Nellie Ruth Williams Son-In-Service Navy Pin

Nellie Ruth Williams Navy Flag Picture

This pin belonged to my great grandmother, Nellie Ruth Williams.  The one blue star on the flag denoted that one son (or husband) was serving in the Armed Forces. A gold star was used to indicate that the family member was killed or had died during the war. Her son (my grandfather), Ralph Scott Williams Jr. served in the United States Navy (USN on the pin) during World War II.  In the second picture, you can see my great grandmother and the Son-In-Service United States Navy flag hanging in their window.

If you have any family treasures you’d like to contribute, please take a picture of the item and email it to me.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits)

These are video clips from my mother and aunt’s trip to Ohio in August 1992. Featured in the video: Jackson High School; Maple Hill Cemetery; the former home of my great grand uncle, Rowland Williams and great grand aunt, Lorelle Williams (Fite); the former home of my great grand aunt, Evalyn Gahm (Williams); my grand uncle, Don Williams; my grand aunt, Wanda Williams (Hall); and the marriage of Don and Wanda’s son, Timothy Williams.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Madrith Jean Williams (Williams/sister of Donald Edward Williams) – Donald Edwin Williams (brother of Rowland A. Williams and Evalyn R. Williams)

Mary Louise “Mollie Lou” Oliphant/Kirkpatrick (Tarrant), my 3rd great grandmother, was born 7/27/1856 in Bullard, Texas. She died of “natural causes”, but heart trouble was listed on her death record. Mollie Lou was 84 years-old at the time of her death, and had three children with her first husband, John Marion Kirkpatrick (died in 1886): Woodie, Jack, and Johnnie Mae. She had two children with her second husband, Valcour Little Oliphant: Valcour Leon and Louis. Her gravesite is located at Old Larissa Cemetery in Mount Selman, Texas.

Brian Davis – James Michael Davis – James Nead Davis – Margie Leaine Davis (Kirkpatrick) – Woodie Tarrant Kirkpatrick – Mary Louise Oliphant/Kirkpatrick (Tarrant)

My great grandmother, Nellie Ruth Waits, and her sister (my great grand aunt), May Waits. Photo taken approx. 12/1907, in Oakland, Ohio. This picture was retouched by 399Retouch. Many thanks to Jane Mason for contributing the original photograph.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits)

Lewis F. Kirkpatrick, my 3rd great grand uncle, was born 2/15/1863 in Cherokee County, Texas. He died in Jacksonville, Texas of leg gangrene on 12/29/1934 at the age of 71. “L.F.” is the son of my 2nd great grandparents, James Isaac Kirkpatrick and Martha Margaret Fulton. He was a farmer in Cherokee County and married Mary Gay around the year 1900. I’m always intrigued by headstones with a picture of the deceased on them. This is invaluable to a genealogist, as it may be the only photo we come across. L.F. is buried in Union Grove Cemetery in Jacksonville, Texas.

Brian Davis – James Michael Davis – James Nead Davis – Margie Leaine Davis (Kirkpatrick) – Woodie Tarrant Kirkpatrick – John Marion Kirkpatrick (brother of Lewis F. Kirkpatrick)

This is my first attempt at creating a video out of family photos and home movies. It took me about two days to complete the project and I’m very happy with how it turned out. I created the project using Apple iMovie ’09. The video centers around my maternal grandparents and an inscription on one of their photographs, “Remember.” I’m hoping to create several more videos in the near future.

A couple of tips when viewing the video:

• Depending on your download speed, you may need to do the following: After clicking on the play button in the center or bottom left-hand corner of the video screen, pause the video in the bottom left-hand corner and wait for the entire video to load (you can tell it’s completed when the entire status bar at the bottom is full.) After it is completely loaded, press play.  This will prevent the video from stopping to load while it is playing.
• Set the resolution of the video to 720p. You may not be able to tell a difference, but this will guarantee you are watching it in the highest resolution available.

I hope you enjoy the video. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.  If you’d like to subscribe to my YouTube channel, click here.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. and Madrith Jean Williams (Williams)

I’ve made the decision to pursue a Certification in Genealogy.  While it may not seem like a difficult process on the surface, nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve been researching my own family tree for about ten years, but it will likely take me at least a few years to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to become certified.

The first step I’m taking is to join the National Genealogical Society.  They provide a lot of educational materials and hold various conferences (2011 NGS Family History Conference in Charleston, South Carolina) and workshops to teach these skills.

Upon certification, I hope to either change careers or do part-time work on the side. I’ll post periodical updates about my progress.

John D. Backus, my first cousin, twice removed, was born 12/5/1940 in Corpus Christi, Texas.  He died of natural causes on 12/30/1940 at the age of 25 days.  John is the son of my great grand uncle, Arthur Burgoyne Backus, and his second wife, Anna Marie Flahie.  John is buried in the “Baby Land” section of Rose Hill Cemetery in Corpus Christi.  My wife and I visited the cemetery last August.  Most of the headstones around John’s were either missing or destroyed, but his is still standing.  We were struck by this and the headstone itself, with the inscription of “Gone to be an angel.”

Brian Davis – James Michael Davis – Georgia Lou Davis (Barlow) – Katie Maybelle Barlow (Backus/aunt of John D. Backus)

Mary Louise Waits (Morris) Obituary

This obituary is of my 3rd great grandmother, Mary Louise Waits (Morris), and was featured in the 7/14/1922 edition of the Lancaster Daily Gazette:

Mary Louise, daughter of Henry and Lydia Morris was born Dec. 20, 1851 at West Rushville Ohio. Died at Drinkle July 10, 1922, age 70 years, six months and 21 days. She was uinted (sic) in marriage to Eli Waits October 28, 1869. To this union were born four sons, Perry, Clint, and Clay of Lancaster, William of Columbus and one daughter, Mrs. May Hedges. Four sisters, one brother, thirteen grandchildren, one great grandchild and a host of friends mourn her loss.

During the pastorale of Rev. Montgomery, thirty-eight years ago, she united with the Zion United Brethren Church. Since that time she has been an earnest Christian and a faithful consistent member of the church. She was a good neighbor and a loving mother and her departure saddens many hearts.

The funeral was held from the home and was largely attended, showing the esteem in which she was held. Rev. Chester E. Tulga was in charge of the services. Resolutions of apreciation (sic) and sympathy from the Ladies’ Aid Society were read.

Her body was laid to rest in the Stoutsville cemetery, there to await the morning of the resurrection.

We desire to thank those who so kindly assisted through the illness and death of our dear wife and mother, Rev. Tulga for his words of comfort and Mr. Crite the funeral director for his good service and kindess.

Mr. Eli Waits and children 7-14

Many thanks to Charlotte Dittmar for all of her assistance in locating and mailing all of the Lancaster, Ohio obituaries. She has been an enormous help with my research.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits) – Harmon Clay Waits – Mary Louise Waits (Morris)

Ruth, Florence and May Waits Picture

I have uploaded photographs of the Waits/Williams Family, contributed by Jane Mason (Miller). They are split into two categories: known and unknown. The unknown pictures have at least one individual that has not been identified. If you have any questions, comments or information regarding the photographs, please send me an email. Many thanks to Jane for all of her hard work and assistance with the family tree!