Seventh Generation

439. WILLIAM WALLACE FRY^130,136,156 was born on 6 June 1830 in Palmyra, Marion County, Missouri.^125,157 He died on 17 December 1901 at the age of 71 in Ladonia, Fannin County, Texas.^157,158

According to an account by Anna B. Casey, in 1851 he went to California with his brother for the Gold Rush, never saw any "gold" so he came home...the brother stayed. "Will" had some trouble finding a way home from California. Finally applied for work on a ship to the Panama Canal [the Canal was not there yet but perhaps he did go across Panama] and worked his way back to New Orleans and up the Mississippi to Palmyra; took about six months.
In 1853, the families packed up and loaded several wagons and spent six months getting to Texas, driving a herd of cattle with them.

William did not appear on the tax rolls of Fannin Co until 1860. The previous year, 1859, 200 acres had vanished from his father's land bought from N. P. Lawson, Abstract #396, and this was the tract that William paid tax on in 1860. He continued to pay tax on this tract through 1872 [as far as I read the tax film]

1860 US Census; Fannin Co TX Beat #4, p.106, Household 695. Wm. Fry age 30, farmer b. in MO. "S." age 21 also born in MO and Emily C. age 1 born in Texas.

1861 Fannin Co Tax Rolls
Wm W. Fry, Abstract #396, original grantee - N. P. Lawson (this was the same as the property his mother paid taxes on), 200 acres - value $1000. 3 horses - $225, 30 head of cattle - $150, Total value $1375.
By 1865, he had 5 horses, 25 head of cattle, 20 head of sheep

There are no family stories of his having served in the Confederacy although some of his brothers did. On the USGenWeb Fannin Co TX website is the following notation:
Wm. W. Fry - Merricks Militia
If he served with Merrick that would seem to be this unit.

The Civil War Soldier Records & Profiles, 1861-1865, Ancestry.com, has William Wallace Fry, born 1830, Marion Co, MO, age 32 - enlisted 22 Apr 1862 in Fannin Co, TX as a private. He served in the Artillery, the 11th LA. Died 1901 and buried Ladonia Cemetery.
From book, Bourland in North Texas and Indian Territory During the Civil War, p. A-146
Merrick's Militia, Fannin County
Ladonia, Beat 4, Jul 1861
a true listing of the Company enrolled and organized at Ladonia, Fannin County, Texas, Beat No. 4, on this day the 6th day of July A.D. 1861.
(listed by Name, Rank, age - selected entries)
Merrick, Geo W., Captain, 30
Fry, Geo. W., Pvt. 25
Fry, Henry H., Pvt. 18
Fry, Wm, Pvt. 31
Hulsey,, J. H., Pvt. 38
McFarland, L. E., Pvt. 28
I hereby certify that the foregoing roll is correct and that said company was organized on this 6th day of July A.D. 1861. George W. Merrick.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this day and date above written.
C. Vick, J.P. [Beat 4, Fannin County}

1870 US Census; Fannin Co TX. Precinct 3, Ladonia P. O. p.21, Household 140. William Fry, age 40, Saphronia age 39, Emley age 11, Bruce age 7, and Samuel age 4. Columbus McCowen age 21, farm laborer born in AR lives with them.
1870 Agricultural Schedule, Prec 3, Ladonia P.O., Fannin Co, TX
William Fry: 60 acres improved land; 140 acres unimproved, $2000 in value. $50 in farm implements. 6 horses. 1 mule. 7 milk cows. 20 other cattle. 15 swine. $500 in livestock. 600 bu Indian corn. 50 bu oats. [2nd page not filmed]

1880 Census. Precinct #4, Fannin Co TX, Hh 150
W. W. Fry, age 50, farmer, b. MO, parents b. KY
S. Fry [female] age 42, Wife, b. MO, father b. NC, mother b. TN
Bruce, 16, son, b. TX
Sam, 14 [daughter has been marked through]
Baby, [male] age 4 months, born May [probably the infant Lafayette, buried Ladonia cemetery]

1890 Texas Directory for Fannin Co lists W. W. Fry, 230 acres under cultivation, in the Planter & Farmer's Section.

1900 Census. William, Violetta & the 3 children are listed. When he gave the number of years he had been married he first said 44, but this had been crossed out and replaced by 11 years. Precinct 4, Fannin, TX, ED 71, Hh 139
William W., b. Jun 1830, age 69, married 11 years, b. MO, parents b. KY
Violetta, wife, b. Jul 1862, age 37, 3 children, b. TX, parents b. MS
Alfonzo, son, b. Oct 1891, age 8, b. TX
Violer, dau, b. Jul 1894, age 5.
Carry D., dau, b. Jul 1896, age 3.

William and Louisa Higginbotham were Married by W. C. Crawford, Minister of Gospel, M.E.C.S.

