Family:James Oller and Martha Childers (1)

James Franklin "Frank Oller

James Franklin "Frank Oller, son of Elizabeth Catherine Smith and Leonard Oller, was born January 2, 1848 in Alexander County, Illinois,

James served in Company E, 60th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Union Army during the Civil War.

He is enumerated on July 13, 1870 in the US Census of Santa Fe, Alexander County, Illinois as ..

Martha Caroline Childers

Martha Caroline Childers, daughter of Rebecca Emeline McClusky and Stephen Childress, was born May 1850. in Arkansas Most likely Martha was born in Independance Township, Phillips County (now Lee Co.), Arkansas where she was enumerated as Martha C., a four month old, with her parents and older brother Andrew, in the September 30, 1850 US Census.

Frank Oller and Martha Childers Marriage

Frank Oller and Martha Childers were married on April 7, 1867 in Scott County, Missouri, just across the Mississippi River from Alexander County, Illinois. Martha and Frank had six children: Andrew Jackson, William Tapley, Nancy Emeline, George Washington, Cordelia, and David Elijah Oller.

(1) Andrew Jackson Oller

Andrew Jackson Oller was born between July 1868 and 1869 in Alexander County, Illinois, from enumeration information of the 1870 and 1880 US Census. Andrew married Ella Cauble. They had three known children: Gertrude, Victor, and William Oller. Nothing else is known of Gertrude Oller and Victor Oller.

--William Oller

William Oller was born on May 10, 1894. William Oller married Hilda Beatson who was born on August 16, 1895. They had five children: Gertrude, Irma, Mildred, Goldie and William Oller, Jr.. William Oller, Sr. died September 20, 1973 and is buried in Nashville, Illinois.

(2) William Tapley Oller

William Tapley Oller was born on December 28, 1869 in Alexander County, Illinois.

William died January 30, 1950 in Alexander County.

William is buried in Mill Creek, Union County, Illinois at St. John's Cemetery. A memorial page with a photo of his headstone is found on the Find-A-Grave website.

AEH-BK-025 states he bought "the Opera House located on Commercial Ave. between 6th and 7th Streets [Cairo, IL]. The Opera House was a major entertainment center with people traveling from miles around to shows on the circuit from St. Louis to Memphis. The last remembrance of that grand building is the chandelier that hangs in the Cairo Public Library." A photograph of William T. Oller is found on page 237 of AEH-BK-025.

(3) Nancy Emeline Oller

Nancy Emeline Oller was born December 1, 1871 in Diswood, Alexander County, Illinois. Emeline married Smith Henderson Denfip on April 19, 1896 in Olive Branch, Alexander County, Illinois. She died February 11, 1937 in Sandusky, Alexander County, Illinoisand is buried in Hargis Cemetery, Diswood. A memorial page with photo of the headstone is found on the Find-A-Grave website.

Possible Other Children

It has been noted that there is an eight year gap in the births of the known children. Their mother, Martha Caroline Childress Oller, died on October 15, 1887. At this point Nancy Emeline would have been almost 16 and able to take care of herself. George Washington was only seven and two of his cousins recall that he was placed in the care of the Millers in Miller City, Alexander County. The youngest known child, David Elijah was only one year old when his mother, who was blind by the time of his birth, died. Elijah “Lige” about 1896 went to live with the family of his older sister Nancy Emeline Oller Denfip. It is not known, at this time, where Elijah lived between his mother's death in 1887 and his sister's marriage in 1896. This researcher has been informed of at lease one report of an Oller adoption in Alexander County. This researcher has also been contacted by one woman in Villa Ridge who had been adopted and thought she may have been a member of this family.

(4) George Washington Oller

George Oller and his first wife Lillie Mae Brown are shown in this photo of their wedding day from Gary Oller’s website.

George Washington Oller was born February 17, 1880 in Alexander County, Illinois. About 1887, little George was living with “The Millers” in Miller City, Alexander County. In the US Census taken on June 28, 1900, George is enumerated as a servant in the household of William Lawrence in Sandusky, Alexander County.

About 1901 or 1902, George Washington Oller married Lillie Mae Brown. They had nine children. Lillie Mae Brown, the daughter of Sarah Miller and Leonard Brown, was born on April 8, 1886. Lillie died young on March 21, 1923 and is buried in Olive Branch Cemetery, Olive Branch, Alexander County, Illinois. A memorial page for Lillie, with a photo of her cemetery marker, is found on the Find-A-Grave website.

By 1926, George had married Susie Bell Morton and had a child born in February 1927. Susie Bell Morton had previously married a Bledsoe and had four children from the earlier marriage. George died on November 16, 1951 and is buried in Saint Johns Lutheran Cemetery, Dongola, Union County, Illinois. A memorial page for George, with a photo of his cemetery marker, is found on the Find-A-Grave website.

Susie Bell Morton Oller died on May 27, 1970 and is also and is buried in Saint Johns Lutheran Cemetery. A memorial page for Suzie Bell, with a photo of her cemetery marker is found on the Find-A-Grave website

(5) Cordelia Oller

Cordelia “Delia” Oller was born January 26, 1883 in Thebes, Alexander County, Illinois. Cordelia married Fred Heater on February 3, 1906. Fred had served in Company F of the 40th Regiment US Volunteers during the Spanish American War. They had four children. They had four children: Norman, Jesse, Mildred, and Anna Mae.

Fred Heater died on March 13, 1943 and is buried in Saint Johns Lutheran Cemetery, Dongola, Union County, Illinois. A memorial for Fred, with a photo of his cemetery marker, is found on the Find-A-Grave website.

Cordelia Oller Heater died March 18, 1954 in Tamms, Alexander County and is buried in Saint Johns Lutheran Cemetery, Dongola, Union County, Illinois. A memorial for her, with a photo of her cemetery marker, is found on the Find-A-Grave website.

(6) David Elijah Oller

David Elijah “Lige” Oller was born on February 7, 1887 most likely in Alexander County, Illinois. Two of his cousins have stated that his mother was blind by this time. Note that his mother died later that year on November 4, 1887. The cousins also stated that Lige latter lived with the family of his sister, Nancy Emeline Oller Denfip. However note that his sister was not married until April 19, 1896. It is not known where Lige lived up until that time.

Elijah was enumerated living with his sister, Emma Denfip’s family, in the US Census on June 18, 1900, in Sandusky Precinct, Alexander County. Emma, her husband Smith, and their two oldest daughters, Effie and Allie, are also enumerated.

By 1908, Elijah had married Maggie S. Powless, daughter of David Powless. They had two children. The first child died at birth and the second son was Asa Oller born on June 3, 1908.

Elijah died July 16, 1915. Maggie died March 23, 1952. It is not currently known where they are buried.