Massey Migration to Texas

Family legend states that Warren (Wahren) Massey came from South Carolina through Georgia and Alabama on his way to Texas.

Census records show that Warren, his wife Elizabeth, and both sets of their parents were all born in South Carolina.

It is not known when Elizabeth died or where Sallie E Osborn married Warren.

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1840 Census - location unknown
Warren would have been about age 3, but we can’t find him on a census record.

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1850 Census
Warren would have been about age 13, but we can’t find him on a census record. There are several Massy family members listed in the Greenville County census of South Carolina, but no one with the name Massey.

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1860 Census of Pickens County, South Carolina
It does show a Warren and Elizabeth Massey, but the ages are wrong to have been our branch of the family tree.

Page/line LAST First Age Birth Place
19b/25 MASSEY James 21 So Ca
30a/11 MASSEY Major 32 SC
30a/12 MASSEY Louisa 27 SC
30a/13 MASSEY Ruth J. 5 SC
30a/14 MASSEY Warren T. 2 SC
30a/15 MASSEY William J. 8/12 SC
40b/25 MASSEY James 53 SC
40b/26 MASSEY Sarah 56 SC
40b/27 MASSEY James 19 SC
40b/28 MASSEY David 23 SC
40b/29 MASSEY Vardry 16 SC
47a/29 MASSEY Ezekiel 22 NC
47a/30 MASSEY Margaret 20 NC
47a/31 MASSEY James 3 NC
50b/17 MASSEY John 28 SC
180b/27 MASSEY Warren 22 Greenville SC
180b/28 MASSEY Elizabeth 17 Pickens SC
180b/29 MASSEY Sarah A. 1 Pickens SC
182b/3 MASSEY Stephen 30 Greenville SC
182b/4 MASSEY Sarah 24 Pickens SC

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1870 - location unknown

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1880 Census of Hall County, Georgia:
Warren Massey - age 44 - Wood Hauler - born SC
Elizabeth Massey - age 35 - Keeping House - born SC
James F Massey - age 19 - Farm Hand - born SC
Martha E J Massey - age 12 - At Home - born SC
Mary H S Massey - age 12 - At Home - born SC
John S M C Massey - age 10 - Laborer - born SC
George W S Massey - age 8 - - born GA
William Ham Massey - age 3 - - born GA

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1890 Census of Collin County, Texas:
The records were destroyed by fire, but his children Edward (1890-1958) and Susie (1893-1976) were born in Collin County near the town of McKinney.

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1900 Census of Montgomery County, Texas
Warren Massey is listed in “Conroe Town” as a widower with his children:
•Elizabeth Massey
•Mcfarland Massey
•Edward L Massey
•Susie Massey

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Warren’s headstone shows that he died on August 08, 1900. His grandson Leveritt said that Warren lived near Caney Creek in Grangerland, Montgomery County, Texas.

Dry Creek Cemetery

The Dry Creek Cemetery is a typical rural town cemetery with no perpetual care. It is located in Montgomery County, Texas on the East side of FM3083; 2.3 miles north of Grangerland (the intersection of FM 3083 and FM2090).

The family members listed below are all the descendants of Wahren Massey. His headstone list his name as Warren Massey. Nora Outlaw was the daughter of John Stevenson Massey and Minnie Elizabeth Culbertson Massey. The Outlaw family members listed below are the children of Nora and Otis Outlaw. Nora and Otis Outlaw’s daughter Joann Outlaw married Ellis Wiggins, so additional family members may be buried in this cemetery.

Family at Dry Creek:
• Wahren/Warren Massey - 26Dec1837 to 08Aug1900
• Susie Beatrice Massey - 23Feb1893 to 27Oct1976
• Robert S. Massey - Texas Pvt. US Army - 07Sep1931-08Aug1969
• Robert Emmett Massey 17Aug1907-05Jul1981
• Lue N. (Creasy) Massey - 22Mar1911-24May2001
• J. H. Massey - Died 19Nov1922
• Ana Bell Massey - 18Nov1917-18Mar1918
• John Massey - 15Mar1870-19Nov1952
• Minnie Elizabeth Massey - 25Feb1880-20Apr1970
• John and Minnie’s infant - 09Oct1900
• Connie Jean Cates/Massey - 22Jul1955-09Apr1997
• Nora Massey Outlaw Hyatt - 23Jan1905
• Charles Otis Outlaw - 09Jan1902-03Nov1956
• Joe Thomas Outlaw - 1942-1942 “Little Bud of Love”
• John Lewis Outlaw - 15Nov1930 to 24Jul1941
• Vernon Victor Outlaw - 14Feb1929 to 20Mar1929


Source:
• Genealogy research and cemetery visit by Conan Massey Jr.


