William Clifford Conner

William married Florence Beatrice "Bea" Johnson before 1947. Florence was born on 3 Aug 1923 in Sabine Parish, Louisiana; died on 14 Jul 1994 in Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas; was buried on 16 Jul 1994 in Bronson Cemetery, Bronson, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Willard Mitchell "Mike" Conner was born on 10 Sep 1948 in Sabine County, Texas; died on 21 Jun 2003; was buried in Bronson Cemetery, Bronson, Sabine County, Texas.
3. Cynthia "Cindy" Beatrice Conner was born on 20 Jun 1952 in Sabine County, Texas; died on 14 Jul 1994; was buried in Bronson Cemetery, Bronson, Sabine County, Texas.
4. Living
5. Robert Euell Conner was born on 22 Feb 1959 in Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas; died on 11 Nov 2015 in Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas; was buried on 14 Nov 2015 in Bronson Cemetery, Bronson, Sabine County, Texas.

Notes:

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JDT5-JMN
name: Warner Conner
death date: 16 Aug 1948
death place: Bronson, Sabine, Texas
gender: Male
race: White
death age: 69 years 10 months 19 days
estimated birth date:
birth date: 29 Sep 1878
birthplace: Sabine Co., Texas
marital status: Married
spouse's name:
father's name: Fed Conner
father's birthplace: Sabine Co., Texas
mother's name: Nancy Travis
mother's birthplace: Sabine Co., Texas
occupation: Labor Saw Mill
place of residence: Bronson, Sabine, Texas
cemetery: S... Hill Cemetery
burial place: Texas
burial date: 17 Aug 1948
additional relatives:
film number: 2218964
digital film number: 4031447
image number: 3374
reference number: cn36465
Collection: "Texas, Deaths, 1890-1976," Warner Conner, 1948

(Research):

Census Listings:

1910 Census
Texas, Sabine County, JP 1
Enumerated 27 Apr 1910
SD 2 ED 131 Sheet 8B
137-139
Conner, Warner Head M W 31 M2 Tx Tx Tx Farmer
Conner, Florence E Wf F W 19 m1 Tx Tn Tx
Conner, Drew Son M W 6 S Tx Tx Tx
Conner, Bertis E Son M W 4 S Tx Tx Tx
Whittlesey, Edward hiredhand 18 S Tx Tx Tx Laborer General Farm

1920 Census
Texas, Sabine County, JP One
Enumerated 15 Jan 1920
SD 326 ED 168 Sheet 16B
329-347
Conner, Warner Head M W 42 m Tx La Tx Hauling General Hauling
Conner, Elizabeth F Wf F W 29 M Tx Tn Tx
Conner, Drew P Son M W 17 S Tx Tx Tx Hauling General Hauling
Conner, Bertis E Son M W 14 S Tx Tx Tx
Conner, Lessie M Dtr F W 8 S Tx Tx Tx
Conner, William C Son M W 7 S Tx Tx Tx
Conner, Pearlie M Dtr F W 5 S Tx Tx Tx
Conner, William B Son M W 2 11/12 S Tx Tx Tx

1930 Census
Texas, Jasper County, Jasper
Enumerated 18 April 1930
ED 121-3 SD 19 Sheet 8A Stamped 148
Main Street
158-175
Conner, Warner Head M W 54 M 33 Tx Tx Tx Laborer SawMill
Conner, Florence Wf F W 29 M 19 Tx Tx Tx
Conner, Lessie Mae Dtr F W 19 S Tx Tx Tx
Conner, Clifford Son M W 17 S Tx Tx Tx
Conner, PearleyMae Dtr F W 15S Tx Tx Tx
Conner, Riley Son M W 13 S Tx Tx Tx
Conner, Vivian Dtr F W 10 S Tx Tx Tx
Conner, C. W. Son M W 7 S Tx Tx Tx
Conner, Robert Earl M W 4 S Tx Tx Tx
Conner, Hollis Son m W 1 S Tx Tx Tx

