Searching for information on "Jim" James Arthur Richards and his wife Mary Dean Richards during the time they lived in Wichita Falls. He was born 21 Aug 1876, Texas (according to his WWI draft card)(born abt 1881, Texas per 1910 Waco census; and born ca 1892 in 1920 Wichita Falls census).

They were married circa 1909-1910, probably in Waco. They had two children there: Nellie Frances (born 1912, Waco) and Arthur L. (born 1915, Waco). I know they were in Waco when the WWI draft card was done in 1918 - so they came to Wichita Falls sometime between 1918 and 1920 by wagon, and lived in a tent (as they are shown in the 1920 census) until Jim built a two room house for the family.

Here is where things get a little confusing.....sometime in the early 1920's (we thought in 1920) the two children are in an orphanage in Fort Worth, and we know that Nellie is adopted out to a family within about 3 months, and she lost track of Arthur. Family history says that Jim left the family - never to be seen again. Mary tried to work several jobs to keep food on the table, but the children were taken from her and sent to the orphanage and Mary died right after.

But, I think that she may have been the same Mary who married a Crenshaw and died Nov 29, 1947 in Austin (Austin State Hospital). This Mary was born Mar 12, 1892 to Preston Dean and Julia Lawrence according to the death cert. Jim and Mary Richards were living next door to Julia Dean (widow of Preston) in the 1910 census. I see a Mary who married Poke C Crenshaw (born ca 1897, TX) in the 1930 census, Waco area. Not sure if that is the right Mary.

So, my questions are....Did Mary Richard/Richards remarry to a Crenshaw in Wichita Falls? If the Mary who was married to Poke Crenshaw is the right one, it would have been about 1922. Or, did Mary die as the family history says - tho I don't see a death cert for her under Richard/Richards. Did Jim/James Richard/Richards die in Wichita Falls aft 1920? I don't see him in the Family Search Pilot site Texas death certs. Could they have divorced? Are there any county records about the children being sent to an orphanage? The orphanage has no records.

This is my brother-in-laws family.

Thanks for your help, Trish Elliott-Kashima, Lawrenceburg, TN