Dave F. Ford

Dave F. Ford
1858 - 1912

Willie H. Ford
1884 - 1908

Margaret Hill
1851 -1901

At rest
FORD

Dave F. Ford Headstone

Photo Credit: Rosa G. Gonzales

Biography

David Francis Ford was born in August of 1858 (by tombstone) or 1859 (by 1900 census Nueces County, ED 130, sheet 5). In the 1880 census record (Nueces County ED 116, page 48A), David is living in the Rincon on the Corpus Christi Bay. He is 22 years old and a native of Texas (his parents are of Louisiana). He is working as a hack driver. David Francis Ford and Josephine married in April of 1882 (Nueces Marriage Records, vol. E p. 182). In 1900 he and his wife Josephine own their home free of mortgage at 1217 Oso Street. They are members of the African-American community and have two sons living with them: Frank E. (born October 1881) and Wm. H. (born February 1884). By 1910 Josephine would report that only one of her two children still survives because William H. “Willie†had died in 1908 at only 24 years old. After his marriage, David continued to support the family as a hack driver which usually meant serving as a type of chauffeur or delivery driver. The city directory of 1907-8 lists David as a hack driver for Benyon’s livery and feed stable so he may also have delivered feed and items to local citizens. By the 1910 census records, David even has a young man hired to help in making deliveries. Josephine worked as a laundress at that point to further augment the family income (1910 census of Nueces County, ED 97, p. 3A). It seems the family may have been responsible for other members of the extended family since a “Margaret Hill†is also buried with David and his son Willie H. Ford. Her last name of “Hill†suggests that she is in some way connected to David’s wife, Josephine (Hill). Very likely Josephine is also buried with her husband, son, and relative in Old Bayview. However, it seems that she did not receive a stone marker possibly as she was preceded in death by most of the family and provision was not made for her own stone. David died in 1912.

Research and transcription: Michael A. Howell