Never Have I Ever . . .

. . . Been Adopted

“I found something interesting.” I was speaking with the county clerk in Stratford, Sherman county[1] (Texas), where we first encountered Hannibal. “Your mom, she was not adopted. What is your address?”

A week later, I received a package. What was in the package? Something I was not expecting, I can say that.

Before I get to that, I want to call out our county Clerks, especially in small rural towns where a lot of their records aren’t even online. Many of these Clerks have been in office for years and know how to find things. They are usually very helpful -- except, of course, Potter county, where Amarillo is situated. All you get there is non-answers and the run around.

Read with Runaround Sue

A central theme in my mom, Hannibal’s, backstory is that she had a bad childhood (she was the bad childhood), that she was abandoned by her parents (on opposite day), and that she was adopted (nope). I used to believe all of that; I used to believe everything (most things) my parents told me. Why wouldn’t I? Why wouldn’t any child? Then I decided to check it out for myself. Turns out none of this is true, and why am I not surprised?

So, Hannibal, my entire life said she was adopted. Some of my favorite friends are adopted and I would relay that my mom was also adopted. Then I would ring up Hannibal and tell her about the friends that were also adopted. She would say “oh really”, non committal-like, as if I was reporting on my latest visit to the Cheesecake Factory or Bob’s Bolo Museum. Well, come to think of it, I never visited any of those places, and besides I think the last one is made up, but you get the idea.

I asked her about her “bad childhood” a lot when I was young. I was curious and genuinely sad for her, and I was also proud that she was able to overcome it. My queries were usually met with some variation of “I don’t want to talk about it” . . . (what about what I want), or “You don’t know how good you have it” (guess not), or “It’s none of your business” (am making it mine), or “if you had a brain, you’d be dangerous”.

The Unboxing

So what was in the package from the Sherman county clerk?

An eleven page Guardianship of the Persons document, from Sherman County, file #1338, dated August 8, 1966. Granted August 22, 1966. Only two weeks later! Are I kidding me?

Key provisions:

That application said Hannibal “Anne” Puryear “is a girl (the only thing about her past I can verify) and was born on the 6^th (her favorite number) day of October, A.D., 1951, being now 14 years of age, resides in Sherman County, Texas, and is without a guardian of her person;” Same for her brother Larry Dean, who was 16 at the time.

That the applicant desires to have N.L. Tackett (later changed to Nelda Marie Tackett, who later goes on to be a kidnapper -- true story) with whom said Larry Dean Puryear and Hannibal Anne Puryear now live, appointed guardian of the persons of both of minors.

The applicant was a local lawyer, E. E. Coons who was appointed by the court to file the application on behalf of the county. Or so it says. Most likely, the Tacketts arranged for that to happen.

Back in the old days in Texas, especially rural areas like the panhandle, it was not uncommon for minor children to be living with friends or relatives. Sometimes, minors did become homeless.

Recognizing that, Texas probate code at the time made it relatively easy to get a guardian appointed. All you needed to show was:

(a) the proposed “ward” was “either a minor, a person of unsound mind, [or] an habitual drunkard . . .” I note it is possible to be all three of those things at once;

(b) the court has jurisdiction;

(c) the proposed guardian is not disqualified; and

(d) the rights of the ward will be protected.

The application itself needs to set out a few basic details, such as the name and relationship of the proposed guardian, the names, sex and ages, etc., of the proposed wards, who their parents were; where there parents were, if still alive; and the general facts supporting the guardianship.

Proposed wards over the age of 14 were able to nominate who they wanted to be appointed as guardian by a notarized document. Larry Dean was 16 and Hannibal “Anne” was 14, so they qualified.

All fine. Looking at the document, it appears to comply with the relevant provisions of the Texas Probate Code in effect at the time. It has the details. It states the reason for the guardianship and the relationship. It even has Larry Dean and Hannibal “Anne” nominating the guardian and waiving notice.

OK, I’m starting to bore myself, so I will move to the denouement (I always want to pronounce that like its spelled -- the de-noo-ment -- or in an exaggerated French accent while raising my hand inward and snapping two forefingers and a thumb together) of the guardianship section.

Just One More Thing, Mrs. Tackett

A closer read reveals a few zingers.

Most importantly, those signatures of Larry Dean and Hannibal “Anne” are clearly forged -- twice. They look like they are from the same hand -- probably Nelda’s. And that is clearly not my mom, Hannibal’s signature. Hers is upright. This one slants forward, like Nelda’s.

I also think the notary’s signature is probably fake too -- Nelda has a history of shenanigans with court houses, county clerks and notaries. Or, he was bribed.

Here’s the best part. Hannibal knows how her own name and, even back then, knows how to spell it. Her actual middle name is “Ann” not “Anne” as in the filing.

So, not only did she misspell her name, she did it twice. I mean, that is what they would have us believe.

See for yourself”

There are a few other zingers in here.

The application claimed Larry Dean and Hannibal Anne’s parents had abandoned them. As I will describe below, that did not happen. It was actually partly the other way around and was more sinister than that.

“N . L.” stand for Norman Lynn. I think he had a criminal record by then and was probably not qualified to serve as a guardian.

Not to worry. Larry Dean and Hannibal “Anne” changed their nomination to Nelda, noting the following rationale: Nelda was working for the U.S. Gov’t, had Blue Cross Blue Shield for hospitalization insurance, and “would be privileged to include” said Larry Dean and Hannibal “Anne” as dependents. Awwww, how sweet.

How could a lawyer and a judge and a notary look at these documents and not see something wrong?

What I Know Happened

The application states that the parents of the above named minors are Carbomb and Winnie, neither of whom were deceased, but both of whom had deserted the said minors. Now, before we judge these parents too harshly, if your child was a Hannibal -- some mothers do ‘ave them, after all -- you could probably see yourself to doing the same.

However, in this case, that did not happen.

My newly discovered Aunt Eldna (Hannibal’s sister) later told me what did, in fact, happen.

Hannibal’s parents were moving the family from Stratford to Vega, TX. When it came time to leave, Hannibal refused to go. She stomped up and down, made ear-splitting screeching noises like a homesick bat, locked herself in the bathroom and yelled out “I hope you all die in a car wreck.”

Winnie called her “friend” Nelda Tackett and arranged for Hannibal to stay with them, temporarily she hoped. Larry Dean, being the good older brother from all accounts he was, volunteered to stay back at look after Hannibal. So, that is how they ended up living with the Tacketts. From the timeline, I think this was in 1965, a year before the guardianship papers were filed.

Funny story. Aunt Eldna’s daughter connected with me a few years ago -- on Faceboob messenger, I think. She said that Hannibal used to “hit on” Larry Dean all the time. She did not say “hit”, she said “hit on”. It’s in writing. I did not ask for clarification, because I do not want to know.

My newly discover Aunt Eldna also told me that Winnie would never sign away her children. As bad as Hannibal was, even at a young age, Winnie still loved them all.

So, while Winnie thought her “friend” Nelda was watching over Larry and Hannibal, Nelda was instead plotting to claim guardianship over them.

When Winnie did return to Stratford to retrieve Larry and Hannibal -- probably in 1966 or 1967 -- Nelda threatened to call the police. Larry did escape from Nelda and went on to live in Vega, TX, where the rest of the family now lived.

How I Think it Went Down

Nelda Tackett plotted to take control over Larry and Hannibal “Anne” . . . for some reason. Nelda had a probably corrupt lawyer draft the forms, signed them in front of a probably corrupt, non-existent, or bribed notary, and submitted them to a probably corrupt judge who approved them.

The only notice requirement for the application was to post it on the literal court house door in Sherman county. Winnie and Carbomb were either in Floyd or Oldham counties, at the time, so would have never seen it.

My newly discovered Aunt Eldna told me she had no idea this guardianship happened. She only knew that Nelda threatened to call the police on Winnie.

The signatures of Larry Dean and Hannibal signatures were clearly forged --- twice! -- so they themselves probably never saw it and may have had no idea.

Nelda basically stole those minor kids. Why?

Larry and Hannibal were already living with the Tacketts. A guardianship served no purpose. Also, Nelda was required to put up a $1,000 bond -- which in today’s tiny shrunken dollars would be around $10,000.

Why would she put up that money? There had to be a monetary reward.

Why I Think it Went Down

In the words of Marcus Aurelius, it’s not what happened that is important, it is why it happened. Seriously, Marcus says this to me, like I mean, all the time.

It is the right question though.

This one is puzzling. Several answers come to mind. Here is my current operating theory.

The clue is sitting right there in documents. It’s in the notarized forged document where Larry and Hannibal nominate Nelda as their guardian, on account of the Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance (says no kid ever), which Nelda was kind enough to offer up. Awww, how sweet.

So, this was an insurance fraud operation . . . ooops, I mean . . . this was an insurance fraud operation? You know, I find you can say anything you want -- no matter how outlandish -- and if you end it with a Question Mark, it sounds reasonable?

There is another theory involving Hannibal and Eddie Lynn Tackett. That is for a future Episode of The Tackford Files.

Black Hole Mom

Weird Al is a national treasure, I say.

This is where we find a black hole in the timeline of Hannibal “Anne”. I see her in the Stratford High School yearbooks from 1960 - 1964 under the name Hannibal Puryear. She goes missing from yearbooks in 1965 and 1966, and turns back up in 1967, under the same name and looking 10 years older. In 1968, she turns up under in Tascosa High School in Amarillo under the name Hannibal Tackett.

Hannibal was not adopted. There was no legal name change. I’m sure back in 1968, large city High Schools just took your word for it. “Oh sure, Hannibal Tackett”, says no giant High School enrollment team ever, “come on in. We do not require any records.” In reality, district high schools were way more strict and by the book in those days.

When Hannibal moved to Amarillo, so did Norman and Nelda. However, Hannibal did not live with them, instead she camped out with someone named Blankenship, for no actual reason cited.

