Oral History

Conversation with Robert Gilbreath 1/30/2024
(C. Avis Catalog entry #1333)

Bob Gilbreath regarding family of his wife Zona Onita "Nita" Avis, as told to Charles Avis:

Nita's father, Frank Marion Avis, Jr. was bitter and didn't like his dad.

The Frank, Sr. family lived in Phoenix and had a two-story home at Central and McNall.

Frank, Jr. and his mother had his birth certificate changed so he could join the Navy in World War I at 16.  He went to steam fitter school and was assigned to maintain the Captain's gig.  While he was in the hospital due to a motorcycle accident, his discharge came through and he just went home.
 

Family notes from Hilda McElhenney Griffith
(C. Avis Catalog entry #1266)


Mother and Madge went to visit Charles in California after Mother graduated from high school in 1919.  They went on the train and stayed for several weeks being wined and dined by Charles friends and fellow pilots. They returned to Temple in time for your grandmother Fay's wedding in October, I think.  Then Charles was killed, I believe, in November.  It was so sad.  


["Mother" is Hilda Rudd McElhenney.  Hilda, Madge, Charles and Fay Rudd were siblings (along with Mildred)]
 

Family history notes recorded by Jake Avis, Jr.
(C. Avis Catalog entry #1161)

Written sometime between 1946 and 1961, these are probably notes of an interview with his father (A. W. "Jake" Avis).

Explanatory comments in [].  

Grandmother White's [Mahala Webb Avis White] first husband was an Avis.  There were no White children and the Avis children stayed Avis.

Mineola [Minnie Ola] Bush was named for a Miss. River steam boat.  Born in Parkersburg W. Va. in 1864.  Came to Jefferson, Tex. -> Howe (3 mi from Sherman).

Her oldest brother was Uncle Thomas Bush (a high officer in Indian Territory).

Grand dad White [C. C. White] owned all the land from Henrietta, Tex to Seymoer, Tex.

Grand dad [J. D. Avis] drove to Ft. Smith, Ark. looking for a horse thief and got back just in time to marry Miss [Minnie Ola] Bush.

"Joyce" is Ruben's [Ruben Gracey - married to Zola Roberson, A. W. Avis' sister-in-law] mother's sister.  Jim [J. D.] Avis bought the Joyce Home on 10th St. about 1910.

Morris Lasker (of Galveston) owned the note on the Avis home, which was bought from R. H. Joyce, (Ruben's aunt).  Jim Avis & Red Joyce were good friends.

Petrolia was called "Byer's Ranch".

Dot Daddy [A. W. "Jake" Avis] pulled Lill's [his sister Lillian] hair for a block because she rode his bike.

Bellview is between Henrietta & Bowie, Tex.  They had a cyclone about 1903.

16th & Austin [Wichita Falls, Texas] was where all Avis kids were born except Piner who was born in Montague.

Family remembrances of Peggy Chiles Avis Collins
(C. Avis Catalog #1001)

This is a compilation of anecdotes told by Peggy Chiles Collins to her son Charles Avis.  He added to this file over the years as she imparted each new item.

======

Peggy started school a year early, at age five.  Her grandmother talked the school into letting her start because all the other kids in the neighborhood would be in school and she would have no one to play with.  She was sent to school with a brick wrapped in paper for her to put her feet on because they didn't reach the floor.

Peggy's father died before she was born.  He came home ill from playing golf and later died of peritonitis.

She grew up in Temple, Texas in her grandmother's house.  Peggy's widowed mother had a job in Austin with a couple of engineers that she went to high school with (became the Brown and Root engineering firm).  Because of that, Peggy and her brother Dwight were raised by their grandmother, Maggie Rudd.  She learned to ride a bicycle by riding around the big wide porch that went around much of the house.  There was a large playhouse in the backyard with window and shrubbery.

During the depression, her grandmother would give sandwiches to the hobos that would come to the door asking for a handout.  Peggy said that there was a mark on the telephone pole in the alley near their house, probably indicating to other hobos which house would give food.

At this time, Maggie Rudd had income from rent houses that she owned.  Peggy remembers someone coming by to pay the $15 monthly rent.

She told her in-laws when she was due with her second child, Charlie, and they came down from Austin to Houston to be there for the birth.  They had been in town for a few days when Peggy didn't feel like eating anything for dinner except Jello.  Her husband, Jake, and his father said "Uh-oh, this is it."  Sure enough, a few hours later they were driving to the hospital.  It was across the street from the Fat Stock Show and they had trouble finding a parking place.  So, her father-in-law dropped the rest off and went off to park wherever he could.  Charlie was born at 10 pm.  From her room, Peggy could hear all the "goings-on" at the Show.  An unusual ice storm hit the area and she was lonely because no one could come to visit her in the hospital because of the ice.

When she and Jake were just married, he was stationed at Camp Pendleton in southern California.  They had an upstairs apartment in a town called Solano Beach on Highway 1 near Del Mar.  As the military vehicles traveled the highway, she could look out from their apartment at the same height as the troops in the trucks.

Her mother, Fay Chiles, came out to California to visit Peggy and Jake on their first Thanksgiving together.  This was memorable because she was going to prepare her first turkey and realized that the bird had not been cleaned out inside before being frozen.  She and Fay had to do the cleaning themselves.

In Temple during the depression, the kids loved to go out to eat at Cheezy Wynn's.  Hamburgers were a nickel.

As a young girl, she had very long hair.  After washing in she would dry it by leaning over in front of a big fan.  Once her hair got caught in the fan.

Her first child, David, was a breech birth.  The doctors had tried to turn him around before labor but couldn't.  A nurse misunderstood something a gave her a drug which slowed down the labor.  The doctor was furious.  The labor stretched out to 18 hours because of that and she got no more drugs.  David came out all black-and-blue.