Buried with first wife in the Abernathy area of the Ladonia City Cemetery.
Pippin Records have death date as 6 Apr 1885 - this can't be right because Carrie was about 5-6 when her father died; she was born 1896 and William Wallace had married Louisa Higginbotham in 1888. In fact the date of 6 Apr 1885 was the death of Sophronia, not William Wallace. The date on the joint grave marker is 17 Dec 1901. Under the dates for William is "Farewell dear father, sweet thy rest." The same is under the dates for Sophronia, except is says "Farewell, dear mother, .....

Anna Bird Casey lists two additional children, Oscar, and Ophelia who married a Mr. Maloney, but had no other information. "Ophelia" would be Emily as she's the one who married Maloney. I doubt there was an "Oscar" - however, I did find an Oscar A. Fry, buried Ladonia Cemetery, born 1869, died 1904 - he would certainly fit in the family, except he never appears with them in a census. He possibly could have been too young to be counted in 1870, but should have been present as about age 11 in 1880 and he isn't there. William's brother Henry had a son named Oscar, listed as A. O. with Henry's family in 1880 - he was age 11. No doubt, Ms. Casey misplaced Oscar and he was Henry's son.

WILLIAM WALLACE FRY and Sophronia ABERNATHY were married on 2 June 1859 in Fannin County, Texas.^123,159 Sophronia ABERNATHY, daughter of Alphonso ABERNATHY and Emily ABERNATHY, was born on 20 February 1838 in Perry County, Missouri.^136,157,160 She died on 6 April 1885 at the age of 47 in Ladonia, Fannin County, Texas.¹⁵⁸

The 1880 Census states that Sophronia's father was born in NC; her mother in TN.

Sophonia is buried in the Abernathy family plot, Ladonia City Cemetery.

WILLIAM WALLACE FRY and Sophronia ABERNATHY had the following children:

WILLIAM WALLACE FRY and LOUISA VIOLETTA HIGGINBOTHAM were married on 4 October 1888 in Fannin County, Texas.^157,161 LOUISA VIOLETTA HIGGINBOTHAM^{156,162,163,164,165,166}, daughter of THOMAS HIGGINBOTHAM and LOUISA MCGOWAN, was born on 15 July 1863 in Winn Parish, Louisiana.^{157,163,165,166} She died on 30 June 1928 at the age of 64 in Ladonia, Fannin County, Texas.¹⁵⁷

Daughter Ola thought her name was Louisa Vilata; son Fonnie's descendants believed her name to be Viola. Earl Higginbotham revealed that her name was actually Louisa Violetta; she was called "Vi".

State of birth given as Texas in 1920 Census with parents both born in Alabama. She was living with Alfonzo & Bertha & Bertha's parents were both born in Alabama. Fonnie also gives his mother's place of birth as Texas although Ola gives it as Louisiana in the same census. Higginbotham research reveals her birthplace as Winn Parish, Louisiana.

There is a discrepancy in the year of her birth. 1910 Census - born 1865; 1920 Census - born 1866. Higginbotham researcher gives year of birth as 1863. Letter from daughter Ola which Lois Haden had gives year as 1868.

In 1880, Viletta Higginbotham lived with her brother William at Willow Springs in Henderson, TX; Thomas & Willis were also there. Their father was living with their sister Martha Montgomery in Collin Co - their mother apparently deceased. Hh 161
W. L. Higginbothan, age 35, b. LA, parents b. AL
Francis M., female, age 30
Thomas H., age 18, brother
Viletta, 16, sister
Willis G., 15, brother

In 1900, she is listed as "Violetta", but says she was born in Texas, parents born in MS.

1910 Census "Luiza V. Fry", head of household. Stated she owned home. Alphonso & Carrie still at home; Ola just married. Living with them is Fanny Higginbotom [sic], sister, age 67. The sisters listed as born in Louisiana, father born in Alabama, mother born in Georgia. They are nearly 25 years apart in age.

1920 Fannin Co Census: Viola Fry lived with Alfonzo and wife Bertha.

I have not discovered where she was buried - perhaps her grave is unmarked.

Found in Fannin County Cemeteries: Charles Higginbotham 1866-1906 Maggie Higginbotham 1872-1898. Relationship, if any, unknown.
Old Higginbotham cemetery has Thomas Higginbotham d. 1862 and Grace d. 1869. Thomas was the 6th son of Moses and Betsey (Garrison) Higginbotham of Tazewell Co. VA. Grace did not die on that date - that's approximately the time she left Texas with her children and moved to Newton Co MO per Earl Higginbotham. Seems to be just a coincidence that Higginbothams from other family lines also were in Fannin Co.

WILLIAM WALLACE FRY and LOUISA VIOLETTA HIGGINBOTHAM had the following children: