Families of Bessie Elizabeth Shands

BESSIE ELIZABETH SHANDS, daughter of MARY ELIZABETH DOERING and FRANK RIVES SHANDS, was born November 14, 1897 in Jasper County, Missouri,⁴⁶ and died July 28, 1975.^{56, 1858} She is buried in Alva Municipal Cemetery, Woods County, Oklahoma.¹⁸⁵⁸

She married (1) ELZIE FRANKLIN COPHER on November 16, 1914 in Neosho, Newton, Missouri.⁹⁴⁰ He was born June 15, 1894 in Joplin, Joplin, Missouri,⁸ and died July 19, 1947 in Dumas, Moore, Texas.¹⁴⁸⁶ He is buried in Dumas Cemetery, Moore County, Texas.^{1486, 456}

She married (2) MACK SAMUEL PHELPS on October 15, 1927 in Sedan, Chautauqua, Kansas.¹⁸⁵⁵ He was born September 11, 1881 in Murphysboro, Jackson, Illinois,¹⁸⁵⁵ and died July 29, 1933 in Alva, Woods, Oklahoma.¹⁸⁵⁷ He is buried in Alva Municipal Cemetery, Woods County, Oklahoma.^{1857, 1858, 456}

• Descendant Reports
  • William Scott Descendant Report (Ancestor of Bessie E. Shands)

Children of BESSIE ELIZABETH SHANDS and ELZIE FRANKLIN COPHER:

1. BESSIE COPHER, b. July 11, 1915, Alba, Jasper, Missouri;⁷⁰⁶ d. July 11, 1915, Alba, Jasper, Missouri;⁷⁰⁶ bur. Friends Cemetery, Purcell, Jasper, Missouri.⁷⁰⁶
2. ALMA / ELMA E. COPHER, b. December 13, 1916, Carthage, Jasper, Missouri;⁴⁵³² d. March 22, 2003.⁴⁵³²
3. MILES RICHARD COPHER, b. July, 1918, Missouri; d. February 14, 1920.¹¹³⁶⁹

Work History

Newspaper Articles

Carthage Press, November 27, 1971⁶⁷¹¹

Honored at dinner

Fifty-seven relatives were in attendance at a family dinner last Sunday at the Jasper Community Hall honoring Mrs. Bessie Phelps, Alva, Okla.

Mrs. Phelps, the former Bessie Shands, was reared in this area. The widow of Mac Phelps, they resided in Joplin many years before moving to Alva, some 40 years ago.

Mrs. Ivan Shaw, Mrs. Harry Reed and Mrs. Clyde Slates, Carthage and Mrs. Glenn Haizlip, Sarcoxie, are nieces and Frank Johnson, Jasper, is a nephew of Mrs. Phelps.

A son-in-law and daughter Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Maxwell, Oklahoma City, and her son Tom Phelps, Alva, with whom she makes her home were here for the occasion.

A niece Mrs. Bill Spielman and her husband and a nephew Paul Fellers and Mrs. Fellers all Lebo, Kan. also attended.

Others present were Mr. and Mrs. Keith Darby, Topeka, Kan.; Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Shaw and children David and Patricia, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Griffith and daughter Lori, Mrs. Dick Gerrard and daughter Kendra, Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Shaw, Mrs. Harry Reed and children Gail, Brad and Roland and Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Slates all Carthage.

Mr. and Mrs. Leland Johnson and children Terry, Randy, Pam and Jan, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Shaw and children Leon and Beverly, and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Johnson, all Jasper.

Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Haizlip and Mrs. Jim Haizlip and children Kim, Lori and Trent, Sarcoxie.

Obituaries

Joplin Globe, July 30, 1933¹⁸⁵⁷

FUNERAL FOR PHELPS AT ALVA, OKLA., MONDAY

Funeral rites will be conducted Monday at Alva, Okla., for Mack Phelps, about 45 years old, former Joplin resident many years and brother of Tom Phelps of Joplin, a member of the county court, who died at 6 o'clock yesterday morning in an Alva hospital following a brief illness. Death was caused by septic poisoning, developing from a boil on his face.

Mr. Phelps was born in Joplin and spent most of his life here. He was associated iwth his brother in several mining ventures and had been a member of the firm which formerly operated The Leader, a clothing store. He was associated in the clothing business with Tom Phelps and Harry Mead. He left Joplin about four years ago to make his home at Wichita, Kan., but spent the summers on his farm near Alva. He was at his farm when he became ill.

Mr. and Mrs. Tom Phelps went to Alva Friday night when they were notified of Mr. Phelps' critical condition.

Surviving, besides Tom Phelps, are his widow, Mrs. Bessie Phelps; two sons, Tom and George Phelps, at home; another brother, Abe Phelps of Fort Scott, Kan., and two sisters, Mrs. Mary Mead of Joplin and Mrs. Lillian Price of Chicago.

Caney News, February 20, 1920¹¹³⁶⁹

COPHER CHILD DEAD

Miles Richard Copher, 18 months old child of Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Copher, died last Saturday morning at 4:45 o'clock and was buried that afternoon at 4 p. m. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Ryals of the Baptist church at the Undertaking parlors of Mahon and Crilly. Both the parents of the little one were sick with the flu and not able to attend the funeral service or burial. The mother is able to be up and about now and the father is just able to sit up for a short while at a time, and knows nothing of his baby's death. The sincere sympathy of the entire community is extended to them in their great sorrow and suffering.

Census Records

Date	Location	Enumerated Names
June 14, 1900722	Sheridan, Jasper, Missouri	Frank Rives Shands Mary Elizabeth Doering Edna Pearl Shands Elverton A. Shands Martha Shands William Shands Bessie Elizabeth Shands
August 21, 1910734	Carthage, Jasper, Missouri	Frank Rives Shands Mary Elizabeth Doering Bessie Elizabeth Shands William Shands
January 12, 1920941	Caney, Montgomery, Kansas	Bessie Elizabeth Shands Elzie Franklin Copher Alma / Elma E. Copher Miles Richard Copher
19251490	Creswell, Cowley, Kansas	Elzie Franklin Copher Bessie Elizabeth Shands Alma / Elma E. Copher
April 2, 19301856	Spring Township, Alfalfa, Oklahoma	Bessie Elizabeth Shands Mack Samuel Phelps Alma / Elma E. Copher
April 22, 19402562	Spring Township, Alfalfa, Oklahoma	Bessie Elizabeth Shands
April 3, 19509979	Spring, Alfalfa, Oklahoma	Bessie Elizabeth Shands