Family Ties

Billy Ray Alexander

I recently found this photo of Bud Lopp, Betty Jo Simmons and Billy Ray Alexander in my files. Here is a comment about Billy from my grandmother’s journal. His dad was Gran’s brother, Thomas.

“Billy Ray’s legs were burned really bad in the fire that killed his mother. He spent 3 months in the hospital for skin grafting and healing and had to go back for check ups for a year afterward.”

I posted his mother's obit once before. 

The Caddo Herald

March 6, 1942

Mrs. Alexander Died From

Burns in Oklahoma Hospital

Mrs. Tom Alexander died in University Hospital Tuesday at 6 p.m. of burns received when their house burned Monday the week before in Caddo.

Children burned at the time are recovering.

The fire was caused by gasoline being used to light a fire in a stove.

Mrs. Alexander is survived by her husband, three daughters Elva, Myra, and Peggy, one son Billy Ray.

Funeral services were held in Pentecostal church with Rev. Vernon Taylor officiating.

Wolf Hunting

The Caddo Herald

February 11, 1938

Well, our Sunday school survived the coldest day of the season last Sunday and came out with about 30 in attendance. The singing by the children is the crowning feature by long odds. We have a class of children that furnishes music and they display some real talent for singing. One only has to hear them once to convince himself they are diamonds in the rough. Come out next Sunday and hear them. It will be well worth your time.

Rufe Bolts killed a full-grown wolf last week in his back yard by catching it in a rope trap and then shooting it to death by the light of a flashlight.

C.W. Banta and J. L. Springer were attending to business in Atoka Tuesday.

Oscar and Jessie Faudree of Atoka visited H. T. Faudree Friday.

Last Sunday we had with us at Sunday school a young man named Dial who preached his first sermon here at Liberty. We think he did right well for the first effort. He proved his ability to concentrate on a subject and also to overcome stage fright and these are the first essentials for a successful pastor. Come again Bro. Dial for we welcome you.

Isn’t it a joke on the last legislature how they go their foot in the hobbles by repealing the runoff primary law and now that they see the error of their way, they are trying to get up a petition to undo the evil they done to themselves? Look out boys, if this petition comes to a vote before the primary in July it will carry a joke and will muss things up worse than it is now. Don’t vote for anything but a clear-cut repeal of the law against the runoff or in other words, watch out for the joker. Rufe Bolts

 

Barry Don Simmons

Criminal Minds

I’ve taken a break from posting family information because I became very involved in researching my uncle, Barry Don Simmons. Every family tree seems to have at least one branch with a criminal and I’ve certainly researched a number of bank robbers and horse thieves and murderers for clients. However, one of my major restrictions has always been the 1940 census. I won’t investigate the records of anyone still living or anyone with living children. And I always carefully consider and discuss the results before sharing them with anyone other than the clients. But if someone’s actions were published in a dozen newspapers, then I don’t feel that I need to keep their activities a secret.

Such is the case with my Uncle Don. Family stories and his own conversations with me meant that I was always aware of his incarcerations at various times and for various crimes. He was a thief with a life-long criminal history and he often operated with a partner or two. His crimes escalated to murder, for which he spent a number of years in prison.  In between his early stints in jail he came home to his mother or his current wife and was as regular a member of the family as possible. I remember him eating with us at family dinners, celebrating birthdays, and dancing in the living room with a lovely woman. I spent time with one of his wives and his two step-children. I visited him at Folsom Prison. He was charming and witty and kind to me and to animals. I never understood his lifestyle or his choices, but I understood that he was part of my family.

Don was a year younger than my father. He went to school in Caddo, Oklahoma. He migrated to California in 1949 with the rest of the family. It’s my understanding that some of the men had gone out a time or two before that to work and explore. I’m not sure if he went with them.

Once everyone settled in California his criminal records begin. There doesn’t seem to be any purpose in enumerating them. If you are that curious or concerned you can find a number of California newspapers with stories of Barry D. Simmons and his crimes. I only thought it was important to include him in his rightful place in the family.

Barry Don Simmons, 1931-2000

Frank and Lois Alexander

Durant Daily Democrat

May 16, 1947

Frank E. Alexander, pharmacist’s mate third class, son of Mrs. Edna Alexander of Caddo, Okla. has arrived at San Francisco, Calif. aboard the transport U.S.S. General A. E. Anderson. The Anderson is transporting civil service workers, Navy, and Marine personnel from Pacific base to the United States.

