Easter through the generations

 1950

PHOTOS: Lester and Cleffie Burford and family (bottom right: Beverly Jones, Ronnie, Bobby, Buck Jones, Morris, Wathada)

1959

PHOTOS: Cleffie Burford, Sue Burford, Uncle Deb Burford, Sue's daughter Jean, Florence Burford

1959

PHOTOS: Red and Wathada Thomas, Dianne and Ricky

1980s

PHOTOS: Christopher and Casey Carrigan

March 30

 Wathada Jewell Burford Thomas was born 30 March 1936, in Judsonia, Arkansas

Happy birthday, Mom.

March 29

Every year I dedicate this day to my uncle Ron Burford. He was so very special to me, and to all of us, and he was taken from us much too soon. It's just too bad for anyone else in the family who shares this same birthday. So... I'm going to go ahead and make today's blog post about another relative who was quite remarkable in her own way. And I will re-post on Facebook the last three years' blog posts about Uncle Ron.

 Verlie Ethel Edra Arnold was born 29 March 1921

Verlie was a daughter of George Arnold (brother of my great-grandmother Annie Arnold Hicks)

She married Ed Garrett and they had four children - Leon, Wes, Youl, and Arletta.

Verlie outlived all 12 of her siblings.

She died April 08, 2023 at the age of 102.

March 28

 I don't have pictures of any of the birthday people today, so I guess I'll do something different.

This set of pictures was taken by my uncle Ron Burford at our house in Bangor, Michigan, on March 30, 1959, my mother's 23rd birthday. Uncle Ron's birthday was the 29th -- he was Mom's youngest brother and they were always very close. Uncle Ron stayed at our house a lot whenever he was out of school. (He was 15 years old in these pictures.) 

Here is what my mom wrote about that:

  Ron was born in Benton Harbor, Michigan... and he was mine because he was my birthday present that year. He was born just a couple of hours before midnight on the night that it was going to be my eighth birthday when I woke up. Mama said he was my birthday present and if she didn’t mean it she shouldn’t have said it because I held her to it, and Ron was my baby from then on.  If she ever tried to scold him, I would get right in the middle of it and tell her to leave him alone – he was mine. And I would get him on my lap and love on him. She explained to me that he couldn’t really be my baby and she hadn’t meant that I could raise him when she told me he was my birthday present – she had just meant that I got a new brother for my birthday, not a baby to raise myself. I didn’t care and I would tell her I didn’t care, she gave him to me, he was my birthday present, and he was mine! 

  She finally told me that she had to teach him right from wrong and how to behave, and I’d better not love on him right after she scolded him any more. So from then on, when Ron got in trouble I would just look at him and catch his attention and then I would go outside. He would follow me just in a minute and then I would love on him outside in the yard somewhere out of Mama’s sight. Ron belonged to both of us forever. He just had two mothers all his life – Mama and me.

The End.

March 27

 Dallas Miftlin 'Dale' Miller was born 27 March 1852

Dale was the husband of Alice Ford.

Alice was a sister of my great-grandmother Nancy Ford Thomas.

Dale and Alice had five children - Audie, Carrie, Hattie, Dora, and John Cleveland

 

Photo: Audie and Alice

Audie died at age 24 from tuberculosis.

PHOTO: Hattie Miller (right) and her husband Cliff Girard

PHOTO: John Cleveland Miller and his wife Gulielma

I don't have pictures of Carrie (she died at age 6 months, cause of death 'congestion of brain') or Dora (she died age 27, cause of death tuberculosis)

Dale Miller died in 1903, age 51.

Alice Miller died in 1941, age 88.

March 26

 Christine Ellen Arnold was born 26 March 1933

Christine was the daughter of John Davidson Arnold and Gracie Bell Webb Arnold

John Davidson Arnold was a brother of my great-grandmother Annie Arnold Hicks

Arnold siblings L-R: George, Annie, John, Marlie, Etta

This is the only picture I have of Aunt Gracie

John and Gracie had eight children: Burton, Burnis, Alene, Maxine, Lloyd, Henry, Christine, and Bertha Lee

Christine married Harlon Henry Riggs. I don't know if they had any children or not. Her obituary mentions a daughter Kathy Riggs, son Larry Riggs, and daughter Denise Riggs. Harlon's FindAGrave memorial does not mention any of these children. He had three wives, of which Christine was the second, so I don't know if these are her children or stepchildren. Christine has two FindAGrave memorials, one with the last name Lucas, but it doesn't list a husband with that name. (The problem with FindAGrave is that it doesn't list people who are still living, of course, as Christine's children would be, as well as possibly her second husband.) Christine and Harlon were married in 1951. Harlon died in 1984.

This picture is from his FindAGrave memorial.

OBITUARY:

Christine Ellen Delana Lucas the daughter of John and Gracie Webb Arnold was born in Batesville, Arkansas on March 26, 1933 and passed away at White County Medical Center in Searcy, Arkansas on December 18, 2005 at the age of 72 Years. She was a retired nurse's aid having worked at Geriatricts Nursing Home in Heber Springs. She attended the Pleasant Ridge Union Church and enjoyed cooking and reading, helping people and going to church. She was preceded in death by her parents John and Gracie Arnold four brothers Burton Arnold, Burnis Arnold, Bill Arnold and Henry Arnold and a sister Alene Sargent. Survivors are a daughter Kathy Riggs Altom and husband Odell of Tumbling Shoals, a son Larry Riggs of Tumbling Shoals, a daughter Denise Riggs Mann and husband Paul of Tumbling Shoals, two sisters Maxine Cobb of Houston, Texas and Bertha Hagar of Wilburn. Four grandchildren Jeff Altom, Lisa Altom Rhodes, Erin Mann and Jessi Mann, Six Great Grandchildren Madison Altom, Lara Altom, Sara Rhodes Williams, Michelle Rhodes Graham, Hannah Rhodes and Lexie Rhodes. Mrs. Lucas is also survived by nieces and nephews besides other relatives and many friends.

March 25

 Nancy Ellen Carter was born 25 March 1884

Ellen was the youngest of the children of Ned Carter and Jane Evans Carter. She was a sister of my great-great-grandmother Adaline Carter Arnold (mother of Annie Arnold Hicks). 

Ellen married Will Cartee 18 March 1898 (one week before her 14th birthday. Will was 21 years old.) Their first child, Maude, was born 01 January 1899, when Ellen was still 14 years old.

In this group photo, taken in 1916, Maude was 16 years old and married to Sam Hall.

GROUP PHOTO 1916: Back row - Sam Hall, Maude Cartee Hall, Will and Ellen Cartee (Their son Ralph, standing in front of Ellen, was born July 1915. Their oldest child Maude died in June 1919 from tuberculosis, and their last child, Dorothy, was born in October 1919.) 

Here is what my great-grandmother Annie Arnold Hicks wrote about them:

  Ellen married Will Cartee the first time, and raised four children.  One of them was married when Will took up with a woman and left Aunt Ellen and of course, he soon wanted to come back but she wouldn’t have him back.  And she struggled and worked and raised her three children (one of her children had died), and did a fine job of it.  They are all married now and have nice families.  And she married a man that treats her right.  His name is Charlie Haigwood.  Her oldest girl died at about 25 years with T.B., I believe.  Her name was Maud.  Maud was married before her parents separated.  She had two sisters and one brother - Lillie, Ralph and Dorothy. 

Ellen Carter Cartee Haigwood died April 1972, age 88

Ellen and Charley are buried in Smith Cemetery, Alton, Missouri

March 24

 Abner Samuel Rhoades was born 24 March 1885

Abner was a son of Margaret Carter Rhoades. Margaret was a sister of my great-great-grandmother Adaline Carter Arnold.

*   *   *

Martha Louisa Elizabeth Rhoades Sandridge died 24 March 1984, age 82

PHOTO: Margaret and Martha Rhoades.

Martha was the daughter of Margaret Carter Rhoades. Margaret was a sister of my great-great-grandmother Adaline Carter Arnold. (Martha was a sister of Abner Rhoades, above.)

PHOTO: Martha and her husband Albert Sandridge

*   *   *

Melinda Paralee Carter died 24 March 1943, age 76

PHOTO: David and Paralee Carter Owen with their children.

Paralee was a sister of my great-great-grandmother Adaline Carter Arnold. Paralee was the firstborn child of Ned Jonas Carter and his second wife Jane Evans. His first wife, Melinda Clingan, had died the previous year, and I'm assuming that's the reason Paralee's first name was Melinda.

Paralee and David Owen

*   *   *

Cecil Myrick Hurlbut Jr. died 24 March 1917, age 2 months.

I don't have a picture of this baby. 

He was the son of Cecil Hurlbut and Nina Naftzger.

Cecil Hurlbut Sr. was the son of Myrick and Etta Thomas Hurlbut. 

PHOTO: Myrick and Etta Thomas Hurlbut with children Ethelyn and Cecil.

Etta was a sister of my great-grandfather Charles Thomas.

*   *   *

Thelma Erlene Burford was born 24 March 1924

PHOTO: sisters Mildred and Erlene Burford.

Erlene was a daughter of George and Willie Mae Burford. George was a brother of my grandfather Lester Burford.

PHOTO: Erlene and husband Arnold Slocum

PHOTO: Erlene Burford Slocum

*   *   *

Vera Viola Till Didier died 24 March 1997, age 78

Vera was the sister of Leonard Till.

Leonard was the husband of Madge Treat, sister of my grandmother Christie Treat Thomas.

PHOTO: Madge and Leonard Till