My Great-grandmother Mary Stark Oliver Hanks (b. Jan. 18, 1860; d. Jan. 08, 1931) Contact Randy Willis www.randywillis.org randy@randywillis.org She traveled by covered wagon with her parents, John M. Stark and Marie Deroussel, to Branch, Louisiana and later, in 1910, to Lecompte, Louisiana. She often spoke of the panthers screaming in the woods, she said they screamed "just like a women." Mary Stark's first husband was Charles D. Oliver (b. Jan. 14, 1858; d. July 28, 1887 in Prairie Hays, Louisiana). Charles D. Oliver and Mary Stark married January 17, 1878 and had six children before his premature-death, at age 29. Their children were Wayne Oliver (b. Oct. 26, 1878; d. Oct. 25, 1942), John Pat Oliver (June 16, 1880; d. Apr. 25, 1960), Clarinda "Clara" Oliver (Dec. 07, 1881; d. Dec. 07, 1940), Rufus Oliver (b. June 19, 1883; d. Nov. 29, 1963), Alice Oliver (b. June 07, 1886; d. June 18, 1971) and Edna "Charlie" Oliver (b. Sept. 29, 1887; d. Aug 26, 1967). Mary Stark was buried at the Paul Cemetery near Lecompte. Mary Stark's second husband was Arthur Allen Hanks (b.Aug. 27, 1877; d. Aug. 22, 1942). He was the son of William Hanks and Francis Cordelia Soileau Hanks. Mary Stark (b. Jan. 18, 1860; d. Jan. 08, 1931) married Arthur Allen Hanks on Oct. 17, 1895. He was 17-years younger than her. They owned a meat market in Lecompte. Their log home was located right in the middle of where IH 49 is today (approx. 500' south of Highway 112) near Lecompte. The Children of Arthur Allen Hanks and Mary Stark were: my grandmother, Lillie Gertrude Hanks (b. Dec. 29, 1897; d. July 02, 1973), Ivy "Buddy" Lee Hanks (b. Nov. 18, 1898; d. Dec. 10, 1982), William Hanks, b. Nov. 18, 1898; d. Dec. 16, 1898), Callie Hanks (b. June 18, 1901) and Mary Cordelia "Delia" Hanks (b. Apr. 04, 1902; d. Aug. 20, 1946). My grandmother told me that each day, after school, her mother would say "little lady, get a potato and work in the field." My Uncle Howard Willis, told me that his grandmother Mary Stark, reminded him of Grandma Walton on "The Waltons" TV show. Arthur Allen Hanks later married Gertrude Jenkins (1900-1973) and moved near Cushing/Quay, Oklahoma. Gertrude Jenkins first husband was a Laughful Miller; they had four children. Arthur Allen Hanks died in Cushing, Oklahoma and is buried near Yale, Oklahoma in an unmarked-grave. Gertrude died in Tulsa and is buried near Cheneyville, Louisiana. Arthur Allen Hanks and Gertrude also had four children: Wilma Hanks(b. 1928), Mary Hanks (b. 1930), Donna Hanks (b. 1938) and Edwin Hanks (b. 1941).