Blog 19: Genealogy of Serial Killers, Cult Leaders, Murderers and Miscreants - David Koresh Part I - David Koresh's Grandparents

Trigger Warning: Family Violence, Emotional Abuse, Substance and Alcohol Abuse, Physical Abuse, Mental Abuse, Childhood Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Child Sexual Abuse. Please do not continue if any of the above topics trigger you.

Understanding the Impact of Generational Trauma through Genealogy.

David Koresh, born Vernon Lee Howell, was once a child who loved living with his grandma, but is best remembered as a cult leader and for a standoff/ raid on his Branch Davidian Compound in Waco, TX that resulted in the deaths of 88 members on 19 April 1993.

By examining generational trauma and historical context through genealogical methodology, we may begin to uncover the systemic and psychological factors that contributed to his transformation.

Contradictions in Information

Genealogists work with a range of primary, secondary, and tertiary sources to reach evidence-based conclusions. However, inconsistencies are frequent—particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries—where documentation may vary or be absent altogether. Information may include contradictions or what is referred to as “Negative Evidence.” Such discrepancies, including contradictions in names, dates, and locations, may be attributed to linguistic barriers, low literacy, shifting political borders, human error, and recordkeeping practices. In some cases, unexpected or incomplete information can be just as telling as the data that exists.

Names will be spelled differently across documents, and first names may shift.

Paternal Grandparents of David Koresh

James Calvin Howell Jr.	Oma Virginia "Jean" Jefferies
b. 9 August 1916 d. 3 October 1950	b. 4 July 1924 d. 8 March 2001

Formative Years: James Calvin Howell Jr. and Oma Virginia Jeffries

James Calvin Howell Jr. was born on 9 August 1916 in Tom Bean, Grayson County, Texas, to James Calvin Howell Sr. and Tnitchie Viola Flowers.[1] He was the son of a farmer, growing up in rural Northeast Texas, just north of Dallas.[2] The 1920 U.S. Federal Census records the Howell family living together in a modest household. At that time, the three children were all quite young—the eldest five years old, the youngest just thirteen months. James, then slightly over three, occupied the position of middle child. One detail in the census stands out: James Calvin Sr., age 37, listed “no occupation. [3]” This absence of employment information during a period when most rural men were engaged in farming or manual labor raises questions about the family’s circumstances at the time. Equally striking is the age difference between James’s parents. His mother, Tnitchie, was only 21 years old, while his father was 37. The later 1930 Federal Census offers clarification, noting that the couple had married when Tnitchie was 15 and James Sr. was 31. [4] Such age gaps were not unusual in early twentieth-century rural Texas, where economic security and land ownership often influenced marital arrangements.

The marriage between James Sr. and Tnitchie Flowers, underscores a practice that, while increasingly rare, still persists. Child marriage—defined as marriage under the age of eighteen—was not uncommon in early twentieth-century America, particularly in rural or economically constrained regions where early unions were viewed as socially or economically advantageous. Although such marriages have steadily declined over the last century, they continue to remain protected in many U.S. states. Unlike many countries with uniform marriage laws, the United States has no federally mandated minimum age for marriage. Instead, each state retains authority to determine its own marriageable age and to establish exceptions as they see fit. As a result, several states have continued to permit the marriage of minors—sometimes even below the legal age of consent—through judicial or parental exemptions. This legal inconsistency has meant that unions which would otherwise meet the definition of statutory rape may remain lawful under the banner of marriage.[5]

In Texas, for example, an estimated 40,000 minors—predominantly girls—were married between 2000 and 2017. Based on statutory frameworks in effect during that period, 14 to 20 percent of those marriages would have violated state sexual-consent laws had the participants not been legally wed.[6] The age of consent in Texas is 17, though the so-called “Romeo and Juliet” exception permits consensual sexual relations when the younger party is at least 14 and the older is less than three years older[7]. Recognizing the persistent loopholes that allowed child marriage to continue, Texas enacted Senate Bill No. 1705 in 2017, restricting marriage under the age of 18 to emancipated minors only. Parental consent alone no longer suffices. Ongoing legislative discussions continue to push for a full prohibition on marriage under 18, closing the final gap that permits child marriage in the state.[8] David Koresh too would be remembered for having minor “brides.”

