Burford Ancestors - Generation 5 - David Raymond Burford

David Raymond Burford was born 11 November 1913 in Cross County, Arkansas.

David was the son of Raymond Burford and Ruby Lois Thompson.

Raymond Burford was the son of Alexander Oscar Burford, Jr. and Helen Virginia Lockard.

Alexander Oscar Burford Jr. was the son of Alexander Oscar Burford and Nancy Reynolds.

Alexander Oscar Burford was the son of John M. Burford and Mary 'Polly' Berry.

* * *

David Raymond Burford married Elizabeth Jane Pittman 23 December 1939, in Hot Springs, Garland County, Arkansas, daughter of Naomi Visali Young and Dr. Thomas Whitter "Mike" Pittman. She was born 20 June 1919 and died 26 September 1990.

I don't have a picture of Elizabeth Jane Pittman Burford.

Children of David Burford and Elizabeth Pittman are:

i. Sherry Madeline Burford, born 17 December 1942; died 04 December 1989; married Gary Kidwell.

I don't have a picture of Sherry, nor one of her grave. 

ii. David Raymond Burford, Jr., born 27 September 1945; married (1) Dominique Gallet; married (2) Louise Georgianna 'Georgi' Hawkins.

In this group picture David Jr. is 4th from left, Georgi is 4th from right.

2nd from left is Sean Kidwell, son of Sherry Madeline Burford.

(Photo courtesy of Myra Burford Luker)

* * *

Elizabeth Pittman Burford died 26 September 1990, age 71.

David Raymond Burford died 25 August 1999, age 85.

They are buried in Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Hot Springs, Garland County, Arkansas.

Burford Ancestors - Generation 4 - Jewell Alma Burford

Jewell Alma 'Judy' Burford was born 30 March 1918 in Arkansas

Judy was the youngest daughter of Alexander and Lora Gibson Burford

PHOTO L-R: Back - Wathada, Juanita, Dianne. Front - Judy, Lora, Helen. 1965.

Judy married Aaron Duane "A.D." White 16 October 1938, Woodruff County, Arkansas, son of Henry C. White and Lovetta Files. He was born 27 September 1913, and died 12 September 1999.

Judy and A.D. had two children:

i. Suellen White, born 20 August 1941, Arkansas. 

ii. Aaron Duane White, Jr., born 18 November 1946, Arkansas.

* * *

Judy Burford White died 05 May 1999, age 81.

A. D. White died 12 September 1999, age 85.

They are buried in Hunter Cemetery, Hunter, Woodruff County, Arkansas.

Burford Ancestors - Generation 4 - Juanita Virginia Burford

Juanita Virginia Burford was born 06 September 1916 in Brushy Lake, near Wynne, Cross County, Arkansas

Juanita was the daughter of Alexander and Lora Gibson Burford

PHOTO: Lora Burford (seated), Juanita, Helen, Judy

(this is a photograph of a photograph, so it's a little bit skewed)

Juanita Burford married Melvin Lee Hombs 28 December 1935 in White County, Arkansas, son of William Hombs and Grace Tucker.  He was born 22 August 1915 in Troy, Missouri, and died 31 July 1999 in Laguna Beach, Orange County, California. 

CHILDREN of JUANITA BURFORD and MELVIN HOMBS are:  

i. Lee Burford Hombs, born 10 October 1937, Arkansas; died 1939, Arkansas.

ii. James 'Jim' Wesley Hombs, born 23 November 1939, Searcy, White County, Arkansas.

iii. Richard Gerald 'Jerry' Hombs, born 11 August 1941, Los Angeles, California; died May 2024.

* * *

Juanita Burford Hombs died 29 February 2004, age 87.

Mel Hombs died 31 July 1999, age 79.

They are buried in Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, Los Angeles County, California

I don't have a picture of their graves.

Lee Burford Hombs died of pneumonia when he was one year old. He is buried in Weir Cemetery, Searcy, White County, Arkansas. His grave is next to John Wesley Hombs, who was Mel's uncle.

Burford Ancestors - Generation 4 - Neil Wallace Burford

Neil Wallace Burford was born 13 November 1914 in Arkansas.

Neil was the son of Alexander Oscar and Lora Gibson Burford

Neil was a Sergeant in the US Army in World War II.

(Family lore says that his mother, Lora, 'knew' when he was injured in the war, and was already very upset all morning before the Army representatives came to the house to inform her.) 
 

