William Alford and Leona Mae Houk Bennett family history:
[See the biography of William Alford Bennett for their long narrative family history. Below is an outline of their abbreviated genealogy. LSA]

Name: William Alford Bennett Pref: W.A. or Bill; Leona called him Willie
Father: Abraham Bennett Mother (maiden name): Isabell Parker
Born: Date: Dec 28, 1879 Place: Seneca, Newton Co., MO
Died: Date: Oct 22, 1972 At age: 92 yrs 9 mos 24 days Cause of death: Stroke Place: Nursing home at Corn, Washita Co., OK Burial: Alfalfa Cemetery, Alfalfa, Caddo Co., OK
Appearance: Hgt: 5' 10-11" est. Wgt: Slender Eyes: Brown Hair: Black, later gray but little baldness Other: thick glasses
Medical: Cataracts in middle age. In advanced age, prostate enlargement and congestive heart disease.
Personality: Positive attitude; good humor; even-tempered; self-reliant hard-worker; courageous, resourceful, and perseverant during hard times; firm, yet loving parent; good businessman and neighbor; word was his bond
Aptitudes: Great storyteller, good manager
Hobbies: Hunting, fishing, playing "42" dominoes
Religion: Baptist Politics: Staunch Republican Military: None
Education: Fifth grade (he would say in the 1960s, "equivalent to the eighth grade today")
Occupations: Farmer, rancher, and wheat harvester, but also cleared land, chopped firewood and "saw logs", hauled freight, and hunted and trapped animals for food and extra money from hides during lean times.
Residences: Seneca, MO, and his homestead near Alfalfa, OK
Recognition: Respected pioneer who actively helped develop the local school and church

Marriage 1: Date: Nov 3, 1901, 6 p.m. Place: Minister's home, Seneca, MO; married by L. Bowers, M.G.
Spouse: Name: Leona Mae Houk Pref: Leona
Father: George Washington Houk Mother (maiden name): Mary Jane Marrs
Born: Date: Apr 10, 1884 Place: Oakland, Jasper Co., MO (just north of Joplin)
Died: Date: Apr 19, 1948 At age: 64 yrs 9 days Cause of death: Heart attack and diabetes complications Place: Carnegie Hospital Burial: Alfalfa Cemetery, Alfalfa, Caddo Co., OK
Appearance: Hgt: Abt. 5'2" Wgt: Heavy-set Eyes: Blue Hair: Lt. brown, became gray Other: Lt. skin
Medical: By age 52 had developed diabetes (most probably type II), which could not be controlled well in those days, and resulted in loss of some toes and in deep, unhealed sores on her feet. She bore her illness and discomfort stoically and continued doing her chores as best she could.
Personality: Strict disciplinarian who kept her children busy and out of mischief. Devoted wife and mother.
Aptitudes: Good manager of her big household
Hobbies: Dedicated her whole life to her family.
Religion: Baptist Politics: Probably Republican
Education: Fifth grade ("equivalent to the eighth grade today" according to W. A. Bennett)
Occupations: Homemaker
Residences: Oakland, MO; Warren's Branch, north of Seneca, MO, and the Bennett homestead near Alfalfa, OK
Recognition: Much loved and respected by her family.

