Obituary of Belle Sparks McKenney

mckenney_belle_obit

Belle Sparks McKenney obit

Belle Sparks McKenney was the daughter of James Sparks and Carrie Burch, and wife of George W. McKenney Jr.

Larry McCombs supplied Belle’s obituary:

Mrs. G. W. McKenney

Belle M. SPARKS, daughter of James and Carrie SPARKS, was born January 14, 1868, in Shelby County Illinois, and departed this life, December 28, 1935, at the home of her son, J. A. MCKENNEY in Sedan at the age of 67 years, 11 months and 14 days.

She, with her parents, came to Kansas in 1873, where they settled on a claim on Limestone Prairie, where she lived until June 3, 1883, when she was united in marriage to George W. McKENNEY at Elgin, Kansas.

To this union, four children were born: James Albert, of Sedan; Mabel Clair TRIPP of Sidler, Okla; and two daughters, Cleo May, who died in childhood; and Carrie Isabel HAMPTON who preceded her mother in death a few years ago.

She, together with her husband, united with the Methodist Episcopal church in Kay County, Oklahoma in 1897. She later transferred her membership to the Methodist Episcopal church of Sedan, where she was a member.

She was a member of both the Rebeckah and Eastern Star Lodges.

Besides her companion and children, she leaves to mourn her death, two sisters, Mrs. Mary TRIPP and Mrs. Martha THOMAS, both of Pawhuska, Oklahoma; eight grand-children and two great-grandchildren, and a host of other relatives and friends.

She was a loving wife and mother and a friend to all who knew her.

Funeral services were conducted at the United Brethren church at Chautauqua, Kansas, at 3:00 o’clock p.m., Sunday, December 29, 1935, with Rev. Howard C. BENTON officiating, assisted by Rev. WILSON.

A mixed quartet composed of Misses Dorothy TULLOSS, Inez BUTTERFIELD, B. J. FUNK and T. E. HESS, rendered the following numbers: “Asleep in Jesus,” “In the Garden” and “The City Foursquare.” They were accompanied at the piano by Mrs. J. O. TULLOSS.

A short memorial service was conducted by the Easter Star Lodge at the church.

The pall-bearers were: Arthur BRUNGER, G. K. CROCKETT, C. M. HUNT, J. M. GWALTNEY, Wm. BRUNER and A. B. COOVER.

Those from out-of-town attending the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. F. B. TRIPP and daughter, Georgia, of Shidler; Mrs. Mary TRIPP, Mrs. Martha THOMAS, and Mrs. Nannie WHITEHORN of Pawhuska; Mrs. Adda MCWHIRT and Mr. Harry MCWHIRT of Hominy; Mrs. Hattie MOORE of Oklahoma City; Mr. and Mrs. Ralph SPRAY of Catoosa, L. C. MCKENNEY of Ponca City; Thelma MCKENNEY of Wichita; Mr. and Mrs. Paul BLAKE of Shidler; Mr. B. COOK of Kaw City; and Mr. CAMPBELL of Ponca City.

Interment was in the Chautauqua cemetery with Baird Funeral Home in charge.

It may be incorrect but Mabel Claire’s obituary gives the family as having moved to Pawhuska OK when she was young, which would have been in Osage Indian Territory. But Belle’s obituary places them in Kay County, next to the Osage Indian Territory, in 1897, the year Carrie Isabel was born.

McKenney Bible Images

Thanks to my cousins for sending photocopies of these pages to me.

Lloyd McKenney’s bible was used for recording some family history. I didn’t see it until about 2003. The genealogy I received as a child wasn’t in the bible, it was instead on loose paper, but in the case of the Hackney and McKenney families it was much as in the bible. The Crockett’s went back more generations.

We have a page recording the bible was a gift from a Rev. Paul Barth of the First Luther Church of Ponca City, Oklahoma in 1944.

All the below images link to larger images.

The below page records a brief history of Samuel and Sadie Elizabeth Hackney Crockett, written by Sadie on Sep 29, 1931, transcribed by Lloyd into the bible.

The below page is Lloyd’s recording of the McKenney line from George W. McKenney and Isabel. A good bit of info was missing on the family at that time.

The below page concerns again the Hackneys and also the Crocketts.

Lloyd notes a trip made to Tennessee to try to verify the Crockett genealogy.

Lloyd writes of the gift of the bible to him and that his sister, Thelma, had it rebound for him.

Lloyd’s notes on bible verses.

Jesse C. Hampton and Carrie Isabel McKenney

If you’re a descendant, before reading any further why don’t you contact me? Press the contact link right up there in the navigation bar above.

Daughter of George Washington McKenney Jr. and Belle M. Sparks, Carrie Isabel was born Nov. 1897 in Kay County, OK, died 1931 March 7 in Shidler, Osage County, Oklahoma and was buried at the Oak Hill Cemetery at Belleville, Chautauqua County, Kansas.

1916 Nov 30 at Elgin, Chautauqua Kansas, Carrie married Jessie C. HAMPTON, son of Lewis R. Hampton and Nancy Hudgens. He was born 24 August 1885 at Marion, Illinois and died 8 March 1965 at Imperial, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. He was buried at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Belleville, Chautauqua County, Kansas. His name and birth and death dates were in the family record. SSDI gives last residence as Imperial, Pennsylvania.

Jessie is seen int the 1900 census:

Year: 1900; Census Place: Southern, Williamson, Illinois; Roll: T623 354; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 123.
81/81 HAMPTON Louis head June 1843 58 b. TN parents b. TN
Nancy wife Oct 1841 59 b. TN father b. NC mother b. TN
Gertie daughter June 1872 b. IL parents b. TN
Johnie son Feb 1883 17 b. IL parents b. TN
Jessie son Aug 1885 14 b. IL parents b. TN

Then again, Jesse is in the 1910 census:

1910 AR Clay Co Oak Bluff
Series: T624 Roll: 46 Part: 1 Page: 157B Year: 1910
HAMPTON Jesse boarder 22 b. IL parents b. TN bookkeeper for stock company

Series: T624 Roll: 46 Part: 1 Page: 183A Year: 1910
114/114 HAMPTON Lew R. 67 married twice 2 years b. TN parents b. TN
Maggie wife 45 married twice 2 years 1 child 1 surviving b. TN parents b. TN
Micke Mitchell hired hand 23 b. TN parents b. TN
Jessie son 24 b. IL parents b. TN

After their marriage, the family is seen in the 1920 Chautauqua Co. Belleville census at household 70/79. Jesse C. gave himself as born in IL and his parents in TN. He was a retail salesman. In that census they had two daughters: Marie M. 1 year of age, b. KS, and Doris who was 3 months old.

1920 CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY BELLEVILLE TOWNSHIP CENSUS
NAME OF UNINCORPORATED PLACE: CHAUTAUQUA CITY
14 January 1920 by Carl H. McDonald
Pg. 9B
Kiles Street
66/75 MCKENNEY George W. Head OF mw 56 md. b. IA father b. OH mother b. PA house carpenter own business
C. Belle Wife fw 50 md b. IL father b. IN mother b. IN
SPARKS James E. Father-in-law mw 87 wd b. IN father b. KY mother b. KY
70/79 HAMPTON Jesse C. Own, Free mw 34 md b. Illinois and parents in Tennessee Retail salesman, general merchandise, wages
Carrie I. fw 22 md b. Oklahoma. Father-Iowa and mother-Illinois
Marie M. fw 1 6/12 b. Kansas father b. IL mother b. OK
Doris R. (daughter) fw 3/12 b. Kansas father b. IL mother b. OK

A John R. HAMPTON (also born in IL, as was Jesse), married an Opal MCKENZIE, daughter of Joseph MCKENZIE and Florence PERSHALL. As Jesse had a brother, Johnnie, I’m considering it a good possibility that this was the Hampton who married Opal. Florence was the sister of John Wesley PERSHALL m. Lucretia Jennie Kirkpatrick, whose mother Zilpha STRICKLIN was the sister of Millie Ann STRICKLIN who married James Kelly CROCKETT who was the grandfather of Vera who married James Albert MCKENNEY, son of Belle and George, in 1904.

Children of Carrie Isabel and Jesse were:

  • Marie Maxine b. 14 June 1918 Chautauqua Co. KS
  • Doris L. b. 18 Sept. 1919 Chautauqua Co. KS
  • Jess (Mac) b. 17 Nov. 1920 Chautauqua Co. KS d. abt. 1970.
  • George b. 14 Nov. 1923 Chautauqua Co. KS.
  • Helen Lois b. 20 April 1928 in Chautauqua CO., Kansas, d. 25 Sept. 1933 in Ponca City, Osage, Oklahoma and is buried at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Belleville, Chautauqua, Kanas. Mabel Clair descendants, who have provided birthdates, note that after the death of Carrie, Frank and Mabel Clair adopted Helen, but it’s not known if it was a legal adoption or not. She is buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery listed as Helen L. HAMPTON.

Before going more into the descendants of Carrie Isabel, here is her obituary:

MRS. JESSE HAMPTON CLAIMED BY DEATH

Carrie McKenney, daughter of G. W. and Bell McKenney, was born November 9, 1897 in Kay County, Oklahoma, near Ponca City. Her father moved his family to Chautauqua, Kansas, during her early childhood and she has resided in or near Chautauqua, most of her life. She graduated from high school in Independence, Kansas, in 1916 and in November of the same year was married to Jesse Hampton of Illinois. To this union five children were born, three girls and two boys. Mrs. Hampton was converted at an early age and united with the M. E. church and was always ready and willing to assist in the work of the church. For more than a year, just past, she had been a great sufferer and through it all has shown great patience and cheerfulness until it seemed that the Savior said, “It is enough, come up higher,” and at 3 o’clock on March 7, 1931, her spirit returned to God who gave it.

