hoppyfrog
Retired WS Staff
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Long and fascinating article:
http://www.temple-telegram.com/story/local/2008/03/02/47630
2 March 08
A transcontinental mission to find a missing brother has revealed clues in Temple, and a trail that leads to Wichita Falls.
Susan Kelly of Dublin, Ireland, is attempting to locate her younger brother, left as a toddler at the Foxy Box bar in Temple in 1976 or 1977. Following an article that ran in the Daily Telegram on Feb. 2, Ms. Kelly received responses from local residents who are aiding her in the endeavor.
Its great because its getting me closer than Ive ever been to finding him, she said. Its absolutely amazing.
The information Ms. Kelly had was sketchy - she met her father a few years ago and he made a deathbed confession about the boy.
What Ms. Kelly has since discovered is that Elmer and Vivian Hill owned the Foxy Box bar, where the boy was left. She has been in contact with Mrs. Hill, who now lives in Amarillo.
She also found a woman named Texanna, who worked at the bar. She had the last name Herry, but now goes by her maiden name, Billings.
Ms. Billings is in a nursing home, Ms. Kelly said, but she is in contact with Ms. Billings daughter, Mary Ann Tate.
The new information provides clues to what happened to the boy.
I know that he was adopted, Ms. Kelly said.
The woman who adopted him wasnt married, but was involved with a man who was a regular at the bar, Ms. Kelly said. The woman was from Wichita Falls and is believed to have moved there soon after the adoption. Ms. Kelly was told that the woman worked at a bar called Powells on Indiana Street in Wichita Falls.
She has also learned that the name on the boys birth certificate was Maurice White and the birthplace was in Arkansas.
Mrs. Hill remembers the events that led to the boy being left at the bar.
He had come out there with a girl two or three times, Mrs. Hill said of the boys father. He always had the little boy and he would fall asleep."
She said the father would get angry at the boy for not being able to stay awake and one night hit him and knocked him off a stool.. Texanna, who worked at the bar, told the man you shouldnt treat a little boy like that, Mrs. Hill said. He said, why the hell dont you keep him?
She said Texanna responded that she certainly would, not really expecting him to leave the boy. He went out and got the birth certificate and brought it in, Mrs. Hill said. We never heard from him again.
Mrs. Hill said the boy - who they called Maurice - stayed with either she or Texanna for about six months.
Mrs. Tate, who was about 17 years old at the time and no longer living at home, remembers her mother, Texanna, keeping Maurice for a while.
But, Texanna - like the Hills - already had five children and couldnt afford to keep another one, Mrs. Tate said.
Mrs. Hill said they talked with welfare workers, and even tracked down the doctor who delivered him in Arkansas, but were never able to find any family.
Whenever they tried to get information from the boy, hed start singing, she said.
http://www.temple-telegram.com/story/local/2008/03/02/47630
2 March 08
A transcontinental mission to find a missing brother has revealed clues in Temple, and a trail that leads to Wichita Falls.
Susan Kelly of Dublin, Ireland, is attempting to locate her younger brother, left as a toddler at the Foxy Box bar in Temple in 1976 or 1977. Following an article that ran in the Daily Telegram on Feb. 2, Ms. Kelly received responses from local residents who are aiding her in the endeavor.
Its great because its getting me closer than Ive ever been to finding him, she said. Its absolutely amazing.
The information Ms. Kelly had was sketchy - she met her father a few years ago and he made a deathbed confession about the boy.
What Ms. Kelly has since discovered is that Elmer and Vivian Hill owned the Foxy Box bar, where the boy was left. She has been in contact with Mrs. Hill, who now lives in Amarillo.
She also found a woman named Texanna, who worked at the bar. She had the last name Herry, but now goes by her maiden name, Billings.
Ms. Billings is in a nursing home, Ms. Kelly said, but she is in contact with Ms. Billings daughter, Mary Ann Tate.
The new information provides clues to what happened to the boy.
I know that he was adopted, Ms. Kelly said.
The woman who adopted him wasnt married, but was involved with a man who was a regular at the bar, Ms. Kelly said. The woman was from Wichita Falls and is believed to have moved there soon after the adoption. Ms. Kelly was told that the woman worked at a bar called Powells on Indiana Street in Wichita Falls.
She has also learned that the name on the boys birth certificate was Maurice White and the birthplace was in Arkansas.
Mrs. Hill remembers the events that led to the boy being left at the bar.
He had come out there with a girl two or three times, Mrs. Hill said of the boys father. He always had the little boy and he would fall asleep."
She said the father would get angry at the boy for not being able to stay awake and one night hit him and knocked him off a stool.. Texanna, who worked at the bar, told the man you shouldnt treat a little boy like that, Mrs. Hill said. He said, why the hell dont you keep him?
She said Texanna responded that she certainly would, not really expecting him to leave the boy. He went out and got the birth certificate and brought it in, Mrs. Hill said. We never heard from him again.
Mrs. Hill said the boy - who they called Maurice - stayed with either she or Texanna for about six months.
Mrs. Tate, who was about 17 years old at the time and no longer living at home, remembers her mother, Texanna, keeping Maurice for a while.
But, Texanna - like the Hills - already had five children and couldnt afford to keep another one, Mrs. Tate said.
Mrs. Hill said they talked with welfare workers, and even tracked down the doctor who delivered him in Arkansas, but were never able to find any family.
Whenever they tried to get information from the boy, hed start singing, she said.
lease:
