E. Paul Ford

I just came across this handsome picture of E. Paul Ford. It's in a cardboard folder with the photographer's name, Harris Fotografer, Little Rock, Pine Bluff Ark and Washington D.C. Probably means it was taken before he moved to California in 1911. My mother always told me I looked like him. Of course he died a few months before I was born. Maybe it was the eyes. Here are some eyes: mine, Paul Ford's and my daughter Ashleigh's. Maybe not in that order.

Back when Everybody was Polite

Back in the old days, women were addressed with their husband's name or initials prefixed with Mrs. When the woman was widowed, she might use her own name or initials, still with Mrs. in front. In Benjamin Ford's obituary, his sister is listed as Mrs. M.L. Omering. Since Benjamin died in 1925, this is consistent with the fact that Marie's husband, Charles Omering, died in 1923.

Three Branches in One Picture

Abbott Hall gave me a copy of this picture. It was a surprise to find out people knew each other when I was a teenager and I didn't know much about it. This picture dates to July 1968 and was taken at Abbott and Robert Hall's house in Claremont, CA. On the left is Richard Brian Hall, Abbott Hall's son. Next to him is Alma Ford Ellis, almost 88 years old at the time. In the back is Abbott Hart Kinney Hall, granddaughter of Mabel Ford. In the front is Abbott's daughter, Joanne Turquand Hall. In between them is my grandmother, Aline Ford, aged 74. The young lady in the back right is Aline's granddaughter, Christine Louise Denton. At the right is Colleen Kinney, Mabel Ford's granddaughter and first cousin to Abbott Hall. So everybody in this picture is a descendent of Benjamin Ford and Octavia Lutes. There are two people from the second generation, three from the fourth, and two from the fifth. Joanne was born almost 80 years after Alma.

A History of Dermott, Arkansas by Abbott F. Kinney

Here is an article about Dermott, Arkansas written in 1952 by Abbott F. Kinney. It mentions Octavia L Ford as the president of the Women's clubs. I think I have some stationery with her name printed on it.

Benjamin Ford Obituary

Here is an obituary for Benjamin Ford. As you can see, it's just cut out of a newspaper with no indication of the date or which newspaper. B. FORD CALLED SUDDENLY BY DEATH

Benjamin Ford was born on December 5, 1854, in Frankfort, Ky., and died on the evening of Jan. 8, 1925, at his home in Dermott. For a short while before his death, he had been suffering from ill health, but had continued the active discharge of his official duties. His sudden death on Thursday evening, within fifty minutes after he had facilitated the handling of express from the fast south-bound train, came as a great shock to the whole community. Those with him when the end came were Mrs. Ford, his wife, Dr. E. E. Barlow, his physician, G. E. Kinney, his son-in-law, and Mrs. Gray, his sister-in-law.

After the arrival of his sons and daughters from distant points, the funeral services were held in the Presbyterian Church on Tuesday morning at ten o'clock, and interment took place in the Dermott cemetery. The services were conducted by his pastor, Rev. M. A. Boggs, assisted by Rev. B. F. Roebuck, pastor of the Methodist Church. The music was rendered by the church quartette, and consisted of greathymns which Mr. Ford had loved while alive. All the business houses in town were closed during the service, and a great many beautiful flowers had been given by his former friends and associates, showing the high esteem in which he was held in the community.Mr. Ford, at the time of his death, had given 51 years of faithful service to the Railroad Company. For 17 years he had been the agent for the Missouri Pacific in Dermott, and it is doubtful if the company ever had a more faithful or a more efficient agent. In his early years he was associated with Thomas Edison as an operator. "Uncle Joe" Cannon, the late U. S. Congressman from Missouri, was one of his intimate personal friends, and within the past few weeks before his death he had enjoyed a personal visit from Mr. C. H. Stevens, former paymaster of the Missouri Pacific. In his early youth he united with the Methodist Church and gave many active years of service to that denomination as a Steward, Sunday School Superintendent and Bible Class worker. Three years ago he united with the Presbyterian Church, of which he was a member at the time of his death.

