Whipple Allison - A Rolling Stone

Whipple Allison, born in 1903 in Young County, Texas to parents George Washington Whipple and Ila Lovie Jones, spent his early years in Young County. By 1920, at the age of 16, Whipple was living at home in Electra, Wichita County, Texas, and working as a farmer. Although there are no military service records available for Whipple Allison, later newspaper articles suggest he served in the U.S. Navy.

In 1926, Whipple Allison made his way to Brooklyn, New York, where he married Theresa Martin on July 22, 1926. Their first child, John Cornelius Allison, was born on December 23, 1927. Trouble surfaced for the Allison family by March 1928 when a Fort Worth Star-Telegram article reported, "Return of Whipple Allison of Electra, to New York, to answer charges of wife and child abandonment."

In December 1928, their daughter, Rosemary Allison, was born. New York authorities traveled to Texas to extradite Whipple back to New York. In May 1929, Theresa Martin Allison appealed to the Good Will court in Brooklyn, New York, citing her struggles to support two young children on $3 a week. She claimed that her husband had obtained a Texas divorce without her knowledge, asserting that Whipple Allison had been in the United States Navy at the time of their marriage. In March 1928, Whipple Allison disappeared, and Theresa never remarried, raising their two children on her own.

Upon returning to the South in July 1929, Whipple Allison married Winnie Mae Hyden in Frederick, Oklahoma. Legal troubles continued to shadow Allison as he was arrested in November 1929 for assaulting a 15-year-old boy. He claimed provocation as the reason for his actions and was fined $5 and court costs.

By April 1930, Whipple Allison had embarked on a new family with Ruby Blankenship. The 1930 U.S. Census listed them as husband and wife in Young County, Texas, and their son, Eddie Dale Allison, was born on August 17, 1931.

In 1934, Allison had a turbulent year. He remarried Winnie Mae Hyden in February but remained in the news due to an incident in March where he was arrested for setting fire to Ruby Blankenship's father's garage and chicken house in Electra, Texas. He was indicted for arson in April 1934 and subsequently sentenced to two years in the Texas penitentiary. In December 1934, he received a conditional pardon from Texas Governor Miriam "Ma" Ferguson.

The 1940 U.S. Census records Whipple Allison as an inmate in the Hopkins County, Texas jail. After 1940, little is known about his personal life. There is a record of his 1944 marriage to Anna Coleman in Dallas, Texas, and a divorce from Winnie Mae Allison in 1951.

Whipple Allison reappeared in newspaper archives in Alexandria, Louisiana in March 1960. He was found sleeping between railroad tracks to keep warm and was sentenced to 30 days in the Rapides Parish County Jail.

Whipple Allison passed away in 1970. His obituary listed his surviving son, Eddie Allison, and several brothers and sisters. However, it did not mention the two children from New York. Whipple Allison was laid to rest in Oakland Cemetery in Dallas, Texas.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Favorite Photo

 

Favorite Photo

I’m having a hard time choosing just one favorite photo for this prompt, but if I had to pick, it would be the portrait of Colonel Gaines C. Smith, my 3rd great-grandfather. There’s something about his image that connects me to my family’s history in a way that no other photo does.

Colonel Gaines Chisholm Smith (1822–1910)

Early Life

Gaines Chisholm Smith was born on February 22, 1822, in Tennessee to Phelps Smith and Elizabeth (maiden name unknown). In 1845, he married Matilda Jane Davis in Limestone County, Alabama. Together, they had ten children. Following Matilda’s death, Gaines remarried twice—first to Eliza Louisa Wickham in 1868 (five children) and then to Elizabeth Johnson in 1884 (four children).

Military Service

Smith served with distinction in multiple conflicts:

• Mexican-American War: Records and pension applications confirm his service, with newspaper accounts later recognizing him as a “veteran of long and honorable service.”

• American Civil War: Enlisting as 1st Lieutenant in the Limestone Grays, Company H, 9th Alabama Infantry in June 1861, he rose to Captain and later Lieutenant Colonel. During the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, he was severely wounded and captured, subsequently held at Fort Delaware as a prisoner of war. Personal letters from contemporaries, including William Cowan McClellan, describe Smith’s leadership and dedication, highlighting his courage and commitment to his men.

• Spanish-American War: Later accounts note his continued service, marking him as a lifelong military man.

Later Life

After the Civil War, Smith settled in Athens, Alabama, becoming a respected community member. An 1894 newspaper article titled “An Old Veteran” celebrated his contributions and recounted his Civil War experiences. Family members shared memories of his resilience and leadership, portraying him as both a devoted father and a civic-minded citizen.

Legacy

Smith passed away on April 28, 1910, at age 88. His descendants continued his legacy of service and achievement. Notably, his grandson Matthew Glenn Smith became one of the first Rhodes Scholars, earning a Doctorate of Jurisprudence at Oxford before serving as a federal judge in Dallas, Texas.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - In the beginning

 In the Beginning…

My interest in genealogy began with my Grandad, Wayne Smith. In my early twenties, I spent many hours at his house while he cared for my Grandmom, who was in the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease. During that time, the three of us would take little family history adventures—trips to local cemeteries, rides down winding country roads to see old birthplaces and homeplaces, and visits to the library to dig through newspaper archives.

One of my favorite outings was to Four Mile Cemetery in Van Zandt County, Texas, a resting place filled with Norwegian immigrants and their families. For us, it was more than just a cemetery—it was a place of discovery. That day also gave me one of my most treasured keepsakes: a photograph my Grandad snapped of me with my Grandmom as we were leaving the cemetery.

Another memorable trip was to the Athens, Alabama Cemetery Stroll, where an actor portrayed my ancestor, Colonel Gaines C. Smith, at his gravesite. Hearing his story brought history to life, and connecting with a cousin who showed us the Colonel’s homeplace made the experience even more meaningful.

It was also my Grandad who introduced me to Find a Grave. He spent countless hours uploading photos and memorials, adding obituaries, and linking families together—helping relatives and even strangers make connections across generations. Today, I carry on that tradition by continuing to share photos, biographies, and family links, grateful for the foundation he laid and the passion for family history he passed down to me.