Children of George Washington James (1869-1944) of Arcadia, Kansas and Emma M. Logston
(1872-1919):
1. Frank W. James: born circa 1902 in Oklahoma.
2. William Leroy James: born September 19, 1903 in South Fox Township, Lincoln
County, Oklahoma; married circa 1934 to Lina Mae Daniels (1912-1960, daughter of
Edward Daniels (1874-1919) and Arizona Dameron (1883-1960); died, July 13, 1978 (aged
74) in Vinita, Craig County, Oklahoma; buried at White Oak Cemetery, White Oak, Craig
County, Oklahoma; known children include: Virgil James, Franklin Delano James, Lee
Roy James, Carrie James, Mary Ellen James and Hazel L. James.
3. Charles Calvin James: born May 2, 1905 in Oklahoma; married August 9, 1932
in Miami, Ottawa County, Oklahoma to Gertrude Lea Blair (1914-2000), daughter of
Jesse Leroy Blair (1891-1964) and Opal E. Johnson (1895-1982); died September 22,
1977 (aged 72); buried at Hickory Grove Cemetery, Grove, Delaware County, Oklahoma;
known children include: Charles Pat James, Sr.
4. Hazel L. James: born circa 1908 in Oklahoma; died August 12, 1920 (aged 12)
in Miami, Ottawa County, Oklahoma (from typhoid fever); buried at Grand Army of the
Republic Cemetery in Miami, Ottawa County, Oklahoma.
5. Lola B. James: born April 24, 1918 in Big Cabin, Craig County, Oklahoma; first
marriage in 1936 to Roy Lee Hicks (1913-1997), son of Edd Hicks (1879-1959) and Stella
L. Huston (1890-1979); second marriage in 1943 to Frank Burton Lindley (1924-1998);
third marriage in 1949 to William Clifford McCrary (1908-1962), son of Sion C. McCrary
(1874-1955) and Mary Ethna Grammer (1887-1967); fourth marriage in 1962 to Jan Harvey
Green (1936-1968); fifth marriage in 1974 to Gene Hibdon (1932-1985); died June 8,
1996 (aged 78) in Norman, Cleveland County, Oklahoma; buried at Chelsea Cemetery,
Chelsea, Rogers County, Oklahoma; known children through Chester Leroy Johns (1915-1992)
include: Roy Leon Hicks; known children through Roy Lee Hicks include: Rebecca Sue
Hicks; known children through William Clifford McCrary include: Deloris Sandra McCrary.
Children of George Washington James (1869-1944) of Arcadia, Kansas and Arizona Dameron
(1883-1960) of White House, Kentucky:
6. Iva Lorene James: born June 16, 1920; first marriage in 1935 to Harry W. Hayworth
(1915-1975); second marriage in March 1950 to George Arless Buttram (1912-1994),
son of Thomas Franklin Buttram (1881-1950) and Stella Elizabeth Mote (1883-1949);
died January 25,1990 (aged 69); buried at the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery,
Garden of Hope, Blk 1, Lot 0, Row 14, Grave 11, Miami, Ottawa County, Oklahoma; known
children through Harry Hayworth include: Dewey Hayworth, Glen Hayworth, Linda Hayworth,
Lorettta Hayworth and Bobby Joe Hayworth; known children through George Buttram include:
Phyllis Buttram and Deborah Buttram.
7. Melvin N. James: born November 11, 1923 in Miami, Ottawa County, Oklahoma;
married February 2, 1947 to Billie Jean Epperson (1927–2009), daughter of Oscar Lee
Epperson (1900-1997) and Ludie Nell Ketchum (1897-1983); died November 11, 2013 (aged
90) in Chelsea, Rogers County, Oklahoma; buried at White Oak Cemetery, White Oak,
Craig County, Oklahoma; known children include: Nicky Denise James, Dennis Bradley
James, Graham Brent James and Lindley Chris James.
8. Lee “PeeWee” Vern James: born March 10, 1927; married Patsy Brannon (1931-1997);
died January 25, 2000 (aged 72); buried at Memorial Gardens, Grand Junction, Mesa
County, Colorado; known children include: Leanna James, Elaine James and Lynn James.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Notes:
George Washington James (1869-1944) was the son of Jonathan James (1848-?) of Clinton
County, Kentucky and Louisa Katherine Archer (1855-1928).
On May 16, 1898, George married Emma Logston, daughter of John S. Logsdon and Martha
Jane, in Muskogee, Oklahoma. George was a farmer and through his union with Emma
Logston he had five children. In November 1917, following 19 years of marriage,
George Washington James left Emma Logston and their four eldest children in Craig
County and ventured 81 miles south to the town of Braggs in Muskogee County, Oklahoma
where he worked a farm and grew cotton. At the time of his departure Emma was three
months pregnant with their fifth child, Lola B. James. On April 24, 1918, five months
following George's departure, Emma gave birth to Lola.