Her father and mother of Chautauqua, brother Albert McKenney of Sedan and sister Mrs. Mabel Tripp of Shidler, Okla., her husband and children of the home at Chautauqua and a large number of other relatives survive.

Funeral services were held at the U.B. church at Chautauqua Monday, March 9, conducted by Rev. J. B. Brown of Peru, who had performed the marriage service of Mr. and Mrs. Hampton nearly fifteen years ago while pastor of the M. E. church at Elgin, Kans.

Many relatives and friends of Oklahoma added their comforting presence to the large number of friends at Mrs. Hampton’s home town, Sedan and surrounding country who attended the funeral.

A lady friend, Mrs. Robinson from Shidler, sang a beautiful solo, two of the Chautauqua teachers Miss Dow and Miss Epperson sang “The City Four Square”, and a male quartet, composed of Messrs. Tom Burger, Mel Roberts, Earl and Raymond Delong sang “Sweet Hour of Prayer”, which was specially chosen by Mrs. Hampton and her children. “Asleep in Jesus” was also rendered by the full group of singers. The floral offerings were profuse and beautiful. Burial was in Chautauqua cemetery. Pall bearers were: Ed Anderson, H. R. Delong, Ernest Carr, Ed Findley, Bruce Findley and R. C. Gauer. Flower girls: Mary Delong, Elouise Schwab, Wiladine Smith, Nelcine Gibbons, Opal Mays and Norma Lee Loy.

Rebekah lodge members conducted the funeral service of the order at the grave.

The following was also published:

Sedan Times Star

CARD OF THANKS

We all want to offer our sincere thanks to all, who in any way extended help and comfort to our departed loved one, and to the bereaved friends and for the wonderful floral offerings.– Jesse Hampton and family, G. W. McKenney and wife, F. B. Tripp, wife and daughter, J. A. McKenney and family

Now, for descendants. Marie Maxine Hampton married Ralph Harland Spray, the son of Fred Manfred Spray and Claudia L. McClure who I see in the 1920 and 1930 censuses in Armstrong, Nowata, Oklahoma. He was born 1912 July 3 in Oklahoma and died 1973 July in Imperial, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. I believe they had at least two children. Other family names may be Haney and Hopkins.

Doris L. Hampton died 1998 May 7 at the Hays Medical Center in Norton Kansas. The following is her obituary:

OBIT for Doris GRAY, died at Norton County KS.

Doris L. Gray, 78, 2800 Augusta, died Thursday, May 7, 1998, at the Hays Medical Center.

She was born Sept. 1, 1919, in Chautauqua to Jesse and Carrie (McKinney) Hampton. She was a mental health technician and counselor at the Norton State Hospital until her retirement in 1982. She was active in Alcoholics Anonymous and was a Senior Companion in Hays.

Survivors include (and as these are survivors I’ll remove that information here but two were Delong sons and one was a Montgomery son in Arizona. She was listed as having 13 grandchildren and and three great-grandchildren. That’s a lot of descendants! When will any happen upon this page? Hello!)

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 20th and Pine, with the Rev. William C. Miller officiating; burial in the Mount Allen Cemetery, Hays.

Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday and from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to the Senior Companion Program, Hospice of Hays Medical Center or Alcoholics Anonymous.

So, it seems Doris was married to a Delong, a Montgomery and a Gray. I don’t know their names or the dates of marriage.

Jesse “Mac” Hampton who was born 1920, died 1970 in February. The family record gave him as marrying a “Rae”. That’s all the info I have on him! Contact me!

George B. Hampton b. 1923 Nov 14 in Chautauqua, died 1991 Nov 29 in Los Angeles, California. I show him as living in Venice, Los Angeles, California in 1965. Did he marry? Who did he marry? Did he have any descendants? Contact me!

Update on George Berl Hampton above. I received the following information on him, and appreciate it being sent along:

“George Berl Hampton, son of Jessie Hampton and Carrie McKinney, was born 14 Nov 1922 in Chautauqua County, Kansas and died 28 Nov 1981 in Los Angeles County, California. He was buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery, Los Angeles. On 4 Jun 1951, in Los Angeles, California, George married Vera Mae Bradford, 1908-1966, daughter of Porter Theodric Bradford and Savannah Ann Holland. Vera had one daughter by a previous marriage. To my knowledge, George had no children. I remember him as being a rather large man with red hair who loved to sing and entertain. He and Vera owned a screen door and cabinet shop in Venice, California.”