Oma Virginia “Jean” Jefferies, later the wife of James Calvin Howell Jr. and paternal grandmother of David Koresh (Vernon Wayne Howell), was born on 4 July 1924 in Madison County, East Texas, to James Isaac Augustus “Gus” Jefferies and Columbia “Lumbia” Moore Jefferies.[9] In 1930, Gus rented a home on a farm and farmed for his and his family’s livelihoods. The 1930 U.S. Federal Census shows the family renting a farm, with household members including Gus (40), Lumbia (45), and their children: Bennie (15), Dora (10), Doris (8), and Virginia/Jean (6). Their situation was typical of East Texas farmers during the difficult years of the Great Depression.[10] By 1940, however, the household had changed considerably. Gus Jefferies no longer appeared with the family. The census lists Lumbia as a widow with a fifth-grade education, working as a seamstress for the WPA Sewing Room, a New Deal relief program. The census taker noted that she had been unemployed for 32 weeks in the previous year. Also living in the home was her daughter Jean (15), recorded—incorrectly—as a widow with a fifth-grade education. Notably, the census lists baby Bobby Wayne Howell, age 1, in the household. He was Jean’s son and would later become the father of David Koresh.[11] Neither woman, however, was truly widowed—raising immediate genealogical questions: Where were Jean’s husband, James Calvin Howell Jr., and her father, Gus Jefferies?

The Great Depression and the Dislocation of Families

The Great Depression hit the world at large hard. With unemployment peaking at 24.9 percent in 1933, and agricultural prices devastated by drought and decades of overfarming, countless rural families were forced to temporarily separate in search of livelihood. Men often became migrant laborers, traveling long distances for seasonal work, particularly in cotton regions. The Works Progress Administration (WPA), where Lumbia found employment, was one of the federal government’s primary relief efforts, hiring writers, artists, seamstresses, and construction laborers. Her inconsistent work record mirrors the unstable financial situation of many single or effectively single women during this era.[12]

Tracing the Whereabouts of Gus Jeffries

Gus Jefferies’s WWII Registration Card clarifies his absence from the 1940 household. He listed his permanent address as North Zulch, Madison County, Texas, but was employed by the Houston Shipbuilding Corporation in Houston, several hours from home. His emergency contact was listed as Mrs. Ruby Jefferies, not his wife, suggesting the couple may have separated prior to 1940. [13] Subsequent records place Gus in the 1950 Census as a carpenter living alone in Madison County. [14] His death certificate notes that he died on 26 May 1963, age 74, still married (but to another woman), residing at Route 1, North Zulch. He was buried in Willowhole Cemetery, Madison County.[15] 

The Whereabouts of James Calvin Howell Jr.

Jean’s partner and the father of her infant son, James Calvin Howell Jr., was also absent from the 1940 household. His World War II Draft Registration Card lists his permanent residence as Route 1, Sherman, Grayson County, Texas, living with his father, James Calvin Howell Sr. He further reported that he was temporarily “pulling cotton” near Littlefield, Texas[16]—a town in Lamb County, approximately 357 miles west of Sherman. [17]James Jr. enlisted on 2 September 1941 at Fort Sam Houston as a private. He was described on his registration card as:

• 6 feet 3 inches tall

• 145 pounds

• Brown eyes, blonde hair

• Light complexion[18]

• Occupation: “semiskilled chauffeurs and drivers—bus, taxi, truck, trailer”[19]

According to his Application for a Military Headstone, James Jr. later served as a Sergeant with the 310th Fighter Squadron, 58th Fighter Group (Air Corps) [20]  and previously with the 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group, Air Corps. [21] James Jr.’s life ended tragically early. On 3 October 1950, at just 34 years old, he burned to death in a car accident. He was buried in West Hill Cemetery in Sherman, Grayson County, Texas. [22]

A Family Fragmented

The 1940 census snapshot—three women and an infant living together, listed as “widows” though none were widowed—reveals the social strategies of survival among rural southern families. Women frequently reported themselves as widowed rather than abandoned or separated, a stigma-reducing choice that protected their social standing and eased interactions with relief agencies.

Meanwhile, both Gus and James Jr. were hundreds of miles away:

• Gus building ships in Houston,

• James Jr. picking cotton in West Texas,

• Lumbia working intermittent WPA sewing jobs,

• Jean raising a baby at only 15 years old.[23]

Early Life Together: Bobby Wayne Howell and Oma Virginia “Jean” Jeffries

After giving birth to her son Bobby Wayne Howell at the age of 15, Jean Jefferies returned to live with her mother, Lumbia Jefferies, in Madison County. Her brief relationship with James Calvin Howell Jr., Bobby’s biological father, did not continue, and Jean soon remarried. On 5 July 1940, at just 16 years old, Jean married Jerald E. Smith, age 25, in Grimes County, Texas. Bobby was only one year old at the time. This was Jean’s second marriage before reaching adulthood.[24]

