I am doing a Family Tree and have run into a couple of bumps.. One is that I can not find any information on my great-grandfather. I know his name was Clarence Justus and he had 3 children with my great-grandmother (Zona Mann) I have been told that he was born in the early 1900's and died around 1930. If anyone can help I would greatly appreciate it... Thanks, Jessica

I was just reading Zona's obit, did she really outlive four husbands?

There are two Justus boys in her obit, Aubrey (alive at the time of her death) and Fred (deceased). The third must have been a daughter and there are four married daughters listed.

Could this be him?


1910 United States Federal Census
Name: Clarence Justus
Age in 1910: 7
Estimated Birth Year: 1903
Birthplace: Arkansas
Relation to Head of House: Nephew
Father's Birth Place: Arkansas
Mother's Birth Place: Arkansas
Home in 1910: Spring River, Lawrence, Arkansas
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Male
Household Members: Name Age
James P Justus 38
[39]
Ellen Justus 28
Clyde Justus 2
[3]
Lielis Justus 6/12
[0]
Barney Justus 12 Nephew
Clarence Justus 7 Nephew

Perhaps the Barney on the above census.


1900 United States Federal Census
Name: Barney A Justus
Home in 1900: Lebanon, Sharp, Arkansas
Age: 2
Birth Date: Feb 1898
Birthplace: Arkansas
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relationship to head-of-house: Son
Father's name: John M Justus
Father's Birthplace: Arkansas
Mother's name: Emma J Justus
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee
Marital Status: Single
Household Members: Name Age
John M Justus 25
Emma J Justus 29
Oscar A Justus 5
Barney A Justus 2
Bessie Justus 1/12

I'm just posting these as additional info that may help locate Clarence:

Deceased Name: Aubrey Lee Justus
Aubrey Lee Justus, 83, died Oct. 17, 2007, at Hutchinson Hospital.

He was born May 16, 1924, in Sitka, Ark., the son of Clarence and Zona Mann Justus. A longtime resident of Michigan, moving to Hutchinson in 1990, he retired from Michigan Gas and Electric Co., after 33 years, in 1986.

He attended The Corner Stone Baptist Church, Hutchinson. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

On Sept. 17, 1948, he married Elsie Mae Kincaid in Lake City, Ark. She survives.

Other survivors include: two sons, Billy Ray and wife, Linda, Hutchinson, and Jimmy Wayne and wife Bonnie, Dowagiac, Mich.; five daughters, Cathleen Finley and husband, Ben, Arkansas, Clara Mae Granger, Dowagiac, Mich., Wanda Lee Nielson and husband, Don, Decatur, Mich., Shirley Lorene Stroud, Stevensville, Mich., and Carolyn Jean Hughey, Alabama; two sisters, Eula Mae Wilson and husband Hubert, Dowagiac, Mich., and Mary Lee Finn and husband, Jack, Centerville, Wash.; 19 grandchildren; and 31 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by two sons, Johnny Lee and Aubrey Glenn Justus; three brothers; two sisters; a son-in-law, Michael Allan Granger; and a grandson.

Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at McLauchin Funeral Home, Dowagiac, Mich. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson, with the family present from 2 to 4 p.m. Burial will be in Mission Hills Memorial Gardens, Niles, Mich.

Memorials may be sent to The Corner Stone Baptist Church, in care of the funeral home.

Personal condolences may be sent to www.elliottmortuary.com

I am pretty sure she did! I have never been told that she was ever divorced, but I am not 100% positive? I know she lived to her 90's? It shocked me as well when I first saw her obituary:) I guess I need more information on my great-grandmother also...

Arkansas County Marriages, 1837-1957 for Clarence Justus

Groom: Clarence Justus
Groom's Age: 21
Groom's Estimated Birth Year: 1902
Groom's Residence: Center, Sharp, Arkansas
Bride: Zona Mann
Bride's Age: 18
Bride's Estimated Birth Year: 1905
Bride's Residence: Center, Sharp, Arkansas
Marriage Date: 28 Apr 1923
Marriage License Date: 28 Apr 1923
Marriage Place: , Sharp, Arkansas, United States
Film Number: 2210901
Digital Folder Number: 4309486
Image Number: 00105
Page Number: 108
Source: Arkansas County Marriage Records, 1837-1957

Zona Chaffin, 92, of Ash Flat died April 21, 2001, at Ash Flat Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Born July 8, 1909, in Sharp County, she was the daughter of John and Edith Furnace Mann. She was a homemaker and a Christian.

Survivors include a son, Aubrey Justus of Hutchinson, Kan.; four daughters ­ Eula Mae Wilson of Dowagiac, Mich., Mary Lee Fin of Washington, Dorothy Friend of California, and Sharon Murron? of Hardy; a sister, Ruby Wilson of Dowagiac; 24 grandchildren; 40 great-great grandchildren; and 12 great-great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, Tom Chaffin, Clarence Justus, Harold Ratliff and Bill Palmer; three sons, James Ratliff, Shelby Ratliff and Fred Justus; three brothers and four sisters.

The funeral was April 23 at Higginbotham Chapel in Hardy with Floyd Rikard officiating. Burial followed at Buchanan cemetery in Center.

Thank-you so much, That is my uncle/great uncle Aubrey's obituary. He was a great man! I loved visiting with him:) I know that Zona Mann and Clarence Justus had three children, My grandma Eula Mae, Fred, and Aubrey, before Clarence passed. Then Zona re-married and had more children... I have searched records in many places and come up short after 1910 with Clarence. I have seen posts on other sites that had a lot of there information wrong. It is so confusing because of all the husbands and you would not thing this, but for the time period there were a lot of people named Zona and Clarence! Every bit helps... Thanks again, Jessica

She married Harold in 1931, so Clarence had for sure died by then.

Arkansas County Marriages, 1837-1957
Groom: Harold Ratliff
Groom's Age: 21
Groom's Estimated Birth Year: 1910
Groom's Residence: Hardy, Sharp, Arkansas
Bride: Zonia Justice
Bride's Age: 22
Bride's Estimated Birth Year: 1909
Bride's Residence: Sitka, Sharp, Arkansas
Marriage Date: 03 Apr 1931
Marriage License Date: 03 Apr 1931
Marriage Place: , Sharp, Arkansas, United States
Film Number: 2210898
Digital Folder Number: 4309483
Image Number: 00525
Page Number: 16
Source: Arkansas County Marriage Records, 1837-1957

Oh my gosh!!! I have never seen that document before.. I am so excited! I had to reply a "SUPER BIG" thank-you before I looked closely at the document. You have made my night... Thanks, Jessica

Found a James Justus in Sharp Co. with a brother John about the right age.

1880 United States Federal Census
Name: James Justus
Home in 1880: Lebanon, Sharp, Arkansas
Age: 8
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1872
Birthplace: Arkansas
Relation to Head of Household: Son
Father's name: Jas. A. Justus
Father's birthplace: Arkansas
Mother's name: Jane Justus
Mother's birthplace: Tennessee
Occupation: At Home
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Male
Household Members: Name Age
Jas. A. Justus 35
Jane Justus 34
Charles Justus 9
James Justus 8
John Justus 5
Dora Justus 4
David Justus 10m

So we can assume Harold had died by 1952 because she married Bill Palmer in 1952.

Arkansas County Marriages, 1837-1957
Groom: Will Palmer
Groom's Age:
Groom's Estimated Birth Year:
Groom's Residence: Caraway, Arkansas
Bride: Zona Ratliff
Bride's Age:
Bride's Estimated Birth Year:
Bride's Residence: Caraway, Arkansas
Marriage Date: 18 Oct 1952
Marriage License Date:
Marriage Place: , Craighead, Arkansas, United States
Film Number: 2155819
Digital Folder Number: 4338470
Image Number: 00390
Page Number: 460
Source: Arkansas County Marriage Records, 1837-1957

I was looking for Clarence earlier and he is tough to find in the census. I was looking for Aubrey in the census as well, but it's hard to tell with whom he may have been living in 1930. So far the only one I found is Aubry E, born around 1923, and he is living with James Justus.

If John M & Emma are the parents of Clarence, here's their marriage.


Arkansas Marriages, 1837-1944

Groom's Name: John M. Justus
Groom's Birth Date: 1875
Groom's Birthplace:
Groom's Age: 19
Bride's Name: Emma J. Wade
Bride's Birth Date: 1871
Bride's Birthplace:
Bride's Age: 23
Marriage Date: 01 Mar 1894
Marriage Place: Sharp, Arkansas
Groom's Father's Name:
Groom's Mother's Name:
Bride's Father's Name:
Bride's Mother's Name:
Groom's Race:
Groom's Marital Status:
Groom's Previous Wife's Name:
Bride's Race:
Bride's Marital Status:
Bride's Previous Husband's Name:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M75069-0
System Origin: Arkansas-EASy
Source Film Number: 1290002
Reference Number: p287
.

Proves John M. was the son of James A. Justus. Here's John's daughter Bessie.


1920 United States Federal Census
Name: Bessie Lee Justus
Home in 1920: Lebanon, Sharp, Arkansas
Age: 19
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1901
Birthplace: Arkansas
Relation to Head of House: Granddaughter
Father's Birth Place: Arkansas
Mother's Birth Place: Tennessee
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Sex: Female
Able to read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Household Members: Name Age
J A Justus 76
Sarah A Justus 64
Bessie Lee Justus 19

I found them in 1930, looks like Clarence was his middle name...

United States Census 1930

Name: Aubra C Justic
Event: CENSUS
Event Date: 1930
Event Place: Morgan, Sharp, Arkansas
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Birthplace: Arkansas
Estimated Birth Year: 1906
Immigration Year:
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Father's Birthplace: Arkansas
Mother's Birthplace: Arkansas
Enumeration District Number: 14
Family Number: 82
Sheet Number and Letter: 4B
Line Number: 75
NARA Publication: T626, roll 94
Film Number: 2339829
Digital Folder Number: 4532452
Image Number: 00482
Household Gender Age
Aubra C Justic M 24
Spouse Zona Justic F 21
Child Aubra L Justic M 3
Child Eulah M Justic F 2
Child Fred E Justic M 1

This must be Zona's son, Shelby:

Social Security Death Index
Name: Shelby E. Ratliff
SSN:
Last Residence: 72460 Ravenden Springs, Randolph, Arkansas, United States of America
Born: 13 Jun 1934
Died: 19 Apr 1997
State (Year) SSN issued: Michigan

She married Tom Chaffin in 1980:

Arkansas Marriages, 1779-1992
Name: Thomas M. Chaffin
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 1980
Spouse: Zona Palmer
County: Randolph
Volume: 62
Page: 600
State: Arkansas

So to summarize, she was married in 1923, 1931, 1952 and 1980. That's amazing to have your first and last marriages be 57 years apart.

There's a family tree on Ancestry with a lot of info on the family of James A. Justus and his ancestors. But Clarence isn't included in the grandchildren, probably because he doesn't appear on the census with his parents.

This appears to be Thomas - it doesn't look they were married for very long.

Social Security Death Index
Name: Thomas Chaffin
SSN:
Last Residence: 72460 Ravenden Springs, Randolph, Arkansas, United States of America
Born: 24 May 1893
Died: Apr 1983
State (Year) SSN issued: Arkansas

According to his WWII registration, his full name was Thomas Monroe Chaffin and he was born in Kentucky. He gave his DOB as May 24, 1894.

It appears that Aubrey was married once before he married Elsa.

