Wilfred Roy Cousins

Notes:

The Legislative Reference Library of Texas Shows he served in the Texas House from January 9, 1945 through January 14, 1947, and in the Texas Senate from January 14, 1947 through January 9, 1951. He was a Democrat, and represented Jefferson/Orange/Hardin and Liberty counties.

His obituary was published in the Beaumont Enterprise on 13 Jun 1987, under the title "Former senator Cousins dies," scan not available on the website, but should be obtained from the libray.

http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberdisplay.cfm?memberID=1251

On the Portal to Texas History, the following Senate Resolution honoring him can be found. It was published in the Journal of the Senate of the Seventieth Legislature of the State of Texas, Volume 4: First and Second Called Sessions, page 310

In Memory of Wilford (sic) Roy Cousins
Senator Parker offered the following resolution:
(Senate Resolution 125)
WHEREAS, With the death of Wilfred Roy Cousins on June 11, 1987, the State of Texas lost an outstanding public servant whose footsteps marked service and progress in every path he chose to follow; and
WHEREAS, A native Texas, he was born January 9, 1915, in Newton County, the son of William Roy Cousins and Essie Mae Fortenberry; and
WHEREAS, A graduate of Beaumont High School and South Park Junior College, Mr. Cousins attended the Unversity of Texas and the University of Texas School of Law, and
WHERAS, After gallantly serving his country in the United States Army during World War II, Mr. Cousins was elected to the Texas House of Representatives; and
WHERAS, Elected to the Texas Senate in 1946, he loyally and faithfully address the needs of his constituency and was instrumental in passig the Lamar College Bill and creating the Port Commission; and
WHEREAS, Despite the demands of a busy law practice, he remained active in political affairs after his retirement form the Senate; and
WHEREAS, A respected cattleman, he was also active in the lumber business; and
WHEREAS, He contributed his time and talents to the Paul Revere Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, Westwood Bible Church, Texas Bar Association, Southwest Cattle Raisers Association, and the Farm Bureau; and
WHEREAS, The varied and notable achievements of this distinguished gentleman in the realm of business, religious affairs, and civic betterment have contributed immensely to the dynamic growth and progress of his beloved state; and
WHEREAS, The State of Texas has benefitted enourmously from the wisdom and expertise of this illustrious public servant who conscientiously discharged his duties in a most exemplary manner; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, Seventeeth Legislature, Second Called Session, hereby extend sincere condolences to the members of his family, his wife, Evelyn Lee Conaway Cousins; his sons, William Reeder "Trey" Cousins and Robert Edgar Cousins, and his grandsons, William Randall Cousins IV and Travis Alexander Cousins; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be prepapared for members of his family as an expression of deepest symphathy from the Texas Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Wilfred Roy Cousins.

The resolution was read.

On motion of Senator Brooks and by unanimous consent, the names of the Lieutenant Governor and Senators were added to the resolution as signers thereof.

On motion of Senator Parker, the resolution was adopted by a rising vote of the Senate.

http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth204533/m1/356/

Wilfred married Alice Lee McCelvey before 1946. Alice was born on 20 Jul 1920 in Bell County, Texas; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living

Wilfred married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living

Notes:

At the time he registered for the draft during the First World War, on 12 September 1918, he listed his occupation as County Judge and farmer, working for himself. He showed that he was born in Hemphill on 28 Jan 1881, and that his nearest relative was his wife, Essie. He was shown as Medium Heighth and Build, with gray eyes, and his hair was "light and bald."

