Alexander Taylor Odeneal

    Alexander Taylor was born Oct 1846 in Pulaski, Giles Co., TN.  Near the end of the Civil War he became interested in his salvation and accepted Christ as his savior. A few years later he attended Transylvania College in Lexington, KY to better prepare himself for the ministry. He remained active in the ministry of the Christian Church until his death (in addition to all the other things he did). June 6, 1870 he married Susan Hattie Cayce, they had one child, William Cayce. He learned the jewelry business under the tutelage of Susan's father, William Cayce in Franklin, TN. Susan died about five years after their marriage and A. T. then went to Texas and worked among the Indians for a time. He had a jewelry store everywhere he lived except in the Leigh Indian Territory. He has descendantswho have continued in the jewelry business for four successive generations.

The known descendants of Alexander Taylor and Susan through their son William Cayce.

    William Cayce Odeneal was born Dec. 19, 1871 in Franklin Co., TN. He was a Spanish American War veteran. He married Adeline Augustus (Gussie) SMITH in 1898 and they had four children William Cayce became a jeweler as were his father and grandfather. William Cayce died Apr. 4, 1937 and Adeline Aug. 4, 1960, both in Dallas, TX. They are both buried in Laurel Land Cemetery, Dallas, TX.

Their childrens are:

    William was born Oct. 19, 1899 in Pittsburg, TX. He was an attorney in Dallas and enjoyed genealogy as a hobby. He married Hazel Virginia COVINGTON Sept. 27, 1921 in Lebanon, TN. William died May 3, 1980 and Hazel died Jan. 1976. Both in Dallas, TX and are buried at Restland Memorial in Dallas, TX. They had two children.

Virgil was in WW II. He was a tail gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress. On April 24, 1944 his squadron, 366 of the 305th Bomb Group, was part of an armada of 750 heavy bombers headed for targets near Munich, Germany. They were hit by enemy aircraft but continued on to the target with three engines. On the return home they were hit again by 20MM shells from an enemy aircraft. This time they did not fare as well and some bailed out while the pilot crash landed. Virgil was hidden by the French resistance, for five months, until the liberation of France. June 3, 1950 Virgil married Bobbie Nell HAYNES and they had three children.

   Ernest was born Aug. 25, 1905 in Paris, TX. He carried on the family tradition of being a jeweler. He married Dorthy Kathleen PARKS June 15, 1928. Ernest died Nov. 14, 1977 and is buried at Hillcrest Cemetery in Dallas, TX. Dorthy is still living in Dallas as of 1998. They had three children.

    Joe was born July 17, 1907. He was an officer in the Air Force and a jeweler at Sears & Roebuck. He was recalled to active duty during the Korean Conflict and died of a heart attack at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, AL June 20, 1953. He married Louise (unknown last name). She died Oct. 1986. They are both buried in Dallas, TX.
    They did not have any children.

Alexander's second marriage and family.

He met Martha Drindee (Dora) Hay who was attending College in Thorp Springs, TX. They married by 1880 and had eight children, Mary H., Pattie, Hattie, Doraand four whose names are not known. After their marriage A. T. and Dora moved to Denton, TX where he opened a watch repair and jewelry store. He sent for his son, William Cayce Odeneal, who had been left in TN. Dora's grandfather had received a land grant from the state of Texas for surveying services performed for the State. He deeded six hundred acres to Dora's father in return for his moving to Texas from Illinois to "look after things". He also deeded some nearby land to Dora and A. T. on which they built a small house. A. T. tried his hat at farming, but was so unsuccessful, however, that he gave up, rented the land and opened a watch repair and jewelry store in Sherman, TX, returning home for the weekends. After two or three years the Leigh Indian Territory was opened for settlement. They moved there and staked out a claim. They lived there for four years and then decided to move to Paris, TX where there were better schools for William and the four daughters. They lived there for over twenty years, having a nice house and good jewelry business. One of the daughters developed tuberculosis. They sold everything and moved to Rotan in West Texas for her health. She did not live long, however, and about a year after her death A. T. and Dora moved back to Paris with their daughter Dora. They stayed in Paris only a shorth time and moved back tothe West. A. T. died in Spur, TX in Jan. 1914. He had been in poor health for some time and just days prior to his death he had been operated on for a stone in the bladder.