-Jerald Smith: Murder to Early Parole-

Jerald’s life took a dramatic turn shortly after the marriage. The Texas Convict and Conduct Register lists a “Gerald Smith,” age 27, Baptist, with identifying scars on his right thumb and knee. He had completed 7.4 years of formal schooling, used tobacco, and had tested negative for sexually transmitted infections. His occupation was noted as mail manager. [25] In March 1940, just three months before he and Jean get married, Jerald was arrested and charged with the murder of one man and shooting of another at a Tavern.[26] On 17 October 1942, Jerald was convicted of murder and sentenced to five years in prison. His incarceration lasted two years, with another two years on a conditional pardon, ending in a successful discharge on 1 September 1946.[27] During his imprisonment, Jerald maintained good conduct. He earned “trusty” status on 12 November 1943, signaling a high level of compliance and reliability within the prison system. Remarkably, he was granted several reprieves—temporary releases—and returned voluntarily each time. He also received a conditional pardon on 29 July 1944.[28]  At this time in Texas, the system of paroles and conditional pardons was still in its infancy with mostly volunteers supervising parolees. Overcrowded prisons, coupled with labor shortages during World War II, encouraged state officials to release incarcerated men who could contribute to the war effort by joining the military or working in essential industrial labor.

-Family Life and Later Years-

Jerald and Jean went on to have four daughters and three sons together. On Jerald’s obituary, Bobby Wayne Howell—Jean’s son from her first relationship—is listed among his children, suggesting that Jerald informally or formally embraced the role of father figure during part of Bobby’s life.[29] Jerald and Jean do get divorced, which likely occurred before Jean’s next marriage on 10 September 1963. [30] Jerald died on 30 November 1975 of carcinoma of the right lung. His death certificate lists his marital status as divorced. He was buried in Oakland Cemetery in Anderson County next to his mother. [31] Jean remarried once more following her divorce from Jerald. On 10 September 1963, she married Johnnie Jerry Holub in Fort Bend County, Texas, near Houston. [32] They had one child, making Jean the mother of a blended and complex family.  

Jerald Smith spent two years in litigation and another 4 years either in prison or under court supervision early in Bobby’s life. Bobby grew up in a single-mother household until he was around 7 years old. Early in Bobby’s life, Jerald and Jean were a part of the Baptist Church. Bobby attended school. According to school enrollment records, Bobby was enrolled in District 13 of Grimes County, White, Roans Prairie, from 1953 – 1954.[33]

Maternal Grandparents of David Koresh

Vernon Lee Clark	Erline Smith
b. 22 September 1922 d. 7 December 1985	b. 18 April 1924 d. 18 August 2009

Formative Years: Vernon Lee Clark and Erline Smith

Vernon Lee Clark was born on 22 September 1922 in Wood County, Texas, to Ezra Vernon Clark and Mary Ursey Gill. The 1930 U.S. Federal Census lists the family residing on a rented farm, with Vernon’s father recorded as Vernon E. Clark[34] though later documents consistently identify him as Ezra Vernon Clark.[35] Ezra was a farmer, typical of rural East Texas families whose livelihoods depended on small-scale agriculture.[36]

Vernon was the child of Ezra’s second marriage. The 1910 census shows Ezra as a widower, age 27, living with two children from his first marriage while employed as a hired hand on his brother William’s farm.[37] By the time of Vernon’s birth, Ezra had remarried, but his death in 1931 left nine-year-old Vernon fatherless during one of the most economically devastating periods in modern history.[38]

Growing up amid the Great Depression, Vernon came of age in an era of deep hardship. Over-farmed lands, collapsing cotton prices, and widespread unemployment defined the daily struggles of rural Texas families. As he reached adulthood, a new global crisis emerged: World War II. By 1942, Vernon was living in San Antonio, Texas, according to his World War II Draft Registration Card. He was employed at a machine shop and was already married to Erline Smith,[39] with whom he would have his first child before his military service began.[40] Vernon was drafted into the U.S. Army on 28 February 1944, joining thousands of young Texans called to service during the war.[41]

Erline Smith was born on 18 April 1924 in Bastrop, Texas, to James Cope Smith and Dollie Tillman Smith. The Smith family were also part of Texas’s rural farming class, with James working the land and Dollie maintaining the household.[42] The 1930 U.S. Federal Census shows that education held a valued place in the family. All members over the age of seven could read and write, and the school-aged children—Gerald (11) and J.C. (8)—were listed as “unpaid family workers,” reflecting the dual demands of schooling and agricultural labor in Depression-era Texas. [43] By the 1940 Census, fifteen-year-old Erline had completed the eighth grade and was still enrolled in school, as were all of her younger siblings. In a time and place where economic hardship often curtailed education, the Smith family’s commitment to literacy and schooling underscored their determination to provide stability and opportunity for their children. [44]

