When Susannah Belle Gillum was born on October 13, 1872, in Arkansas, her father, Rev William Perry Gillum, was 28, and her mother, Mary Jane Bowden, was 27. She married Isaac Newton Crouch and they had four children together. She then married William Adolphus James about 1919 in Oklahoma but did not have any more children with him. She died on January 21, 1966, in Fresno, California, at the age of 93. She is buried at Belmont Memorial Park in Fresno, California. Her headstone reads “Belle James” and she is buried next to her son Joseph Ray Crouch.
Birth
Susannah Belle Gillum was born on October 13, 1872, in Arkansas to Mary Jane Bowden, age 27, and Rev William Perry Gillum, age 28. She has three older siblings: Benjamin Franklin Gillum, Francis Tennie Gillum, and Lizzie A Gillum.
Birth of Sister
Her sister Dora Alice Gillum was born on January 3, 1875, in Atkins, Arkansas, when Susannah Belle was 2 years old.
Birth of Brother
Her brother Harris Tilden Gillum was born on January 13, 1877, in Pope, Arkansas, when Susannah Belle was 4 years old. Some records say the birth year is 1878.
Birth of Sister
Her sister Mary E. M. Gillum was born in 1879 in Arkansas when Susannah Belle was 7 years old.
1880 US Federal Census
Susannah Belle Gillum is found in the 1880 US Federal Census. She is living with her family in Wilson Township, Pope County, Arkansas (Enumeration District 139, page 132).
She is listed as Susana B Gillum in dwelling 113, family 144 listed as 7 years old.
It is a family rumor that about 1880 when her future husband, Isaac Newton Crouch (about 30 at the time) was asked if he would ever get married, he pointed at Sussanah and said “When that little girl turn s 18 I will marry her”.
Marriage
Susannah Belle Gillum married Isaac Newton Crouch in Pope County, Arkansas, on December 28, 1890, when she was 18 years old.
Birth of Son
Her son William Monroe Crouch was born on January 16, 1892, in Arkansas.
Birth of Daughter
Her daughter Theo Myrtle was born on August 5, 1895, in Arkansas.
Death of Sister
Her sister Mary E. M. died on August 13, 1896, when Susannah Belle was 23 years old.
1900 US Federal Census
Sussanah is listed in the 1900 US Federal Census living in Burnett Township, Pope County, Arkansas with her family. She is living in enumeration district 167 (169?) page 11 in dwelling 199, family 200. Her name is given as Bell Crouch with an age of 26.
Note that Burnett township is named after her great-grandfather William Burnett who was an early settle in the area prior to statehood. (William Burnett -> Frances Burnett -> William Perry Gillum -> Sussanah Belle Gillum)
Birth of Son
Her son Thomas Newton Crouch was born on July 19, 1900, in Atkins, Arkansas.
Migration to Oklahoma
Sussanah Belle and her family moved to Oklahoma sometime in the early 1900s after Thomas was born but before Theo’s death. Her parents and other siblings move to the same area in that time frame. There is an article in the Ada, Oklahoma newspaper published about 1963 that is an interview with her older brother Benjamin when he was 95. He talks about the hardships that family suffered in Arkansas after the Civil War and why they decided to migrate to Oklahoma for a new life.
Death of Daughter
Her daughter Theo Myrtle Crouch passed away on May 28, 1906, in Hughes, Oklahoma, at the age of 10. Family rumor is that a hot tub of water being used for doing the laundry fell on her and scaled her, resulting in her death. She is buried in Gerty Cemetery, Hughes County, Oklahoma.
Death of Sister
Her sister Lizzie A. died on April 27, 1909, in Yell, Arkansas, when Susannah Belle was 36 years old.
Birth of Son
Her son Joseph Ray Crouch was born in 1910 in Oklahoma.
1910 US Federal Census
Sussanah Belle is found in the 1910 US Federal Census living in Newburg, Hughes County, Oklahoma with her family in dwelling 86, family 89, enumeration district 111, sheet 5A.
Death of Husband
Her husband Isaac Newton Crouch passed away on June 29, 1912 after being kicked by a horse, in Oklahoma at the age of 61. They had been married 21 years. He was buried in Gerty Cemetery, Hughes County, Oklahoma.
Marriage
Sussanah Belle married William Adolphus James in late 1910s. The US WWI draft registration card for Thomas N Crouch lists her name as Susan B Crouch, suggesting she was married after the 12 Sep 1918 registration date.
1920 US Federal Census
Sussanah Belle is found in the 1920 US Federal Census living in Newburg, Hughes County, Oklahoma with her family in dwelling 86, family 89, enumeration district 111, sheet 5A. Her name is listed as Belle James. Her son Joseph Ray Crouch is living with her along with the children of William Adolphus James from his prior marriage.
Death of Father
Her father Rev William Perry Gillum passed away on June 12, 1923, in Oklahoma at the age of 79. He is buried in Gerty Cemetery, Hughes County, Oklahoma.
Around 1924 her son Thomas Newton crouch moved his family to Fresno, California looking for a better economic future. Susannah Belle and her husband William James followed a few years later, maybe around 1928.
Death of Mother
Her mother Mary Jane Gillum nee Bowden passed away on February 2, 1930, in Oklahoma at the age of 85. She is buried in Gerty Cemetery in Hughes County, Oklahoma.
1930 US Federal Census
Sussanah Belle is found in the 1930 US Federal Census living in Enumeration district 10, page 110, Judicial Township 3, Fresno, California at 5152 Olive Ave with her family in dwelling 237, family 240. Her name is listed as Belle James.
Death of Husband
Her husband William Adolphus James passed away on February 27, 1936, in Fresno, California, at the age of 78. They had been married 17 years.
Death of Son
Her son Joseph Ray passed away on September 16, 1936, in Fresno, California, at the age of 26 as a result of injuries from a car crash.
1940 US Federal Census
Susannah Belle is found in the 1940 US Federal Census living in Enumeration district 101-22, page 8A, JRockford City Ward 2, Block 20, Winnebago County, Illinois living with her sister Tennie McConnell at 518 3rd St. in household 216. Her name is listed as Belle James.
Death of Sister
Her sister Francis Tennie died on March 30, 1948, in Fresno, California, when Susannah Belle was 75 years old.
Death of Sister
Her sister Dora Alice died on June 13, 1949, in Allen, Oklahoma, when Susannah Belle was 76 years old.
Death of Son
Her son William Monroe Crouch passed away on November 25, 1958, in Fresno, California, at the age of 66.
Death of Brother
Her brother Benjamin Franklin died on December 6, 1963, in Allen, Oklahoma, when Susannah Belle was 91 years old.
Death
Susannah Belle James Nee Gilum died on January 21, 1966, in Fresno, California, when she was 93 years old. She was buried on January 24 next to her son Joseph Ray Crouch in Belmont Memorial Park in Fresno, CA. Her headstone lists her name as Bell James.
Genealogy of Thomas Newton Crouch and Myrtle Scott 