JONATHAN EMMITT THIGPEN, JR.
Jonathan Emmitt Thigpen, Jr. (called "John"), b July 2,1901 in Chilton,
Falls County, Texas, d December 27, 1982 and buried in Chilton Cemetery
-
was a son of Jonathan Emmitt and Mattye Dean (Keirsey) Thigpen. John married ca
1923 Miss Mayme Claire Relf, b October 9, 1901, d June 13, 1948 and buried in
Chilton Cemetery - a daughter of Ben Wesley and Annie Olivia (Mickle) Relf of
Bandera County, Texas and Selma, Alabama. John and Mayme Thigpen were the
parents of four children:
Claire LaVerne Thigpen, b February 23, 1924, attended Chilton High
School, Texas Women's University, and North Texas State University in Denton.
She worked for American Airlines at Love Field in Dallas, Texas for ten years.
Claire married John J. Safron II, b April 9, 1919 - a son of John J. Safron I of
Connecticut, and Susan (Pavlo) Safron of Czechoslovakia. John II was educated at
Stamford, Connecticut, and served as a M. T. Sergeant of the First U.S. Marine
Division from 1939 to 1945 during World War II - participating in the defense of
Guadalcanal, S. I. Bismarch Archipelago Operation, the Treasury - Bougainville
Operation
Consolidation of the North Solomon Islands, and served 1948-1950 in the
Headquarters of the Eighth Marine Corp Reserve. John worked for American
Airlines in 1950, and served at James Connally Air Base in Waco, Texas, 1965.
John and Claire resided at Satin, Texas, and he was a lay-speaker in the Church
of Christ in Waco. They were the parents of one daughter, Andrea Claire Safron,
b October 4, 1954, and adopted four other children who were brothers and sisters
from Sycalouga, Alabama and New Orleans, Louisiana: Cindy Sienna Safron, b
January 23, 1955; Susan Relf Safron, b July 14, 1956; Paul Medina Safron, b June
3, 1958; and Mark Stephen Safron, b July 2, 1959.
Jonathan Emmitt Thigpen (called "Don"), b October 25, 1925 in Chilton,
Falls County, Texas. Don married in 1951 to Mrs. Elizabeth Ann ("Bitsy" Johnson)
Hamilton, and they had two sons, and reared her daughter, Frances Hamilton by
her first marriage to Gordon Hamilton.
Fern Eris Thigpen, b October 2, 1929 in Chilton, attended North Texas
State University and received her B.A. degree from Baylor University. About
1952, she married Herchel Clifton Wood, b October 15, 1925 in Waco. He received
a B.A. degree from Texas A&M University, and was president of the Texas A&M Club
of Tulsa, Oklahoma for several years. He owns an insurance adjustment firm and
automatic laundry in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where they reside. Herchel and Fern have
three children: Lia Fern Wood, b January 18, 1954; H. Clifton Wood, b August 5,
1958; and Kara Wood, b May 15, 1965.
Ruth Elene Thigpen, b February 8, 1931 in Chilton, Texas, attended The
University of Texas, The University of Colorado, and received her B.A. degree
from Baylor University. She married David Lee Wolf of Waco, Texas, and had two
children: Honey Lee Wolf, b November 17, 1954; and David Lee Wolf, II, b
September 18, 1956. Ruth Elene married second in June 1963 to W. E. ("Bill")
Goodman of Arkansas, and they reside in Monroe, Louisiana.
Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of
these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical
Commission, page 450 column 2 and page 451 column 1.
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.
