1900-1999 – Page 2 – Tracy and Family

Benjamin Franklin Price

Benjamin Franklin Price was my great-grandfather. He’s my grandmother’s father.

He was born on August 08, 1901 in Mineral Wells, Texas. It’s a place most people have never heard of. Mineral Wells, Texas is located west of Fort Worth. It’s best known for its mineral springs and well that’s about it. It’s not really a big town.

On October 18, 1922 he married my granny, Ethel Ann Hopson. Unlike most people of this time, they didn’t have children right away. In fact they wouldn’t have their first child for years.

In all they had 5 children, only 4 of which would grow into adulthood.

Ben Donald Price (1925)
Glen Edward Price (1927)
Kenneth Price (1929)
Alice Joann Price (1935)
Gloria Sue Price (1943)

Their youngest child, Gloria Sue was born on December 3, 1943 and died on February 26, 1945.

It was sometime right after they got married that they moved to Waurika, Oklahoma. I can still remember visiting them in that house when I was a little girl. I don’t know how old I was in this picture, but here is me with my two sisters (Melody and April) sitting on their back porch.

Benjamin Franklin Price died at the age of 81 (May 16, 1983) and is buried in the Waurika Cemetery.

The 1940 US census shows us that the highest grade he completed was 8th grade and that his address was 119 West E, Waurika, Oklahoma. I don’t think that’s right. I’m checking with my grandmother to see if she remembers what it actually was.

After speaking with her she said the actual address was 103 West F, Waurika, OK 73573. While that address shows up in Google Maps, no actual house is there anymore. I guess they tore it down. When they first built the house, it didn’t even have indoor plumbing.

Elsie Jane Hoag

My grandmother Elsie Jane Hoag was born on June 22, 1927, in Monessen, Pennsylvania. She died on April 26, 2018, at the age of 90 in Houston, Texas where she had been living with her eldest daughter since 2016.

Father: Robert Thomas Hoag (1900-1961)
Mother: Emma Marie Assel (1905-1988)

Elsie Jane Hoag married Raymond Wegley on June 5, 1948, in Pennsylvania. They remained married until his death on December 4, 1992. She would never again marry. She remained his devoted widow until her death some 26 years later.

Together they had 4 children and 12 grandchildren.

Thomas Eugene (June 13, 1949)
Karen Marie (January 26, 1951)
Raymond Junior (December 11, 1952)
Robert Thomas (September 27, 1954)

Alex Jessy Richardson

Alex Jessy Richardson was also known as Jake to his friends and family. He also has gone by the name of AJ.

Alex Jessy Richardson was born on July 5, 1935 in Paradise, Texas. His father was Rubin Nemon Richardson and Mary Vivian Phillips. He was my great uncle.

On October 26, 1970 he married Anita Gayle Neeld in Galveston, Texas. They lived in Pasadena, Texas before moving to Duncan, Oklahoma in the mid 1980’s. He lived there the rest of his life.

Together they would have 6 children, 2 sons and 4 daughters.

Alex
Bobby
Jana
Lisa
Lori
Renita

He died on November 7, 2007 in Duncan, Oklahoma and was buried in Comanche, Oklahoma. (find a grave)

Duncan Banner Newspaper published is obituary on Sunday November 11,2007.

ALEX “JAKE” JESSY RICHARDSON, 72, of Duncan, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007, at his home in Duncan.

Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the City Heights Baptist Church in Duncan, with Rev. Jimmy Green officiating. Burial will be in the Fairlawn Cemetery under direction of Comanche Funeral Home.

Jake was born July 5, 1935 in Paradise, Texas, to Rubin and Mary Phillips Richardson.

He married Anita Neeld on Oct. 26, 1970, in Galveston, Texas, and they made their home in Pasadena, Texas.

They moved to Duncan in the mid 1980’s, where they have lived ever since.

Jake owned and operated A.J.R. Construction, doing cement work and constructing metal buildings. He enjoyed playing pool and loved playing the guitar.

He is survived by his wife, Anita Richardson of the home; two sons, Bobby Richardson and his wife Jolyn of Roosevelt, Utah, and Alex Richardson of Duncan; four daughters, all of Duncan, Lisa Thomas and her husband Mike, Lori Bates and her husband Tim, Renita Hackler and Floyd, and Jana England; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren; six sisters, Kittie McReynolds, Pat Scifres and Betty Heard, all of Weatherford, Texas, Ada Sellers of Azle, Texas, Bille Reed of Stigler, and Bobbie Heberling of Spokane, Wash.

Jake is preceded in death by his parents, one brother and seven sisters.

Raymond Edward Wegley

My grandfather, Raymond Edward Wegley was born on December 15, 1925 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He died on December 4, 1992, in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, just before his 67th birthday.

My grandfather fought in World War II in the US Navy. He served on the USS Earl K. Olsen.

He joined the war on November 29, 1943, at the age of 17 and was officially discharged on April 28, 1946.

His brother John W. Wegley entered service the month before on February 19, 1943. But he went into the army. Why my grandfather chose the Navy instead of the army like his brother, I don’t know.

He was a Sergeant First Class and was awarded several medals for his service to his country.

Two years after he got out of the military he married my grandmother, Elsie Jane Hoag on June 5, 1948, in Pennsylvania. Together they would have 4 children, three boys and only one girl (my mother).

Thomas Eugene (June 13, 1949)
Karen Marie (January 26, 1951)
Raymond Junior (December 11, 1952)
Robert Thomas (September 27, 1954)

My grandfather Raymond retired from Bartlett Collins glass factory in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, and this photo was taken on his last day of work in April of 1989.

Just 3 years later he would die in his sleep of a heart attack on December 4, 1992.