 

Houston Chronicle

June 13, 2003

LOIS ALEXANDER born in Edmond, Oklahoma September 18, 1920, died June 11, 2003 in Houston, Texas after a brief illness. Preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Fredonia Standifer and eight brothers and sisters. Survived by her husband Frank, son Robert Young and wife Sandra of Houston, daughter JoAnne Jakobson and husband Ron of Niceville, FL, and five grandchildren and six great grandchildren: Deidra Brown, husband Lynn and daughter Caitlin of Overland Park, KS, Craig Young, wife Dara and daughters Brittany and Caeleigh of Houston, Jimmy LoCoco, wife Janet and daughter Erin of Lakewood, CO, Eddie LoCoco, wife Kathy and daughters Amber and Kathy and son Eric of Colorado Springs, CO and Chris LoCoco and son Anthony of Albuquerque, NM. Lois and Frank recently celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary. Prior to moving to Houston a year ago, they had lived for 22 years in Eufaula, OK. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 pm Friday, June 13; funeral services will be at 10 am Saturday, June 14 at Klein Funeral Home, 16131 Champion Forest Dr. Interment will be in Eufaula, OK. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Habitat for Humanity NWHC, P. O. Box 682785, Houston 77268-2785.

 

Tulsa World

February 21, 2005

Eufaula -- Frank E. Alexander, 81, formerly of Eufaula, died Thursday in Houston. Graveside service 10 a.m. Wednesday, Greenwood Cemetery. Hunn, Black & Merritt.

Correction

This photo was mislabeled and the children were previously identified as belonging to Opal Alexander Blakney. On closer examination and after conferring with some other relatives, we have determined that the dark-haired child in the middle is Betty Jo Simmons. We are working on identifying the others. 

Mollie Alexander

Born May 31, 1913

Married Roy McCoy Hammons, February 8, 1936; divorced March 2, 1943

Children: Chloe, Royce Ann

Married Ira Eugene Willis, January 25, 1947

Children: Barbara and Frankie (twin girls)

Died April 1, 2002

 

Falling behind...

As usual I find myself behind schedule on several projects. However, I AM happy to report that I made a photo book of my homes album and I'm quite pleased with it. If you want a quality photo book I highly recommend Shutterfly. I can't even tell you how many books and calendars and other items I've made using their services. 

This week I'm going to be concentrating on my grandmother's Alexander siblings. I realized last week that I had met all of them except Thomas, who died in 1966, yet I know very little about most of them. I spent the most time with Aunt Mollie. Visited with Opal and Lois a few times. I vaguely remember Frank and James. I have very fond memories of Jame's wife, Ann. She was also my sister-in-law's aunt. 

So...I'm going to try to fill in some blanks and provide brief bios for each sibling.

Lois Alexander (Frank's wife), Beatrice Alexander Simmons, Mollie Alexander Willis, Opal Alexander Blakney

But first I have to share some recently acquired photos. These were in an album that belonged to Beatrice. My daughter had the album and recently she dismantled it. You should do the same if you have an older album with adhesive pages or glue tabs. The photos she shared with me are companions to some I already had. My aunt informed me that these were taken at a family gathering in 1955 after Edna Alexander had a heart attack. All of her children came to visit her. My grandmother, Bea, and her daughter Betty Jo, drove from Fresno, CA to Caddo, Ok in the car shown in these photos. The family later gathered at Mollie's house in nearby Sadler, Texas where these photos were taken.

Beatrice and Betty Jo

  

 

Drudgery

Another Photo

I've always enjoyed looking at these photos of my cousin Evelyn and me enjoying some time at the lake. However, it wasn't until recently that I discovered that I had this photo of my parents taken on the same day. I love that Mom is wearing high heels. (I'll add the photo to their album.)

Heubert Simmons

I’ve been scanning some photocopies that were in Beatrice Alexander’s things. I came across this one of Lee’s brother, Heubert Simmons. I don’t know much about him. Gran told me once that he had been kicked in the head by a mule when he was a child. According to her notes, he died when he was twenty.