Neil Burford married Mildred Pauline Cooper, daughter of John A Cooper and Daisy Pauline Coleman Cooper, 22 April 1922, Hunter, Woodruff County, Arkansas.

Neil and Mildred had one child - daughter Donnie Jeneal Burford, born 28 January 1949 in Memphis, Tennessee. 

* * * 

Neil Burford died 24 December 1987, age 73. 

Mildred Burford died 31 March 2000, age 77.

They are buried in Hunter Cemetery, Hunter, Woodruff County, Arkansas.

Have I found Uncle Killough?

Remember this photo? And the copy I had was labeled "George" (3rd from left), but it doesn't look the least bit like all the other pictures I have of George. But a granddaughter of Bernice's assured me today that it is definitely NOT Bernice. I'm sure she is right -- she knew him well. So...

Oh, wait... There's another brother -- Killough. The only picture I have of Killough was taken when he was 3 years old. He died a young man in 1943. The photo above was very likely taken before then. So... could this actually be Killough? 

I hope so. I'd love to know that I have a picture of him as an adult. I only have one picture of his wife, and not a very good one. And the only pictures I have of their son is when he was a little boy (he died a young man, too). 

Did any of you know Killough well enough to confirm that it's him in this photo?

Here's his 3 year old photo:

Looks like the same face to me. (Or am I just wishful thinking?)

Burford Ancestors - Generation 4 - Lester Morris Burford

Lester Morris Burford was born 04 Mar 1913 in Hamlin, Cross County, Arkansas; Brushy Lake Township

Lester was the son of Alexander Oscar Burford, Jr. and Lora Gibson Burford.

Lester married Cleffie Lorene Hicks  05 October 1935 in Searcy, White County, Arkansas, daughter of Ulysses Hicks and Bertha Ann Arnold. She was born 08 August 1917 in Banner, Cleburne County, Arkansas.

Children of Lester Burford and Cleffie Hicks are:

i. Wathada Jewell Burford, born 30 March 1936, Judsonia, White County, Arkansas.

ii. Lester Morris Burford, Jr., born 16 March 1939, Judsonia, White County, Arkansas.

iii. Robert Neil Burford, born 22 May 1941, Judsonia, White County, Arkansas.

iv. Ronald Gene Burford, born 29 March 1944, Benton Harbor, Berrien County, Michigan; died 06 June 1981, Berrien Springs, Berrien County, Michigan.

* * *

Lester Burford died 24 August 1990, age 77, in Alton, Madison County Illinois. He was buried in Hunter Cemetery, Hunter, Woodruff County, Arkansas.

Cleffie Hicks Burford died 17 September 2004, age 87, in Watervliet, Berrien County, Michigan. She was buried in Watervliet Cemetery, Watervliet, Berrien County, Michigan.

Burford Ancestors - Generation 4 - Bernice Pope Burford

Bernice Pope Burford was born 04 December 1911 in Hamlin, Cross County, Arkansas

Bernice was the sixth child of Alexander and Lora Gibson Burford.

Bernice married Maxine Davis 30 December 1933 in Arkansas. They had one child, Jane. 

I don't know anything more about this marriage or this child.

Bernice and Maxine divorced 02 March 1935.

Bernice Burford married Dorothy Louise Moore 04 September 1938 in Brinkley, Monroe County, Arkansas, daughter of Robert Moore and Virginia Newby. She was born 18 July 1921 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. 

Children of Bernice Burford and Dorothy Moore are: 

i. Gerald Wayne "Jerry" Burford, born 26 September 1939, Brinkley, Monroe County, Arkansas; died 18 September 2005, Corpus Christi, Texas.

ii. George Oscar Burford, born 19 April 1942, Alton, Madison County, Illinois; died 13 June 2018, Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama.

iii. David Allen Burford, born 20 March 1944, Alton, Illinois.

iv. Sharon Sue Burford, born 17 February 1946, Alton, Illinois.  

v. Charles Michael Burford, born 15 December 1948, Alton, Illinois; died 04 October 2005, Roxanna, Illinois.

vi. Donna Jeanine Burford, born 05 April 1951, Alton, Madison County, Illinois; died 24 December 2024, Prairieville, Louisiana.

PHOTO: Neil, Lester, Bernice, David (Raymond's son), George

* * *

Bernice Burford died 12 January 2001, age 89

Dorothy Burford died 29 October 2007, age 86

They are buried in Oakwood Cemetery Alton, Madison County, Illinois