Life Together: Vernon Lee Clark and Erline Smith

Vernon Lee Clark enlisted in the U.S. military on 28 February 1944, during the height of World War II.[45] His official enlistment record does not specify a branch of service; however, subsequent hospital admission records provide a clearer picture of his wartime experience. Cross-referencing his service number on Fold3 and Ancestry databases reveals four key documents—his enlistment record and three separate hospitalizations—all identifying him as “Vernon L. N. Clark.” Clark’s first hospitalization occurred in March 1944, only weeks after enlistment, and he was released back to duty in June 1944. He was noted as enlisted in the Air Force (General or Unspecified) and treated for an inner ear infection and Bell’s Palsy.[46] A subsequent hospitalization in March 1945 listed his unit as part of the “Air Force, Other Service Support Units (non-flying)”—indicating that while he served in the aviation branch, he was not assigned to flight operations. His admission was due to injuries sustained in a fight, and he was released back to duty following recovery.[47] Because the U.S. Air Force did not exist as a separate military branch until 1947, Vernon’s wartime service would have been under the U.S. Army Air Forces (AAF)—the aerial warfare branch of the U.S. Army during World War II.[48]

Bonnie Sue Clark, David Karesh’s mother, was the second of seven children born to Vernon and Erline. Their early years were spent in the San Antonio, TX area, where they lived in a little town called Atascosa. Vernan was a fervent Seventh-day Adventist, even donating part of his land to build a Church near him and his family.[49]

Seventh-Day Adventist Church

The Seventh-day Adventist faith would become a defining influence in the spiritual lives of Vernon Clark, his wife Erline, and their daughter Bonnie Sue. The movement, which emerged from the broader Protestant Christian tradition, centers its doctrine on several key theological principles: that the Sabbath should be observed on Saturday, the seventh day of the week; that salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ; and that the Second Coming of Christ is imminent. All scripture is to be believed literally. Central to Adventist belief is a literal interpretation of Scripture, with particular emphasis on the spiritual gifts described by the Apostle Paul— [50] wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, speaking in tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.[51]

Among these, prophecy occupies a central role. Adventists hold that modern prophets continue to reveal divine truths “lost” during earlier eras of Christian history under Paganism.[52] The most influential of these prophetic voices was Ellen G. White (1827–1915), whose visions shaped the theological and social trajectory of the church. In 1844, White experienced a vision concerning the Second Coming of Christ, warning of the spiritual dangers facing the church.[53] Her credibility as a prophet grew as her visions were perceived to come true. One early instance involved her discernment of a fraudulent revivalist preacher, Hiram Patch, whose subsequent exposure for embezzlement confirmed her prophetic warning. Another pivotal vision occurred on 12 January 1861, when she foretold that members of her congregation would “see the deaths of their sons”—a prophecy realized with the outbreak of the American Civil War later that same year.[54] Under White’s influence, the Seventh-day Adventist Church expanded rapidly, combining apocalyptic expectation with progressive social reform. The denomination became known for its global network of sanitariums, hospitals, and schools, and for its active stance on issues such as abolitionism, poverty relief, and humanitarian care. The church’s opposition to slavery and caste systems reflected its belief in the moral equality of all people before God.[55]

Vernon Clark and Erline Smith Continued

Bonnie Sue Clark, Vernon and Erline’s daughter, claimed that she did not meet her father until she was around 18 months old, as he was serving in the military during her infancy.  After completing his service, Vernon found steady employment in San Antonio, first as a mechanic at Kelly Field[56]—as documented in the 1948 San Antonio City Directory[57] —and later as a repairman in the 1951 directory. [58] The Clarks had 5 children: Garry Vernon[59], Bonnie Sue[60], Janie[61], Beverly[62],  and Sharon Rose[63].

They later relocated to Houston, TX where Vernon worked in construction as a framing carpenter. Due to limited funds, the family moved around the lot. Despite limited means, Erline prioritized a Christian education for her children, sending them to Seventh-day Adventist schools whenever possible. However, family life was far from harmonious. Vernon’s alcoholism caused recurring conflict within the household, particularly with his eldest son, Garry, who eventually ran away to live with his maternal uncle for several years.[64]

Bonnie recalled that although her father had once donated land for the establishment of a Seventh-day Adventist church, her mother often lacked transportation to attend services, and the family’s church attendance was irregular. As a child, Bonnie contributed to the family’s survival and her own education. In the seventh grade, she worked in the school kitchen at lunchtime to help pay her tuition. It was during this period, at the age of 13, that she met Bobby Wayne Howell (18), the man who would become the father of her child, Vernon Wayne Howell—later known as David Koresh.[65] Bobby, then 18 years old, offered Bonnie a ride to school one morning. When they arrived, he kissed her—a gesture that was witnessed by the school principal. The incident resulted in Bonnie’s expulsion from the Adventist school, forcing her to transfer to public school. Though Vernon refused to allow the young couple to marry due to Bonnie’s age, she soon became pregnant at 14. Once her condition became known, Vernon reluctantly consented to the marriage, but Bobby withdrew from the arrangement. Despite the disappointment, Bonnie remained with her parents, who allowed her to stay in the family home and helped her raise her infant son.[66] She maintained a cordial relationship with Bobby’s mother, Jean Holub, who also offered assistance. However, it was Bonnie’s own mother, Erline, who provided the most consistent care for young David, helping him during his earliest years.[67]

Later Years and Legacy: Vernon Clark and Erline Smith Continued

A later entry in Polk’s Greater Dallas City Directory (1967) lists Vernon as working as a carpenter, situating him within the working-class labor economy that would define much of his early adulthood. [68] Erline Smith will be pivotal in helping her daughter Bonnie raise her son David. When David’s father chose to stay out of the picture and Bonnie was making poor choices in men and relationships, Erline stepped in to help raise David.

