Individual Details

Born possibly Wichita, Sedgwick County, or Douglas County, Kansas. She said Douglas County when she testified for Ira's delayed birth certificate. They lived in Kansas for 2 1/2 years.

Postcard. Mailed 29 Jun 1915 from Colorado Springs, Colo. to Mrs. L. E. Comstock, Uniontown, Ark.
"Colorado Spgs - Sunday Night.
Dear Mama, We could find nothing in Salt Lake so we are a great deal nearer home now. Go to Denver tomorrow Then on toward Arkansas. Love to all. Ira."
And on front: "Monday Eve. We Scaled Pikes Peak today and are now on top. 14,147 ft. above sea."
The picture on front is of Balanced Rock & Steamboat Rock with the note, "Hope to see things here tomorrow."


In 1930, Ellen L. Comstock was age 63, widowed. She gave her birthplace as Kansas, her father's as KY, her mother's as VA. Paul, age 23, was still living at home and working as a salesman in a Dry Goods Store - probably at his brother Ira's. The address was 524 N 24th Street.

The Democrat-American (Sallisaw, Oklahoma) Thursday, 7 July 1932, Page 5
Mrs. Comstock is Honored at Reunion July Fourth
Honoring Mrs. J. M. Comstock, of Van Buren, members of her family who reside in Oklahoma and Arkansas assembled Sunday for a reunion at a camp site on the Illinois river near Gore, Okla.
All of Mrs. Comstock’s children and grandchildren, with the exception of one, were present for the occasion.
The party included Mr. and Mrs. K. M. Comstock and their children, K. M. Jr., and Jo Ellen of Fayetteville; Mr. and Mrs. Graydon Comstock, of Clarksville and their children, Jay Ira and Allen, [Note: the previous family was very confused - it should have read Mr. & Mrs. K. M. Comstock and their children K. M. Jr., JoEllen, Jay, and Ira Allen, and their married son Graydon Comstock and wife.] Mr. and Mrs. John S. Rainwater, of Bristow, Okla., and their children, Eula, Cleo and John Monroe [son Champ omitted - was married and is apparently the missing granchild]; Mr. and Mrs. Ira V. Comstock, Stratford; Mrs. B. L. Redman and her daughter, Faustine, of Sallisaw, Okla., Mr. and Mrs. T. L. Delzell, Van Buren, and their children, Lester Comstock, Colleen and Ellen Delzell [there were not two daughters - their daughter was Colleen Ellen]; Mr. and Mrs. Cy Carney of Rudy and their children, Cy Jr., and Katherine; Mr. and Mrs. Aura Clark of Van Buren; Paul Comstock, Van Buren, Miss Louise Clark, Fort Smith. Jack Cheek of Sallisaw joined the party Sunday afternoon.
Mrs. Comstock visited in Sallisaw Sunday night and Monday accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Rainwater to Bristow, where she will visit for two weeks. Later she will go to Stratford to be the guest of Mrs. Ira Comstock before returning to Van Buren.

1940 Census. Van Buren. 524 N. 13th Street. [Google maps show that the house is still there! I was in it so many times....] Hh 368
Ellen Comstock, age 73, widow, b. Kansas, Lived in the same house in 1935.
Maude Redmon, daughter, age 45, widow, b. AR. Also said she was there in 1935 - she must have moved in with Grandma about the time her husband died.

April 1949 [unidentified newspaper clipping]
Mrs. J. M. comstock Celebrates Birthday
Mrs. J. M. comstock, 524 North Thirteenth Street, celebrated her eighty-second birthday anniversary with a family reunion at her home Sunday.
Those present from Van Buren included Mr. and Mrs. I. V. Comstock, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Comstock, Mrs. T. L. Delzell and daughter, Colleen, and Mrs. Maude Redmon.
Out of town relatives were Mr. and Mrs. Cy Carney, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Cy Carney, Jr., and son Cy III, and Mr. and Mrs. K. M. Comstock, all of Fayetteville; Mr. and Mrs. Graydon Comstock and sons, Donnie and David, from Harrison, Ark.; Jay Comstock, Austin, Texas; Mr. and Mrs. Joe McKim and daughter Kay, from Springdale, Ark.; John and Mike Cortney, from Lebanon, Mo.; Mr. and Mrs. Champ Rainwater and children, Charles and Julie Ann, from Big springs, Texas; Mrs. Charles Riddle from Kilgore, Tezas; Mrs. T. F. Wood, Sallisaw, Okla.; Mr. and Mrs. Roy Lovett and sons, Charles and Roy Jr., Muskogee, Okla.; Mr. and Mrs. John Rainwater and daughter Eula, Bristow, Okla.; Mrs. A. C. Clark, Little Rock; and Mace Watson, Fort Smith,

