1 _DETS

1 _MDCL Had this condition for 4 years, along with overworking.
2 SOUR S277919
3 DATA
4 TEXT Date of Import: Jul 9, 2000


[J[1].Bankhead.GED]

In 1915, when Preston, James's brother left Oregon, James and his family went also. According to the story by Leona (Campbell) Bankhead in "Growing in the Grizzly", James settled in the Reno area of Alberta. Preston told Jim about the Egg Lake country,so with itchy feet Jim(James) packed up and moved to Egg lake. Then a Mr. Trumpower talked them all into moving to the area called Birch Hills. James settled a half section,while Preston took a quarter, Chris(Preston's son) took a quarter next to him. James filed for another quarter section under his son William's(Bill) name,even though William was incapable of taking care and proving any property.
All of these pieces of property were in Twp.77, R2, W6M Alberta Province, Canada. At this time none of these pieces had been surveyed, so all these Bankhead's were, what is called "squatting". The surveyors came through and did their survey a few years later. The N and S survey went in the front door and out the back of Jim's cabin. The E and W survey went in one window and out the other side of the house. Jim did not want to get into trouble,or have to pay a fine,so he packed up again and moved back to the United States.
He was arrested and convicted of rape and sent to the prison at Walla Walla, Washington in 1922 for about 2 years. While in prison his wife stayed in the town of Dixie, Washington. After his release they went to Vancouver,Washington, where Flora, his wife, died January 15,1925. By June 1931 J.B. was in Woodburn ,Oregon and by October he was in Hood River,Oregon. Jim went to Marshfield (changed to Coos Bay in 1944), to live with his son Elmer, he died March 25,1932.

(It turned out, Jim, could have had all four sections of land for the mere price of $5.00,if he would have stayed in Canada).

James Bolden Bankhead,63,died yesterday afternoon at Greenacres on the Marshfield-Coquille highway, where he had moved recently with his son, Elmer. He came to this section last September from Florence and had purchased the tract of land in the new site a short time ago.
Deceased was born in Texas. He is survived by two sons, Elmer, of this city, and Millard of Wallowa, Ore., and five daughters,Agnes Bankhead,Alice Bankhead, Noma Sailer, all of Washington, and Mrs. C. M. Young and Lillian Bankhead, all of Wallowa.
The body is at the Campbell Funeral home where funeral arrangements will be made when the members of the family are heard from.

Published in the "Coos Bay Times" Saturday, March 26,1932, evening edition.

1 _MDCL Contibuting factors- Chronic Pyonephiosis
2 SOUR S277919
3 DATA
4 TEXT Date of Import: Jul 9, 2000


[J[1].Bankhead.GED]

Not much is known of Flora, except she went by alot of names mostly Louella. She used Ella and Ellen, also. Her name listed on her death certificate is Flora Ella Williams Bankhead. According to her son, William's, medical records, Flora was illiterate, this might explain the use of different variations of her name.

She was supposedly pregnant when she married J.B. Bankhead in Oklahoma. Had Jossie and 2 other children in Ok. then travelled halfway across the country with him to Oregon, where she gave him more children. Went to Canada had a child and came back to the states where James was sent to prison for rape. He got out and they went to Vancouver where she died.

In the diary of Irene Garsky(married to Frank Shine) she has written of visiting Flora and the Bankhead's.
Mostly it was to pick up vegetables and such.

1 _MDCL Bill was admitted into the Pendleton Psychiatric Hospital, November 29, 1921.
2 SOUR S277919
3 DATA
4 TEXT Date of Import: Jul 9, 2000


[J[1].Bankhead.GED]

When Bowlin (James Bankhead) went to Canada, he took his wife, and all the unmarried children with him,Obie,Lillian,Noma, William (Bill). Upon reaching Canada and squatting in the Birch Hills. James took up a quarter section of land a quarter mile East of his own and listed it under his son,William's name.
William was put in the care of Jossie(Bankhead) Young and her husband Edward,when James and Flora came back from Canada. Probably when James went to prison.
William (Bill) was said to be "feebleminded" as it was called in those days. When Ed and Jossie would go to town, they would take Bill with them. He liked to hang out at pool halls and saloons. Being that Bill was not "Normal", people made fun if him. Bill would lose his temper and strike out at the people making fun of him. Ed and Jossie came to the decision that Bill might hurt someone,so they committed Bill to the Eastern Oregon State Mental Hospital in Pendleton,Oregon. Then he was transferred to Oregon State Hospital in Salem, then to the Fairview Home for the mentally retarded.
Bill would have been around 28 years of age at the time of committal. Bill died in1945 from heart and kidney failure.


Bill was never married and no children.

[J[1].Bankhead.GED]

I had asked Darlene to find out if there was a girl child by the name of Christal, that was the daughter of Preston B. Bankhead. Darlene talked with her elder brother,Elmer, he verified that NO girl child by that name was born to Preston. Therefore, it is safe to assume that Christal was born to James and Flora Bankhead, as the two Bankhead brothers were the ONLY Bankhead's in the Wallowa at that time. ALW