He was buried in Sapulpa, Oklahoma at the Green Hill Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Reuben Namon Richardson

Reuben Namon Richardson is my grandfather. He’s a man I never got to meet but so wanted to. I know he wasn’t a perfect man, by all accounts he was a horrible husband and deadbeat dad. But still he was my grandfather and I wished I would have gotten the chance to meet him at least once before he died.

He was known to most of his friends as RN but was also known as Reuben Namon Richardson Jr, RN Richardson, R.N. Richardson, Reuben Neiman, or Rubin. Like his father before him, there are so many variations of his name, it really does make it hard to find documents regarding his life.

Born on 23 Mar 1929 in Waurika, Oklahoma
Died on 28 Sep 2002 in Bowie, Texas

* Please note that some sources say RN’s birthday is March 23, 1929 but as you can see by his gravestone, it clearly says March 21, 1929. However later evidence has come up to show his actual birthday was March 23, despite what the Navy may say.

His father is Rubin Nemon Richardson and and his mother is Mary Vivian Phillips.

On March 12, 1946 he enlisted in the United States Navy. This was just after the end of World War II – well sort of. The actual peace treaty between Japan and most of the Allies (the Treaty of San Francisco) was not signed until 1951 and did not take effect until 1952. However if you want to get technical, for the purposes of computing veterans’ benefits, the US Government views World War II as having ended on December 31, 1946.

In 1947 he served on the USS Southerland. The ship number or designation was DD-743 or 0441-0743. His last listing on a WW II Navy Muster Roll for the USS Southerland was on Feb 17, 1947.

By April 25, 1948 he was serving on the USS Piedmont. The ship number or designation was AD-17.

Recently I happened upon his record of Naval Discharge. It shows he was a World War II Victory Medal and a China Service Medal. It was filed on March 29, 1950.

This document shows us again that his birthday is March 23, 1929 in Waurika, OK and he entered the service on March 12, 1946. His service # which is 986 8226.

While in the Navy he served on the …

USS Penner
USS Southerland
USS Piedmont
USS Rupertus

After faithfully serving our country and fighting for our freedom he was honorably discharged in San Deigo, California on December 27, 1949. His service number was 986 82 26.

Some other sources list his release date as December 27, 1953 however as you can see by the official document below the real date is December 27, 1949 and not December 27, 1953.

You will notice on the certificate below he was a Fireman, which according to the Navy’s official website is a part of the Engineering and Hull specialties.

Married: Alice Joann Price

Date of Marriage: August 26, 1950 in Henrietta, Texas
Date of Divorce: December, 1957 in Oklahoma City, OK

This marriage produced 3 children.

Benjamin Wayne Richardson (July 19, 1951)
Joanna Richardson (February 19, 1954)
Frankie Richardson (November 22, 1955)

After leaving my grandmother he married a lady named Nancy Lee Stewart and together they had three children. They later divorced but I’m not sure when that was.

Reuben N Richardson III (August 11, 1960-2005)
Alex Stuart Richardson (June 26, 1961 -)
Vivian Gail Richardson (June 26, 1961 -)

Despite what his gravestone may say, RN was born on March 23, 1929.

RN was buried at the Granbury Cemetery in Hood County, Texas which is about 45 minutes to an hour outside of Forth Worth, Texas. Turns out he lived his final years only a few hours away from the grandchildren that wanted to find him for most all of their lives.

Reuben Namon Richardson is my paternal grandfather

Alice Joann Price

Alice Joann Price has also been known as Alice Price, Joann Price, Alice Richardson, Joann Richardson, Alice Smith, Alice Cash, and Joann Cash. She is my grandmother.

This photo is from 2011 (from left to right) her daughter Joanna Wright, Alice Joann Smith, Kelley DeVoe, eldest daughter of Daniel Wright, Tabitha Wright, and Daniel Wright.

Born: June 30, 1935 in Waurika, Jefferson, Oklahoma

Father: Benjamin Franklin Price
Mother: Ethel Ann Hopson

Married : Reuben Namon Richarsdon Jr.

Date of Marriage : August 26, 1950 in Henrietta, Texas
Date of Divorce : December, 1957 in Oklahoma City, OK

Children produced from this marriage : 3

Benjamin Wayne Richardson (July 19, 1951)
Joanna Sue Richardson (February 19, 1954)
Frankie Richardson (November 22, 1955)

On November 14, 1961 she had a daughter by the name of Kelley Lynn McDaniel. (Father unknown)

Aunt Kelley was put up for adoption but we would later be re-united with her after she turned 18.

I don’t know the date she married her next husband which was Jean Noel Cash. She had 3 kids, he had 3 kids – it was like a real life Brady bunch. They would stay married until he died on July 14, 1996.

They had no children of their own, but again with 6 kids between the two of them, they more than had their hands full.

Married: Fredrick Milton Smith

Date of Marriage: November 12, 2005 – Conroe, Montgomery, Texas
Marital Status: Still Married (He died on August 31, 2016).
Children produced from this marriage: 0

Alice Joann Price currently lives with her husband Fred Smith in Conroe, Texas. Alice moved to Houston, Texas from Oklahoma to live with her granddaughter Tracy Joann Richardson (me) after the death of her husband Jean Noel Cash. It was at that time she was introduced to Fred Smith. Our housekeeper had family who lived in Conroe near Fred who was widowed. They knew he was seeing a friend and/or travel companion of or near his own age so Debbie introduced the two and they were inseparable ever since.

I think this picture was from Thanksgiving 2012. Pictured from left to right ….

Eddie Wright, Frankie Richardson, Benny Richardson, Joanna Wright, Fred Smith, Alice Joann Price (Richardson, Cash, Smith), Malcolm DeVoe, Kelley Devoe.

Here is an updated picture of the family taken on November 25, 2017. From left to right – Joanna, Alice Joann, Benny, Kelly, and Frankie.