Mary was born Oct. 1880 in TX. She graduatedfrom Paris High School, Paris, TX in 1899. She married James (Jim) Valentine McCormick after 1900. Jim worked for a lumber company. and Mary waas a homemakera nd mother for their eight children. Mary died in Jan 1967 and Jim died ??

Mary wrote the folling story about her mother. and it was submitted by her grandson James Thomas Dickinson.

My mother, Martha Drinda Ray Odeneal, "Little Granny," was born in Grand Prairie, Illinois, on October 26, 1854. Her father was Samuel R. Hay, who was Clerk in the State House at that time. Her mother was Mary Cicel Hall, daughter of Dr. B.F. Hall of Mississippi. Her parents met in Bible College in Nashville, Tennessee. As her mother's people were bitter Southerners, they would have nothing to do with the daughter and her family after she married this Yankee. Telling this now will explain some things that happened in my mother's life.

Dora, as my mother was always called, was a very small child, weighing 18 pounds at 18 months of age, and never grew to be more than 4 ft. 11 inches tall. She was the eldest of three children; the other two were boys, Alex and Halley.

Dora could recall some interesting happenings of the 1800s seeing the race of the Robert E. Lee, the assassination of Lincoln, how her father came home from the legislature and draped the front of their home in black, and so much of the bitterness that existed at that time. Lincoln's death probably had more meaning to her than many her age since she once met him. According to her Ggrandson James Dickinson, Lincoln was in IL campaigning. Dora was at athe town well and President Lincoln asked her if she wanted a drink,she said yes, and he then gave her a drink. She remembers going with her father to where the rivers met at Cairo and dipping her foot in the water. Dora was now about 10 years old when the family had moved to Cairo. Dora's mother had tuberculosis and one morning while her husband was away at the capitol she started coughing and hemorrhaging and strangled with only this 10 year old girl with her.

Dora's father took the body back to Grand Prairie for burying, a distressed father with three little children, the baby only 6 months old, crying for the mother in the baggage coach ahead. The father hired a wet nurse for the baby and a woman to keep house and care for the other two children. After a short time Dora's Uncle Frank Hay and Aunt Pattie offered Dora a home. Dora lived with them until she was 14 years old.

Dora's mother's twin sister in Mississippi heard of the trouble and wrote that she would come and take over. She was a widow with two girls. Dora's father sent passage for them to come up to Cairo on the steamboat. When they went to the pier to meet them.,Dora, having never seen them, made the mistake of exclaiming, "Look at the refugees"! This remark offended the aunt and girls and they never quite forgot it, so Dora was sent back to her Aunt Pattie's at Cairo, where she went to school four years.

Dora's Grandfather Hall owned a big tract of land which he was deeded by the state for surveying for the State of Texas. The state was being settled, so her grandfather decided to deed her father 600 acres to move to Texas and look after things. Then her father took the family and moved to Texas, going down the Mississippi to Memphis by steamboat, from there by covered wagon on to Morman Grove in Grayson County near what is now Sherman. Everything had to be hauled by wagon with oxen or horses. The lumber to build their house was hauled from New Orleans, and all supplies had to be bought in big amounts, such as coffee, sugar, flour, and all such things. The women had to spin the yarn, weave the cloth, dye and make by hand all their clothes, even the men's clothes.

While Dora lived with her Aunt Pattie she had no housework to do as this aunt was wealthy and had several servants, so when it fell Dora's lot to do the cleaning and such, she considered it drudgery and resented it. Besides, the stepsisters had not forgotten that Dora had called them refugees, so all this made Dora very unhappy. Dora then decided to go to an aunt at or near Thorp Springs. This was her Aunt Cynthia De Spain, and Dora lived with and helped her.

