William Carl Lancaster - July 21, 1873

   One hundred and thirty-nine years ago, William Carl Lancaster was born on July 21, 1873 to parents George Wilson Lancaster and Martha Jane Polly.  He was the oldest child of six and was born in Rockwall, Rockwall county, Texas.  The first census he appears in is the 1880 Rockwall county, Texas.

Texas, Rockwall, 1880 U.S. census, Ancestry.com, Digital images (http://www.ancestry.com: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), T9, Rockwall Village, enumeration district (ED) 30, George W. Lancaster, accessed 13 Jul 1995.
   He was just seven years old.  He is living also with two of his siblings, Lonnie and Maggie, and his paternal grandmother, Elizabeth S. Lancaster.  His father is a farmer.  His mother is listed as housekeeper, but this is the term used back then for the census to denote that she took care of their home.  The census also listed that William Carl could not read or write, so it is likely he had not yet attended school.

  He married Martha Jane Coor on Mar 19, 1892 in Erath county, Texas. Martha was born May 10, 1873 in Copiah county, Mississippi to James Madison Coor and Melissa Ann Welch.


Texas, Erath County, Marriage Records, Family History Library, film 1026025, Bk F, p 65, W.C. Lancaster & Miss Mattie Coor, 1892.
  William Carl was known as "Carl" and he called Martha Jane "Doll." Together, they had six children:

  • George Warren
  • Willie Friend
  • Josephine Hazel
  • Margaret
  • Earl Carrell
  • Pearl Carl
The last two were faternal twins.  George Warren Lancaster was "Mam-ma's" father.

   Carl spent most of his life as a farmer.  Farming in Erath county was primarily growing cotton until soil erosion and boll weevil problems drove farmers away.  Then there was a shift to ranching in the 1920's.  By then Carl moved into the town of Stephenville.  He did farm for a while in Lubbock county (1) 

   Doll died September 15, 1942 in Stephenville.  Carl then married Mary E. Spivey.  He died December 17, 1946 and Carl and Doll are buried at Upper Green's Creek Cemetery in Erath county.

Upper Green's Creek Cemetery, Erath county, Texas
   I have one photo of Carl and Doll and have published the photo previously in this blog. Here it is again:

Carl & Doll are seated with my mother, Lela Nell between them.
   Happy 139th Birthday to my great-great grandfather!


(1) Texas, Lubbock, 1930 U.S. census, Digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), T626, Precinct 1, enumeration district (ED) 11, sheet 8b, dwelling 162, family 182, William C. Lancaster.

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  1. AnonymousJanuary 6, 2018 at 11:19 AM

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