Warner married Florence Elizabeth Oliver on 15 Aug 1909 in Sabine County, Texas. Florence was born on 13 Jun 1890 in Texas; died on 21 Jan 1970; was buried in Bronson Cemetery, Bronson, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Fed, along with his father Willis, and brothers William, John and Charles were indicted for the murders of Eli Low and Kit Smith after a short trial and based on a longstanding feud over free-ranging. Charles and Fed's trial was held first and they were found guilty. Charles was sent to prison for twenty-five years. Fed was given life in prison, but successfully appealed his case and was retried. He was again found guilty. He would never serve, however, as the jail was broken into and Willis, Fed, William and John escaped into the countryside- where they began a running war with the law enforcement of the day.
The Texas Rangers were called in to assist in arresting the Conners, but were ambushed and one Ranger, J.H. (Jim) Moore was killed. William Conner was also killed and many others were wounded. Willis, Fed and John escaped the battle. The Rangers, having suffered a grievous defeat, left Sabine County and did not return.
The people of the county, wanting to end the violence, began to pressure local officers to arrest the Conners. Eventually, a private investigator was hired and disguised as a cattle buyer went through the county looking for clues to the Conner's whereabouts. He learned that Willis and Fed's families left food and supplies for them on a trail somewhere deep in the woods. An ambush was set up and Fed Conner was killed. Willis escaped, but was killed a few weeks later, when his young grandson, a boy of twelve, was coming to give him food. The boy had been tracked and followed by a posse and in the ensuing gunfight, Willis and the boy were killed.
This sad situation finally ended the Low-Conner Feud which had divided the county for so long. For years, no one wanted to discuss what had occurred as it was simply too divisive and the families too intermingled to be considered a worthy subject of conversation. Courtesy of Ed Wetterman (edwetterman@hotmail.com), as posted on his website http://clikto/sabinefeud

(Research):

Census Listings:

1870 census
not located

1880 census
not located

Frederick married Nancy Pauline Travis after 1870. Nancy (daughter of James Cannon Travis and Sophronia Pauline White) was born on 2 Sep 1852 in Texas; died on 26 Sep 1927; was buried in Spring Hill Cemetery, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

At the time of the 1910 Federal census, she was living with her son and daughter in law, William F. and Emma Conner, in Sabine County; and in 1920 she was living with son Willis and his wife Nora.

(Research):
Census Listings:

1900 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Precinct No 1
Enumerated 19 Jun 1900
SD 8 ED 68 Sheet 8A
125-129
Conner, Nancy W F Sept 1852 47 Wd 8/5 Tx La Miss Farmer
Conner, Robt W F Feb 1880 20 M 0 Tx Fla La Farm Laborer
Conner, Ada Dtr-in-Law W F Dec 1880 20 M 0/0 Tx Tx Tx

Notes:

There was a Willis Conner in the "1840 Decatur County Georgia Census Index " (Frances T. Ingmire, Mountain Press). Decatur is very near the Florida border. Could this be him?

Came to Texas in 1857 from Tattonall County, Geogia.

Was shown on the muster roll of Captain J.M. Burroughs Company of the Sabine County Volunteer Infantry, CSA, and was enlisted at Hemphill, Texas by Drury Field for 3 months duty on January 15, 1863. His headstone is marked Texas Infantry, CSA.


On his "12 to Midnight" blog, Ed Wetterman (edwetterman@hotmail.com) writes:

In the 1880's several of Sabine County's families became embroiled in an unfortunate shooting feud that disrupted the whole community. Fathers, sons, daughters and cousins became engulfed in the fighting that would ravage the county from 1883 to 1887.

It began with the murders of Eli Low and Kit Smith in Holly Bottom off Housin Bayou in the southern part of Sabine County. The bodies were found about ten feet apart and the men had been shot in the back. The funerals were quickly held and many thought it suspicious that the Conner family had not attended.

It was known that the Conner and Low families had argued in the past about free-ranging and the building of schools and roads. Apparently many angry words had been exchanged, but the situation had never erupted into violence.

After a short investigation, Willis Conner, along with his sons, Fed, William, John and Charles were indicted for the murders and held without bond. Charles and Fed's trial was held first and they were found guilty. Charles was sent to prison for twenty-five years. Fed was given life in prison, but successfully appealed his case and was retried. He was again found guilty. He would never serve, however, as the jail was broken into and Willis, Fed, William and John escaped into the countryside- where they began a running war with the law enforcement of the day.

