Wednesday, February 18, 2009

George W Massey

There is a small section on George W Massey at http://www.vsg.cape.com/~dougshow/fourth-site/mitchusson2.html and a George W Massey is listed as a head-right owner in Collin County, Texas. Does anyone have any details on this branch of the family and are these the same George?

Elizabeth Ann Mitchusson [b: 13 Jan 1821] --m [1]: George S. Massey on 28 July 1842 in Caldwell Co., KY and m [2]: Col. James Chiles on 7 Oct 1874. The 1860 Grayson County, Texas census lists George and Eliza with their six children. According to An Illustrated History of Grayson County, Texas by Graham Landrum and Allan Smith [published 1967], George S. Massey was one of the wealthiest landowners near Preston Bend on the Red River--an area of Grayson County known for its large plantations before the Civil War. George Massey died sometime after the Civil War. The children of George and Elizabeth are said to have been:
---------------------Henry W. Massey [b: KY]
---------------------Mary E. Massey [b: KY]
---------------------George W. Massey [b: KY]
---------------------James W. Massey [b: TX]
---------------------Robert C. Massey [b: TX]
---------------------Margaret M. Massey [b: TX]

Monday, February 9, 2009

Gary Massey

ALICE -- Gary R. Massey, a storage facility manager, died May 13, 2007. He was 59.

Survivors include his wife, Beverly; a son, Gary Massey Jr. of Houston; five daughters, Joycelyn Rodriguez of Alice, Debbie Fullerton of Mission, Amelia Galves of Austin, Gretchen Callaghan of Houston and Nicole Coronado of Pasadena; his mother, Melba Massey of Conroe; a sister, Debbie Nichols of Aransas Pass; 12 grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

Prayer services will be at 7 p.m. May 15 at Mauro P. Garcia Funeral Home. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. May 16 at Stonegate Baptist Church.

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Family connection unknown

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Edna Della Massey Hazelwood 1922-2008

Funeral services for Edna Della Hazelwood, 85, of Conroe, will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, June 30, 2008, at the Metcalf Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Bill Posey officiating. Visitation will be from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, June 29, 2008, at Metcalf Funeral Home.

Interment will follow at Dry Creek Cemetery on FM 3083. Edna was born September 16, 1922, in Conroe, Texas and passed away June 26, 2008, in Conroe, Texas. Mrs. Hazelwood is preceded in death by son, Daniel J. Hazelwood, and his father, Daniel H. Hazelwood; her parents, John and Minnie Massey; siblings, Nora Hyatt, Robert Massey, A.E. “Coon” Massey, Jimmie Massey, Johnny Massey and Samuel Massey. She is survived by daughters, Edna Diana Laxson and husband, Patrick of Huffman, Texas, Mary Jane Oatis and husband, Homer Stanley of Conroe, Texas, Minnie Sue Kaatz and husband, Norman of Conroe, Texas; son, Thomas Hazelwood and wife, Jo Ann Hyman of Conroe, Texas; sister, Esther Norman of Santa Fe, Texas; numerous special grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and special nieces. Pallbearers are John Stobb, Pete Laxson, Devin Kaatz, Matt Laxson, Daniel Laxson, Adam Little and David Stobb. A special thanks to Aseracare Hospice for being with the family.

©Houston Community Newspapers Online 2008

http://www.hcnonline.com

Leveritt Massey - Advice


This is transcribed from a 1989 birthday card given by Leveritt Massey to his grandson, Larls.


Son,
In spite of all the high tech, I trust that you’ll have no trouble finding your niche. Possibly in the high tech. There will always have to be those that mow the grass, drive the nails, and do the little mundane task. Satisfaction in a job well done is most rewarding. Be a man of your word. It seems every one from the President on down likes to cover his tracks with half truths (a lie). If you say I will be there @ eight o’clock, you did not tell the truth if you ger there at 8:05.
To be your best will take effort, and only you can make the effort. Advise is really worthless. Observation of a truth in action is priceless.

