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John F. "Finn" McLemore

John F. "Finn" McLemore

Male 1853 - 1924  (70 years)

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  • Name John F. "Finn" McLemore  [1, 2
    Nickname Finn 
    Born 28 Dec 1853  Decatur County, Georgia Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3
    Gender Male 
    Died 12 Feb 1924  Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Buried Gravel Hill Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    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
    Person ID I59  Strong Family Tree
    Last Modified 22 Dec 2020 

    Father John M. McLemore,   b. Abt 1822, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Jan 1891, Jasper County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 69 years) 
    Mother Sarah Morgan,   b. Abt 1826, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Bef 1859, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 32 years) 
    Married Bef 1844 
    • In a letter that Edythe McLemore McCoy wrote Sam McLemore in June, 1982, she indicated that "Your information was most helpful in that I went to the Genealogical Library in Beaumont and researched the 1850 Census in Decatur County, Georgia, where I found John McElmore (sic) and his wife, Sarah. They had three living children and may have had another one who died in infancy (before Finn was born in 1853). That would account for seven children including Dan and Mary Ann (the three that came to Texas). I will look for marriage records around 1844-1845 in Alexandria, La. Also, I plan to get in touch with a man in Crossett, Ark., who says his great granddad may have been a brother of John Mclemore who came to Texas."
    Family ID F64  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Lucinda Wigley,   b. 16 Oct 1852, Amite County, Mississippi Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Oct 1879, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 27 years) 
    Married 20 Dec 1878  Jasper, Jasper County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    • Lucinda and John Finn McLemore were married on the 20 of December 1878, at the home of Lucinda's father. They were married by W.C. Southwell, Minister of God. Lucinda was pregnant within six weeks. Their daughter, Sarah Valuma was born on October 20, 1879. Lucinda died the day after her daughter was born.
    Children 
     1. Sarah Valuma McLemore,   b. 20 Oct 1879, Jasper County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 Feb 1904, Jasper County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 24 years)
    Documents
    McLemore, Finn 1878 marriage to Lucinda Wigley
    McLemore, Finn 1878 marriage to Lucinda Wigley
    Finn's first wife, Lucinda Wigley, died in childbirth approximately a year after they were married.
    Last Modified 2 Jan 2009 
    Family ID F62  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Annie Irene Boyett,   b. Abt 1865, Arkansas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Abt 1882  (Age ~ 17 years) 
    Married 23 Dec 1880  Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    • Married by J.J. Rountree, Minister of God. Annie died in childbirth, along with her infant child. At a homecoming at Gravel Hill cemetery, Evon McLemore Tisdale was told by a Boyett that Annie and her infant were buried in an unmarked grave at Gravel Hill. John Finn was buried beside them upon his death, with his third wife, Ruth White McLemore, being later being laid to rest on his other side.
    Last Modified 19 Feb 2011 
    Family ID F63  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 3 Rutha Triphene White,   b. 27 Dec 1859, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 11 Jun 1939, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years) 
    Married 11 Dec 1883  Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [5, 6, 7, 8
    Children 
     1. Vessie Eugene McLemore,   b. 1 Feb 1885, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Jan 1952, San Augustine, San Augustine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 66 years)
     2. Rufus Finerel McLemore,   b. 11 Jul 1886, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Oct 1912, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 26 years)
     3. Ernest Edward McLemore,   b. 20 May 1889, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 Oct 1963, San Augustine, San Augustine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 74 years)
     4. Mary Melvine "Mellie" McLemore,   b. 10 Feb 1891, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 16 Sep 1970, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years)
     5. Rutha Elvie McLemore,   b. 4 Dec 1893, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Mar 1980, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 86 years)
     6. Ira Henry Strickland White McLemore,   b. 29 Jan 1896, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Jul 1970, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 74 years)
     7. Henrietta McLemore,   b. 28 Jan 1899, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Mar 1899, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 0 years)
     8. Emma Lelee McLemore,   b. 22 Jul 1900, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Dec 1981, Harris County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 81 years)
    Documents
    McLemore, Finn 1883 marriage to Ruth White
    McLemore, Finn 1883 marriage to Ruth White
    When Finn married Ruth White in 1883, he had already been twice widowed, his previous wives both dying in childbirth. He has one daughter by his first wife, who was raised by her maternal grandparents after her mother died. Finn and Ruth went on to have a large family.
    Last Modified 12 Jul 2012 
    Family ID F51  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 28 Dec 1853 - Decatur County, Georgia Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 20 Dec 1878 - Jasper, Jasper County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 23 Dec 1880 - Sabine County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 11 Dec 1883 - Sabine County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 12 Feb 1924 - Sabine County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Gravel Hill Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Photos
    McLemore, John Finn ca 1875
    McLemore, John Finn ca 1875
    Husband of Ruth White
    B. 1853 Georgia D. 1924 Texas
    Finn McLemore was born in Georgia in 1853, moving with his parents to Texas when he was still young. His first two wives both died in childbirth within a year of their marriages, and his oldest daughter, Valuma, was raised by her mother's parents, Francis and Sarah Wigley. Finn and his third wife, Rutha White, had eight children.
    _McLemore, John Finn
    _McLemore, John Finn
    Husband of Ruth White
    B. 1853 Georgia D. 1924 Texas
    McLemore, John Finn ca 1912 and family
    McLemore, John Finn ca 1912 and family
    Finn and Ruth at the funeral of their son, Rufus, in 1912. Ruth's face is hidden by her bonnet, and bowed in grief. Finn sits besides her, a slight man with a white beard. To Ruth's left is her daughter-in-law, Nina, and to Finn's right are his remaining sons. Their daughters were seated to the far left and not visible in this extract from the larger photo.