This Aunt Cynthia sent her own two boys and Dora to school at a college which her cousins, Addison and Randolf Clark, were starting at Thorp Springs. This was the beginning of TCU, which was later moved to Fort Worth.

Dora had a rather exciting experience while living here. She was riding horseback to a neighbor's when a bad hailstorm come up and caught her out in the open. If it had not been that she had on an old-fashioned bonnet with wooden slats, she would have been injured. She said the she got off the horse and crawled under him.

It was at this college that Dora met A. T. Odeneal, whom she later married after a very short courtship. He was a widower with one seven year old son whom he had left in Tennessee. Dora dnd A. T. were married at Thorp Springs. He was a watchmaker by trade, so after they were married they moved to Denton where he put in a watch repair and jewelry store. He sent for his son, and Dora made an excellent stepmother. They lived at Denton three or four years and had one girl and one boy born there.

Then Dora and her family moved to her farm which her Grandfather Hall had given her. Her husband built a nice little house and tried to farm one year, but was so unsuccessful that he rented the land and went to Sherman where he put in a watch repair shop.

During this time Dora's stepmother died and the girls had married and moved away. This left her father and two brothers and one stepbrother with no one to keep house, so as Dora's place was only two miles from her father's, she moved up there and managed the household with a hired girl. Dora's husband still worked in Sherman at his trade, coming home on weekends. Dora had lost four babies, but now she had a little girl who lived. Dora stayed here for two or three years, until her eldest brother married and there was another woman to take over. So Dora and her husband and family, now consisting of one boy and three girls--the stepson had been put in a boarding school-moved to Lehigh Indian Territory. This country was opened up for settlers. On a set day at the firing of a gun people were lined up to make a run to stake out their claim to the land the government was giving to settlers. There had been coal mines developed and worked at Lehigh, so Dora and her husband moved there to open up his store. They lived there four years. Then they decided to go back to Texas for better schools for the children. Dora had another baby girl born at Lehigh. They moved to Paris, where they lived for over 20 years, had a nice home and all the girls were graduated from school. Their only boy died while they were at Lehigh. Dora's husband had a good business, but when the third daughter developed TB, they sold everything and moved to West Texas to a new town, Rotan, where he went into business again. The change seemed to help their daughter for a while, but she got so much worse that the doctor suggested taking her to Alpine. They started and got as far as Hamlin, where she died. They took her back to Rotan for burial. They stayed at Rotan about one year afterwards, then they moved to Spur where he put in a store. He ran this store until he got very sick, had to have an operation, and died on the operating table.

Dora and her youngest daughter lived here until this daughter married. Dora had a nice home, so the daughter and husband lived with her until they took over the telephone office at Afton. Then Dora sold her home and bought and remodeled a house so she could rent an apartment. Dora had one married daughter and family living at Plainview whom she visited often. Also, the oldest daughter and family lived in Spur, too. She sold her home to the youngest daughter and husband and made her home with them until this daughter died. At this time the oldest daughter and family lived in South Texas so Dora spent most of her time in South Texas. She made a trip back to West Texas to see her favorite grandson who was in the Air Corps and was to be home on leave. But she took pneumonia and died before he could get home. He just got home in time for the funeral. Dora was 85 years and 20 days old, and was buried by her husband at Spur. Texas.

Mary and Jim's children;

James was born May 9, 1903 and married Pauline BROWN, born Feb. 27, 1904. They lived in Robstown, TX. James died June 1982 and Pauline Sept. 1986. It is not known at this time what their occupations were, if they had children or where they are buried.

Odneal, who went by Neal was born April 28, 1905 and married Agnes (unknown last name). It is not known at this time what their occupations were, Agnes birth and death dartes, parents or where they are buried. They had three children.

Robert was born May 17, 1907 in Roby, Fisher Co., TX. On may 26, 1928 he married Opal HARRIS, born Nov. 11, 1908.Robert died April 28, 1987 in Spur, TX and is buried at the Spur Cemetery. It is not known at this time what their occupations were, if they had children or Opals death date or parents.

