Adams County Cousins - Zola Clair Hemphill

Zola Clair Hemphill was one of my great-grandfather, Lafayette Pierce "Lafe" Smalley's first cousins, who are my 1st cousins 3 times removed. She was the daughter of William C. and Emma (Shields) Hemphill. William was one of Lafe's mother's younger brothers. William was born the same year that his father died, 1847. His mother was the head of the household in 1850, William's 25 year old half-brother, David, was listed as a farmer. In 1860, after his mother had remarried, William was living with his uncle, J. C. Milligan and their family.

Apparently William served in the Civil War as he has a military grave marker, showing that he had been a Private in Company B of the 1st Missouri Cavalry. In 1867 there was a William C. Hemphill, a 1st Lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Cavalry based at Camp Hatch in Rio Concho, Texas. By 1888 William was in Warren County Illinois where he married Emma Shields, who was about 20 years younger than him. Illinois was where Zola, their oldest daughter, was born 10 Mar 1888. By 1895 the family had increased to 3 children and they were living in Marshall County Kansas. Zola had gained 3 more siblings by 1900 and by then they were in Logan County Oklahoma.

The 23rd of December 1908 was the date for Zola's marriage to Carl (William C) Owens in Payne County Oklahoma. They were living at Perkins in Payne County for the 1910 census where William's occupation was machinist. They had one baby son but he died before the year was over. When the next census was taken in 1920 they were still living in Perkins and William was working as a cotton buyer. By then there were 5 children in the family.

They moved within the next 10 years and were living in Hominy, Osage County Oklahoma for the 1930 census. They were renting their house on N Katy Street for $12 per month and did not have a radio. William was now working as a mechanic at a cotton gin and there were 4 children still at home. Only the youngest son was still in the household in Hominy for the 1940 census. William was working as a laborer doing odd jobs.

William C. Owens died 16 Aug 1953 and was buried at A. J. Powell Memorial Cemetery in Hominy Osage County Oklahoma. Zola was buried next to William after her death 28 Aug 1974.

Adams County Cousins - Leoda May Smalley

It may seem hard to believe, but I was wrong twice in a row. Lafe Smalley's first cousin, Leoda (or Leaoda) May Smalley was not born in Adams County Ohio. She was the daughter of Isaac and Mary (Dimmitt) Smalley. Isaac and Mary were married 11 Nov 1874 in Fulton County Illinois. By the 1880 census the family was living in Leesville, Henry County, Missouri. Since according to her Find A Grave memorial Leaoda was born 20 Dec 1878 in Missouri, it is likely she was born in Henry County.

During the next 20 years the family moved to Oklahoma Territory. It could have been that Isaac participated in the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889 since the land opened for settlement included Logan and Payne Counties, which is where Isaac and his family ended up. Isaac received a homestead patent in Payne County dated 7 Jan 1897. At first I was concerned that this might not be the Isaac Smalley who was Lafe's uncle. However in the Goodland Kansas newspaper on the Library of Congress website, it had a notice in 1892 that Isaac Smalley had returned to Oklahoma and in 1903 Mrs. Isaac Smalley of Coyle, Oklahoma (which was the correct area) had come to Goodland to visit. So I was confident I had the right individual.

It was in Payne County on 15 Nov 1894 when Leoda Smalley married John D. McCamey. So by the 1900 census John and Leoda and 2 children, Loyde born Aug 1896 and Isaac born Aug 1898, were enumerated in Stillwater, Payne County Oklahoma. Another son was born 23 Feb 1906, Vernie or Verna, and he was included in the 1910 census in Paradise Township, Payne County. On that census taken in May of 1910, Leaoda was the head of the household, marked as a widow, with the 3 boys and a boarder, Mr. Clarence Graham. It was the next month, on 21 Jun 1910 when 31 year old Leoda was married to 43 year old Clarence. There is one little complication. John D. McCamey was not dead, as he lived until 1933. Did Leoda get a divorce? It appears I need to do some more research.

It appears that Clarence had been married twice before and had 2 sons over 18 when he married Leoda. He and Leoda were listed in Coyle, Logan County Oklahoma on the 1920, 1930 and 1940 censuses. Sometimes I found Coyle shown in Payne County and sometimes Logan County. From the map it appears it was at the border of the two counties. Clarence died 12 May 1944 and was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Perkins, Payne County Oklahoma. When Leoda died 8 Aug 1951 in Oklahoma City, she was buried at Oak Grove Cemetery, where her parents were also buried.