During her childhood in Temple, her mother's cousin Alice Suggs would come visit from her home in Valley Mills, Texas.  She would arrive in a big long automobile driven by a tiny female black driver who had to drive while looking through the steering wheel.  When 'Cousin Alice' died, her home was used for the viewing of the body and for the gathering of friends and family.  Apparently, the tradition was to stop the grandfather clock in honor of the deceased.  Peggy's brother, Dwight, was about 12 at the time and during the gathering he noticed the clock stopped and restarted it.  Peggy's grandmother Rudd heard the chiming and was horrified.  She instinctively knew it was Dwight's doing.

While growing up, her mother and brother and she lived with her grandmother Rudd.  They had no automobile and had to walk about a mile to church.  Someone would always offer them a ride home afterwards, though.

Her grandmother Rudd's house in Temple was on 1st Street and had 13 rooms.

Explanatory Supplement for source 486

(C. Avis Catalog entry #917)

Commentary on Mattie’s letter from Julia Fuchs 8/06

Explanatory expansion of the letter from Mattie Mooring Hooker to her niece Ross Mooring Hall (C. Avis Catalog entry #486) 

The letter is from Mattie Mooring Hooker (daughter of Sallie & Llewellyn Mooring) to her niece Sarah Ross Mooring Hall (daughter of Charles Gray Mooring, granddaughter of Llewellyn Staton Mooring, wife of J. Thomas Hall)

Mattie Mooring Hooker’s full name was Martha “Mattie” McGown Mooring (b. Oct. 21, 1858, Grimes Co., TX, d. Aug. 28, 1944, Grimes Co,, TX).  Mattie was married to Samuel Elisha Hooker.  Mattie’s brother, Charles Grey Mooring, had daughters Ross, Margaret and Alberta.  Some of these are mentioned in the following letter.

5-10-02 (1902) Prairie Plains
My Dear Ross,
I was very much surprised when I opened your letter, & found the signature of My Dear little Ross, whom I had not heard from in such a long, long time. I do not suppose the information that I can give you will be of much importance. Papa & Mama came to Texas in '42 (1842), from Mobile Ala., but SC (should be North Carolina) was their Birth State, resided in Ala. but a few years.  Mama's (Mama is Sarah “Sallie” Wilkinson, daughter of Charles Wilkinson) Mother was a Mary Little (Mary Penelope Little, daughter of Gray Little and Sylvia Peninah Ann Thigpen), her (“her” is referring to Mary Penelope Little) Mother Thigpen (Sylvia Peninah Ann Thigpen), Grandmother T's Mother was a Bettie Rock. (Grandmother T refers to Sylvia Peninah Ann Thigpen.  At this point, Mattie Mooring Hooker gets confused.  Bettie Rock was Syliva Peninah Ann Thigpen’sMother-in-law, not her Mother.  Sylvia Thigpen’s mother was Lydia Grey Mayo.  See explanation at end of this letter).  Grandmother Mooring's Mother was a Sue Statin (Susannah Staton), her Mother was a Lewellyn (Charlotte Barfield Llewellyn).  The Lewellyns were from VA, to SC (NC?).  I do not know anything of either of my grandfather's parents (see explanation at end of this letter). Mama has a brother in Tarboro, S.C., Uncle Frank Wilkins (Franklin Wilkinson, who was a step-brother instead of a brother, listed in Joshua Wilkinson Family Bible Records), who would prove an interesting correspondent for you.  He was principle of a small College there for a [?] of years.  Papa has one Brother in Mobile, Ala Uncle Grey Mooring (F. Gray Mooring, brother to Llewellyn Staton Mooring), he also has some nephews in Covington, Tenn.  Zack Taylor (Smitha Jane Mooring, sister to Llewellyn Staton Mooring, married Thomas Taylor, so Zack is their son) is a very prominent lawyer there, was US States Senator at one time, but Papa was never proud of him, because he was a republican.  Cousin Guildford Mooring (brother to Llewellyn Staton Mooring who eventually also settled in Grimes CO, TX) was Sheriff of Pitt Co., S.C (NC).  Greenville, his Postoffice, will doubtless remember you, as he was in Tex. when you were a baby.  We have a fine prospect for a crop.  Leslie has 40 acres in cotton.  The same in Corn, has been through chopping cotton for more than a week, which is quite early, & I have a splendid garden.  I would like so much to see you, & your Boy, you never did send me a picture of him.  I have a picture of all Maggie's children (Margaret “Maggie” Gray Mooring, daughter of Charles Gray Mooring, Granddaughter of Llewellyn Staton Mooring, married James Calvin Rudd), & would like so much to have yours.  I had a letter from your Mama (Sarah “Sallie” Wilkinson Mooring, wife of Llewellyn Staton Mooring) last week, also one from Aunt Jennie (Virginia “Jennie” Blake Mooring, daughter of Llewellyn Staton Mooring).  She is coming home in June.  Be sure to write again.
Your loving Aunt Mattie 
 

EXPLANATION: 
Llewellyn Staton Mooring: 
Parents: 

• John Mooring, b. abt. 1787, Pitt Co., NC, d. aft. 1832, and Susannah Staton, b.abt. 1790, Martin Co., NC, d. aft. 1832

Grandparents: 

• William Mooring, b. bef. 1755, Surry Co., VA, d. bet. 1810 and Dec, 1817, Pitt Co., NC, married Elizabeth Unknown 
• Arthur Staton, b. bef. June 1, 1769, NC, d. May 24, 1821, Edgecombe Co., NC married Charlotte Barfield Llewellyn, b. bet. 1761-1770, VA or NC

Great-Grandparents: 

