James Keaton Atkinson

Notes:

The son of James Albert ATKINSON and Annie Elizabeth CHILDRESS.

OBITUARY: Newapaper; Feb 1977

OBITUARY: Graham, TX -- Services for William Alvin "Shorty" Atkinson, 75, of Jean, TX, who died Thursday in a Wichita Falls hospital, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Morrison Funeral Home. Burial will be in Woodson, Tex. Cemetery. Atkinson was born Sept. 26, 1901, in Hasse, TX. He was a long-time resident of Young County who married Odessa Wright in 1925 in Throckmorton, TX. He was a member of Jean Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife; six sons, James of Merkel, TX., Kenneth of Carlsbad, N. M., Ray of Snyder, Frank of Jal, N. M., L. B. of Breckenridge, TX., and Wilburn of Olney, TX., a daughter, Mrs. Donna Rials of Ft. Worth; a sister, Mrs. Nathan Whitaker of Throckmorton, and several grandchildren.

(Courtesy of Mitchell Atkinson)

William married Odessa Lafanta Wright on 15 Apr 1925 in Throckmorton, Throckmorton County, Texas. Odessa (daughter of Keaton James Wright and Dilla Dillo Shaw) was born on 22 Jul 1905 in Texas; died on 19 Oct 1994 in Breckenridge, Stephens County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

OBITUARY: Odessa Atkinson, age 89, died Wednesday at Stephens Memorial Hospital. Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Melton Funeral Home Chapel of Memories with Rev. Cecil Harper & J. D. Wright officiating. Burial will be in the Woodson Cemetery directed by Melton Funeral Home. She was born 22 Jul 1905, in Haskell, TX. She married W. A. Atkinson 16 Apr 1925 in Throckmorton, TX. He preceded her in death 10 Feb 1977. She was a homemaker, and had worked as a dietitian at the Olney hospital, and had worked at the Senior Citizens in Breckenridge. She was a member of the First Baptist Church. She is survived by one daughter, Donna Ruth Rials of Breckenridge and six sons: James Keaton and L. B. Atkinson both of Breckenridge. Kenneth and Ray Jean Atkinson both of Snyder, Frank Atkinson of Paradise and Wilburn Atkinson of Iowa Park. Seven sisters: Winnie Mae Starnes, Maggie Lee Allen, Rachel Lange and Opal Gremlinall of Stephenville, Adelen Pugh of Breckenridge, Ruby Nell Walker of Woodson and Betty Jo Hearne of Rochester. Two Brothers: Buford Wright of Seymour and Wayland Wright of Stephenville. 26 grandchildren, 60 great grandchildren and three great, great grandchildren also survive. She was preceded in death by two brothers and one sister. Memorials may be made to the West Texas Rehab Center or to the donors favorite charity and may be left at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Mrs. Atkinson's one daughter and six sons.

!NEWSPAPER: "Breckenridge American"; Breckenridge, TX; Jun 1996; Wright Reunion (mentions children of Keaton James Wright & Dilla Dillo Shaw)

(Courtesy of Mitchell Atkinson)

Notes:

Married:
ANNIVERSARY ANNOUNCEMENT: Atkinsons plan 50th Anniversary Mr. & Mrs. W. A. Atkinson of Jean, TX., will be honored on the occasion of their golden wedding anniversary at a reception given from 2 P.M. to 4 P.M. Sunday, April 20, at First National Bank Community Room in Graham. Miss Odessa Wright and W. A. (Shorty) Atkinson were united in marriage on April 16, 1925 at the home of Rev. N. Z. Abbott at Throckmorton. The Atkinsons lived most of their life at Woodson. In 1952 they moved near Jean and in 1968 moved to Jean. Hosting the affair will be their children, daughter-in-law and son-in-law and their 23 grandchildren. Children are Mr. & Mrs. James Keaton Atkinson of Merkel, Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Atkinson of Monahans, Mr. & Mrs. Gene Atkinson of Snyder, Frank Allen Atkinson of New Mexico and Mrs. L. B. Atkinson of Eastland; also Mr. & Mrs. Wilburn Lee Atkinson of Snyder and Mr. & Mrs. Bobby Rials of Wichita Falls. ...

(Courtesy of Mitchell Atkinson)

Notes:

He married Dilla SHAW. They were the parents of 14 children. They raised four sons, Wisey Ernest, Buford Earl, Cicero Hazel, and Wayland. Another son, Audry Eugene died at the age of one year. Nine daughters survived and married: Odessa Fanita ATKINSON, Ruth Susie ALLISON, Winnie Mae STARNES, Adeline Magie PUGH, Maggie Lee ALLEN, Opal Joe BELCHER GRIMLAND, Rachel LANGE, Ruby Nell WALKER, and Bobbie Joe HERN.

In 1996, the family celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first K.J. WRIGHT family reunion, from July 5 through July 7 in Breckenridge at the Pugh Ranch. At that time, there were 326 direct descendants of Keaton and Dilla. The first family reunion was held at the Wright home in Rochester, Haskell County, when their son, Cicero was coming home from the service in 1946.