Pa Pa

Leveritt Massey - Bougainville


    The island of Bougainville was a stepping stone on the way to Rubaul, the main Pacific military base of the Japanese navy.  The United States Marine Corp was assigned the job of taking just enough of the island from the Japanese to create an air-base south of Torokina at the Empress Augusta Bay.
    The invasion began with an air raid of Corsair F4U fighter aircraft lad by Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, future leader of the "Black Sheep" squadron.
    Three steel mat air strips were established at the beach near the Piva River.  One was long and used by the bombers and supply planes while the other two were used by the fighter aircraft.  The Japanese military on the island was so close that planes would have to turn hard upon take off to avoid flying into the enemy anti-aircraft gun positions.
    Effete was often the last stop before Bougainville.
   Although many men died from combat, Leveritt Massey said that more soldiers in his unit actually died from weather and accidents.  On several occasions storms would hit the island causing trees to fall on their tents.  This would often crush the soldiers to death as they slept.
    Aircraft would often come back with damage and on one occasion an aircraft had a loose bomb which accidentally dropped as the plane was landing.   Falling next to the mess tent, it killed the men waiting in line to eat.
   Leveritt came close to death on a few occasions.  During a small attack Leveritt left his bed for the safety of a fox hole.  Another soldier stayed in his bed and was going to sleep though the battle.  Leveritt returned to find that one enemy shell hit the tree next to their tent and exploded into hundreds of fragments.   His bed and the others were full of fragment holes and the other soldier was killed.
    With the American forces focused on Rabaul, they did not take time to clear the remaining portion of the island of Japanese forces.   Leveritt told stories of occasional snipers and other hazards but said that this ended when an Admiral threatened the base commander that if they could not remove the enemy, his ships would blast everyone off the island.  Not wanting to get shelled by his own side, the base commander ordered all anti-aircraft guns lowered and fired for over 24 hours.  When the firing stopped the enemy was dead and the jungle around the base was reduced to smoking tree stumps.
    Being far from home meant that fresh fruits and vegetables were not often received.  On one supply shipment, the base received onions.  With this being the best that they had received in some time, Leveritt said that they ate them like apples and did not care about the taste or bad breath.
    The men's health was important to the military and the soldiers often faced medical examinations and preventative treatments.  Leveritt said that the medical tent was small and on a wooden platform.  The men would form a line to enter the tent, receive their shot, and leave by the back door.  More than one man was so nervous about needles that they would hit the ground because of fainting or missing the step leaving the tent.
    "There were two air strips there, Piva north and Piva south, were with the scout bombers, Piva north, the fighters were on Piva south. While we're going in, they were going out. That's the saddest bunch of Marines I ever saw in my life. I don't know how long they'd been there, enough to build an airstrip and secure the perimeter, their expressions, nobody was grinning or anything like that." Barney Cummings has said that was the only time during the war that his eyes welled up with tears.

Leveritt Massey - School Days


Elementary school was at J H Giles Elementary just seven blocks from the house on 4075 Congress Ave.
W L Straughn, Charles Taylor, Pat Gowling, Walter Freeman, James Fulgrum were part of that 1st grade class that also finished the 11th grade with me.
In the second grade I was a part in a school play. Never again did I stand forth in school. But was the shy - timid kid. Ms Love was I believe my 2nd grade teacher.
Mr. Brown the janitor lived in a house on the back corner of the school ground. (about 2 city blocks). He built ___ stroke skiffs in his spare time that was real interesting to me. we had a cut down model A Ford lawn tractor with steel rear wheels (Made by the shop at High School) that pulled a gang of three 48” reel type mowers. High school boys were employed to keep all the crabgrass and other weeds out of the school lawn. The lawns were always clean and beautiful.
In high school (1 mile from home) with no plans to go to college I guess I specialized in shop. 1st year (8th grade) we had three months of wood shop, machine shop, auto shop and the the 2nd year we chose one for me it was auto shop, the senior year we were allowed to take 3 hours of shop for which we received 2 credits (no study hall). With a chance to go to Lamar Jr. College (which was integrated with the high school some classrooms and teachers were shared and buildings). I had to take Physic and Chemistry during the summer to get in. I graduated with 18 1/2 credits instead of the 16 required. Was guilty of taking a 5 gallon bucket with a charcoal fire up into the one cold football night drew a crowd when word got out, finally took it down to the track out of the stands.

