An old family mystery: Any info on Frank Connor, shot dead in 1935 in Birmingham, AL. Kin to "Bull Connor".

Question

In 1935 my Grandmother, Clara Bates Hudspeth, was pregnant with my mother, Barbara, who was born in BIrmingham, Alabama on October 16, 1935. She was in a bad marriage to Ernest Arthur Hudspeth who worked as a train engineer there. They had two older kids, Ernest and Kathy. Our family recently found out that Clara was pregnant, not from her husband, but from a kindly man named Frank Connor.  We heard that he was kin or  brother to Bull Connor who was big in Alabama politics for years.  Frank Connor approached Clara's husband one day to discuss the situation.  Ernest Hudspeth pulled a pistol and shot Frank.  He staggered back and hit his head on a high curb on the road and died outright.  Clara gave birth to my mom, Barbara  in October.  Clara suffered oxygen loss and brain damage  during the delivery.  She was sent to an asylum, where she died a few years later. Her husband took up with his new wife Marie who abused my mother. (That's a  horror novel there) Just want to know my Grandpa.

seraph1818 · Accepted Answer

In order to find out more about Frank Connor w/ regard to the U.S. Census, etc. you need to have more details.  I tried to search on ancestry.com , but w/o details such as: his parents' names for example this becomes more difficult.

It appears that his 'infamous' brother's formal name was Theophilus Eugene "Bull" Connor.  There are some Eugene's on ancestry, but since his parents' names aren't known to us at the moment, it is hard to find the link.  You would think that would be somewhat simple.  You might want to see if you can locate a bio. of him at one of the bookstores.  Even sites, such as: Wikipedia (not always reliable, anyway) does not even discuss his early childhood, siblings, etc.

I did find a WWI Draft Registration Card for a Frank Ryan CONNOR from Alabama.  If this is "your" Frank than you might now have his birthdate.
Name:  Frank Ryan Connor 
Birth:  23 Feb 1889 
Birth:  Alabama;United States of America 
Residence:  Not Stated, Mobile, Alabama 
Other:  Mobile County 

I think you should explore the Birmingham newspapers for this time period, as well.  It might provide a clue or two.  For example there seem to be some Frank Connors in Alabama who are married.  So, your 'grandfather' may have been married.  His wife's and children's names would be in the U.S. Census, which is now available through the year 1930.

According to an Alabama Deaths, 1908-1959 database...there is one Clara...(see below)
Name: Clara Hudspeath 
Death Date: 28 Jan 1941 
Death County: Perry  
Volume: 6  
Certificate: 2518  
Roll: 4  


What a sad story...Your poor, mom...

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An old family mystery: Any info on Frank Connor, shot dead in 1935 in Birmingham, AL. Kin to "Bull Connor".

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