1950 Census. Van Buren, Crawford, AR Hh 272
524 N. 13th
Ellen Comstock, 83, widow, b. Kansas
Maud Redman, dau, 55, widow, b. AR

Southwest American, Fort Smith, April 1952
Mrs. Comstock Honored On Birthday
Honoring Mrs. J. M. Comstock on her eighty-fifth birthday, a large number of friends and relatives gathered at her home Sunday and showered her with gifts.
Attending from Fayetteville were Mr. and Mrs. K. M. Comstock, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Cy Carnery, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Cy Carnery, Jr. and Cy III, Mr. and Mrs. Kenney M. Comstock and Kenney Jr., Miss betty Ann Delzell, Miss Coleen Ellen Delzell, and Dave Diomento.
Mr. and Mrs. Graydon Comstock and sons, Donnie and David attended from Harrison, Ark., and Mr. and Mrs. Joe McKim and daughter, Karen Kay, from springdale.
Mrs. A. C. Clark was a guest from Little Rock, Mr. and Mrs. Mack Jackson of Longview, Texas, Mrs. C. A. Ridlle, Kilgore, Texas, and Mrs. G. M. Comstock, Levelland, Texas, were present.
From Bristow, Okla., were Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Rainwater, Miss Eula Rainwater, Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Maxwell, Jimmie and Joyce Maxwell, and from Muskogee were Mr. and Mrs. Roy Lovett and Charles and Roy Jr., and Lester C. Delzell.
Mace Watson attended from Fort Smith, and Mrs. Sid Matlock and daughter Peggy and her children from South Fort Smith.
Locl residents included Mr. and Mrs. Ira V. Comstock, Mrs. Maude Redmon, Mrs. T. Lester Delzell, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Comstock, Mrs. Ola Haggard, and Mrs. Comstock, the guest of honor.
Sending gifts were Mr. and Mrs. Ferrell Swearingen, Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Hucklebury, T. Lester Delzell, Mr. and Mrs. I. A. Comstock of Norman, Okla., Mrs. Ethel Cooke of Bristow, Okla., and members of Mrs. Comstock's Sunday School Class.

April 1954 (unidentified newspaper clipping)
Mrs. J. M. Comstock Observes Birthday
Mrs. J. M. Comstock, 524 North 13th Street, celebrated her 87th birthday on Sunday, April 11, with a family reunion.
Those present were Mr. and Mrs. Cy Carney, Ar., Mr. and Mrs. Cy Carnery, Jr., and sons, Skipper and Allen, and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Delzell, all of Fayetteville, Mr. and Mrs. Joe McKim and girls, Kay and Joe Ann, Mr. and Mrs. Kenny Comstock Jr., and Children, Kenny III and Mary Jane, all of springdale; Mr. and Mrs. Lester Delzell of Miami, Okla., Mr. and MRs. Ira A Comstock of Kansas City, and Mr. and Mrs. Roy Lovett and boys, Charles and Roy Jr. of Muskogg; Graydon Comstock and boys, Don and Dave of Tulda, Mr. and Mrs. Mace Watson, Jr., of Fort smith; Mrs. Nora Rainwater and daughter, Eula, Mr. and Mrs. Ira Comstock, Mr. and Mrs. Kenny Comstock Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Paul Comstock, Maud Redmond, and Mrs. J. M. Comstock of Van Buren. Others called during the afternoon.

Many clippings of Grandma's annual birthday parties were found in Lettie Comstock Carney's scrapbook, but the one from 3 Apr 1961 has more detail about Grandma:
On Sunday April 9 the family of Mrs. J. M. Comstock will gather at her home for the observance of her 94th birthday anniversary and a noon meal together.
Mrs. Comstock was born Miss Lucretia Ellen Wood on April 3, 1867 in Wichita, Kansas. Her father, J. C. Wood was a pioneer Crawford county citizen and a confederate veteran. He operated the first and only telephone exchange in Uniontown. The Wood family moved to the Philadelphia community when she was an infant. Since that time she has been a resident of Crawford county with residence in Uniontown and Van Buren. The present home is 524 North 13th Street, Van Buren where she has spent more than forty years.
She was married to J. M. Comstock at Uniontown about 1884. To this union was born ten children. In 1928 [1929] she lost her companion by death and through the years she lost four of the children.
The six living children of Mrs. Comstock are Mrs. Nora Rainwater, Ira V. Comstock, Mrs. Maud Redmon, and Paul Comstock all of Van Buren; Mrs. Cy Carney of Fayetteville and Mrs. A. C. Clark of North Little Rock. She is blessed with 12 living grandchildren, twenty-one great-grandchildren and two great great grandchildren [one of these being Steven Kenney Haden].
At the age of 19 years Mrs. Comstock was baptized into the Christian church at Uniontown. Her health at this time is declining and most of her hours are spent in bed. The photograph was made in 1960 when she was strong enough to be about the house.

