Lewis Grant Waddill 1909-1966
Lewis Grant Waddill
Compiled information by sister, Wilma Ruth Waddill Hester
Lewis Grant, the fourth child and second son born to John and Cora Townsend Waddill, made his appearance on November 12, 1909. The family home was on a farm in Floyd County, Texas near the small town of Lockney. The boy was named for his Uncle Lewis (Townsend) and his Grandfather Townsend's Civil War hero, General Grant. He was known simply as Grant by his family and friends.
In 1916, the family moved to a new home in Hale County, Texas, where Grant attended elementary school with his brother and sisters. Arrangements were made to provide for Grant to finish his high school work in Plainview, Texas. The last semester of his senior year, Grant attended summer classes at the Wayland Baptist College in order to obtain the credits needed for graduation in 1928.
As a child, Grant was a very thoughtful, sensitive person and paid special attention to those less fortunate or handicapped. School teachers of the one room school often asked for his assistance in tutoring the smaller children to practice their reading, spelling and arithmetic. After entering high school, Grant enjoyed athletics and played football on the school team. This sport caused him several injuries, not notably a broken collar bone and a crushed nose that required surgery and a stay in the Lubbock Texas Hospital.
Grant was of medium build, with broad square shoulders. He was very dark complexioned, with brown eyes and dark brown hair. As an adult he stood about 5'5" tall. In the summer of 1928, Grant suffered a bad case of the measles, which caused most of his hair to fall out, but to the envy of his sisters, the new hair came in very silky and very curly.
As often happens in larger families, older brothers and sisters would take care of the younger children. Grant's big sister, Nora (Lenora), was his idol and he followed her everywhere she went. One Sunday evening, Nora's date arrived with a horse and buggy to take her to a neighborhood party. When the pair stopped about a mile from home to open a pasture gate, they found Grant hiding in the back of the buggy. Grant wasn't about to let Nora go anyplace without him. Needless to say he was returned home and after some delay the couple started out once again for the party, unchaperoned to be sure.
Some relatives from Gordon, Nebraska, Houston Waddill, were visiting in Plainview about the time Grant finished high school and they invited him to return with them to Nebraska to help with the ranch work. he enjoyed this work so much that he continued to make his home there until his death.
At the beginning of World War II, Grant returned to his parents home, now in Rogers, Arkansas. From here Grant and his brother, Dean volunteered for service. Grant enlisted March 24, 1942 and joined the 90th Infantry Division. He received his basic training at Camp Barkley in Abilene, Texas. From basics the troop went on to Louisiana and California-Arizona Maneuver Area. Grant was with one of the first troops to land in France on June 10, 1942. He had some very hair-raising stories to tell of his activity while serving in that area until the end of the war. Grant returned home, to Arkansas in August of 1945. After spending some time resting and visiting with family and friends, he returned to the ranch life in Nebraska.
On October 25, 1947 in Chadron, Nebraska, Grant was joined in marriage to Viola Della Johnson, daughter of Paul Edwin and Florella Hathon Johnson. Viola was a local girl, born on December 30, 1904 in Merriman, Cherry County, Nebraska. It is interesting to note that it was Viola's parents who purchased the land claims that Grant's mother had lived and proven on, in White Clay, Nebraska area. Cora had sold this land to the Johnson family when she and her husband moved to Texas in about 1907.
Viola was five years Grant's senior and nearly 43 years of age when she and Grant married. The couple did not have any children.
Grant enjoyed animals and farming and took great pleasure in living amidst the small rural community life. Grant enjoyed riding the range on his horse and caring for the cattle and livestock on the ranch.
In the winter of '65-'66, Grant suffered a major heart attack that confined him to a hospital bed for several months after which he was sent home to continue recuperation. Grant was doing well and was able to return to his beloved ranch work on a limited basis, and then unexpectedly on May 16, 1966, at the young age of fifty-five years, Grant died in his sleep.
Burial services were held in Gordon Methodist Church and internment was in the Gordon City Cemetery.
Grant was survived by his wife, Viola, who continued to reside in their home in Gordon, Nebraska. Viola spent a great deal of time caring for her invalid mother who was confined to a convalescent home nearby. Viola was always a very shy, passive, quiet person who was very content spending her days with her husband.
Viola left this life to join her husband, on February 13, 1989 and is at rest beside him at the Gordon City Cemetery.
Family Members
Compiled information by sister, Wilma Ruth Waddill Hester
Lewis Grant, the fourth child and second son born to John and Cora Townsend Waddill, made his appearance on November 12, 1909. The family home was on a farm in Floyd County, Texas near the small town of Lockney. The boy was named for his Uncle Lewis (Townsend) and his Grandfather Townsend's Civil War hero, General Grant. He was known simply as Grant by his family and friends.
In 1916, the family moved to a new home in Hale County, Texas, where Grant attended elementary school with his brother and sisters. Arrangements were made to provide for Grant to finish his high school work in Plainview, Texas. The last semester of his senior year, Grant attended summer classes at the Wayland Baptist College in order to obtain the credits needed for graduation in 1928.
As a child, Grant was a very thoughtful, sensitive person and paid special attention to those less fortunate or handicapped. School teachers of the one room school often asked for his assistance in tutoring the smaller children to practice their reading, spelling and arithmetic. After entering high school, Grant enjoyed athletics and played football on the school team. This sport caused him several injuries, not notably a broken collar bone and a crushed nose that required surgery and a stay in the Lubbock Texas Hospital.
Grant was of medium build, with broad square shoulders. He was very dark complexioned, with brown eyes and dark brown hair. As an adult he stood about 5'5" tall. In the summer of 1928, Grant suffered a bad case of the measles, which caused most of his hair to fall out, but to the envy of his sisters, the new hair came in very silky and very curly.
As often happens in larger families, older brothers and sisters would take care of the younger children. Grant's big sister, Nora (Lenora), was his idol and he followed her everywhere she went. One Sunday evening, Nora's date arrived with a horse and buggy to take her to a neighborhood party. When the pair stopped about a mile from home to open a pasture gate, they found Grant hiding in the back of the buggy. Grant wasn't about to let Nora go anyplace without him. Needless to say he was returned home and after some delay the couple started out once again for the party, unchaperoned to be sure.
Some relatives from Gordon, Nebraska, Houston Waddill, were visiting in Plainview about the time Grant finished high school and they invited him to return with them to Nebraska to help with the ranch work. he enjoyed this work so much that he continued to make his home there until his death.
At the beginning of World War II, Grant returned to his parents home, now in Rogers, Arkansas. From here Grant and his brother, Dean volunteered for service. Grant enlisted March 24, 1942 and joined the 90th Infantry Division. He received his basic training at Camp Barkley in Abilene, Texas. From basics the troop went on to Louisiana and California-Arizona Maneuver Area. Grant was with one of the first troops to land in France on June 10, 1942. He had some very hair-raising stories to tell of his activity while serving in that area until the end of the war. Grant returned home, to Arkansas in August of 1945. After spending some time resting and visiting with family and friends, he returned to the ranch life in Nebraska.
On October 25, 1947 in Chadron, Nebraska, Grant was joined in marriage to Viola Della Johnson, daughter of Paul Edwin and Florella Hathon Johnson. Viola was a local girl, born on December 30, 1904 in Merriman, Cherry County, Nebraska. It is interesting to note that it was Viola's parents who purchased the land claims that Grant's mother had lived and proven on, in White Clay, Nebraska area. Cora had sold this land to the Johnson family when she and her husband moved to Texas in about 1907.
Viola was five years Grant's senior and nearly 43 years of age when she and Grant married. The couple did not have any children.
Grant enjoyed animals and farming and took great pleasure in living amidst the small rural community life. Grant enjoyed riding the range on his horse and caring for the cattle and livestock on the ranch.
In the winter of '65-'66, Grant suffered a major heart attack that confined him to a hospital bed for several months after which he was sent home to continue recuperation. Grant was doing well and was able to return to his beloved ranch work on a limited basis, and then unexpectedly on May 16, 1966, at the young age of fifty-five years, Grant died in his sleep.
Burial services were held in Gordon Methodist Church and internment was in the Gordon City Cemetery.
Grant was survived by his wife, Viola, who continued to reside in their home in Gordon, Nebraska. Viola spent a great deal of time caring for her invalid mother who was confined to a convalescent home nearby. Viola was always a very shy, passive, quiet person who was very content spending her days with her husband.
Viola left this life to join her husband, on February 13, 1989 and is at rest beside him at the Gordon City Cemetery.
Family Members
Date & Place:
Not specified or unknown.