Violet Pearl Pitts (b. January 31, 1912, d. February 23, 1986)
Violet Pearl Pitts (daughter of John Pitts and Minnie Elkins) was born January 31, 1912 in Featheston Oklahoma, and died February 23, 1986 in Pulaski Co. Il.. She married Wiley Pitts on October 26, 1928 in Union Co. Il., son of William Pitts and Della Thomas.
Notes for Violet Pearl Pitts: Memories of Prohibition from Violet Pearl Pitts --- Wiley and John West took some pictures of themselves when they was making whisky. Wiley waited two years before he got them developed. Old Barks got hold of some of the pictures and sent them to the courthouse. So we started staying over at Wiley's parents house until trouble passed. One night nine lawmen busted in to the house to raid us. Wiley had to get out of bed and take them over to our house. Wiley said they chewed tobacco and spit their ambure on our floors like we was nothing. But they found no whiskey cause we made sure we didn't have any stocked at that time. When the law men were done raiding our house Wiley walked them back and forth across the creek and through the woods until he got them lost so bad they offered him five dollars to lead them back to their car. Wiley wouldn't do it. I dont know how they ever got back to their car. Another time John west got word somehow that him and Wiley was going to be raided. So he didn't show up at the still one night when he was supposed to. Wiley was out in them woods alone. He heard some twigs breaking and thought it was Jonnie so he called out but nobody answered. He knew he was surrounded so he went to talking to himself. He said " Ill go get some water while Im waiting for Jonnie." He picked up his bucket and walked towards the creek. He set his bucket down when he got to the creek and then climbed high into an old sycamore tree and got away from the law. Wiley was up in that tree shaking like a leaf all night long. He could hear the law men down below saying " we'll come back tomorrow night and get them both." The next day Jonnie went and hid the still and destroyed the mash. That how close Wiley and Jonnie came to getting caught. But at that time selling whiskey was the only way they could make a living.
More About Violet Pearl Pitts and Wiley Pitts: Marriage 1: October 26, 1928, Union Co. Il.. Marriage 2: Married by Rev. Thornton Clark. Marriage license: October 26, 1928, 261-B.
Children of Violet Pearl Pitts and Wiley Pitts are:
Violet Pearl Pitts (b. January 31, 1912, d. February 23, 1986)
Notes for Violet Pearl Pitts: