Saturday, June 25, 2011

Surname Saturday - Raymond V Poe (1920-2006)

Raymond Verne Poe was my father.  My mother was the second of his three wives.  The last visit I had with him was probably about 1951.  He is a mystery to me.  

The POE line as I know it:
Raymond Verne Poe (1920 Reno, NV – 2006 Oakland, CA)
Thurman Allen Poe (1888 Sherman, TX – 1979 Sparks, NV)
Zollicoffer C Poe (1853 MS – 1923 OK)
William Green (or Greenberry) Poe (1818 NC – 1877 MS)

William was probably in the confederate army during the Civil War (or the War of Northern Aggression).  He was probably married twice:  to Manerva or Minerva [last name unknown] (probably 1816 to 1859) and to Elizabeth (perhaps Sturdivant) (probably 1834-1923).  I am looking for documentation for this information.  I have looked at census records

Zollicoffer could be spelled Zollie Coffer Poe, Zolliecoffer Poe, etc. I believe I found him in the 1860 MS census, the 1870 Marshall County, Mississippi census and the 1920 Grady County, Oklahoma census.  I have been unable to find him in the 1880, 1900 or 1910 census.  I don’t have a death record for him.  I also don’t have a marriage record although I believe he married Lola Mont Swinney.  I have no photographs of him.  He also may have been married for a brief time to a woman named Mary.

Thurman Allen Poe is less of a mystery.  Thurman and his wife Olga Engdahl lived in Reno or Sparks, Nevada and are mentioned numerous times in the local newspapers.  They probably had 5 children but one son died at age 7 or so.  Olga’s story will be presented at another time but she was born in Sweden.  Again I have no photographs of him or any documentation.  The information was found through census records and online newspapers. 

I would like to have contact with some of the children of Ray’s sisters.  Perhaps they have memories of their grandparents they would be willing to share with me.

I am also trying to establish a relationship with some of the children of Ray and his third wife.  Because Ray was married when he died, I am hoping that family documents and records would be in the possession of one of these people and that they would be willing to share information.