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CLARENCE PHIPPS & LILLIAN BERNICE GEORGE

Clarence Phipps was born in Richland Springs, San Saba County, Texas on Christmas Day, December 25, 1886 to Jack and Adelia Phipps.

Lillian Bernice George was born to A.C. and Annie George in Decker, Nolan County, Texas on October 6, 1890.

Clarence went to Decker, Texas to find work as a cowboy. He was soon hired by the Bar J G Ranch, where he continued to work for some time after he married. A friend of his, Lum Davidson, also traveled to Decker to find work and eventually married Lillian's sister Ora George. The Bar J G, owned by Lillian and Ora's uncle John T. George, consisted of 30 sections. It was located partly in Dickens County, partly in Stonewall County, and partly in King County. Clarence was paid $35 per month. On Sunday mornings he would ride horseback to Guthrie, 18 miles to the north, for the weekly mail.

While Clarence was working on the ranch, he and Lillian had their first two children, Ruth and Melvin. Both were born in Decker, at the home of Lillian's parents.

In the latter part of 1910, Clarence and Lillian bought their first farm, consisting of about 160 acres, at the price of $10 per acre, and built a two-room house with a porch. The farm was located in the vicinity of Spur. While they lived there, Clarence and Lillian had four more children: Grace, Sybel, Clifford, and Verda.

In 1919, the family purchased a 380-acre farm at Highway community, Dockum Creek, just outside Spur. The following year there was no crop, and at that time the family moved again, this time west of Girard, where they held a rodeo for a couple of years. In 1924, Clarence and Lillian traded the Dockum Creek farm for a 200-acre tract and purchased 160 additional acres from Swenson Land Company. This farm was located a mile and a half north of the Girard Cemetery. While their new house was being built, they continued living on the west farm. It was in the new house that Clarence and Lillian's last two children, Emma Lou and Anna Lorene, were born, completing their family of six daughters and two sons.


Children:
Ruth Adelia, born May 22, 1908
Melvin Alfred, born July 12, 1910
Lilith Grace, born March 4, 1912
Sybel Leona, born November 29, 1913
Clifford George, born April 21, 1915
Verda Mae, born September 19, 1919
Emma Lou, born March 11, 1927
Anna Lorene, born May 10, 1930

In 1936 Clarence quit farming and moved his family to San Antonio, TX. Two years later they moved back to Girard, where they remained until 1949. At that time they moved to Oklahoma City to be near their children. They lived in Lubbock for a year or two, then returned to Oklahoma City.

Clarence died February 2, 1981 at home. Lillian lived only a few months longer. She died September 14, 1981. They are buried in the Garden of the Beatitudes section of Resthaven Memory Gardens in Oklahoma City, OK.


Source:  Rootsweb