Lillian (Butler) Smith (1915 - 1976)

Born 7 Sep 1915 in Kerrville, Kerr, Texas, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Thirman Alex Smith — married 4 Dec 1969 (to 1976) in Kerr, Texas, United States

Died 2 Mar 1976 at age 60 in Stockton, San Joaquin, California, United States

Biography

Lillian (Butler) Smith is a part of US Black heritage.

Lillian Butler was born in 1915 in Kerrville, Texas, the daughter of James Henry Butler (b. 1874 TX) and Mamie Howard (1882 TX - 1959). Lillian was the last born of their six children. Her sis longs were:

1. A.J. “Jim” born 1899; married Estella
2. Millie, 1900-1921; married Walter Bird in 1919. He murdered her, then killed himself in July 1921.
3. Fred Roosevelt, 1902-1963
4. Ella, 1905-1998
5. Granville, 1908-1928

Lillian first married KYLANDS. They were divorced. Lillian later married Thirman A. Smith. She died in 1976 (in Stockton, California).^{[1] [2]}

Lillian’s parents were divorced by 1920.

In 1920, Mamie Butler and her children lived in the household of her sister, Ella Jackson and her husband, who owned their house without a mortgage. The family included Manville Jackson, 38, a laborer; his wife, Ella, 40, a laundress; Ella’s sister, Mamie Butler, 38, divorced, a hotel cook; and her five children, Millie, 19, a hotel chambermaid; Freddie, 17, a hotel fireman; Ella, 14, a cook for a private family; Granville, 11, in school; and Lillian, 4. All members of the household were born in Texas, as were their parents. All could read and write, except the youngest child.^[3]

In 1930, the Butler family lived at 120 McFarland Street, Kerrville, Kerr, Texas. The family included Mamie Butler, 49, widowed, a laundress; her daughter, Lillian Butler, 14, in school; and Mamie’s mother, Lucy, 80, a widow. All were born in Texas, as were their parents. Mamie and Lillian could read and write.^[4]

In 1940, they lived at 120 McFarland Street, Kerrville, Kerr, Texas. The household included Mamie Butler, 57, a widow, born in Texas, who had completed seventh grade, and who owned their house, valued at $200; and her daughter, Lillian Kylander, 24, born in Texas, married, had completed eighth grade, a cook for a private family, who had worked 52 weeks in 1939, and earned $156. Living nearby was (Lillian’s brother) Jim Butler, 37, a City truck driver; his wife, Estella; and their five children, aged 4-14.^[5]

Lillian Butler, 54, and Thurman A. Smith, 50, were married in Kerr, Texas on 4 December 1969.^[6]

Lillian died, aged 60, in 1976 in California. She was survived by her husband, Thurman Smith. Lillian had been an attendant at the Kerrville State Hospital.^[7]

She was the wife of Thurman Smith when she passed away in Stockton, California in 1976. Lillian Smith is buried at Tivy Mountain Cemetery, Kerrville, Texas.^[8][9][10] Her body was returned to Kerrville, Texas for burial in Tivy Mountain Cemetery.^[11] Also buried at Tivy Mountain Cemetery (but not linked on FindAGrave) are her mother; her brother, Fred Roosevelt Butler; his infant son; her grandmother, Lucy (Hodges); and two aunts, Della Owens; and Ella Lee Jackson.

Sources

1. ↑ FamilySearch Person: G313-7HM
2. ↑ FamilySearch Person: GZRV-W6H
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1920", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC9X-GG6 : Sat Mar 09 20:45:51 UTC 2024), Entry for Freddie Butler and Ella Butler, 1920.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1930", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:CSVJ-DN2 : Sat Mar 09 20:12:42 UTC 2024), Entry for Mamie Butler and Lillian Butler, 1930.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KW2D-66T : Sun Mar 10 00:47:15 UTC 2024), Entry for Mamie Butler and Lillian Kylands, 1940.
6. ↑ "Texas Marriages, 1966-2010," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VY9V-6F5 : 6 December 2014), Thirman A Smith and Lillian Butler, 04 Dec 1969; citing Kerr, Texas, United States, certificate number 132482, Vital Statistics Unit, Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin.
7. ↑ Obituary: Free View of Image "U.S., Newspapers.com™ Obituary Index, 1800s-current"
   San Angelo Standard-Times; Publication Date: 5 Mar 1976; Publication Place: San Angelo, Texas, USA; URL: https://www.newspapers.com/image/789005739/?article=24e244fb-0ef2-4a0f-ac23-41f00057aa71&focus=0.503394,0.26292893,0.6158042,0.3628684&xid=3355
   Ancestry Record 61843 #984012292 (accessed 15 October 2023)
   Name: Lillian Smith; Gender: Female; Death Age: 60; Birth Date: 7 Sep 1915; Birth Place: Kerrville; Residence Place: Kerrville; Death Date: Abt 1976; Death Place: Stockton Calif; Obituary Date: 5 Mar 1976; Obituary Place: San Angelo, Texas, USA; Newspaper Title: San Angelo Standard-Times; Spouse: Thurman Smith.
8. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V95R-YTR : 11 January 2021), Lillian Butler, Mar 1976; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
9. ↑ "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPHR-LM9 : 26 November 2014), Lillian Butler, 02 Mar 1976; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
10. ↑ Death: "California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997"
    Place: San Joaquin; Date: 2 Mar 1976
    Ancestry Record 5180 #13105622 (accessed 15 October 2023)
    Lillian Smith death 2 Mar 1976 (born 7 Sep 1915) in San Joaquin.
11. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (no image)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #43291087 (accessed 15 October 2023)
    Memorial page for Lillian Smith (1915-1976), citing Tivy Mountain Cemetery, Kerrville, Kerr County, Texas, USA; Maintained by Linda Nielsen (contributor 47095736).