Edward Bruce McLemore

Notes:

Known as Bruce. He was a welder, and also loved to hunt and fish. He killed feral hogs to supplement his income.

Obituary

Mr. Edward Bruce McLemore, 54, of San Augustine entered into rest Wednesday, March 16, 2011, at his residence in San Augustine County.
Edward Bruce was born to Velta (Rawson) McLemore and Earl McLemore on November 28, 1956, in San Augustine County, Texas. He was a welder for Brown and Root, and was a operator Advanced Aeronautics. He was a member of the Baptist Church.

He is survived by: Daughter: Brandy and her husband, Craig Hutchins of Baytown, Grandchildren: Kendall and Cooper Hutchins of Baytown; Brother: Donald Earl McLemore and his wife, Tora Lea of Madisonville; and Sister: Nina Weimer of Houston.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 19, 2011, 10:00 A.M., Wyman Roberts Memorial Chapel with Bro. Randy Mills officiating. Visitation will be Friday evening, 5:00 til 8:00 P.M. in Wyman Roberts Funeral Home. Burial will be in Thomas Cemetery, San Augustine County.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Velta McLemore; Sister: Wanda Kay McLemore

Pallbearers will be Brad Stewart, Tim Sowell, Ken Lee, William Whitton and Robert Cartwright

Wyman Roberts Funeral Home
San Augustine, Texas
www.timeformemory.com

A nearly identical obituary was in the March 23, 2011 issue of the Sabine County Reporter, Page 14.

Edward married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living

Edward married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Edward married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

As a young man, Earl and his brother Ray helped manage their father's ranch in Pearsall. Evon recalls a terrible drought at that ranch one summer. Her brothers told her that they had to use a blowtorch on cactuses to get enough water for the cattle.

He has a military marker at his gravesite "PFC, US Army WW II"

When he was shipped oversees during the war, he and Evon worked out a code so his family would know where he was stationed, because all correspondence was heavily censored. The first letter he sent to Evon was addressed to Mrs. R.O. Tisdale. The next letter, to Mrs. M.E. Tisdale. She knew he must therefore be in Rome. He was later moved elsewhere in Italy, but Evon said she never was able to figure out where because some of the letters came out of sequence, and others never made it home at all.

The Sabine County Reporter
May 21, 1997, page 12

Earl McLemore

Earl McLemore, 80, of San Augustine County died Wednesday, April 30, 1997, at Memorial Medical Center of East Texas in Lufkin

McLemore was born Sept. 12, 1916, in Sabine County as a son of the late Nina (Fuller) and Vessie Eugene McLemore. He was a U. S. Air Force veteran of World War II, a farmer/rancher, and a member of the Rosevine Church of God.

Survivors: wife, Velta McLemore of San Augustine County, sons, Donald McLemore of Woodland and Bruce McLemore of Tarkington Prairie; a daughter, Nina Weimer of Spring; two brothers, Lynn McLemore of San Augustine and Tommy McLemore of Houston; a sister, Evon McLemore of Lufkin; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Funeral services were held May 2 at the Wyman Roberts Funeral Chapel in San Augustine. Interment followed at Thomas Cemetery, San Augustine.

Earl's oldest son Donald wrote the following article about his father for his company newsletter shortly after his father's funeral:

In Memory of My Dad

I remember the lessons well because they were taught without compromise, a deep sense of right and wrong and what was best for his family. Those lessons were sometimes harsh and hard for us kids to understand so we sometimes did the exact opposite from what Dad wanted. Now as I look back, I can see that may of those lessons took root regardless of what we did then.

Dad was born September 17, 1916 into a family of five boys and one girl. His mom and dad were farmers/ranchers, not poor but certainly not rich. I was born in 1940 just after the Great Depression and I know the defining effect that period of time had on everyone. People that endured the depression were so afraid of not having enough that they saved every penny and did without things that we would not think twice about buying today. Due to that experience and the intense drive to be successful, the McLemores developed the reputation of being extremely tight with money and that lesson was passed on to their kids as independence. "With money you can be independent and not have to depend on your family or the government for support." I always said money would not be important to me. However, I see that same independent driven trait in every one of the McLemores today to some extent.

MBM has been in existence for almost twenty seven years. In all those years, I have come in contact with thousands of people, both rich and poor who did not have parents like we were lucky enough to have. They taught us the values that made this country great. I remember Dad's mom (Nina Fuller) saying in front of me one day when Dad was perplexed and seeking advice on how to handle a difficult situation "Earl, regardless of what he does or says it doesn't give you the right to do what is wrong." That phrase along with many others gave our lives direction, focus and nutured the development of character. What is amazing to me now is that it took me until I was in my mid thirties to begin to realize how fortunate my siblings and I were for having learned those lessons.

