Identifying Heirs

Has anyone in your family already created a family genealogy? When I first started, I was fortunate to receive copies of two such works. One was the Crawford genealogy prepared by my great aunt Gladys. The other was a Briles genealogy prepared by my mother’s second cousin once removed, Max Briles. Both of these genealogies laid the groundwork for my research of these lines.

The Max Briles genealogy is a miraculous document when one considers how one researched at the time of its creation. Instead of opening one’s computer to access cemetery, census and vital records, Max did a lot of his ‘research’ by contacting the living family members. I remember my mother talking about such a letter and that she sent him our family information. And yes, I am in Max’s Briles Genealogy.

I am currently updating my research of Max’s uncle, Alexander G. Briles and Alexanders’ descendants. Even though the information in the genealogy is sparse, it is enough to begin looking for additional records.

Children of Alexander G. Briles

Grandchildren of Alexander G. Briles

When Alex G. Briles died in 1925, he left four young daughters with the oldest only 14. Documenting the life of the daughters is proving difficult. In 1930, the girls are not living with their step-mother but are found in three different households:

• Bertha Briles – an 18 year old born in Kansas listed as a servant in the household of Edw W. Stochebrand in Woodson County, Kansas
• Myrl and Pearl Briles – 16 year old females born in Kansas who were listed as nieces in the household of Noah J. Briles in Coffey County, Kansas
• Mary Elizabeth Briles – 14 year old female born in Oklahoma who was listed as a niece in the household of Charles Cook in Coffey County, Kansas

Since the local newspapers have been digitized and are what I call ‘gossipy’ newspapers, I tried to find mention of the girls’ marriages. So far, I haven’t found mentions of those marriages. However, I did find two references to Alexander Briles’ second marriage.

Mrs. Effie Flake went to Beaumont to attend the wedding of her brother Alex Briles, and Mrs. Westfall.

“Crandall,” The Daily Republican (Burlington, Kansas), 18 November 1922, page 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 22 October 2021).

Crandall
Alex Briles was married last Sunday to Westfall of Beaumont, Kansas. They will come home as soon as the roads permit. Mrs. Effie Flake went with her brother to Beaumont.

“Crandall,” LeRoy Reporter (LeRoy, Kansas), 17 November 1922, page 8; digital image, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 22 October 2021).

When I expanded my search to include Oklahoma, I again turned up nothing regarding the girls’ marriages but I did find a legal notice that identifies the girls as heirs of Alex G. Briles and Lula N. Briles.

Legal Notices

(First published June 21, 1934.)

State of Oklahoma, Texas County, ss.

In the District Court in and for said County and State
John S. Houston, Plaintiff
vs No. 5733
Mary A. Briles, a widow, Noah J. Briles and Lois Briles his wife, Ruth Briles Pike and Anna Grace Briles, heirs of Lester C. Briles, deceased; Bertha Briles, Myrl Briles Starr, Pearl Briles and Mary E. Briles, heirs of Alex G. Briles and Lula N. Briles, both deceased, Alice E. Angel Sellers, a widow, Effie Flake, a widow, Lizzie E. Briles Cook and Charles B. Cook, her husband, Olive Allen, Bert J. Allen, her husband, Defendants

Notice of Publication
The State of Oklahoma, to said defendants, Mary A. Briles, a widow. Noah J. Briles and Lois Briles, his wife, Ruth Briles Pike and Anna Grace Briles, heirs of Lester C. Briles deceased; Bertha Briles, Myrl Briles Starr, Pearl Briles and Mary E. Briles, heirs of Alex G. Briles and Lula M. Briles, both deceased. Alice E Angele Sellers a widow. Effie Flake, a widow. Lizzie E Briles Cook, Charles B. Cook, her husband, Olive Allen, Bert J. Allen, her husband, will take notice that they and each of them have been sued by John S. Houston, plaintiff, in the District Court of Texas County, Oklahoma for the purpose of determining the heirs of Elisha M. Briles, deceased and the proportionate part each inherited at the time of the death of said Elisha M. Briles, in and to Lots One (1) and Two (2) and the south half of the northeast quarter (S1/2-NE1/4) of section Four (4) Township Three (3) North of Range Nineteen (19) East of the Cimarron Meridian Texas County, Oklahoma, and that said defendants and each of them be required to show what right title or interest, if any they now have in and to said real estate, adverse to the rights of this plaintiff and that the title to the above described property be quieted and confirmed in plaintiff, and that said defendants and each of them must answer the petition of plaintiff filed herein on or before the 3rd day of August, 1934, or said petition will be taken as true, and judgment for said plaintiff in said action determining the heirs of Elisha M. Briles, deceased, and quieting and confirming the title to said above described real estate in the plaintiff herein will be rendered accordingly.

Dated this 19th day of June, 1934
Bessie Freeman Moore
(Seal) Court Clerk
By Mary Lou Metcalf, Deputy Alice C. Stamper,
Attorney for Plaintiff

“Legal Notice,” The Panhandle Herald (Guymon, OK), 5 July 1934, page 7; digital images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : viewed online 23 October 2021).

Not only does this legal notice identify the daughters of Alexander G. Briles, but it also identifies his mother and siblings. Below are the family members named in the notice and their relationship to Elisha M. Briles (1875-1907)

• Mother: Mary A. Briles, a widow,
• Brother: Noah J. Briles and Lois Briles his wife,
• Brother Lester C. Briles descendants: Ruth Briles Pike and Anna Grace Briles, heirs of Lester C. Briles
• Brother: Alex G. Briles descendants: Bertha Briles, Myrl Briles Starr, Pearl Briles and Mary E. Briles, heirs of Alex G. Briles and Lula N. Briles, both deceased,
• Sister: Alice E. Angel Sellers, a widow,
• Sister: Effie Flake, a widow,
• Sister: Lizzie E. Briles Cook and Charles B. Cook, her husband,
• Sister: Olive Allen, Bert J. Allen, her husband,

This legal notice not only documents the family but also indicates that there are land records for Elisha Briles in Texas County, Oklahoma.