Marriage 2: Date: Jul 18, 1949 Place: Harrison, AR
Spouse: Name: Fannie Alice Scogin (Willis) of Olvey, AR Pref: Some called her "Aunt Fannie". She was the widow of Wiley Holloway Willis who she had married Dec 9, 1897 when he was 34 and she 16; they had one daughter, Lela Emily Willis, born Jun 11, 1903, and who died at age 20 on May 8, 1924, and is buried in NW-R 7 in Alfalfa Cemetery in the lot of Fanny's sister and brother-in-law, Sarah Josephine "Josie" and Leonard Franklin Taylor. Wiley had first been married to Tennie Maxwell, and they had four children: Charles Franklin, Thomas Ervin, William Ed, and Hugh Fred (twins). Wiley died Dec 20, 1944 at age 81, leaving Fannie a widow at age 63.
Father: Levi Scogin Mother (maiden name): Tresa Hood
Born: Date: May 30, 1881 Place: Valley Springs, Boone Co., AR
Died: Date: May 2, 1967 At age: 85 years, 11 months, 2 days Cause of death: Complications of advanced age and a broken hip Place: Carnegie Hospital Burial: in NW-R 7 Alfalfa Cemetery, Alfalfa, OK, near her daughter in the Taylor lot of her sister's.
Appearance: Hgt: Abt. 5'4" Wgt: Thin Eyes: Blue Hair: Sandy or reddish, became gray Other: Fair-skinned
Medical: Senile and paranoid in advanced age. Fell and broke a hip exactly six months before she died.
Personality: Friendly
Hobbies: Pieced some quilts
Religion: Baptist
Education: Was literate, and probably had some grade school
Occupations: Homemaker
Residences: Valley Springs, AR; Olvey, AR; Bennett home place near Alfalfa, OK

Children of William Alford Bennett and Leona Mae Houk

1 Troy Clay Bennett, b: Sep 14, 1902 in W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, in Washita Co., OK, d: Mar 16, 1942 in At his home near the W.A. Bennett home place, Washita Co., OK, Burial: in Alfalfa Cemetery, Alfalfa, Caddo Co., OK, Age at death: 39 years, 6 months, 2 days of complications of measles encephalitis, occu: Farmer

2 Alfred Ray Bennett, b: Feb 2, 1905 in W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, in Washita Co., OK, d: Oct 29, 1978 in Salt Lake City, UT, but last res: Dumas, Moore Co., TX 79029, Burial: Nov 1, 1978 in Alfalfa Cemetery, Alfalfa, OK, Age at death: 73 years, 8 months, 27 days of heart disease, occu: Teaching school, farming, rental properties

3 Loyd A. Bennett, b: Aug 17, 1906 in W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, in Washita Co., OK, d: Feb 18, 1913 in Probably at home at the W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, Washita Co., OK, Burial: in Alfalfa Cemetery, Alfalfa, OK, Age at death: 6 years, 6 months, 1 day of pneumonia

4 Glenn Roy Bennett, b: Mar 25, 1908 in W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, in Washita Co., OK, d: Jan 9, 1973 in Murcer Hospital, Bakersfield, Kern Co., CA; last SSDI res.: Lake Isabella, Kern Co., CA 93240, Burial: in Kern Valley Cemetery, Lake Isabella, Kern Co., CA, Age at death: 64 years, 9 months, 15 days, occu: Farmer, turkey farm, cement pipe yard, packing shed, barber, manager of trailer court

5 Gladys Fay Bennett, b: Apr 16, 1909 in W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, in Washita Co., OK, d: Nov 4, 1970 in Stillwater Nursing Center, Stillwater, Payne Co., OK, Burial: Nov 6, 1970 in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Stillwater, Payne Co., OK, Age at death: 61 years, 6 months, 19 days of breast cancer, occu: Homemaker, Teacher, Custodian in a university PE Department

6 George William Bennett, b: Nov 20, 1910 in W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, in Washita Co., OK, occu: Farmer, School teacher, d. Feb 1, 2008, Grace Living Center, El Reno, Canadian Co., OK. Age at death: 97 Years, 2 Months, 12 Days. Burial: Feb 4, 2008 in Alfalfa Cemetery, Alfalfa, Caddo Co., OK. Occu: Farmer, School teacher

7 Ralph Oren Bennett, b: Apr 1, 1912 in W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, in Washita Co., OK, d: Feb 3, 2000 in at home, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Co., OK 73107, Burial: Feb 9, 2000 in Alfalfa Cemetery, Alfalfa, Caddo Co., OK; cremation, Age at death: 87 years, 10 months, 2 days of heart disease and kidney failure, occu: Farming, electrician, worked with Marie at her businesses

