William O. K. Anderson Family - Family Histories

     In the remote western edge of South Carolina, William Anderson was born in 1820, married Nancy R (Holland) Anderson in 1850, widow of William's older brother. Into their large family was born on November I 1856, a son, whom they named William O. K. At the age of 14, "Kay" set out on foot and alone for Texas, to escape the financial ruin brought upon his family by the Civil War. He arrived in newly-created Coleman County with nothing but a few provisions. He slowly built a ranch for himself, was able to return to South Carolina and bring his parents to Texas; the elder Andersons settling in Desdemona, where the father, William H. Anderson, died in 1906. A former slave came to Coleman and lived with the W. O. K. Andersons until 1922.

     William O. K. returned to Coleman and continued to extend his holdings in the rolling hills northwest of the city, eventually owning seven sections, thus his brand, the 70K. He had married Lucy Jane Charlton on September 28, 1889, while he still worked for Ben Robey. They lived on Scarbrough Ranch, where Lucy's parents (her father was a builder of harps) lived with them. During these years, the first three children were born. When enough money had been saved to build a home. they moved to the 7OK Ranch. As the family grew, more rooms were added until it contained 13 rooms. W.O.K. died November 3, 1924; Lucy, September 10, 1942; both are buried In Coleman. Their children follow.

     (1) Armer, born March 4, 1891, never married, died at age 25, buried in Coleman.

     (2) Mary Elizabeth, April 30, 1892-December 26, 1974, buried at Coleman, married Will T. Smith, December 13, 1925. They had no children, but helped raise a niece, Omerine. After Mr. Smith died in 1974, Mary served as a nurse in people's homes.

     (3 and 4) Ida and Addie, April 20, 1894. Ida died December 24, 1922. Addie married Oscar Vernon Rutherford, a World War I veteran. They made their home in Santa Anna. Addie died October 16, 1965; Vernon, 1960; both buried in Coleman. They had 3 children: R. B. married Lorene Anderson and lives at Liberty; W. F., known as "Pete," married Winnie Tucker and lives in Santa Anna; and Lucy Lula, known as "Sis." Pete and Winnie have three sons, Larry, Joe, and Donnie.

     (5) Ora, March 5, 1895, married Julius Terry "Burley' Burleson in 1914. Burley was a barber for 53 years in Breckenridge, where they lived. They celebrated 60 years of married life on September 4, 1974. She died a few weeks later; Burley lived only a few more months; both buried at Coleman. They had two sons, W. L. (Dick), January 2, 1916, married Dorothy Salmon. lives in Midland. They have two sons: Donald Richard and David. Terry O. K., September 28, 1920, has a son, Clint, by his first marriage; married his present wife, Henrietta, in 1961; and lives near Dallas.

     (6) Kay, May 5, 1898, was a lifelong resident of Coleman. Kay and his first wife, Hermine McDonald, had one daughter, Omerine, known as Polly. After his wife died in the 1920's Kay's sister, Mary, raised Polly. She married Raymond Greaves, and had two daughters, Becky and Connie (see Lawrence Decatur Greaves). In 1930, Kay married Elsie Todd in Coleman. had four children, three of whom survive. William M., lives in Colorado with his three sons, David, Danny and Dickie (see Green F. Givens); Norma Kay, a teacher in Carlsbad, New Mexico, has lived there since 1951 with her husband, Merle G. Elkins (see John Elkins). Janelle also lives in Carlsbad and works for a pharmaceutical firm. Her husband. M. D. Tyson (see M. L. Mitchell). They have a son, Michael and a daughter, Amy.

     In 1950, Kay was elected Commissioner of Coleman County, Precinct 1 and held that position until his retirement in 1976. His 26-year tenure was the longest of any commissioner of the county. He died in February, 1980, just three weeks after their 50th wedding anniversary. Elsie died in 1983, both are buried in Coleman.

     (7) Marcel, May 8, 1901, lived his entire life in Coleman and died une 23, 1970, buried at Coleman, married Lorena Wilson in 1935 (see Terry William Wilson). Marcel was a farmer and later a painter. They had no children.

     (8) A baby, July 7, 1904, died at birth, buried in Coleman.

     (9) Matthias Holland, June 22, 1905, a lifelong Colemanite, worked on a ranch, then farmed, and later became a painter, once owned a cafe called the Double Dip. In the 1930's, he married Alma Wilson: had three daughters who died at early ages. In 1942, he married Mattie Dell Linch of Iredell. Matt died April 2, 1972: Mattie, June 1982, both buried in Coleman. Their children are:

       (9a) Matt, Jr. born in 1943, called "Tooter," attended Coleman schools, now a painter. In 1963, he married Deana Jones, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Billy Jones and granddaughter of John Jones of Coleman. Deana is an L.V. N. at Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital. They have three children, Matthew Gene (Chipper), Billy Wade, and Serena Michelle.

       (9b) Mary Dell, born In 1945, a Coleman High School graduate; she has been an L. V. N. at Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital since 1966. She also helps Walker Funeral Home as an ambulance driver and is an Emergency Medical Technician.

      (9c) Ora Jane, August 23, 1950, graduated from Coleman and is employed by Overall-Memorial Hospital. Mary and Ora live at the home place of Matt and Mattie, while Tooter lives next door.

     (10) Sarah Jane, October 30, 1906, has always lived in Coleman. She married Bill Perry, Feb. 1, 1928. He went to work for Santa Fe Railroad, retired 15 years later. Bill died in March 1968. They had two children:

       (10a) Addie Jane, born in 1929, a Coleman High graduate, married Arthur Edwards of Burkett. She is a teacher and Arthur works for Gulf Oil in Groves, where they now live. They have one son. William Erwin.

         (10b) Billy Marcel, born in 1930, a graduate of Coleman High, is a ship builder on the Texas coast. He had seven children; five survive; Charles, Teresa Jane, Marcel Anderson, Nickie, and Sarah Faye.

     (11) Joe Bailey, May 3, 1908-August 8, 1974, buried in Coleman, was an oil field worker and a house painter. He and his first wife, Bess Parker, had one daughter, Jo Ann, who now lives in San Antonio. He later married Sally Thomas, and had one daughter. Pam, who married Jim McCowen of Cross Plains, now living in Odessa. Their three children are Stephanie, Jason and Jeremy.

     (12) James Pickens, August 27, 1910 - February 11, 1922, buried in Coleman.

(Images to be added)

Back: Kay, Matt, Mary, Marcel; Front: Addie and Sarah Anderson

Matt, Deana, Billy, Serena and Matthew Anderson