by: Robert Stokes
Robert Stokes was born in Pascagoula, Jackson, Mississippi, United States on 1/7/1931. He was the youngest of the three children of Ollie and Howell Stokes.
Marice Virginia was born in 1918, Merle Lea in 1926, and Robert Cecil in 1931.
Howell Lee Stokes was born on August 30, 1896, in Sun, Scott County, Mississippi, up in the middle of the state. "Sun" is a funny name for a town or community.
Howell Lee Stokes and Ollie Virginia Self were married on 9/26/1916 in Shreveport, Louisiana.
I have some thoughts about this event that I will record as one of my 52 Project memories.
Ollie Virginia Self was born in Converse, Sabine, Louisiana, United States on October 19, 1894.
Howell Lee Stokes died on 6/21/1941 as the result of an automobile accident there in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Ollie Virginia Self died in Mesquite, Dallas, Texas, United States on October 22, 1977.
Edgar Holbert Stokes, Robert's grandfather, was born in Sun, Scott, Mississippi, United States on December 17, 1872.
Edgar Holbert Stokes died in Pascagoula, Jackson, Mississippi, United States on January 22, 1936, in his bed on the second floor of their house after bestowing a blessing on every male member of the family.
Robert's grandmother, Granny Stokes, was born Emily Eran Weems in Scott County, Mississippi, 16 July, 1875. She was always "Granny Stokes" and I had no reason to know her birth name and only when I realized as late as the 1980s that my cousin Emily was named after her did I realize that Granny Stokes was "Emily."
Dr. Robert Lansford Self was born in the Toro Community, Sabine Parish, Louisiana, 13 May 1859 and died in Hornbeck, Vernon Parish, Louisiana, 4 Oct 1914.
Lelia Aramintha Tatum Self, Robert's Grandmother, was born also in Sabine Parish, Louisiana. She lived with her daughter Ollie Virginia Stokes after Dr. Self passed away and died in Pascagoula, Jackson County, Mississippi, on 2 February 1932.
Willis Doris Stokes moved from Alabama to Mississippi between 1860 and 1871. He is listed in his father's household in the 1860 census as being in Alabama. He and Sally were married in Mississippi in 1871.
Sally Idom married Willis Doris Stokes in 1871. Both she and Willis had been born in Greene County, Alabama.
We have looked at Mother's and Daddy's parents, my Grandparents and Daddy's paternal Grandparents; now it is time to look at Granny Stokes's Grandparents.
William Jefferson Weems, born December 19, 1844, served as a private during the Civil War in the 37th Mississippi infantry and fought at the Battle of Atlanta, Shiloh, and others.
William Jefferson Weems is buried with his wife and other members of his family at High Hill Methodist Church Cemetery near Forest, Mississippi. His daughter Emily Eran Weems Stokes said she wanted to be buried there at High Hill, not in the "swamps of Pascagoula."
Lenia Harvey Weems passed away in 1919 while at home in Scott County, Mississippi. She was born in 1848 and lived her whole life in the county where she was born.
This photograph sent to me by Hughlene Lucas is my favorite photo of my great grandmother. She is shown here in about 1909 with my father and my grandaunt, "Aunt Ginny."