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Note: 1920 FEDERAL CENSUS, Smith County, Texas, Troup beat, 086-9b and 086-10a Federal Census reflects facts that William, born in Texas, head of household, age 45, both parents born in Texas; Fannie, wife, age 44, she and her parents were born in Alabama; John, son, 1 1/2 years, born in Texas. William Thomas Childress likely was named after his deceased uncle, William Thomas Childress, who died at the young age of 10 or 11.
(The following biography is from this writer's genealogy publication of 1995, slightly updated and edited.)
William Thomas Childress was raised in East Texas as a "farm boy." He never learned to write (or perhaps forgot how), signing his name as an "X" as an adult. I found an old school book that evidently belonged to Will and it had a sentence or two that probably was written by Will. When his sister Mary Elizabeth Childress died in 1940, Will's wife Fannie re-taught him how to write his name, so he would not have to sign with an "X" on all the probate papers. Robert Stephenson, his grandson, told me that he remembers Fannie telling her husband, "Now, Will, you're going to have to practice writing your name over and over until you can do it without a problem. I'm not going to have you signing your name with an "X," and there's going to be a lot of arguments about Mary's estate and you've got to be able to stand on your name." At least, it could well have been that way, as I've examined Will's signatures on several papers in his sister Mary's estate probation and all the signatures seem awfully "contrived."
Will, as he was known, must have been a strapping youth, since when I spoke to Jess Hanson (a local Omen, Texas citizen) in the early 1970's, all Jess (who was about 75 at the time) could remember about Will Childress was that he was regarded as someone whom you "didn't fool around with." Jess said he remembered Grandpop as someone who cut wood for families in and around Omen. Jess said that when he or any of his friends saw Will Childress coming down the street, they would immediately cross over to the other side so as not to encounter him.
I remember Grandpop as being quite old (after all, he was born in the mid 1800's), and someone who was kind and gentle. That notwithstanding, I remember that one old one-eyed cat lived with Grandpop in the room we built him in our garage was subjected to constant, but minor, abuse by Grandpop. Such as Grandpop twirling him around his head by his tail. On the other hand, I remember Grandpop saving a small rabbit that was accidentally caught in a brush fire on the old farm site in Arp, Texas. Grandpop lived with us for a few years after his wife Fannie passed away. He began to suffer from senility, and couldn't remember much about the current times. He often talked about his earlier days to Mike and me as though they were happening yesterday. I remember him becoming lost for several hours, wandering around the highways at night, only to be found by the Longview police.
Will Childress and his father-in-law must not have seen eye- to-eye on many things, since Robert Stephenson reported that "days" would go by without Mr. Speer or Grandpop say anything to each other, other than through Grandmama, who I suppose acted as the interpreter. Robert said that on one particular occasion, Mr. Speer, a pretty fair horticulturist, suggested that the peach tree orchard beside the old house in Arp be trimmed back. Well, evidently Grandpop didn't like taking advice father-in-law, and absolutely refused to trim the trees. This made Mr. Speer angry and they reverted to speaking to each other through Grandmama, even at the dinner table.
My mother remembers Grandmama being rather put out with Grandpop, who liked to fish to the extent that, after some all night(s) fishing trip, would lie in the middle of the living room floor and sleep off his weariness, much to the irritation of his wife.
Referring to Will's earlier life, his mother likely died when Will's younger sister Mary Elizabeth was born. Will, Mary and their father Caleb went to live with Caleb's mother Jemima when Will was only six years old, or circa 1880. His father Caleb then married his deceased wife's aunt, Susan E. Weaver, twelve years his senior. When Caleb died circa 1883, Will and his sister Mary went to live with their maternal grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. Samuel Overton.
I suppose from a personal point of view, I believe my grandfather Will Childress was the last "true" link to the Old West for our family and perhaps our generation. Wiliam Thomas Childress was born at least a year before the last great Comanche Chief, Quanah Parker, turned himself and his band of followers in to the commanders of Fort Sill. While the ill effects of Indian predatory raids may have diminished considerably by then, remnants and memories of earlier pioneering families in the East Texas area where Will lived out his life most assuredly remained with him for a lifetime.
View a photograph of this individual by visiting the online family photo album at:
<a href="http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jpcfamily/">Childress/Mathi s Photo Album</a>
Photographs of many other related individuals also are in the above album.
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