Submitted by
May, Magee, Collins, McCreary, Davis, Meyers,
Allen, Sale, Priest, Parks, , Ruble, Vehon
There is a mystery for
me concerning Mary Teresa (May) Magee, as well as Samuel Bullock Magee, and
Sally Magee (she is buried at Beulah Cemetery,
but has no records that I can find). It is too bad that I cannot locate a
1870 US Federal Census record for Falls Co, TX. (or DC's for Samuel and Sally).
If I could find such, I might be able to discover the truth.
I believe that it is
possible that Mary Teresa May was previously married and widowed in Mississippi
before marrying Calvin Magee. I believe that she may have had two children
by that previous marriage (Sally and Wilson N.). Calvin's first wife
(Catherine) died sometime between Oct 1850 and July 1860. I believe that
Calvin and Mary Teresa married sometime between late 1860 and 1861, and that
Calvin adopted her two children as his own. Samuel Bullock Magee (though
his headstone tells us he was born in 1860) is shown on the 1880 and 1900 US
Federal Censuses as being born in July 1862 in Mississippi. This means
that he is likely NOT the child of Norvel Abner and Carolyn Elizabeth (Collins)
Magee, as they were only 16 and 11 years old, respectively, in that year.
However, Calvin would have been 54 and Mary Teresa would have been 33... a much
more likely match. In addition, in the 1900 US Federal Census, Mary is
noted as a 70 year old widow (she was born in 1829 and Calvin died in 1882)...
but she is also noted as having three children (two of which were noted as still
alive in 1900). In this same census, Mary is living with Wilson N. Magee,
who is identified as her son, and his wife Callie. Since Sally Magee died
in 1875, it could be possible that she is the deceased child of Mary noted in
this census... leaving Wilson N. (of whom I have found no other documentation)
and Samuel Bullock (who lives on until 1906).
There is another
interesting twist... In the 1900 US Federal Census, Wilson N. Magee and Callie
Magee have the same birth months and years for Norvel Abner and Carolyn
Elizabeth (Collins) Magee. I cannot seem to locate a record for Norvel and
Carolyn in the 1900 Census. It is possible that Wilson N and Callie are
Norvel and Carolyn.
I found a 1910 Census
that has the same basic info as the 1900 Census, but has the right names of
Norvel and Carrie. Also Mary is shown as having 3 children, with 1 alive.
In 1906 Samuel Bullock Magee died. This makes me wonder all the more about
who were these other two children of Mary. If Callie in 1900 is Carrie in
1910, I also wonder about who the second child of Norvel and Carrie was... and
where they buried this child.
On the Public Records
section of the Falls County Site, on page 97, I found the marriage record for
Norvel Abner Magee and Carolyn Elizabeth Collins. They married on 22 Dec
1870. On page 79 I found the marriage record for Joseph S. McCreary and
Sarah F. Robinson. They married on 16 Jan 1868 and were married by Calvin
Magee. Joseph's son, George Elijah, would eventually marry Calvin's
granddaughter, Lillie Alice Magee.
I've got
some more info about the McCreary folks at
Clover Hill Cemetery and at Hillcrest
Cemetery.
James Davidson
McCreary Sr. and Gladys Opal Davis had at least four children. According
to the 1930 US Federal Census they are: James Davidson McCreary Jr. (30
Sep 1922--05 Jul 1974; buried at Hillcrest), Elizabeth McCreary (born about
1925), and a badly written son's name that looks remotely like "Percy" (born
about 1929). According to the Texas Birth Index, 1903-2000, Claude Lee
McCreary was born to James D and Gladys Opal (Davis) McCreary on 11 Dec 1928 in
Falls Co., so I believe this "Percy" to be Claude Lee (buried at Clover Hill).
Strangely, the Social Security Death Index shows Claude's birth date as 12 Nov
1928. Claude Lee died in Austin, Travis, TX. A fourth child, Elijah
Frank (Franklin) McCreary III (aka Baby McCreary in Clover Hill) was born 20 Feb
1926 and died 03 Jun 1926.
James Davidson
McCreary Jr. was married to Ida (Wachsman) McCreary.
According to his
headstone, Claude Lee McCreary was married to Gladys (Unknown Maiden Name)
McCreary. According to the Texas Death Index, 1964-1998, a Gladys G.
McCreary died in Travis County on 09 Jan 1994. The name and place of death
are relevant, but it is not conclusive that this was his wife.
Gladys Opal
Davis was born in Kansas to J E Davis and Alice Meyers.
James Davidson
McCreary Sr. was the son of Elijah Frank McCreary Sr.
Elijah Frank McCreary
Sr. (1851--1912) was actually born in 1850. I have found 2 DC's for him;
one from Marlin and one from Lott. The one from Lott is witnessed by J A
McCreary (possibly Joseph Austin) and was prepared in January, 1949. The
Marlin record was made in August of 1912. It is possible, but not stated
on the form, that the 1949 document was made to correct information on the
original 1912 document. On the 1912 DC, Elijah was born 24 Jul 1850 and
died 04 Jul 1912 and buried 05 Jul 1912. On the 1949 DC, Elijah was born
15 Jun 1850, died 03 Jul 1912, and was buried 04 Jul 1912. Elijah Frank
McCreary Sr. was born in Conecuh Co., AL and was a younger brother of Joseph S.
McCreary. They had the same parents, Elijah and Mary (Autrey) McCreary of
Conecuh Co., AL.
Elijah Frank
McCreary's first wife was Sallie Allen (born about 1854 in Mississippi).
On the 1880 US Federal Census, they have three children: Caroline E. (born
about 1876), Joseph C. (born about 1878), and Mary W. (born in Dec 1879).
All of the children were born in Falls Co. In 1880 they are living in
Falls Co. Living with them is Sallie's sister, Ann M. Allen (born about
1845 in Mississippi). Sallie's and Ann's father was from VA. Their
mother was from SC. The next census for Elijah Frank McCreary is in 1910,
30 years later.
The 1910 US Federal Census shows Elijah married to his second wife, Matilda Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Priest) McCreary. This was Lizzie's first marriage. The document shows that they were married about 1902. They had two children: James Davidson McCreary Sr. (22 Jul 1902--29 Jun 1979) and Elijah Frank Jr. (20 Sep 1904--31 Dec 1967). Elijah Frank Jr. died in Sweeny, Brazoria, TX. Lizzie's parents (Dr. James Davidson and Mary (Parks) Priest) are shown as being from Tennessee. As Elijah Frank Sr. died in 1912, he is absent from the 1920 US Federal Census. Living with Lizzie, JD, and Elijah Frank Jr. in 1920 is a general manager for the farm by the name of James C. Vehon (born about 1893 in TX, father from NC, mother from TX). Lizzie would later marry a Mr. Vehon, possibly this particular one, which is why she bears his name on her DC and grave marker.
