H. Crutcher Comer: Query

Q: Glenn Littrell, I was doing some research regarding why my brother is named Timmons Daniel Norton and I found your pages relating to my great grandfather, H. Crutcher Comer, who was the father of my grandmother (Moleskia) Beatrice Comer Norton. I would love to be able to see if there are more photos of my great grandparents, etc. Thank you for your time!

A: When my grandfather married Crutcher’s sister Kizzie the family story that was passed down was that the Comer family was none to happy about it. This story appears to have been subject to some exageration. I have no information of a connection between my grandfather and any Comer’s other than Kizzie and her brother LA (Lester). They migrated to the same part of Missuri and were neighbors when they died. I can’t prove or disprove an affection between the families and my great-grandfather Timmons, but I would point out that there was another Timmons in the area that might have had a greater infuence than my graeat-grandfather. That would be Timmons Sparkman, a Justice of the Peace. We know of this Timmons Sparkman because he performed the marriage between my great-grandparents Timmons Literal and Mary C. Urban. Quite a coincidence, but in truth we have no other Timmons in our Littrell family so there is some speculation that this Timmons Sparkman might be who our Timmons Literal is named after, and being a JoP in the community he might be just as likely be known to your mother when your brother was born.

What I have:

I have an Edna Norton (daughter of Ernest & Alice (Price) Norton) who married Millard Everett Johnson. Millard was the son of De Witt & Ettie (Comer) Johnson. is this connected to your Norton line? Ettie was Crutcher’s half-sister.

I have a school picture with Crutcher in it.

I have some pictures with my father (JD Littrell) and some unidentified Comer’s at Mt. Ranier and a beach in Washignton state.

The Comer family picture (w/2nd wife of Daniel (Ollie Ezell) when Crutcher was young..

And this family picture:

Standing L-R
Lester ~ Ettie ~ Crutcher ~ John ~ Virgie ~ Dellia ~ Ollie [Ezell] Comer
Setting L-R
Jessi ~ Albert ~ Bertha ~ Kizzie

For more information on The Comer Family check the The Comer Family page often.

WE need more information on the siblings of Crutcher(as well as on Crutcher)to make The Comer sections more complete.

The Tennessee to Missouri Migration:

Comer, James Littrell, John Littrell, Littrell, Belew, Thurman, Curtis, Shelton.

Migration from Lawrence County, TN to the bootheel of Missouri:

• 1929                  James Carrol & Donie (Ezell) Littrell John’s brother (& Donie is Kizzie’s cousin)
• 1929                  Edward J. Littrell a cousin of James and Grandpa John Littrell was also in the Bootheel, he and a son would die there and his wife, Laura E. Brown Littrell would return to Tennessee. UPDATE 1-10-2015: They moved in 1929,
• 1930               UPDATE 1-10-2015:  The parents of Laura Littrell (above), Francis M. Brown & Martha Ezell (Kizzie’s Cousin), would join Laura and Edward Littrell would bring their family in 1930. Both parents, a brother and a sister would also die in Missouri, prompting Laura to return to Tennessee in December of 1941 after the death of her son.
• 1932                 Grandpa John & Kizzie Littrell
• 1925-1935        William Denise Belew(TN, 1886-1959) and Iva Shelton Belew (AL, 1894-1969), sharecroppers, with 3 of their children. Daughter Corene married John’s son Noble. Like Grandpa John they were in New Madrid County in 1935 Remember, Kizzie’s grandmother was a Belew also.
• 1935-1940         Leslie Comer and Aunt Claude (Powell) Comer, Leslie was Kizzie (Comer) Littrell’s older brother.
• 1945                   Jesse Littrell (John’s son) & Viola (Johns – Simbeck) Littrell would  move from TN in 1945 to East Prairie, then to La Forge in 47 where Jesse was a sharecropper,

1940 Census:

• John Littrell HOH, age 52    Page 23A, Enumeration District 67-4  John is listed as living in rural Mississippi County, in an area that appears to be about a mile and a half east of Anniston.
  The 1940 census information indicates that this general area may have been where John & Kizzie were sharecropping this area in 1940. Children in the household are: Red, JF, Letha May, OJ, Lesley, and Rubon.  The census taker recorded Rubin as Rubon, but remember the census taker wrote it the way he heard it, or mis-heard it. On the other-hand the reviewer/transcribers of the census read JD's initials as JF. They too are reading it as they say it, and in the census takers handwriting it could be read JF, JP or JD. The only person besides John who has an occupation listed is Red, listed as a laborer. according to this census John & Kizzie were living in New Madrid County, Mo., in 1935. Our research indicates La Forge (sharecropping).
• Listed in the same household census page as John is his son, Noble Littrell(24) and Corene (Belew) Littrell(20), also sharecroppers.  Page 23A, Enumeration District 67-4
• Seven households down from Noble & Corene (on the other side of John) is Corene's parents William Denise Belew(TN, 1886-1959) and Iva Shelton Belew (AL, 1894-1969), sharecroppers, with 5 of their children. 1940 Census indicates that William's family lived in New Madrid County in 1935, same as John. Could they also been at La Forge then?
  Corene Belew's family also migrated from Lawrence County, Tennessee; living on Westpoint Road in 1920 with Iva's parents: W.E. & Mattie Shelton. Corene was a twin. Civil District 2, Page 7A, Enumeration District 84
  Noble and Corene were married in Charleston, Mo., 10-18-1939. Corene died in 3-8-1943 and was born on 10-19-1919. Burial: WOW (Memorial Park) Cemetery, East Prairie Mississippi County, Missouri, USA. Double headstone with twin sister Florine, who died 5 years earlier. 
• Bertha Littrell Thurman is living in Anniston Village, St. James Township. with Bordie. Census indicates that Bordie lived in St. James since 1935. He actually was born there. He shows on the 1920 census with his parents in Anniston Village.
• Lesley Comer and Aunt Claude (Powell) Comer LA Comer 50 (10-31-1889) Farmer (Rented: does this indicated sharecropper?) St. James Township (St.James Township includes Anniston Village & East Prairie). Census Indicates that Leslie was farming in Rural Tennessee, Lawrence County in 1935. Present in Household: Claude (46), Virgle (19), Lucille(16), OC(14), Willard(11). 1940 Census  Page 810B, Enumeration District 67-10 
  Leslie signed his name Leslie on his 1917 Draft Registration Card, born in Loretto, TN.
• Onene Littrell Curtis  Shows on Census as living in Marston, with Bert and daughter Martha Rae. Name was written as Anene.
• Jess Littrell, 30 HOH Lawrence Tennessee Page 8A, Enumeration District 50-3  Jesse is living northwest of Loretto: Busby & Westpoint Rd. The census indicates that he is at the same residence as in 1935. He listed as a farmer, no indication that he is or isn't sharecropping. Children in the household: Beatrice, Dola (Should be Dolan), Willadean (should be Willa Dean), Christine, Geneva and James (Bud).

see also 1930 Census entry for John Littrell & R. Benjamin Smith: Lawrence County, TN.

John Riley Littrell: Query

Q: Hi Glen My name shows as Mae Condray but my maiden name is Littrell I am in search of relatives. My father did not have a lot to do with his family when I was growing up so I dont know much about them. His name was James Harold Littrell, my Grand father was James Henry, and my great grand father was John Riley Littrell. They live both in the Harlen KY area and Muskogee OK area after the fall of the coal mines in KY. If you know anything about this branch of the family I would appreciate an answer. Thanks Mae (Littrell) Condray

A: Mae, I have many John and James Littrell’s in my files. I would need some dates and any other information to make a connection. The point of emphasis should be on John Riley but also the others. Sometimes a spouse, birthdate or an Uncle’s name might help make a connection. I am posting your Query on the website in hopes that it might ring a bell with someone.