Leveritt Massey - WWII


The picture is of the 99th Platoon of the United States Marine Corp Reserves in San Diego, California. Leveritt Massey is third from left in the second row from the bottom. The story below was transcribed from a note written by Leveritt.

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School closed during the end of May 1941. I don’t remember any details concerning jobs, but did put an application in at the Magnolia Refinery where dad worked. Form me the school door had closed. Short courses – training sessions were it from this time on. Graduated from South Park High in Beaumont in May 1940. Lamar College was a part of the High School. Some buildings were shared, some teachers, the college was underwritten by the South Park School District which at that time had a little money.
The refinery, the oil fields, and the tank forms south of town were in our school district. The refinery paid a compromise tax. I think my tuition at Lamar college (year 1940-1941) was about $35.00 plus books, but when it cam time to sign up for 41-42 there was no money for college. Ray Hilton, the son of a painting contractor (oil field tanks), was in the same boat no money to resume school. I had thought about joining the navy, but Ray wanted to join the Marines, so with no hassles we joined the Marines. July 29, 1941 we entrained in Beaumont for Houston. In Houston we passed all the exams and put on the train for San Diego.
As I look back the entire passenger car must have been filled with recruits from Mississippi westward. It took two days for our car to reach San Diego. We were picked up and bussed to the Recruit Depot by those nice Sergeants, the likes of whom no one wanted to meet the second time. “FALL OUT” is the first command learned. We were billeted in a nice brick barracks till we were issued G.I. clothes, had a medical, and was given the standard haircut. Just about the time settled in Sgt. Klatt instructed us to put everything in the seabag were moving to the tent city. the balances of the seven weeks of boot camp was in tent city.
Times were tough lots of fellows were joining up many were coming to the Marines to skip the draft into the Army. At this time the draft only meant on year of service (I never signed up until I was discharged. Too young at the beginning and too many service points when I got out.
Sgt. Klatt was our DI [Drill Instructor] and platoon command (he had a Corp for an assistant, too dumb to make the grade). Klatt was sore at the world. He was recalled from 12 years in China where he lived like a king. He had an entire Chinese family hired to care for his home. They pulled him back to train recruits which really made him happy. Klatt was hard. He made good Marines out of boys. Hard but not overbearing. Some of the fellows complained one in their tend didn’t bathe. Sgt. told them each have a wash bucket, a scrub brush, laundry soap, there’s water at the end of the tent row and lots of sand out back... and I intended to be out of the area when we came in this afternoon till late tonight. Some orders are never voiced. That night the sun went down on a Red man. Duly scrubbed. Never again did anyone in the platoon miss a shower.
The hardest day in boot camp was a four hour march with full pack on the soft sand outback. (Bottom dredging from the Naval anchorage in the bay.)

Annie Mae Massey 1918-2006

Annie Mae Massey passed away on December 24, 2006 in Willis, Texas at the age of 88. She was born on June 21, 1918 in Houston, Texas.

Visitation for Annie will be Wednesday, December 27, 2006 between the hours of 5 and 9 p.m. in Cashner Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be 10 a.m. on Thursday, December 28, 2006 in Cashner Colonial Chapel with Mr. Edward Hahn officiating. Interment will follow in Conroe Memorial Park Cemetery on Porter Road.

Annie was preceded in death by A. E. (Coon) Massey, her husband of 58 years; son, Douglas Massey; two sons-in-law, Dalton Hyde and Danny Foley; granddaughter, Harriett Milliff; and two great granddaughters.
She is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Wahren and Betty Massey of Riverside; daughters and husbands, Inez and Leonard McGee of Conroe, Louise and Clinton McGee of Conroe and Wynette Foley of Carthage.
She is also survived by eleven grandchildren, twenty-six great grandchildren and ten great-great grandchildren. Grandsons, Dennis Hyde, Terry McGee, Eddy McGee, Robert Walker, Kip Foley and Kie Foley will serve as pallbearers.
Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Anderson and Roy Harris.

The family would like to thank the Lighthouse Hospice and the Willis Convalescent Home for all the loving care they have given.

