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TITSWORTH Family
Information supplied by Marian Dingman

JAMES CLARENCE TITSWORTH
Born 27 June 1906 in Muskogee, Indian Territory, OK
Died 4 Oct 1984 in Tulsa, Tulsa County, OK  

Clarence worked for the Tulsa Board of Education as a Roofer and Roofing Forman for many years starting in the early 1930's and until the late 1940's. . He and his wife Ruby were active in their church, first in Hagler Methodist Church and later in the early 1940's in the Home Garden Assembly of God Church. He and Ruby divorced in 1947 in Tulsa, Okla. and he and Gladys married in the fall of that year in Arkansas. He died from complications of a stroke a few years earlier. He is buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa.

Married 6 Oct 1930 in Tulsa to Arlie Melvina "Ruby" Sinor.
He then divorced her & married Gladys Mae Thomas in Sep 1947 in Arkansas, He and Gladys had no children

Father was James Alfred Titsworth,
Mother was Myrtle Eletha Sparks.

Wife Artie Melvina "Ruby" Sinor was born 21 Sep 1914 in Gamaliel, Baxter Co. Arkansas, Died 18 Jun 1972 in San Diego, CA and is buried there. Her other Spouse was Melborne John Hollis. She married in 1953 in San Diego.
Her father was Miles Calep Sinor.
Her mother was Theodoshia Ernest Gist.
Clarence & Ruby's children were in order of birth:

1. Marian Marguaritte Titsworth, born 24 Dec 1931 in Tulsa, her Spouse Linney Dexter Jr. Hale were Married 31 Aug 1948 (Div) in Tulsa. Her Spouse Robert Leroy Stevens were married 21 Dec 1965 (Div) in El Cajon, CA. Her Spouse Robert Francis Dingman were married 21 Dec 1972 in San Diego.

2. Baby Boy Titsworth was born in 1933 & died in 1933.

3. James Phillip Titsworth was born in Oct 1936 in Tulsa. Died in Feb 2002 in Tulsa. Buried in Tulsa. Married Minnie Sue Carson Married in Feb 1955 (Div) in Tulsa.
 
4. Robert Dean Titsworth was born 11 Aug 1944 in Tulsa. Married Cathy Tompkin Married in Jun 1963 (Div) in San Diego. Later married Christine Anne Mary Stefaniak.

Clarence, as he became known, was born 27 June 1906 in Kefton, Oklahoma, Muskogee County when Oklahoma was still Indian Territory. He was the second child, first son of James Alfred and Myrtle Eletha Sparks Titsworth.

Unfortunately, Clarence wasn't much to tell stories of his childhood days. From what his oldest sister, Effie Wicket has told me there were many hardships. The family moved from Madison County, Arkansas in 1905 looking for those greener pastures. Alfred searched many years for a better life, but with little education and no skills it was difficult to do much more than share-crop for a living and a place to live. |

The earliest picture found of Clarence was of the 2nd grade class in Hominy Oklahoma. He was a tall boy with lots of blond hair and tended to show-off a bit for the picture. The earliest school records found, May 15, 1924, show he graduated from the eighth grade at age 17 at Checotah, Oklahoma finishing in the upper half of his class. These records show he was a very good student, well mannered and his best subjects were math and science. His grades were in the 80 and 90's. Records from Onapa Oklahoma school district #24 & #25 for 1925 and 26 show Clarence, along with brothers Charlie, LeRoy and Deward, sister Dollie still in school. He graduated in 1928 in Napa, Oklahoma.

Farming was all the trade he knew and in the late 1920's and early 1930's times were very hard. The depression was in full swing and what work there was to be found for Clarence was very hard. All the children had to help on the farm and the older boys "followed the crops" to earn money for the necessities of life for the family of nine..

In 1927 in Mounds, Oklahoma a younger sister of Clarence, Dolly Irene, brought a friend "Ruby Sinor" home with her from school. After a few visits, Clarence took a "shine" to this shy little girl from Arkansas. Clarence had earned enough money "haying" to buy his first car, a Model T Ford with a rumble seat. He and brother Charlie would take their girls on a date. When Clarence went with the crops in the fall he would leave his car with Charlie to care for and use. Rubsy went "out" with Charlie in Clarence's car while he was gone. Grandmother, Myrtle use to delight in telling the story at a family gathering. Both Ruby and Aunt Bessie were shy, even after many years of marriage and would blush. This was a sure way to cause a time of teasing and conversation full of memories, some real and some imagined for quite a while. Grandmother had quite a good sense of humor and was much fun to be with. loving mother and grandmother who was loved by all her family, including the daughter-in- laws.

Clarence and Ruby were married in Tulsa on 6 October 1930. Ruby stated her age as 18 and was really only 16 years old. Clarence was 24 years old. They were married by the Justice of the Peace, Samuel Crossland. Ruby's real name was Artie Melvina but disliked her name and changed it to Ruby when the Sinor family moved to Oklahoma from Arkansas. Clarence had a job in Tulsa as a Clerk in the Produce Section of a small Grocery Store. They rented an apartment over the store with very low rent if they would watch the store at night and keep it clean. I have heard daddy say that the workers of each section in the store would exchange items of food so every one would have a more balanced diet. The over- ripe fruit and vegetables would be exchanged for cracked eggs, soup bones, meat trimmings, broken boxes or bent cans. Times was hard and they felt lucky to have a job, roof over their heads and food on the table.

