My Grandfather, Henry Lovell Creal, Jr.
1890
My grandfather, Henry Lovell Creal, Jr., made his entrance into the world on September 25, 1890, in Summerland, Smith County, Mississippi.
At the time of his birth, his mother Amanda was 33 years old, and his father Henry was 46 years old.
I would love it if you read “The Life Story Of My Great-Grandparents, Henry & Amanda Creal/Creel” and visit the Creal/Creel Family Website for Creal/Creel history.
1900
Henry, who was about nine years old, lived with his parents and siblings in Beat 4, Noxubee County, Mississippi, around 1900. Here are the names of his siblings:
- Sylvester Creal (21)
- Donie Creal (15)
- Luella Creal (11)
- Vina Creal (7)
- Lessie Creal (1)
According to the 1900 Census, my grandfather Henry was just nine years old. Despite his young age, he worked as a farm laborer for eight months while attending school for two months.
Although he was able to speak English, he was not able to read or write.
1900 – 1910
We don’t know for sure, but it seems that after June 1900, Henry’s family moved to Richland Parish, Louisiana.
They likely stayed there for three years or more before moving to Pennington, Bradley County, Arkansas, around 1904.
1910
Around 1910, Henry was living with his parents and siblings in Pennington, Bradley County, Arkansas, when he was about 18 years old.
He worked as a farmer like his father and was the oldest child in the household.
It’s worth noting that Henry was able to read and write, which was a change from earlier census records that recorded him as unable to read.
Henry’s older sisters, Donie and Luella, lived next door with their own families. Here are the siblings in the household:
- Barney Creal (15)
- Lessie Creal (10)
1910 – 1913
Deressa, my mother, told me that when she was in the third and fourth grades, her two older sisters would walk her to school. She remembered them being teenagers.
So, I’m guessing they were born sometime between 1910 and 1913. Unfortunately, she didn’t remember their names, although she thought one of them might have been Sarah.
It’s worth noting that my mother had a different mother than her sisters. And she wasn’t sure if they shared the same mother.
After the fourth grade, my mother never saw her sisters again, but she had fond memories of them.
I’m currently looking for their descendants. Are you my cousin?
1913
When Henry was about 23, his first son, Jack Creal, was born on March 25, 1913, in or near Bradley County, Arkansas.
Tennie Jones was Jack’s mother’s name. Jack’s parents never married, and nothing is known about his mother.
I didn’t get to meet my Uncle Jack. But I heard many stories about him. One story, in particular, was how he introduced my mother, Deressa, to her husband, Mack Thompson, my father.
Jack would give my grandfather, Henry, the following grandchildren, Clayton, Joseph, Clarence, Samuel, Saul, Doris, Charles, Jack, and Pearlie.
1917
My grandfather, Henry, registered for World War I on June 5, 1917, in Bradley County, Arkansas.
According to his registration card, the following information was provided:
- He lived on R.F.D. #.2. Street, Bradley County, Arkansas.
- He was the sole supporter of his mother and father.
- He worked for Miles as a farmer.
- He was 24 years old and born on September 5, 1892.
- He was of medium height and build.
- He had brown eyes and black hair.
I find it intriguing that my grandfather Henry did not list any of his children on his draft card, despite having at least three children at that time.
It raises questions about why he made that decision and what factors may have influenced it.
1918
My grandfather, Henry, served in the United States Army during World War I, even though he was taking care of his parents. He became a private on August 23, 1918, and served until December 21, 1918.
My belief is that my grandparents, Henry and Leona, crossed paths due to their families’ proximity.
Specifically, I think it may have been because Henry’s parents lived near Leona’s brother, my Great-Uncle Elijah Kilgore. I suspect they met after Henry’s returned home from the military.
Marriage of Henry and Leona Kilgore: 1919-1920
My grandparents, Henry and Leona, got their marriage license on December 27, 1919, and they married two months later, on February 15, 1920. According to my mother, Leona was Henry’s first wife.
1923
Henry and Leona welcomed my lovely mother into the world on May 10, 1923, their first child as a couple. Henry was approximately 33 years old, and Leona was approximately 27 years old.
My mother would give her parents 15 grandchildren: Mack. Bobby, Dave, Maxsell, Mary, Bonnie, Andrew, Rosa, Ella, Larry, Carolyn, Deressa, Calvin, John, and Sharon.
My mother had a big heart, especially for children who didn’t have a mother. I would love it if you read her story, “The Life Story Of My Mother By Carolyn A. Thompson.”
Henry’s second major event in 1923 was the passing of his father. On November 5, 1923, Henry Sr. passed away at age 83 from a pulmonary condition. He lived in the city of Pennington, Bradley County, Arkansas.