The Texas Rangers were called in to assist in arresting the Conners, but were ambushed and one Ranger, J.H. (Jim) Moore was killed. William Conner was also killed and many others were wounded. Willis, Fed and John escaped the battle. The Rangers, having suffered a grievous defeat, left Sabine County and did not return. John Conner then abandoned Willis and Fed and according to Ruth Sibley Davis in her book "Neighbor against Neighbor," moved to start a new life in Louisiana.

The people of the county, wanting to end the violence, began to pressure local officers to arrest the Conners. Eventually, a private investigator was hired and disguised as a cattle buyer went through the county looking for clues to the Conner's whereabouts. He learned that Willis and Fed's families left food and supplies for them on a trail somewhere deep in the woods. An ambush was set up and Fed Conner was killed. Willis escaped, but was killed a few weeks later, when his young grandson, a boy of twelve, was coming to give him food. The boy had been tracked and followed by a posse and in the ensuing gunfight, Willis and the boy were killed.

This sad situation finally ended the Low-Conner Feud which had divided the county for so long. For years, no one wanted to discuss what had occurred as it was simply too divisive and the families too intermingled to be considered a worthy subject of conversation.



(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Census
Georgia, Tatnall County, No. 79 Subdivision
Enumerated 9 Dec 1850
(image on ancestry.com is very faint)
???-332
William and Nancy Conner
333-335
Willis Conner 28 Farmer birthplace: ditto (Tatnall?)
Percy Conner 25 birthplace: ditto (Tatnall?)
Fedrick Conner 3 birthplace: ditto (Tatnall?)
Charles Conner 1 birthplace: ditto (Tatnall?)

1860 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Patroon Beat No. 5, PO Milam
Enumerated 7 July 1860
Page 31
231-232
Willis Conner 37 M Farmer $--- $1700 Ga
Piercey Conner 35 F Ga
Frederick M Conner 12 M Ga
Charles W Conner 10 M Ga
Leonard J Sonner 8 M Ga
Alfred H Conner 6 M Ga
William Conner 4 M Ga
Catherine P Conner 2 F Ga

1870 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Beat No 2, PO Sabine Town
Enumerated 2 August 1870
Page 24
503-504
Conner, Willis 47 M W Farmer $500 $500 Ga
Conner, Therisa (sic) 45 F W Keeping House Ga
Conner, Federick M 23 M Ga
and on a separate page (appears to have been inadvertantly seperated?)
Texas, Sabine County, Beat No. 3, PO Brookeland
Enumerated 4 Aug 1870
Stamped 19
502-502
Charles W 21 M W Ga
Leander J 17 M W Ga
Alfred H 16 M S Fl
William E 14 M W Fla
Percy D 13 F W Fla
John M 9 M W Tx
Nancy B 7 F W Tx

1880 Census
Texas, Sabine County, JP 2
Enumerated 2 July 1880
Page 19 SD 1 ED 84
168-179
Jackson and Susan Low family
169-180
Connor, Willis W M 58 Farmer Ga SC Ga
Connor, Pierce W F 55 Wf Ga Ga SC
Connor, Wm W M 25 Son Fla Ga Ga
Connor, John W M 19 Son Tx Ga Ga
Connor, Nancy W F 15 Dtr Tx Ga Ga
170-181
Connor, Alfred W M 27 Farmer Fla Ga Ga
Connor, Sarah W F 24 Wife La Miss La
Connor, Alfred W M 7 Son Tx Fla La
Connor, Stephen W M 5 Son Tx Fla La
Connor, Fanny W F 3 Dtr Tx Fla La
Connor, Riley W M 1 Son Tx Fla La

Willis married Piercy Douglas on 1 Aug 1844 in Tattnall County, Georgia. Piercy was born on 4 Apr 1824 in Tattnall County, Georgia; died on 22 Oct 1898 in Many, Sabine Parish, Louisiana; was buried in Conner Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Query from Tem Moody

Piercy Douglass, born 24 Apr 1824 in GA. Married (1) Willis Jackson Conner 1 Aug 1844 (2) M. J. Coleman. Willis J. Conner died 1887 in Sabine Co. TX and is buried in Conner Cemetery, Sabine Co. TX. Piercy died 22 Oct 1898 in Sabine County TX and may be buried in the Conner Cemetery or in the Douglas Cemetery in Union County FL. Attempting to verify date of death and burial place of Piercy nee Douglass.

