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| Top: 1920 Mississippi census. Middle: 1930 Mississippi census. Bottom: Jefferson County, Texas marriage index |
Name: Willie Bob GREGORY Sr
Known AKA: Willie B
Surname Variations: none
DOB: 15 April 1913 in Chickasaw, Mississippi, USA
DOD: 15 Feb 1970 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Father: Willie P GREGORY
Mother: Mary E/Mayella/Mae Ella STEWART
Siblings: Lucille/Lucile
Spouse: Mary Louise BROUSSARD
Children: Curtis Allen, Sandra, Deborah, Linda, Willie Bob Jr
TIMELINE:
15 April 1913: Birth in Chickasaw, Mississippi, USA (St. Louis, Missouri, USA death certificate; United States Social Security Death Index; 1920-1930 Houlka, Chickasaw County, Mississippi, USA Census)
1920: Resident of Houlka, Chickasaw County, Mississippi, USA Census (1920 Houlka, Chickasaw County, Mississippi, USA Census)
1927: First marriage to unknown woman who died sometime between 1927-1930 (1930 Chickasaw County, Mississippi, USA Census)
1930: Resident of Chickasaw County, Mississippi, USA (1930 Chickasaw County, Mississippi, USA Census)
1940: I have not yet located him on the 1940 census.
1942: Ordered this WWII enlistment record http://bit.ly/19fxxrO from NARA via Kathleen Brandt of A3Genealogy which confirmed it was not him.
27 Dec 1945: Second marriage to Mary Louise BROUSSARD (Jefferson County, Texas, USA marriage record #42589)
1946: Resident of St. Louis, Missouri, USA (His first born son, Curtis Allen, was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1946 so this date will act as an approximate time he migrated to St. Louis)
1955: Resident of St. Louis, Missouri, USA (St. Louis, Missouri city directory)
1960: Resident of St. Louis, Missouri, USA (St. Louis, Missouri city directory)
15 Feb 1970: Death in St. Louis, Missouri, USA (Death certificate #70-0008657; United States Social Security Death Index; St. Louis, Missouri Archdiocese burial index)
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| Left: Houlka, Mississippi historical marker and birthplace of Willie Bob Sr. Right: 4293 St. Louis |
I never met my grandfather as he died before I was born. This is what my mother relayed to me: He was a nice man and took very good care of his family. He bought my father a new car, I think it was a Thunderbird. My father wrecked it! He wanted to buy a fishing boat and retire but died before that he could see his plans through. It was winter and he was warming up the car in the garage. His daughter, Sandra, found him on the floor. Carbon monoxide poisoning contributed to his death.
2 February 2014 update: In 1930, Willie Bob had a job as a farm laborer. I assume that he is living with his sister Lucille because his mother, Mary Ella/Mayella/Mae Ella had passed away in 1925 and his father, Willie P, was living in St. Louis, Missouri with his second wife, Ethel (1930 St. Louis, Missouri census). Willie Bob is listed as a widow on the 1930 Chickasaw County, Mississippi census, implying that he had been married. Who was his first wife and when/how/where did she die? Did they have any children (alive or dead)? Perhaps her death record can be found in the 1912-1943 Mississippi Death Index. Whilst searching for Willie Bob on the 1940 census, I searched 10 pages backwards and forwards from known family members: his father Willie P GREGORY with his second wife in St. Louis, Missouri; his sister Lucille TAYLOR nee GREGORY with her second husband in Brevard County, Florida; grandmama Mary Louise with her parents in Port Arthur, Texas and even some of his GREGORY cousins in Pontotoc, Mississippi. He was nowhere near them. Maybe he just wasn't counted that census year but I won't give up. I decided to try the city directories but the earliest he was listed was in the 1955 St. Louis, Missouri city directory. Was this a disappointment? Far from it. In the course of perusing the city directories, I discovered that granddaddy and his father, Willie P, lived in the very same building on 4293 St. Louis Ave that we lived in during the 80's. I instantly went to Google maps and searched for the address. When I zoomed into the house, memories came flooding back as I saw the familiar red brick and then the empty field to the right with trees and then the school across the street that my brother had attended. The earliest house that I can remember living in was this one and what great memories I have. And now I know it also housed great-grandfather Willie P (4293 St. Louis Ave) and grandparents Willie Bob Sr and Mary Louise (4293A St. Louis Ave)! It is a multiple family home with separate entrances. The apartment we lived in was upstairs, the front door being the second one from the left. If the building is still for sale when I get home, I think I just might inquire if the real estate agency would let me look around. The second important discovery that I made from the city directories was the occupation and work place of Willie Bob Sr. Don't you just love city directories?! In 1955 he was working as a meat stamper at the St. Louis Independent Packing Company. I do not know how long he was employed by them but his 1970 death certificate shows that his usual occupation was a meat trimmer at Independent Packing Co. According to the City of St. Louis Missouri's website, "...the Independent Packing Company has been replaced by the Missouri Pacific freight terminal and yards."
