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Willie Orma Boyett

Female 1903 - 1985  (81 years)


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  • Name Willie Orma Boyett  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
    Born 29 Oct 1903  Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 3, 4, 5, 6
    Gender Female 
    Died 17 Oct 1985  Austin, Travis County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 5
    Buried Junction Cemetery, Junction, Kimble County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Notes 
    • Willie was married first to Titus Coon, who was the father of her only child, daughter Bobbie. He left the family when Bobbie was born, leaving sole responsibility for raising their chid with Willie.

      Both Bobbie Louise, still just a toddler, and Willie's widowed mother, Clarissa Conn Boyett, died within a few days of each other from pneumonia in March, 1935. Willie had been caring for them both.

      Martha White, a niece of Willie's wrote that "Apparently Bobbie was a beloved, vivacious child adored by the whole community. Willie had saved the dress "they tore off my baby" when she was ill...and all the sympathy notes. There is a lovely story I never heard--until Mom [Annie Lora Boyett White] was in the nursing home and had dementia--and it was at a sermon Jackson [Boyett, Marti's cousin] gave. When Grandmother (who also was beloved and a popular member of the Junction community) and Bobbie died in the same week...it was rough in so many ways. She (Clarissa) had cooked for prisoners in the jail, as Ernest was sheriff then. One was financial. Times had been very, very hard for a long time and our family was poor...Anyway, Ernest went to the funeral home to make arrangements to try to pay for the funerals and was told there was no bill. What? Yes, the community thought so highly of him, Grandmother, Bobbie and the family that they had all contributed and paid off the two funerals. So, there are deep, abiding and loving roots with our family in Junction.
      All are buried in the Junction cemetery.

      Later in her live, Willie worked for the State and also worked at times at the Capitol.
      Her husband, Sox [Hoy Reginald Smith], worked and retired from the Texas General Land Office.

      The following biography, from FindAGrave, was also prepared by Martha White

      Willie Orma Boyett was born to Robert and Clarissa Boyett in Sabine County, Texas on October 17, 1903. Mrs. Smith's first marriage to Titus Coon in East Texas produced one adorable child - a daughter named Bobbie Louise Coon - who passed away at age 4 of pneumonia - three days before Willie's own mother died of the same in Junction, Texas in 1935. Willie never got over the loss of her precious girl. Willie remarried Hoy Reginald "Sox" Smith in Kimble County, Junction, Texas, on Christmas Day 1939. Willie and Sox were married for 39 years until his death in January 1979. Wille is buried in Junction by her daughter, Bobbie Coon, her Mother Clarissa Conn Boyett and her husband, Hoy R. "Sox" Smith. Mrs. Smith loved to cook, can, garden and sew. She was always helping out others whether sending over food or making baby clothes for families who could not afford to buy any. She was a loving daughter, wife, sister and aunt. She is greatly missed.
    Person ID I36168  Strong Family Tree
    Last Modified 17 Aug 2014 

