HALE, James E. - After many years' association with the garage business, James E Hale disposed of his interests in 1936 in order to enter the oil industry and to be actively engaged in this field, having an interest in eleven producing wells. He was born in Jefferson, November 16, 1888, the son of the late James E and Sue Jackson Hale, Sr. The elder Mr Hale, a native of Tennessee, later came to Texas, where he was engaged as a merchant, in Jefferson. Several years afterwards he became a salesman for John I Adams and Sons at New Orleans, Louisiana, in the wholesale business, and next he operated a store and cotton gin at Lassater, Texas, in which activity he was engaged at the time of his death in 1896. Sue Jackson Hale was a native of Meridian, Mississippi.

James E Hale, Jr, received his early education in the Jefferson public schools, and then entered Allen Academy at Bryan, Texas, after which he studied at the Metropolitan Business College in Dallas. He afterwards secured employment as a clerk in Jefferson, but one year later entered the transfer and livery business under his own name. He continued in this work for a few years, and then entered the garage business, taking over the local agency for Ford cars in 1914, and continuing this business until 1936, when he entered the oil field, in which he was most successful.

He was a member of the Baptist Church, and active in Democratic politics, having served from 1925 to 1931 as a member of the local city commission.

He was married in 1911 to Dorothy Glass, of Jefferson, daughter of Marion T and Clara Zackery Glass. Mr and Mrs Hale, Jr, had two children, Mildred and Dorothy.

 HICKS, SELLERS and THOMPSON

     John Oliver Hicks, who was born the 3^rd of June 1825 in North Carolina and Martha “Mattie” Frances Claibaugh, who was born the 4^th of April 1850 in Arkansas, were married about 1874 in North Carolina. On August 5^th 1875, their first daughter, Olive Carrol Hicks was born in North Carolina. By 1877, they had moved to Oconee County, South Carolina where their second daughter, Alloe C. Hicks was born. On the 17^th of January 1880 their first son, John Creighton Hicks, followed by their third daughter, May C. Hicks in March of 1885. Their second son, Ernest Renfro Hicks was born the 11^th of November 1888 and their last daughter, Martha “Mattie” Frances Hicks was born on the 22^nd of May 1891. The family came to Texas between 1900 and 1910, as they were on the Marion County, Texas Census when it was read in April of 1910. John Oliver Hicks died the 7^th of December 1908 in Marion County and his wife, Martha “Mattie” Frances CLABAUGH Hicks died the 13th of September 1913 in Marion County, and they are both buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Jefferson.

     Olive Carrol Hicks married John Franklin Thompson the 5^th of June 1907 in Jefferson, Marion County, Texas. Olive served as County Treasurer for Marion County in 1931. Olive Carrol HICKS Thompson died the 1^st January 1963 in Marion County. John Franklin Thompson, her husband died in Marion County the 4^th of May 1923, both are buried at the Old Foundry Cemetery at Lodi.

     Alloe C. Hicks married James Robert Kay 16 May 1900 in Walhalla, Oconee County, South Carolina. James Robert Kay was born 1871 in South Carolina and he was the County Tax Assessor for Marion County in 1927 through 1931. They were the parents of Oliver Lewis Kay, James Robert Kay, Louise Carroll Kay, May Clara Kay and Josephine M. Kay. Neither James Robert or Alloe C. Kay were found to be buried in Marion County. Oliver Lewis was born 30 March,1901 and died 16 July 1902 and was buried in the Westview Cemetery, in Walhalla, Oconee County, South Carolina. Their son, James Robert Kay died in Jefferson on 16 October 1925 at age 23 and is buried in an unmarked grave at the Oakwood Cemetery in Jefferson.

     John Creighton Hicks died 22 March 1962 in Marion County, Texas. He was buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Jefferson. John Creighton married Frances Kathleen Bussey on 5 June 1907 in Jefferson and they were the parents of two sons, John Creighton, Jr. and Ernest.

     Ernest Renfro Hicks married Bettie L. about 1915 and they had one daughter, Eloise, who was born about 1916. Ernest married second, Minerva Norvelle Watson, she was born the 12^th of August 1910 and died the 26^th of February 1958. They had one son, Ernest Renfro Hicks, Jr. born the 25^th November 1943 in Harrison County, Texas. Ernest and Minerva are both buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Jefferson.

     Martha “Mattie” Frances Hicks married William Thomas Sellers on the 25^th of June 1913 in Marion County at the home of her sister, Alloe C. HICKS Kay. Mattie and William had three children, Dan Oliver Sellers, Alloe Clair Sellers and Robert Landon Sellers. William Thomas Sellers disappeared after the 1930 Census was taken and was never heard from again. Mattie and her children lived with her sister, Olive Carrol Thompson until her children were grown. She then married Roy Edward Champion, Roy died on the 26^th of January 1968 in Dallas County, Texas. Mattie Frances died 23 May 1978 in the Texas City Memorial Hospital in Galveston County, Texas; she was buried in the Old Foundry Cemetery at Lodi. Ernest Renfro Hicks and his sister, Mattie both served as rural route mail carriers.

     William Thomas Sellers was born the 13^th of May 1889 in Marion County, Texas he was the son of Ira and Anna JONES Sellers. Ira’s father, Duncan Sellers, was the City Marshall in Butler County, Alabama, Duncan died before 1880 as Ira and his mother were living with John H. Sellers and his wife, Lou in Cass County when the 1880 Census was taken. Ira Sellers and Anna Jones were married about 1888 and they had two sons, William Thomas and Harry A. Sellers. Anna JONES Sellers died the 20^th July 1927 in Dallas. Ira had preceded her death in 1921. They are both buried at the Old Foundry Cemetery at Lodi.

     John Franklin Thompson was born the 5^th of December 1867 to Thomas William and Dorcas Emaline FORD Thompson. Thomas William and Dorcas Emaline Thompson were the parents of ten children, William Thomas, Julia Irene, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah C., Louisa, Lenora, Joseph P., John Franklin and one child that died as an infant. Thomas William Thompson’s sister Dorcas Melissa married William Thomas Ford. They were all buried at the Old Foundry Cemetery at Lodi, except for William Thomas Ford, who was presumably buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Jefferson. Melissa and William Thomas Ford were the parents of five sons, James, Manley, Spencer, Franklin and Marcus. Melissa became a widow in 1864 when William Thomas Ford died at Camp Douglas in Chicago, Illinois where he was taken as a prisoner during the Civil War.

     Obituaries for Prof. John Oliver Hicks and his wife, Martha Frances CLAIBAUGH Hicks, and the two brothers, Oliver Lewis Kay and James Robert Kay, sons of Alloe C. Hicks and James Robert Kay are listed on this site under obits.

Submitted by: Sandy Combs.

HOME             Bios Index

This page was last update: Monday, 19-September-2005 20:22:00 CST