William Burns GASTON

                       Willie Belle died while delivering her thirteenth child, about 1940.d

    Willie Belle died while delivering her thirteenth child, about 1940.d
                  

                       Actual birthdate was in 1897, but her daughter, Louise, had the tombstone made
    with 1898 as birthdate instead.  She knew that her mother was somewhat
    sensitive to her age, so she allowed her mother to be one year younger than she
    actually was.

    Actual birthdate was in 1897, but her daughter, Louise, had the tombstone made
    with 1898 as birthdate instead.  She knew that her mother was somewhat
    sensitive to her age, so she allowed her mother to be one year younger than she
    actually was.
                  

                       DIED   YOUNG

    DIED   YOUNG
                  

                       James died in an auto accident.

    n

    James died in an auto accident.

    n
                  

                       From an article in the Atlanta Constitution, Dixie Living section, dated
    Sunday, 18 Feb. 1990:

    Klan vigilantism eventually backfired, however, in March 1940 when Ike
    Gaston, a white barber from East Point, died of exposure after being whipped
    with a long cleated belt.

    His father-in-law wrote a letter to the Klan and said, "Ike is beating his
    wife, wish you'd attend to him." according to Harold Sheats, an Atlanta lawyer.
    He states that "The East Point Klan turned the thing over to Oakland City, and
    an East Point man put the finger on Ike, and they went down there and got him
    when he closed up his barbershop one cold night.  And they carried him out
    somewhere on the west side and whipped him.  Well, that started the whole
    thing."

    Atlanta's newspapers finally took a strong anti-Klan stand after the Gaston
    affair, helping mobilize public sentiment against the order and sparking a
    series of celebrated flogging trials.

    The real reason he was killed by the Klan had nothing to do with any
    alleged wife-beating.  Ike used to get up early Saturday mornings and cut hair
    for his black friends, and that was not the thing to do if you wanted to avoid
    the clan.  (gw)

    From an article in the Atlanta Constitution, Dixie Living section, dated
    Sunday, 18 Feb. 1990:

    Klan vigilantism eventually backfired, however, in March 1940 when Ike
    Gaston, a white barber from East Point, died of exposure after being whipped
    with a long cleated belt.

    His father-in-law wrote a letter to the Klan and said, "Ike is beating his
    wife, wish you'd attend to him." according to Harold Sheats, an Atlanta lawyer.
    He states that "The East Point Klan turned the thing over to Oakland City, and
    an East Point man put the finger on Ike, and they went down there and got him
    when he closed up his barbershop one cold night.  And they carried him out
    somewhere on the west side and whipped him.  Well, that started the whole
    thing."

    Atlanta's newspapers finally took a strong anti-Klan stand after the Gaston
    affair, helping mobilize public sentiment against the order and sparking a
    series of celebrated flogging trials.

    The real reason he was killed by the Klan had nothing to do with any
    alleged wife-beating.  Ike used to get up early Saturday mornings and cut hair
    for his black friends, and that was not the thing to do if you wanted to avoid
    the clan.  (gw)
                  

                       Died from burns received from a fireplace, as she was watching the family
    Christmas tree on Christmas day.  She lingered in pain for awhile, so death
    date is uncertain..

    Died from burns received from a fireplace, as she was watching the family
    Christmas tree on Christmas day.  She lingered in pain for awhile, so death
    date is uncertain..