April 1933 Clarence went to work for the Board of Education in Tulsa to learn the Roofing trade where he later became foreman and worked until November 1946 when he and mother separated and he came to California. He came back to Tulsa, February 1947 and worked at the Board of Education in the Maintenance Department until October 1951 when he started his own roofing business. After he went to work for the Board of Education we moved from the little apartment on West Admiral. Mother said we lived there only one winter and I had pneumonia and the doctor advised they move out of the damp basement to a drier place. Ruby found a little three-room house for rent at $15.00 a month at 1406 W. Archer, just a couple blocks from their current place. After showing the little house to Clarence and discussing the high rent they decided to rent it because it was clean and warm with a yard. Daddy had a good steady job and things were looking up for the family. Sometime between 1933 and 1935 there was a still-born son. Then in 1936 a son James Phillip was born. This beautiful healthy baby was welcome to the household.

On September 1, 1939 the owner of the little houses on Archer Street decided to sell and offered it to the renters with no money down and a promissory note of $810.00 payable at the same as their rent, $15.00 per month at 7% interest rate. (B1348 Pg 300 Overlook Park two lots from a group of owners including Ray Trimble). Paid in full on 30 April 1944. This is the only home I remember from early childhood and I was married on August 31, 1948 in the living room of this home. Over the years daddy had built a new kitchen, added a bedroom, closets, modern bath a screened in porch. He covered the pine floors with hardwood. He removed the large front porch with two front doors and made a new modern porch with only one entry. In 1937 my parents joined the Hagler Methodist Church and Clarence was a deacon in the Church also taught Sunday School to a class of young boys. He was always good with kids, especially his own. I remember many tender moments with my Daddy. He was a man with emotions, compassionate and not afraid to show his love. He was able to communicate with his family. He could make me laugh at myself and made me know my self-worth. He taught me to not be afraid to make a decision and to express my thoughts. He helped me learn to accept my mistakes and profit by them. He instilled self confidence and was a great help through my adolescence years. He was a man with much love and understanding. On 14 February 1940 a picture and article in the Tulsa Daily World shows the Young Married People's Group at Hagler Memorial Church with their leader, J. C. Titsworth and other officers On Sept 22, 1940 an article and picture appeared in the Tulsa Tribune showing J.Clarence Titsworth, Roofing foreman with other School Board Members inspecting the roof of Daniel Webster High School in West Tulsa. In early 1941 Clarence and Ruby joined the Home Garden Assembly Of God Church in Sand Springs, Okla. Daddy felt he had a "calling" to preach in th rural churches and his family began to suffer from many long absences. On August 11, 1944, in Tulsa, Oklahoma a second son, Robert Dean was born. He was a beautiful child who brought lots of happiness to the family especially his older sister, Marian. About a year after Bobby was born, there began a current of marital problems developing in the home. On 3 February 1947 Clarence and Ruby were divorced in Tulsa, Okla. I remember a man who was broken in spirit and who had lost the family who was very dear to him. On September of 1947 Clarence married Gladys Thomas, a life time resident of Tulsa. He left the Board of Education in 1948 started a roofing business of his own. They lived in Tulsa eventually buying a duplex on South St. Louis. In February 1978 Clarence suffered a serious stroke and spent the rest of his life in a Convalescent Hospital in Tulsa. Clarence died 4 October 1984 in Tulsa, Oklahoma with his wife, Gladys at his side. He was buried at Memorial Park < Cemetery grave lot 4 grave 3 in the Thomas plot on Oct 8th 1984. His wife was Gladys Thomas Titsworth and they had a section of graves for many years. A sad ending for a man who was strong, hard working, honest, yet tender, loving, gentle and kind to all who knew him. Artie Melvina Sinor Ruby as she became known to family and friends, was born on 21 September 1914 in Gamaliel, Boyou Township Baxter County, Arkansas. She was the third child and daughter of Miles Kalep Sinor and Theodoshia Ernest Gist Sinor. She had two older Sisters, Elsie Perlina and Betty Jo, who later was known as Mary Lou. Two brothers, Lewis Lidell and Robert Lee and another daughter Leta Elzoria were born after her. Artie (Ruby) Melvina Sinor Mother, (Ruby) told of moving very often as a child. Seems my grandmother (Doshia) was never happy in one place for very long. Maybe they moved often because when the owner found they were living rent free in one of his houses they < had to move on. Mother remembered they would load all their belongings into a wagon and tie the cow to the back and drive until they found another empty house and move in. These were depression days and lots of people without jobs and lots of empty houses in the country around Mountain Home, Arkansas. Mother told once that her mother was sweeping the yard, when a man drove up and ask her if she lived there and she said "yes" and he ask if she was paying rent and to whom, she told him "no", they didn't know who owned the the house. The man told her, "I own the house, but you can stay here since you are taking such good care of the place." Mother said it was the nicest house they had ever lived in, with two stories and enough room for the large family. They lived in the Mountain Home area until she was about eleven years old. Mother spoke of her Grandfather as Daddy George (Sinor) and her favorite uncle was Uncle John and his wife Aunt Crickett Sinor. Mother stopped to visit them in 1960 and my brother, Robert Dean found out where he got his special shade of blue eyes from. Uncle John Sinor! The family of Miles and Doshia were very poor. Miles was a farmer and they never bought any land to settle on and accumulate possessions. It appears that the Sinor family were not poor when Miles married Doshia. He posted a bond of one hundred dollars prior to the marriage in Baxter County, Arkansas. His uncle, Randolph D. Sinor was witness to the bond

(The above information has been transcribed from part of the 13 pages sent in by: Marian Dingman)

Here is a link to all the pages.

 

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