Drawings and Letters by Lila Simpson
Contributed by Francine Rossman
High School English Literature Book
High School Business Law Book
4/5/1934 Letter from Lila and Lee to her mother, written on her wedding night
Letter transcribed:
Anderson, S.C.
April 5, 1934
Dearest Mother and all,
How are all you by now I guess you thought I wasn't ever going to get
stationed, but I did, but didn't have any money so I had to wait till I got
here. I got married here in "A" this eve. about 2:30 o'clock,
to a boy from Knoxville. I met him about the 1st
of March. We really love each other + I don't think he'll ever mistreat
me in any way.
Have you all still got my guitar. Take care of it for me, I may want it
some time, but not soon. We're going to Los Angeles, Cal. in a few days
so I don't guess I'll see you all for a good while, but don't worry about me
because Lee will take care of me if there is any possible chance. So
forgive me for leaving + marring and answer as soon as possible.
Your daughter
I think Lee wants
"Lila" to write a few lines
Mrs. Simpson I have never saw you but have heard Lila talk of you so often I
take it for granted I know you. We will come to see you. Will write more...
2/11/1937 Letter from Lila to her mother before her marriage to George Hughes
Obituary from the Houston Post Newspaper, 7/8/1937
(Note: Dorn, GA should be Doerun, GA)
Contributed by Mary Simpson Crosby
Email from Eva Morton (niece of
George Hughes) to Mary Crosby (niece of Lila Simpson)
11/2/2003
Hello Mary,
I
just finished talking with my Mother, and will relate what she told me.
As I said Mom did not marry into the Hughes family until 1941, and did not
personally know Laura, but my Grandfather James "Jim" Hughes talked
with Mom about Laura and then my Dad, Mearl Hughes spoke of Laura too.
Grandpa
told Mom that Laura was a beautiful young woman, a hard worker, kind, and her
and my Uncle George were very much in love. He went on to say the person
that shot Laura was a Hispanic man, and that this man had recently lost his
wife, and claimed that Laura could have been a twin to his wife. Uncle
George and Laura owned and operated a combination Restaurant/Bar, and this man
came in regularly. It would seem he wanted to become involved with Laura
and when he was reminded that she was married, evidently did not take this very
well. Mom was told that Laura was walking down the stairs, and this
person walked in ran up to her and shot her in the chest, killing her
immediately.
Mom
said if she was told what happened to the man, if he was sent to jail, etc. she
just does not remember. I feel that something had to of been written up
in the newspaper, and guess at this time that would be the only other way we
might find out what took place afterward. I live in Houston, and we are very lucky to have one of the best
Genealogical Libraries, Clayton, and I live about 5 minutes from it. My
husband has been very ill and is in the hospital at this time, if it wasn't for
that I would be more than happy to make a visit to the library to see what I
might uncover. I know that many of the old newspaper's have been
microfilmed and some are stored at our local colleges. I need to contact
Clayton Library and see what the procedure is in getting the information about
Laura. Maybe even the library has something there that I could get a copy
of. This may take a little time Mary, and hope you will be willing to
wait until I can find out how to proceed. I am most curious not only
about Laura but several other things I want to find in the older newspaper
copies.
I
really appreciate you sharing with me your connection with Laura. I had
wondered, and last night after sending you the last email, just on chance
entered Lila Laura Simpson and was able to pull up a family I believe is
hers. I found them on the 1930 Martins, Gwinnett Georgia census, please let me know if this is the correct
family. And yes the Social Security file you pulled up is Uncle George,
he died 29 August 1989. And I belong to Ancestry, History, and Roots
Web, being a late bloomer on this History research I joined everything I could
to help me. And belong to the Hughes as well as many other mailing lists,
this is how I found you, on the Ancestry "Hughes" mailing list.
Anything you might want to know about my large extended Hughes family, please feel free to
ask, I will share all that I have been able to uncover. And, I would love
to know anything you might want to share about how, when and where Laura and
Uncle George met, married, etc.
George Rodney Hughes was born in 1906 in Oklahoma, he was the oldest son of James "Jim"
Hughes and Nina "Foster" Hughes. He was a rough little fellow,
believe he was brought up in hard times but was able to make due with what the
world dealt him. I know that he loved his Father and Mother, as well as
his brothers, Mearl (my Dad) was born 18 months after George, and then another
brother Floyd was born in 1910, all of the brothers were born in and around the
Pottawatomie county Oklahoma area. I have been told that George being the
oldest would look after his family, as best he could, and if he ran into
someone bigger, tougher then he was then someone would yell out "Go get
Big Sister", this was how they referred to their Mother, Nina, LOL..
They said Grandma would come running with fists in the air, she was barely 5
foot tall, but with that fierce look I am sure was on her face she probably
scared off most anyone that even suggested doing harm to her brood.
I know that on the 1930 census I found my Hughes family living here in Harris
county, with Grandpa as head of the household, listed Uncle George as a
Plumbing contractor, Dad as a Plumber, and listed my Uncles first wife, Sis as
we called her and her daughter all living in the household. Uncle George
was a Master Plumber, worked hard his whole life and maintained his Plumbers
license up until the day he died. I know that his first wife Sis chased
after him until the day she died, refusing to give up on him coming back to
her. Around 1958, I believe he met and married Ruth Jane Alexander, and
they lived the rest of their life together. Aunt Ruth died last month, at
the age of 87. She took good care of my Uncle as his health was not that
good, he suffered from various health problems.
Uncle George did not die a "natural death", or from old age, as he was only
83 when he died. He was a very stubborn person, was always out climbing
up on the roof, tottering around, mowing his lawn etc. He was outside
trying to kill out a bush growing in his front yard, after sawing it down, and
other things trying to get rid of it, he decided to take a can of gasoline and
burn it down. Unfortunately he was standing too close and as he scattered
gasoline the fire backtracked, exploded the gas can and he was suffered 3rd
degree burns over 90 percent of his body. He was taken to the best burn
center here in Houston, fought a valiant fight, but was just not strong
enough to survive, he passed away several week after the accident. Soon
after he died, his widow sold the house here in Houston and had a house built in Livingston TX, near where
her only child lived.
I guess Mary, I could go on and on with little things about my family, but am
sure you would like to know more about your Laura, and just wish I knew more to
tell you. I will try to find all that can be found just gonna take some
time. In the meantime feel free to ask about anything and will try to
give you the answer. Oh yes, feel free to share anything with whoever you
want I do not mind you sending anything from me on to others in your
family. Thanks for sending the website address, will have a look.
You take care, be chatting with you soon.
Eva
