of Texas. 

She was buried in Wildwood Cemetery, located on the hospital grounds, in a numbered grave.  Through the generosity of donors and volunteers, the Wildwood Cemetery Association has placed a “dignified and permanent headstone inscribed with the name and dates of birth and death” on many of the graves, including Eliza Ruth’s.  Please click here to read more about the hospital, Wildwood Cemetery and the “Numbers to Names” campaign.

Brian Davis – James Michael Davis – James Nead Davis – Marjorie Leaine Davis (Kirkpatrick) – Burla Eugene Kirkpatrick (Gibson) – Eliza Ruth Gibson (Harris)