Dad had four major heart attacks over a three and a half year period. Someone like myself would not have survived the first one. Less than ten percent of his heart still functioned when it finally quit working forever and yet he still did what he loved to do the most and that was to work. "An idle mind is the devils workshop" he used to tell mom when she thought he was working too hard.

When word got out that Dad had gone on to meet his Maker, people from everywhere responded with cards, flowers, phone calls, donations, food and words of comfort to the family. My goal will be to try to pass on those I come into contact with a little part of my Dad.

Vessie married Velta Alnettie Rawson on 27 Aug 1938 in San Augustine, San Augustine County, Texas. Velta (daughter of Eugene Bryan Rawson, Sr. and Veva G. Garrett) was born on 20 Sep 1917 in Denning Community, San Augustine County, Texas; died on 20 Nov 2002 in Center, Shelby County, Texas; was buried on 22 Nov 2002 in Thomas Cemetery, San Augustine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Sabine County Reporter
November 27, 2002. page 15

Velta Alnettie McLemore, age 85, passed away at the Shelby Regional Medical Center in Center, Texas, on November 20, 2002. She was born to Eugene Bryan & Veva Garret McLemore on September 20, 1917, in Denning, Texas. Her husband, Vessie Earl McLemore preceded her in death, along with one daughter, Wanda Kay McLemore. She is survived by: Sons: Donald Earl McLemore & Wife, Torah Lea, of North Zulch, Texas; Edward Bruce McLemore of San Augustine, Texas. Daughter: Nina Ross Weimmer of Spring, Texas Brother: Frank Rawson of Orange, Texas Grandchildren: Keith McLemore, Curtis McLemore, Sandy Moulds, Samantha Bell & Brandy McLemore. Four Great-Grandchildren. Funeral services were under the direction of Wyman Roberts Funeral Home, San Augustine, Texas, and were held on Friday, November 22, 2002, 10:00 A.M. at the Wyman Roberts Memorial Chapel with burial following at the Thomas Cemetery.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, November 2002)

Notes:

Married:
THOMAS CEMETERY, San Augustine County, Texas Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/tx/txfiles.htm Recorded May 13, 2006, by Bobby E. Britnell (bbritnell@centurytel.net and sister, Sandra G. Britnell. Thomas Cemetery is another of the many old cemeteries in San Augustine County, with burials dating from the mid-1800's. The cemetery is clean and well-kept, and still in use for burials. Hurricane Rita had downed some trees and limbs and caused some headstone damage; all that has been completely cleaned up. There are a number of broken headstones, some missing stones, and some with deteriorated and unreadable native stone markers.

DIRECTIONS: From San Augustine, at the junction of US96 and SR21, go west toward Nacogdoches on SR21 about 5 miles to CR274 on the left; there is a sign on the right side for Thomas Cemetery. Turn left and go a very short distance to the cemetery on the right. (CR274 is a narrow dirt road).

McLEMORE (Double headstone) Vessie Earl; b. Sept 12, 1916; d. Apr 30, 1997. Pfc US Army WWII Velta Rawson; b. Sept 20, 1917; d. Nov 20, 2002
McLEMORE, Wanda Kaye; b. June 17, 1955; d. March 28, 1974

Notes:

Vessie McLemore grew up on his parent's farm in the first precinct of Sabine County. The adjoining farm was owned by his Uncle, Henry Strickland White, Jr. The 1900 census indicates that Vessie, who was 15, could read and write, and that he has attended three months of school that year, as had his brothers Rufus and Earnest. His daughter Evon has a class picture of Vessie from around this period. Evon said that Vessie didn't have much of a formal education, and probably stopped attending school altogether around this time. Vessie's wife, Nina, told her granddaughter Melinda that he even taught school for a time, however Evon doubts that this was so. The 1940 Federal Census indicates he had graduated from the Seventh Grade. His wife, Nina, had made it through only Six years of schooling.

When Vessie was 22, he married Nina Fuller,who was 16. On the 1910 Sabine County census they were shown living on a home farm in precinct six, near both Joe Fuller (Nina's father) and John and Jane Fullen (her mother's parents). Nina was shown as being the mother of two children, neither of them living. Nina's first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, and her next three babies died shortly after they were born. Her first child lived only 10 weeks. Evon said that Nina and Vessie's baby slept in their bed with them, as was the custom of the time. One morning when they woke up, the baby was dead. Tera Fuller, Nina's sister, reported that Nina always worried that she had somehow accidentally caused the babies death, maybe by rolling over it. Evon conjectured that the baby probably died of SIDS, which her mother had never heard of. The second baby lived only a day. In 1911, they had a third baby which also lived only one day. The three babies are buried side by side.