In July 1918, three months following Lola’s birth, George returned home to Craig
County, Oklahoma to fetch his two eldest sons, Frank James (age 16) and William James
(age 14) to assist him in his labor in Muskogee County, Oklahoma. The following month,
August 1918, Emma Logston filed a petition for the dissolution of her marriage to
George. In her petition for dissolution Emma alleged that George had not provided
any financial support to her and their five children since George’s departure nine
months prior; and, that George had taken away their two eldest sons Frank and William
who, since the time of their father's departure in November 1917, had been helping
financially support Emma and her three younger children. On September 13, 1918,
a summons for George to answer the petition for dissolution of marriage was issued.
George was ordered to answer by October 3, 1918. There is no record of any reply
from George.
On February 4, 1919, a judgement of divorce was granted to Emma and signed by the
district judge. Emma was awarded full custody of all five of their children. The
judgement of divorce took effect on August 4, 1919 when Lola was 1 year and three
months old. Following her divorce, Emma quickly remarried. On August 6, 1919 Emma
married James Lewis Puckett (1863-1938) (aged 58) in Vinita, Craig County, Oklahoma.
James was a self proclaimed cowboy and “squaw man” having been married several times
before to native American women. Emma’s marriage to Mr. Puckett did not last long,
however, less than four months. In late 1919, prior to the end of the year, Emma
was bitten by a poisonous snake and died (the same fate reportedly met by Mr. Puckett’s
prior wives). Following Emma’s death, George immediately took custody of his four
eldest children: Frank, William, Charles and Hazel, but refused to acknowledge his
paternity of Lola. Lola, who was still less than two years old, was left in the
custody of her step-father’s 19-year-old daughter “Bea,” a native American woman
who immediately turned her infant half-sister over to Charles Franklin Trickey (1870-1951)
and Mary E. Trickey (1878-1938) who were reportedly relatives of Mr. Puckett. The
Trickey family were already advanced in years, Charles was 50 and Mary was 48. They
had no children of their own and raised Lola as a foster child without formally adopting
her. It was the Trickey family who gave Lola the alias, “Lola Mae Tickey.”
On August 12, 1919, George Washington James married Arizona Dameron (1883-1960) in
Vinita, Craig County, Oklahoma. Arizona was a widow who had previously been married
to Edward Daniels (1874-1919) of Ohio and who already had four children of her own.
By January 1, 1920, George’s four eldest children were living with him and his new
wife Arizona Dameron in Miami City, Ottawa County, Oklahoma. George would have three
more children through Arizona including: Iva Lorene James (1920-1990), Melvin N.
James (1923-2013) and Lee Vern James (1927-2000) whom he raised side by side with
his first four children through Emma Logston and the children from Arizona's prior
marriage including Jess Daniels, Forest Daniels, Lina Mae Daniels (1912-1960) and
Albert Daniels (1915-1963). After her forced separation from her biological father
and four older siblings at the age of 1, Lola B. James would never see any of them
again.
In the summer of 1935, at the age of 17, Lola became pregnant with her first child
through Chester Leroy Johns (1915-1992). She would not marry Chester. Instead,
on January 6, 1936, Lola married Roy Lee Hicks (1913-1997) of Chelsea, Rogers County,
Oklahoma. Lola then legally changed her name to “Lola Mae Hicks.” On January 8,
1936, two days after her marriage to Roy Lee Hicks, Lola gave birth to her first
child, Roy Leon Hicks, in Chelsea, Rogers County, Oklahoma. According to Lola’s granddaughter,
Donna Hicks Williams, Roy Lee Hicks was aware that Lola’s first child was not his
biological son. On December 25, 1937, Lola gave birth to her second child, her daughter
Rebecca Suzanne Hicks (1937-2020), also in Chelsea, Rogers County, Oklahoma. Lola
and Roy were divorced the following year in 1938.
In 1943 Lola entered her second marriage with Frank Burton Lindley (1924-1998). There
were no children through this union. In 1949 Lola entered her third married with
William Clifford McCrary (1908-1962) of Eastland, Eastland County. Texas. On March
9, 1950, Lola gave birth to her third and final child, Deloris Sandra McCrary (1950-2021)
through her union with William McCrary in Vinita, Craig County, Oklahoma. In 1974
Lola married Gene Hibdon (1932-1985) and took on the name Lola Mae Hibdon, retaining
the alias “Mae” as her middle name.
According to Donna Hicks Williams, Lola knew the Trickey family who had raised her
were not her biological parents. Lola had been led to believe by her stepfather,
James Lewis Puckett, that he was her actual biological father. At some point, later
in her life, Lola obtained a delayed birth certificate indicating her name at the
time of her birth to be “Lola Mae Puckett” and Lewis Puckett as her biological father.
