Charlotte Backus

Charlotte Backus

Charlotte Backus – approx. 1922

Dorothy Todd – approx. 1943

Charlotte (Backus), Kenneth Marvin, Dorothy, Robert, and Eubron “Sonny” Todd

Many thanks to my 2nd cousin 1x removed, Debra Schoppe, for photographing and sending these pictures of her family. My great grand aunt (Debra’s grandmother), Charlotte (Backus) Todd, was born 10/17/1906 in Texas. She died 4/11/1941 in Corpus Christi, Texas from an accidental abortion. Charlotte was 34 years-old at the time of her death. She was married to Eubron Todd. They had four children: Dorothy (Debra’s mother), Eubron “Sonny”, Robert, and Kenneth Marvin.

Brian Davis – James Michael Davis – Georgia Lou (Barlow) Davis – Katie Maybelle (Backus) Barlow Schwabe Stinson [sister of Charlotte (Backus) Todd]

Sherman Davis Obituary

Sherman Davis

This obituary is of my great grandfather, Sherman H. “Johnny” Davis, and was featured in the May 6, 1992 edition of the Tyler (TX) Courier-Times:

Rites For S.H. ‘Johnny’ Davis Scheduled Thursday Afternoon

Graveside services for Sherman H. ‘Johnny’ Davis, 84, Tyler, are scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday at Memorial Park Cemetery with the Rev. George Richardson officiating. Arrangements are under direction of Memorial Funeral Home West in Tyler.

Mr. Davis died Tuesday at his home after a lengthy illness.

He was born June 9, 1907, in Mexia and lived in Tyler 36 years after moving from Corpus Christi. He was a member of First Christian Church. He was retired after 42 years as a superintendent with Arco Oil Co. and was an independent oil operator. He acquired the nickname “Johnny” when he worked in the Texas oil fields at the age of 13.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Davis, Tyler; two sons, Woody Burl Davis, Hilltop Lake, and James Nead Davis, Robstown; two daughters, Annell Hargrave, Houston, and Virginia Bauer, McAllen; a step-daughter, Nancy Nash, Kent, Wash.; a sister, Erby K. Parsons, Corpus Christi; 12 grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and two step great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Paul Hargrave, Patrick Davis, Johnny Davis, Michael Davis, Allen Davis, Michael Hargrave, John C. Burrett and Bobby Ray Harris.

Family visitation will be 7-8 tonight in the funeral home.

Many thanks to Barbara Galbreath of the Tyler (TX) Public Library for providing a copy of the obituary.

Brian Davis – James Michael Davis – James Nead Davis – Sherman H. Davis

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)

Today is the 68th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  I’ve posted the obituary of my great grand uncle, John Cameron “Jack” Parsons, which was featured in the 11/23/1989 edition of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.  “Big Jack” was married to my great grand aunt, Erby Katheryn Parsons (Davis) and a Pearl Harbor survivor. He served with the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean War.  Erby was a “Rosie the Riveter”, a term used to describe the women who worked in the maufacturing plants during World War II, bulding munitions and materiel, in Fort Worth, Texas:

 John Cameron (Jack) Parsons, 73, died November 21, 1989 at his residence.

He was a member of the Lily Baptist Church of Lily, Kentucky.

Mr. Parsons had been a resident of Corpus Christi since 1953.  He was a veteran of WWII and the Korean Conflict and retired from the Navy with the following decorations: American Heart Defense Medal, American Theatre Medal and the Korean Service Ribbon.

He was the President of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Member of the Fleet Reserve Association in Flour Bluff, Member of American Legion Bill Roper Post #364, Past Commander of American Legion Gragg-Sherrill Post #248, and a member of the Mayor’s Veterans Council.

He is survived by his wife, Erby Parsons, his son, Jack Cameron Parsons, his daughter, Carolyn Jean Sullivan, all of Corpus Christi, two brothers, Bill Parsons of Fairfield, Ohio and Harold Parsons of Hamilton, Ohio, four sisters, Lucy Hopkins of Lily, Kentucky, Evelyn Martin of Oceanside, California, Doris Jean Grimes and Allie [illegible] of Hamilton, Ohio, one stepdaughter, Janice Pate of Mexia, Texas, 11 grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday evening, November 23, 1989 at the Everhart Chapel.  Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday, November 24, 1989 at the Everhart Chapel with Chaplain Richard C. Hettish, Dr. Loren White, Rev. Richard D. Worden and Chaplain Abel Chapa officiating.

Members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association will act as Honorary Pallbearers.

For those wishing to make donations, the family has designated the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Local Chapter #5, c/o A.J. Dunn, Treasurer, 3105 Seafoam, Corpus Christi, Texas 78418.

Brian Davis – James Michael Davis – James Nead Davis – Sherman Harry Davis (brother-in-law of John Cameron Parsons)