Paternal Grandparents (By Dee Dee)

My father’s parents were Janett W. Ford (called “Bud” Ford) and Ollie Vada Woods Ford.  (Note:  The records Lori has found in her research say “Olivia”, “Olla” and “Wood”.)  I know some of their life as they were older, but not a lot from their younger days.

Janett W. Ford:

Olivia “Ollie” Vada Wood(s) Ford:

I do know that Grandma Ollie’s father, Edmond, fought in the Civil War with General Lee, and that her mother, Amanda, was Native American.  I wish I could find out what tribe she was from, but maybe my kids can do that through research some day.

The Wood(s) family lived in Missouri and ran a hotel/boarding house – something like that.  It was a big, white, plantation-style building with a veranda.  Grandma Ollie had several sisters and at least two brothers.  The relatives always said Grandma Ollie was always a bit lazy, and on laundry day or baking day she would always, as they called it, “swoon”.  Her laziness carried over into her later life.

Photograph of Ollie and her parents and siblings.  Ollie is on the back row, the third from the right (in between her parents, Edmond and Amanda Wood):

Janett W. and Ollie met when Janet got a job with Ollie’s Dad driving cattle to market.  Janett had a brother named Jerald “Jurd” Ford,  who married Ollie’s sister.  The brothers both went to work for Ollie’s father.

I don’t know where Janett W. was from.  I’ve been told that “Ford” was not even the name he was born with.  I was told by one person that it was “Dumontford”, and then told by another person that it was “Bjork”.  You know, every family has to have their “royalty” story or such.  Well, this is ours.  I was told either Janett, or maybe his father – someone in that line – was from a royal family and got into all kinds of political strife and came to America to escape.  I wish I could find out for sure.

Janett W. and Ollie married and lived in Missouri, and later moved to Arkansas for awhile, before moving to Dodson, Texas, to settle for the rest of their lives.  His brother, Jurd, and his wife also moved there.  From the marriage of Janett and Ollie, eight children were born, as follows:

Howard Ford
Ernest Ford
Paul M. Ford (My father)
Hobart Ford
Lex Ford
Macie Ford Frazier
Walcie Ford Weldon
Maxine Ford Richardson

Janett W. died in 1940.  Mama was pregnant with me at the time.  Here is a copy of his death certificate:

For more information, here is a link to the “Find-A-Grave Index” that shows his burial information, as well as a little family information – click here.

Grandma Ollie lived with us until I was 16 or 17.  She was hard of hearing and could only speak in a whisper.  I was the one designated to tell her things.  I would have to get up close and holler.  I tell everyone that is why I’m such a loud mouth!

She, like my other grandmother, was not very affectionate or warm, but she was not openly hurtful.  She was just always there, almost like a shadow.  I do remember when I was about 6 or 7, she and I would walk to the cemetery and put out flowers and pull weeds from Grandpa’s grave.  She really liked spying on us.  When we girls had dates, I could see the curtains moving, and she would be watching our dates walk us to the door.  She would laugh when we said something.

She died in 1968, the same year as Daddy.  I believe she was 98 at the time of her death.

Death Certificate for Ollie: