DESCENDANTS OF THOMAS JEFFERSON (JEFF) CAPPS - Generations 2 & 3

THOMAS JEFFERSON (JEFF) CAPPS - Generation No. 2

THOMAS JEFFERSON (JEFF) CAPPS (MARSHAL PINKNEY) was born Saturday, August 5, 1893, in Madison County, Arkansas. Jeff was the eighth (and last) child and sixth son born to Marshal and Mary [Davenport] Capps.

MARRIAGES and CHILDREN

Jeff married ROZETTA MAY (ZETTA) HAMON [b. Tuesday, October 31, 1893, in Arkansas], daughter of SPENCER HAMON, SR., and EVALINE CAUDILL, on Saturday, July 6, 1912, in Arkansas. Zetta is the sister of Etta [Hamon] Capps, who was married to Jeff’s older brother, John Capps. (See John Nicholas Capps’ family page.)

Hamon Ancestry. Zetta’s paternal grandparents, William Hamon and Isabelle Combs, each descend from well-researched families. William Hamon’s line descends from Robert Hamon [b. 1524] and Agnes Penton [b. 1528], both born in Scarning, County Norfolk, England.

Isabelle [Combs] Hamon descends from Archdale Combs [b. 1625 in Rappahannock County, Virginia] and Elizabeth Butler [b. 1625 in Old Lancaster County, Virginia]. There’s a strong possibility that this line continues to John Combe [b. 1563/4 in St. Antholin Parish in Budge Row, London, England] and Margaret Archdale [b. 1569 in Budge Row, London, England]. Josiah Combs documents this connection in his book The Combses Genealogy; other researchers are doubtful of the connection, at least as documented in this book. As always, there’s more research to be done.

Zetta’s maternal grandparents, Abner Caudill and Mary Naoma Hammonds, also descend from well-researched families. Abner Caudill’s line descends from Stephen Caudill [b. ~1680] and Mary Elizabeth Fields [b. 1698] both born in Scotland. Stephen arrived in America about 1700 and settled in Virginia. Mary Hammonds descends from Robert Hamon and Agnes Penton, as does Zetta’s father, Spencer Hamon.

Evaline Caudill Hamon died in 1909. Spencer Hamon married Laura Page, a “mail order bride.” Laura was quite a lady - very elegant. She forbade her stepdaughters, Etta and Rozetta, from marrying in to the Capps family, whom she felt were of a lower social status than the Hamons. Regardless, the girls (thankfully!) ignored their stepmother and married their Capps boys.

Children of JEFF CAPPS and ZETTA HAMON are:

i. VIRGIL ELMER CAPPS, b. January 6, 1913 in California Township, Madison County, Arkansas; d. April 14, 2007 in Eureka Springs, Carroll County, Arkansas.

ii. VIOLA CAPPS, b. ~1915 in California Township, Madison County, Arkansas.

iii. ORVILLE CLYDE CAPPS, b. June 2, 1917 in California Township, Madison County, Arkansas; d. August 28, 2003 in Eureka Springs, Carroll County, Arkansas.

iv. IVA CAPPS, b. August 5, 1919, in Arkansas; d. October 8, 1994, in Arkansas.

v. FAY GILBERT CAPPS, b. June 9, 1923, in Arkansas; d. March 5, 1990.

vi. LIVING CAPPS, b. ~1926 in Arkansas.

THE DUST BOWL

In the 1930s, drought and over-farming led to environmental disaster in the Great Plains of the United States. Windstorms blew away the overworked topsoil and the region came to be known as the Dust Bowl.

Families abandoned their farms and fled west looking for work. Many became migrant workers on California farms. Laborers on these farms performed backbreaking work for little pay, and lived in poor conditions in migrant worker camps.

About 1938-39, Jeff and Zetta, along with John and Etta [Hamon] Capps, migrated west from Arkansas and made their homes in California’s fertile Central Valley, settling in Tracy, San Joaquin County, California.

Why did so many of the refugees pin their hopes for a better life on California? One reason was that the State’s mild climate allowed for a long growing season and a diversity of crops with staggered planting and harvesting cycles. For people whose lives had revolved around farming, this seemed like an ideal place to look for work.

California was emphatically not the Promised Land of the migrants’ dreams. Although the weather was comparatively balmy and farmers’ fields were bountiful with produce, Californians also felt the effects of the Depression.

Jeff and Zetta eventually returned to Arkansas; John and Etta remained in California.

PASSAGES

Each year, Beulah Union Cemetery held a cleanup day and Zetta always participated. She is said to have suffered a heart attack as she cleaned her father’s gravesite in May 1973. Zetta collapsed onto her father’s grave and died at Beulah Union Cemetery, Eureka Springs, Carroll County, Arkansas, at the age of 79.

Jeff passed nearly 2 years later in March 1975 at 81 years old, probably in Eureka Springs, Carroll County, Arkansas.


Both are interred at Beulah Union Cemetery.

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VIRGIL ELMER CAPPS - Generation No. 3

VIRGIL ELMER CAPPS (THOMAS JEFFERSON, MARSHAL PINKNEY) was born about January 1914 in Arkansas.

MARRIAGES/PARTNERS and CHILDREN

Virgil married LUCY KATHERINE EVERETT [b. Monday, September 14, 1914, in Arkansas], daughter of LEWIS EVERETT and MARY FRANCES WASSON, on Saturday, June 2, 1934 in Madison County, Arkansas.

Children of VIRGIL CAPPS and LUCY EVERETT are:

i. LIVING CAPPS.

ii. LIVING CAPPS.

PASSAGES

Lucy passed away on Thursday, December 30, 1999, in Placer County, California.

Virgil passed more than 7 years later on Saturday, April 14, 2007, in Eureka Springs, Carroll County, Arkansas. He was interred at a cemetery in Sacramento, Sacramento County, California.
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VIOLA E. CAPPS - Generation No. 3

VIOLA E. CAPPS (THOMAS JEFFERSON, MARSHAL PINKNEY) was born about February 4, 1914, in California Township, Madison County, Arkansas.

MARRIAGES and CHILDREN

Viola married HOWARD C. QUIGLEY [b. Thursday, July 18, 1914, in Packard Springs, Carroll County, Arkansas], son of WILLIAM D. QUIGLEY and ADELINE UNKNOWN, on Saturday, June 17, 1933 in Carroll County, Arkansas.

Intermarrying between local families in hollows of Arkansas was quite common, so it’s not unusual that our Cappses and Quigleys are allied in more ways than one. Howard’s father William D. Quigley is the brother of James Quigley, husband of Lucy Ann Capps, sister of Viola’s father Thomas Jefferson Capps. In other words: Viola married her uncle’s nephew, but this was her uncle by marriage so she and her husband weren't blood related.

Children of VIOLA CAPPS and HOWARD QUIGLEY are not known by this researcher at this time.

PASSAGES

After nearly 63 years of marriage, Howard passed away Wednesday, March 13, 1996, in Goddard, Sedgwick County, Kansas. Viola followed Saturday, January 30, 1999, also in Goddard, Kansas.

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ORVILLE CLYDE (CLYDE) CAPPS - Generation No. 3

ORVILLE CLYDE (CLYDE) CAPPS (THOMAS JEFFERSON, MARSHAL PINKNEY) was born Saturday, June 2, 1917 in Arkansas.

MARRIAGES and CHILDREN

Clyde married ADA W. GAMBLE [b. Wednesday, November 24, 1915] on January 29, 1936 in Carroll County, Arkansas.

Children of CLYDE CAPPS and ADA GAMBAL are:

i. LIVING CAPPS.

ii. LIVING CAPPS.

PASSAGES

Ada passed away on Sunday, July 3, 1994. Clyde passed away on August 28, 2003, in Eureka Springs, Carroll County, Arkansas. They are both interred at Beulah Union Cemetery in Carroll County, Arkansas.

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IVA V. CAPPS - Generation No. 3

IVA V. CAPPS (THOMAS JEFFERSON, MARSHAL PINKNEY) was born Tuesday, August 5, 1919, in Arkansas.

MARRIAGES and CHILDERN

Iva married RAYMOND E. AMES [b. Sunday, September 10, 1916 in Missouri], son of CHARLES FRED AMES and RENA ADELINE HILL, on ~June 1, 1938 in Carroll County, Arkansas. Raymond’s Ames family has been traced back to his great-great grandparents, Asa Burton Ames (b. ~1808 in Vermont) and Catherine Rina (b. ~1806 in New York). Catherine’s grandparents—Raymond’s 4th great-grandparents—Johannes and Catherina [Uln] Rima, were born ~1730-35 in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, and immigrated to New York.