Genealogy Continued in Blog 20: David Koresh, his parents and Religious Evolution

Citations

[1] “Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903-1982 ,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2272/images/40394_b062373-02880?pId=22016581 : accessed 27 October 2025), death certificate image, James Calvin Howell, 3 October 1950, no. 47135 image 5 of 45; citing Texas Department of State Health Services; Austin Texas, USA; Texas Death Certificates, 1903–1982.

[2] 1930 U.S. census, Grayson County, Texas, Justice Precinct 1, page 7851 penned, enumeration district (ED) 91-13, sheet 7B, dwelling 132, family 135, James C Howell; imaged, “1930 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4547960_00971?pId=63657972 : accessed 29 October 2025).

[3] 1920 U.S. census, Grayson County County, Texas, Justice Precinct 1, page 8808 (penned), enumeration district (ED) 66, sheet 19B, dwelling 363, family 392, J C Howell; imaged, “1920 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4390415_00626?pId=22747279 : accessed 4 November 2025).

[4] 1930 U.S. census, Grayson County, Texas, Justice Precinct 1, page 7851 penned, enumeration district (ED) 91-13, sheet 7B, dwelling 132, family 135, James C Howell; imaged, “1930 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4547960_00971?pId=63657972 : accessed 29 October 2025).

[5] Child Marriage or Statutory Rape? A Comparison of Law and Practice Across the United States Van Roost, Kaya et al. Journal of Adolescent Health, Volume 70, Issue 3, S72 - S77

[6] Ibid.

[7] FindLaw.com - Texas Penal Code - PENAL § 21.11. Indecency With a Child - last updated January 01, 2024  (https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/penal-code/penal-sect-21-11/ accessed 4 November 2025)

[8] Laws of the State of Texas, SB 1705, Passed at the 85 (R) Session of the Legislature, Enacted 1 September 2017, Van Taylor, author of the bill, Texas Legislature Online (https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/85R/billtext/html/SB01705F.HTM accessed on 4 November 2025).

[9] Madison, Texas, United States records, images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99VD-G2FQ?view=explore : Oct 28, 2025), image 28 of 78; Image Group Number: 007611577, entry for Oma Virginia Jeffries, 1924.

[10] 1930 U.S. census, Madison County County, Texas, Justice Precinct 1, page 43 stamped, enumeration district (ED) 157-4, sheet 6A, dwelling 109, family 109, Virginia Jeffries; imaged, “1930 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4547354_00090?pId=62066193 : accessed 29 October 2025).

[11] 1940 U.S. census, Madison County County, Texas, Justice Precinct 1, page 11 of 57, enumeration district (ED) 157-1, sheet 5A, dwelling 112, Virginia Jeffries; imaged, “1940 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2442/images/m-t0627-04102-00056?pId=158431192 : accessed 29 October 2025).

[12] National Archives, Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, text (https://www.fdrlibrary.org/great-depression-facts#:~:text=This%20new%20relationship%20included%20the,to%20such%20a%20degree%20before. : accessed 5 November 2025), Great Depression Facts.

[13] "U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1002/images/004145508_01320?pId=12245068 : accessed 10 November 2025), card for James Isic Augusta Jeffries, serial no. U36, Local Board No. 1: Madison County, TX; United States, Selective Service System, Selective Service Registration Cards, World War II: Fourth Registration, Records of the Selective Service System, Record Group Number 147, National Archives and Records Administration.

[14] 1950 U.S. census, Madison County County, Texas, Precinct 4, enumeration District (ED) 157-15, sheet 10, household 114, line 30, J A Jefferies; imaged, “1950 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/62308/images/43290879-Texas-058144-0011?pId=188361971 : 10 November 2025).

[15] “Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903-1982,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2272/records/23050202?tid=205728462&pid=142715511631&queryId=b96a4d83-0d0d-4b42-8532-1141db0434c6&_phsrc=nyT2065&_phstart=successSource : accessed 28 October 2025), death certificate image, James Augusta Jeffries, 26 May 1963, no. 434126 image 15 of 37; citing Texas Department of State Health Services; Austin Texas, USA; Texas Death Certificates, 1903–1982.

