Ancestors

Daughter of David Alonzo Murray and Louella (Moore) Murray

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Patricia Stracener [send private message]

Biography

Susan Elizabeth (Murray) was born Aug. 6, 1898 in Millet, La Salle County Texas. She was the eldest of eleven children born to Dave Murray and Louella (Moore) Murray. She was named for both of her Grandmothers, Susan (McCombs) Moore and Sarah Elizabeth (Culpepper) Murray.

Susie, as she was called by family and friends, attended a one room school in Millet, Texas. At that time the public schools only had nine grades. Susie was a good student and loved to read. She dreamed of attending Mary Hardin Baylor College for Women and becoming a Journalist. However, the family just could not afford college for Susie.

So. after finishing school, Susie stayed home and helped her mother with the younger children and housekeeping duties. At the age of sixteen, Susie along with her sister Louella Mae (Maymie), went to work in nearby Pearsall for the Rowlands. The Rowlands owned a Boarding House in Pearsall. Susie and Maymie cleaned the rooms and helped with the cooking.

It was a round this time that Susie met the handsome young Tom Stracener, son of John Calvin and Annie (Karnes) Stracener. The Straceners had moved to nearby Gardendale and Tom had come home for a visit.

Sometime after this Tom joined the Army and was sent to Georgia. Susie moved to San Antonio to live with her aunt Kate (Moore) an uncle Ellis Colbath . She enrolled in the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company School to train to be a Telephone Operator.

When Tom was discharged from the army he moved to San Antonio where he worked in a butcher shop. He and Susie renewed their courtship. However, when Susie finished her training the company wanted to send her to Fort Worth, Texas to work. Tom did not want to be separated again from his “Swettie”as he always called her. So they were married in San Antonio, Texas at the Beaxr County Court House on September 16, 1919.

They moved to Eastland County Texas where Tom went to work for Magnolia Oil Company. Susie and Tom had three children born while living in Eastland County, C.T. Jr., Jack and Anna Lou. Around 1930 Tom was transferred to Electra, Texas. Their son William (Bill) was born there on Oct. 3, 1931. Bill was only one year old when his brother Jack and sister Anna Lou contracted Diphtheria. Jack passed away on Dec. 16, 1932. Anna Lou came near death but, was able to survive. Patricia was born on Feb. 22, 1941.

In 1946 Tom was transferred To Kilgore, Texas. Tom was transferred three more times (1953 to Vanderbilt, Texas, 1956 to Port Arthur, Texas and 1959 to Lake Charles, La.) before he retired from Mobil Oil Company. When Tom retired in 1961, he and Susie moved back to Kilgore Texas.

Susie was a petite lady, about five feet 2 inches tall. Never weighing more than one hundred pounds in her life time. She had beautiful, dark auburn hair and hazel eyes. She was energetic and fun loving. Susie always looked for the good traits in people. Her favorite saying was “If you can’t say something good about a person, then don’t say anything at all”.

She was a devoted wife and loving mother. After Tom’s death in 1986, she lived with her daughter Patricia and her five grandsons. Her grandsons were devoted to their grandmother.

In fact, she died in the loving arms of her grandson, Jason Tutt on March 24, 1991 at the age of Ninety two. She is buried by Tom and her son C.T. Jr. in the Kilgore City Cemetery. She had a long and eventful life. Having been born in the “Horse and Buggy” days and living to see the first man place foot on the moon.

Sources

• Maternal relationship is confirmed with an AncestryDNA test match between Patricia Stracener and Cecil Tilley third cousins, confidence very high.

• Personal Knowledge of Patricia Stracener, daughter of Susan Elizabeth Murray

• Ancestry.com, Tutt Family Tree,Susan Elizabeth Murray a profile and Facts

http://person.ancestry.com/tree/25568071/person/1676092370/facts

• Copy of DC Susan Elizabeth Murray, In Patricia Stracener's possession

*Copy of MR Lic. Calvin T. Stracener and Susan E. Murray, Bexar Co. Texas'. in Patricia Stracener's possession

*Copy of Birth Certificate of PS, In Patricia Stracener's possession