In 1995, Lola’s eldest child, Roy Leon Hicks, underwent DNA testing. The results
from an analysis of Roy’s DNA revealed that he and the descendants of Arizona Dameron
shared a common grandfather, George Washington James. Even though the Court acknowledged
George Washington James’ paternity of Lola in 1919, a cloud of doubt had persisted
for more than 75 years due to George’s refusal to acknowledge this ruling. Lola was
77 years old when the DNA analysis was completed. Shortly thereafter, Lola was introduced
to her half-brother Melvin N. James. A comparison of family photos at their meeting
revealed a striking physical resemblance between Lola and her biological half-siblings.
The picture below was taken on the occasion of Lola being reunited with her James
family.
Lola died on June 8, 1996 in Norman, Cleveland County, Oklahoma at the age of 78
years knowing her true identity. She was survived by all three of her children,
her half-brother Melvin N. James, nieces and nephews, numerous grandchildren and
beloved friends. She was laid to rest at Chelsea Cemetery in the town of Chelsea,
Rogers County, Oklahoma under the partial alias, “Lola Mae Trickey Hibdon.” Her
actual legal name at the time of her death was “Lola B. Hibdon” through her last
marriage to Gene.
Sources:
Family Records of Nicky D. James Harris of Chelsea, Oklahoma - daughter of Melvin
N. James (1923-2013).
Family Records of Donna Hicks Williams of Mulvane, Kansas - granddaughter of Lola
B. James (1918-1996).
Family Records of Debbie Buttram Rush of Commerce, Oklahoma - daughter of Iva Lorene
James (1920-1990).
Petition for the Dissolution of Marriage in the Matter of Emma James vs. George W.
James in the District Court of Craig County, Oklahoma, dated April 1918; including
Sworn Affidavit of Emma James in Support; Summons issued to George James; and, Judgement
of Divorce entered by the District Judge on February 4, 1919.
Fourteenth Census of the United States: 1920 - Population for the State of Oklahoma,
County of Ottawa, Miami City, 4th Ward, Enumeration District No. 120, Sheet No. 17A,
Lines Nos. 1-10, Household of George W. James (aged 48) and Arizona James (aged 35)
- listing step children: Forest Daniels (11), Bertta M. Daniels (9), Mimia Daniels
(6) and Albert D. Daniels (5). Also listing children: Frank James (19), Charley
James (14) and Hazel James (11).
Descendants of Lawrence Dameron, Sr. on Roots Web by Maureen Legg.
William Leroy “Bill” James (1903-1978), Find A Grave Memorial, ID No. 119208985,
by Silas E. Jones, added October 23, 2013.
Lina Mae (Daniels) James (1912-1960), Id., Memorial ID No. 119209214, by Silas E.
Jones, added October 23, 2013.
Charles C. “Buck” James (1905-1977), Id., Memorial ID No. 91042813, by Weirich, added
May 30, 2012.
Gertrude Lea “Gertee” (Blair) James-Goring (1914-2000), Id., Memorial ID No. 148786602,
by Rheahonda McCoy, added July 6, 2015.
Hazel L. James (1908-1920), Id., Memorial ID No. 222913818, by James Family Archives,
added February 14, 2021.
Lola B. (James) Hibdon, aka, Lola Mae Trickey (1918-1996), Id., Memorial ID No. 7345422,
by Anna, added April 10, 2003.
Chester Leroy Johns (1915-1992), Id., Memorial ID No. 15838082, by Will, added September
21, 2006.
Roy Lee Hicks (1913-1997), Id., Memorial ID No. 60122077, by Red, added October 14,
2010.
William Clifford McCrary (1908-1962), Id., Memorial ID No. 75165546, by Janet LaMotte,
added August 19, 2011.
Iva Lorene (James) Buttram (1920-1990), Id., Memorial ID No. 99641474, by Judy K.
Roberts, added October 26, 2012.
Harry W. Hayworth (1915-1975), Id., Memorial ID No. 21285762, by Lisa Voris, added
September 1, 2007.
George Arless Buttram (1912-1994), Id., Memorial ID No. 26325034, by Anonymous, added
April 24, 2008.
Melvin James (1923-2013), Id., Memorial ID No. 119204025, by Silas E. Jones, added
October 23, 2013.
Billie Jean (Epperson) James (1927-2009), Id., Memorial ID No. 111218048, by Johanna
Epperson, added May 26, 2013.
Lee Vern James (1927-2000), Id., Memorial ID No. 33785023, by Lady in Red, added
February 12, 2009.
Patsy (Brannon) James (1931-1997), Id., Memorial ID No. 33785047, by Lady in Red,
added February 13, 2009.
Photos:
Lola B. (James) Hibdon (1918-1996) with children Rebecca Suzanne Hicks (1937-2020)
and Roy Leon Hicks.
Iva Lorene (James) Buttram (1920-1990).
Below - Melvin James (1923-2013).
Below - Patsy (Brannon) James (1931-1997) and Lee Vern James (1927-2000).
James Family Reunion in 1995 w/ Melvin James (1923-2013) and Lola B. (James) Hibdon
(1918-1996).
Updated: February 14, 2021
