My Family Tree is Full of Nuts

                                                           February 14, 1952

FITZPATRICK-EPPS WEDDING

Miss Retha Dean Fitzpatrick

daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Roy

Fitzpatrick and Billy Epps, son

of Mr. And Mrs. Sam Epps, were

married on Thursday evening at

7:30 o’clock. The marriage was

solemnized at the First Baptist

Church with the Rev. Mr. Frank

Bowman reading the vows.

The church altar was banked

with ivy and magnolia leaves which

formed a background for candelabra

holding white tapers and

baskets of white gladioli.

Mrs. Orville Ginter was organist

and  Miss Elaine Atkinson sang

“Because” and “Ah Sweet Mystery

of life.”

Miss Janice Fitzpatrick, sister

of the bride, and Miss Janice

Savage lighted the candles.

Miss Margaret Epps, sister of

the groom was bridesmaid. Her

dress was of blue and her flowers

were a corsage of carnations.

The bride was given in marriage

by her father. She wore a suit of

beige woolen gabardine with

brown accessories. She carried a

prayer book topped with a purple

orchid.

The parents of the bride enter-

tained with a reception at the

Woman’s Club following the

wedding.  

Melda Maddox, niece of the

bride, kept the bride’s book and

others assisting in entertaining

were Mrs. F.K. Maddox and Mrs.

Raymond Hammond.

Mr. and Mrs. Epps left during

the evening on their wedding

trip through the south.

Billy Epps, Retha Epps, L to R Karen, David and Chris Epps 1960's Piedmont, Alabama

She was my mother’s sister, daughter of Roy Fitzpatrick and Sadie Mae Taylor Fitzpatrick.

April 8, 1930 – February 13, 2010  R.I.P

Aunt Marion and me, Chris Epps Wheeler back in the 50's

Marion Fitzpatrick Studdard and Wilbur C. Studdard in the 1950's. Uncle Wilbur died February 15, 1994. They were from Piedmont, Alabama

William Clifford Chesser

Born 22 July, 1895 in Bells, Fannin County, Texas.

Married  04 November 1917, in Cornith, Harmon County, OK

Died 25 May 1960 in Altus, Jackson County, OK

Father was Joseph Chesser and his mother was Narcissa Paron Whitaker

Wife of William Clifford Chesser

Julia Paril Rebecca Ince. Julia was born 26 September 1898 in Derden, Hill County, TX, died 02 February 1982 in Tulsa, Tulsa County, OK. Julia’s father was John Calvert Ince and her mother was Selah Catherine Eslick.

Children of William Clifford Chesser and Julia Paril Rebecca Ince are:

Clifford William Chesser,Male, who was born 15 February 1919 in McQueen Community, Harmon County, OK. Clifford married in Cordell, OK to Dorothy Jean Lackey, and he died 21 July 1980 in Muskogee, OK.

Julia Marie Chesser, Female, born 17 July 1920 in McQueen Community, Harmon County, OK. She was Married 21 November 1984 in Vernon, Texas. Her spouses were John Edgeworth,  Dee Moon.

Lee Roy Chesser, Male, was born 12 September 1922 in McQueen Community, Harmon County, OK. He was married 15 March 1946 in Quinlin, Texas to Betty Ruth House.

Bonnie Katherine Chesser, Female, Born 30 August 1924 in Eldorado, Jackson County, OK. He married 12 June 1942 in Altus, Jackson County, OK and died 31 December 1996 in Altus, Jackson County, OK.  Her two spouses were Ray Southern, Robert Parks.

Cecil Ray Chesser, Male, was born 07 May, 1926 in Eldorado, Jackson County, OK.  Married 23 June 1946 in Quana, Texas to Lowetta Mae Cross.

Loyd Jr. Chesser, Male, was born 8 May 1930 in Southwest of Duke, Jackson County, OK and Married 8 May 1953 in Ponca City, OK to Margarete McEuin.

Stella Mae Chesser, Female , was born 04 September 1933 in Southwest of Duke, Jackson County, OK and married 04 June, 1953 in Abliline, Taylor County, TX. Spouses were Floyd Allen Marin, Clifford Henery Leader.

Born:        27 December 1855, Marshall County, TN

Married:  12 January 1874, Marshall County, TN

Died:          17 December 1927, Norman, Cleveland, OK

Father:     Samuel Beshett or Beckett Chesser

Mother:   Martha Nickles, or Nichols

Wife of Joseph Chesser     

Narcissa Paron Whitaker              Marshall County,TN

Born:            August 1856

Died              1904     at the family’s farm in Texas.

Father:        Francis M. Whitaker

Mother:       Caroline M. Hall  

CHILDREN:

Morgan Chesser, Male,  born August 1878  in Tennessee.

Benjamin Chesser, Male, born February 1880 in Tennessee.

Lee A. Chesser, Male, born July 1881 in Tennessee, his spouse was Nancy.

Oder Chesser, Female, born March 1885 in Tennessee

Ona Chesser, Female, born May 1886 in Tennessee

Birdie Chesser, Female, born  April 1888

Lois Chesser, Female born August 1890 in Tennessee

William Clifford Chesser, Male, born 22 July 1895 in Bells, Fanning County, Tx. He married 4 November 1917 in Cornith, Harmon County, Ok to Julia Paril Rebeca Ince. He died 25 May 1960 in Altus, Jackson County, OK.

Perry Morris Chesser, Male, born 14 November 1897 , died January 1973, his spouse was Minnie.

Miscellaneous information on Hepsey Prosser Epps .

This story was told to a family member, in 1981.

Hepsey Prosser was “just a baby” when James Norris Epps married her. She was either just past 14 or not quite 14 years old.  James Epps was about 10 years older than Hepsey.

He kept her pregnant “He killed her by keeping her pregnant all the time.” 

They married 20 December 1860, and the first child was born 1861, a girl named Ella. The next child, Elizabeth “Bettie” was born 2 October 1863, the third child, Hepsey was born 22 March 1865 and died 20 November 1892.

Hepsey Prosser the mother was pregnant with the fourth child when she died in 1866 or 1867 . Both Hepsey and the child died.

Please feel free to do so.  We only ask that if you have something that is a correction to what we have or something to add to this site to contact me at

SadieMaesAttic@aol.com       I welcome all post. You are welcome to use any of this research. Others have helped me and I am willing to give back.

Chris

1842

The year of 1842 was a very eventful year for the 60 year old Larry Epps. He made a decision to divest himself of some of his property. In February 7, 1842 Larry sold a slave girl named Caroline to his son-in-law John Ray the husband of his daughter Hepsey. The sale price was $150.00. Larry also sold land on the previous date to John Ray for $133.00 . It was 79 3/4 acres situated on the waters of Cane Creek and near land of William Ellison and included Larry’s spinning cabins and other unnamed improvements. Both of these transactions with a relative netted Larry $283.00 early in the year of 1842.

Larry set up a deed of trust for $1.00 to James R. Heister dated June 7, 1842. He was indebted to a William Harris for $137.28n and it was due a short time later in October 1842. He secured the trust deed with two parcels of land. One was the tract he got originally from Adam House in December 9,n1819 and was about 70 x 118 poles in size. He also included 12 head of cattle, 20 heards of sheep, and 2 beds with this land tract. The other tract he obtained from Mary Blackmore and was near Bryant and Polston land on the east, by Woodruff on the north, by Mrs. Greer on the West, and by WIlliam Armstrong on the south. The combined acreage of these two tracts is 80 acres.

On November 10,1842 Larry sold 50 acres to his neighbor William H. Stephenson for $250.00. This land was on the waters of Cane Creek and was north of land owned by George Hall. The 1842 net profit from property sales to Larry after taking care of his debt to William Harris would amount to about $396.00.

1843

Larry sold 33 acres to John Painter and Henry Wiggs of Rutherford County, Tennessee for $100.00 in April 11,1843. John Painter may have been an in-law since Larry’s daughter Hepsey married William Painter. This land was on the waters of Cane Creek and near the land of Jarmin Small, Hearrison Steveson.

1844

Larry brought 79 1/2 acres for $134.00 from his son-in-law John Ray on February 10, 1844. This land on waters of Cane Creek is bound by Henry Bryants, David Armstrong’s and tennessee Small’s land and measures about 60 by 120 poles or about 79 1/2 acres. This appears to be the same land that or at least part of the same land he sold to John Ray in 1942.

1847

On the 4th of December 1847 Larry Epps age 65 bought 63 acres for $189.00 from Mary  Blackmore. Her land was part of a grant to the heirs of Andrew Greer by N.C. covering 2140 acres. The land was on the east fork of Cane Creek and was adjacent to land of Thomas Cummins and a Stephenson (about 55 poles wide and 183 poles long.) Larry Epps immediately sold half or 31 1/2 acres of the 63 acres he got from Mary Blackmore to his elder son James in December 1847 for $151.00.  This made his cost for the 31 1/2 acres he retained to be $38.00  James Craton was 39 years old at this time.

1855

Larry age 73 is still in the land game. On March 27,1855 he paid John Landress $213.50 for 79 acres of land near E.T. Thomas, R.J. Small and David Armstrong. The land transaction was recorded by the country court clerk on July 29, 1856.

1864

On December 1, 1864 William Epps sold his interest in 79 acres gained as an heir of Sarg Epps deceased to J.C. Epps and his heirs for $80.00. The land is in District number 9 and is described as near that of E.T. Thomas, David Armstrong, and R.J. Smith (maybe Small?) The transaction is witnessed by Lawrence Epps and A.S. Small. These witnesses also appear before the county court clerk on November 1, 1869. Since this is 90% probable the same land owned by larry Epps then the Sarg Epps deceased is probably him. Is this William Pleasant the son of Pleasant M. Epps, brother of J.C. Epps.

1871

On January 7, 1871 James C. Epps Sr. made a trust deed with William Moffett secured by 79 acres of land he owned to settle his indebtedness of $200.00 to his brother-in-law A.P. Clift which was due on Janaury 1871. Moffett gave James the $200.00 he needed to settle his debt and the trust agreement gave him until January 6 1873 to settle up with Moffett or otherwise put his land up for auction at the courthouse to cover his indebtedness to Moffett through the trust agreement. His sons John Norris and James Jr. were witnesses to this agreement.

James Polk Epps  ( the above pic is NOT James..)

J.P Epps was born in Bedford County, Tennessee, a son of Peter Irby Epps and Abigail (Allen) Epps. His mother died when he was five years of age. From early youth he lived near Rienzi, Miss.  James Enlisted in Forrest’s Cavalry at sixteen years of age, and served the last two years of the war. Later he worked on the farm and clerked in stores at Booneville, Mississippi and Bethel Springs, Tennessee. He engaged in merchandising at the latter place, and did a prosperous business for more than thirty years. In the spring of 1910 he moved to Corinth, Mississippi where he died December 31, 1910, aged sixty-four years. He was a member of the Presyterian Church at Bethel Springs, Tennessee. A wife and five children survive him.