Other Resources:
• Nora married John David Hyatt in 1960, per Ed Hyatt of Fresno, CA. EHyatt979@MediaOne.net
• Metcalf Funeral Home
• Betty Lang Walker - betty@elc.net
• Jane Keppler - relppek@sbcglobal.net
• http://www.rootsweb.com/~txmcghs/drycreek.htm
• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GScid=436065&GSln=Massey

Edward Larls Massey 1890-1958

"Ed" Massey was born near the town of Rhea Mills' in Collin County, Texas on 15 Aug 1890 and was the son of Wahren Massey (1837-1900) and Sallie Osburn. Ed was a small child when his mother died and about ten years old when his father died. Ed was raised in Montgomery County by his half-brother, John and only achieved a third-grade education.

Ed received 26 acres as payment for working at a local saw mill (currently owned by his son Earl). Before his retirement, he purchased the last two tracks of land that made up the Massey Farm. A house was on the new section of land, but the house was just a shell that was later finished out to become his retirement home.

Serving in the United States Army during World War One, he was originally assigned to a machine-gun squadron but asked to for a transfer because he recently gave his life to Christ and could not bring himself to kill another person. Little is known of his time in the Army and his great-grandson tried to get a copy of his records from the government, but the official records can not be found at this time. Ed's son's believed that he was assigned to the base hospital at Camp Mac Arthur in Waco, Texas and we do have several letters that he wrote home during this time that indicate he was in stationed in Waco. Ed's son Earl has a metal and several other pieces that were Ed's from his time in the U.S. Army.

After the war, a friend introduced Edward to Lila Mae Thomas (09Apr1900-02Oct1975). They were married on 03Apr1920 in San Jacinto County, Texas. Lila was born in Nacogdoches County, Texas and was the daughter of William Marion Thomas Jr. (01Jan1875-Aug1956) and Lena Cravey (06Sep1875-01Dec1947). William and Lena were married on 14Oct1896.

Edward did not have a birth certificate but needed one due to government requirements related to World War Two. He traveled to Collin County, Texas where his half-brother's wife, Minnie E. Massey swore to his birth date and place so that on Edward could receive his birth certificate on October 5, 1943.

Edward and Lila once lived at 4075 Congress Street in Beaumont, Texas.

Ed was one of the founding member of the Wigginsville Assembly of God Church in Wigginsville, Montgomery County, Texas (30°15'29"N at 95°20'13"W; next to Grangerland, Texas) and a Sunday School teacher for the adult class in the church for a period. There was even a portrait of him and a few other founders hanging in the entry of the church at one point, but no one can find the paintings anymore. A few remaining members of the church insist that the painting was of another founding member, but Ed's children, grandchildren, and great-grandson remember the painting.

He worked thirty-four years (ca1921-1955) at a Magnolia Petroleum Company oil refinery (now the Mobil Oil Company) and at one point was a pipe fitter. He also worked for the Criskoak Mfg. for a short time in Beaumont, Texas. He was a member of the United Workers Oil Company union.

According to his son Leveritt, Edward was "always about 200 pounds" and was a very strong man. His life was full of physical labor and he had large strong arms.

At the end of his life, he did not want Lila to have to sleep in the room where he may die. Ed had his bed moved to the parlor in their home and that is where he died on 03 Nov 1958.

Aunt Minnie wanted Edward to be buried at the Dry Creek Cemetery with their father, but Edward's wife and children buried his body at the Mims Cemetery in Conroe, Texas.

Source:
• 1920 Marriage Records in San Jacinto County, Book E, Page 199.
• Birth Records Volume 33, Page 214 in the Collin County, Texas.
• Massey Family Bible
• Interviews with Ed’s sons