1924
Henry lost his mother, Amanda, three months later, on February 9, 1924. She also passed in Pennington, Bradley County, Arkansas. She was 66 years old and had pneumonia of the left lung.
1925
Henry Lovell Creal, III, was born on July 9, 1927, in Warren, Bradley County, Arkansas, to Henry and Leona. Henry was about 35 years old, and Leona was about 29 years old.
Lavell would give my grandparents four grandchildren: Henry, Keith, Debbie, and Pam.
My uncle chose his middle name as his first name, spelling it Lavell. I first met my uncle when he came to visit in 1977. He was a generous man who avoided trivial matters.
He had a serious demeanor, and he wasn’t the type to mess with. He was quite intelligent. My mother called him “brother”.
1927
In the city of Warren, Bradley County, Arkansas, Henry and Leona welcomed their second son into the world, Lawrence Creal, in August 1927.
His father was about 37 when he was born, and Leona, his mother, was about 31 years old.
1929
On September 14, 1929, Henry and Leona Creal welcomed their final child, Roosevelt. He was born in Warren, Arkansas, which is in Bradley County.
His father, Henry Jr., was around 39 years old, while his mother, Leona, was about 33 years old.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get the opportunity to develop a relationship with my Uncle, Roosevelt. I met him just once when he visited my mother around 1973.
And he passed away a few years later. My mother held him in high regard and shared with me that he had invented the windmills. But he didn’t receive the credit.
Uncle Roosevelt resided in Eugene, Oregon, while we lived in Detroit, Michigan. He was a brilliant and friendly individual.
And there was a lot of controversy surrounding his death. He gave my grandparents two children, Freddie and Lisa.
1930
According to the 1930 Census, Henry, my grandfather, and Leona, my grandmother, were renting a house in Vilemont Township, Jefferson County, Arkansas.
Henry, my grandfather, was approximately 40 years old, while Leona was 34. The family consisted of four children and one lodger. See below.
- Deressa Creal (6)
- Henry Creal (4)
- Lawrence Creal (2)
- Theodore Creal (0)
- Don Rush (89) Lodger
1932
After suffering from an illness for two years, Henry Creal’s wife, Leona Kilgore Creal, my grandmother, passed away in Warren, Arkansas, in 1932.
1933
In 1933, my grandfather, Henry, and Bessie Wallace, welcomed their first daughter into the world. She was born in Arkansas when Henry was 43 years old.
They named her Annie. I had the pleasure of meeting my Aunt Annie on at least three occasions. My Aunt Annie didn’t have any children.
1935
In 1935, Henry was living in the city of Portland, Ashley County, Arkansas, according to the 1940 census.
1936
Henry and Bessie Wallace welcomed their last child, a daughter named Mattie Pearl, into the world on September 14, 1936, in Arkansas.
Aunt Mattie gave her dad, Henry, 10 grandchildren; Anita, Albert, Lucille, Theresa, Billy, Scotty, Octavia, Lisa, John, and Carmelita.
My mother, Deressa, and Aunt Mattie reconnected in the late 1960s by accident, actually by the will of God.
And they were a part of each other’s lives until my mother passed away in 2018. My Aunt Mattie is a fun, loving, and sexy lady, even in her 80s.
1937
Bessie Wallace, my aunt’s mother, passed away on October 21, 1937, in Jefferson County, Arkansas.
1940
According to the 1940 Census, my grandfather Henry was living with his wife Isabel and four children. He was renting a farm in Banner, Ashley County, Arkansas.
My grandfather, Henry, was about 47 years old, and Isabel was 24 years old. Henry was a farmer working on his own farm account.
I am confident that my mother was not aware of Isabel’s existence or the fact that she had a sister named Bernice. Bernice was born in 1931.
But my grandfather, Henry, was still married to my grandmother, Leona, at the time.
My mother talked about all her siblings, so it’s unlikely that she knew about Bernice or Isabel.
Interestingly, the 1940 census has a circled “x” next to my grandfather’s name, indicating that he provided the information to the census worker.
I am curious to know more about Isabel and Bernice. Was my grandfather married to Isabel, or was she a common-law wife?
Was Bernice his biological daughter or a stepdaughter? I’m hoping to locate Bernice or her descendants through Ancestry and possibly connect with them.
The household members are listed below.
- Henry Creal (46)
- Isabel Creal (24)
- H L Creal (14)
- Lawrence Creal (12)
- Roosevelt Creal (10)
- Bernice Creal (9)
1942
Tragically, Henry’s son Lawrence passed away on January 17, 1942, at the young age of 14 due to pneumonia. At the time, he was living with his older brother, Jack Creal, in Sherrill, Arkansas.
