The Wileys of Cass County
JACKSON WARREN AND SARAH ELIZABETH WILEY
Jackson Warren Wiley and Sarah Elizabeth Ferguson were married 12 June 1876. He was born 12 Jan. 1852 in Warren Co. Ky, the son of Hartford S. a Mary Puckett Wiley. Sarah was born 14 Feb. 1857 in Butler Co. Ky, the daughter of Melvin C. and Nancie Puckett Ferguson. They lived in Warren County, Ky. until Feb. 1895 when they came to Cass Co., traveling via train to Atlanta and jitney to Linden. Jack had traded for a two-story house on the lot South of town where the old rock American Legion Hall was later built, now used as a Church. In August of that year, he bought a farm six miles North of Linden in the Hickory Grove Community where they lived in a log cabin until completing a two-story colonial home on a hill West of Bethlehem. They were the parents of eleven children, the first eight born in Warren County, Kentucky and the last three born in Cass County, Texas. They were: Arthur T., born 22 Apr. 1878, married 20 Jan. 1925 to Larue Jeter Pyle, died 17 Oct. 1952; Claudie S., born 3 Oct. 1879, died 25 May 1901, buried Bethlehem Cemetery; Clarence J., born 16 Sept. 1882, Married 28 Feb. 1906 to Sarah Childress, died 15 June 1966; Henry Cleveland, born 18 Sept. 1884, married 28 Feb. 1906 to Maggie Casey, died 23 Feb. 1958; Beulah May, born 16 Jan. 1886, married 26 Mar. 1912 to James Clayburn Surratt, died 17 June 1963; Charles Edward, born 16 Aug. 1887, married 4 Feb. 1912 to Lora Hamilton, died 8 Jan. 1967; Gettie Warren, born 19 Apr. 1889, married 1 Aug. 1914 to Winnie lone Carter, died 29 Dec. 1952; Jessie Vera, born 18 Mar. 1891, married 20 Oct. 1909 to James Rufus Allday, died 15 Sept. 1962; Goldie Erl, born 24 May 1895, married 10 Mar. 1912 to Daniel H. Blackwell, died 6 June 1976; Anna Lea, born 6 April 1897, married 14 Dec. 1919 to James Hampton McCasland, lives in Atlanta, Texas: Shirley Ennis, born 7 Aug. 1900, died 21 Sept. 1903, buried Bethlehem.
Sarah (“Sallie”) died 13 July 1930 at their home one-mile North of Linden. J. W. (“Jack”) died 18 June 1942 in the home of his oldest son, Arthur, in the Laws Chapel Community. Both are buried in the Linden Cemetery, Linden,
Texas.
CHARLES EDWARD AND LORA ANNE WILEY Charles Edward Wiley, son of Jackson Warren 5 Sarah Elizabeth Ferguson Wiley, was born 16 Aug. 1887 in Warren County, Ky. In Feb. 1895, at the age of 6, he moved with his parents to Linden. On 4 Feb. 1912 he married Lora Anne Hamilton, born 24 Mar. 1895, Cass County, Texas, daughter of Samuel Preston and Mary Ellen Simmons Hamilton. Their children were: Swan Christine, born 17 May 1913, married 26 July 1930 Raymond Houston Temple in Hugo, Okla.; Jack Preston, born 8 Nov. 1915, married 9 May 1942 Lelia Joyce McCombs; Charline Ijuana, born 1 Oct. 1917, married 29 Sept. 1937 Joseph Alonzo Morris; Charles Edward, Jr., born 22 Feb. 1921, never married; Mary Elizabeth, born 30 July 1925, married 11 Nov. 1945 Clovis C. Hurt; Emmett Hamilton born 6 April 1927, married 9 July 1955 June Audrey Swartz; Gene Alvin, born 11 Dec. 1931, unmarried.
Charley and Lora lived in the Center Grove Community for about 4 years after their marriage where he bought land and farmed before deciding to move to town and become a mechanic. They moved to Linden where their third child was born. He owned and operated a garage located on the lot where the Linden Fire Station is now (1982). In the fall of 1920, they moved to Douglassville where he continued in the garage business, adding a filling station, blacksmith shop and ice house. Later he moved his garage back to Linden and in Dec. 1935 the family moved to their farm one mile North of Linden. They later built a home in town, where they lived until their deaths. After retiring from the garage business, Charley built and operated a swimming pool on his farm and was loved by all the youth of the community, many of whom he taught to swim.
Lora played the organ and piano in her Church at Center Grove and Douglassville. When they moved back to Linden she was a faithful member of the Linden Baptist Church Choir and the Linden Garden Club.
Mr. § Mrs. Wiley insisted that their children be good students and patriotic citizens. All four of their sons served their country in active military duty. Charley was a generous and permissive father, always providing well for his large family. Lora was a wonderful helpmate who put to good use her many talents. She was a beautiful seamstress and made most of her children’s clothes.
On 4 Feb. 1962 they were honored by their children on their Golden Wedding Anniversary with a reception at their home on Kaufman Street in Linden, Texas.
Charley died 8 Jan. 1967 and Lora two years later on 26 June 1970. They are buried in the Center Grove Cemetery.