James Coleman "Jim" Whitfield is the son of Cebren William Whitfield and his first wife Nettie Smith. Nettie Smith Whitfield left to live with her family in Kentucky and died there on 26 Apr 1945. It is unknown whether she left her sons willingly or was unable to care for them —these are answers we will never have. The two sons remained with their father and lived with him and his second wife, never prior married, Martha Jane Franklin Whitfield. She and Cebren William Whitfield married in 1892.
The Death Certificate states that the body was released for burial in Waco, not China Spring; his burial site is being researched. His father would have buried him in China Spring. (He is most likely buried in the Phillips Lot in Greenwood Cemetery, Waco, Texas. I plan to have that site researched to verify this.)
James Coleman Whitfield had two children with Ella Mae Phillips, Paul James Whitfield and Mildred Lucille Whitfield. Ella Mae married several times after his death and had additional children; however, she always returned to the surname Whitfield.
(Information provided by Nancy Yankie, grand niece of James Coleman Whitfield and great granddaughter of Cebren William Whitfield and Martha Jane Franklin Whitfield.)
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Waco Daily Times Herald Tuesday December 24, 1918
Jim Whitfield, aged 35 years, who was instantly killed in an automobile accident Sunday night in Houston, will be buried here, probably Thursday morning, the remains being scheduled to arrive here tomorrow afternoon. Whitfield is survived by one small child*, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Whitfield of China Spring, two brothers and four sisters, all of China Spring.
*NOTE: He was survived by not one, but two children
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Houston, Tex., Dec. 25. - The body of James C. Whitfield, who was killed Sunday night when struck by an automobile on the La Porte road, was taken to the station this morning and sent to Waco for burial. A young woman, only 18 years of age, accompanied the body on Christmas morning to the train. The young man had left her side only a few minutes before he was killed, and they were to have been married today. The man was killed just after he left her home to send his small daughter, motherless and living with relatives in Waco, a Christmas present, and he had said he would be gone not longer than one hour. The young woman waited several hours for him and he failed to return. The next morning she saw in the newspaper why he had not kept his promise. At the station in Houston this morning the young woman refused to give her name to a reporter.
(Note: James Coleman "Jim" Whitfield was indeed hit by a car and instantly killed outside Houston in LaPorte, Texas, as I have heard all my life, though it was not made clear to me which family member this had happened to, and I was not alive when this happened. Nancy Yankie)
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It is my belief that James Coleman Whitfield is buried in the Phillips lot of Ella Mae Phillips' family in Greenwood Cemetery, Waco, Texas. There is space, as well as several years ago when family checked, a sunken area was clearly visible which would indicate presence of a Grave. Ella Mae, took possession of my Uncle's remains; it is unknown whether or not they were still legally married. She did however take possession of the remains, and make decisions regarding final arrangements.
James Coleman Whitfield may have been divorced from Ella May Phillips at the time as he did indeed have a legally issued marriage license to marry a Miss Dovey M. Wood of 1805 Maury St., Houston, Texas.
James Coleman "Jim" Whitfield is the son of Cebren William Whitfield and his first wife Nettie Smith. Nettie Smith Whitfield left to live with her family in Kentucky and died there on 26 Apr 1945. It is unknown whether she left her sons willingly or was unable to care for them —these are answers we will never have. The two sons remained with their father and lived with him and his second wife, never prior married, Martha Jane Franklin Whitfield. She and Cebren William Whitfield married in 1892.
The Death Certificate states that the body was released for burial in Waco, not China Spring; his burial site is being researched. His father would have buried him in China Spring. (He is most likely buried in the Phillips Lot in Greenwood Cemetery, Waco, Texas. I plan to have that site researched to verify this.)
James Coleman Whitfield had two children with Ella Mae Phillips, Paul James Whitfield and Mildred Lucille Whitfield. Ella Mae married several times after his death and had additional children; however, she always returned to the surname Whitfield.
(Information provided by Nancy Yankie, grand niece of James Coleman Whitfield and great granddaughter of Cebren William Whitfield and Martha Jane Franklin Whitfield.)
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Waco Daily Times Herald Tuesday December 24, 1918
Jim Whitfield, aged 35 years, who was instantly killed in an automobile accident Sunday night in Houston, will be buried here, probably Thursday morning, the remains being scheduled to arrive here tomorrow afternoon. Whitfield is survived by one small child*, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Whitfield of China Spring, two brothers and four sisters, all of China Spring.
*NOTE: He was survived by not one, but two children
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Houston, Tex., Dec. 25. - The body of James C. Whitfield, who was killed Sunday night when struck by an automobile on the La Porte road, was taken to the station this morning and sent to Waco for burial. A young woman, only 18 years of age, accompanied the body on Christmas morning to the train. The young man had left her side only a few minutes before he was killed, and they were to have been married today. The man was killed just after he left her home to send his small daughter, motherless and living with relatives in Waco, a Christmas present, and he had said he would be gone not longer than one hour. The young woman waited several hours for him and he failed to return. The next morning she saw in the newspaper why he had not kept his promise. At the station in Houston this morning the young woman refused to give her name to a reporter.
(Note: James Coleman "Jim" Whitfield was indeed hit by a car and instantly killed outside Houston in LaPorte, Texas, as I have heard all my life, though it was not made clear to me which family member this had happened to, and I was not alive when this happened. Nancy Yankie)
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It is my belief that James Coleman Whitfield is buried in the Phillips lot of Ella Mae Phillips' family in Greenwood Cemetery, Waco, Texas. There is space, as well as several years ago when family checked, a sunken area was clearly visible which would indicate presence of a Grave. Ella Mae, took possession of my Uncle's remains; it is unknown whether or not they were still legally married. She did however take possession of the remains, and make decisions regarding final arrangements.
James Coleman Whitfield may have been divorced from Ella May Phillips at the time as he did indeed have a legally issued marriage license to marry a Miss Dovey M. Wood of 1805 Maury St., Houston, Texas.