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Services Information 

Visitation 
Wed., Dec 27, 2006
5:00 pm-9:00 pm
Cashner Funeral Home
801 Teas Nursery Road
Conroe, TX 77303

Funeral Service 
Thu., Dec 28, 2006
10:00 am
Cashner Colonial Chapel
801 Teas Nursery Road
Conroe, TX 77303

Burial 
Thu., Dec 28, 2006
Following Service
Conroe Memorial Park Cemetery
1600 FM 1314
Conroe, TX 77301

Arthur Edward Massey 1912-1994


  The information below is from the funeral handout provided at the funeral of Arthur E. “Coon” Massey. The picture above is of the street sign showing the street in Grangerland, Texas which is named after Coon.





In Memory Of
Arthur E. “Coon” Massey
Born: November 17, 1912 - Conroe, Texas
Passed Away: January 16, 1994 - Conroe, Texas

Funeral Services
Cashner Colonial Chapel
Tuesday, January 18, 1994 * 10:00 A.M.

Officiating
Mr. Ralph Byers

Final Resting Place
Conroe Memorial Cemetery

Survivors
Wife: Annie Mae Massey of Conroe, Daughters and sons-in-las: Inez and Leonard McGee of Conroe, Louise and Clinton McGee of Conroe, and Wynette and Danny Foley of Carthage. Son: Wahren E. Massey of Conroe. Sisters: Edna Hazelwood of Conroe and Ester Norman of Altaloma. Brothers: Sam Massey of Liberty and John Massey of Conroe. Twelve grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

Pallbearers
Roy Harris, Henry Harrid, Jr., Jim Harris, Harry Murray, Travis Outlaw, and Billy Ray Clark.
Honorary Pallbearers: Henry Harris Sr., Jim Anderson, Alan Padon, T. G. Gilbert, and Jake Goodrum.

Lila Mae Thomas Massey 1900-1975


    Lila was born in Nacodoches County, Texas on 09Apr1900 and was the daughter of William Marion Thomas Jr (01Jan1875-22Aug1956) and Lena Cravey Thomas (06Sep1875-01Dec1947). William and Lena were married in San Jacinto County, Texas on 14Oct1896 and buried at in Shephard, Texas behind the Methodist Church.
    Lila achieved an eight grade education (they did not have twelve grades at that time).
    After World War One, Lila was introduced to Edward Larls Massey.
    They had two sons and six grandchildren.
    She worked as a book keeper in a furniture store during World War Two.
    Ten years after Edward’s death, Lila traveled to California to visit with her friends.  To the families surprise, she came home with a new husband.   Harry D. Overman and Lila were introduced to each other by a common missionary friend. 
    Harry and Lila loved to travel and traveled across the southern United States and Mexico.  Three weeks into a trip in California, Lila died of cardiogenic shock due to an acute myocardial infarction.  She died on October 2, 1975 at the Siskiyou General Hospital in Yreka, Siskiyou County, California.  Her body was sent back to Conroe, Texas by the Girdner Funeral Chapel where her body was buried next to Edward's at the Mims Cemetery in Conroe, Montgomery County, Texas.
Funeral services were held at the Metcalf Chapel of the Pines on Monday, 06 Oct 1975 at 10 AM. The pallbearers were Louis Satterfield, Clayton Hughes, George Murphy, Jack Cooper, Russell Law, and W. F. Arnold.
 
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Harry D. Overman
    Lila had the family refer to Harry as "Uncle Harry" so that it would not appear that he was replacing Edward in any way.
    Harry served in the United States Marine Corp between the World Wars.
    Later in life, he had heart problems, required dialysis for his kidneys and suffered from cataracts on his eyes.  The doctors would not operate on his eyes due to his heart problems so he eventually went blind.  When he could no longer read his bible, he gave up and died of depression and a heart attack.  He lived his last years in a private home in California.  His body was buried in a military cemetery in California.
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Source:
• Lila and Edward's sons Raymond Leveritt Massey and Earl Conrad Massey
• Death Certificate of Lila Mae Massey

Additional Resources:
• Elizabeth Cravey Hughes - echughes@email.com
• Mary Griswold of Conroe, Texas