• John Mooring, b.abt. 1736, Surry Co., VA, d. abt. 1800, Pitt Co., NC married Jane Morning Little (first wife of John Mooring.  His second wife was Sarah Elizabeth Harris), b. bet. 1728-1722, Surry Co., VA
• John William Llewellyn, b. abt. 1732, VA, d.abt. 1794, Martin Co., NC married Mary Ball, b. abt. 1730, VA, d. abt. 1808
• Thomas Staton, b. abt. 1722, MD, d. June 1, 1769, Halifax Co., NC married Keziah Fowler, b. abt. 1722, MD

EXPLANATION:
Sarah “Sallie” Wilkinson
Parents:

Grandparents: 

Great-Grandparents:

The following commentary on Mattie Mooring Hooker’s letter dated May 10, 1902, is from Herman I. May, descendant of Alicia Elizabeth LaRoche:

"'Grandmother T's Mother' (referring to the wife of Gray LITTLE, Sylvia Peninah Ann THIGPEN) was not 'Bettie Rock'.  Nevertheless, it is correct that 'Bettie Rock' was Mary Penelope's grandmother.  This is due to the fact that research identifies Alicia Elizabeth LaROCHE, 'Bettie Rock' (see below), as the mother of Sylvia's spouse and Mary's father, Gray LITTLE.  Thus 'Bettie Rock' is Syliva’s mother-in-law; not her mother. "

Some additional facts that may provide some context for you: 
"Gray LITTLE's sister, Sarah E. (LITTLE) THIGPEN, was my GGGGgrandmother. Therefore I am also related to 'Bettie Rock.'  Your documentation seems to corroborate the fact that Sarah (Little) THIGPEN was Mary's double aunt - once by blood (as sibling to her father) and once by marriage (as wife of her mother's brother and her blood uncle, James THIGPEN)."

In the event you are not up on your French, roche is the French word for rock.  (In fact, Little Rock, Arkansas, is also known by the nickname La Petit Roche.)  Of course, it is well known that 'Bettie' is a diminutive for the name Elizabeth.  So, 'Bettie Rock' is apparently a term of endearment to describe Elizabeth (LaROCHE) LITTLE.  

"So, all of these facts serve to justify and reinforce the belief that Alicia Elizabeth LaRoche was indeed the mother of Gray and Sarah Little and one of my ancestors."

DRT Application of Maggie Mooring Rudd
(C. Avis Catalog entry #60)

Daughters of the Republic of Texas
Application for Membership

Maggie Mooring Rudd
Wife of James Calvin Rudd

Decendant of
Alexander Hodge

Applicant examined and approved April 30th, 1907
Maggie G. Milby, State Secretary

Accepted by the Executive Committee May second, 1907
Marie Bennet Uriaz (?), Chairman Executive Committee

DATES
Fees paid April 30th, 1907
Duplicate received by State Secretary April 30th, 1907
Duplicate sent to Secretary of Ben Milam Chapter May 31st, 1907
Certificate of Membership issued by State Secretary May 31st, 1907
Badge issued by State Secretary April 30th, 1907

Application for Membership

Issued by Society of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas

Temple, April 18, 1907
To the Executive Committee of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas:
    I, Mrs. Maggie Mooring Rudd being of the age of fourteen years and upwards, Dec 18th 1869 hereby apply for membership in the Society by right of lineal descent in the following line from Alexander Hodge who was born in Penn on the ___ day of ___ 1762 lived in the Republic of Tex. and who served the cause of Texas Independence (or who served the Republic of Texas).
    I was born in the __ of __ County of Walker, State of Texas.
    I am the daughter of Charles Gray Mooring and Francis Catherine Ross his wife, and grand-daughter of Ely Franklin Ross and Mary Hodge his wife and great-grand-daughter of William Hodgeand Margaret Welch his wife and great-great-grand-daughter of Alexander Hodge and Ruth Hodge his wife and he, the said Alexander Hodge is the ancestor who assisted in establishing Texas Independence, or who served the Republic of Texas, while acting in the capacity of Citizen - one of the Old Three Hundred of Austin's Colonists. 

Signature of Applicant
    Mrs. Maggie M. Rudd

Residence
    Temple, Tex

Nominated and recommended by the undersigned, a member of the society.
Mrs. J. J. Birker
Mrs. C. M. Gooch
I also approve the above application and recommend the applicant W. P. Guber Member Tex. Vet. Assn.

ANCESTOR'S SERVICE
    My ancestor's services, or my husband's services, in assisting in establishing Texas Independence, and in maintaining the independence of the Republic of Texas, were as follows:

Same record as Mrs. Ross Mooring Hall

For the family record look at application of Mrs. Ross M. Hall

N.B.  State whether the information of service is historical or traditional.

Please return this paper, when filled out, to 
    Mrs. C. H. Milby, State Secretary of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.
    Mrs. Anson Jones, President of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

By order of Marie Bennet Uriaz(?), Chairman of the Executive Committee

DRT Application of Ross Mooring Hall
(C. Avis Catalog entry #59)

Daughters of the Republic of Texas
Application for Membership

Ross Mooring Hall
Wife of J. Thomas Hall

Decendant of
Alexander Hodge

Applicant examined and approved
April 30th, 1907 
Maggie G. Milby, State Secretary

Accepted by the Executive Committee
May second, 1907
Marie Bennet Uriaz (?), Chairman Executive Committee

DATES
Fees paid April 30th, 1907
Duplicate received by State Secretary April 30th, 1907
Duplicate sent to Secretary of Ben Milam Chapter May 31st, 1907
Certificate of Membership issued by State Secretary May 31st, 1907
Badge issued by State Secretary April 30th, 1907

