The Christian S. Ousley Family

Facts provided by Berta Ousley Crockett

Christain Sheridan Ousley and Era Callie Moses were married May 8, 1904, at the home of the Rev. John Richard of Atoy. On their return home to Rusk, they were surprised by a host of friends wishing them well.

In September, 1904, they visited Mr. and Mrs. P. H. Morton, Sr., in the Craft community. Mr. Morton sold them 40 acres and a three-room house for $800. The down payment was a jackass, leaving a balance of $400. They moved from Rusk to this small farm on December 2, 1904.

On May 29, 1905, their first son, Parlon Lee, was born.

Three months later, Mr. Ousley bought the land adjoining his place from Fred Jones and moved to "the big house." Later they added more onto the house and reared their family there.

A second son, Park Fuller, was born on December 1, 1907.

On May 30, 1908, Parlon died. That was the summer that Mrs. Ousley went to Grandmother Ousley's in Knoxville, Tenn. On September 10, she started home and stopped to spend the night with Mr. Ousley's brother, Dr. B. L. Ousley, at Murfreesboro, Tenn. Her husband was there to surprise her. In later years, the family would get in a Model-T Ford and go to Tennessee.

The family increased by five, including Betty Ousley Morse of St. Louis, Missouri; Bate L. Ousley of North Dakota; Berta Lou Ousley Crockett, Gold-ya Ousley Tinsley and John W. Ousley, all of Jacksonville; Mary Ousley, who died in infancy on October 29, 1922.

In the early 1900s, Mr. Ousley and Wesley Love were in the business of buying and selling horses and mules. This business was conducted from Harper's Mule Barn, the present site of Bearden Furniture Company.

Mr. Ousley's endeavors included farming, ranching, real estate, participating in Crockett Production Credit Association, originally Agriculture Agency, and the Tomato Growers' Association.

In 1897, the first tomatoes grown in Cherokee County for commercial use were produced on the C. D. Jarratt property in Craft. In 1908, Mr. Ousley purchased this property and it still is in the family today.

Due to the efforts of C. S. Ousley to interest oil companies in leasing and drilling for oil around Jacksonville, his son, John, pursued this interest with the first producing oil well drilled on his property eight miles southeast of Jacksonville in 1970.

C. S. Ousley belonged to the Masonic Lodge for 68 years, Chamber of Commerce, Hereford Association, was trustee of rural schools and Chairman of the Bond Committee during World War I.

Mrs. Ousley was interested in the Parent-Teacher Association, concerned with child vaccinations, and a drive for free immunizations. With this success, she was honored as "Queen for a Day" on the Jack Bailey Radio Show. She is a member of the Order of Eastern Star and for 40 years a member of Home Demonstration Club.

As a member of the Methodist Church in Jacksonville, C. S. Ousley served as a steward and held a record of 22 years without missing a Sunday morning service. Mrs. Ousley sponsored the Epworth League and was superintendent of the children's department. A watermelon feast at the Ousley home for her Sunday School class was an annual event.

Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Ousley on their Golden Wedding anniversary, 1954.

Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Ousley with six of their children.

Mrs. C. S. Ousley in a formal pose taken when she was Worthy Matron of Eastern Star.