Arkansas County Marriages
Groom: Aubrey Lee Justus
Groom's Age: 20
Groom's Estimated Birth Year: 1924
Groom's Residence: Hardy, Sharp, Arkansas
Bride: Julia Elizabeth Hurst
Bride's Age: 19
Bride's Estimated Birth Year: 1925
Bride's Residence: Hardy, Fulton, Arkansas
Marriage Date: 02 Sep 1944
Marriage License Date: 02 Sep 1944
Marriage Place: , Sharp, Arkansas, United States
Film Number: 2210899
Digital Folder Number: 4309484
Image Number: 00257
Page Number: 312
Source: Arkansas County Marriage Records, 1837-1957

Arkansas County Marriages
Groom: Aubrey Justus
Groom's Age:
Groom's Estimated Birth Year:
Groom's Residence: Caraway, Arkansas
Bride: Elsie Mae Kincaide
Bride's Age:
Bride's Estimated Birth Year:
Bride's Residence: Caraway, Arkansas
Marriage Date: 17 Sep 1948
Marriage License Date:
Marriage Place: , Craighead, Arkansas, United States
Film Number: 2155818
Digital Folder Number: 4338469
Image Number: 01312
Page Number: 209
Source: Arkansas County Marriage Records, 1837-1957

Yes that is him thank-you! I don't know what happened to his parents. It is clear after the 1900 censes that they are missing and the children from there on are living with grand-parents or aunts and uncles! Another mystery for me to solve:) Thanks for helping I love this site and everyone on it! Jessica

They weren't married that long. They got married in 1980 and he died in 1983. I know my great-gradma was 76 when they got married and he was older than her!

Wow! Thank-you, It seems that she didn't wait long to get re-married? Thank's for the information, Jessica

I am new to this site and am not sure if I am doing my replies right.. I am trying to thank everyone personally for there information but it looks like all my thank-you posts are just added to the general posts... If anyone can let me know that would be great... Thank you so much, Jessica

Use the quote botton to reply to a post.

Thank-you.

Yes he does:) I have found out alot from my research and everything on the 1930 census is spelled wrong. It is really Aubrey. Son's Aubrey and Fred and my grandma is Eula Mae last name is Justus... Thank-you I wouldn't have been able to put it all together with out that 1930 census. I still can't find any info on Clarence Justus's resting place or what happened to his parents:( If you have any other information on Clarence Justus or his parents John and Emma Justus it would help me greatly.

They weren't... I have found that they got married when he was 80 years old and he died three years later:(

Thank-you for all the information you guys have given me on Clarence Justus. I haven't found his final resting place yet but, this site and everyone on it have given me more information than I could have ever found myself...Now I know his full name Clarence Aubrey Justus and his parents were John and Emma Justus... If anyone has any extra information on him or him parents that would be awesome:) Clarence was born in 1905 and was living with a grand-father and then an uncle in the next few census. I can't find any information on John or Emma after the 1900 Census... PLEASE Help... Thanks, Jessica

Thank-you for all the information you guys have given me on Clarence Justus. I haven't found his final resting place yet but, this site and everyone on it have given me more information than I could have ever found myself...Now I know his full name Clarence Aubrey Justus and his parents were John and Emma Justus... If anyone has any extra information on him or him parents that would be awesome:) Clarence was born in 1905 and was living with a grand-father and then an uncle in the next few census. I can't find any information on John or Emma after the 1900 Census... PLEASE Help... Thanks, Jessica

JUSTUS CHARLES H 11 17N 4W 40 acres 1903/05/19


This file was compiled from the Bureau of Land Management
land records and includes Homestead and Cash Entry Patents
before 1908 for what is now Sharp Co, AR

W.B. Ratliff December 21, 1934 The Democrat



** Obituary Abstract **
Name: W.B. Ratliff
Age: 45
Date of Death: December 1934
Burial: Not Given
Publication Information:
The Democrat (Mammoth Spring, Fulton Co., AR)
Vol. XLV, No. 28, Page 3
Friday, Dec. 21, 1934

Jessica73,
My grandparents lived not too far from John and Emma Justus. This Justus family and my grandfather's were related by marriage. I too have been looking for the burial place of John and Emma Justus. Many Justus' are buried in Lone Oak Cemetery in Lawrence Co., AR. and other Lawrence Co. and Sharp Co., AR. cemeteries. Bessie Justus was married to my grandfather's brother.

Shelby William Ratliff, also buried at the Turkey Pen Cemetery Arkansas is the son of Harold Lee Ratliff and Zona Mann.

Shelby passed from lung cancer, Shelby never had any kids.