A Wilson Family Tree

Notes for Jesse Franklin Gathright



Gaylon Gathright had his name as Jessie Franklin Gathright. Also spelled Jessie in the 1920 census and his death certificate.

There seems to be some question about whether he was born in 1863 or 1864. 1863 agrees better with the ages in the censuses, and his death certificate says 1863. Note that September 1863 was just a few months after his namesake uncle died in the Civil War. Also, a number of sources give his death date as 30 May 1944, but the death certificate says 30 Apr 1944.


Excerpt from "Conversations with Ila Haralson, Late 2014 to Mid 2015" by Betty Haralson:

My grandparents lived at Tulia. They farmed at Tulia til Grandpa got to where he couldn’t work at that at all. So they moved to Amarillo then where the grown kids could get jobs. And Grandpa was ailin’ and couldn’t get no job. So Uncle Ollie and George and Evelyn and Lois all got jobs to help support their parents. Finally they moved to Amarillo. [In another place, Ila said that "my grandpa had stomach trouble for years and years and years before he died".]


The name on his death certificate is Jessie Franklin Gathright. Cause of death was cerebral hemorrhage. He died at Amarillo Osteopathic Hospital. Parents are listed as Miles Gathright and Mary Newsom.


From Craig Gathright (Dallas Gathright family tree):

Jesse Franklin Gathright is sometimes listed as Franklin J. Gathright. His place of birth was most likely Union County, Arkansas. This can’t be established beyond a doubt because Jesse claimed both Louisiana and Arkansas as his birthplace depending on the record; some census records (1900, 1910) list Louisiana as his birthplace while other census records (1870, 1920, 1930) list Arkansas as hi birthplace. This has caused more than a few problems in ascertaining the location of earlier records for Jesse and readers are encouraged to contact Craig Gathright if they have additional information regarding this quandary.

Jesse Franklin was probably named after his uncle Jesse Franklin (b. 5 Feb 1831/GA d. 4 Jul 1863/Vicksburg, MS) who died at the Battle of Vicksburg one year before he was born.

Jesse lived in Strong, Union County, Arkansas from the time of his birth in 1863 until at least 1869.

Sometime around 1870 his father, James Maddison Gathright, moved the family to Union Parish, Louisiana. This is known because Ellen Valentine Gathright, Jesse’s sister, was born in Louisiana on August 11, 1870.

Jesse’s mother, Mary Ann Newsome, was living in Hope, Hempstead County, Arkansas in 1874 when Loemy Perry Gathright was born. It is not known why she was in this location or if the rest of the family was with her. By 1875, when Ida Malissa Gathright was born, Mary was back in Union Parish, Louisiana.

Jesse married Cordia "Cordie" Jane Shadrick in Bonham, Fannin County, Texas on October 14, 1891. It is likely that the young couple was residing in Oklahoma at the time and crossed the Red River to secure a marriage license, which was a common practice in those days.

Jesse and Cordia Gathright moved around a bit, but they must have decided that Texas was to their liking since they stayed in the state for a while before returning to Oklahoma. They were living in Collin County, Texas in 1892 when their first son, David Elmer Gathright, was born.

In 1895 the Gathright family was residing in Durant, Indian Territory when their second son, James Oliver Gathright, was born.

Jesse and Cordia returned to Texas a few years later. Their first daughter was born in Denton County, Texas on August 3, 1898. The Gathrights stayed in Denton until at least 1903.

The Gathright family was living in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas when Cordie dies in 1933.

Eleven years later Jesse Franklin died in Amarillo. Both Jesse and Cordia Gathright are buried in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas.


Note: Some of the information in these pages is uncertain. Please let me know of errors or omissions using the email link above.    ...Mike Wilson

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