December 7 - Cousin Mae and Uncle Robert

Mae Pettey Durrett

I couldn’t find a lot of information on Mae Pettey Durrett. I thought it was a case of another shadowy female hiding in the corners. But the truth finally dawned on me. Her life was cut short.

Mae was born 7 Dec 1883 or 84 in Texas, possibly in Nacogdoches to Samuel Albert and Margaret Alice Pettey, and the granddaughter of William Howard and Sarah Power Pettey (my second great grandparents). Mae was my first cousin twice removed.

 She was on the 1900 census for Nacogdoches with her parents and was listed as 15 years old. She also appears on the 1910 census still living with her parents but her last name is now Durrett and there is a three-year-old daughter named Willie Mae Durrett. So where is the father and Mae’s husband? In 1920 Mae is gone, but the daughter is still living with her grandparents. Even more mysterious.

Finally I realized that W A Durrett and Mae were married in 1905. (Have yet to find out what the W A stands for.) Willie Mae was born the next year in 1906. W A, the husband and father died in 1907 at age 32. I haven’t found a death certificate or anything to give a clue as to why he died so young.

Mae died suddenly in 1913 at age of 29. I found an obituary but it is almost unreadable.

DEATH OF MRS. [DARRET]T [SIC]

Mrs. Mae Darrett., who has for the past several months lived at the home of Mrs. ............North Fredonia street died Monday morning at the home of her parents Mr. and Mrs. Albert Pettey near Mahl. Funeral services will be held at North church Tuesday morning.
Mrs. Darrett was....... sick about two weeks although it was thought not serious and her death was quite unexpected. She leaves a little daughter…. seven years of age, a father and mother and other relatives ….  to mourn her loss.

 [Italics are mine]

Source: The Redland Herald, Nacogdoches, Texas, Thursday, May 22, 1913; Pg. 1, Column 2

Both are buried in the Old North Church in Nacogdoches, Texas.
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Robert Thomas Willis

Robert was my second, great-great uncle. He was the son of my third great grandparents, William Franklin and Ann Jane Willis. And brother to Martha J Willis, mother of Eliza Jane Welch.

He was born in Lawrence County, Alabama on December 7, 1851.  I’ve written about the Willis family and their travels so I’ll just give a brief outline here.

In 1860 the family was in the McMillan Community of Panola County, Texas. Brother Wesley was married and living next door. By 1870 the two families had moved to Marlin, Falls County, Texas and were farming. Robert was 19.

In 28 Feb 1878 at age 26 Robert married Elizabeth Rachel Stephenson in De Soto Parish, La. one of three sisters who married a Willis relative. In 1880 they had moved to Cherokee county where they lived with one son and one “hireling” to help with the farming.

We have to skip 1890 since the census was destroyed by fire, but in 1900 the family was in Smith County, Texas with five children. Robert is 49 and still farming. We also learn on this census that he could read and write.

In 1910 the family is in Wise County with two remaining children and still farming. Now we learn that he owned the home and held a mortgage. In 1920 they are still in Wise County with one daughter still living at home. Robert is now 68, still farming

In 1930 all the children are gone and it is just Robert and Elizabeth. Robert is 78, still farming and they do not own a radio set. He was not a veteran.

Robert died in 1932 He was buried at CottonwoodCemetery  in Wise County.