 Effie Smith - Covington (Abt: 1940) |
 Effie Smith and Thomas Jefferson Covingtion abt 1920 |
 Robert 'Archie' - Eulalia 'Lalia' - Edna 'Eddie' Abt: 1907-08 |
 Edna Maybel Covington - Shawbell (Abt: 1955) |
Children of Archibald 'Arch' Covington and Elizabeth:
1880 US Census: Red River Co.,TX. TX. Pct. 2. Enum: 7 June 1880
Dwelling: 70 Family 74
1880 US Census: Red River Co.,TX. TX. Pct. 2. Enum: 7 June 1880
Dwelling: 72 Family 76
Effie Smith - Covington (Abt: 1940) |
Effie Smith and Thomas Jefferson Covingtion abt 1920 |
Robert 'Archie' - Eulalia 'Lalia' - Edna 'Eddie' Abt: 1907-08 |
Edna Maybel Covington - Shawbell (Abt: 1955) |
Thomas came to north Texas with his parents before the Civil War. As a boy he grew up with many memories of the times and remained there with his family among many whose sympathy's were for the south during and after the Civil War and a place to start over among kindered kind.He became a law enforcement officer for the Paris Texas District Court which took him to all parts of north Texas and the Indian Territory. From Paris to Gainsville to Sherman,Texas to Ardmore I.T. and Ft.Smith, AR. I can only imagine what he still saw in the 1880 and 1890's. Indian Territory was still in devestation after the Civil War. Whiskey runner's abounded moving their goods into Indian Territory , murder, and cattle stealing all along the Red River country in those days. A family story that involved his brother James: James had a problem with the whiskey and problems with other's because of it. James shot a man (wounded him) over a mule in the man's field and James was fortunate to have his brother's help avoiding any serious consequence. Tom threated to haul him in if he didn't change his ways but instead James left the area. He eventually saw the light after getting arrested and sent to 'Hangin' Judge' Parker's Court in Ft. Smith, AR on a liquour violation according to a Court Docket I found in the Ft. Smith Archives. Ole James was in famous company as Wyatt Earp was docketed for cattle stealing on the Indian lands.
Another story was the Dixon murder in Ardmore, Indian Territory. The incident was reported The State Herald, Ardmore October 17, 1895: M.W. Dixon Killed By J. H. Forlines: Whose Young Wife He Had Hypnotized and Debauched. (yes folks, times don't change much!)
This happened in front of Hutchinson & Lyle's shoe store on Main Street. The young Forlines turned himself into Deputy Hocker who turned him into Deputy Covington by whom he was taken to jail.Tom finally left his law enforcement occupation and traded it for a Postmaster's position in the town of Powell, Oklahoma about 2 July 1900. Although he was the Postmaster, it was Effie who ran the Powell Post Office.
Tom and Effie were living in Walker Township, Garvin County, OK when my grandfather Claude M. Shawbell, Sr. met their daughter Edna Maybel. They married in September 1913. Claude came to Paul's Valley with his parents and siblings in 1909.