William Elexander Humphrey Dilliard Sinclair Lackey (1828 - 1873)

Born 1828 in Pike Co, IL

Ancestors

Husband of Susan Pernecia (Rogers) Lackey — married 7 Oct 1856 in Along the Pedernales River in Texas

Descendants

Died 2 Dec 1873 at about age 45 in Dexter, Cooke Co, TX

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Rhitt Garrett [send private message]

Biography

Extract from aunt Maud Isbell's memoirs:

On the first day of April 1992 at 9:20 that morning, I sat down to begin this.

The beginning, I suppose would be with Grandpa Lackey, Moses Sinclair Lackey. His father’s name was William Alexander Umphery Dillard Sinclair Lackey – 1827 – October 1, 1874. When Grandpa was four years old his father went to the Civil War. He had two brothers and two sisters; Andrew, Mary, Necia and Lee. They lived somewhere around Burnet, Texas. When his father came home from the war, he moved the family to the Panhandle of Texas, around Levelland. Grandpa’s Mother’s name was Susan Pernecia Rogers, 1848-1875. The record says she was buried at Dexter, TX. Grandpa’s parents died of the pneumonia and flu. I think Grandpa was around fifteen or sixteen at the time. Neighbors took the children in and began counting them as their family. They had to work very hard for them. So Grandpa slipped away and walked all the way back to “East Texas” and got the help of an Uncle Lee. They returned to the neighbor’s house with team and wagon to take the children back to their relatives. The neighbors wouldn’t let them go. Grandpa and Uncle Lee stayed around and stole the children out by night. They traveled by night and hid in the day time until they were safe. They went back to Burnett and the children were split up. Relatives took them in. Uncle Lee was raised by the family by the name of Roundtree. I think they stayed in contact with one another pretty well. Grandpa was taken by his Mother’s brother, Uncle Ben Rogers. He said he was 17 and had never owned a pair of shoes. Uncle Ben took great interest in Grandpa. He was a doctor and set about educating Grandpa to be a doctor, too. Grandpa said he did all his grade school and high school in two years. Then Uncle Ben sent him to Denton to school...

...During this time he met and married Grandmother. Her name was Frances Elizabeth Fred. She was born October 7, 1860 and died at the age of 57 (July 9, 1917) at Rocksprings, Texas. Uncle Earnest, their oldest child was born while Grandpa was still in school at Denton. I guess they were having a ball! Grandpa told of the students playing with Uncle Earnest. They were passing him about among themselves and pitching him into the air, and jerked a kink in his gut. Of course, Grandpa straightened that out forthwith and immediately. In his fourth year of school at Denton, Grandpa was converted and surrendered to the ministry. He moved his family about all over Texas and was gone off preaching most of the time. There were six children; Earnest, Oscar, Carrie Pernecie, Reuben Lewis, Horace and Fannie May. There was another little son by the name of Fred. A peddler of patent medicine came by the home one day. Of course, Grandpa was gone. This peddler picked up the baby, which was crawling about, and set him on his lap. And before any of them realized what was happening he had rolled a white powder into a paper and blew it down the baby’s throat. It died instantly. Of course, Grandpa couldn’t be found. When he came home and asked “Where is the baby?” They told him the story, but of course he didn’t do anything. Mother said the house caught on fire one time and Grandma was in the shed room trying to cut down some hams that were hanging there. She cut her hand and fainted and fell off the chair. They had a time carrying Grandma out and keeping the little ones safe. Grandpa went about preaching and doctoring wherever he went. He doctored about as much as he preached. They moved to Rocksprings and Grandma decided she had had enough. I don’t know whether this was why they separated. This was one subject that was not discussed. I didn’t know they were separated until I was grown. I do know Grandpa had a temper like a disappointed wildcat. ...

...Grandpa Lackey came to live with us when we got moved. He had a little room off the kitchen. He sat in a chair or laid in bed and read all the time. He couldn’t have been that old, but I loved hearing him talk. He could talk for hours, telling about tours of preaching and well drilling and carpentry. I guess he could do about anything he set his mind to. He had stopped preaching when he came to us at White Point. He told me all about his ancestors. His Mother was a Rodgers. Her brother was the one that sent him to school. I loved to hear him recite from memory the New Testament and most of the Old Bible. He was a very intelligent man, but I don’t think he had much horse sense. He would fly off the handle at nothing...

Sources

• Collected family history notes [Garrett-4589] 14:22, 12 March 2016 (EST)
• Maud Isbell's Memoirs Garrett-4589 18:26, 30 June 2016 (EDT)
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5178610/william-elexander-lackey