Life History

Notes

• William Terry was born in Murray County, as part of a large Terry clan.  His father was George C Terry, almost 60 when William was born, and his mother, only about 20 at his birth.  His father died in January 1888, and he and his mother moved to Texas, as other Terrys had from the 1870s on.  In 1898 William married Cora B Alexander.
  
  Texas, Marriage Collection, 1814-1909 and 1966-2011
  Cora Alexander
  Marriage 8 Jun 1898 Erath County, Texas
  Spouse W. L. Terry
  
  In 1900, William and Cora are in Erath County, west of Fort Worth.  They have moved farther west than others in their family except for Thomas L Terry, a son of Joseph Lewis and Dovina Terry.  In 1900, Thomas L and his family  is in San Angelo, in Tom Green County, even farther west, near Abilene.  In 1880 Thomas and his family had been in Milam County, along with other Terrys of his family.  Terrys from this same Murray County clan had moved to McLennan County (Waco area) and Milam County (county seat Cameron, near San Antonio) by 1880.
  
  Louisa is living with her son William L and his wife Cora, who have no children.  William and Cora and William have been married 2 years.  Cora was born in Texas.
  
  1900 Federal Census, Erath County, Texas, 11 June, Dublin City, District 69, page 17A, Hse #328, Fam #343
  Terry, William  Head W M May 1866  34  Married 2 years  GA NC SC School Teacher
  Terry, Cora  Wife W F Feb 1877 23  Married 2 years  TX AL GA
  Terry, Louisa  Mother W F May 1844 56  Widow  SC SC SC
  
  I note that this census corrects a report in the 1880 census that William's father was born in Virginia.  However, the report of North Carolina is also in error, according to family sources and previous censuses.  He was born in South Carolina, as was Louisa.
  
  By the 1910 census William and Cora had moved to in Ryan City, Jefferson County, Oklahoma.  Jefferson County was created out of the earlier Cherokee County, Oklahoma Territory.  The birth states and ages of the children in the 1910 census tells us they moved across the Red River to Oklahoma Territory about 1905.  Their daughter Mary was born in Texas about 1905 and Willis was born in Oklahoma Territory about 1906.
  
  She is living with their son William L and his wife Cora and their 3 children.  William has established his own business, though the census tells us only "Own Store."
  
  1910 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Oklahoma, 23 April, Ryan City, Blackburn Township, District 148, page 8A, Hse#150, Fam #158,
  Terry, W L  Head M W 43 Married 12 years GA SC SC Salesman, His Own Store
  Terry, Cora B  Wife F W 31 Married 12 years TX AL GA
  Terry, Nina Belle  Daughter F W 9 TX GA TX
  Terry, Mary Bird  Daughter F W 5 TX GA TX
  Terry, Willis Clay  Son M W 4 OK GA TX
  Terry, Louisa  Mother F W 65 Widow SC SC SC
  
  This census corrects the errors in the birth place of William's father, reporting South Carolina as his state of birth.
  
  In 1920, they are still in Ryan, Jefferson County, Oklahoma.  William is reported as working on his own as a wholesaler, and it appears he deals in cattle.  They have another daughter, Ailene born about 1917.  (Her name is spelled Ailene in 1930, and Alieen in 1920.)
  
  1920 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Oklahoma, 3 February, Ryan, District 211, page 7B, Hse/Fam #142
  Terry, William Head M W 53 GA NC SC Wholesale Cattle(?)
  Terry, Cora B Wife F W 42 TX AL GA
  Terry, Nina Dau F W 19 TX GA TX
  Terry, Mary Dau F W 15 TX GA TX
  Terry, Willis Son M W 14 OK GA TX
  Terry, Aliene [Ailene] Dau F W 3 OK GA TX
  
  Before 1930, William moved his family back down to Texas, and they are living in the city of Fort Worth.
  