    Headstones
    McLemore, John F. 'Finn'
    McLemore, John F. "Finn"

  • Sources 
    1. [S674] Tisdale, Evon McLemore-Family Member, Correspondence and Interviews.

    2. [S384] 1900 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004, (Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls. This database is an index to individuals enumerated in the 1900 United States Federal Census, the Twelfth Census of the United States. Census takers recorded many details including each person's name, address, relationship to the head of household, color or race, sex, month and year of birth, age at last birthday, marital status, number of years married, the total number of children born of the mother, the number of those children living, birthplace, birthplace of father and mother, if the individual was foreign born, the year of immigration and the number of years in the United States, the citizenship status of foreign-born individuals over age twenty-one, occupation, and more. Additionally, the names of those listed on the population schedule are linked to actual images of the 1900 Federal Census.), Texas, Sabine County, Pr 1 Enumerated 5 Jun 1900 SD 8 ED 68 Sheet 2A Stamped 93 22-23 (Reliability: 3).

    3. [S346] Sanders, J.B. "Index to Cemeteries of Sabine County, Texas 1836-1964", 1964, Nacogdoches, Texas.

    4. [S391] State of Texas, Certificate of Holy Union of Matrimony.

    5. [S434] Toole, Blanche "Sabine County Marriages 1875-1900 1900-1910 Prior to 1875" c. 1983.

    6. [S341] Sabine County, Texas, Marriage License.

    7. [S416] Casagranda, Kathy "Sabine Parish The 1850 Census with added Family Information" (May, 1999: P.O. Box 2195, Palmer, Alaska 99645), p 95 (Reliability: 3).

    8. [S1305] Clark, John W. "Some Descendants of William Clark of Sabine County, Texas" (American Reference Publishing Co., Ste. 262-250, Ridgleas Bank Building, Fort Worth, Texas 76116, c. 1971), (This book was complied by John William Clark, 1023 Harris Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK 73107 in honor of William Clark...information was obtained from family records and interviews with relatives having first hand knowledge of the facts; census records of South Carolina, Mississippi, and Texas; cemetery records and tombstone inscriptions; library books in Oklahoma City, Dallas, Austin, Hemphill, Lufkin and Nacogdoches, and letters from many interested people all over the country willing to help and be helped. A copy of this book was found by Trudy Cox at the Abilene Christina Unversity Brown Library and xeroxed by her, and a copy sent to Melinda McLemore Strong in San Antonio, Texas.), p. 45 (Reliability: 3).