Application for Membership

Issued by Society of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas

Temple, April 18, 1907
To the Executive Committee of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas:
    I, Mrs. Ross Mooring Hall being of the age of fourteen years and upwards, hereby apply for membership in the Society by right of lineal descent in the following line from Alexander Hodge who was born in Pennsylvania on the ___ day of ___ 1762 lived in the Republic of Tex. and who served the cause of Texas Independence (or who served the Republic of Texas).
    I was born in the __ of __ County of Grimes, State of Texas.
    I am the daughter of Charles Gray Mooring and Francis Catherine Ross his wife, and grand-daughter of Ely F. Ross and Mary Hodge his wife and great-grand-daughter of William Hodge and Margaret Welch his wife and great-great-grand-daughter of Alexander Hodge and Ruth Hodge his wife and he, the said Alexander is the ancestor who assisted in establishing Texas Independence, or who served the Republic of Texas, while acting in the capacity of citizen a member of the Old Three Hundred. 

Signature of Applicant
    Mrs. Ross M. Hall
Residence
    Nacogdoches

    Nominated and recommended by the undersigned, a member of the society.
Mrs. J. J. Birker 
Mrs. M. E. Gooch
I also approve the above  and recommend the applicant W. P. Guber Member Tex. Vet. Assn.

ANCESTOR'S SERVICE
    My ancestor's services, or my husband's services, in assisting in establishing Texas Independence, and in maintaining the independence of the Republic of Texas, were as follows:

My great-great grand father and my great grand father came to Texas with the first Three Hundred of Austin Colonists and in the year 1825.  My great great grand father was too old to perform any service and great grand father was killed by the fall of a tree in November 1826 before there as any trouble with the Indians or Mexico.  Both of the above ancestors resided in Brazoria County.

I write this for the applicant.  Alexander Hodge was my grand father and William Hodge was my Father.  I was born in Brazoria Co. Jany 6th 1827
    William Hodge, jr.

About 1788 Alexander Hodge son of John and Mary Hodge married Ruth, a daughter of Archie and Ruth Hodge but no relation.  About 1818 he moved from Ga to Christian Co. Ky all of his family accompanying him, where he remained about 7 years.  In 1810 he moved to Laurence Co. Ark. now Randolph passing across the southern part of Ill.  The news of the battle of New Orleans was received while crossing the Miss River.  In 1825, he with his entire family including married sons and daughters moved from Ark. to Texas - stopping en route, however, long enough to raise a crop on Red River.  They removed to Brazoria Co. - here he remained until the close of the war of Texas Independence.  He with most of his family connections which had by this time become quite numerous settled on his leaque of land in Ft. Bend Co..  There he died in Aug 1836.  His wife Ruth born in 1769 died in 1831.  His son William born in Oglethorpe Ga. 1792 married Margaret Welch and had two daughters Mary and Ruth and one son William Hodge born 1827, the oldest living child born in Texas today.

N.B.  State whether the information of service is historical or traditional. 
Traditional

Please return this paper, when filled out, to 
    Mrs. C. H. Milby, State Secretary of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.
    Mrs. Anson Jones, President of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

By order of Marie Bennet Uriaz(?), Chairman of the Executive Committee

Audio interview with Gladys Roberson Avis about the life of Jake Avis, Jr.
(C. Avis Catalog entry #357)
(Document ID #613)

This is a recording of Gladys Roberson Avis being interviewed by her grandson Charles Avis.  It is the story of the life of her son Jake Avis, Jr..  It was made at the apartment of Betsy and Charles Avis in South Pasadena, California in November 1977. 

For context:
• Gladys was married to Jake Avis, Sr., known to us as 'Dot Daddy'
* Her son, Jake, Jr. was married to Peggy Chiles.  'Mart' was David Martin Avis, their oldest son.
• 'Nana' was Peggy's mother, Fay Chiles
* 'Hilda' was Fay's sister, married to Tom McElhenney, and lived across the street from Peggy and Jake
• 'Auntie' was Gladys' sister, Jennie Roberson living in Wichita Falls.
* 'Zola' was another sister, married to Reuben Gracey.  Jean was their daughter, married to Tom Hopkins.
• 'Grandmother Roberson' was the mother of Gladys, Jennie and Zola living in Wichita Falls.
• 'Katie Lou' was Jake, Sr.'s sister, married to Fred Weeks living in Wichita Falls.


The life of Dr. Jake Avis, Jr., as told by his mother Gladys R. Avis to his son Charles Avis, November 1977.


Well, he was born in Wichita Falls. We lived in an apartment there. And one thing I remember, our good old doctor. I started labor pains in the night, and the good old doctor came by, and about six o'clock next morning took me to the hospital. And the baby was born about noon.

And then finally we moved out of the apartment into a house. And so we lived there several years in different places. And he went to the Alamo School there, until we moved to Austin.

>What kind? Is that elementary?
Yeah, elementary school.  And then when we moved to Austin, he went to, what was the name of that school -  east of town?

>Would I know?
No. I don't remember either.

>The high school or junior high?
Junior high. And he went to the Austin High School. That's where he graduated.

>Where are we all living then? Where we are now?
No, we were living in an apartment on Guadelupe Street.

>Oh, you showed me that.  You went to a high school east?
No, the high school was, you know, down there on 12th Street.

>Yeah, Austin High.
It was Austin High.

>Now it's old Austin High.
Old Austin High.

And then he wanted to go to A&M when he graduated from Austin High. So he went to A&M for just one year, I think.

>And did he know he wanted to be a dentist by then or what?
No, I don't think he was interested in becoming a dentist until about the time he and Peggy married.

But he had been to dental school. I mean, they were sweethearts then.  He went to dental school and graduated from dental school.