  1930 Federal Census, Tarrant County, Texas, 17 April, Enumeration District 79, Fort Worth, Ward 21W, page 40A, 2900 Avenue F, Hse #557, Family #644
  Terry, William L Head M W 63 GA NC NC Merchant
  Terry, Cora B Wife F W 53 TX AL GA
  Terry, Nina B Dau F W 27 TX GA TX Public School Teacher
  Terry, Mary B Dau F W 25 TX GA TX Public School Teacher
  Terry, Aileen Dau F W 13 OK GA TX
  
  He is still designated as a Merchant, but I cannot read the word for the industry.  It could be cotton, but he was in retail in Oklahoma, with his own store.  Perhaps he is working in jobbing cotton for a gin, or selling dry goods.  It is not clear from the fields of this census whether William owns his own business or is employed.
  
  William died between 1936 and 1940.  He is reported in the 1936 Fort Worth CityDirectoy, but by 1940, Cora is reported as a widow.
  
  U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989
  Fort Worth, Texas, City Directory, 1936, p 793
  Terry Wm L (Cora B) trav h 2742 I av
  
  In 1936, their daughter Ailene is reports as an assistant to Doctor Cook and Doctor Covert.  (Later in the 1940 census she is reported as a Dental Assistant.)  Daughter Nina Belle is reported under the name Nina M.  She is here reported as a high school teacher as in the 1940 census.
  
  U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989
  Fort Worth, Texas, City Directory, 1936, p 792
  Terry Ailene asst Drs Cook and Covert h 2742 I av
  Terry Nina M [sic] tchr Polytechnic Sr High Sch h 2742 I av
  
  U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989
  Fort Worth, Texas, City Directory, 1945, p 786
  Terry Cora B (wid Wm L) h 4074 Hampshire blvd
  
  There is a Texas death record for a W L Terry, born in Oklahoma, but the birth date is in 1907.  This matches William's son, whom we know as Willis Clay, who was born about 1906 in Oklahoma.  But I cannot account for the middle initial L.  The father is named W L Terry.  It could be a clerical error in the original name of the deceased on the death certificate.
  
  Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982
  W L Terry
  Residence 2700 Ave F, Ft Worth, Texas
  Birth 22 Jan 1907 Oklahoma
  Gender Male
  Father W L Terry b Georgia
  Mother Alexander b Texas
  Age at Death 21 yrs, 11 mos, 20 days
  Death 20 Dec 1928 Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas
  Cause of death Smallpox for 18 days, disease contracted at Vernon, Texas
  Informant father W L Terry
  Burial 20 December 1928 Greenwood Cemetery, Ft Worth, by Shannon's Funeral HOme
  Filed 30 December 1928

Sources

• 1. 1880 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia
  • 3 June, Doolittle (Militia District 972), District 154, page 7, Hse #61, Fam #66
• 2. 1900 Federal Census, Erath County, Texas
  • 11 June, Dublin City, District 69, page 17A, Hse #328, Fam #343
• 3. 1910 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Oklahoma
  • 23 April, Ryan City, Blackburn Township, District 148, page 8A, Hse#150, Fam #158
• 4. 1930 Federal Census, Tarrant County, Texas
  • 17 April, Enumeration District 79, Fort Worth, Ward 21W, page 40A, 2900 Avenue F, Hse #557, Family #644
• 5. 1870 Federal Census, Murray County, Georgia
  • 19 July, Militia District 972, PO Spring Place, page 8, Hse/Fam #52
• 6. 1920 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Oklahoma
  • 3 February, Ryan, District 211, page 7B, Hse/Fam #142
• 7. 1940 Federal Census, Tarrant County, Texas
  • 6 May, Ft Worth Ward 27, District 252-16, 4074 Hampshire St, page 16B, Hse #465, Rents $40
• 8. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  • Fort Worth, Texas, City Directory, 1945, p 786
• 9. Texas, Marriage Collection, 1814-1909 and 1966-2011
• 10. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  • Fort Worth, Texas, City Directory, 1936, p 793
• 11. Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982
• 12. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
  • Memorial #28081904
• 13. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
  • Memorial #28081842