Jumping From “Parents Unknown” to “That’s my Aunt”, Genie Style

Copyright 2021, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Let me introduce you to Mildred Cox, married to one of the Lashbrook distant cousins.  Up to a few weeks ago I did not have her parents names recorded.

Till I found this marriage announcement while playing around in newspapers dot com.  At first I almost did not open the link because “Arthur”.  I know him as Charles Arthur.  Then, I paused and said to myself, lets have a lookie see, one quick click and - - 

From the Blackwell Journal-Tribune, Blackwell, Oklahoma, published on July 3, 1927:

     "MISS MILDRED COX AND ARTHUR LASHBROOK WED

     Miss Mildred Cox and Arthur Lashbrook were united in marriage, June 27, at the home of the bride in Duncan, Okla., with only relatives and a few friends present.

     Mrs. Lashbrook is a member of the Chi Omega sorority at Stillwater and will be the head of that organization next year.

     Mr. Lashbrook is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lashbrook of this city, and a graduate of the local high school.  Both Mr. and Mrs. Lashbrook are seniors at Stillwater and will return to their school studies this fall.  They plan to make a trip to the Yellowstone park this month."

This led to a do-over search at Ancestry dot com, and in a data base that was not available to me the last time I searched this twig (could be as much as 10 years ago), up popped this tidbit:

Mildred Ruella Lashbrook

U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

No record image  Text-only collection

Name: Mildred Ruella Lashbrook

[Mildred R Lashbrook]

[Mildred Ruella Cox]

Gender: Female

Race: White

Birth Date: 15 Nov 1903

Birth Place: Lamont Grant, Oklahoma

Death Date: 18 Jun 1992

Father: Elzie E Cox

Mother:   Daisy N Ward

SSN: 440644770

Notes: 05 Jun 1972: Name listed as MILDRED RUELLA LASHBROOK; 25 Jun 1992: Name listed as MILDRED R LASHBROOK


Do you see it??  Parents names.  Well, did not take me long to find them on the census, and on Find A Grave.  And, then, I realized they both died on the same day in 1916.  Victims of a tornado that pretty much wiped out their little burg of Kemp City, Oklahoma. 



Cut to about 10 days later, while I was doing “mop up” input and research.  I realized they were buried about 265 miles from Kemp City, in Lamont, Oklahoma. 

I was now officially down a research rabbit hole.  Why were they buried so far away?  My suspicion was there was more family in Lamont.  Yep, there they are.



Next I am studying the other relatives and I discover that one of them authored the work, “Chariot of the Sun”.  

Her name, Catherine Ward Allen.  

Aunt of Mildred Cox.

And, yes, I have already found where I can purchase a copy or two on eBay and what libraries around the US have a copy (via WorldCat).

* Image of Catherine's book cover was located at her Find A Grave memorial thanks to Farley Calvert Hollibaugh.

** Please remember to check my Disclaimers page and the fact that I pay for my use of the web site Ancestry dot com and newspaper subscriptions.