When I began my research on my Callan line I was very much amazed to
find in various places on the internet and other sources that my great
grandfather William Anderson Callan was listed as having died in 1914.
He was the son of William Dwight Callen and Nancy Jane Huff.
William A. Callan was born Nov 5, 1875 Dardanelle, Yell County, AR and
died Dec. 16, 1934 in Henrietta, Clay County, Texas. He is buried in the
Hope Cemetery in Henrietta, Tx. Many books and other sources have him
dying in 1914. I think they confused (though I have no proof) the death
of his first wife with him. William and his first wife had 3 children:
1. Lillian Marie Callan m. George Ryburn (no dates available) {Marie
had 5 sets of twins-4 survived. So far, no trace of Marie or these
children.
2. Olen Bert Callan b. Sept 23, 1904 Dardanelle, Yell Co., AR; d. May
14, 1962 m. Jewell May Wrinkle-4 children
3. Wilma Mildred Callan b. May 27, 1907 Dardanelle, Yell Co., AR; d. Oct
31, 1982, Lancaster, Los Angeles Co., CA m. John Monteville Williams- 5
children
William married a second time to Lillie May Dial Goswick. This was
Lillie's second marriage. She had 2 children from her first marriage:
Betsy and Joseph Benton Goswick. Betsy died during the flu epidemic in
1919. William and Lillie had one son, William Dwyght "W. D." Callan b.
Aug 14, 1920 Moyers, Pushmataha Co, OK; d. Aug 25, 1998 National City,
San Diego Co, CA m. Louise Constance Morgan-2 children.
Wm Anderson Callan's headstone in Henrietta reads:
Wm A Callens
Co H 2nd Ark Inf Span/Amer War
son of W D Callen and Nann Huff (obvious misspellings on the headstone)
Nov 15, 1875--Dec 16, 1934
Williams Obituary (again there are misspellings..both sons had different
ideas about what their father's middle name was)
LAST RITES ARE HELD FOR MR W. A. CALLAN LAST MONDAY, DEC. 17
Funeral rites were conducted Monday afternoon at 4 o'clock at the
First Baptist Church for Mr. William Andrew Callan, resident of
Henrietta. Rev. Paul J. Merrill officiated at the services, with hymns
being sung by a mixed quartet composed of Mesdames Fred Oheim, J. W.
Hill, Messrs Frank Selvidge and L. C. Kelley, accompanied at the piano
by Mr. John Louis Koethe.
Burial was in the Hope Cemetery under direction of the Moore Funeral
company.
William Andrew Callan was born in Arkansas, Nov. 15, 1875 and died
Dec. 16, while cutting wood about one mile east of the river bridge. He
was accompanied on the wood cutting trip by his wife, who was with him
at the time of his death. He had been a resident of Henrietta for about
eight years, filling a position as a blacksmith at the Fulmer Blacksmith
Shop. He was a Spanish-American war veteran.
Survivors include the widow, two sons, W. D. Callan of Henrietta and
O. B. Callan of Goodlett; and two daughters, Mrs J. W. Williams of
Henrietta, and Mrs. George Ryburn of Dayton, New Mexico.
I have found several variations for the name of his first wife. On my
grandfather's delayed birth certificate it is listed as Mary Aslie
Tillman and that she was 30 yrs of age at the time of my grandfather
Olen's birth. In the Callen Chronicles she is listed as Aslee Tillman.
There is yet another variation listed with the Yell Co. Historical
Society. All that I can say with certainty is that she died sometime
after the birth of her third child in 1907 and prior to 1919, as William
was married for the second time and his child by his second wife was
born in Aug of 1920.
If anyone knows anything that would clear up the mystery of the first
wife's name, I would love to hear from you. I would especially like to
know where she is buried at.
Additional note: If any researchers run across a Joseph Benton Callan
buried in California (he is listed in the California Death Index), he is
not a Callan. This was Lillie Dial Goswick Callan's son by her first
marriage. Joseph assumed the name Callan and was never legally adopted.
When he died, his mother had him buried as a Callan. The Goswick family
has been notified of his burial location and the fact that he is buried
under the wrong name.
Thanks,
Kim Callan