The Aldridge Family - Family Histories

      Walter Edmond Vanderford and Dora Pearl Biggs and an older daughter, Lela, moved to Coleman County from Hill County to a place north of the Santa Anna Mountain in 1904 (see Vanderford Family). Mary Beula Vanderford was born September 26, 1905 and attended school at Longview and Santa Anna. Mary met Warren Presley Aldridge in August, 1924, at a church association at Dothan, near Cisco. Warren was born in Bowie County near DeKalb in a log cabin, January 29, 1902, the son of Douglas David Aldridge and Sarah Cathilee McMillon. Warren and his parents and 11 brothers and sisters lived near Tokeen in Runnels County. They moved to Taylor County in 1907 to a place near Lawn. Warren and Mary married June 7, 1925 at the Santa Anna Baptist Church parsonage. After their marriage they lived around Lawn. Their first two sons were born in Coleman County and the next two in Runnels county.

     In 1930, not long after the Depression started, we, (our two older sons, along with Warren's sisters, Lottie and Bonnie Rose with daughter, Jean), Alma and Lou Addie and a brother, J. D., (see Joseph Goode) went to South Texas and worked in the peanut and cotton harvest. In the fall of 1930, they went to New Mexico, returning in December of that year. In December 1950, they moved east of Santa Anna to the old Austin place. The Vanderfords farmed this land for 28 years and moved into town in 1949 or 1950. During the dry years to follow, Warren worked at the cotton gin in Santa Anna tying out bales of cotton. Because it was so dry and money was short, they burned the prickly pear in their pastures for the livestock to eat. In 1954, Warren went to work at the Santa Anna Tile Plant and worked there for 13 years, retiring in 1967. In 1961, they bought the farm and lived and worked it until they retired in 1979; selling the largest portion of the place, keeping only a few acres to relocate the house on. Their children:

     (1) Warren Presley Jr., May 2, 1926, graduated from Lawn High School in 1944, and joined the army, serving in General Patton's armies in World War II. On August 3, 1945 he married Mario Guess of San Angelo. He is employed by El Paso Natural Gas Company for whom he has worked 31 years; and currently resides in Keyston Camp near Kermit. They
have five sons:

       (la) Norman Ray, born June 9, 1946, San Angelo, married Leta Faye Robertson, they have two adopted daughters, Kristi Raylene and Karla Ragene. They live in Robert Lee.

       (1b) James Donald, July 3, 1948 in San Angelo, married Vicki Jean Gunn, three sons, Dustin Sean, Stacey Don and Brandon, live in Midland.

       (1c) Martin Presley, September 25, 1951, in San Angelo married Janice Lord, live in Midland, have a little girl, Misty Janine.

       (1d) Marvin Andrew, October 28, 1952, in Kermit, married (1) Nancy Lee Morrison, three sons, William Piney, Donnie Lee and Jeromy Dean. They were divorced. He married (2) Marcia Kent Dudley, July 12, 1980, at the Aldridge Family Reunion held at Sandy Beach, Lake Brownwood.

       (1e) Warren Stephen, January 11, 1954 at Kermit, married Karla Jean Burnham.

     (2) Walter Douglas (Dub), June 10, 1927, graduated from Lawn in 1945, worked on the farm with his Dad until 1943, when he moved to Kermit to find work. In September 1950, he was drafted into the army where he served in the 705th Eng. Maint. Division, discharged in September, 1952, returned to Kermit where he worked for the Cabot Oil Company. On January 25, 1953, he married Ruth Mae Havner, a native of Coleman County, born October 2, 1935. They returned to Coleman County in 1967 and live east of Santa Anna where they own their home and a small acreage for garden, orchard, etc. Dub is currently employed by Matthews Distributing in Brownwood. Their four children were born in Kermit:

       (2a) Deborah Ruth, April 15, 1954, graduated from Santa Anna High School in 1972, entered Central Commercial College at Brownwood, graduating in 1973. On July 14, 1973, she married Randy Boyd Long, born May 24, 1955 in Lampasas. Two daughters: Charliese Renee, April 29, 1977 and Jessica Ruth, January 26, 1982. They live at Shields where they have a small farm. They are employed by Mahan Ford and Tractor in Coleman.

   (2b) Walter Duane, October 11, 1955, graduated from Santa Anna in 1974 and entered Tarleton State University, married Vicki Karen Benge, March 5, 1977, and graduated from TSU in December, 1977, (see M. R. Cheatham). Two sons: Jared Benge, June 6, 1977 and Wesley Kyle, July 5, 1982. They live east of Santa Anna where they have a home and a small acreage. Vicki is employed at the courthouse in Coleman and Duane is manager of Powell Supply Store in Coleman. He and his Dad are also partners in a ranching operation called D&D Cattle Company. Vicki and Ruth also have a business venture known as the Sewing Basket in Santa Anna.

       (2c) Warren Douglas, a stillborn infant born December 10, 1956.

       (2d) Mary Belinda, May 14, 1958, graduated from Santa Anna in 1976 and enrolled in Cisco Jr. College, where she was a member of the Rangerettes. On February 11, 1978, she married Timothy Ralph Ince, born May 24, 1955 in Roscoe. Two sons: Timothy Heath, December 22, 1978 and James Douglas, April 6, 1982. They live in Roscoe.

     (3) Winston Ray (Jinks), May 6, 1932, graduated from Lawn and also worked on the farm with his dad. He served in the Korean War in a helicopter division from 1953 until 1955. He married July 5, 1957, Freddie Charlotte Elza of Belton. They lived in Kermit where he was employed by El Paso Natural Gas; was transferred to Ozona. Two sons:

       (3a) Vaden Ray, married Kathy Gail Sewell, children, Andrea Kay and a second daughter.

       (3b) Varlyn Kevin.

     (4) Adriel Van, September 26, 1940, graduated from Santa Anna and attended Howard Payne University in Brownwood before marrying Nita Jewel Needham, July 26, 1963. They have two daughters:

       (4a) Deborah Elizabeth (Debbie), born March 25, 1962, (Van eventually adopted Debbie as his own) graduated from Nimitz High School in Irving in 1980, married David Piser of Irving. One daughter, Brandi Elizabeth, October 22, 1982.

       (4b) Valory Kay, July 6, 1964 in Coleman, graduated from Nimitz in 1982, currently attending Executive Secretarial School in Dallas. Van and Valory live in Lewisville, where he is employed by Central Freight Lines at Irving. Debbie and her family reside in Irving.

     Warren and Mary celebrated 58 years of wedded bliss in 1983 and are looking forward to many more years of happiness.

(Images to be added)

Warren Preslev and Mary Beulah Aldridge