Birthdate: 10 November 1854
Birthplace: Tennessee
Death date: 1 March 1903
Place of death: Navarro County, Texas
Father:
Mother:
Marriage date: 21 April 1895
Marriage place: Navarro County, Texas
Wife: Elizabeth "Bettie" Ann FRENCH (AKA Annie SMITH)
Birthdate: 25 May 1859
Birthplace: Marshall County, Alabama
Death date: 1929
Place of death: Oklahoma
Father: Joseph Taylor FRENCH 1834-1919
Mother: Sarah GROSS 1834-1882
Child No. 1: Bruce Ramsey BILLS
Sex: M
Birthdate: 29 September 1899
Birthplace: Frost, Navarro, Texas
Death date: 14 February 1983
Place of death: Riverside, Riverside, California
Marriage date: 13 November 1924
Marriage place: Elmer, Jackson, Oklahoma
Spouse's name: Lucille Elva ELMS
Child No. 2: William Artice BILLS
Sex: M
Birthdate: 24 October 1897
Birthplace: Frost, Navarro, Texas
Death date: January 1969
Place of death:
Marriage date:
Marriage place:
Spouse's name:
Child No. 3: Infant BILLS
Sex: M
Birthdate:
Birthplace:
Death date:
Place of death:
Marriage date:
Marriage place:
Spouse's name:
Documentation: Bruce Ramsey Bills birth certificate.
James Artice Bills/Elizabeth Ann French marriage record.
Bills Family Records.
James Artice Bills is listed in the 1880 Census in Navarro County, Texas living with Robert Dysart Bills and family. He is listed as Robert's brother. However, Robert Dysart's mother, Mary Ann Dysart, was born 14 January 1806, which means she would have been 52 years old when James Artice was born. I have been told James Artice was a third or fourth cousin of Robert Dysart Bills, and that his parents died when he was very young. I have also been told he was the son of a J.A.W. Bills, living in Lamar County, Texas. This wouldn't explain why he was listed as Robert Dysart's brother. In all likelihood, James Artice's parents did die when he was very young, and he was raised in the household of Amos London Bills and Mary Ann Dysart. No record of his birth has ever been found. The only mention of James Artice's origins are in my grandfather's death certificate, where his name is listed and he is listed as being from Tennessee.
James Artice Bills was superintendent of the Sunday school at the Brushie Prairie Methodist Church in Navarro County, Texas until his death on 1 March 1903; he is buried at Brushie Prairie Cemetery. He lived in Tennessee, Navarro County (Texas) and perhaps in Oklahoma. While in Texas he lived with his cousin, Robert Dysart BILLS (son of Amos Landon BILLS and Mary Ann DYSART from Marshall County, Tennessee. He was married three times:
1) Elizabeth "Bettie" Ann FRENCH
2) R. Helen FRENCH
3) Annie SMITH
Elizabeth "Bettie" Ann French, daughter of Joseph Taylor French and Sarah Gross from Alabama, was born 25 May 1859 in Alabama, and died between 1929-1930 in Oklahoma
(probably near Altus). She was married three times as well:
1) James Artice BILLS
2) Thomas Oscar SMITH (2 April 1879 in Navarro County, Texas)
3) Samuel A. RITCHEY