>So he went one year to A&M.
And then, I don't remember whether he came back, went to university, and then went to dental school or not.

I've forgotten about that.

When he was in dental school, that was when Mart was born, when they were living in Houston, when he was in dental school.

>What happened? When did the war come in there?  Was that after A&M or what?
I'd need time to think about that.

>Well, he was in Austin when he joined the Marines?  
Uh-huh.

>Why did he join the Marines?
Well, that was the branch he wanted, he was interested in.  And he made up his mind. He and his dad talked it over.  It was before Christmas that they talked it over.  But they didn't let me know until after Christmas that he was going to join the Marines.

>Just after Pearl Harbor, that Christmas?
Yeah. And we took him over to San Antonio.  He had to go to Houston for some reason to, I guess, get the rest of the group that was going to California.  And he went to California, I think he was in Camp Henderson.  I believe it was Camp Henderson.  Or was it Pendleton?  

>Well, there is a Pendleton.
Well, it's Pendleton.  And then, I've forgotten how long he was there.  First thing we knew, we had a message that he was sent to Hawaii.  And they had told him that he would have a furlough before he was sent out of the country.  But it was an emergency and they needed some troops over there.  So, he went over there right away.  And he was over there two and a half or three years.

Then he came back. He and Peggy were married then.  So, they married while he was in the service.

>That was after he came back to the States.
Yeah, he came back.  That was after he left Hawaii.  And then he was stationed with a supply company in California.

That's where the Del Mar came in.  

>Del Mar City?
Yeah, it was a little community between here and San Diego somewhere.  And then they came back to Austin and he must have gone back to the University.  Because I know they lived in an apartment over close to the University.  It was Dan Felt's mother's and father's apartment.  And that's where Mart was born.

>Oh, that was like Lindon Lane?
Landon Lane. We lived on Landon Lane.

>You lived there?
We did. And they lived in this apartment, close to it, not too far from us.

Then, they went to ... Well, I'm sure he was in the University then.  Then they went to dental school, went to Houston to dental school.

>That's when I was born.
Yeah, I remember the night you were born.

>Well, tell me about that.
Well, Jake and I had gone down for the weekend.  We went down about every other weekend.  And we always took us some dry ice with steaks and ice cream and things.  And so Peggy was fixing dinner that night.  And I was helping her and she started having pains before she had finished eating.  So Jake rushed her to the hospital and Mart and I stayed there alone.  And I remember they had that couch in the living room, you know, that made a bed.  And Mart and I were lying there in bed.

Finally, Dot Daddy came in.  And you were born that night.

>That was in San Filipe Courts?
San Filipe Courts.

>Was that near the Buffalo Bayou?
I don't know.

>Y'all went down every weekend?
About every other weekend, not every weekend.

>That must have taken you a while to travel that back then.
Well, I guess we just wanted to be with all of you.  And then we went down for his graduation.

>How long was that after I was here?  A year or two years?
I can't remember.  Anyway, instead of him opening his office right away, he drove to Colorado and they visited Zola and Reuben.  And Mart was with us.  I don't know if I went out with him or if I was already there.  I remember that your dad and Mart and I drove back to Austin.

>From where?
From Colorado.

>Where was Mom? and me?
Well, she must have stayed home.  Maybe you were a little fella then.  So she stayed home.  He just wanted to go for a rest and do a little fishing before opening his office.

>Was he able to set it up right away financially and all that?
Well, of course his first patients were friends, of course, mostly.  And he had a nice looking office.  It was nicely furnished.

>Where was it?
In the, you know, where the Capital National Bank is in Austin.  Well, it was in that building.

>I remember that.  That was his only office?  He started in it?
Yeah.

>I remember looking out over all the other buildings with their water coolers.
Yeah.
I don't even remember what floor he was on. But he had a nice looking office.  And he enjoyed his work.  Of course it was hard on him to stand on his feet because of the back injury he got while he was in Hawaii.

>Tell me more about that.  How did it happen?
Well, it was in the training for the Marines.  It was something strenuous that hurt his back.  I don't remember just what.  We had this telegram that he was in the hospital in Hawaii.  And we were so shocked and worried to death.

>They didn't tell you why was in the hospital?
Yeah, I guess they did.  It was some kind of an injury to his back.  Frankly, I've forgotten whether they put a plate in his back or not.  But it was something to do with his spine.  And of course standing on his feet was not the most pleasant thing he could do.

>Did anybody go out and visit him?
No.

>Was that possible?
Well, war time I guess it was.  Well, I don't suppose we could afford to go.  But no, the doctor, Dr. Shipp, he sure said he would be all right.

We have some pictures, or a picture made while he was, after he got out of the hospital.  He was very thin.  But he looked up fine when he came back home.  I remember when he came back and he and Peggy got married.  He was coming to San Antonio and was going to get off in San Antonio.  And we drove over there to meet him.  It was way in the night.  And he was so surprised to see us at the station to meet him because he didn't expect us there.   But we surprised him and he had, of course hadn't been cleaned up and had to have a haircut and everything.  But we stopped in the south part of San Antonio and ate at one of those little snack places.  A little hamburger joint I guess it was.  There was some young man with him, I've forgotten who he was.  And we drove on to Austin.

Then right away while Dot Daddy took time off and got him whatever he needed.  And he got his uniform all cleaned up.  Got himself cleaned up.  And Mrs. Herman Brown gave a cocktail party before the wedding, one evening before the wedding.  And they had that little church wedding.  

>Where was that?
It's a little Presbyterian church over near the campus.

>It wasn't the University Presbyterian?
No, it wasn't the University Presbyterian.  Not called that, it was a small church.  We could have just so many guests and I don't remember how many that were.  Then the reception was at over Nana's.  You've seen those pictures?

>Yeah.
Grandmother Roberson sitting there by Peggy and Jake.  Peggy was showing her her ring.

She and Auntie had driven down from Wichita Falls for the wedding.  And Ruben and Jean came over for it.  Ruben and Zola and Jean and Tom came over for it.

And Hilda had the rehearsal dinner over at their house.  That rock house on Rainbow Bend.

>Great house!
Yes, I just made me sick when they decided to move out on the lake.  But that's Tom's business.  

>And his back gave him trouble the rest of his life.
Yes it did.

>I remember him being in the hospital in Galveston.
Yeah, well he had kind of a nerve breakdown.

Do you remember when Zola and Ruben bought that ranch out there?  Do you remember weekends that you and Mart and Jake and I spent out there?

>I remember being out there, I don't know if it was just once or all day.
Well, we went out there I guess one Saturday when Dot Daddy didn't have to work.  But we took something to eat and took some bedding and took Blackie.  And some of us slept on the floor that night.  And I think there were two cots.  And two people slept on the cots.  I think Mart and I slept on the floor.

>I remember Blackie out there jumping at the cow's ears.  And I remember those rock piles.
Yeah, there was a rock pile out there.  Part of an old fence I believe.

>I don't know, the ones I was talking about were real tall.
Oh, well they were hills I guess.
Rocky hills maybe.

Well, anyway, we spent the night there.  Most of the next day.  But I remember cooking Sunday dinner out there.  We didn't do anything but just wandered around.  I don't know how long it was before Zola and Reuben moved over there.  

>Anything else you can …

—— Interruption in recording.  Restarts while discussing the accident that killed her son. ——

>Yeah. That was at home, right?

Well, your mother had gone to a Junior League meeting that morning.  He had a couple of cancellations around noon and he decided he'd go home.  And I guess just go home and eat lunch since he had some extra time.  And he went home and, as I understand, he fixed some orange juice.

And walking down the hall, you know, behind that couch, we just figured out that that gun had fallen.  And he opened the door after he heard the noise.  And maybe in picking it up that's when the gun went off.

>I never heard that.
There were some painters working over Tom and Hilda's.  And he called to them for help.  And they went over there.  I don't know how they called the doctor.  I don't remember who they called.

Anyway, he was sent to the hospital right away.  We were called, but Dot Daddy came home.  And they had called me from the hospital.  They needed some member of the family there.  But he just passed away before we got into the hospital.

>Poor mom back there, too?
She came in. Tom brought her in while we were there.  She said if she had known Jake didn't feel good that day, she would have come on home for lunch.  After the meeting, some girls went out for lunch.
And so...

>Tom was taking care of everything.
Yeah.  And Dan Felts came over there and took us home.  We left our car there and he took us home.  Then he met Katie Lou and Fred Weeks at the train next day.  He did many nice things for us.  So we have just loved him ever since.
 

Audio interview with Gladys Roberson Avis about her life
(C. Avis Catalog entry #307)
(Document ID #612)


This is a recording of Gladys Roberson Avis being interviewed by her grandson Charles Avis.  It was made at the apartment of Betsy and Charles Avis in South Pasadena, California in November 1977.


The life of Gladys Broyles Roberson Avis as told by herself to Charles Chiles Avis November 1977. 


>OK. What date were you born on?
March the 23rd 1893.
 
>And where?
In Clay County, Texas.  My father and mother were Nora and Mart Roberson and he was manager of - the foreman of a ranch in Clay County at that time.

>A ranch?
Well, give me a few minutes to think, if you'll turn it off so I can think.

>Something like Wilson?
No, it was, it's been so long since I've thought of it, I don't remember.

>Oh, that's alright.
It's a short name, but I don't remember.

Then we moved to Holiday, Texas, where he and Mr. L. F. Wilson were in the ranching business, and we lived out on the ranch.

>How old were you then?
Well, I wasn't old enough to go to school, so I guess I was about three years old. And my two brothers and my older sister went to a country school there, in the country.

And finally we moved into the little town of Holiday, for some reason, I don't know why we did.

Then from there we moved into Wichita Falls, and we were all in school there.  I started to grade school when I was in Wichita Falls, when we moved to Wichita Falls.

And then eventually, my father was still in the ranching business, but we would stay in Wichita Falls, and he was ranching in New Mexico with Mr. Wilson.  And in the summertime, we would get on the train and go to New Mexico and spend the summer.  Get on the train - the Fort Worth and Denver - and go to Amarillo, spend the night, and then go on to Texico, New Mexico the next day, then on out to the ranch, which was 15 miles from there.

And we enjoyed being there.  We liked to watch the cowboys catch their horses early every morning, the ones they were going to ride during the day.  Each cowboy had several horses allotted to him, so he wouldn't ride the same one all the time.

So we liked to watch that and watch them milk the cows, everything like that.  We just thoroughly enjoyed it.

We had - the foreman of the ranch stayed with us during the summertime, while the cowboys and all of them were going to the roundups all during the summer, where each rancher would find his own cattle and take them to where they belonged.  And then they would have to dip the cattle because of ticks.  And they had a huge dipping vat where they would run the cattle down through this solution of medicine, whatever they used.  They'd run them down one side and up the other.  And we watched them do that.

And if they were not too far away from the ranch, we would go over and spend the day and, maybe take some food such as cakes and pies and things like that over to the cowboys for their lunch.

And my two brothers worked as cowhands during the summer, and they were paid the wages just like other cowboys.  They had to save that money when we went back to Wichita Falls. And they'd have to buy their clothes to go to school during the wintertime with that money they'd saved.

Then, finally the - oh, settlers - who were coming out to settle on the free land in New Mexico, started taking up all the land, and they didn't have enough land to run their cattle on.  So, eventually they sold cattle, and we moved to Farwell, Texas, and lived there several years.

>When did you live in Amarillo?
1895.         ————— She later changed 1895 to 1905 —————

>Was that between when you lived in Wichita Falls?

That was after we moved to Wichita Falls.  Dad wanted to build us a home in Farwell, Texas.  So while they were building it, we stayed that year in Amarillo, Texas, so we could go to school. And we stayed there one winter, and then went on back to Farwell, Texas and went into this new house he had built for us.

>And that was when? When you were how old?
Well, as I remember, Clyde and Harry [.. garbled ..] high school in Wichita Falls in 1895.  And that's the reason we stayed there that long.

>You were only two years old then.
I guess I was.  But I remember that they, oh, I've left out a lot of it, but I can't go back now and tell too much.

>That's all right.
Well, I can't think of anything else to tell you.  Except when my father sold cattle, he put it in a business in Farwell, Texas.  There was a bad year when the farmers didn't raise anything, so finally the store was closed because they were not making any money.  In fact, they were broke.  We were broke, and that was why we moved back to Wichita Falls.  But, one reason was that my father had asthma, and the doctors told him he'd be better off in the lower altitude.  So that was one reason we moved back to Wichita Falls.

And I'd finished high school when we lived in Farwell, and when we went back to Wichita Falls, I started working.  I think I was about 16 years old when I first started working.  And I worked in the alteration department at one of the better dry goods stores, and did that until I was married.

>That's where you got your good sewing talent, isn't it?
Well, I never had a sewing lesson in my life, but I guess I did a good job because I stayed with him for a good many years.

>When exactly were you married?  When was that date?
In 1920, I guess. Wasn't your dad born in 1921?

>I think so.
But it was 1920.

>In Wichita Falls?
Yeah. We lived there until - that's where Jake Jr. was born, and he was, I don't know, nine or ten years old, I guess, when we moved to Austin.  We lived in an apartment, of course, you know that, for two or three years, and then we built a home on Claire Street.  You know where that is, don't you?

And I don't know how long we lived there, but if somebody wanted to buy it so badly, they just almost ... I didn't want to sell it, but Jake did, because we made a little money on it.

>But you all had designed it and built it just the way you wanted it.
Uh-huh.

>Was that about the only house out there?
It was one of the very few.  We bought the lot because it was right next door to some friends of ours who were going to build, but they never did build, and we did.  And that's where the Edwards live now.  It formerly belonged to Bob Calvert, and we bought the one just east of it.  And it was a pretty little house.

>Somebody bought that one, and you built the one two doors up?
We found that we could rent a house, some friends of ours were moving, and that's when we rented this house on Landon Lane and lived there.  I don't know how long we lived there, but until things settled down and we could build again.  See, that was during the war.  So when we could, we built this house where we're living now.


 

Audio family history by Odell Garrett Cook
(C. Avis Catalog entry #3)

(Document ID #611)

This is a recording of Odell Cook being interviewed by Charles Avis.  It was made at Betsy and Charles' apartment in South Pasadena, California in August 1977.

Interview with Odell Cook regarding his parents and grandparents recorded in 1977 by Charles Avis in South Pasadena, California.  (Audio file in mp3 format)

Background:  Odell refers to his father: Pedro (or Franklin or Doc) Cook, "Mama": Ruby (Garrett) Cook, "Grandpa": Presley Garrett and "Grandma": Lucinda (Gilton) Garrett.  He never knew his Cook grandparents.

>Where were they married?  Do you know?  Where were your parents married?   Is that still in Kaufman County where all the kids were born?
They must have been, they must have been right there in Scurry.
I have an idea that - see Grandpa owned a big house on the hill up there.  Just overlooking Scurry.  And he was a, he was a mail carrier.

>What, Grandpa who?
Garrett.

>Oh.
And he, uh,  Mama no doubt was raised there.
They lived there, I don't know how long they lived there. I don't know when they moved in.

>Yeah.
But they - no doubt Mama spent some of her childhood there.  It seemed like they had just been living there forever - to me.  It didn't have to be that long.

>You don't know if she was born there or not?
No, no, that's what I'm saying. I know they lived there a long time, but I wouldn't say she was born there.  But I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she wasn't - if she was born there.

>So they were married in Scurry, you think?
I think so.

>That's a place to start looking.
Yeah, that'd be Kaufman County.

>Yeah.  Was he a farmer or a merchant or what, your father?
Yeah, I think he was a merchant and a farmer, both, I guess you would say.  He was a - he dealt in cattle.  And, you know, buying and selling.  Farming, too, at the same time.

And, see in those days, you didn't have a refrigerator.  People then would get together and butcher yearlings and pass them out amongst themselves. And the next time someone else would.  And, had no way of keeping them.  That was the only way they could get fresh meat.

You know, he did a lot of buying and selling and farming all the time.  And, clearing land.  They had lots of timberland that had to be cleared - digging stumps out.

That was back when the land never had had anything planted on it. Now, then, it's wore out.  You know, they don't put back what they take out of it.  You know, fertilize it.  And then the land gets dead, this was virgin land.  And it was...  It had never been farmed before, and it really did grow.

>What about, what about your mother?
>I've got somewhere it says that she was born on June 28th.
>There were two years written down, 1882 and 1891.
>Do you know how old she was when she died?
We had we had some differences on that.  But, it was never resolved as to who was right.  I think she was 78.

>Well, I would have put it in 1896.
>She died in '74, I guess.
Yeah.  But, I thought she was 78.  But, her brother's wife said that she was, you know, she was 81.

>81, what would have put it? 1893.  I don't know where this 82 came in.
Well, I think that was a date that I had.  And, I was afraid it was wrong.
I mean, after ...