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K38D-59R
Name: William Roy Cousins
Event: Death
Event Date: 30 Aug 1975
Event Place: Beaumont, Jefferson, Texas, United States
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Widowed
Occupation: Self-employed Attorney-Rancher
Birth Date: 28 Jan 1881
Birthplace: Newton, Texas
Father's Name: William Daniel Cousins
Mother's Name: Marian Frances Woods
Veteran: No
Informant: William R Cousins Jr (son)
Certificate Number: 61251
Film Number: 2243828
Digital Folder Number: 005145727
Image Number: 00159
Collection: Texas, Deaths (New Index, New Images), 1890-1976

(Research):

Census Listings:

1910 Census
Texas, Hardin, JP 5
Enumerated 10 May 1910
SD 2 ED 29 Sheet 27B
473-473
Cousins, William Head M W 24 m1 2 Tx Tx Tx Teacher Public Schools
Cousins, Essie May Wf F W 20 m1 2 1/0 Tx Miss Tx Teacher Public Schools

1920 Census
Texas, Jefferson County, JP No. 1, Beaumont City, Ward 2
SD 326 ED 89 Sheet 20B
Enumerated 19 through 21 Jan 1920
Prachett Street
Hagerman, Agnes Head F W 50 Wd 1889 Sweden Swedish Sweden Swedish Sweden Swedish Proprietor Hotel
Cousins, W. R Lodger M W 38 m Tx Tx Tx None
Cousins, Essie Mae Lodger F W 30 M Tx Tx Tx None
Cousins, Wilhe R R Lodger M W 5 S Tx Tx Tx
Cousins, Weldon Lodger M W 2 S Tx Tx Tx
plus 23 other boarders and lodgers

William married Essie Mae Fortenberry about 1908 in Texas. Essie was born on 14 May 1889 in Tyler County, Texas; died on 29 Dec 1934 in Jefferson County, Texas; was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park and Funeral Home, Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JNCP-QV6
Name: Essie May Cousins
Death Date: 29 Dec 1934
Death Place: Precinct No. 1, Jefferson County, Texas
Gender: Female
Race: White
Death Age: 45 years 7 months 15 days
Estimated Birth Date:
Birth Date: 14 May 1889
Birthplace: Tyler Co., Texas
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: W. R. Cousins
Father's Name: R. L. Fortenberry
Father's Birthplace: Mississippi
Mother's Name: Laura Halmark
Mother's Birthplace: Tyler Co., Texas
Informant: W R Cousins Beaumont, TX
Occupation: Housewife
Place of Residence:
Cemetery:
Burial Place: Forest Lawn
Burial Date: 30 Dec 1934
Additional Relatives:
Film Number: 2116250
Digital Film Number: 4166541
Image Number: 991
Reference Number: cn 55259
Collection: Texas, Deaths, 1890-1976

(Research):

Census Listings:

1900 Census
Texas, Jasper County, Pr. 4
Enumerated ____ June 1900
SD 8 ED 30 Sheet 3B
45-45
Fortenbury, Erhard L Head W M July 55 44 M 23 Tx Tx Tx Contractor
Fortenbury, Laura Wf W F Jan 59 41 M 23 5/5 Tx Tx Tx
Fortenbury, Claude Child W M Mar 78 22 S Tx Tx Tx
Fortenbury, Pearl Child W F Oct 80 19 S Tx Tx Tx
Fortenbury, Lafayette Child W M Aug 83 16 S Tx Tx Tx
Fortenbury, Matilda Child W F Jul 86 13 S Tx Tx Tx
Fortenbury, Essie M Child W F May 89 11 S Tx Tx Tx
Hallmark, Adeline M-in-law W F Mch 22 78 Wd Tx Tx Tx

Notes:

Shown as William Daniel Cousins by his granddaughter, Joye Cousins Turner. The transcription of the Little Flock Cemetery shows him instead as William Dalton Cousins. The book, "Glimpses of Newton County History." also refers to him as William Daniel.

Virgie Speights writes that he was one of the teachers at the one-room log school in Rosevine. (Speights, p. 77).



