What do we really know about Abner Tell Guffey?  He was born April 10, 1870 in Marion Arkansas.  He is first located on a census in 1880 as living in Locust Grove, Arkansas.  He was 11 years old and listed as "works on farm".  He came from a big family, the census showed that he had 6 brothers and sisters and 2 step-brothers.  All the children ranged in age from 2 to 16.  Had to have been a houseful.

In 1891 at the age of 21, he married Diane "Annie" Jones in Arkansas.  The Census of 1900 shows Ab and Annie living in Grubbs with three of their children; Jane (7), Andrew (4) and Viola (1).  They had a son named Samie who died in 1895 when he was about 7 weeeks old.  They would go on to have 2 more children and by 1904 Annie and the other 4 children would be dead.  There had to have been an epidemic of some kind.  Annie (34) died 2 weeks after giving birth to William in October 1903. 6 months later, James (3) died, 2 weeks later, Viola (8) and only 5 days later Jane at 12 was gone.  By early May of 1904, Abner at 34 had lost his whole family.  Can't even imagine what he went through. 

The next few years had to have been a very rough time for Abner. Don't really know when Polly Devore at the age of 16 stepped into his life, but, in December of 1907 they got married.  A new wife and a new life had started for Abner at the age of 37.  10 months after they got married, their first born William Robert was born.  I'm sure he must have been named after the William that Abner lost and/or for Polly's brother William. Abner is listed on the 1910 census in Jackson County, Arkansas.  Living with wife Polly and son William R.  Also living in the home were James Heltez (age 7) and Walter Smith (age 23), they probably worked on the farm since Abner was listed as being a farmer on every census that I found.

Over the next 8 years from 1908 to 1916, 4 more children would follow; Albert, Woodrow, Gladys and Doyle.  Doyle was born in June of 1916 and in February of 1917, Abner had passed away at the age of 47.  Polly was a widow alone with 5 children at the age of 26. 

William Robert Guffey - first child born to Abner Tell Guffey and Polly Ann Devore Guffey.  Born in 1908, married Chester Turner in 1929.  Together they had 5 children: Genevieve, William Robert (W.R.), Velma, Glenna and Mary Ann.  Most people knew Uncle Robert as Deputy Sheriff of Jackson County for many years. Aunt Chester passed away in 1986 and Uncle Robert in 1987.
Being away from Arkansas so many years, I really don't have any memories to share.  I do remember Uncle Robert putting Luke in handcuffs when he was a little boy.  I also remember Aunt Chester being a small quiet woman. I will talk to Daddy tomorrow to see if I can get some good memories to share.

June 14, 2014 at the Everett King Community Center in Tuckerman, Arkansas.  This was where about 50 of our family members came together to share a meal and enjoy some good quality time together. There was plenty of food, I took my computer to print out pictures for family members and get copies of pictures from ones that were brought.  The family books are always a big hit.  They get passed around and it is so good to see everyone getting to know our family (past and present) at this event.
Genevieve brought me pictures of her parents, Robert and Chester Guffey and more pictures of her Lassiter family.  Ruby Turner brought a great picture of Gladys Guffey Turner and all of her kids.  Several family members went through the box of unidentified photos and got several more named.  Looking forward to going through those. 
Over the next year I will work on getting all the information that I gathered entered into the family tree, our family books and even post some of it to the website.  Keep hoping that each year our attendance will improve and more information will be gathered and shared.  Seems like a bother to a lot of us, but, our children and grandchildren will appreciate this one day.