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Note: NOTE: The Will and Obituary of Thomas McCollister, father of James P. McCollister, makes note of the fact that the "where a bouts of James P. McCollister were unknown." James married and fathered three children that were mentioned in Thomas McCollister's Will (See full text of Will under notes for Thomas McCollister). The Will stated that he must return to Phenix City to claim his inheritance within a period of one year or it would be divided equally among his three children. Information from members of the McCollister family confirms the disappearance of James P. at some point during his life. He has been referred to as the "ghost" of the family. Little information has been found to confirm his death, death location or burial site. He simply vanished at some point and little information has been located regarding his life.
James P. McCollister's death date is unknown at this time. The obituary of his brother, John Robert McCollister, was printed in the Birmingham News, October 4, 1942. In that obituary, James P. McCollister, was listed as a surviving brother of John Robert McCollister. See full text of the obituary under notes for John Robert McCollister. Too, the wife of one of John Robert McCollister's sons, told me that James P. visited their home sometime after she married into the family. That would have been in the late 1930's or early 1940's. However, federal census 1900 thru 1940 consistently show Willie B. McCollister, known wife of James P. McCollister, as widowed. So, whether she was widowed, divorced or abandoned is not known at this time. Lanny Gamble, 2006.
COMMENTARY: The following information was collected and analyzed in an attempt to shed some light on the mystery surrounding the disappearance of James P. McCollister. Lanny Gamble, 2013.
PROOF SUPPORTING WILLIE B. DUNCAN MCCOLLISTER AS WIFE OF JAMES P. MCCOLLISTER: Census records from 1900, 1910, 1920,1930 & 1940 show a Willie B. McCollister (McCallister, McCalister) in Fulton Co. and Dekalb Co., GA. In each of those census records she is shown born AL, widowed and the mother of 3 female children: Thelma, Cornelia, and Willie. The children are all shown born AL. These names match the names found in Thomas McCollister's will papers as children of his son, James P. McCollister. I am now sure that Willie B. McCollister in the 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 & 1940 census records shown below is the divorced or widowed wife of James P. McCollister and the children shown, Thelma, Cornelia and Willie, are their children. This is the first definitive information we have found regarding the wife of James P. McCollister. Based on these census records, he married someone with the given name of Willie B. in the 1890's. Further, 1911 & 1915 Atlanta City Directories cited below clearly document that this Willie B. McCollister is the widow of James P. McCollister.
Who was this Willie B. McCollister? The 1900, 1910 & 1940 census records show Willie B. McCollister and her 3 known daughters, Thelma, Cornelia, and Willie. Also shown in each of these records is her brother, Henry S. Duncan. Therefore, it is now known that James P. McCollister's wife's maiden name was Willie B. Duncan. Willie B. Duncan McCollister and all 3 children were shown born in AL, presumably in or around Phenix City, AL. An 1880 census record from Russell Co., AL shows what I now believe is the family of Henry S. Duncan, Willie B. Duncan McCollister's brother, shown in the 1900, 1910 & 1940 census records noted above. NOTE: The 1930 census shows her name as Blanche W. McCalister. Perhaps the initial "B" stood for Blanche?
NOTE: Finally, a marriage record recently found in Lee County, Alabama fully proves that J. P. McCollister married a Willie B. Dunkin on 17 Mar 1895. This record shows the following information: "Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 (Selected Counties), Name: J. R. McCollister, Gender: Male, Spouse: Willie B. Duukin, Spouse Gender: Female, Marriage Date: 17 Mar 1895, Marriage Place: Lee, Surety/Perf. Name: R. A. Foster, OS Page: 238." Apparently the initial "R" in Mr. McCollister's given name was a transcription error.
PROOF SUPPORTING THE DUNCAN SURNAME: The 1880 census record provides the following information on a Duncan family living in Russell Co., AL.
CENSUS DATA: 1880 United States Federal Census, Russell Co., AL, Name: W. P. Dunkin, Age: 50, Birth Year: abt 1830, Birthplace: South Carolina, Home in 1880: Crawford, Russell, Alabama, Race: White, Relation to Head of House: Self (Head), Marital Status: Widower, Father's Name: Stephen Dunkin, Father's Birthplace: South Carolina, Mother's Birthplace: South Carolina, Occupation: Farmer, Household Members: W. P. Dunkin 50; William Dunkin 22, male; S. F. Dunkin 19, female; J. D. Dunkin 17, male; C. A. Dunkin 15, female; M. E. Dunkin 13, female; J. R. Dunkin 9, male; W. B. Dunkin 7, female; H. S. Dunkin 1, male; Stephen Dunkin 77, father; M. L. Miller 24, step son; J. H. Miller 22, step dau. NOTE: The assumption is W. B. Dunkin, age 7, female is Willie B. Duncan and H.S. Dunkin, age 1, male is Henry S. Duncan. The ages and birth locations match closely with known census ages and birth locations.
