Black Sheep Sunday - Part 10 (1951-1955) of From small town Georgia boy to notorious Texas (and beyond!) con man

 

This post is the 10th in a series of posts about the life of my cousin and con man Elridge Solomon Price, Sr.  You can find the other installments here:  

Part 1 (Preview up to 1913)  

Part 2 (1913-1930) 

Part 3 (1931-1934) 

Part 4 (1935-1939)  

Part 5 (1940) 

Part 6 (1941-1943) 

Part 7 (1944-1946)  

Part 8 (1947) 

Part 9 (1948-1950)

It is April 1951 and Elridge finds himself with a warrant and posting a bond once again.

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, Fort Worth, Texas,
Tuesday, April 10, 1951, Page 29

Newspapers.com, Standard Times (formerly San Angelo Standard-Times), San Angelo, Texas,
Tuesday, April 10, 1951, Page 1

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, Fort Worth, Texas,
Wednesday, April 11, 1951, Page 9

Newspapers.com, The Blade (formerly Toledo Blade), Toledo, Ohio,
Monday, April 23, 1951, Page 21

Newspapers.com, The Blade (formerly Toledo Blade), Toledo, Ohio,
Saturday, June 02, 1951, Page 7

Newspapers.com, San Angelo Evening Standard, San Angelo, Texas,
Tuesday, June 05, 1951, Page 1

WAIT!  Stop the presses!  Are my eyes deceiving me?! Surely, it's just a typo.  Does the highlighted area say that one of Elridge's attorneys is O'Neal Dendy, the prosecutor who humiliated him in court during the trial for West, the man acquitted of robbing Elridge, Edith, and their guests back in 1947?! Talk about strange bedfellows!

Then in the midst of all the craziness which was Elridge's life comes a small write up of a family nature - a normal event of a young girl's life... having a friend visit.

Newspapers.com, Sun Post News (formerly San Clemente Sun), San Clemente, California,
Friday, June 29, 1951, Page 3

Now back to the craziness...

Newspapers.com, San Angelo Evening Standard, San Angelo, Texas,
Friday, October 05, 1951, Page 8

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, Fort Worth, Texas,
Monday, October 29, 1951, Page 1

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, Fort Worth, Texas,
Tuesday, October 30, 1951, Page 5

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, Fort Worth, Texas,
Tuesday, October 30, 1951, Page 20

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, Fort Worth, Texas,
Wednesday, October 31, 1951, Page 1

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, Fort Worth, Texas,
Wednesday, October 31, 1951, Page 2

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, Fort Worth, Texas,
Wednesday, October 31, 1951, Page 1

Newspapers.com, Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas,
Wednesday, October 31, 1951, Page 23

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, Fort Worth, Texas,
Monday, November 12, 1951, Page 2

Newspapers.com, San Antonio Express-News (formerly San Antonio Express), San Antonio, Texas,
Tuesday, November 13, 1951, Page 19

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, Fort Worth, Texas,
Tuesday, November 13, 1951, Page 2

There is no news coverage for Elridge until March 1953.  Then I am confused because I do not know if this references new charges.  

Newspapers.com, El Paso Times, El Paso, Texas,
Thursday, March 26, 1953, Page 20

Ok it all makes sense now after seeing the next article.  This fine stems from the Federal case Elridge had in 1951.

Newspapers.com, Standard-Times (formerly San Angelo Standard-Times), San Angelo, Texas,
Thursday, March 26, 1953, Page 1

Newspapers.com, The Waco Times-Herald, Waco, Texas,
Monday, September 28, 1953

Newspapers.com, Standard-Times (formerly San Angelo Standard-Times), San Angelo, Texas,
Saturday, October 17, 1953, Page 16

1954 brings bankruptcy...

Newspapers.com, Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas,
Thursday, February 04, 1954, Pages 1 & 2

Newspapers.com, Standard-Times (formerly San Angelo Standard-Times), San Angelo, Texas,
Saturday, February 27, 1954, Page 9

1955 brings lawsuits.

Newspapers.com, Standard-Times (formerly San Angelo Standard-Times), San Angelo, Texas,
Sunday, January 09, 1955, Page 8

Newspapers.com, Standard-Times (formerly San Angelo Standard-Times), San Angelo, Texas,
Wednesday, February 02, 1955, Page 7

Newspapers.com, Standard Times (formerly San Angelo Standard-Times), San Angelo, Texas,
Thursday, February 03, 1955, page 8

Newspapers.com, San Angelo Evening Standard, San Angelo, Texas,
from the Official Records column, Federal Court, Judge William H. Atwell, presiding,
Thursday, April 28, 1955, Page 19

Newspapers.com, Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas,
Thursday, October 06, 1955, Page 26

Newspapers.com, Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas,
Thursday, October 06, 1955, Page 6

Newspapers.com, Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas,
Friday, October 07, 1955, Page 1

Newspapers.com, Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas,
Saturday, October 08, 1955, Page 13

Newspapers.com, Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas,
Saturday, October 08, 1955, Page 8

Newspapers.com, Standard-Times (formerly San Angelo Standard-Times), San Angelo, Texas,
Saturday, October 08, 1955, Page 9

Newspapers.com, Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas,
Sunday, October 09, 1955, Page 11

Newspapers.com, Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas,
Thursday, December 01, 1955, Page 17

Newspapers.com, Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas,
Thursday, December 29, 1955, Page 1

Newspapers.com, Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas,
Thursday, December 29, 1955, Pages 1 & 3

Newspapers.com, Abilene Reporter-News, Abilene, Texas,
Friday, December 30, 1955, Page 15

Please note there are two articles included above.