8 Floy Rosell Bennett, b: Oct 20, 1913 in W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, in Washita Co., OK, d: Mar 2, 2001 in at her daughter Dorothy's home north of Hydro, Blaine Co., OK, Burial: Mar 5, 2001 in Alfalfa Cemetery, Alfalfa, Caddo Co., OK, Age at death: 87 years, 4 months, 10 days of heart failure after 22 years of declined output

9 Leo Wilburn Bennett, b: Jul 13, 1915 in W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, in Washita Co., OK, d. Oct 5, 2008, Chickasha, Grady Co., OK. Burial: Oct 7, 2008 in Alfalfa Cemetery, Alfalfa, Caddo Co., OK, Age at death: 93 Years, 2 Months, 22 Days, occu: Wheat harvester, Mobile home sales, Farmer

10 Verna Mae Bennett, b: May 13, 1917 in W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, in Washita Co., OK, d: Nov 14, 1991 in Lawton Hospital, Lawton, Comanche Co., OK; last SSDI res.: Carnegie, Caddo Co., OK 73015, Burial: Nov 18, 1991 in Fairview Cemetery, Apache, Caddo Co., OK, Age at death: 74 years, 6 months, 1 day of a heart attack, occu: Teacher

11 Raymond Fred Bennett, b: Nov 25, 1918 in W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, in Washita Co., OK, d: May 30, 1992 in Bakersfield, Kern Co., CA 93308, Burial: Jun 2, 1992 in Parkview Lawn, Hillcrest Memorial Park, Bakersfield, Kern Co., CA, Age at death: 73 years, 6 months, 5 days of heart disease, occu: Farmer, Barber

12 Eugene Burl Bennett, b: Apr 17, 1920 in W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, in Washita Co., OK, d: Nov 19, 1994 in At a hospital in Lawton, Comanche Co., OK; last SSDI res.: Elgin, Comanche Co., OK 73538, Burial: Nov 22, 1994 in Celestial Gardens Cemetery, Cyril, Caddo Co., OK, Age at death: 74 years, 7 months, 2 days of welding fumes poisoning, occu: Farmer, welder, carpenter, electrician

13 Orville Robert Bennett, b: Jun 16, 1922 in W. A. Bennett home place, NW of Alfalfa, in Washita Co., OK, d: Apr 28, 1997 in at home, Panhandle, Carson Co., TX, Burial: May 2, 1997 in Memory Gardens Cemetery, Amarillo, Potter Co., TX, Age at death: 74 years, 10 months, 12 days of a heart attack, occu: Farmer, Randall County Road and Maintenance
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Services Wednesday At Alfalfa Church For Mrs. Bennett

Services were in the Alfalfa Baptist church at 2 p.m. Wednesday for Mrs. W. A. Bennett, who died early Monday in a Carnegie hospital. Rev. Clyde N. Price, Carnegie, and Rev. W. E. Dittmer, Alfalfa, conducted the service, and burial was in the Alfalfa cemetery.

Mrs. Bennett had lived on the farm five miles north and two west of Alfalfa since she came there as a young bride in November, 1901.

Leona M. Houk was born April 10, 1884, near Seneca, Mo. She was married to William A. Bennett Nov. 3, 1901, and moved the next day to their claim in the newly opened country near Alfalfa. To them three daughters and ten sons were born. Two sons, Loyd, 6, and Troy, 39, preceded her in death.

She became a member of the Bethel Baptist church near her home in 1924 and had been true to her church. She was reading the Bible thru to her 92-year-old mother the second time in the past three years.

Survivors include her husband, W. A. Bennett, at home; her mother, Mrs. Mary J. Houk, who has made her home with them the past few years; and the children, A. R. Bennett and Mrs. Geo. Tully, Carnegie; Glenn Bennett, Sanger, Calif.; Mrs. John D. Adams, Stillwater; Geo. W. Bennett, Sentinel; Ralph Bennett, Broadview, New Mex.; Mrs. Henry Pitt, Hydro; Raymond Bennett, Colony, and Leo, Eugene and Orville Bennett, Alfalfa. Also twenty-six grandchildren, three brothers and two sisters survive.