My great-great grandmother's (Mama Jones) brother
John C. Riffe (Mama Jones' brother) was born in Hustonville, Kentucky on August 3, 1872 to Dr. JC and Eliza Jane Riffe. In 1879, he and his family moved to Texas. He and Mama Jones were the only of seven children to survive into adulthood.
He married Lulu Kinnesbrough on April 21, 1899 in Rocky, Oklahoma. They made their home in Lone Wolf, Oklahoma. JC and Lulu owned and operated the Lone Wolf Telephone Company. They were highly regarded residents in their community.
JC and Lulu were unable to have children but adored their nephews and nieces. Trixie spent a lot of time with them. Her diaries talk of taking the train from Sayre/Mangum to Lone Wolf and working for them in the telephone office from time to time. In return, JC and Lulu spent a great deal of time in Sayre with the Jones' family.
In 1907, JC lost his right eye during a hunting accident. Four years later, he was involved in a second serious accident. He was walking along a railroad track with a pocket knife in his hand. Stumbling across a cattle guard, he fell and the knife cut his hands and penetrated his left eye. He eventually lost sight in his eye. Aside from complete blindness, the accident left him suffering from horrific headaches. Unable to ease the pain, JC shot himself in March of 1911. He was only thirty-nine years old. This left Mama Jones the only surviving member of the JC Riffe family. Our family is the only family to carry on a lineage from seven children of JC and Eliza Riffe.
 |
| JC and Lulu Riffe |
 |
| JC Riffe |
No comments:
Post a Comment