TRANSCRIPTION OF RECORDS
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| Top: St. Louis Independent Packing Co newspaper article. Bottom: "...standard gauge offering is a Lionel by MTH 214R refrigerator car decorated for he long defunct St. Louis Independent Packing Company" |
Chicasaw County, Houlka Precinct Beat 2, Houlka Town
Supervisor's District No 4, Enumeration District No 43, Sheet 13A
Enumerated on 20 Jan 1920
Houlka & Van Vleet Road
Lines 25-28
Image 723 of 1207 on Archive.org (Internet Archive)
FamilySearch.org http://bit.ly/1dV1DmS
Archive.org http://bit.ly/LyLtHY
WILLIE P GREGORY: head of household, house # or farm: FM, # of dwelling house visited 229, # of family visited 232, home owned or rented: O, if owned, free or mortgaged: F???, male, Black, b. 1889, 31yrs, married, could read/write/speak English, born in MS, father born in SC, mother born in VA, occupation: farmer, industry: general farm, employer, salary or wage worker, or working on own account: EM, # of farm schedule 131
MARY E GREGORY: wife, female, Mulatto, b. 1893, 27yrs, married, could read/write/speak English, born in MS, father born in US, mother born in MS, occupation: laborer, industry: home farm, employer, salary or wage worker, or working on own account: W
LUCILE GREGORY: daughter, female, Mulatto, b. 1910, 10yrs, single, attended school anytime since Sept 1, 1919: yes, could read/write/speak English, born in MS, both parents born in MS
WILLIE BOB GREGORY: son, male, Mulatto, b. 1912, 8yrs, single, attended school, couldn't write but could read/speak English, born in MS, both parents born in MS
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| Left: 1955 St. Louis, Missouri city directory. Right: 1960 St. Louis, Missouri city directory |
Chickasaw County, Beat 2 part of
Enumeration District No 9-5, Supervisor's District No 5, Sheet No 11B
Enumerated on 26 Apr 1930
Coleville & Okolona Road
Lines 74-78
Image 141 of 1121 on Archive.org (Internet Archive)
FamilySearch.org http://bit.ly/164vSXB
Archive.org http://bit.ly/1bvfSkR
Notes: Surname of Legueral COOPERWOOD (husband of Lucille GREGORY) has been changed from MONTGOMERY to COOPERWOOD on the family tree. There may have been an error on the 1930 census where the enumerator incorrectly listed his surname as MONTGOMERY. Hopefully this new update will help me find Legueral, his wife, Lucille GREGORY and her brother, Willie Bob GREGORY Sr on the 1940 census. Update: Lucille was found on a Florida 1940 census with the surname of Taylor after having remarried.