    Father Robert Edgar Boyett,   b. 14 Dec 1870, Arkansas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 30 Apr 1927, Rosevine, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 56 years) 
    Mother Clarissa L. Abi Conn,   b. 22 Jul 1877, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 Mar 1935, Junction, Kimble County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 57 years) 
    Married 19 Dec 1893  Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [7, 8, 9
    • In her annotated transcription of the Gravel Hill Cemetery, Kay Parker McCary shows that they were also the parents of Wyatt BOYETT (1905-1906). This is a possiblity, as he would fit in the gap between their children Willie Orma (b. 1903) and Ernest Jackson (b. 1906). The 1910 census enumeration shows that Clarissa was the mother of six children in total, only five still living. Her living children were Emma (already married to Leonard Cordray), Aaron, Willie O., Ernest, and Vida. Robert Goodrich, born and died in 1902 was known to be deceased. Therefore, unless the census was in error, she could not have also been the mother of Wyatt. Additionally, in March 2013 Clarissa's granddaughter, Martha White emailed that "Sadly, there was once a page from the family bible but it was long ago lost and was in bad shape. I know that no one ever said Grandmother had anything but 9 children. My Mother [Annie Lora Boyett White] being her 9th and last child. Two did die very young, Robert Goodrich [and later] Oren Washington. I do not remember seeing a Wyatt on the bible list. An additional child...say Wyatt...would have given Grandmother 10 children in her life and to my knowledge that is just incorrect. Also, in the past decades there were trips by my Uncle Ernest to east Texas and his wife photographed graves -- he never mentioned a Wyatt or brought back a picture of that grave. Years and years ago I did do a family tree, when Ernest Sr., Aunt Willie were still living...they all looked at it and never mentioned a Wyatt. So I do believe that is an error. Aunt Willie also helped a woman out of CA who was writing a book, and she never mentioned a Wyatt either." It is likely that Wyatt Boyett, attributed by Kay Parker McCary to Robert Edgar and Clarissa Boyett was more likely a son of John Oliver Boyett and Mattie Conn, and therefore not a sibling, but rather a double first cousin to the children born to Robert and Clarissa.
    Family ID F11213  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Samuel Titus Coon, Sr.,   b. 15 Feb 1907, Cass County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Aug 1974, Jasper County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 67 years) 
    Married Abt 1929  [4
    Children 
     1. Bobbie Louise Coon,   b. 22 Sep 1930, Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Mar 1935, Junction, Kimble County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 4 years)
    Last Modified 2 Apr 2013 
    Family ID F12795  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Hoy "Sox" Reginald Smith,   b. 17 Nov 1902, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 28 Jan 1979, Travis County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 76 years) 
    Married 25 Dec 1939  Junction, Kimble County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 2 Apr 2013 
    Family ID F12797  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 29 Oct 1903 - Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 25 Dec 1939 - Junction, Kimble County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 17 Oct 1985 - Austin, Travis County, Texas Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Sources 
    1. [S481] 1910 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006, (For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1910. T624, 1,178 rolls. This database is an index to the head of households enumerated in the 1910 United States Federal Census, the Thirteenth Census of the United States. In addition, each indexed name is linked to actual images of the 1910 Federal Census. The information recorded in the census includes: name, relationship to head of family, age at last birthday, sex, color or race, whether single, married, widowed, or divorced, birthplace, birthplace of father and mother, and more.), Texas, Sabine County, JP 1 Enumerated 3 May 1910 SD 2 ED 131 Sheet 14B 238-240 (Reliability: 3).

    2. [S334] Rootsweb, Texas Death Records, 1964 thru 1998.

    3. [S333] Ancestry.com - U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current [database online], (Ancestry.com. Social Security Death Index [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011. Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administration Death Master File contains information on millions of deceased individuals with United States social security numbers whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration. Birth years for the individuals listed range from 1875 to last year. Information in these records includes name, birth date, death date, and last known residence.).

    4. [S564] 1930 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com. database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002., (Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls. Containing records for approximately 123 million Americans, the 1930 United States Federal Census is the largest census released to date and is the most recent census available for public access. The census gives us a glimpse into the lives of Americans in 1930, and contains information about a household?s family members and occupants including: birthplaces, occupations, immigration, citizenship, and military service. The names of those listed in the census are linked to actual images of the 1930 Census.), Texas, Sabine County, JP No. 6 Enumerated April 14, 1930 ED 202-8 SD 19 Sheet 7A Stamped 98 134-138 (Reliability: 3).

    5. [S873] Find A Grave [database online]; http://www.findagrave.com/, (Thousands of contributors submit new listings, updates, corrections, photographs and virtual flowers every hour to the FIND A GRAVE website. When it comes to administrating, building and maintaining the site, Find A Grave is largely operated by its founder, Jim Tipton.), # 8085174 (Reliability: 3).

    6. [S1299] 1940 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com. database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012, (Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.), Texas, Travis, Austin City, Pr. 5, Block 57 Enumerated April 25, 1940 SD 10 ED 227-52 Sheet 12 B Congress Avenue 1507-284-r-100 (Reliability: 3).

    7. [S327] Dore, Barbara Yancey (RootsLady@rootslady.com) "Southeast Texas Regional Gedcom Project" http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=bydore_1, (Dore, Barbara Yancey "Southeast Texas Regional Gedcom Project"; http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=bydore_1 ; Updated Tue Feb 24 22:17:40 2004 This Gedcom contains many regionally located but sometimes unconnected Southeast Texas persons. Some of the information has been collected during Barbara's past 35 years of family research. Many undocumented families in the area are included. ALWAYS verify!!).

    8. [S607] McCary, Kay P. "Gravel Hill Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas" Cemetery Index ; http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txsabine/burials/.

    9. [S33] FamilySearch.org, Texas Deaths, 1890-1976, (http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/).