FIFTH GENERATION

30. James Franklin Sweazea ^{(103) (104)} was born on 12 Mar 1850 in Buena Vista, Shelby, Texas.⁽¹⁰⁵⁾ He died on 14 May 1923 in Crosbyton, Crosby, Texas. He has reference number 30. He was buried in Dimmit, Castro, Texas. From the "Sweazea Family History" Author Uknown

James F. Sweazea lived about eight years after losing Sarah Ann. He spent his time tending to his business and visiting with his daughters and their families. The C.W. Slovers of Tahoka, TX; the J. B. Turners of Portales, NM; the B, B. Wises of Wilson, TX and the Lint Merrittts of Hart, TX; and the Press Dyers. The last year or two of his life, he was semi-retired and lived with the Lint Merritt's. James Franklin had neighbors about 4 or 5 miles SW of his home. A Widow names Cone, who had two or three daughters and about four boys, This was a big responsibility for a lone woman in any day and time. James neighbored with and befriended the Cones'. He loaned several of the Cone boys money to go to college at WTSU at Canyon, TX. Mutt Cone still owed James F. for some money for schooling when James F. was killed. While Lint Merritt was Executor of the Sweazea Estate, Mutt paid all he owed James F. back to the Sweazea Estate with money made working for an Oil Co. in Venezuela.
Maude Rippy, a son-in-law of Mrs. Cone, who was County Commissioner of SE precinct of Castro County had a brother, Dick Rippy. He lived in Crosby County, Dick Rippy got Maude word he was having serious trouble with a neighbor named Poppin Payne. He wanted Maude to come down to help him decide what to do.
Maude had an old Model T Ford that he was afraid wouldn't make the trip from Castro Co. to Crosbyton. James F. Sweazea had a New Dodge touring car. Maude prevailed on James F. to take him to Crosbyton. When they got to Crosbyton, evidentially Dick and Maude decided they had to kill Poppin Payne. With James F. passed out from drink, they drove by Payne's house. Payne was out in the garden. One of the Rippys, while the other drove, shot Payne with Buckshot. Payne fell so they thought they had killed him so they went on their way. Payne's wife was said to be a tough old lady, so they didn't want to hang around and have a gun battle with her.
Payne wasn't killed, supposedly he had just gotten buckshot in an eye. James F., Maude and Dick were arrested by the Crosby County Sheriff and charged with attempted murder. On the 5/14/1923, they were at Crosbyton to stand trial. During a recess, James F., Maude and their defense attorney, A. B. Martiof Plainview, were sitting on the top step of the stair to the second floor of the courthouse. Poppin Payne slipped up behind them, shot James F. in the back of the head. Maude jumped to run and was shot in the back. He fell and started to crawl and was shot several times until he was dead. Payne saved his last round to shoot James F. in the forehead. Dick Rippy had gone to the outhouse to relieve himself and so escaped with his life.
Poppin Payne was charged with the murder of James F., because he was an innocent victim and not involved in the Payne-Rippy feud.
Payne was tried at Canyon, Texas on a change of venue. He received a sentence of seven to twelve years. His attorney's appealed and got him a new trial. The second trial was at Tulia; he received a sentence of 3-5 years. He later had a sanity hearing and was declared insane. He spent some time in the criminally insane asylum and was later pronounced sane and served his time in the pen.
He was married to Sarah Ann Posey on 26 Jan 1869. ⁽¹⁰⁶⁾

31. Sarah Ann Posey was born on 25 Dec 1850 in Benton, AL. She died on 18 Dec 1915 in Dimmit, Castro, Texas. She has reference number 31. She was buried in Dimmit, Castro, Texas. Children were:

15 i. Ferbie Lou Sweazea.
ii. Zeddie Sweazea was born on 19 Jan 1873.
iii. Mattie Sweazea was born on 2 Mar 1875 in Bellevue, Clay, Texas. She died on 27 May 1944. She was buried in Dimmit, Castro, Texas.
iv. Ada Sweazea was born in Jun 1879 in Bellevue, Clay, Texas. She died on 9 Mar 1954.
v. John Sweazea was born on 25 Feb 1881 in Bellevue, Clay, Texas. He died on 10 Apr 1914. He was buried in Dimmitt, Castro, Texas. Was shot by Frank Hunt - his brother-in-law
vi. Ettie Sweazea was born on 1 Oct 1883 in Bellevue, Clay, Texas. She died on 18 Sep 1911 in Montoya, NM. She was buried in Tucumcari, Quay, NM. Died when the sod roof of her house fell on her. Her husband Frank Hunt shot her brother John three years after her death.
vii. Deannea Dell Sweazea was born on 19 Sep 1887 in Bellevue, Clay, Texas. She died on 1 Jan 1939 in Albuquerque, Bernalillo, NM. She was buried in Dimmitt, Castro, Texas. Died of cancer.
viii. Claude Sweazea was born on 30 Nov 1889 in Bellevue, Clay, Texas. He died on 10 Oct 1913 in Ranger Lake, NM. Was shot by McKnight. Who was McKnight? Why did he shoot him?
ix. Jimmy Agnes Sweazea was born on 25 Jul 1896 in Bellevue, Clay, Texas. She died in 1963. She was buried in Dimmitt, Castro, Texas.