He was married on Feb. 27, 1878, to Miss Octavia L. Lutes of Marquand, Mo. To this union were born six children, all of whom survive him except the first one, Maud, who died in infancy and was buried at Glen Allen, Mo. The others are: Mrs. S. S. Marx of Los Angeles, Cal; Mrs. G. E. Kinney of Dermott; Mr. E. Paul Ford of San Diego, Cal; Mr. H. P. Ford of Johnston City, Tenn; and Mrs. Virgil A. Beeson of Atlanta. Ga. He is survived also by his widow, Mrs. Octavia Lutes Ford of Dermott, a sister, Mrs. M. L. Omering of Little Rock, and a nephiew, Mr. E. B. Ford of Little Rock, and twelve grandchildren.

In losing Mr. Ford, Dermott has lost one of her foremost citizens, the Railroad Company a faithful official, the family a loving and devoted father, and the community a man of undaunted courage. The memory of his brave and useful life will always be to those who knew him "a part of life's unalterable good. "

The lights are out In the mansion of clay; The curtains are drawn, For the dwellers away; He silently slipped O'er the threshold of night, To make his abode In the city of light.

A picture with Ben Ford

This photo comes from Linda Sheeler who got it from Susan Shea who got it from somebody else. I've seen no other pictures of my great-grandfather, so I'll assume the man in the picture is Ben Ford. The girl on the left is MaeLouise. The woman on the left is her mother Louise Cogbill Ford. The woman in plaid is Octavia Lutes Ford. Here is a photo from a few years later with Octavia on the left. The woman next to Ben Ford looks to me to be his daughter, Mabel Ford Kinney. Here is a picture of Mabel:The boy appears to be Mabel's son, Abbott Kinney. If we assume this picture was taken about 1919, then Mae Louise was about 5 and Abbott was approaching 10. The information that came with the photo identified the other girl as Vera. Vera Marx was two years younger than MaeLouise, so the age is about right. However, I wonder why Vera might have been in Arkansas, where this picture was presumably taken (it says it was taken in Wynn, AR, which is quite a ways from Chicot county, where Ben Ford lived for the most part from 1910 onward.) And if Vera were there, her mother Alma would have been there, too, and might have been in the picture. Here is a picture of the Kinney Boys, Abbott and Gilbert. I believe this was taken in 1925 and the baby is my mother, Aline Beeson. She seems too old for this to be on the occasion of Ben Ford's funeral in January 1925. She tells me she didn't return to Arkansas after the funeral, but if Marjorie (holding the baby) was there, Aline probably would have been too. If the other girl is a family member, the only one whose age would be right would be Homer's daughter, Virginia. Here's another picture of the two boys with Marjorie.

Last Days of Homer Ford

This is a letter written by Mabel Ford Kinney to her mother, Octavia Ford on March 27, 1941, describing the demise of her brother, Homer P. Ford. I've OCR'd it so you don't have to squint at the original unless you want to do so, or want to proofread it for me. Mergraf Oil Products Company, INC. 3759 Bellevue Avenue Detroit Michigan March 27, 1941

Dearest Mother:

You probably saw the local in the Dermott News last week and will not be surprised to learn that I am in Detroit. The situation briefly is that Homer has been working very hard for a good many months trying to organize a company and buy the plant indicated in the name on the letterhead. The former owners had gone into bankruptcy, but every one says they had a fine product and simply mismanaged.

Homer succeeded in completing a purchase through the federal court here in Detroit, but the people who had lost it were very bitter and set about trying to regain possesion by the most nefarious methods. A young man who had bought some stock in the new company, with the understanding he was to have the job of office manager, was found to be assisting the former owners in their dishonesty, so Homer asked me if I could come up here and work in the office, which was not yet very firmly established but he thought the worst was over and that it was a good business proposition.

So I came up here on March 17th. When I got here Homer had been sick for a few days but was some better and as soon as he could get me started in the office was going to make a business trip to New York and then was going to a hospital to find out what was the matter with him and try to get it cured. He left here last Friday about noon, was sick all the way to New York, entered a hospital there Monday and received very encouraging reports to the effect that he had been overworking, would have to ease up, etc, but they thought he would be able to be out again in a week or so. That was Monday morning. Tuesday night in the night he had another attack of whatever it was, involving his heart, and passed away early yesterday morning.