[16] "U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2238/images/44040_04_00079-01194?pId=19872725 : accessed 27 October 2025), card for James C. Howell, serial no. 3372, order number 1211, Local Board 2: Sherman, Grayson County, TX; National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Texas, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 726, front.

[17] Google maps

[18] "U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2238/images/44040_04_00079-01195?pId=19872725 : accessed 27 October 2025), card for James C. Howell, serial no. 3372, order number 1211, Local Board 2: Sherman, Grayson County, TX; National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Texas, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 726.

[19] "United States, World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMFY-JBK : Wed Sep 17 17:39:23 UTC 2025), Entry for James C Howell, 02 Sep 1941.

[20] Application for Headstone for Military Veterans, database with images, “U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2375/records/1633478?tid=205728462&pid=142715511137&queryId=3621b710-b44c-4f00-966f-41cfc27494fe&_phsrc=nyT2093&_phstart=successSource : accessed 29 October 2025) for James C. Howell, 17 January 1951 > image 1549 of 3804; citing NARA microfilm M1916; Record Group 92: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General; National Archives at Washington DC; Washington DC, USA, Applications for Headstones For U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1941.

[21] Application for Headstone for Military Veterans, database with images, “U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2375/records/1633478?tid=205728462&pid=142715511137&queryId=3621b710-b44c-4f00-966f-41cfc27494fe&_phsrc=nyT2093&_phstart=successSource : accessed 29 October 2025) for James C. Howell, 17 January 1951 > image 1550 of 3804; citing NARA microfilm M1916; Record Group 92: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General; National Archives at Washington DC; Washington DC, USA, Applications for Headstones For U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1941.

[22] “Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903-1982 ,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2272/images/40394_b062373-02880?pId=22016581 : accessed 27 October 2025), death certificate image, James Calvin Howell, 3 October 1950, no. 47135 image 5 of 45; citing Texas Department of State Health Services; Austin Texas, USA; Texas Death Certificates, 1903–1982.

[23] 1940 U.S. census, Madison County County, Texas, Justice Precinct 1, page 11 of 57, enumeration district (ED) 157-1, sheet 5A, dwelling 112, Virginia Jeffries; imaged, “1940 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2442/images/m-t0627-04102-00056?pId=158431192 : accessed 29 October 2025).

[24] “Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1837-1965,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9168/images/i1879165-00217?pId=224223077 : accessed 10 November 2025), marriage register image, Jerald E Smith and Virginia Jeffries, 5 July 1940, no. 216 image 218 of 645; citing Grimes County Clerks Office, Anderson, Texas, Marriage Records.

[25] "Texas, U.S., Convict and Conduct Registers, 1875-1954," database with images, Ancestry (Texas, U.S., Convict and Conduct Registers, 1875-1954: accessed 11 Nov 2025); Walker County, Texas, “B 099301-105140,” Entry 100325, State vs Gerald Smith, Murder, committed to prison 17 October 1942;

[26] Nemir, Lucile. Navasota Daily Examiner (Navasota, Tex), Vol 46, No. 8, Ed 1 Tuesday, March 12, 1940, database with images, (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1382405/m1/1 : accessed 12 November 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu.

[27] "Texas, U.S., Convict and Conduct Registers, 1875-1954," database with images, Ancestry (Texas, U.S., Convict and Conduct Registers, 1875-1954: accessed 11 Nov 2025); Walker County, Texas, “B 099301-105140,” Entry 100325, State vs Gerald Smith, Murder, committed to prison 17 October 1942;

[28] "Texas, U.S., Convict and Conduct Registers, 1875-1954," database with images, Ancestry (Texas, U.S., Convict and Conduct Registers, 1875-1954: accessed 11 Nov 2025); Walker County, Texas, “B 099640-101689,” Reg 100325, State vs Gerald Smith, Murder, committed to prison 17 October 1942.

[29] “Smith,” obituary of Jerald Edward Smith, The Houston Chronicle, 30 November 1975, p. 60 col. 5; imaged, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-houston-chronicle-1975-jerald-edward/184670773/ : accessed 11 November 2025).

[30] “Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1837-1965,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9168/images/3cd77c7e822004131d7172216db9821c?pId=923086482 : accessed 10 November 2025), marriage certificate image, Johnnie Jerry Holub and Oma Virginia Smith, 10 September 1963, no. 48710 image 13056 of 54735`; citing Fort Bend County Clerk's Office; Richmond, Texas; Fort Bend County Marriage Records, 1837-1965.

[31] "Jefferson, Texas, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https:// www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9B9Z-SQ71?view=index : Nov 11, 2025), image 2914 of 3516; Texas, State Registrar Office, Image Group Number: 005145743.

