Bess Holland1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 17420, (1891 - 1958)
FatherGustavus Adolphus Holland4,5,6 (12 Jan 1859 - 11 Mar 1946)
MotherAmanda Genareo Frazier Wynn7,8,6 (14 Feb 1868 - 31 Mar 1944)

Key Events:

Birth: 7 Jan 1891, Texas9,10,11
Marriage: 6 Jan 1914, Shelby Co., Tennessee, Frank Patten Gracey (7 Nov 1890 - 17 Feb 1967)12,13,14
Divorce: before 1928, Frank Patten Gracey (7 Nov 1890 - 17 Feb 1967)15
Marriage: about Aug 1938, James H. Gilliland (17 Mar 1877 - 15 Feb 1954)16,17,18
Death: 2 Apr 1958, Weatherford, Parker Co., Texas19
Burial: 4 Apr 1958, Oakland Cemetery, Weatherford, Texas20

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Bess Holland was born on 7 Jan 1891 in Texas.9,10,11
     She appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Weatherford, Parker Co., Texas, in the household of her parents, Gustavus Adolphus Holland and Amanda Genareo Frazier Wynn.4 She appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Weatherford, Parker Co., Texas, in the household of her parents.5
     Bess married first Frank Patten Gracey, son of Julien Frank Gracey and Minnie Irene Thomas, on 6 Jan 1914 in Shelby Co., Tennessee, with Rev. E. Stirling Gunn officiating.12,13,14 It appears that Bess and Frank became acquainted through his sister, Elizabeth, who entertained Bess with a new year dance at the courthouse in 1911, with music by the Clarksville Orchestra. How they met is unknown, but perhaps they had met at school. Why the couple married in Memphis is also unknown. Press accounts of their marriage in his hometown described the marriage "as a complete surprise to many friends in this city." While she was mentioned often in the society pages of of the Fort Worth newspapers before her marriage, no mention of their marriage appears there. They settled in Clarksville after the marriage, temporarily at his father's home.21,22
     Bess's sister-in-law, Elizabeth, held an auction bridge party in her honor in the Gracey's "handsome old colonial home" on 22 Jan 1914. The home was described as "splendidly adapted to entertaining on a large scale," and the event as one of the largest and most beautiful parties of the winter season. There were 16 tables of players and two for other guests. The score prize was a pair of colonial silver candlesticks, and the guest of honor received a cut glass bottle of smelling salts. A "delicious hot luncheon was served with an ice accompaniment" of apricots served with green cherries.23
     Bess and Frank appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Montgomery Co., Tennessee, at Port Royal Rd., enumerated 27 Jan 1920, reporting they owned their farm. His father, Julien Frank Gracey, is listed as living with them, as are two black servants, Alice Johnson, a cook, and Russell McKoin, a farm laborer.24
     Bess and Frank were divorced before 1928.15 She appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Weatherford, Parker Co., Texas, in the household of her parents.25
     Bess married second James H. Gilliland about Aug 1938.16,17,18
     Bess and James appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Parker Co., Texas, enumerated 3 Apr 1940, reporting they owned a home valued at $2,000, and that they had lived in the same town in 1935.26
     She was bookkeeper at a bank, presumably the same one her father was president of, after she returned to Weatherford.27,28
     Her second husband died on 15 Feb 1954 in Weatherford, Parker Co., Texas.29
     Bess died on 2 Apr 1958 in Weatherford, Parker Co., Texas, at age 67.19 She was buried on 4 Apr 1958 in Oakland Cemetery, Weatherford, Texas.20

Children:
     There were no children with Frank Patten Gracey

Children:
     There were no children with James H. Gilliland

Citations

  1. [S9866] Gustavus A. Holland household, 1900 U.S. Census, Parker Co., Texas, shows name as Bessie Holland.
  2. [S9867] G. A. Holland household, 1910 U.S. Census, Parker Co., Texas, shows name as Bessie Holland.
  3. [S9865] Bess Holland Gilliland, Certificate of Death, shows father's surname as Holland.
  4. [S9866] Gustavus A. Holland household, 1900 U.S. Census, Parker Co., Texas.
  5. [S9867] G. A. Holland household, 1910 U.S. Census, Parker Co., Texas.
  6. [S9865] Bess Holland Gilliland, Certificate of Death.
  7. [S9866] Gustavus A. Holland household, 1900 U.S. Census, Parker Co., Texas, shows the girl as daughter of Genatco's husband and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  8. [S9867] G. A. Holland household, 1910 U.S. Census, Parker Co., Texas, shows the girl as daughter of Genareo's husband and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  9. [S9866] Gustavus A. Holland household, 1900 U.S. Census, Parker Co., Texas, shows month, year, as 1890, age 9, and state.
  10. [S9865] Bess Holland Gilliland, Certificate of Death, shows date, with year as 1891, and state.
  11. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Bess Holland Gracey, Soc. Sec. No. 450-07-4396, shows date, with year as 1891, town, and state.
  12. [S7952] Record of Marriage Licenses, Shelby Co., Tennessee, Gracey, F. P. & Miss Bess Holland, 5 Jan 1914, shows date and officiant.
  13. [S2099] Frank P. Gracey household, 1920 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, shows married.
  14. [S2101] Moore and Foster, Tennessee the Volunteer State, 3:39, shows married.
  15. [S9868] G. Adolphus Holland household, 1930 U.S. Census, Parker Co., Texas, shows her as divorced.
  16. [S9871] "Public Records: Marriage Licenses," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug 1938, shows J. H. Gilliland and Bess H. Gracey, both of Weatherford obtained a license.
  17. [S9869] Jim H. Gilliland household, 1940 U.S. Census, Parker Co., Texas, shows married.
  18. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Bess Holland Gracey, Soc. Sec. No. 450-07-4396, shows she added name Bess Holland Gilliland in Dec 1941.
  19. [S9865] Bess Holland Gilliland, Certificate of Death, shows date, address, city, county, and state.
  20. [S9865] Bess Holland Gilliland, Certificate of Death, shows date and cemetery.
  21. [S9882] "New Year Dance," Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, 3 Jan 1911.
  22. [S9881] "Society: Gracey -- Holland," Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, 6 Jan 1914, describes marriage as surprise to friends, staying with is father.
  23. [S9883] "Auction Bridge Party," Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, 23 Jan 1914.
  24. [S2099] Frank P. Gracey household, 1920 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.
  25. [S9868] G. Adolphus Holland household, 1930 U.S. Census, Parker Co., Texas.
  26. [S9869] Jim H. Gilliland household, 1940 U.S. Census, Parker Co., Texas.
  27. [S9868] G. Adolphus Holland household, 1930 U.S. Census, Parker Co., Texas, shows occupation as bookkeeper, industry as bank.
  28. [S9865] Bess Holland Gilliland, Certificate of Death, shows occupation as bank, and industry as banking.
  29. [S9870] James H. Gilliland, Certificate of Death, shows date, city, county, and state.