The probate records for Benjamin F. Milstead confirms four siblings (Benjamin and three sisters) as well as the then living children of Benjamin's sisters. Family tradition passed on by Aunt Bertha (Sparks) Edmister in letter to her nephew Gilbert Sparks, adds two brothers -- Gian Leap / Leap Gian and William. Supporting documentation for these two has not been located. from Marlow Review, March 26, 1831, page 1 issue: AGED MAN DIED AT HOME OF HIS NEPHEW. Funeral services for Ben F. Milstead were held at the Steele Funeral Home at 3:30 o'clock Thursday afternoon, by Rev. A. F. Duke, pastor of the Nazarene church. Mr. Milstead died Wednesday at the home of his nephew, Robert Williams, in Marlow. He was unmarried. Mr. Milstead was born April 4, 1848 in the state of Alabama and at the time of his death was 82 years, 11 months and 21 days of age. Interment was in the Marlow cemetery, Steele Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. ------------- Benjamin Milstead's probate records are located in Packet #1463, Stephens County Court House, Duncan, Oklahoma: Comes now R. C. Williams and shows to the Court that Benjamin F. Milstead departed this life at Marlow, Oklahoma, in the County of Stephens, on or about the 25th day of March 1931. That said decedent at the time of his death was a resident of Marlow ... That said decedent left estate in the County of Stephens ... due search made ... according to the best information and belief of petitioner said decedent died intestate. That the general character and probable value of the estate ...: Nineteen shares of stock in Southwestern Light and Power Co. .... $1700 Two liberty bonds of probable value .... $200 and about one hundred ten dollars in cash; and a note of about two hundred dollars. That the names and ages and residences of the heirs at law of the decedent ... are: R. C. Williams, Marlow, Oklahoma, age about 65 years P. G. Williams, address unknown, age about 60 years and Sallie Genie, Lawton, Oklahoma, age 67 ... being children of Laura Williams, now deceased, who was a sister of Benjamin F. Milstead, now deceased ... Florence Forth of Marlow, Oklahoma ... being child of Susan Jones, a deceased sister ... Marion Sparks, age 53 years of McCloud, Oklahoma Mary Johnson, age 49 years of Newalla, Oklahoma Bertha Edmister, age 44, of Shawnee, Oklahoma %Indian Agency Robert Sparks, age 36 years, of Newalla, Oklahoma ... being children of Alice Sparks, now deceased ... a sister of the said Benjamin F. Milstead Petitioner is a nephew. is advised and believes that he is entitled to administer upon said estate, but waives his right in favor of M. W. Pugh, who has been agreed upon for administrator by most of the heirs. Decree of Distribution dated Dec 9, 1931: Cash in sum of $1601.10 with receipts -- R. C. Williams $177.90 P. G. Williams $177.90 Sallie Genie $177.90 (Children of Laura Williams) Florence Forth, daughter of Susan Jones $533.70 Marion Sparks $133.42 Mary Johnson $133.42 Bertha Edmister $133.42 Robert Sparks $133.43 (children of Alice Sparks) The said Laura Williams, Susan Jones and Alice Sparks are now deceased. ----------- Laura (Brown) Milstead's husband was Wash Williams per my Great Aunt Bertha (Sparks) Edmister -- whose letter to her nephew Gilbert Sparks reciting the family history as she knew is backed up by official records. Therefore I really trust what she says about the family. --------- The 1880 Cooke Co. Texas Census shows the following families-- Name, relation to head of household, gender and race, age, birthplace, occupation, birthplace of father then mother Source Information Census Place E.D. 115, Cooke, Texas Family History Library Film 1255298 NA Film Number T9-1298 Page Number 316C L.A. WILLIAMS Self Female W 45 ALA Keeping House --- --- W.E. WILLIAMS Son Male W 22 ALA Farmer SC ALA Sallie WILLIAMS Dau Female W 17 ALA At Home SC ALA Robert WILLIAMS Son Male W 14 ALA Works On Farm SC ALA Lillie WILLIAMS Dau Female W 12 ALA At Home SC ALA Persey WILLIAMS Son Male W 9 ALA At Home SC ALA Mary WILLIAMS Dau Female W 7 TEXAS At Home SC ALA Susan MILSTED Sister Female W 34 ALA --- --- E.D. 115 Cooke, Texas census located page 314D: J.A. SPARKS Self Male W 29 TEXAS Farmer ALA ALA Alice A. SPARKS Wife Female W 23 ALA Keeping House ALA ALA Mary B. Sparks Dau ** Female W 2 TEXAS TEXAS ALA B. F. MILSTIED BroL Male W 32 ALA Farming ALA ALA ** should read: Marion Benjamin Son This next census record for G. L. Brown may or may not be the half-brother of Alice (Milstead) Sparks. The lack of his name or his children's name in Benjamin Milstead's probate records suggests he isn't a sibling. However, several of his children's given names are replicated in the names of children of Alice (Milstead) Sparks and Laura (Brown) Williams. Also he lived in the same census district as the other two families. E. D. 115, Cooke, Texas page 313B G. L. BROWN Self Male W 48 ALA Farmer TENN GA Sarah BROWN Wife Female W 40 MISSOURI KeepingH VA KY Robert W. BROWN Son Male W 18 TEXAS Works on Farm ALA MO Mary J. BROWN Dau Female W 15 TEXAS ALA MO Larah Lee BROWN Dau Female W 13 TEXAS At School ALA MO Bethira BROWN Dau Female W 10 TEXAS At School ALA MO Luisa BROWN Dau Female W 8 TEXAS At School ALA MO Thomas BROWN Son Male W 6 TEXAS ALA MO Emly BROWN Dau Female W 5 TEXAS ALA MO Ollie M. BROWN Dau Female W 3 TEXAS ALA MO --------------- from The Marlow Review Thursday, May 18, 1933, page 1 issue: ROBT. WILLIAMS CALLED BY DEATH. Funeral Services for County Pioneer Held at First Baptist Church Last Sunday Afternoon. Funeral services for Robert Williams, 67, were held from the First Baptist church Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock and were conducted by Rev. J. I. Ward of Duncan. Mr. Williams died at his home on West Choctaw avenue Saturday afternoon. Death was due to hardening of the arteries. He had lived here for the past 13 years, although he had spent the greater part of his life in and near Duncan. Mr. Williams had many friends and was a man of high standing in the community. Although he was not a member of any church, Mr. Williams had professed the Christian faith early in life and preferred the Baptist church. He is survived by his wife and one son, Robert Jr., who is 21 years old. Pall bearers were Raymond Chisholm, Elton Lowe, Clyde Lowe, Onyal Grey, Charlie Dyer and Mike Dyer. Interment was in the Marlow cemetery. Steele Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. ------------- In February 1919 Bertha (Sparks) Hardwick Edmister received a letter from "Your Causoin E. W. Williams" who was living at Claude, Texas at the time. I presume he is the W. E. Williams, eldest son of Laura and Wash Williams. He mentions: "Herbut" who was killed during WWI [Herbert Sparks, son of Alice (Milstead] "my poor Bro Yanell" who was still in Europe. "florence and her Man .. are at Arther Okla and the last time I saw them it was in 1910. Uncle Star is sure Getting old and feeble." [Susan (Milstead) married Sterling 'Star' Jones; they had Florence who married ___ Forth. The mention of Uncle Star and not Aunt Susan tells us that Susan (Milstead) Jones died before Feb. 1919] "Uncle Ben was at Marlow OK with Gery Gray working for him" [Benjamin F. Milstead] "My Mother she is at Dunncan OK star Route 1 she is with Jim and Lucy" [I presume 'mother' is Laura (Brown) Milstead, but identity of Jim and Lucy is not known.] "Mother sold out in New Mexico this Christmas."