[32] “Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1837-1965,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9168/images/3cd77c7e822004131d7172216db9821c?pId=923086482 : accessed 10 November 2025), marriage certificate image, Johnnie Jerry Holub and Oma Virginia Smith, 10 September 1963, no. 48710 image 13056 of 54735`; citing Fort Bend County Clerk's Office; Richmond, Texas; Fort Bend County Marriage Records, 1837-1965.

[33] "Grimes, Texas, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-L3JM-PLD1?view=explore : Nov 14, 2025), image 29 of 303; Texas. County Court (Grimes County). Image Group Number: 107201597

[34] 1930 U.S. census, Wood County, Texas, Justice Precinct 3, page 8951 penned, enumeration district (ED) 250-11, sheet 5A, dwelling 77, family 82, Vernon Clark; imaged, “1930 U.S. Federal Census,” Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4547350_00171?pId=62163333 : accessed 20 October 2025).

[35] “Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903-1982,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2272/images/40394_b062019-01737?pId=22004101 : accessed 22 October 2025), death certificate image, Ezra Vernon Clark, 15 May 1931, no. 26539 image 18 of 51; citing Texas Department of State Health Services; Austin Texas, USA; Texas Death Certificates, 1903–1982.

[36] 1930 U.S. census, Wood County, Texas, Justice Precinct 3, page 8951 penned, enumeration district (ED) 250-11, sheet 5A, dwelling 77, family 82, Vernon Clark; imaged, “1930 U.S. Federal Census,” Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4547350_00171?pId=62163333 : accessed 20 October 2025).

[37] 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Hopkins County, Texas, Justice Precinct 1, page 4950 penned, enumeration district (ED) 54, sheet 22A, dwelling 260, family 263, Ezra V. Clark; imaged, “1910 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/records/124352844?tid=205728462&pid=142713982434&queryId=1bb1822f-4bf9-4d8b-a882-c303603b8d4a&_phsrc=nyT1726&_phstart=successSource : accessed 22 October 2025).

[38] “Texas, U.S., Death Certificates, 1903-1982,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2272/images/40394_b062019-01737?pId=22004101 : accessed 22 October 2025), death certificate image, Ezra Vernon Clark, 15 May 1931, no. 26539 image 18 of 51; citing Texas Department of State Health Services; Austin Texas, USA; Texas Death Certificates, 1903–1982.

[39] "U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards Young Men, 1940 - 1947," database with images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238/records/21158274 : accessed 20 October 2025), entry for Vernon Lee Clark, serial no. 161, Local Board Number 9: Bexar County, Texas; National Archives and Records Administration.

[40] "Texas, Birth Index, 1903-1997", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V695-5TN : Tue Feb 25 16:49:25 UTC 2025), Entry for Garry Vernon Clark and Vernon Lee Clark, 07 Jul 1942.

[41] "U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 21 October 2025), Vernon Clark, enlistment date 28 February 1944, Forth Sam Houston, TX; citing Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946 [Archival Database]; World War II Army Enlistment Records; Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 64.

[42] "Texas, Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4LLS-LKW2 : 12 March 2020), Erline Smith, 1924, p.54-C.

[43] "1930 U.S. Federal Census," Bastrop County, Texas, Justice Precinct 7, page 5151 penned, enumeration district (ED) 11-19, sheet 10A, dwelling 209, family 209, Erline Smith; imaged, “1930 U.S. Federal Census,” Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4547938_00556?pId=65790425 : accessed 20 October 2025).

[44] "1940 U.S. Federal Census," Bastrop County, Texas, Justice Precinct 7, enumeration district (ED) 11-20B, sheet 1A, dwelling 9, family, Erline Smith; imaged, “1940 U.S. Federal Census,” Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2442/images/m-t0627-04095-00213?pId=156727921 : accessed 8 October 2025).

[45] "U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 21 October 2025), Vernon Clark, enlistment date 28 February 1944, Fort Sam Houston, TX; citing Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946 [Archival Database]; World War II Army Enlistment Records; Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 64.

[46] “U.S., World War II Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954,” index only, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61817/records/17470493?tid=205728462&pid=142700115624&queryId=7da4be2f-beb7-4a30-8966-369825284863&_phsrc=nyT1775&_phstart=successSource : accessed 22 October 2025), entry for Vernon L.N. Clark (Enlisted, Air Force, General Unspecified); citing National Archives and Records Administration; Hospital Admission Card Files, ca. 1970 - ca. 1970; NAI: 570973; Record Group Number: Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army), 1775-1994; Record Group Title: 112.

[47] “U.S., World War II Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954,” index only, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61817/records/385773?tid=205728462&pid=142700115624&queryId=301e59a6-0b7f-4426-af4d-f174897d8778&_phsrc=nyT1739&_phstart=successSource : accessed 22 October 2025), entry for Vernon L.N. Clark (Enlisted, Air Force, Ground Crew/Other Service, Support Units); citing National Archives and Records Administration; Hospital Admission Card Files, ca. 1970 - ca. 1970; NAI: 570973; Record Group Number: Records of the Office of the Surgeon General (Army), 1775-1994; Record Group Title: 112.

