Oral History

Information on Bush family from A. W. "Jake" Avis ca. 1975
(C. Avis Catalog entry #75)

Before coming to Texas, the family had a small farm with slaves.  Union soldiers came and took everything.  The family got away under cover of darkness with a wagon.  

Grandfather Bush died when a mule team ran under a tree and a branch broke his neck.

Louisa King Bush (Grandmother Bush) spent winters with Avis family afer her husband Isaac Bush died in 1901.  Probably buried in Howe, Texas.

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Jake's mother's father was killed.  He was driving a team of mules on farm, when they bolted and ran under a tree breaking his neck.

Grandmother Bush lived in a small house after her husband was killed.  Lived with daughter several months of each year.

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Mineola Bush went to her mother's funeral in Farmington, Texas.  Her mother lived there.  Jake assumes that both of Mineola Bush's parents are buried  there.  

Mineola's brother Mike Bush shot a cowboy and went to jail.

Conversations with Sandra Cook Flinn on Williams family
(C. Avis Catalog entry #494)

Edna Williams Chenault died 2-6-1988 in Forreston, TX. of natural causes.  Buried in Waxahachie, TX.

Conversations with Nina Williams Cook on Williams and Stafford Families 
(C. Avis Catalog entry #4)

Nina's parents, James Franklin Williams and Lucinda Elizabeth Stafford, were born in Pinegrove, Miss. They came to Texas from Mississippi in covered wagons with oxen, with several other families. They were married 4-3-1892 at Grosebeck, TX. He was a farmer.

James Franklin Williams had high blood pressure and was some overweight and died of a cerebral hemorague on 9-19-1945 at Maypearl, TX. He had brothers Tom and George.

James' parents were George Williams and Nancy Greer. They are buried at Pt. Enterprise Cemetery near Mexia, TX or Mt. Antioch Cemetery near Mt. Calm, TX. Nina never knew them.

Lucinda Elizabeth Stafford Williams was blind from glaucoma from about 1930 on. She went into a coma and died on 1-5-1942 in Maypearl, TX. The doctor said she was older than her age due to 14 kids. She had brothers Jim (did not marry), Oliver and Ben (who married a Hillsboro) and sisters Rebecca (married Bacon) and Edna (married Fowler), plus step-sisters. She was in possession of the family Bible.

Lucinda's parents were Franklin Stafford (a farmer) and Mary Rhodes. They are buried at Pt. Enterprise Cemetery near Mexia, TX or Mt. Antioch Cemetery near Mt. Calm, TX. Nina never knew them. Lucinda's mother died early and her father married a widow with children and they had more kids.

Nina said that her grandmother Mary Rhodes had a sister who married an Autry. A son of this marriage was Gene Autry the 'Singing Cowboy'.

Nina was born in Ellis Co., TX and married in Dallas, TX.

Information on her brothers and sisters: 
Her sister Lillie Mae died in Miami, FL. 
Her sister Ida Ollie died in Pennsylvania. She had been married to D. R. Spurlin and later to Mr. McElhenney. 
Her brother Joseph Oliver died at Forest Hill, TX. He was born 7-22-1897 and died 10-23-1975. 
Her sister Dollie Agnes died in Waxahachie, TX. 
Her sister Evalyn Lenora married T. H. Selman 8-23-1935 and later married Clarence Medford 4-2-1941. 
Her sister Lillie Mae married H. C. Spurlin, and her sister Ida Ollie married his brother D. R. Spurlin. 
Her sister Ruby Alice Floy married E. J. "Happy" Smith. 
Her sister Tennie Betty married Riley Russell ("Uncle Son"). 
Her sister Edna Elizabeth married James Tinsley Chenault on 12-15-1919 in Waxahachie, TX. They had a daughter, Mildred, who married James L. Tosh 9-11-1938.

Conversation with Zola Roberson Gracey about Broyles family
(C. Avis Catalog entry #296)

[Zola Gracey was daughter of Nora Herring Roberson daughter of Martha]

One of Martha Jane Broyles Herring's brothers served on a gunboat during the Civil War.

Conversation with Jeane Gracey Hopkins about Broyles family
(C. Avis Catalog entry #295)

[Jeane is daughter of Zola Gracey daughter of Nora]

Nora Herring Roberson or her mother Martha Jane Broyles Herring heard the guns of Shilo during the Civil War.  Martha Jane came to Texas with her brothers and Nora.

Conversation with Gladys Broyles (Roberson) Avis  1975 
(C. Avis Catalog entry #338)
                             

Her mother was Nora Narcissa Herring  (b. Savanna, TN)

Nora's father was J. H. Herring, a lawyer in Savanna.  Nora's mother's name was Broyles.  Nora had a sister named Jenny. 

When Nora was about 3, her father J. H. Herring died.  Nora's mother's brothers Jim and Clark Broyles were going to Texas, so Nora, Jenny and their mother went with Jim and Clark.  They settled near Willow Springs, Texas.

Uncle Clark was the oldest and he died soon after coming to Texas. Uncle Jim traveled from relative to relative.  Nora's mother married when they got to Texas to a widower with 5 boys, Mr. Thompson.  They had 3 more kids.  Mr. Thompson is buried in Clay County.  Their next to youngest child bought the farm and Nora's mother stayed there most of the time.  She was visiting Uncle Ruf (her son or step-son) in Pampa Texas when she died.  She is buried in Henrietta, Texas.

