Person:Anna DeWitt (2)

According to the Sallie DeWitt 1981 genealogy, Anna Lucille DeWitt attended school both at Grand Prarie and Ft. Smith, Arkansas. She was called "Boss" or "Bossie" by her siblings. Her father, Lee DeWitt called her "Bruce". Her uncle Bob DeWitt called her "Brewster". Boss and her sister Deedie were especially fond of their aunt Mary Ellen (Lee DeWitt's sister), who was about 8 years older than them. Aunt Mary Ellen's nickname to the DeWitt children was 'Aunt Kid'. They would ride together to school in a surrey when they were all of elementary school age.

A few years after marrying Bill Hodgens, "Boss and Bill" moved to St. Louis, Missouri. Bossie's sister Deedie lived with them in St. Louis, and they both worked a short time in a date packing factory. Bossie's siblings John, Nellie and then Ruth all lived with the Hodgens' in St. Louis at various times, to complete their schooling. Bill was involved in working at an upholstery outfit in St. Louis, and according to my dad, Jerry T. Abshier, he and Boss were responsible for introducing Tony Abshier to Nellie DeWitt. Tony was involved in upholstery also, and he eventually brought that skill to California with him.

The Hodgens' eventually moved to Raymondville, and then to McAllen, Texas before locating permanently in Corpus Christi. There they operated their own upholstery business where Bossie was a cutter and seamstress. Bossie was a fabulous cook and all of the DeWitts looked forward to her big dinners. One memorable meal was Thanksgiving, 1975 when the Abshiers came from California and Bossie cooked two turkeys with cornbread dressing at the Raymondville home of her father, Lee DeWitt.

Bossie was the "sage" of the family - always being sought after for advice. She was known as "mama Cile" (pronounced "seel", from Lucille) to her grandchildren. According to the Sallie DeWitt 1981 genealogy, "Bossie" died of emphysema. Tragically, in almost every photo I have seen of Boss as an adult, she is holding a cigarrette in her hand. There is some disagreement in the Sallie DeWitt 1981 genealogy as to whether Bossie died on July 14th or July 15th. She donated her body to the University of Texas Medical School in Galveston, Texas.

1. ↑ Sallie Lee DeWitt. Research by Sallie DeWitt. (1981)
   ppg. 25, 32, 93.
2. ↑ Sallie Lee DeWitt. Research by Sallie DeWitt. (1981)
   ppg. 25, 32, 93.
3. ↑ Sallie Lee DeWitt. Research by Sallie DeWitt. (1981)
   ppg. 25, 32, 93.
4. ↑ Sallie Lee DeWitt. Research by Sallie DeWitt. (1981)
   pg. 32.
5. ↑ Sallie Lee DeWitt. Research by Sallie DeWitt. (1981)
   pg. 32.
6. ↑ Sallie Lee DeWitt. Research by Sallie DeWitt. (1981)
   pg. 32.
7. ↑ Sallie Lee DeWitt. Research by Sallie DeWitt. (1981)
   pg. 32.
8. ↑ Sallie Lee DeWitt. Research by Sallie DeWitt. (1981)
   pg. 32.
9. ↑ 1910 U.S. Census, Franklin Co., Hurricane Twp., Arkansas
   Series T524, Roll 50, Part 1, Sheet 2A.
10. ↑ 1920 U.S. Census Sebastian Co., Beverly Twp., Arkansas
    Roll T625_80, page 2B.
11. ↑ Sallie Lee DeWitt. Research by Sallie DeWitt. (1981)
    pg. 32.
12. ↑ Sallie Lee DeWitt. Research by Sallie DeWitt. (1981)
    pg. 32.