My mother, Deressa, was deeply saddened by his passing. She explained that Lawrence had passed out and was outside overnight, which led to him contracting pneumonia. The following day, he was found in a very sickly state.
1942: World War II Registration Card
Henry registered for World War II on April 2, 1942, in Hamburg, Ashley County, Arkansas. On his registration card, the following is stated:
- Place of Residence: Hamburg, Ashley County, Arkansas
- Birth Place: Summerland, Mississippi
- Place of Employment: Crosset Lumber Company
- Next of Kin: Donie Creal Chatman, Pine Bluff, Arkansas
- Height 5′ 6″/Weight 137 pounds
- Complexion: Light Brown
- Eyes: Brown
- Hair: Gray
1944: Marriage of Henry and Gertrude Williams
On December 13, 1944, Henry and Gertrude Williams married in the city of Hamburg, Ashley, Arkansas. Henry was about 54, and Gertrude was 41 years old.
1944 – 1948
Henry and Gertrude relocated to Vanport, Oregon, between 1944 and 1948, as per my mother, Deressa, who shared that her father went there to work on an apple farm.
Vanport, Oregon
However, I discovered that Vanport was initially constructed to house military personnel and to prevent the migration of Black people into Portland. Interestingly, almost 40% of Vanport’s residents were Black.
Sadly, on May 30, 1948, a section of the railroad berm holding the Columbia River back gave way, causing a catastrophic flood that wiped out Vanport City.
This disaster claimed 15 lives and rendered 17,500 individuals homeless by nightfall. My grandfather, along with many others, walked to Portland, escaping the flood.
1950
In 1950, Henry, my grandfather, and his wife were living at 3533 N. Palmyra Street, #12, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon.
He was a building laborer in the construction industry. His household also included four lodgers, who are listed below.
- Fay F. Potter (55) Lodger
- Leota I. Potter (53) Lodger’s Wife
- Curtis Huff (42) Lodger
- Richard W. Wilbure (0) Lodger
1953
In 1953, Henry and his wife were living in Portland, Oregon. Also, his sons, Henry and Roosevelt, lived in Portland with their wives.
1963 – 1965
I only met my grandfather once, when I was about six years old. He, along with his sister, Great Aunt Donie, and her husband, Reverend Louis, visited us in Driver, Arkansas, around 1964.
My Great-Uncle, Reverend Louis, invited me to come home with them, and I remember wanting to go. I even packed clothes, much to the embarrassment of my parents. It’s a funny memory, looking back on it now!
1967
In 1967, my grandfather fell ill, and my mother’s stepmother called and asked her to come to help with her father in Portland, Oregon. At that time, we lived in Chicago, in the state of Illinois.
I was 10 or 11, and it seemed as if she was gone forever. And I was thrilled when she came home. Many years later, she told me she hated leaving her father, but she had to get home to her family.
My mother said she had convinced her stepmother to allow her to bring her father to Chicago. And she agreed.
But when Uncle Lavell found out, he told his stepmother that his father’s money was going with him. My mother tried to assure them that her father needed no money.
Also, her children would help take care of him. But their stepmother, Gertrude, changed her mind about letting him go.
1968
Unfortunately, on June 13, 1968, my grandfather, Henry, closed his eyes forever. He passed away from adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer, and prostate cancer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, even though, Henry was born in the late 1800s, during a time in American history that was dreadful for blacks, my grandfather never let it get him down.
He was a beloved man with an intriguing life story. Everyone loved him because he was always so kind and loving, and he had a real talent for telling funny stories and making people laugh.
Throughout his life, my grandfather, Henry, faced many challenges and obstacles because of his race.
He grew up in the Deep South during a time when segregation and racism were rampant, and opportunities for black people were extremely limited.
Despite these barriers, my grandfather was determined to make a good life for himself and his family.
Although I only had the opportunity to meet my grandfather once, I’ve heard nothing but positive things about him from other members of the Creal family.
However, my grandmother’s family didn’t share the same sentiments. Despite this, my mother and her siblings adored him and cherished memories of him.
It’s clear that my grandfather was likely a charming individual who loved to bring joy to others through his playful attitude and jokes. I believe that my grandfather loved women, and women loved my grandfather.
In addition to his charismatic personality, I also discovered that my grandfather was a skilled shoemaker.
It would have been wonderful to have known and grown up around my grandfather, Henry. Nevertheless, a story he shared with his great-niece Ruby has profoundly impacted and altered the course of my life.
Creal/Creel Family Book Coming Soon
Stay tuned for “The Creal Story,” a book that is based on the lives of Henry, his wife, and their 11 children. Also, check out the Creal Family Website for more history.
Are you a descendant of Henry Creal? Are you my Cousin? Do you have more information about this story? Please leave a comment.