(Research):

Census Listings:

1880 Census
Texas, Newton County, Pr. 2
Enumerated Jun 1880
Page 24B SD 1 ED 56
218-218
Cousins, William W M 26 Farmer
Cousins, Mary W F 23 Wife Keeping House
Cousins, Robert W M 5 S
Cousins, Sarah W F 3 Dtr
Cousins, Marion W M 1 Son

1900 Census
Texas, Coryell County, JP 2
Enumerated 2 and 4 Jun 1900
SD 263 SE 41 Sheets 2A and 2B Stamped 59
25-26
Cousins, W. D. Head W M Nov 1855 44 m 26 Tx Va Miss Day Laborer
Cousins, Mary F. Wife W F Jun 1866 (sic) 33 (sic) M 26 11/10 Tx Tx Miss
Cousins, Roy Son W M Jan 1881 19 S Tx Tx Tx Day Laborer
Cousins, Clara Dtr W F Jan 1883 17 S Tx Tx Tx
Cousins, Nora Dtr W F Mar 1885 15 S Tx Tx Tx
Cousins, Ida Dtr W F May 1887 13 S Tx Tx Tx
Cousins, Livie Dtr W F Mar 1890 11 S Tx Tx Tx
Cousins, Carrie Dtr W F Aug 1893 6 S Tx Tx Tx
Cousins, Artie Dtr W F July 1894 5 S Tx Tx Tx
Cousins, Troy Son W M Dec 1898 2 S Tx Tx Tx

1920 Census
Texas, Sabine County, JP 6
Enumerated 2 Jan 1920
SD 326 SD 173 Sheet 1A
6-6
Cousins, William D Head M W 65 M Tx Tn Miss Farmer
Cousins, Mary F Wf F W62 M Tx Miss Miss
Cousins, William D Son M W 17 S Tx Tx Tx Farm Laborer Home Farm

William married Mary Frances Woods on 5 Feb 1874 in Newton County, Texas. Mary (daughter of Francis Marion Woods and Eliza Louisa C. M. Irwin) was born on 4 Jun 1857 in Newton County, Texas; died on 6 Dec 1925 in Bronson, Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Little Flock Baptist Church Cemetery, San Augustine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Said to have come to Texas in 1836, and to have been a son of John Clark Cousins and Elizabeth Allen of Amelia County, Virginia. Also said to be a brother of Marthe Epps Cousins, the wife of Asa Mann, residents of Haywood County, Tennessee.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Census
Texas, Newton County
Enumerated 26 Oct 1850
87-87
Robert Cousins 38 M Farmer 800 VA
Sarah Jane Cousins 20 F Ala
Mary Elizabeth Cousins 1 F Tx

The Slave Schedules indicated he had four slaves in total, 34 year old Male, 20 year old female, 18 year old male, and 2 year old male

Robert married Sarah Jane Jordan on 12 Nov 1848 in Newton County, Texas. Sarah was born on 17 Jan 1831 in Neshoba County, Mississippi; died on 11 Mar 1907 in San Augustine County, Texas; was buried in Little Flock Baptist Church Cemetery, San Augustine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Barbara Yancey Dore shows her as a daughter of Henry JORDAN and Mary Ann ROBERTS.

Her gravestone is inscribed Sarah J. Miller Born Jan 17, 1831 Died Mar 11 1907 Aged 76 Years 1 Mo 24 Days.

In "Glimpes of Newton County History" it was written that Sarah had been married twice before when she married as his second wife, Robert Marcus, who was a Baptist minister. Robert also farmed near Burkeville. "Seven children, six step-children and a husband who had to be away on weekends gave Sarah Miller plenty to do. She was a hardy pioneer woman who lived to be in her seventies."




(Research): She had also been married to Tom Byerly, and had one child by him, Claborn "Clay' Harrison Byerly.

Notes:

Married:
Source: County Court Records FHL Microfilm #1005596

Notes:

He was a Baptist minister and organized the Little Flock Baptist Church in San Augustine. (White and Toole, p 32).

Said to be living with his father in San Augustine at the time of the 1850 census.

Francis married Eliza Louisa C. M. Irwin on 28 Aug 1856 in Jasper County, Texas. Eliza was born about 1836 in Texas; died about 1914 in San Augustine County, Texas; was buried in Little Flock Baptist Church Cemetery, San Augustine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]