Laura Viola Wheelis was born in Washington County, Arkansas close to Old McGuire store, close to Harris Post Office. This is close to Elkins, Arkansas. The Harris Post Office is south on the 1st. or 2nd road north of Elkins on (H WY) 16. The McGuire store is east of (H WY) 16 & 74 not far from intersection. The Old McGuire store is now a bed & breakfast April 10, 1997. (William David Roach)
Somewhere around this area over looking the White river is where William Wheelis is buried. I (William David Roach) believe that Ruben Wheelis is also buried at this cemetery. In this community their is three cemeteries and all three have a huge number of graves with only a stone marking the grave.
The following story was told to me (William David Roach) by my mother Edna Evelyn (Muncrief) Roach, my father Willie Ruben Roach, and my aunt Callie Viola Roach.
LAURA VIOLA WHEELIS was born in Washington County, Arkansas. Her father died when she was 2 years old. Her mother moved the family to Collin County, Texas. (per 1880 Census Collin County, Texas). Laura had five children Callie Viola, Gussie Allie, Willie Ruben, James Washington, and baby boy born dead. Her first baby was a boy born dead. He is Buried in Bethel Cemetery, (on the west side against the fence about the middle of the cemetery with a stone marking the grave) Decatur, Texas. Callie, Gussie, and J.W. are buried in Connerville, Oklahoma. Willie Ruben is buried at Swan Hill Cemetery, Ada, Oklahoma. The reason James Peter Roach (known as Jim Roach) and Laura Viola (Wheelis) Roach left Texas was to visit Laura's brother Ruben Wheelis who was very sick. He died before they arrived. Also Laura wanted to travel an see the country, and visit her father's grave. Ruben lived in Washington County, arkansas. When Laura was a small girl, Ruben put her on his knee and told her about some money he buried. He said he wanted Laura to have the money if he died. He told her where he buried the money. When they arrived in Arkansas she looked for the money. Someone else had already found the money. She saw the imprint of the jar that he used to bury the money. On the way back to Texas Laura got sick and James & Laura decided to spend the winter in Connerville, Oklahoma. They planned to leave for Texas in the spring. They never left and both are buried in Connerville Cemetery in the South East Corner. Mrs. Laura Viola (Wheelis) Roach died on Sunday Morning May 7, 1944 at Brisco Hospital, Ada, Oklahoma.
Information told to me (William D. Roach) by various family members. My grandmother could not read or write. My aunt Callie taught her to sign her name. According to my dad she could build or repair anything with tools. I have Laura Viola (Wheelis) Roach's hammer and pinch bar (know today as cat claw or wrecking bar). Laura Viola (Wheelis) Roach liked to fish in the rain because she thought she could catch more fish.
The following obituary copied word for word from the Johnston County Democrat newspaper.
Obituary Mrs. Laura Roach of Bromide, Dies Funeral services were held May 8, at Connerville Cemetery for Mrs. Laura V. Roach, 69, who died May 7 at an Ada hospital. Surviving are her husband: two daughters, Miss Callie V. Roach and Mrs. Newt Hilton, and two sons, W.R. Roach and J.W. Roach, and nine grandchildren. Mrs. Roach was born in Washington county, Arkansas, and went to Texas with her family as an infant. She married Mr. Roach in Texas and the family later moved to Oklahoma. George Roach and Fred Rosenburg of Decatur, Texas attended Laura's funeral.
More About Laura Viola Wheelis: Burial: Unknown, Buried Connerville, Okla..
More About Laura Viola Wheelis and James Peter Roach: Marriage: 13 Mar 1895, Wise County Texas.
Children of Laura Viola Wheelis and James Peter Roach are:
Roach, b. 14 Sep 1896, Decatur, Texas, d. 14 Sep 1896, Born Dead - Buried Bethel Cemetery - Rock marks his grave.
Callie Viola Roach, b. 24 Nov 1897, Decatur, Texas, d. 24 Mar 1963, Old farm east of Connerville.
+Gussie Allie Roach, b. 11 Jul 1900, Decatur, Texas, d. 18 Oct 1967, At home east of Connerville, Oklahoma.
+Willie Ruben Roach, b. 10 Nov 1910, Decatur, Texas, d. 08 Mar 1992, Ada, Oklahoma.
Laura Viola Wheelis (b. 31 Dec 1873, d. 07 May 1944)
Notes for Laura Viola Wheelis: