David Hiram Altom

David Hiram was referred to as 'Bud' or 'Uncle Bud' by family & friends. He also, in his younger days, went by D. C. (David Crockett). He was around 11 years of age when he moved to Arkansas with his family. Sept 8, 1893, at the age of 23, he married Mary BETTS, 22, of Hiram(Cleburne County, AR.). He was living in Smithville(Lawrence County, AR.). Mary was the daughter of H. R. and Frances E. (EMFINGER) BETTS. David and Mary's marriage license is filed at the courthouse in Cleburne County. During their lifetime as husband and wife they lived in Lawrence, White, and Independence Counties. David was a farmer. Their children by order of birth were:

Francis C. (8/24/1895-9/2/1913)
Clarence Elmer (1/7/18;98-1/15/1983) Wife: Lena Pearl DOSSETT(3/7/1901-8/1/1985)
Jesse Earl (1/2/1905-1/26/1967) Wife: Bertha May MYERS(10/7/1905-1/26/1967)
Marvin William (8/21/1908-3/11/1991) Wife: Mary Ann WALKER 7/11/1914-7/15/1987)

David and Mary are both buried at Union Grove (formerly known as Board Shanty) Cemetery near Floral, AR. Mary's birth and death was 1/13/1871-5/17/1959, outliving her husband by almost 10 years.

Click here for memories of David and Mary as told by their grandchildren.

INFO ON CHILDREN OF DAVID AND MARY

Frances: Aunt Frances never married and died at the very young age of 18. She is buried at Union Grove next to her parents. There is only one known photo of her in existance, taken shortly before she died..

Clarence Elmer: Uncle Elmer, at the age of 24, purchased a marriage license in Independence County, AR., and three days later on the 21st of December, 1918, married Lena DOSSETT, 18. Aunt Lena was the daughter of William Thomas & Mattie (BOWREN) DOSSETT. Of that union they had six children:

Nolan Verner
Irene
Victor
W. T. (named after William Thomas, his Mothers dad)
Gerlene
Glenna Fay

All of the children are still living except Nolan Verner. Nolan was born Jan. 12, 1920 and died Feb. 2, 1997.

Uncle Elmer operated a grocery and feed business in the Floral community in the 1940's and early 50's during the peak growth of the poultry industry. He was one of the first in Independance and surrounding counties to distribute Mastermix feed to poultry growers. He purchased the business from Mrs. O. B. ROBBINS of Heber Springs during the early 40's. He also ran a cotton gin during that time which he purchased from his father-in-law, Thomas Dossett. When he decided to retire from the business in the mid 1950's, he moved to Batesville where he worked as delinquent tax collector and also in the Human Resources Department. He was a clerk in Liberty Township(Independence County, AR) in the early to late 40's and deeply involved with the advancement of the Democratic Party in Arkansas. Uncle Elmer died in 1983 and Aunt Lena in 1985. Both are buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery, near Floral, Arkansas(Independence County).

Jesse Earl: Grandpa Earl was born in Floral, Arkansas. At the age of 18, while living in Elmo, Arkasas, he married my Grandmother Bertha, also 18 of Elmo, at the courthouse in Jackson County, Arkansas. Granny Bertha was the daughter of William Nickolas MYERS and Nancy Ann BARNETT. Their first child, William Maxwell was born 3/24/1926. They had eight children who were by order of birth:

Willilam Maxwell
Raymond Clintis
Boyd Wayne
Francis Faynette
Marcus Dean
Charles Rex
Donald Ray
Fay Ann

Four of their children are deceased: Fay Ann died as an infant on Sept. 19, 1944 and is buried at Union Grove Cemetery. Boyd Wayne, my FATHER, died Dec. 11, 1973 and is buried at Mt. Hebron Cemetery in Joy, AR. Raymond Clintis died 1/4/1985 and is buried at Leggett Cemetery near Pangburn and William Maxwell died 3/30/1986 and is buried at Union Grove Cemetery in Floral.

Grandpa Earl was a farmer and became an ordained Minister of the Gospel on the 29th day of September, 1940. He pastored many different country churches for the next 15 years, uprooting the family and moving to wherever the Lord called him to preach. Grandpa Earl died 1/26/1967 at the age of 62. Granny, was a housewife, who worked with her husband on the family farm and picked cotton for hire. The only known job, away from the farm, was a short stint as a maid at the Mayflower Hotel in Searcy, AR. Grandpa is buried at Union Grove Cemetery (Board Shanty) near Floral, AR. Grandma Betha died 11/14/1984 and is buried beside her husband at Union Grove.

Read Memories of Grandpa and Grandma written by their granddaughter.

Marvin William : Uncle Marvin was born in Floral, Arkansas and at the age of 21 married Mary Ann WALKER of Salado March 15, 1930 in Independence County, AR.. Aunt Mary Ann was the daughter of John WALKER and Minnie NASH Of their union they had the following children:

Farris Dean
Curtis Gwen
Mary Lee
Bobby Dale
Debra Kay

Uncle Marvin worked at Bauxite, AR. during WWII, at an aluminum manufacturing plant. He was also a farmer, who worked at various jobs in his younger days. By 1949 he returned to Batesvillle where he drove a gas truck and then owned a service station up until his retirement. Mary Ann, his wife, in later years worked at a fabric center and grocery store in Batesville, AR. until her health forced her to retire at, or near, the same time as her husband. Aunt Mary Ann went to be with the Lord July 15, 1987 and Uncle Marvin joined her March 11, 1991. They are both buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery near Floral, AR.

To read more about the descendants of David and Mary Altom and view family photos of children and grandchildrenVisit this page

IT IS IN LOVING RESPECT AND MEMORY THAT I POST THIS PAGE OF MY FAMILY - TO THOSE THAT ARE STILL WITH US AND THOSE THAT HAVE DIED AND LEFT A VOID IN OUR HEARTS. HOW THANKFUL I AM TO HAVE BEEN BORN INTO THIS FAMILY.

I WAS NOT FROM A WEALTHY FAMILY, AS MONEY GOES, BUT THE WEALTH I RECEIVED AND LESSONS LEARNED, FAR SURPASS ANY THING WEALTH COULD HAVE OFFERED.

I DIDN'T REALIZE WHEN I BEGAN THIS PAGE, HOW DIFFICULT IT WOULD BE TO COMPLETE WITHOUT TEARS OF SORROW FOR THOSE THAT I HAVE LOVED AND LOST.

THANKFULLY THERE WILL BE A GLAD REUNION DAY!!

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