Life History

Other facts

Notes

• We learn Alpha's middle name and birth date from some undocumented family genealogies, like the following
  
  Alpha Odela NORRIS
  Born 30 JUN 1903 Parker Co, Texas
  Death 10 APR 1979 Parker, Texas [though her death record reports death was in neighboring Tarrant County; residence was in Parker]
  Parents:
  Henry New Year Norris 1845-1925
  Lucinda Elizabeth Griffith 1869-1949
  --  Debbie Harris, Wiley-Fletcher-Hogg, Ancestry, https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/45379508/person/6353915038/facts
  
  But other sources spell the name as we might expect:  Odelia.  This is her name in the 1930 census.
  
  "Alpha Odela Norris is correct, if you spell Odela backwards, you have Aledo!  [Aledo is a town in Parker County, Texas, where they lived.]  Henry N. Y. got fancy with his last two daughters.  Lino Onil, born 1898, is a word spelled forward and backwards."
  --  Email from Evlyn Broumley to Wanda Cox, 29 July 2008
  
  In a continuing series of email conferencing by several of us researching the Norris, Yeary, Jackson, Green and related families, a descendant, however, reports that the proper form of her name is in fact Odela, not Odelia.  In the process she gives some information on the family naming tradition.
  
  1930 Federal Census, Tarrant County, Texas, 28 (April?), Ft Worth Ward 16E, District 68, page 105A, 4513 El Campo St, Hse #149, Fam #159
  Green, Jeff Head Owns Home $5000 value M W 27  Married at age 23  TX GA AL Salesman, Gulf Oil Company [b abt 1907]
  Green, Odelia Wife F W 27 Married at age 23  TX IL TX Nurse, Dr. Office [b abt 1907,  m abt 1926]
  
  Some undocumented sources indicate that Alpha had a third husband name Eddie Whalen.  Several of us working in July-August 2008 were unable to find any documentary reference or genealogy with any details on this name.  But info was found on one June Eldon Whalin.  Whalin was Odela's name at the time of her death.
  
  June Eldon Whalin
  Birth 04 JUN 1907 Kentucky, USA
  Death 13 FEB 1991 Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas
  Parents:
  John Mc Whalin 1862-1937
  Cornelia A. Bledsoe 1872-1910
  Spouse Alpha Odela Norris 1903-1979
  --  Neighbors Genealogy, http://person.ancestry.com/tree/12307804/person/12485148656/facts
  
  Texas Death Index, 1903-2000
  Alpha Whalin
  Death 10 Apr 1979 Tarrant County
  
  U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
  Odela Whalin
  Born 30 Jan 1903
  Died Apr 1979
  Last Residence Fort Worth, Tarrant, Texas 76126
  SSN 464-09-1743 issued Texas - Before 1951
  
  Alpha "Odela" Norris Whalin
  Birth 30 Jan 1903 Parker County, Texas
  Death 10 Apr 1979 (aged 76) Tarrant County, Texas
  Burial Aledo Cemetery, Aledo, Parker County, Texas
  Parents:
  Henry New Year Norris 1845-1928
  Lucinda Elizabeth Griffith Norris 1869-1949
  Spouse June "Eldon" Whalin 1907-1991
  Siblings:
  Infant Norris 1888-1888
  Mary Belle Norris Wiley 1889-1973
  Chester Norris 1892-1892
  Pearl Norris Yeary 1894-1950
  Hatler Leslie Norris 1895-1963
  Onil Lino Norris Whitmire 1898-1970
  Henry Brantley Norris 1905-1982
  Lucinda Norris 1907-1907
  Eddie Norris 1908-1908
  Created by Cheryl 19 Feb 2011
  --  Find A Grave Memorial 65872866, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65872866/alpha-%22odela%22-whalin

Sources

• 1. Ancestry Trees
• 2. 1930 Federal Census, Tarrant County, Texas
  • 28 (April?), Ft Worth Ward 16E, District 68, page 105A, 4513 El Campo St, Hse #149, Fam #159
• 3. 1930 Federal Census, Tarrant County, Texas
  • 17 April, Ft Worth Ward 16, District 69, page 46A, 4513 Collinwood St, Hse/Fam #1113
• 4. 1910 Federal Census, Parker County, Texas
  • 28 April, Justice Precinct 1, District 65, page 7A, South Main St [no house address], Hse/Fam #102
• 5. 1920 Federal Census, Parker County, Texas
  • 3 January,  Justice Precinct 1, District 59, page 2A,  Weatherford and Spring Creek, Hse #27, Fam #28
• 6. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
• 7. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 8. Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000
• 9. Email Sources
• 10. Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982