So we leave Elridge sobbing on almost the last day of 1955 with the very strong possibility of losing his home to cover his tax liens.  As we have seen, he is very good at pulling out of tough spots at the last minute.  Will his good "luck" continue to hold in 1956?  Stay turned until next week to find out.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Your Oldest Confirmed Record

 From Randy (my cousin) over at Genea-Musings:

it's Saturday Night - 

time for more Genealogy Fun!!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

1)  What is your oldest confirmed record? What is one of the oldest documents you've personally found for any ancestor?

2)  Share your oldest confirmed record: what it is, where it came from, and what it revealed.

2)  Please share your answers or information as a comment, on social media or in your own blog post!

Here's mine:

By far, the oldest documents I have are deeds I have obtained from the North Carolina Archives.  I have been slowly transcribing them and sharing here on my blog.  

Searching my blog found the oldest being from 1743 between Thomas Avent (1712-1757), the seller and Hosea Tapley (1691-1778), the buyer.  Thomas was my 6th great grandfather; his daughter married Joel Tapley (~1720-~1790) who was the son of Hosea Tapley, 5th and 6th great grandfathers respectively.  

The deed involved 200 acres of land in Northampton County, North Carolina which Hosea purchased for "500 pounds Rock Money." 

North Carolina Archives, Deeds and Mortgages - Northampton County, N.C.,
Book 1, p. 76-77, May 1743

This record revealed to me that the families lived near each other when they were in North Carolina and at that time, they were affluent enough to own that much land.

Thanks to Linda Stufflebean for this topic.        

Sympathy Saturday

 

Sympathy Saturday will be where I share the obituaries and my condolences for members of my family tree who passed recently.  When you get to be a certain age, you begin to read the obituaries every day.  As the days go by, you read about more and more of your friends and family members who have died.  You compare their age to your own and get a jolt. "That could have been me." 

    For genealogists, checking obituaries and visiting cemeteries is as normal as breathing. I learn so much from an obituary, i.e., maiden names, parents' names; children's' and grandchildren's' names, funeral and burial locations, sometimes even a cause of death.  I want to learn these things not for any purpose but to put it on the family tree for future generations to see and learn about the family that went before them. I admit, most of these relatives I have never met, but I think it is important to share that they were here on this Earth, and they were important.

    So I am signed up with at least three funerals homes from Swainsboro, Vidalia, and Wrightsville to get daily notices of obituaries sent to my email.  Every day, I peruse them and with the help of the family tree, figure out who is related to me and add any new information to the tree. Some weeks there are several, and some weeks there are none. This week there are two.

    Please join me in offering condolences to their families and holding them in the light.

Sheila Tapley Woodle
August 04, 1961 - September 12, 2026

Sheila Tapley Woodle, 65, a longtime resident of Vanndale, departed this life, Saturday, September 12, 2026. She was born on August 4, 1961, in Wynne, the daughter of Richard Henry and Betty Jean Caslaman Tapley.

A 1979 graduate of Cross County High School, Sheila was a homemaker who devoted the last twenty years to caring for her husband. She enjoyed playing cards and dice games, picking pecans, and, above all, spending time with family and friends. Known for her generosity, caring nature, and wonderful sense of humor, she will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. She was preceded in death by her parents: Richard and Betty Tapley, husband: Fell “Hillbilly” Woodle, and a great grandchild: Riggs Williams. Survivors include four daughters: Kristie Jarrett of Vanndale, Hollie Ray of Pocahontas, Stacey (Jason) Wiley of Searcy, Mitzi (Floyd) Godair of North Little Rock, one brother: Ronald (Joy) Tapley of Searcy, one sister: Becky (Jeff) Gahr of Wynne, seven grandchildren: Lauren Clevenger, Colton Jarrett, Hailey Williams, Addi Jarrett, Kawner Kercheval, Kameron Kercheval, Ryker Marshall, three great grandchildren: Aubree and Judson Williams, Winsley Jarrett, her dog: Dave, and a host of other relatives and numerous friends. Funeral services will be held, Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. at the Vanndale Baptist Church, friends may visit prior to the service from 10:00 until service time. Burial will follow in Vanndale Cemetery. If you would like to assist the family with funeral expenses, please visit Sheila’s obituary page on our website and click on the donation button at the top of the page and follow the instructions. Cross County Funeral Service & Crematory is privileged to handle the services for the Woodle family. 870-587-0565, www.crosscountycremationsandfuneralservice.com

Patricia Ann 'Pat' McDonald Fuqua

February 08, 1954 - September 16, 2026

Graveside funeral services for Patricia Ann Fuqua, age 72 will be held at 3:00 P.M. Friday, September 18, 2026, at Dublin Memorial Gardens. Rev. Milton Thomas will officiate.

Mrs. Fuqua was born February 8, 1954, in Wrightsville, Georgia. She was the daughter of the late Harold Lee McDonald, Sr. and Mary Ann Chalker McDonald. She was a retired nurse at the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center. She was a member of Olivet Baptist Church. Mrs. Fuqua passed away Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at her residence surrounded by family.

Mrs. Fuqua is survived by her husband, Mike Fuqua; a son Bryan Monore; 3 daughters, Valerie Brantley (Charles), Michelle Williamson (Jerome), and Amy Self; a brother, Rickey McDonald (Yvonne); 3 sisters, Sandra Sweeten, Susan Kelly, and Elizabeth “Lisa” Goff; 18 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Charles Brantley, Jacob Newsome, Damien Newsome, Jerome Williamson, Timothy Coleman, Michael Stanfield, and Reuben Self.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 P.M. until 2:30 P.M. on Friday, September 18, 2026, at the funeral home.

Stanley Funeral Homes and Crematory/Dublin Chapel has charge of funeral arrangements.