WILLIAM LACK, born in 1790 in Virginia. He married Mary Ann on 27 Oct. 1815 in Campbell Co., Va.. He died between 1835-39 in Smith County, Tenn.

They had two sons, William Bransford., born in 1833; and Benjamin, born 17 June 1857 and died 13 Aug. 1923 in Henrietta, Texas. William and Mary Ann Lack are listed in the Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, Vol. 6.

 His son was Dr. WILLIAM BRANSFORD LACK, born in 1833 in Tennessee, and who married MARY E. VANCE, born in 1835. It was from these two that our branch of the family descended, but records are scarce. They moved to Big Flat about 1858.

William Bransford fought in the Civil War for the Confederacy in the 27^th Regiment Arkansas Infantry. He enlisted in 1862 in Locust Grove, Camp Bragg, Ark., and served until 1864.

After Mary E. died , William Bransford married HENRIETTA CYPERT  in Big Flat, Ark. , between 1878 and 1903. She was daughter of Henry L. and Nancy Cypert.

He died in betweem 1894-99..

  THIRD GENERATION

 William Bransford and Mary E. Vance Lack were parents of  two sons, John Benjamin Lack, b. 17 June, 1857 and d. 13 Aug. 1925.

And, WILLIAM RAMSEY LACK, born 5 May 1859 in Big Flat, (Searcy Co.), Ark. And died in 1925. He married SARAH KATHERINE LANCASTER , who was born  18 Aug. 1856, and died xxxx.

William Bransford and  his second wife, Henrietta Cypert, had eight children, including Nancy Jane, David L., James Peter, George B., Thomas Frank, Martha Belle, Mannion Fate and Joseph King (“Jode”) Lack..

FOURTH GENERATION

 William Ramsey and Sarah  Katherine Lancaster Lack were parents of seven children, including John Estel Lack (1893-1977) , Mae Susan Lack (1877-1881), William B. Lack (1880-1934), Nancy Evey Lack (1882-1955), Dollie Susan Lack (1885-1944), Betty Ann Lack (1888-1996) and Mittie Mae Lack (1891-1990).

JOHN ESTEL LACK was born 27 Sept. 1893 in Big Flat, Ark., and died  29 Oct. , 1977 in Okemah, Oklahoma.; He married  LEONA MAE HENRY, on 7 Nov., 1915 at Big Flat, Ark.. She was born in Lamont, (Pettis Co.) Mo., on 3 Feb.1892 and died in Okemah on 21 Sept., 1967. Mae and John moved the family from Big Flat, Ark.  to Okemah, Okla., in 1936.                                                                  

On the trip, their truck wrecked and all their belongings destroyed.  The family burned sticks of the furniture to keep warm during the night while help was coming.

They settled in the Sand Springs community, south of Okemah and were supplied household equipment by well-off Henry relatives, who sent them boxes of china, large bolts of material, from which Mae made the children’s clothes and cotton beds to sleep on, a luxury as they had just been accustomed to hay and feather-beds in Arkansas.

They farmed cotton on the 80 acres there. Their wood-framed house burned in 1939, but they rebuilt on the site.

Later they moved to town and lived at 707 East Broadway where John was a carpenter and Mae was a seamstress. She was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church and he loved to fish. Both Mae and John were talented artisans.

John enjoyed music all his life and could play the guitar, fiddle, harmonica and mandolin. He was also a caller for square dances. He loved to whittle and work in his shop, making fishing lures, nodding dolls and doll furniture for his grandchildren whom he loved to tease. Later he crafted fine clocks and cabinets for the community.

John was an avid fisherman who made his own fishing boat and trolling motor and walked to the Okemah lake several times a day to fish.

Mae was known for the large meals she prepared for the family on the farm. A daily breakfast would include several types of meat, eggs, pancakes, 60 scratch biscuits and gravy. It was said to be “big enough for a thrashing crew.” Her other specialties were chicken and dumplings and fresh peach cobbler. She hand washed clothes every week on a tub and washboard and hung them on the line to dry.