[48] United States Air Force, United States Air Force, text (https://www.airforce.com/history : accessed 24 October 2025), About > History.

[49] Bonnie Haldeman, Memories of the Branch Davidians: The Autobiography of David Koresh's Mother (Waco, TX : Baylor University Press, 2007), 1 - 5; digital images, amazon.com (https://read.amazon.com/sample/1932792988?clientId=share : accessed 24 October 2025).

[50] Arthur S. Maxwell, “What is a Seventh-Day Adventist,” The Evening Sun (Baltimore, Maryland), 11 January 1965, p. 17 col. 5-7; imaged, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-sun/183705389/ : accessed 25 October 2025).

[51] Seventh Day Adventist Church, The Spirit of Prophecy: Treasure Chest, Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association for Prophetic Guidance School of the Voice of Prophecy, 1960: 190, 1960, p. 7.

[52] Arthur S. Maxwell, “What is a Seventh-Day Adventist,” The Evening Sun (Baltimore, Maryland), 11 January 1965, p. 17 col. 5-7; imaged, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-sun/183705389/ : accessed 25 October 2025).

[53] Seventh Day Adventist Church, The Spirit of Prophecy: Treasure Chest, Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association for Prophetic Guidance School of the Voice of Prophecy, 1960: 190, 1960, p. 9.

[54] Ibid., p. 38.

[55] “Thousands Pay Final Tribute to Mrs. Ellen White's Memory,” Battle Creek Moon - Journal (Battle Creek, MI), 24 July 1915, p. 2 col. 1 - 3; imaged, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/battle-creek-moon-journal/183704686/ : accessed 25 October 2025).

[56] Bonnie Haldeman, Memories of the Branch Davidians: The Autobiography of David Koresh's Mother (Waco, TX : Baylor University Press, 2007), 1 - 5; digital images, amazon.com (https://read.amazon.com/sample/1932792988?clientId=share : accessed 24 October 2025).

[57] “U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469/records/385534943?tid=205728462&pid=142700115624&queryId=a92a6a87-ca72-46f4-aa66-ccecf1f8edd3&_phsrc=nyT1781&_phstart=successSource : accessed 22 October 2025), entry for Vernon Clark; citing “San Antonio, Texas, City Directory, 1948 (Dallas, TX: John F Worley Directory Co., Publishers, 1948)," 227.

[58] “U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2469/images/4842049?usePUB=true&_phsrc=nyT1779&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true¤tPageIsStart=&useCurrentPageInfo=&showinfopanel=true&pId=385845198&treeid=205728462&personid=142700115624 : accessed 22 October 2025), entry for Vernon Clark; citing “San Antonio, Texas, City Directory, 1951 (Dallas, TX: John F. Worley Directory Co. Publishers, 1951)," 254.

[59] "Texas, Birth Index, 1903-1997", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V695-5TN : Tue Feb 25 16:49:25 UTC 2025), Entry for Garry Vernon Clark and Vernon Lee Clark, 07 Jul 1942.

[60] "Texas, Birth Index, 1903-1997", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V84G-R8H : Tue Feb 25 09:03:43 UTC 2025), Entry for Bonnie Sue Clark and Vernon Lee Clark, 08 Sep 1944.

[61] "Texas, Birth Index, 1903-1997", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V67F-4XX : Tue Feb 25 16:14:36 UTC 2025), Entry for Janie Clark and Vernon Lee Clark, 17 Nov 1946.

[62] "Texas, Birth Index, 1903-1997", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V63W-YFG : Tue Feb 25 17:33:12 UTC 2025), Entry for Beverly Clark and Vernon Lee Clark, 10 Dec 1954.

[63] "Texas, Birth Index, 1903-1997", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VDC7-8CZ : Tue Feb 25 13:48:13 UTC 2025), Entry for Sharon Rose Clark and Vernon Lee Clark, 10 Sep 1961.

[64] Bonnie Haldeman, Memories of the Branch Davidians: The Autobiography of David Koresh's Mother (Waco, TX : Baylor University Press, 2007), 1 - 5; digital images, amazon.com (https://read.amazon.com/sample/1932792988?clientId=share : accessed 24 October 2025) p.3.

[65] Ibid.,  p .4.

[66]Ibid., p. 5.

[67] Ibid., p.6.

[68] “U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2469/images/42748_356396-00568?pId=1530958045 : accessed 22 October 2025), entry for Vernon Clark; citing “ Polk´s Greater Dallas City Directory, 1967 (Dallas, TX: R.L.Polk & Co., 1967)," 283.