Nov. 19 1963
Mrs Ellen Comstock
Mrs Ellen Comstock, 96, 524 N. 13th Street, Van Buren, died at her home early this morning after a long illness. She was the wife of the late J. M. Comstock.
Mrs. Comstock was a life long resident of Crawford County, coming to Arkansas from Iowa with her parents. She was the oldest member of the Wood Memorial Christian Church in Van Buren.
Survivors include two sons, Ira V. and Paul, both of Van Buren; four daughters, Mrs. John Rainwater and Mrs.. Maude Redmon of Van Buren, Mrs Cy Carney, Sr, of Fayetteville, Ark., and Mrs A. C. Clark of Little Rock; three sisters, Mrs. Ola Haggard of Van Buren, Mrs. Mina Matlock of Fort Smith, and Mrs Zella Comstock of Durant, Okla.; 12 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Ocker Funeral Home.

Arkansas Democrat, Little Rock, AR, Thursday, Nov 21, 1963, p.23
Mrs. Ellen Comstock
VAN BUREN - Funeral for Mrs. Ellen Comstock, 96, of Van Buren, who died Tuesday in her home, was today in the Wood Memorial Christian Church. Burial was in Graceland Cemetery by Ocker Funeral Home. Survivors include two sons, Ira V. Comstock and Paul Comstock of Van Buren; four daughters, Mrs. John Rainwater and Mrs. Maude Redmon of Van Buren, Mrs. Cy Carney, Sr., of Fayetteville, and Mrs. A. C. Clark of Little Rock; three sisters, Mrs. Ola Haggard of Van Buren, Mrs. Mina Matlock of Fort Smith, and Mrs. Zella Comstock of Durant, Okla. 12 Grandchildren, 19 great-grandchilden, and three great, great, grandchildren (one of these was my eldest son and I have a five-generation picture).

Funeral Record from Ocker Funeral Home, Van Buren.
Mrs. Ellen Comstock, widow. Deceased husband, J. M. Comstock. Estate handled by Ira Comstock. Date of Funeral: 21 Nov 1963; she died on the 19th. She was born 3 Apr 1867 - a note says (enroute to Ark) Kansas. [I've never heard of this previously - was she born on the trail while they were returning to Arkansas???] Her residence was 524 North 13th St., Van Buren. Her phsycian was Dr. M. C. Edds - she had suffered a long illness. Her father was J. C. Wood; her mother's name not given. Services were at Wood Memorial Christian Church; burial at Gracelawn Cemetery.

Birth	3 Apr 1867	Douglas County, Kansas
Marriage	26 Oct 1884	Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas - JAMES MONROE "MON" COMSTOCK
Death	19 Nov 1963	Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas

Spouse	JAMES MONROE "MON" COMSTOCK (1860 - 1928)
Child	Dora Comstock (1886 - 1886)
Child	KENNEY MARCUS COMSTOCK (1887 - 1958)
Child	Nora Hessa Comstock (1889 - 1973)
Child	Lelia Ethel Comstock (1890 - 1904)
Child	Ira Vard Comstock (1892 - 1968)
Child	Fannie Maude Comstock (1894 - 1988)
Child	Edna Eugenia Comstock (1899 - 1956)
Child	Letisha Miranda "Lettie" Comstock (1901 - 1980)
Child	Rebecca Pauline Comstock (1905 - 1984)
Child	Ruel Paul Comstock (1906 - 1991)

Father	JOSEPH CHRISTOPHER WOOD (1841 - 1927)
Mother	LETITIA ANN MAYBERRY (1844 - 1926)
Sibling	Charles W. Wood ( - )
Sibling	Dr. Thomas Franklin "Frank" Wood (1865 - 1931)
Sibling	Andrew Bartholamew Christopher "Bob" Wood (1869 - 1958)
Sibling	Dora E. Wood (1870 - 1876)
Sibling	Antoinette "Ettie" Wood (1874 - 1925)
Sibling	Nancy E. "Nannie" Wood (1875 - )
Sibling	Walter M. Wood (1879 - 1916)
Sibling	Viola "Ola" Wood (1881 - 1969)
Sibling	Mina Omega "Minnie" Wood (1884 - 1964)
Sibling	Zella May Wood (1887 - 1966)