Alva "Alvie" Owens Williams

When the three boys were grown, their father (Thomas James) took them on a trip to Tennessee. It was during this trip that Alvie met Myrtle. TJ lived near the some of the Mickels in Nebraska. Alvie has shared stories of the time when in his teens he was a real cowboy-not a "hollywood" cowboy. He said he wore two six- shooters and rode on cattle drives.

Myrtle Nickens mother was Rebecca Jane Newel born in Tenneessee, and her father was Samuel Nickens, born in Kentucky. Samuel and Rebecca had six children: Jennie, Myrtle, Edgar, Jesse, Gertrude, and John.

Alvie and Myrtle had Oscar with them when they moved from Tennessee to Nebraska by train. The rest of the children were born in Nebraska. In 1942 Alvie, Myrtle and Eldon relocated to Shelton, WA where Alvie worked in the shipyards in Bremerton, WA. Later Alvie went to work at Simpson Lumber Co in Shelton. Myrtle worked as a domestic worker. After Alvie returned he worked for a short while in a laundry mat. In 1973 Alvie and Myrtle took a trip to Arkansas to visit their daughter Lela and son Bill. They fell in love with the warm climate-lots of sunshine. Compared to the rainy clouded days in Shelton, they made a decision to sell out and move to Sulphur Springs Ark.

Alvie and Myrtle had nine children: Oscar, Ester, Harvey, Lela, Ray (Bill), Hickey Nelse Neda, Alice and Eldon:


Oscar Lewis was born February 27, 1907, in Huntington, Tennessee, and died August 1964 in Spokane, WA. Oscar was about 16 when he left home to go out on his own. He had been gone several years, when one day he came home, met his dad in the barn. Alvie looked at him and said we are not hiring help right now. He didn't recognize his son Oscar. Oscar married Vi. They have three children: Gail, Norman and Carol.

Esther Gertru de was born March 29, 1909, in Morrill Co. Nebraska and died in 1988?, in Redding, CA. Ester married Lee Beatty. They have one son Don. Ester and Lee raised quarter horses. After Lee died (was kicked by a horse, a year later a blood clot formed and killed him), she stayed in California for several years, then moved to Shelton, WA. Ester marr ied Jay Umphenour and they lived in Shelton, WA. for severa l years. After Jay's retirement from the PUD they bought a ranch near Elma, WA where they lived until Jay died of cancer. Ester and Jay loved horses and loved to ride in parades, etc. Ester worked for years in Olson's Furniture Store in Shelton. After Jay's death, Ester lived in Elma for a few years, then moved to Redding, CA to be near her son Don and family. Ester died in 1988?

Harvey Alan was born October 30, 1910 in Morrill Co. Nebraska. Harvey married and had a son Johnny. He later married Lucille and had a son Tony. Harvey lives in Portland, Oregon. Johnny married and lives in Portland, OR. He and his wife have show dogs and travel a lot. Tony lived in Portland, OR. He died of drug overdose in May 1993.

Lela Inez was born August 17, 1912 in Minatare, Morrill Co. Nebraska. She married George Hayes Wiggin on August 23, 1927 in Fayetteville, Washington Co. Arkansas. George was born in Iowa. Lela and George had twelve children: George, Verne, Lela, Helen, Paul, Marie, Bobby, Betty, Max, Joy, Gay and Cynthia.

Ray Owen "Bill" was born July 8, 1914, in Minatare, Morrill Co, NE a nd died in California in 1991. Bill married Della and they lived in Shelton for a time while he served in the navy during World War II. He later married Lillian from California. After Lillian's death, Bill married Phyllis. They lived in Gravette, AR for a time then moved to Santa Maria, California. Bill was a US mail carrier in the City of Los Angeles for years until his retirement. Bill had a parttime job in a liquor store and was shot during a hold-up. He survived, but always felt the pain of the injury. Phyllis lives in Santa Maria, CA.

Hickey Nelse was born April 17, 1917 in Morrill Co NE and died August 15 , 1986 in Wenatchee, Chelan Co. WA. He died after an extended illness of cancer. He married Ruth M Cunningh am on November 14, 1938 in Gering, Nebraska. They made their first home in McGrew, NE, then moved to Redding California where Hickey worked in construction on Shasta Dam. During World Ware II he worked in construction in Adak, Alaska. In 1945 they moved to Shelton WA where he drove a bus for the Bremerton-Tacoma Stages Co. From 1955 through 1973 Hickey was a car salesman in Wenatchee. They have three children: Steve, Gene and Joyce.

Neda May was born May 19, 1921 in Morrill Co. Nebraska. She married Clayton Bricker. Their only baby died at birth. Neda married Clayton when she was 15 years old. One time when her niece Helen was about 5 or 6 years old, (Lela's daughter) was visiting her grandmother she overheard someone say that "Neda sure keeps him in hot water." The niece could visualize Clayton sitting in a tub of steaming hot water. Neda and Clayton moved to Washington in 1942 and lived in Port Orchard for several years. She later married Art Heng. Art Heng died in 1993.

Alice Lorene was born July 10, 1925 and died November 8, 1926 with what was then called "consumption."

Eldon Owen was born May 27, 1928 in Morrill Co. Nebraska. Eldon married Pat and they had three children: Rodney, Randy, and Michelle. Pat died of cancer in 1991. Eldon married Mona and they lived in Portland, OR for a while then moved to Chicago, Illinois. Eldon is in the business of advertising. Has been the awarded the top national advertiser twice. His main business is billboard and bench sign advertising. When Eldon was in his last year of high school he got a job in the local theater in Shelton, WA and started in the advertising field. He began to do so well that quit school and continued in this field. He is worth over a million dollars today. Eldon and Mona have had show dogs-both raised them and show them around the country-winning many blue ribbons.

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