Cordye McLaurine1

b. 31 May 1898, d. 13 May 1994
FatherAlbert Lawrence McLaurine2 b. 7 Apr 1863, d. 6 Mar 1901
MotherMyrtle McCamant2 b. 15 Oct 1868 or 15 Oct 1869, d. 17 Sep 1913
Birth31 May 1898 Cordye McLaurine was born at Ft. Phantom Hill in Jones County, Texas, probably on 31 May 1898.3,4,2 
  However like her 3 older brothers, Cordye's correct year of birth is something of a mystery. Her parents' 1900 census stated she was born in May 1897, a date also supported by her age in 1910. However Cordye herself reported her year of birth as 1898 and her obituary used 1899. 
Childhood  Cordye was the second daughter in a family of 4 boys and 2 girls. Her older sister died before Cordye was born. In later years Cordye wrote that she was spoiled and protected by her older brothers.5 
  In 1901 Cordye's father sold the family farm at Phantom Hill. He had intended to move west, but died suddenly from a ruptured appendix. Cordye's mother moved to the New Mexico Territory with the children and then over the next 9 or 10 years lived at several locations in Texas.5 
  Cordye's memories of her childhood were preserved in an oral history. Speaking of her childhood days with her brothers she said:

I was protected in one way; yet in another I was one of them. My mother didn't hover over me to keep me from enjoying everything they did. I didn't care a thing about dolls. I had a little Mustang pony. He was low, but the boys would saddle him and I would bring him up by the side of the fence and then climb on the fence and get over on him. I rode with them wherever they went.

We didn't have any toys at all. When my mother was through with the thread, we always had dibs on the empty spool. We all had pocket knives with two blades. The boys could take a spool and cut out one of those little spinning tops, insert a stem down the middle and then we would prick our finger and paint it red or stripe it and then spin it and bet on it.... We always fought over match boxes because they were scarce. My brothers made harnesses and hitched the match boxes to the numerous horny toads... Mostly, though, our entertainment was riding the range.5
 
Cens-191030 Apr 1910  By 1910 Myrtle had settled in the town of Merkel in Taylor County. Cordye's older brothers were employed at various jobs and the census even recorded 13 year old Cordye working as a bookkeeper.6 
  Cordye also attended school in Merkel, where she was an excellent student. But she also had an independent streak and noted years later that she must have annoyed the dickens out of the teacher.

Shortly after the 1910 census was recorded Cordye's brother Albert moved to Corpus Christi, Texas. Myrtle and Cordye soon followed.5 
Moth-Death17 Sep 1913  But Myrtle was not well and in Sept. 1913 she died from cancer. Cordye's older brother then took Cordye back to Dallas with him. 
Education  There she graduated from Ursuline Academy in 1918.7 
Marriage Cordye married Oren Franklin Hall.8 
  Cordye worked as an office manager and bookkeeper for over 60 years but is best remembered for her political activism. She became involved in the peace movement after her two sons fought in World War II. She campaigned against global conflict and worked tirelessly to promote integration. Her efforts were both on a large scale - she marched with Vietnam protestors when in her 70s - and on a smaller scale - handwriting letter after letter to editors and politicians. When she died in 1994 her obituary referred to her as the "mother of the peace movement in Dallas."7 
Death13 May 1994 Cordye died on 13 May 1994 at age 95.1 

Related Links and Images:

In 1977 historian and author Ruthe Winegarten interviewed Cordye. Portions of that oral history have been transcribed and are available through several Texas repositories including the Dallas Public Library (History & Archives Division). Texas Woman's University at Denton, TX houses 4 cubic feet of material titled "Cordye Hall Papers, 1941-1990" which includes correspondence, photographs and other material. The excerpt cited by this author was shared by Daphne Davis who obtained a copy from the Richardson Library of Hardin-Simmons University at Abilene, TX.

Family

Oren Franklin Hall b. Aug 1893
Children
  • Wallace Ralston Hall8 (14 May 1922 - 23 Mar 2007)
  • Richard S. Hall8
ChartsDescendants of Jeremiah Gardner and Margaret Edmiston
Last Edited8 Sep 2013

Citations

  1. [S1440] "Social Security Death Index", Ancestry.com (http://www.Ancestry.com : accessed Feb. 2013), for Cordye M. Hall entry.
  2. [S1653] A.L. McLaurin household, 1900 U.S. cens., Jones Co., Ohio, pop. sched., Precinct 3, ED 100, sheet 24A (p. 191 stamped), dwelling 408, family 418, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jan. 2013. Household includes: A.L. McLaurin, 35, b. Apr 1865, b. TX/TN/TN, marr 12 yrs, stock farmer; Myrtle, wife, 30, b. Oct. 1869, b. TX/VA/VA, mother of 6 children, 5 are living; Lawrence, son, 11, b. Apr 1889; Cecil, son, 9, b. Dec. 1890; James, son, 6, b. Sept. 1893; Cordie, dau, 3, b. May 1897; Baby son, 0/12, b. May 1900; all children b. TX.
  3. [S3070] Daphne Davis, "Alexander Smith McCamant," e-mail to Diana Powell, Daphne is the great niece of Cordy McLaurine Hall.
  4. [S2945] Robert Gardner research, 2881 Pruneridge Ave., Santa Clara, California, 95051, email to: e-mail address ; Mr. Gardner cites correspondence with William C. McLaurine who provided 31 May 1898 for Cordye's date of birth. Interestingly, in separate correspondance with Mr. Gardner, Cordye stated she was born 31 May 1899.
  5. [S3071] "Cordye Hall [1898-1994] Oral History", typed excerpt, oral history taken by Ruth Weingarten, 1977, held by Richardson Library, Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, TX.
  6. [S3059] Mrs. Myrtle McLaurin household, 1910 U.S. cens., Taylor Co., Texas, pop. sched., Merkel, ED 292, sheet 18B, dwelling 387, family 386, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jan. 2013. Household includes: Mrs. Myrtle McLaurin, 42, wid, mother of 6 children, 4 are living, b. TX, parents b. VA, has own income, owns home; Laurence A., son, 21, b. TX; Cecil W., son, 19, b. TX, dry goods salesman; James A., son 17, b. TX; Cordia, dau, 13, b. TX, bookkeeper for ice company.
  7. [S3231] "Dallas Peace Activist Cordye Hall dies at 94", undated & unidentified newspaper clipping.
  8. [S2945] Robert Gardner research, 2881 Pruneridge Ave., Santa Clara, California, 95051, email to: e-mail address ; Mr. Gardner cites correspondence with Cordye Hall (1950s).