She sewed custom-made dresses for many members of the community and made doll clothes for the grandchildren. Mae and John had seven children.

  FIFTH GENERATION 

I.                   JOHN RALPH LACK. He was born 5 June 1916 in Big Flat, Ark., and  died  29 March 1988 in Santa Rosa or Grants (?), N.M.,while traveling. At the time of his death he resided in Tulsa, Ok. He married Dorthy Marie Medlar, born  29 Aug. 1919 in Reading, Pa., on 7 Nov. 1942 in Reading, Pa. He served in World War II as a master sargeant and returned to Oklahoma where he was a longtime DX-Sunray Oil Refinery employee until he retired in 1983. They had two children. Dorthy  died May 16, 2004 in Tulsa, Okla.

II  KENNETH CLAY LACK. He was born 15 Feb. 1918 in Big Flat, Ark., and  lived in Oklahoma from 1936. He died May 26, 1993  He graduated from Weleetka High School in 1938 and in 1941 entered the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corp., serving five years in Japan and Alaska, as well as in the U.S.  On 2 March 1943, he married the former (LIVING). After being discharged from the military, they moved to Tulsa, where he was employed with Sun Oil Co. until his retirement. They then moved to Prue where they enjoyed fishing and gardening.  Kenneth and his wife  had two sons. Douglas Kent Lack was born October 29, 1954 and died February 11, 1991 in Tulsa, Okla.

  II.                HELEN AVIS LACK  (Smith) She was born 11 Jan. 1920 in Big Flat, Ark., and died on 13 Dec. 1983 in Lompoc, Calif. She attended Okemah High School, graduating in 1940.  She was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, attaining the rank of sergeant. She received the American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the WAAC Service Medal. She married John Edward Smith, who died 10 Aug.1970. He was a career Air Force officer and they traveled around the world, living in Germany, Okinawa and Greenville, S.C. They moved to Lompoc, Calif., in1960, where Helen was a member of  the Valley of  Flowers Half Century Club. They had two daughters.

  IV.CHARLES JENNINGS LACK. He was born in Big Flat, Ark., on 17 Oct., 1922 and died  25 Jan. 1996 in Tulsa.  After his family moved to Oklahoma, he attended school in Okemah, but never graduated after a mule accident broke his arm. He was a long-time resident of Tulsa, retiring in 1982 from Sun Oil Co., after a 31-year career. He served as maintenance superintendent for Sun Oil in both Tulsa and Monrovia, Liberia, Africa. After retirement he served as publications director for the National Iris Society.  He married (LIVING)  15 April 1945 in Richmond, Calif. They had two sons .

    V.                 LACK DAUGHTER LIVING (Danenhour). She was born 10 Feb. 1925 in Big Flat . She graduated from Okemah High School in 1943 and is still living.  She married Russell Ray Danenhour on 10 Nov.1944. Russell was born 6 July 1923 in Kiowa, Okla. He was the son of Benjamin Franklin and Jewel Adams and the descendant of early Choctaw Indian settlers. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He worked as a truck driver, butcher and grocer before establishing himself as a cattle rancher with 920 acres near Bearden.  He retired in 1974.  He died Sept. 18, 2002.

For a short time they lived in Hemet, Calif., but returned to Okemah in 1985. They have two daughters

    VI.              ELIZABETH JANE LACK (Rhea McCurdy), born 18 Nov. 1926 at Big Flat, Ark., and died 17 June 17 1997.  She attended and graduated from Okemah High School in 1944. She married Tom Rhea of the Lone Star community in 1945. Tom Rhea died 7 Feb. 1964.  Liz worked at the Okemah National Bank, Tulsa Federal Savings and Loan, then moved to Hemet, Calif. and was employed with American Savings and Loan until her retirement. She was an operations officer and in charge of public relations. She traveled to several foreign countries in her work and received several plaques.

She married (LIVING) in 1972 in Lompoc, Calif. Tom and Elizabeth Lack Rhea had one son:

VII. LACK  SON LIVING                     

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