I know you will be shocked and grieved to receive this news. Homer asked about you and told me several times that it was his most earnest desire to get on his feet and get in position to do something that would really be of help to you. You will be gratified to know that he stood very high with the bankers, lawyers, federal court Judge, etc, with whom he had been dealing here, and had really made an excellent reputation for himself. He and his wife, Gwendolyn, were most devoted and I think the only real happiness Homer ever knew in marriage was with her. She went to New York with him. The funeral is to be there Saturday afternoon, March 29, and the body will be cremated.

I do not know the address of any of the rest of the family, but I think Abbott has Paul's address and I have written him to let Paul know. I suppose you can and will tell Aline and Alma.

I am not sure I have your correct address, but hope this will reach you promptly.

The Matlock's, who had lived in your house for nearly a year, moved out without notice just before I left. They were behind with the rent and the house is now vacant. I listed it with a young man there who is trying to sell some real estate and told him we would accept any reasonable offer. Have kept the insurance in effect and will manage someway to take care of the first quarter payment of taxes which is due now and becomes delinquent April 10th. The sewer tax is also due, and becomes delinquent Mar. 31st. I will take care of that and hope and pray we can sell the place soon.

I do not have any idea what my future plans will be. I had great confidence in Homer being able to make a success of this business, but now I am completely up in the air.

Mr. Schroeder, vice president of the company, lives in New York, and will come over here after the funeral. I should get a better idea of things from him some time next week.

I will receive mail at 3759 Bellevue, Detroit, (see letterhead) for the next week or so, anyway, and will try to write you again soon.

Homer and Gwendolyn went to Albion to see Aunt May and Marion on Sunday, March 9th. He took sick the next day . Marion phoned me last night and is driving down here tomorrow. It is about 90 or 95 miles, I think.

I hope you can make heads or tails of this letter. been under quite a strain and can't either type or think, much less do both at the same time.

Dearest love.

/s/Mabel

Abbott is at Dermott. I left a Negro girl to fix his meals and clean his room. He says he is getting along all right, but of course I feel anxious about him all the time.

Aline Ford Family Photos

These pictures show gatherings of Aline's grandchildren. Marjorie moved away from Los Angeles and after that gatherings were fewer. 1954 This appears to be the second birthday party for Cary and Gary at the Andrews house on Valerio in Van Nuys in September 1954. Standing, L to R, Carol Andrews, Marjorie Robertson Andrews, Margaret Andrews, Aline Ford Pemberton, Edward Andrews. Seated nearest: Michael Thompson (looking at camera), Kevin Thompson. On right bench, from near: Gary Andrews, Christine Denton, Cary Andrews, unknown. On left bench, from near: unknown, unknown, Kelly Howard, Judith Andrews. 1956 Judging by the age of baby Paul, this was taken around fall of 1956. Is that also at the Valerio house? Men in the back: Edward Andrews, Gerry Thompson, George Howard. Women and teenagers: Aline Ford Pemberton, Margaret Andrews, Carol Andrews, Judith Andrews, Marjorie Robertson Andrews, Aline Beeson Thompson, Beverly Beeson Howard. Children in front: Christine Denton, Kevin Thompson, Cary Andrews, Gary Andrews, Michael Thompson (with baby Paul Thompson on his shoulders), Kelly Howard.

1984 Here is the latest that features members of all three branches of Aline's family. Aline Ford and Beverly Beeson had passed away by this time. The occasion was the wedding of Paul Thompson and Debra Ford in May 1984, in San Diego. A lot has changed since then... Standing: Mark Mason, Darrel Lee, Kevin Thompson, Gerry Thompson, Paul Thompson, Michael Thompson, Patrice Schmidt Andrews (with children), Gary Andrews, Scott Andrews (with child). Seated: Mary Gail Thompson Mason, Eugene Lee, Kelly Howard Lee, Aline Beeson Thompson, Debra Ford Thompson, Marjorie Robertson Andrews, Annamarie Rodriguez Andrews (with child). Scott and Mary Gail didn't make the cut for the earliest photos, but here they are, married, and Scott with two children. Somebody please identify the Andrews children.