Francis Larkin ELLIS William W MCSWAIN William Harold MCSWAIN Bessie Alberta FANSLER Mini tree diagram
Frances Opel ELLIS

Frances Opel ELLIS1,7,2,3,4,5,6

9th Feb 19001,2,3,4,5,6 - 29th Apr 19523,3,4

Life History

1900

Residence1 in Big Mound, Wayne, Illinois.6

9th Feb 1900

Born in Illinois.1,2,3,4,5,6

24th Dec 1922

Married William W MCSWAIN in DeWitt, Arkansas, Arkansas.7

7th Oct 1923

Birth of son William Harold MCSWAIN in DeWitt, Arkansas, Arkansas.8,3,5,9,1,10

1930

Resident in Kerrville, Kerr, Texas.3

3rd Oct 1941

Death of William W MCSWAIN in McLennan County, Texas.11,3,12

29th Apr 1952

Died in Texas.3,3,4

after 29th Apr 1952

Buried in DeWitt Cemetery, DeWitt, Arkansas County, Arkansas.4

Notes

  • This genealogy originally reported the parents of Opel McSwain to be William and Ora McIvey of Piatt County, Illinois.  Later I discovered the birth certificate of Opel's son William Harold McSwain, thanks to Harold's daughter Sonja on her genealogy.  This led me to the marriage record of Opel and William W McSwain in December 1022.  Both these records reported Opel's maiden name as Ellis.  I had previously found no Ellis family in the Ethel area of Arkansas County and had no indication to look for one.

    I was then able to locate which Ellis family Opel was from in Illinois.  I found that various genealogies have mixed records of two or three different Ellis families in different counties of Illinois.  Sonja reports that Opel's parents were F L and Bessie A Ellis.  Another genealogy correctly reports more complete names I found in the censuses Francis L Ellis and his wife Bessie A.  Some of the censuses attached, however, were for a different Ellis family, a widowed mother named Goldie and her daughter Opel and others, in Kanakee County, Illinois.

    Goldie and Opel are still in Kanakee in 1920 and 1930,  That Opel is still single and in her mother's home, while our Opel Ellis McSwain is in Kerrville, Texas, in 1930 with er husband William and on Harold.  Another family with a daughter named Opel is also referenced in South Bend, Indiana.  These other families are not related to our Opel.  One genealogy has also reported Francis and Bessie's last daughter Marie as the same child as Opel.  But Marie was not born unitl htey mvoed to Arkansas, 15 years after Opel was born.

    1900 Federal Census, Wayne County, Illinois, [no date] June, Big Mound Township, District 95, page 2A, Hse/Fam #30
    Ellis, F L Head W M  Sep 1875  24 Married 5 years IL IL IL Farmer Owns
    Ellis, Bessie A Wife W F July 1877  23 Married 5 years 2 children/2 living IL VA IL
    Ellis, Myrtle Dau W F  sep 1897  3 Single IL IL IL
    Ellis, Opel Dau W F  Feb 1900  3mos Single IL IL IL

    One genealogy reports Opel's parents with their full names as Francis Larken Ellis and Bessie Alberta Fansler, official records like his draft card spell Francis' middle name in the normal manner as Larkin.  That genealogy has a photo and seems to be credible.  This genealogy has incomplete records.  Hopefully our presentation here of all the records we have found will help fill out the picture and clarify which family Opel is from.

    The 1910 census gives us Opel's first name, enumerating her as Frances O.

    1910 Federal Census, Wayne County, Illinois, 12 April, Berry Township, District 114, page 24A, Hse #209, Fam #210
    Ellis, Francis L Head M W 34 Married 10 years IL IL IL Farmer Owns
    Ellis, Bessie A Wife F W 32 Married 10 years 4 children/3 living IL VA IL
    Ellis, Myrtle A Dau F W 13 IL IL IL
    Ellis, Frances O Dau F W 10 IL IL IL

    I have not found an enumeration for Opel in the 1920 census.  Opel married William W McSwain in DeWitt, Arkansas, on 23 Dec 1922.

    Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
    Opal Ellis
    Gender: Female
    Age 23, Birth Year abt 1899
    Residence Saint Charles, Arkansas, Arkansas
    Spouse's Name Wm W McSwain
    Spouse's Gender Male
    Spouse's Age 26
    Spouse's Residence De Witt, Arkansas, Arkansas
    Marriage 24 Dec 1922 Arkansas County
    Marriage License Date 23 Dec 1922

    Arkansas Birth Certificate
    DeWitt, Lagrue Township, Arkansas County, Arkansas
    William Harold McSwain
    Born 7 October 1923
    Father W W McSwain Age 27, Born Arkansas, Day Laborer, Residence DeWitt
    Mother Opel Ellis Age 27, Born Illinois, Housewife, Residence DeWitt
    Filed 11 November 1923

    1930 Federal Census, Kerr County, Texas, 8 April, Justice Precinct 1, Kerrville, District 133, page 7A, Hse #139, Fam #146
    McSwain, William W Head M W 34  Married at age 24  AR AR AR Assistant Landscaper
    McSwain, Opal F W Wife 30  Married at age 23  IL IL IL Grocery Store Clerk
    McSwain, Harold W Son M W 6  Married at age 24  AR AR IL

    1940 Federal Census, Kerr County, Ohio, 13 April, Kerrville, District 133-1B, page 8A, 805 Moore St, Hse #192, Owns $2500
    McSwain, William W Head M W 44 Grade 6 b Ark lived in same place 1935 Asst Landscape Gardener for Gov Hospital
    McSwain, Opal Wife F W 40  Grade HS-1 b Ill In same place in 1935
    McSwain, Harold Son M W 16 Single Grade 6 b Ark In same place in 1935

    Frances Opal McSwain
    Birth Feb. 9, 1900
    Death Apr. 29, 1952
    Burial De Witt Cemetery, De Witt, Arkansas County, Arkansas
    Created by Jerry Grisham Jul 27, 2012
    --  Find A Grave Memorial #94251526, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=McSwain&GSiman=1&GScty=10637&GRid=94251526&

Sources

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