Texarkana Baptist Orphanage, Texarkana, AR

I know someone out there probably has pictures of the children who were in the care of Texarkana Baptist Orphanage. I only have one, and if you will click on this it will take you to it. This is the earliest picture I have of myself.

I was only in the home for a few short years. From late 48 to 50. But if anyone out there happens to have another picture with me in it, I surely would love to have a copy of it.

Plus I just got to talk with one of the people that's in the picture I have, Joann Clark. Her daughter Debra has been trying to find pictures of her mother in her early life for they have none except for the copy on the one I have which I sent them. Joann stayed in the orphanage until she was 18 years old. If you could help us in any way, I promise we would greatly appreciate it.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tent of wickedness."
Psalms 84:10

Texarkana Baptist Orphanage Picture

I posted the picture I have from Texarkana Baptist Orphanage on July 9, 2007, with great surprise Debra, daughter of one of the girls in this picture found it on the net.

Now I know who some of the people are in this picture, plus I have talked to her and her daughter on the telephone. We had quite a wonderful conversation. She could remember me and my brother, as well as things about the orphanage which I could not. Of course at that age I was a bit to young to remember anything.

Her name if Joann Clark Jones, she lives at Texarkana, which is about 50 miles from me. I have hopes that one evening in the future we can meet up and talk about old times. This is just unbelievable to me.

In the picture her sister Gale is setting to my left, them Dale is setting next to her. The setting right of me is her sister Norma, setting by her is their brother Jimmy Don, setting by him I Joann Clark Jones who I just talked with on the telephone.

Joann remember both my brother E W and me. This is so great, after so many years. How proud I am that I posted this picture on the internet. but I never dreamed of getting in touch with anyone in this picture after so many years.

Joann and some of her brothers and sisters grew up in the orphanage, some were adopted out. She told me which ones, but I surely fail to remember. I will find out and post it on here.

But what a great day July 17, 2007 has been. If this has happened, there is hope of other getting in touch with past friends and or family on this inter-net. If you have a picture of friend or family member post it on the net, be sure to but tags on it that is associated with something your friend and or family member might search for on the net. Debra found this picture of her mother by searching for "Texarkana Baptist Orphanage 1948."

I send hugs to Joann and all of her family, my prayers are that each one of them shall always have loved ones to share their life with, I rejoice that I now know them, this has been a great blessing to me.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tent of wickedness."
Psalms 84:10

The First Picture I Have of Myself

I rightly did not realize it had been so long since I had been to this blog. Just now I thought about putting a link here to the first picture that I have of myself, and discover I had not even posted about my sister-in-laws death from Mesothelioma cancer, nor the death of my mother-in-law, nor the death of my friend John Jones.

Glenda, my wife's twin lost her fight with Mesothelioma on January 28, 2007. Them on February 7, 2007 her mother died, that was all quite a blow for our family, but we all made it thru this with God's help. My friend John Wesley Jones lost his battle with Pancreas Cancer March 9, 2007.

I recently loaded a picture of myself taken at the Texarkana Baptist Orphanage, it was taken shortly after my birth father left me there after mother, sister, and brother died in that house fire back in 1948. Them just a few days ago I out it on my Flicker site. If you will click on picture it will take you to it.

I'm the 6th boy from the left side of the picture in the front row. This is all the children who were in the orphanage at that time. I believe but I'm not positive that the first boy from the left on the front row is my older brother E W. E W lived in the home until he was 16 years of age. From them until he graduate high school he lived with us. The last time I saw E W was when I was in about the 10th grade.

In the back row to the far left is the man I lived with until I August of 1951. He and his wife had some marriage problems, after which they got rid of me after having lived with them for something like 2 years. The 2nd boy to his right is his son, James, thanks to him that I now have this early picture of myself.

A couple of years back I just happen to find him down in Texas, wrote him a letter and he sent me a few pictures which I appreciated very much.

I started once to just delete this blog, but perhaps someone who has gone thru similar things in life will happen upon it someday, if so, maybe we can share thoughts.

May God Bless,
Jerry

"I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tent of wickedness."
Psalms 84:10