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Gladys Avis' father was Martin Bowers Roberson.  He came to Young County, Texas as a young man.  He became a cowhand on Chisholm Trail working for several different ranchers.  He was working in Clay County when he met Nora Narcissa Herring.  He went to Archer County and worked as foreman on the L. F. Wilson ranch.  His kids Clyde, Harry, Jenny, and Gladys all moved to there, but Zola was born there.

He moved to the city of Wichita Falls where they all went to school.  Then, they moved to Amarillo where the boys finished school.  They stayed a year while a home was built in Farwell, Texas.  Martin Roberson was partners with Mr. Wilson in a ranch on Texas-New Mexico border (near Texico, NM) and near Fort Sumner.  These ranches adjoined the XIT ranch.  Sold ranches and moved to Wichita Falls.  Clyde and Harry were married by then, and Harry stayed in New Mexico.  Martin Roberson traded in cattle until his death.  He died of diabetes suddenly.  He and his wife Nora are buried in Riverside Cemetery, Wichita Falls, Texas.  

Gladys met Jake Avis in grammar school before she moved away to Amarillo.

Martin Roberson's father was Sharp Roberson.  He traded in slaves, mules and horses in Tennessee before coming to Texas.  He had asthma.

Martin Roberson had a brother Richard in Oklahoma.

Information from Odell Cook and Monroe Garrett about the Garrett Family
(C. Avis Catalog entry #412)

Odell Cook's grandfather Presley Monroe Garrett was a Mail Carrier in Kaufman Co., TX.  He married Lucinda 
Jane Gilton and had 3 daughters.  Presley's father was Charles Garrett.  He and Lucinda got divorced and he 
next married Maggie ____.

Presley possibly might have died in New Mexico.  Lucinda died in Seagoville, TX.  Both are buried in Scurry, TX at Mt. Olive Cemetery.

Children of Presley and Lucinda:
1. Ruby Myrtle Garrett 
b. 6-28-1891 in Scurry, TX
d. 6-17-1973 Monahans, TX
m. Franklin Cook, in Scurry(?), TX

2. Lassie Garrett
b. 11-10-1901
m. Kenneth Chaffin

3. Jewell Garrett
b. 2-11-1910
d. 3-19-1976 Seagoville, TX
m. 1) Dewy Johnson, 2) Roland R. Lanier

Conversations with Sandra Sue Cook Flinn on Cook and Garrett Families
(C. Avis Catalog entry #328)

Odell Cook said his father died of pneumonia.  Sandy thinks that the family moved to Scurry after he had died elsewhere.  Odell said his father died when Odell was 6 or 8.

Odell and his mother went to a cemetery near Scurry which was overgrown and they were discussing where the graves were that they remembered.  They wouldn't let the kids out of the car due to the condition of the site.

Conversations with Sammie Beth (Betsy) Cook Avis on Cook, Garrett and Williams families
(C. Avis Catalog entry #327)
 

Cook

Her Uncle Louis and Aunt Mildred Cook had at least 2 sons and 1 daughter:  Robert (of Houston), Ruby Dell, and Kenneth (the oldest).  Mildred lived in Monahans, TX.

Her Uncle Paul and Aunt Mary Cook (divorced) had two daughters:  Judy, and Paula (suicide).  Paul Monroe Cook died 7-24-1977 at Ft. Worth, TX.  He was found that day at his home.  It was assumed that he died a day or so before.

Garrett

Betsy and her sister, Sandy, remember their Grandmother Cook telling them that she was part Oklahoma Choctaw Indian.  Her grandfather or great-grandfather was a member of the tribe.  She looked Indian with high cheekbones.

Williams

Betsy's Uncle Happy Smith died 9-24-1977 at Ft. Worth, TX.  He was Nina Williams Cook's brother-in-law. 

Betsy's aunt Tennie Williams Russell had a daughter Susie.  She married first Dale Talley with whom she had sons Wesley and Darrell.  Then, she married Billy Strickland with whom she had a daughter Kristy.

Nina's sister Edna had a daughter Mildred who married James Tosh.  They had a daughter Martha Ellen and a son Danny.

Conversations with Odell Cook & Monroe Garrett
(C. Avis Catalog entry #329)

Ella Jane Wilson
7841 NW South Rivera Dr.
Medley, Fla  33166
305 885-1188

Monroe Garrett
11032 Lexington
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
213 431-3110
Half-uncle of Odell Cook

Monroe Garrett lived with Odell's Grandfather Garrett (Presley Monroe Garrett) in N.M. when the grandfather was homesteading 3 sections.  He had moved there from Texas.

Odell's mother and her 3 boys moved to Dallas from Scurry after her husband died in 1925.  She was a school teacher in Scurry.  Had attended Texas State Teacher's College and would have had to go back for more schooling if she had continued as a teacher.  Cook's came from El Dorado, Ark. 

Monroe remembers Pat Garrett visiting Grandfather Garrett, they were cousins.  He says that Odell's great grandfather was Charles Garrett (a Civil War confederate).  His father was Presley (?) Garrett and was in the Alamo.  Came from England to S. C. to TN to Texas.

Lassie Garrett Chaffin b. 11-10-1901

Jewell Garrett Johnson, 2nd marriage was Lanier

Ruby Myrtle Garrett (Odell's mother, Betsy's grandma) 
  b. 6-28-1891 d. 6-17-1974
She was 82 years old, buried at Mt. Olive Cemetery, Scurry, Texas.  She had 3 sons, all born in Kaufman County:
Louis Abner Cook
Odell Garrett Cook b. in Scurry
Paul Monroe Cook (change name from Panchy to  Paul)