(Excerpted from a scan of a newspaper article from the Thursday, June 27, 1996 THROCKMORTON TRIBUNE titled "Keaton & Dillo Wright -1946," courtesy of Melba Gene McLemore)

Note, the DOD in the above article and on the Texas Death Index vary by four days. I used the DOD on the Texas Death Index.

(Research):Census Information:

1900 Census
Texas, Hamilton, JP 8
A Keaton Wright, age 17, was listed as a farm laborer and b
oarder in the home of James and McDaniel. He was shown as born in May 1883 in Texas, to parents born in Mississippi and Alabama. This is possibly a different Keaton Wright, perhaps a cousin?

1910 Census
Texas, Wilbarger County, JP 4
Enumerated 16 April 1910
SD 18 ED 240 Sheet 1B
8-8
Wright, Keton J Hd M W 28 m1 Tx Tx Tx Farmr
Wright, Dilla Wf F W 24 m1 5 3/3 Tx Ms Tx
Wright, Odesia Dtr F W 4 S Tx Tx Tx Tx
Wright, Y.Z. Son M W 2 S Tx Tx Tx
Wright, Audrey Son M W 11/12 S Tx Tx Tx
Wright, John H Brother M W 23 S Tx Tx Tx Farm Laborer

1920 Census
Texas, Throckmorton County, Woodson, J.P. 3
Enumerated January 1920
SD 13, ED 111, Sheet 3A, Stamped 23

Family 30
Wright, K.J. Hd 39 M Tx Tx Us Farmer General
Wright, Dilla Wf 34 M Tx Tx Us
Wright, Odesie Dtr 14 S US US US (note, Texas was orig. written and then crossed through)
Wright, Wiley Son 12 S US US US (note, Texas was orig. written and then crossed through)
Wright, Ruth Dtr 9 Tx
Wright, Buford Son 7 Tx
Wright, Winnie Dtr 5 Tx
Wright, Adaline Dtr 4 1/12 Tx
Wright, Winnie (sic) 2 8/12 Tx
Wright, ------ Dtr 1/12 Tx

1930 Census
Texas, Throckmorton County, Pr. 3
Enumerated April 8, 1930 by Mrs. Esther P. Tuggle
ED 224-4 SD 8-4 Sheet 2A Stamped 253
(bottom of page)
April 9 35-36
Wright, Keet J Hd M W 49 M23 Tx Ark SC
Wright, Dilla D Wf F W 47 M 21 Tx Miss Tx
Wright, Ruth R Dtr F W 20 S Tx Tx Tx
Wright, Buford E Son M W 19 S Tx Tx Tx
Wright, Winnie M Dtr F W 17 S Tx Tx Tx
Wright, Adaline Dtr F W 15 S Tx Tx Tx
Wright, Maggie L Dtr F W 13 S Tx Tx Tx
Wright, Opal Dtr F W 10 S Tx Tx Tx
Sheet 2B (top of page)
Wright, Cisno Son M W 9 S Tx Tx Tx
Wright, Rachael Dtr F W 6 S Tx Tx Tx
Wright, Ruby N Dtr F W 5 S Tx Tx Tx
Wright, Bobbie G Son (sic) M W 1 11/12 Tx Tx Tx

Keaton married Dilla Dillo Shaw on 23 Sep 1904 in Haskell County, Texas. Dilla was born on 12 Sep 1884 in Erath County, Texas; died on 23 Jun 1974 in Erath County, Texas; was buried in Haskell Cemetery, Haskell County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Her middle name might instead be Dorcas.

She died in an auto accident. The social security death index instead lists her year of birth as 1885, and date of death as Jan 1974. It appears that the news article relating to the Keaton and Dillo Wright family reunion, from which her birth and death date were taken, would be more accurate. Her last residence on the SSDI was Rochester, Haskell County, Texas.

Notes:

Melba Gene McLemore writes that she was informed by Betty Beadle that there is a monument with three sides at Honey Creek Cemetery near Hico, and this is where William Keaton Wright and both wives are buried.

(Research):Census Information:

1880 Federal Census
Wm. Wright Self M M W 29 Tn Farmer Al Tn
Margaret Wright W M F W 26 Tx Keeping House --- ---
Wm. Wright Son S M W 7 Tx At Home Tn Tx
Gailey Wright Son S M W 5 Tx Tn Tx
Norville Wright Son S M W 2 Tx Tn Tx
James Wright Brother S M W 26 Tx Farmer Al Tn
Hamilton, TX
FHL 1255308 NA Film T9-1308 Page 352A

William married Margaret F. McLemore on 29 Nov 1871 in Travis County, Texas. Margaret (daughter of Keton Jones McLemore and Rebecca Jane Harrelson) was born on 8 Jan 1852 in Texas; died on 25 Nov 1890 in Hico, Hamilton County, Texas; was buried in Honey Creek Cemetery, Hico, Hamilton County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Her younger half-brother, Pleasant, recounts that "she was Black Headed and very pretty (however, I never saw an ugly female McLemore)."