Jesse Franklin Williams and the Atteberry Family

Jesse WILLIAMS was born Feb. 12, 1898 in the Choctaw Nation in what was then Blue County but is now Bryan County. His father was Thomas WILLIAMS from Missouri and his mother was Warneta BETTS, daughter of Ramsey and Emeline. Ramsey and Emeline were Choctaw Indian so they, Warneta and Jesse all received land allotments. The land was in Atoka County a few miles from Boggy Depot. The old Butterfield Stage line from St. Louis to San Francisco ran across Warneta's and Jesse's allotments. This area became known as Betts Prairie. The road followed the historic Texas Road, through Atoka, across Betts Prairie to Boggy Depot and on to Ft. Washita and El Paso.

Jesse was just a young boy when he received his land and at that time lived in town with his folks. He rented his land to Thomas Benton ATTEBERRY and his wife Melinda. The old house on the property had a dug-out basement or cellar under the house. Ruth ATTEBERRY ADAMS, a grand-niece of Thomas, relates a story told her by her aunt, Addie Dee ATTEBERRY, that the family slept on the dirt floor downstairs as a security measure, as this was wild and lawless country at that time and outlaws were known to raid isolated homesteads.

When Jesse WILLIAMS was in his twenties, he married and took over the old house until he could build a new one. Thomas Benton ATTEBERRY bought property southwest of Jesse's place in the area known as New Hope. Several of the Atteberry children attended New Hope school and were taught by Jesse's sister Jewell Williams CHAPMAN. Jewell remembers "Uncle Tom" Atteberry as a very gentle kindly old man. Jesse WILLIAMS is still living at age 99 in a rest home in Atoka.

This writer was born in an old house across the road from the New Hope school. The old country school is gone now. All that remains is the storm cellar, which every school had in that area due to the frequent tornadoes in the spring.

This article was written with input from Ruth Atteberry Adams and Jewell Chapman. Jesse and Jewell were my mother's brother and sister.

Submitted by Carl Phillips Carl@jps.net

Jessie Franklin Williams
Dead at age 101

Funeral services for Jessie Franklin Williams, 101, a resident of Wards Chapel Community will be held at 2 p.m. on Wed., Dec. 2, at Brown’s Funeral Service Chapel in Atoka with Rev. Tom Hargrave officiating.

Burial will be in Wards Chapel Cemetery under the direction of Brown’s Funeral Service.

A lifelong Atoka County resident, he died Monday, Nov. 29, 1999, at Atoka Memorial Hospital.

Born Feb. 12, 1898 at Caddo Hills In Bryan County, I. T he was the son of Thomas Robert and Warnita Betts Williams.

He attended schools at Wards Chapel and Atoka, and was a member of Wards chapel Baptist Church for more then 85 years. He was ordained there as a deacon on June 17, 1951.

Williams worked a few years in California in the shipyards and again in the 59’s as an ironworker. He was a former and rancher for many years and also was a good mechanic and blacksmith.

He was married to Nannie Mildred Williams at Wards Chapel in 1919. She preceded him in death. Also preceding him in death were his parents T. R. and Warnita Williams; a grandson, Hal Chism; three sisters, Effie Calvert, Beulah Phillips and Nita Lovelace; and two brothers, Cecil Williams and Forest Williams.

Survivors include two children, Mildred Figueroa, and Joe Kenneth Williams and wife, Elwanda; two sisters, Jewel Chapman and Winnie Lou Lain, all of Atoka; two grandchildren, Linda Madden and husband, Dennis of Atoka, and Jerry Williams and wife, Sandy of Weatherford; six great-grandchildren, Amanda Madden, Alissa Madden, Joshua Williams, Mark Williams, Aaron Chism, and Scot Chism; along with numerous nieces and nephews, other relatives and many dear friends.

Honorary pallbearers are Don Loftis, Richard Betts, Gene Tomlinson, Mike Thomas.

Active pallbearers are Ronnie Cochran, Pat Loftis, Dewayne Wilson, Tinker Ray, Perry Ray and Royce Thomas.

Funeral service, 800 W. 13^th Highway West, Atoka, OK 74525

Notes: Jessie was an original Dawes enrollee, per Carl Phillips, nephew of the late Jessie Williams

Submitted by Carl Phillips Carl@jps.net