FOURTH GENERATION

16. Susie Rachel DODSON (15) was born on Mar 12 1877 in Arkansas. She was buried in Dec 1960 in Hephzibah Cemetery, Columbia County, Arkansas. She died on Dec 6 1960 in Houston, Harris County, Texas. Susie died from injuries received in an automobile accident. She and her husband, Thomas were driving her daughter Minnie May Williams (wife of Lee Allen Williams) home after her visit in Houston.

"Susie was a small woman standing around 5'2" tall with blue eyes. Her hair was naturally wavy, a brunette in her younger years, turning to a beautiful silver color rather than a grey in the later years, always wearing it short. The years had not been easy for Susie, having so many children, working in the fields sometimes with a baby strapped to her and still caring for her home and family. She never owned a vacuum cleaner always sweeping the room size rugs with a broom. Her laundry room was a large pot of boiling water, soap she made from the remains of bars of soap that were normally thrown away and a scrub board. Her clothes were hand sewn and she always make an apron and bonnet to match. Although she worked hard her hands were as soft as a baby's. The change of life brought along osteoporosis and what they call "Dowagers hump". Susie loved flowers and gardening and her yard was always immaculately trimmed and flower beds weeded. She canned vegetables from her garden. She had two parakeets she taught to talk and never closed the door on their cage. Sitting in her favorite chair, the birds sitting on her shoulder, they would take a nap. I loved listening to her stories when I would ask "Grandma, tell me about the olden days". I never saw her angry nor heard a curse word from her mouth. She didn't attend church regularly but still had a deep sense of religion."------ Linda Simmons Gorrell

She was married to Alexander "Mack" HOLLOWAY (son of John Enoch HOLLOWAY and Jane A. HOLT) on Jan 11 1898 in Columbia County, Arkansas.(16) Alexander "Mack" HOLLOWAY was born in 1875 in Plain Dealing, Bossier Parish, LA. He died in 1915 in Sulpher Springs, TX. Although most people called him Mack, he was also known as M.H., which is the name listed on the marriage record to Susie Rachel. 

Susie Rachel DODSON and Alexander "Mack" HOLLOWAY had the following children:

child26 i. Audie Gladice HOLLOWAY was born December 9, ????. (17) "I remember Momma talking about her rocking in rocking chair. She was so lonely when the other one (another baby girl) died that that's all she would do, then she died when she was probably 2 or 3. Momma always said she thought she just died from loneliness." (quoted from interview with Noveline Williams, half-sister of Audie Gladice).
child27 ii. "Baby" HOLLOWAY.
child+28 iii. Nellie Kate HOLLOWAY.
child+29 iv. Minnie Mae HOLLOWAY.
child+30 v. Robert Shade HOLLOWAY.
child+31 vi. John Rayburn HOLLOWAY.
child+32 vii. Norval Wayne HOLLOWAY.

She was married to Thomas J. WILLIAMS (son of Jesse WILLIAMS and Hattie P. KIRKLAND) on 20 Nov 1916 in Magnolia, Columbia County, Arkansas. (10) Marriage record list Susie as age 30, but her correct age was 39. Thomas J. WILLIAMS (6)(11) (9) was born on 12 May 1896 in Ward 1, Webster Parish, Louisiana. He died on 17 Nov 1970 in Roff, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma.  He was buried in Nov 1970 in Hephzibah Cemetery, Columbia County, Arkansas.  Thomas had lung cancer and died after developing pneumonia.

Double Headstone Inscription: Their Memory Is Blessed.

In 1920 Susie was 43 years old and living on the Dumas and Emerson Road, Mississippi Township, Columbia County, Arkansas. She was living with her husband Thomas, age 24, and their son (Thomas) Edward, 2 years old and Noveline, their newborn baby girl. Also living in the household were her two sons from her previous marriage, (John) Rayburn, 10 years old and (Norval) Wayne, 7 years old. 

In 1945 Susie was 68 years old and Thomas was 49 years old and living in Houston, Harris County, Texas. 

In 1950 Susie was 73 years old and living in Houston, Harris County, Texas. She was living with her husband Thomas, age 55. 

In 1955 Susie was 78 years old and living on Annunciation Street, Houston, Harris County, Texas. She was living with her husband Thomas, age 60. Thomas was retired. He and Susie enjoyed their large vegetable garden, canning their harvest and working in their yard.  Susie also enjoyed two parakeets she had taught to say a few words (very unusual for parakeets), both having free reign of the house with no door on their cage.  

In 1960 Susie was 83 years old and living on Annunciation Street, Houston, Harris County, Texas when she died from injuries suffered in a car accident.

Susie Rachel DODSON and Thomas J. WILLIAMS had the following children:

child+33 i. Thomas E. WILLIAMS.
child+34 ii. Noveline WILLIAMS.

 

 

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