In 1913, Nina and Vessie's son Percy was born. Over the next six years, the McLemore's had three more children, daughter Evon and sons' Earl and Ray. Vessie owned a store in Steep Creek, a sawmill village eight miles south of San Augustine. He also raised cattle. He regularly published a small advertisement in the 1918 Sabine County newspaper, offering a reward for any stray cattle returned to him. His brand was VM on the hip. He later adopted the "Running M" as his brand. Evon remembers her father buying a Brahma Bull, in an effort to improve his herd. Most of the ranchers in Sabine County didn't fence in their cattle, they allowed them to freely roam about to forage for food. Evon remembers people being afraid of the "Brimmer." He wasn't a particularly mean bull, he was just so different from the east texas scrub cattle that everyone raised. Tom McLemore, Evon Tisdale and Melinda Strong had a conversation in November, 2002 with Vance Hargrove that came around to the subject of Vessie's missing cattle. Vance was a neighbor of the McLemore's when they lived in Bronson, and a good friend of Percy's. He said that Vessie asked he and Percy one day to go looking for several cattle that were missing. They found evidence that some of the laborers in the nearby saw mills had been poaching from Vessie's herd. They told Vessie they had found cattle bones in the yards of some of the workers, workers who looked to be half-starved. Vessie said they probably were half-starved, and told the boys not to report their findings to the sheriff.

A son of Enlow Birdwell relayed a similar story to Tom McLemore in September, 2007, at the funeral of Lynn McLemore. He recalled that Enlow had killed one of Vessie's cows and was taking it home to feed his family. He was caught in the act by Vessie. He confessed to what he had done, and said that he was only doing so because his family had done without for a long time, and were starving. Vessie told him to take the beef home and use it as he intended, but added, "let this be the last one of my cows that you steal." It was. When times became more prosperous, Enlow began raising a small herd of cattle of his own. He went to Vessie to borrow some money to get a start. Vessie gave him one of his checkbooks, and told him to simply use it as he needed, he trusted Enlow and knew together they could keep an accurate accounting of what he borrowed. Enlow often told his family that Vessie was the one who helped him get a start in life, and that he especially valued the trust he showed in him.

Vessie's older children attended their primary grades in Sabine County, but had to commute to San Augustine for High School. Evon says that during the winter, she and her brothers boarded with the family of Dr. Davis, who lived nearby the school. In the late 1920s, the family moved to San Augustine. Evon remembers that her mother suffered another devasting miscarriage, which nearly killed her. A few years later, Nina's youngest children were born, son Tommy in 1931 and son Lynn in 1933. They lived in a house Vessie renovated just off Main Street, and had a small home farm. Evon remembers her father first built a garage, and they slept and cooked in this until he had finished with the house. Their home was still standing in 1997. Even the roof is the same one Vessie laid. It is now the second house on the left, on present day Whitton street. It is a block away from the local elementary school. Tom remembers an indigent Civil War veteran, in his late eighties, who his father took into their home. Tom vividly recalls the stories he told about the war each night at dinner.

In the December 21, 1939 issue of the San Augustine Tribune, V.E. McLemore offered a $5.00 reward to anyone who found his dun muley cow branded "M" on the left loin. Around 1940, Vessie sold their house in the city, and bought some ranch land several miles outside of town.

Vessie's brothers and sisters used to say, admiringly, that "Vessie could stand on the corner and make money." He was an industrious man, with a strong enterpreneurial bent. His first job was working in the sawmills, with his brother, Rufus. But Vessie hated working for others, and saved up enough money to buy a general store in Steep Creek. This was around the time of World War I. It was a rough part of town, and he had both black and white laborers from the sawmills as customers.

The sheriff was a frequent visitor to the store. Evon remembers him always having a kind word and a piece of candy for her. He had a reputation for brutality however, and she recalls that he and a brother were eventually sent to jail after being convicted of murder. One day, the sheriff came to the store asking about a particular Negro laborer. Vessie said he hadn't seen him in days. The sheriff asked Vessie to call him the next time this man came in, telling Vessie he intended to kill him. Vessie went home and discussed the sheriff's threat with Nina, worrying about what he should do. In the middle of the night he got dressed, and tracked the man down in his home. He warned him of the sheriff's threat. The man pawned his pocket watch to Vessie, then and there, and used the money to flee town. He succesfully escaped the sheriff and was never heard of again. Vessie later gave the pocket watch to his son Earl. After Earl's death, his children gave this watch to their Uncle Tom, and Tom eventually passed this keepsake down to his eldest daughter, Melinda. It was a brass plated Studebaker watch from the South Bend Watch Company, and widely sold by mail order in the 1920's. These watches were sold on credit, and could be purchased with a down payment of $1. With the onset of the Depression, the company found itself with many delinquent accounts and was forced to close. (http://www.pocketwatchrepair.com/histories/southbend.html)

After the mill near Steep Creek closed, Vessie was also forced to close his store. His family feared that they'd soon be in the poorhouse. But Vessie continued to prosper. He worked as a rancher primarily, leasing and operating land in Pearsall, Garwood and in various sites throughout South and East Texas. He operated up to 20,000 acres at any given time. He also owned and operated a cotton gin and a meat processing plant. He involved his children in all these ventures. He was well known in the community for his willingness to extend credit or make loans to poor families, black or white. Tom McLemore recalls from looking at a lot of the notes he had drawn up that he charged from 6% to 10% compound interest. He was good fried to Will Wade, proprietor of the City Cafe, and W.J. (Wade) McClanahan, Deputy Sherriff of San Augustine.

Vessie felt a strong committment to provide for his family. Before he died, he built a home for each of his eldest four children, as well as giving them each 50 acres of land. He left his homestead and 400 acre ranch, jointly, to his two youngest sons.

When Vessie was in his forties, he was gored by a bull on the ranch. The wound was just under his left eye. He suffered from nearly incapacitating headaches for the rest of his life. In 1950, he had several massive strokes, and was unable to function normally after that. His wife nursed him at home until he died from a brain aneurysm in 1952.

Although Vessie didn't have much formal education, he was an extremely intelligent man. Tom and Evon remember that he read widely. Vessie's daughter, Evon, was the first of the family to graduate from college. She attended Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, where she received a degree in education. She remembers coming home one weekend from college, and her father asked her to check something he had prepared. He had calculated the compound interest that was due on a loan he had made. She told him she didn't know how to do this. "What am I sending you to college for" he grumbled, "if they can't even teach you to calculate compound interest."

His obituary was published in the local papers, as well as in the January 23, 1952 issue of the Houston Post.

Written by Melinda McLemore Strong, granddaughter, circa 1995 and revised periodically

(Research):
Census Listings:

1910 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Pr 6
Enumerated 11 May 1910
SD 2 ED 133 Sheet 32A
209-209
McLemore, Vessie Head M W 24 M1 2 Tx US US Farming Home Farm
McLemore, Nina Wf F W 18 M1 2 2/0 Tx Ga Tx

1920 Census
Texas, Sabine County, JP 6
Enumerated 2 Jan 1920
SD 326 ED 173 Sheet 1A
Bronson Road
2-2
McLemore, Vessie E Head M W 34 M Tx Ga Tx Farmer
McLemore, Nina O Wf F W 28 M Tx Ark Tx
McLemore, Percy L Son M W 6 S Tx Tx Tx
McLemore, Evaughan V Dtr F W 5 S Tx Tx Tx
McLemore, Earl Son M W 3 3/12 S Tx Tx Tx
McLemore, Ira Son M W 1 4/12 S Tx Tx Tx

(Medical):artherio sclerosis, hypertension

Vessie married Nina Ophelia Fuller on 7 Nov 1907 in Many, Sabine Parish, Louisiana. Nina (daughter of Joseph Thomas Fuller and Viola "Ola" Fullen) was born on 15 Sep 1891 in Rosevine, Sabine County, Texas; died on 8 Jul 1980 in Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas; was buried in Rosevine Cemetery, Rosevine, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Nina Fuller was a striking. She was nearly six feet tall and slender. When she unwound her hair from the bun she usually wore, it cascaded down her back almost to her feet. She enjoyed gardening and quilting, growing most of her own vegetables. She was a thrifty woman. She continued to make her own soap from lye, pine rosin and "fat cracklings" even when she could just as easily purchased a bar at the store.

Being the oldest daughter, Nina helped her mother daily with the household chores. She remembers that when she was quite young, her parents went to the State Fair in Dallas by horse and buggy. They came home with a washboard and a box of packaged laundry soap. Nina claims they were the first family in Sabine County to have a washboard, and remembers neighbors coming by on wash day just to see how it worked. The 1940 census indicates she had attended school for six years.

She was a staunch member of the Rosevine Church of God. She truly believed in doing good works, and never turned away anyone in need. Her son Tom remembers that their home was on the "hobo circuit" during the depression. He often passed men asleep on a spare mattress in their garage on his way to school. She fed everyone who came to their door hungry, and made regular visits to the local nursing home to take food to friends and relatives.

Nina Sue Wade, who was a backdoor neighbor to the McLemore family when they lived in town, recalls that her mother relied on her more experienced neighbors parenting advice. The Wade family had several young children, mainly very active boys, with Nina being the oldest. Mrs. Wade worked hard to keep her rambuctious children in line, to no avail. Mrs. McLemore advised her to ignore the minor infractions. Nina Sue recalled her mother often quoting a saying Mrs. McLemore told her, "When your children are young, they step on your shoestrings. When they get older, they step on your heartstrings." She would go on to advise her to cherish her children while they were young and full of spirit, because she would miss them sorely when they were grown and on their own.

Nina McLemore was an independant woman, living alone in a house her brother Lonzo built for her after her husband died. She lived next door to her son Percy, and her grandson's Dental Office was directly behind her home. She was able to live at home and care for herself until she was in her mid 80's, when she went to live with her daughter Evon.

Written by Melinda McLemore Strong, granddaughter, circa 1995 and revised periodically

(Medical):cerebral arteriosclerosis

Notes:

Married:
Nina's mother died six months after Nina's Fifteenth birthday. As the oldest girl, and second of eight children, all the day to day household tasks of caring for their large family immediately fell to her. To make matters worse, Nina's father had relatives who had moved to the fertile lower Rio Grande Valley to farm. They encouraged him to move down there as well. He had made several trips down to visit them, and to inspect land. Nina was desperately afraid of leaving her beloved east Texas.

About this same time, Nina met Vessie McLemore met at a church revival. They enjoyed each other's company, and began secretly corresponding with each other. Vessie soon proposed, and in November 1907, they snuck across the river to Many, Louisiana and eloped. Nina had turned sixteen years old not quite two months earlier. Nina told her granddaughter, Melinda, that she and Vessie had only seen each other twice in person before their marriage. A photo exists that appears to be their wedding picture. Vessie is wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and white bow tie, and Nina in a white dress, with a large flower in her hair.

Witnesses at their wedding were, H. E. White, presumably Henry Ernest White--Vessie's first cousin-- and A. McGown [likely either Albert or Andrew McGown, brothers who lived nearby the young couple in Geneva, Texas].

The license was filed for record on 14 July 1908 in Volume 3, Page 272 of the Marriage Records of Sabine Parish, Louisiana by W. E. McNuly, clerk, oper J. J. McNuly, Deputy.

Joe Fuller was not pleased with his daughters elopement. For at least several months after their wedding, the young couple avoided him. Rumors abounded that he might shoot Vessie on sight. Jan Tisdale, another granddaughter, remembers similar stories. Jan said that Nina's younger sisters were especially saddened by the hasty marriage. They lost both their mother and older sister in less than a year.

Written by Melinda McLemore Strong, granddaughter, circa 1995 and revised periodically

Notes:

(Research):Census Listings:

1920 Census
Texas, San Augustine County, JP #2
Enumerated 21 Jan 1920
SD 326 ED 177 Sheet 15B
289-289
Rawson, Eugene Hd M W 22 M Tx La La Farmer
Rawson, Veva Wf F W 22 M Tx Tx
Rawson, Velton Dtr F W 2 1/12 S Tx Tx
Rawson, Junior Son m W 9/12 Tx Tx


1930 Census
Texas, San Augustine County, JP #2
Enumerated April 19, 1930
ED 203-4 SD 19 Sheet 7B
4/21-30
#118-118
Rawson, Eugene B Hd M W 32 M@18 La La La Farmer
Rawson, Veva Wf F W 32 M@18 Tx Tx Tx
Rawson, Velta A Dtr F W 12 S Tx Tx Tx
Rawson, Eugene B. Jr Son M W 10 S Tx Tx Tx
Rawson, Francis Son M W 9 S Tx Tx Tx
Rawson, Garrett P Son M W 7 S Tx Tx Tx
Rawson, Doris Dtr F W 5 S Tx Tx Tx

Eugene married Veva G. Garrett on 16 Aug 1916 in Ratcliff, San Augustine County, Texas. Veva (daughter of James Garrett and Mattie Gilbert) was born on 27 Oct 1897 in Ratcliff, San Augustine County, Texas; died on 13 Aug 1968 in Orange County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She was a sister of Vivian Garrett, and a descendant of Jacob Garrett, who was Alcade of San Augustine in the 1830s.

Notes:

Finn's middle name could have been Fenton (based on a poll tax receipt from Jasper) or Finerel (based on the middle name of his son, Rufus) or Finn, as he was commonly called.

At the time of the 1880 census, he was widowed, and living in the home of his in-laws with his young daughter.

He was a farmer. On the 1900 Sabine County census, he is shown in household 22, next to the Henry S. White family, his wife's brother. Household 36 is that of Thomas E. McLemore, his half brother.

Finn died in at the home of his son, Vessie McLemore. Vessie and Nina had been caring for him. Granddaughter Evon remembers she and some cousins going out into the woods to gather wildflowers for him while her father built a coffin. Her father and his brothers took the coffin by cart to the Gravel Hill cemetery a few days later.

(Research):Census information:

1880 Census
Census Place:Precinct 3, Jasper, Texas
Source:FHL Film 1255313 National Archives Film T9-1313
Page 14 Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace
J.F. MCLEMORE Self M W W 25 Texas Occ: Laborer Fa: AR Mo: GA
Vilona MCLEMORE Dau F S W 7 M Texas Fa: Texas Mo: MS
Frances WIGLEY Self M M W 69 GA Occ: FarmerFa: VA Mo: VA
Sarah WIGLEY Wife F M W 67 SC Occ: Keeping House Fa: SC Mo: SC
Martha WIGLEY Dau F S W 31 MS Occ: At HomeFa: GAMo: SC
Alexander WIGLEY Son M S W 25 Texas Occ: Printer Fa: GA Mo: SC

1900 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Pr 1
Enumerated 5 Jun 1900
SD 8 ED 68 Sheet 2A Stamped 93
22-23
McLemore, John Head W M Dec 1853 46 M 17 Ga NC NC Farmer
McLemore, Ruth T Wf W F Dec 1859 40 M 17 7/6 Tx Miss Miss
McLemore, Vessie E Son W M Feb 1885 15 S Tx Ga Tx Farm Laborer
McLemore, Rufus F Son W M July 1886 13 S Tx Ga Tx Farm Laborer
McLemore, Earnest Son W M May 1887 13 S Tx Ga Tx Farm Laborer
McLemore, Mellie Dtr W F Feb 1891 9 S Tx Ga Tx
McLemore, Ira Son W M Jan 1896 4 S Tx Ga Tx

1910 Federal Census
Texas, Sabine County, JP 1
Enumerated 16 Apr 1910
SD 2 ED 131 Sheet 1B
Milam Road
12-13
McLemore, John F. Head M W 51 M2 26 Ga Ga Ga Farmer
McLemore, Ruth T Wf F W 50 m1 26 8/7 Tx Ala Miss
McLemore, Ernest E Son M W 20 S Tx Ga Tx Farmer
McLemore, Mellie M Dtr F W 19 S Tx Ga Tx
McLemore, Elvie R Dtr F W 16 S Tx Ga Tx
McLemore, Ira W Son M W 14 S Tx Ga Tx Laborer Farm
McLemore, Emma L Dtr F W 9 S Tx Ga Tx

John married Rutha Triphene White on 11 Dec 1883 in Sabine County, Texas. Rutha (daughter of Henry Strickland White, Sr and Mary Etta "Polly" Vardeman) was born on 27 Dec 1859 in Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas; died on 11 Jun 1939 in Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Gravel Hill Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

According to her obituary, Ruth White McLemore "slipped in her home in Hemphill, and fractured her left thigh on June 2nd. She was carried to . . . hospital in Jasper (and then) transferred here to the home of her son, Mr. V.E. McLemore of San Augustine, where she passed away on June 11, 1939. She was born December 27, 1859 at Hemphill. She joined the Baptist church when a young girl and was a faithful Christian worker all of her life. She married to J.F. McLemore on December 13, 1883 and was the mother of eight children, four boys and four girls. Six children survive: namely V. E. McLemore, San Augustine; Earnest and Ira McLemore, Miss Mellie McLemore, and Mrs. Herman Commack of Gravel Hill, and Mrs. Mermon Speights of Hemphill. She is also survived by seventeen grandchildren and three great grandchildren. In addition to relatives, local people attending the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. T.F. Read, Mr. and Mrs. E.B. Jacks, Mr. and Mrs. John D. Clark, Mr and Mrs W.F. Stephenson, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Burkhalter, Mrs. Rosalie Polly, W.L. Polly, Mr. and Mrs. Rob Horn, Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Mitchell, Mrs. E.M. Boyett, Theo Boyett and others."

Melinda McLemore Strong has a maroon and white quilt made by Ruth circa 1880. At Ruth's death, the quilt was passed on to her daughter Millie. Millie added a calico border to the quilt edges which had apparently frayed. At Millie's death, the quilt was passed to her older brother, Vessie McLemore. After Vessie and Nina died, Evon McLemore Tisdale used the quilt. She later gave it to her niece, Melinda McLemore Strong.

(Research):Triphene is a "pseudo-classical" name, often whimsically given to the third child in a family.

Notes:

At the time of the 1900 census, he was living between his older brother William and his wife's parents, John and Jane Fullen.

The following obituary was published regarding the death of Joseph Fuller:

Funeral services for Joseph Thomas Fuller, 81, were held at the Church of God at Rosevine, Thursday, November 30 at 2:00 o'clock. He died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Grover Eddings, in Rosevine on Tuesday, November 28 at 7:00 pm after a prolonged illness.

Services were conducted by Rev. C.S. Singleton officiating and assisted by Rev. Clarence Howell. Burial was in the Rosevine cemetery under the direction of the Wyman Roberts Funeral Home.

Mr. Fuller moved to Texas at the age of two. He was born at Malvern, Arkansas November 4, 1869. He was married to Alice Pointer March 27, 1917. He had been a member of the Church of God for the past 37 years.

Surviving are: wife, Mrs. Alice Fuller; four daughters: Mrs. V.E. McLemore of San Augustine, Mrs. Grover Eddings of Rosevine. Mrs. O.H. Williams of East Bernard, Mrs. W.D. Cousins of Sarepta, LA; two step daughters Mrs. Denton Kerr of Houston, Mrs. Hamp Woods of San Augustine; three sons L.A. of Hemphill, Herman of Rosevine and J.S. of San Antonio, five step-sons: Enlow Birdwell of San Augustine, Estes Birdwell of Chinquapin, Oscar Birdwell of San Augustine, W.M. Pointer of Big Lake and M.B. Pointer of Corpus Christi; 23 grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, 29 step grandchildren, and seven great-great grandchildren.

Pallbearers were: Dale Tisdale, Buddy Pointer, Fred Ellison, Elo Finderson, Henry Marshburn and Louis McDonald.

(Research):
Census Information:

1900 Census
Texas, Sabine County, JP 6
Enumerated 9 Jun 1900
SD 8 ED 70 Sheet 6B
99-99
Fuller, Joseph Head W M Sept 1870 29 M 11 Ark Ark Ark Farmer
Fuller, Ola Wf W F Feb 1874 26 m 11 7/6 Tx Tx Tx
Fuller, Alonzo Son W M July 1890 9 S Tx Ark Tx
Fuller, Nina Dau W F Nov 1891 8 S Tx Ark Tx
Fuller, Price Son W M Feb 1894 6 S Tx Ark Tx
Fuller, Brooks Son W M Mar 1895 5 S Tx Ark Tx
Fuller, Ethel Dau W F Feb 1897 3 Tx Ark Tx
Fuller, Bertha Dau W F Feb 1900 5/12 Tx Ark Tx

1910 Federal Census
Texas, Sabine, Precinct No. 6
Enumerated 11 May 1910 Fred Berryman
SD 2, ED 122, Stamped 148
215-215
Fuller, Joe T Head M W 40 M2 0 Ark Ga Ga Farming
Fuller, Blanche Wife F W 28 M2 0 4/4 Tx Tx Tx
Fuller, Alonzo A Son M W 19 S Tx Ark Tx Farming At home
Fuller, Price J Son M W 17 S Tx Ark Tx
Fuller, John B Son M W 15 S Tx Ark Tx
Fuller, Ethel Dtr F W 13 S Tx Ark Tx
Fuller, Bertha Dtr F W 10 S Tx Ark Tx
Fuller, Tera M Dtr F W 8 S Tx Ark Tx
Fuller, Herman Son M W 6 S Tx Ark Tx
Birdwell, Vertie O Step Dtr F W 5 S Tx Tx Tx
Birdwell, Oscar E Step Son M W 2 S Tx Tx Tx

1920 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Justice Precinct 6
Enumerated 2 January 1920 by Jesse L. Mosley
SD 326 ED 173 Sheet 1A
3-3
Fuller, Joseph Hd M W 50 M Ark Ga Ga Farmer
Fuller, Alice J Wife F W 35 M Tx Tenn Tex
Fuller, Bertha L Dtr F W 19 S Tx Ark Tx Teacher
Fuller, Tera M Str F W 12 S Tx Ark Tx
Fuller, Herman J Son M W 16 Tx Ark Tx Farm Laborer
Fuller, Jos S Son M W 8 S Tx Akr Tx
Pointer, Edna A StepDtr F W 18 S Tx Tx Tx
Pointer, Mannie Stepson M W 8 S Tx Tx Tx

(Medical):arteriosclerosis, Rheumatoid arhritis

Joseph married Viola "Ola" Fullen on 22 May 1889 in Sabine County, Texas. Viola (daughter of John W. Fullen and Jane Allen) was born on 29 Feb 1872 in Sabine County, Texas; died on 1 Mar 1907 in Sabine County, Texas; was buried in McMahan's Chapel Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Evon Tisdale gave Melinda McLemore Strong a brown dress with black ribbons that had belonged to Viola. It is in very fragile condition.