Known children of IVA CAPPS and RAYMOND AMES are:

i. BARBARA FAIE AMES, b. November 20, 1939, in Arkansas; d. December 4, 1941, in Washington County, Arkansas.

ii. GEANNIE RAINE AMES, b. March 2, 1941, in Arkansas; d. March 2, 1941, in Arkansas.

PASSAGES

Iva passed away on Saturday, October 8, 1994, in Arkansas, and is buried at Beulah Union Cemetery in Carroll County, Akransas.

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FAY GILBERT CAPPS - Generation No. 3

FAY GILBERT CAPPS (THOMAS JEFFERSON, MARSHAL PINKNEY) was born Saturday, June 9, 1923, in Arkansas.

MARRIAGES/PARTNERS and CHILDREN

Fay married UNKNOWN CREWS in probably Carroll County, Arkansas.

Children of FAY CAPPS and UNKNOWN CREWS are unknown to this researcher at this time.

PASSAGES

Fay passed away on Monday, March 5, 1990, in Arkansas. He is interred at Beulah Union Cemetery in Carroll County, Arkansas.

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LIVING CAPPS - Generation No. 3

LIVING CAPPS (THOMAS JEFFERSON, MARSHAL PINKNEY) was born in Arkansas.

MARRIAGE and CHILDREN

Living married WILLIE CECIL (CECIL) EASLEY [b. December 30, 1926, in Arkansas], son of UNKNOWN EASLEY and UNKNOWN HIGGINS, on January 1, 1957 in Arkansas.

Children of LIVING CAPPS and CECIL EASLEY are:

i. LIVING EASLEY.

ii. LIVING EASLEY.

iii. LIVING EASLEY.

iv. MAX LYNN EASLEY, b. July 26, 1955 in Arkansas; d. March 11, 1992 in Sacramento County, California.

PASSAGES

Cecil passed away May 29, 1986 in Sacramento County, California.

REMARRIAGES

Living married (2) JOSEPH HOWARD (HOWARD) HOOVER [b. Thursday, August 12, 1926, in Barry County, Missouri], son of WARREN PAUL HOOVER, SR., and VIRGINIA LEE LUGENBEEL, in Arkansas.

Howard’s marriage to Living was his second; he was first married to Joyce Colleen Murphy before 1952.

Hoover Ancestry and My Hamon Family Connection. Howard’s sister, Rita Alice Hoover, was married to Curtis Ray Capps, Living's first cousin, once removed. Howard’s Hoover family has been traced to his great-great-grandparents, Martin Hoover (1774-1861) and Sally Bradford (1774-1864).

Through Howard’s maternal grandmother Mary Angeline Curry, the family connects with my Combs family (Martin Hoover, son of Mary Angeline Curry, daughter of Charity Emeline Lane, daughter of Sarah Jane Combs, daughter of Jeremiah C. Combs, son of Mason Combs, Jr., son of Mason Combs, Sr. – my 8th great-grandfather and Rita’s 5th great-grandfather). The Combs line has been traced to Archdale Combs [b. 1625 in Rappahannock County, Virginia] and Elizabeth Butler [b. 1625 in Old Lancaster County, Virginia]. There’s a strong possibility that this line continues to John Combe [b. 1563/4 in St. Antholin Parish in Budge Row, London, England] and Margaret Archdale [b. 1569 in Budge Row, London, England]. Josiah Combs documents this connection in his book The Combses Genealogy; other researchers are doubtful of the connection, at least as documented in this book. As always, there’s more research to be done.

Rita’s Lugenbeel family has been traced to her great-great-grandfather, Jacob Lookingbeel [b. 1810 in Maryland], and her second great-grandparents, Jehu Taylor [b. 1835 in West Virginia; d. 1865 in South Carolina] and Asenette A. Eseley [b. 1835, d. in South Carolina].

MILITARY SERVICE

Howard had an extensive military career and served in the U.S. Navy during three wars: World War II, Korea, and the Vietnam conflict.

PASSAGES

Howard passed away on Wednesday, April 1, 1998, in Carroll County, Arkansas, and is buried at Eureka Springs Cemetery in Eureka Springs, Carroll County, Arkansas.

REMARRIAGES

Living married (3) LIVING ARNOLD.