LEAREL MONTGOMERY: Learel Montgomery: # dwelling house visited 231, # of family visited 231, head of household, home owned or rented: R, does this family live on a farm: yes, male, Negro, b. 1910, 20yrs, married, attended school anytime since Sept 1, 1919: no, can read/write/speak English, born in MS, both parents born in MS, occupation: farmer, industry: general farm, class of worker: O, whether actually at work: yes, # of farm schedule: 226
LUCILLE MONTGOMERY: wife [letter H indicates she gave info for household], female, Negro, b. 1912, 18yrs, married, attended school anytime since Sept 1, 1919: no, can read/write/speak English, born in MS, both parents born in MS, occupation: none
MARY L MONTGOMERY: daughter, female, Negro, b. 1926, 4yrs, single, attended school anytime since Sept 1, 1919: no, born in MS, both parents born in MS, occupation: none
MABLE MONTGOMERY: daughter, female, Negro, b. 2 3/12 [2yrs, 3mths],attended school anytime since Sept 1, 1919: no, born in MS, both parents born in MS, occupation: none
WILLIE B GREGORY: bro-in-law, male, Negro, b. 1908, 22yrs, widowed, age at first marriage: 19, attended school anytime since Sept 1, 1919: no, can read/write/speak English, born in MS, both parents born in MS, occupation: laborer, industry: general farm, class of worker: O, whether actually at work: yes, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces: no
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| Top left: Burial permit notification. Top right: Headstone in Calvary Cemetery. Bottom: Burial index, Archdiocese of St. Louis |
Jefferson County, Texas Clerk's Office
Online Public Records
Page 35, #859
http://bit.ly/W3bA7N
Certificate Number: 42589
Groom: GREGORY,WILLIE
Bride: BROUSSARD,MARY
Groom Father's Name:
Groom Mother's Name:
Bride Father's Name:
Bride Mother's Name:
Maiden Surname:
Date of Application: 12/26/1945
Date of Marriage: 12/27/1945
Book:
Page:
Remarks:
Image:
1955 St. Louis, Missouri City Directory
http://bit.ly/1isJb9r
Name: Willie B Gregory
Spouse: Mary L
Occupation: meat stamper
Employer: Independent Pkg Co
Residence: h4293a St. Louis Av
Page: 507
1960 St. Louis, Missouri City Directory
http://bit.ly/MbGbCT
Name: Willie B Gregory
Spouse: Mary L
Occupation: Meat stamper, Independent Packing Co
Residence Year: 1960
Street Address: 4877 Lee Av
Residence Place: St. Louis, Missouri
Publication Title: St. Louis, Missouri, City Directory, 1960
Page: 483
1970 Death Certificate
State of Missouri State file no: 70-0008657
Name: Willie Bob Gregory
Date of death: 15 Feb 1970
Place of death: St. Louis, Missouri (city)
Name of father: Willie P Gregory
Name of mother: Mae Ella Stewart
Informant: Mary Gregory
Burial
1970 Burial Permit Notification
St. Louis County Library
Special Collections Department
http://bit.ly/1bNbbU0
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
26 Feb 1970
PG 22D, Col F
Willie Bob Gregory, 56, 4877 Lee
Burial Index of Archdiocese of St. Louis, 1700-2010
http://bit.ly/1bb1FWZ
Inter #: 236869
Cemetery: CALVARY
Name: Willie B GREGORY
M/F: M
Burial date: 21 Feb 1970
Age: 56
Section: 017A
Row:
Lot: 0495
Find A Grave Memorial
http://bit.ly/1nsbA2D
Name: Willie Bob Gregory, Sr
Birth: Apr. 15, 1913
Houlka
Chickasaw County
Mississippi, USA
Death: Feb. 15, 1970
Saint Louis
St. Louis City
Missouri, USA
Bio: http://wp.me/p2v72Z-3j
Family links:
Parents: Willie P Gregory (1887 - 1973) Mary Ella Stewart Gregory (1891 - 1925)
Spouse: Mary Louise Broussard Gregory (1924 - 2001)
Children: Curtis Allen Gregory (1946 - 1994)
Inscription: Willie Bob
1911-1970
Mother of perpetual help pray for us
Gregory
Note: Headstone gives year of birth as 1911, Social Security Index gives year of birth as 1913
Burial: Calvary Cemetery and Mausoleum
Saint Louis
St. Louis City Missouri, USA
Plot: Section 017A, Lot 495
Created by: Tara R. Gregory
Record added: Oct 15, 2012
Find A Grave Memorial# 98921830
United States Social Security Death Index
http://bit.ly/12adldi
Given Name: Willie
Middle Name:
Surname: Gregory
Name Suffix:
Birth Date: 15 April 1913
Social Security Number: XXX-XX-XXXX
State: Mississippi
Last Place of Residence:
Previous Residence Postal Code:
Event Date: February 1970
Age: 57
Obituary/Funeral Program
Search for an obituary was conducted by the State Historical Society of Missouri in the following newspapers: St. Louis Post Dispatch, St. Louis Globe Democrat and the St. Louis American but none was found.
Photo Credit: TCA e-Train, History Markers Of Mississippi, Newspaper Archive, Ancestry.com, Family Search, Internet Archive, Find A Grave, Archdiocese Of St. Louis, St. Louis County Library, Jefferson County Texas Clerk's Office
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