Covingtons of Tennessee and Texas

Onie Shapard's second husband Charlie Shapard died of tuberculosis; after only two years of marriage & one week after the birth of their daughter Cassie Shapard, in March 1888.  Cassie was apparently named after Dr. Shapard's sister-in-law, Cassandra or Mrs. Henry Shapard of Shelbyville, Tennessee.  So at this point in time, 30 year-old widow Onie had a ten year-old son, Lawrence Hill, and an infant daughter. 

Approximately ten years earlier in Robertson County, Tenn., north of Nashville, Leroy "Bascom" Covington (b. 1851) married his second wife, after first wife Julia Jernigan died.  The first union had produced a son, W. Leonard Covington, born in 1875.  His second bride was Mary A. Martin; they had four children:  Annie May, Olivia Adelle, Leroy "Roy," and a little boy Robert who lived only one & a half years. 

Here is a picture of Bascom & Mary Covington, circa late 1870's, in Tennessee.  Mary Martin Covington may have died when Robert was born, in 1887.  Bascom moved his children to Texas about that time.

Bascom Covington married Ione Morgan Shapard in 1890, in Callahan (or perhaps Taylor) County, Texas.  He was about 39 at that time, and she was about 32.  This couple had four (more) children, all born during the 1890's in Callahan County.  At some point while the children were growing up, the family moved into Abilene, in Taylor County.

Here is shown a picture of Bascom Covington in Abilene, circa 1900-1914.  (He died in 1915.)

Finally we have a portrait of Onie Covington with five of her children, which was taken around 1920.  Back row:  Alto Bascom Covington, Cassandra Morgan Shapard, Morgan Talmadge Covington.  Front row:  Emma Alice Covington, Mary Ione Morgan Hill/Shapard/Covington, Marie Dovie Covington.