The 1930 census has a Laura Wilhite, age 73, as an inmate in the Masonic Home for Aged in the Guthrie Township. I think this may be Laura Carter Smith Willhite, the widow of my husband's great grandfather, William D. Willhite who died in 1922 in Love County. Is there any way to get more information about her--date of death, burial site, etc.? The Willhite family lived for a number of years in the Carter and Love County area. Would the Masonic Home for Aged have residents from that far away? I looked at the Logan Cemetery lists on-line, and did not find her listed there. Any suggestions on how to pursue this would be greatly appreciated.

Laura Willhite, born 1857, buried 15 Jul 1933, block 31 lot 84, at Summit View Cemetery in Guthrie, Logan Co., OK. The purchaser of the lot is Masonic Home. Lot card reads "Laura Wilhite." For more information contact the Masonic Lodge, Okla. Grand Lodge, 102 S. Broad, Guthrie, OK 73044, phone 405-282-3212. They can direct you.

Other Willhite's buried are Adolph and Alfred; however, there is no burial date shown in the records. They are buried in block 29 lot 76 in unmarked graves. Joe Robinson is listed as the "agent." It is difficult to tell if this is two different persons or if there was confusion as to whether the given name was Adolph or Alfred.

Thank you so much for the information. I've wondered for some time why she was not buried in Carter County with the rest of her family. When I recently found her in the Logan County census, I wasn't sure she was the Laura Willhite I was looking for. Then last month when I visited Carter County and saw the Masonic emblem on W. D. Willhite's grave marker, her residence in the Masonic Home made sense.

Laura Van Carter-Wilhite's first husband was John E. Smith (1850-1888), buried at the Splendora Cemetery in Montgomery county, TX. He was also a mason. Photo of his tombstone available at Find-A-Grave.

nate