DOCUMENTARY CENSUS RECORDS: CENSUS DATA: The 1900 census shows Millie or Willie B., McCollins (McCollister), age 25, head, widowed, and born Aug.1874 in AL. She is living in Atlanta City, Fulton Co., GA. The following children were shown, Thelma, dau., age 4, born Jan. 1896 in AL; Cornelia, dau., 3, born Apr. 1897 in AL; Willie, dau., 1, born Nov., 1898 in AL. Also, Henry Duncan, brother, age 21, born Dec. 1878 in AL was living in the home. Also, Ben E. Kennedy, boarder, age 20, born May 1880 in AL was living in the home,
CENSUS DATA: 1910 United States Federal Census, shows Willie B Mc Callister, [Willie B Mccallister] , Age 35, Born abt 1875, Birthplace: Alabama, Home in 1910: Atlanta Ward 6, Fulton, Georgia, Gender: Female, Relation to Head of House: Head, Marital Status: Widowed, Father's Birthplace: South Carolina, Mother's Birthplace: Alabama, Household Members: Willie B Mc Callister, 35, born AL; Thelma Mc Callister, 14, dau.; Cornelia Mccallister, 13, dau.; Willie Mccallister, 1, dau.; Henry S Duncan, 30, brother.
CENSUS DATA: 1920 United States Federal Census, Name: Millie Mcallister [Willie Mc Allister], Age: 45, Birth Year: abt 1875, Birthplace: Alabama, Home in 1920: Atlanta Ward 2, Fulton, Georgia, Race: White, Gender: Female, Relation to Head of House: Head, Marital Status: Widowed [Widow], Father's Birthplace: United States, Household Members: Millie Mcallister 45; Thelma Loitom (Latham) 23, dau. [25], Cornelia Mcallister 22, dau; Millie Mcallister 21, dau.
CENSUS DATA: 1930 United States Federal Census, Name: Blanche W. Mccalister, Gender: Female, Birth Year: Abt 1877, Birthplace: Alabama, Race: White, Home in 1930: Atlanta, Fulton, Georgia, Marital Status: Widowed, Relation to Head of House: Head, Father's Birthplace: South Carolina, Mother's Birthplace: South Carolina, Household Members: Blanche W Mccalister 53; Cornelia Mccalister 33, dau.; Willie R Mccalister 30, dau. NOTE: In 1930 Willie B. McCollister's oldest daughter, Thelma McCollister Latham, is shown as a boarder, age 33, born AL, divorced, living in the Cox Carlton Hotel in Atlanta and working as a hotel dietitian.
CENSUS DATA: 1940 United States Federal Census, Willie B McCalister, Age: 63, Estimated Birth Year: abt 1877, Birthplace: Alabama, Marital Status: Widowed, Home in 1940: Kirkwood, DeKalb, Georgia, Street: South Howard, House Number: 218, Residence in 1935: Rural, DeKalb, Georgia, House Owned or Rented: Owned, Highest Grade Completed: Elementary school, 8th grade, Weeks Worked in 1939: 0, Income: 0, Household Members: Willie B Mc Calister 63; Willie R. Mc Calister 46, dau.; Anges A. Latham 25, grand dau.; Henry S Duncan 60, brother & widowed. ------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 Name: Willie McCollister Gender: Female Residence Year: 1911 Street Address: 122 Mills Residence Place: Atlanta, Georgia Spouse: James McCollister Publication Title: Atlanta, Georgia, City Directory, 1911 NOTE: Upon review of an actual copy of the Atlanta, Georgia, City Directory, 1911, it notes that Willie B. McCollister is the widow of James P. McCollister.
U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 Name: Willie B McCollister Gender: Female Residence Year: 1915 Street Address: 122 Mills Residence Place: Atlanta, Georgia Spouse: James P McCollister Publication Title: Atlanta, Georgia, City Directory, 1915 NOTE: Upon review of an actual copy of the Atlanta, Georgia, City Directory, 1915, it notes that Willie B. McCollister is the widow of James P. McCollister. NOTE: The copy also shows Willie B. McCollister's daughter i.e.; Miss Cornelia McCollister, steno, Mason's Annuity, r. 122 Mills.
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