>Well, there's the 91?
That's probably the date that I gave it.
You probably got this information from...

>Yeah, from you all.
This would make her what age?

>She'd be 83.
Yeah. 
I might be able to find out more about the dates.

>This says 82 when she died.  Yeah, that would have been 82.  She hadn't quite reached her birthday.
I kind of feel like that's right.

>Well, this other date, gosh, she would have been too old.
I think that was the one they had on the burial records.
That was the one that my sister-in-law gave, you know when the funeral was held.

She died in Monahans.  And, my sister-in-law made an arrangement when we brought her back here.  Of course, she had to give them those facts that she gave them her birth date.  Yeah, these things, she thought that was right.  But I don't believe it is.  I don't know where to tell her she doesn't need it.

>So, um, she gave the information on the stone?
Mm-hmm.

>And you're not sure if that's right?
Oh, no, no, she didn't.  I put stone on it.

>Oh. Did you know at the time the right date? 
No, I don't remember exactly what date I put on there.  But it's probably this one right here.  In fact, I didn't put the date.  I just put the year.  The two years.  Because the one next to it, I think, is...  It might be my father's.  Then one of my uncles is buried there.  Anyhow. Just had the year on it.  Well, I'll just make them all look alike.

>Her father's name was Presley Monroe Garrett?
Mm-hmm.

>What was her mother's maiden name? Do you know?  Lucinda Jane something?
Yeah, I bet old Monroe could give that.

>Let's get to some more easier stuff. Your brother Paul Monroe Cook?
Yeah, he's the one that died the other day.

>Do you know when he was born?
Yeah, July 4th, 1914.

>That's an easy one, isn't it? How about your brother Louis?  How do you spell Louis?
L-O-U-I-S.

>Do you know his birth date?
Yeah, his was June 15th, 1916.

>Yours was 1918?
Yeah, that's the reason it's is easy to remember - they were two years apart.  The reason I can remember, of course, this brother, July 4th.  This one here was Juneteenth.  We always called it that his birthday was on Juneteenth.  And mine was on New Year's Day.  You know, just almost.

>How long ago did Louis Abner die?
Ah, off-hand I don't know?
To Nina>When did Louis die? You remember?
Nina:>No, but I've got written down in my Bible at home.
Yeah, I know it.
Nina:>We can mail it to you.

>His wife's name was Mildred?
Yeah.

>Mildred who?
Murphy. M-U-R-P-H-Y

—————
[Break in recording … Resumes while discussing Odell's uncle, Henry Cook]
—————

His wife's name was Belle.

>Henry's wife. Henry Cook's wife's name.
>Well, if Henry was older than Franklin, he might show up in the 1880 census.
Yeah, that's right.  I'm not sure that he'd be older.  I doubt if he is.  My father was - he was pretty young when he died.  You know, he was probably still in his 30's.

>Well, if he died in '25.  He would have been just less than 45.
Yeah, if that's correct.

>He'd still be around 40.
Well, Henry was probably younger than him.

>Do you have any idea when he might have left Arkansas?
>Would he have been just a young kid?
>Or did he leave with his parents?
>Or did he get grown and came by himself or what?
I would think, I don't know, but I would think that he came as a young man.  I was trying to recall what Mama was saying.  He came to Scurry.  Yeah, I think he came from Arkansas to Scurry when he was grown.

>What?
After he was grown.

>Oh, after he was grown?
Yeah, because I vaguely recall my Mama saying something about it.  My grandmother didn't approve of it.  [= the marriage of Odell's parents]  Mother-in-laws don't approve anyhow.   There's nothing different there.  He was the same story.  She didn't want no part of it.  My mother wanted it.  So, they got married.  And no doubt under protest from Grandma.  Grandma never did become reconciled to him.  

Well, my mother told me she left a space there in Mount Olive cemetery for her "between your Daddy (talking to me) and Mama".  They couldn't get along, so I'm going in between 'em."  That's where we put her.

>They couldn't get along.
Not at all.  Not at all.
That makes me - I recall my Mama saying something about him coming there.  No, he was a grown man.

>Was he already married? He didn't bring his wife with him. He met her in Texas. I guess he met her here.
No.  He met her here. That's what I say - she was born here, yeah.  He came, no doubt, from El Dorado.  And met her at Scurry and evidently, I mean - they got married there.
She was living there. She was a young girl.

>You could probably find their marriage record there in the courthouse. 'Cause they are all indexed usually and certain years are in certain books.
Yeah, the Kaufman County courthouse.  It might be that there would be a record to look at.

>I'm sure there was.  Unless they had a fire.
No doubt, yeah.  No doubt.  There in Kaufman County.

>Still doesn't tell us …
No, don't tell us anything about it.

>His parents.  We'll have to go back and look at El Dorado.  Deeds and wills and things like that.  See if he's mentioned.  Then he'd have to be mentioned along with his parents.
See, we've got 1881 and 1882 on Mama. Or 1882.  The one I had put on the stone down there, the marker - was the one I was satisfied with.  I'm not sure now.  I'll try to get all of that.  Next time I go down there.

>If I get some time, I might try to...
I don't know her maiden name.  My grandmother's maiden name.  I should know that.  I mean, I know it - I'll …
When I hear it, I'll - it'll come back to me.  It's not too well known to me.  But I've heard it.  You know, I was pretty young - a young boy when she passed away.

>And that was in...
That's what's on the marker down there.  It was put there by Mama.  So she'd probably be correct.  Birth and the death date.

>Did she die before or after your father? ['she' = Odell's maternal grandmother]
Oh, oh way after.

>So that's after 1925.
Yeah.  Yeah.  I might have been... Oh, I might have been 15 years old.

>Before you went in the army?
Oh yeah.