Lady Mary was born Jan 14, 1910. On May 3, 1930 she married Grover Wesley DICKINSON in Portales, NM. Lady Mary was a homemake and mother for the four children. Grovers occupation is unknown but he was a member of the Elks Club. Grover died Dec. 21, 1994 in NM. The cemetery is unknown.

Eugene went by Gene and his middle name was most likely Hay, his grandmothers maiden name. He married Beulah, unknown maiden name, date and place unknown. It is not known at this time what their birth and death dates and places were, occupations were, or where they are buried. They had two sons.

Lois married a Mr. BERRY. They divorced and it is not known at this time what their birth and death dates and places were, if they had children, if Lois remarried, occupations, or where they are buried.

Carson married Eddie BELL. They had two daughters. He was killed in WW II in the battle at Iwo Jima in the Pacific. More informstion is forth coming.

Phillip died at 18 months of age. Birth and death dates are unknown at this time.

Pattie was born July 27, 1885 and married John Edgar (Ed) Reams by 1907. Ed was an Electrical contractor and at least one son, Fred his youngest followed his fathers occupation. Pattie was a homemaker and mother to their ten children. She died Aug 1969 in Plainview, TX. Ed's date of death is not know at this time. The name of the cemetery is not known either.

Their 10 children;

Sidney was born Oct. 5, 1907. He married Mary Lou, unknown maiden name. It is not known at this time Mary Lou's birth and dates and place , occupations were. Sid died Nov. 1986 in Plainview, TX, cemetery unknown. They had three sons.

Charlie was born Nov. 9, 1909. He married Mary Ruth ELLEN, born in 1916. Charlie died April 10, 1996 in Denton, TX, cemetery unknow.. Mary said it was difficult convincing prople that ELLEN was her last name, I imagine it is like convincing people there is no ' in Odeneal. It is not known at this time where they were born, date and place of marriage or occupations.They had five children.

Lynn was born Oct. 8, 1911 and married Alva Lee AMES, born Aug. 23, 1914. Lynn died Aug 6, 1991 and Alva March 13, 1993 place and cemetery unknown.It is not known at this time what their occupations were, date and place of marriage. They had five children.

Dorothy 1913ca. She never married and was a nurse.

John was born May 14, 1915 and married Pearl, unknownmaiden name, born March 23, 1917. Pearl died in Santa Maria, CA Oct. 1986 and John died in Apple Valley Sept. 21, 1989. It is not known where they are buried, occupations, or when and where they were married. They had two children

Katy married J. J. McGUINESS. It is not known at this time their birth and death dates, place, cemetery, marriage date and place or occupations. They had at least one child.

Lois married John Shelton. It is not known at this time their birth dates and places, marriage date and place or occupations. They did not have any children.

Faye married Ed Pierce. It is not known at this time their birth and death dates and places, marriage date and place or occupations. If they had children.

Mary was born Feb. 16, 1924 and married George Braga. Mary died July 17, 1998. It is not known at this time George's parents birth date and place, marriage date and place or occupations. They had two children.

Fred was born Nov. 26, 1930. He married Jennie(y), unknown last name, birth date and place unknown. Fred continued his fathers line of work as an electrician. Jennie is a homemaker. They had two daughters.

Hattie was born July 1888 in TX. She died young from TB.

Dora was born May 1890 in Indian Territory (OK) and was still living at home at the time of A T's death in 1914. She married Homer Boothe about 1915. Homer's occupation is unknown as are his birthdate and place, parents, and both their death dates and places as well as the cemetery.

Their two children;

Larry was born Dec. 15,1915 in Aston, TX. He married Charolette McVICKERS who was born Nov. 24, 1922 in Chanute, KS. Parents names unknown. They were married March 17, 1947 at Mission Inn, Riverside, CA. According to Charolette Larry's grandfather had a jewelery store in the Mission Inn at one time. Their occupations are unknown.. Larry died Sept. 17, 1985 in Lubbock, TX and is buried in the Spur Cemetery, Spur, TX.

They had three children.

Julian's birth date and place are unknown. He was killed in WW II, date and place unknown as well as cemetery.