William A Faulk was born on 1 March 1895 in Summerfield, Claiborne County, Louisiana. He first appeared in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census on 13 June, living in Police Jury Ward 1, Claiborne, Louisiana. Also living in the household were his father, Shep Folk [Faulk], 24, mother, Mary, 23, sister Adie, 4, brother Jimmie, 1, grandmother Drusilla, 67, and cousin Sam Bailey,10. Next, he appeared in the 1910 census on 15 April, also in Claiborne County, Louisiana, as Fark living with Shep Fark, Tilda[stepmother], sisters Adella,13, Linda L,9, Palina,2, May O,6, and brothers John W, and five-month-old, Dock,5. On 5 June 1917, he appeared as Jack Forks, born on 1 March 1895, in Summerfield, Claiborne County, Louisiana. He is married and a farmer who worked for RH Farms, Bernice, LA. William appeared in the census on 20 January 1920 in Police Jury Ward 1, Claiborne, Louisiana, living in a household is Jack Farb, 24, Fannie, 24, Estell, 3, and James, 10/12. In the census on 26 April 1930 as Jack Faulk, 35 with Fannie M, 35, Lola B, 16, Estelle, 11, Harding, 9, Utha M, 7 in Claiborne County, Louisiana. In the census on 30 April 1940 in Summerfield, Louisiana, Jack Fork, 45, with Fanny Mae, 45, Harding, 19, Retha Mae, 17. His entry for his War World I Draft Registration Card list Jack Fork of Bernice, Claiborne County, Louisiana, was born 1 March 1895 in Summerfield, wife Fannie of Bernice. Work for J H Thompson of Bernice. William appeared in the census on 1 April 1950 in Summerfield, Louisiana, as William A Faulk, 55, a log cutter at the sawmill with wife Fannie, 55, Moses, daughter Youth Mae, daughter, 27. Daughter Lola’s social security application record list her father as William A Faulk and her mother as Fannie M Bennett.
I found at least six variations for William [Jack] Faulk’s surname [Folk, Fark, Forks, Farb, Fork, and Faulk]. When I started researching my husband’s family, I couldn’t find him, so I just searched for his first name and location. I was lucky that his first name was unique. Back in the 1980’s William Jack came to visit us at our old house in West Chester. I took a liking to him right away. His great-grandson visited colleges in the area and bought him by to see us. Somewhere in our current home, there is a picture of William on our front porch.
Fork image by Alexander F. [flicker]