Reply from Linda King Davenport

The Index to the Cemeteries of Sabine County Texas 1836 - 1964 copyrighted by J. B. Sanders 1964 states the burial place as Conner Cemetery with 5 unmarked graves. To quote: "Conner, Percy 15 Mar 1824 - 22 Oct 1898" I don't know if "Percy" was misspelled in Mr. Sanders' book or on the tombstone. This is not my line and I have not researched this at all. Happy hunting!

Ron McClendon noted that he is not sure of the second marriage.

She was the daughter of Frederick Douglas.

FindAGrave shows that "Piercey was the daughter of Frederick Douglas and wife, Bethamy Hannah Anderson Douglas. She was born with twin sister, Tiercey Douglas. Married Willis William Jackson Conner on 1 Aug 1844 in Tattnall County, Georgia."

Notes:

He was known by his middle name, Cannon. He may have been married previously to an Elizabeth, also from Mississippi.

According to the MINUTES 1858-1890 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH HEMPHILL, TEXAS, (James) Cannon and Sophronia (White) Travis were among the 11 founding members of the church. Sophronia was admitted by voucher on September 7, 1857 from W. C. Southwell, Missionary East Texas, as was her husband, Cannon Travis. Fellowship was withdrawn from Cannon Travis on November 10, 1860, and restored September 24, 1864. In June 1884, "charges having been preferred against Bro. Cannon Travis for unchristian conduct & said charges as alleged being Sustained, it was ordered that the Church withdraw fellowship from him & it is further ordered that his name be erased from the Church Book."

Note: Children's names and birthdates are based on a transcription of the 1870 census. The actual 1870 and 1880 census microfilm's should be carefully checked. The 1880 extract seems to have several glaring discrencies in names and dates. Blanche Toole speculates that perhaps the census taker knew Cannon and his family, and completed the information from (faulty) memory instead of by actually interviewing the family. Also, Charlie White lists a child named Jann White, born ca 1868 per the 1870 census who is not listed on either transcription of the census. Perhaps this is Martha Jane White.

Military Service Co. D 1 Tex HV Arty CSA (Courtesy of Tony Pickett)

Was shown on the muster roll of Captain J.M. Burroughs Company of the Sabine County Volunteer Infantry, CSA, and was enlisted at Hemphill, Texas by Drury Field for 3 months duty on January 15, 1863.

Jules Hurst writes that "I understand that Cannon died in Texas of cancer of the eye."

James married Sophronia Pauline White on 5 Dec 1850 in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. Sophronia (daughter of Edward White and Elizabeth Strickland) was born in Nov 1833 in Amite County, Mississippi; died on 15 Jun 1915 in Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Hemphill City Cemetery, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Sophronia was born during an auspicious month. On November 13, 1833, between midnight and dawn, thousands of meteors showered the sky over North America. To the native peoples of the land, it appeared that the stars were falling out of the heavens. Some thought it was the judgment day. Others called it "The Night the Stars Fell".

A young girl who was a slave at the time of the event said "Somebody in the quarters started yellin' in the middle of the night to come out and to look up at the sky. We went outside and there they was a fallin' everywhere! Big stars coming down real close to the groun' and just before they hit the ground they would burn up! We was all scared. Some O'the folks was screamin' and some was prayin' we all made so much noise, the white folk came out to see what was happenin'. They looked up and then they got scared too."

The celestial phenomenon called "the most impressive and awesome display ever recorded" was, in fact, the Leonids meteor shower seen in one of its most impressive years. Viewers witnessed 50,000 to 150,000 meteors per hour, only equaled by the November 17, 1966 display, when the Leonid shower brought 150,000 meteors per hour. Debris from the comet Temple-Tuttle that orbits the sun every 33 years causes the shower.

She was born and raised in Amite County, Mississippi, and can be found on the 1850 census with her parents. Sometime after that, the family moved to Sabine County, Texas.

After her husband's death, she lived with her oldest son, William Hardy Travis. She can be found living with he and his wife, Grace Ener, at the time of the 1900 and 1910 Sabine County census.