Her tombstone is inscribed "Resting in Heaven"

Notes:

Married:
J.T. Fuller and Viola Fullen were married by S.D. Harp, J.P. Beat No 6, Sabine County, Texas on May 22, 1889. A copy of their marriage certificate was filed on the 8th day of June, 1889 by W.T. Arnold, County Clerk for Sabine County.

In his "Farm Corner" column (clipping not dated), Joe Combs wrote: "Recently (I) had the pleasure of meeting Lonzo A. Fuller of Hemphill. He was at the desk of Otis A. Fullen, president of the Security State Bank. The thought occurred that changing the last letter of either name would change the name to either Fuller or Fullen. Being a little curious a few questions were asked, and it developed that Mr. Fuller and Mr. Fullen are related. "Yes," said Mr. Fullen, "we came from the same stock. In fact, Mr. Fuller's great grandfather was also my great grandfather. Right there the Fullers and the Fullens got mixed up in such a way that most of them in the Hemphill region are kinfolk." Mr. Fullen explained further that one of the families often became enamored of one of the other families, and a marriage took place. The fact that only one letter of the alphabet had to be changed to make the bride's name fit that of the groom's may or may not have had its influence upon courtships. Mr. Fuller is a builder in the Hemphill region, and also does some farming. He said that his great grandfather was somewhat of a builder also. He says the first house ever built in Sabine County that had a brick chimney was built by great grandfather Fuller sometime about 1840. "That old house just wouldn't fall down," says Mr. Fuller, "and fire finally had to get rid of it. And as proof of the quality put in brick chimneys of that day, the old chimney is still standing as a silent reminder of a day that is gone." {Note: Since John Fuller didn't move to Sabine County until 1870, it is most likely that it was Lonzo's other great grandfather John/James? Fullen who built the above mentioned house in 1840...proof that those pesky "n's" and "r's" are indeed easily confused}.

Joe and Viola Fuller had eight children before Viola died in 1907. Joe married twice more, to Blanche Birdwell (a widow with children). Blanche and Joe had two children of their own before she died. Joe's final marriage was to Alice Pointer, also a widow with children, in 1917. He and Alice were married for over 30 years until his death.

Warren married Ella M. Prestridge on 6 Sep 1883 in Jackson Parish, Louisiana. Ella was born on 12 Oct 1867 in Louisiana; died on 3 Aug 1950 in Chireno, Nacogdoches County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Assumed that this is the James Garrett that married Mattie Gilbert by the process of elimination. He and Mattie were both unmarried in 1880, and both still living in their parent's home. This is confirmed by examining the 1920 census, where James parents were both shown as born in Tennessee, and his brother Claiborne was living with him. The obituary of his son, Milton Garrett confirms this.

The only other possible candidate living in San Augustine in 1880, was a J.A. Garrett, born ca 1856 in Mississippi. This J.A. Garrett was also unmarried in 1880, living in prencinct 2, household #88-92 with his 60 year old widowed mother from Alabama. J.A. Garrett's father was listed as being born in South Carolina. The aforementioned "J.A. Garrett" appears to be unrelated to the other Garrett's in San Augustine, and as such would not be a direct descendant of Alcade Jacob Garrett of Tennessee.




(Research):

Census Listings:

1920 census,
Texas, San Augustine County
ED #177, Precinct #2
#199-199
Garrett, James Head M W 61 M Texas Tennessee Tennessee Farmer
Garrett, Mattie Wife F W 52 M Texas Texas Texas
Garrett, Milton Son M W 18 Texas Texas Texas
Garrett, Anna Daug F W 17 Texas Texas Texas
Garrett, Mattie Daug F W 13 Texas Texas Texas
Garrett, James P Son M W 11 Texas Texas Texas
Garrett, Murry Son M W 8 Texas Texas Texas
Garrett, Clabe Brother M W 64 S Texas Tennessee Tennessee


They were living near Willie Garrett, Jack Garrett, and two households away from Abram Hensarling, who was married to their daughter Vivian.

James married Mattie Gilbert on 18 Jul 1887 in San Augustine, San Augustine County, Texas. Mattie (daughter of William Gilbert and Sophronia ???) was born about 1868 in Texas; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]