Weaver James Hickman

Family lore: While living in Ennis, Ellis Co. Tx. Weaver fell in love and was to mary one Elsie Phelps. What happened next is not exactly certain. An accident befell Elsie and she either died on their wedding day or was buried on wedding day. Sometime later, Weaver married her younger sister Jessie in about 1905 in Ennis. They had five daughters. Weaver and Jessie divorced and it is said she relocated her daughters in Illinois or Indianna.

Elise's parents, Charles W. and Mattie Phelps are enumerated in the 1900 Federal Census in Ennis, Ellis Co. TX. There is no census information for 1890 Texas. In 1880 Charles (age 19)was in the home of his parents, Alfred in the Ennis, Ellis Co. Federal Census.

I do know that Weaver did see Jesse and his daughters occasionally. In fact it has been said by Dorothy (oldest child of Weaver's second marriage to Gertrude Ham) that they remained on good terms through out their lives. The reason for their divorce????? I'm not sure that it has ever been discussed with "us kids" but it is a well known fact that Granddaddy Hickman (Weaver) was something of a ladies man and fidelty may have been one factor.

Gertrude said that the "accident" that Elsie had was a botched abortion. Gertrude and Weaver are now gone so there is no one to answer that question BUT since they were to marry I feel that it was probably something else. One of these days, I may be able to reach one of the families of the the five sisters or one of the Phelps memebers who might know what really happened to her.