For all of my life, until recently, I thought Hannibal’s maiden name was “Tackett”. I even used that as a security question. Needless to say, I changed all of those when I found out the truth. When I get asked what my mother’s maiden name is, I want to say “NFC” (no freaking clue). Instead, I blank out and respond lightly “I have no idea.”

Questions that I am Just Askin’

Seriously, how did they change her name and enroll her at THS?

Why live at the Blankenships? I had never even heard of these people. Someone else told me that.

Here’s another question. Did, Hannibal get pregnant (twice) by Eddie Lynn Tackett, or even N. L. Tackett, and secretly get married to Eddie in OK where the records totally suck-gass?

Did Hannibal have two kids who were “stillborn” and were then buried in the Clinton, OK, cemetery -- which is on I-40 about an hour over the Texas border? Back then, the Oklahoma Baptist church was suspected of providing back-door abortions and arranging death certificates listing “stillborn” or “premature” or “died in childbirth” as the cause of death. The Tacketts were Baptists.

Why does Hannibal list three slightly different maiden names on the birth certificates for me and my two siblings(?).

Why does her marriage certificate list her name as “Hannibal Ann Puryear Tackett”? Sounds like a lyric to a Broadway musical -- you know, “I am the very model of a modern Major-Psychopath, etc., etc..

My birth certificate says Hannibal Ann Puryear, and is the only factually accurate one.

So, why again does she has four different maiden names on official documents?

Last question that I am just asking: What am I missing?

The Eplioguer

So Hannibal was not adopted. She was subject to a shady guardianship. Those are not even close to the same thing. There is no name change in a guardianship.

So, what to make of her claims she was adopted?

When psychopaths lie, they usually take bits that are true or close to true and stitch them up with lies, half-truths and omissions to create a totally false perception. Ideally, they sprinkle in a few facts and get the victim to come to the wrong -- and uncorrected -- opinion.

If they ever get called out, they will point to the one fact that might be accurate and ignore the rest. This is usually followed by something along the lines of “well, that’s what I remember”, or “you misunderstood me. I never said that”, or “are you calling me a liar?” Great question! Yes, I am. That “are you calling me a liar” thing is one of their favorite shticks, by the way. They say it as though it (a) makes you look bad and (b) gets them off the hook. My response: “What, you’re offended by that? Well, shtick around, I’m just getting started.”

A Tiskett a Taskett

Another central theme in Hannibal’s existence is the presence of the Tacketts: Norman Lynn, Nelda Marie, their daughter, Sandra, and their son, Eddie Lynn Tackett. (What is it with this “Lynn” thing?)

As far as I can tell, the Tacketts first come in contact with Hannibal and her Sisters in in Stratford in 1959.

Hannibal would later tell us that Nelda was her step-mom or her adopted mom. This does not make sense either.

She also referred to Eddie Lynn as her step brother, her adopted brother, or sometimes just her brother.

Anyway, Hannibal said her step-mom and stepsister were jealous of Hannibal and made her clean all of the time. Good news, though! I am reliably informed that a charming prince showed up once upon a night to gift her some glass slippers and whisk her away to a fairy tale life. Happily ever after for all. Hannibal likes stealing stories from movies. She once described having to scurry up a drain to a second story apartment to steal some food, glorious food, and -- while I am making this part up, though it seems accurate -- all they found up there was gruel watery gruel.

Hannibal did say her “stepsister” -- that would be Sandra -- had a dumpy butt. I have seen pictures of Sandra, and I tend to concur. Hannibal went to Sandra “Dumpy Butt” Tackett’s wedding. The first of four, anyway. That was in 1969. Pvc. Eddie Lynn Tackett was also present. Was he forced to go into the army to avoid a criminal charge?

Another question that I am just asking.

So who are these Tackett People?

I know who they are, unfortunately. They’ve been popping their heads in and out of Hannibal’s life (and mine) since 1959 all the way through to 2011, when Nelda kicked it, and beyond.

Their son, Eddie Lynn Tackett was a criminal, who was not shot to death on April 4, 1982 in Corsicana, TX, despite what the forged death certificate says. We will cover him shortly. Some of his stunts are so rated R, so I won’t be able to write about them. Kidding. I will totally dish on everything. Know all, tell all.

Nelda’s own mother did not die in Amarillo of natural causes when Nelda was down in Corsican faking the death certificate.

Eddie’s own son, Eddie Lynn Tackett, Jr. (again, what is it with this “Lynn” thing?) committed atrocious and vicious acts of sexual violence at a Motel 6 in San Angelo, TX, in 2017. He is currently in prison, hopefully forever. I had to stop reading the court transcripts; they were so bad, I couldn’t even finish.

We will cover this and more in our ongoing series -- The Tackford Files.

Total doozies all.

Until then, here is a picture of Eddie Lynn Jr. in a profile shot (left), along side someone else (right).

These people are totally related . . . ooops, I mean . . . these people are totally related?