Rebecca Isabella "Bell" McLemore

1850 - 1918  (67 years)

• Name	Rebecca Isabella "Bell" McLemore  [1]
  Nickname	Bell
  Birth	15 Mar 1850	Sabine Parish, Louisiana   [1]
  Gender	Female
  Death	16 Jan 1918	Houston, Harris County, Texas   [1]
  Burial	Smithville, Bastrop County, Texas
  Notes	Rosa's papers have Bell's husband as John Sheppard, a prosperous farmer in Bastrop County, both died in Houston, both buried in Smithville. Parents of 3 children. The following letter was written to Rebecca Isabella (McLemore) Shepard shortly after the Christmas Eve & Christmas Day 1883 murders of her brothers, Thad and Wright McLemore, along with Felix McLemore's brothers-in-laws Az & Jack Batey, it is thought that Addie (Nancy Adaline) McLemore wrote this letter; it is also possible it was written by Amanda (McLemore) Ebner. Austin Feb. 15 1884 Dear Isabelle, I am a long time in writing but there has been nothing to write, and I want to see you so bad that writing seems like a farce. I wanted to see you so all before I left but knew it would do me no good. I don't like to say good-bye and I felt in leaving then I was leaving the best friends I had on earth. Thought my mind would be in a better condition to contend with and have come to the conclusion that the shadow will never be lifted from my life. Well Isabell we are all here together yet. Mollie was intending to go on to Maggie's but Felix was in town when we got here and he said it would never do for her to keep on them, as she would be watched. Henry Green and Ty Jones came up on same train as we did, and next day Jhon (sic) Allen came up. There is no telling what Allen wanted . He acted in a suspicious manner. We saw Felix a day or two ago. He was intending to go down home, but was advised not to. I know that something is on the list regarding him, and know his life would not be worth much if he was down there. He is staying out with Marion Oliver now. He spoke about visiting to have you come up here to see him, and I wish you would. It would be better than for him to go down there. We have had a fearful time ever since we been up here. It has been raining and misting all the while. The town is dull and gloomy and nothing doing. We have had no work yet but everybody says after a while times will be better. I guess they will, if not I will back away from this region. I will go slap crazy if I don't get something to do pretty soon. I wish I could see you and the children. Don't let them forget me. I know baby will but the others may not. God knows when we will meet again or how we will all come out. If I had known what I know now, I would of never have left there or would of never stopped here . I only stopped here to be nearer to you all , thought from the way things were represented I could get plenty of work here and may after a while, but I will have to live on in the mean time. I want you all to write to me soon. This letter is to Grandmother and all. Give my love to Blanche and tell her to write. My best love to you all, Your aff' sister A??? McLemore Transcribed from photo copy from files of Jimmy R. Mclemore of Denver, Colorado by Melba Gene McLemore on 13 January 2003 (Research): Census Information: 1880 Census John E. SHAKURD Self M M W 30 Mo Farmer In Miss Rebecca SHAKHURD Wife M F W 29 Tx Keeping House KY MS Vanettis E. SHAKHURD Dau S F W 3 Tx Ms Tx Nettie Lila SHAKHURD Dau S F W 1 month -- -- -- Guadalupe Valley, Guadalupe, Texas FHL Film # 1255308 NA Film # T9-1308 Page Number 289D 1900 Census Texas, Bastrop, JP 2 Roll T623 1609 Page 36B John H Shepard Hd 50 Aug 1849 Miss W Farmer Rebecca J Shepard Wf 3/3 49 Mar 1850 La Samuel O Shepard Son 15 Sept 1885 Tx
  Person ID	I24471	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	17 Aug 2014

  
  

  Father	Keton Jones McLemore,   b. Abt 1809, Kentucky d. Aft 1873, Bastrop County, Texas (Age ~ 65 years)
  Mother	Rebecca Jane Harrelson,   b. Abt 1820, Mississippi d. Between 1852 and 1853, Jefferson County, Texas (Age ~ 32 years)
  Marriage	28 May 1833	Hinds County, Mississippi
  	In a March 1, 1955 letter to his niece, Pleasant McLemore, the youngest son of Keton by his second wife, recalls that the names of his fathers descendants by his first wife, as far as he knew, were "Lucreacia, Wright, Mandy, Isabel, Felix before Isabel (my error), Maggie, and then Thad, as for Harrison, I never heard of him.....I never did see Wright, saw Thad once, when we stopped at Felixes a few minutes, he didn't talk to me, and I didn't know who he was."
  Documents » Slide Show		McLemore, Keton Jones family info pg1 Rosa McLemore Dunkerly (1869-1954) dictated this family history to a grandson in 1941. She was the youngest daughter, and fifteenth child, born to Keton Jones McLemore. Census and other records confirm her recollections to be very accurate. Page 1 of 4.
  		McLemore, Keton Jones Family info pg2 Rosa McLemore Dunkerly (1869-1954) dictated this family history to a grandson in 1941. She was the youngest daughter, and fifteenth child, born to Keton Jones McLemore. Census and other records confirm her recollections to be very accurate. Page 2 of 4.
  		McLemore, Keton Jones Family info pg3 Rosa McLemore Dunkerly (1869-1954) dictated this family history to a grandson in 1941. She was the youngest daughter, and fifteenth child, born to Keton Jones McLemore. Census and other records confirm her recollections to be very accurate. Page 3 of 4.
  		McLemore, Keton Jones Family info pg4 Rosa McLemore Dunkerly (1869-1954) dictated this family history to a grandson in 1941. She was the youngest daughter, and fifteenth child, born to Keton Jones McLemore. Census and other records confirm her recollections to be very accurate. Page 4 of 4.
  Family ID	F8149	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	John E. Shepard,   b. Aug 1849   d. Yes, date unknown
  Marriage	25 Feb 1872	Bastrop County, Texas   [1]
  Children	1. Eugenia Vanettis Shepard,   b. Nov 1876, Texas d. Yes, date unknown   2. Nettie Lila Shepard,   b. May 1880, Guadalupe County, Texas d. Abt 1951 (Age ~ 70 years)   3. Samuel Keaton Shepard,   b. 23 Apr 1885, Texas d. 25 Apr 1954, Houston, Harris County, Texas (Age 69 years)
  Family ID	F8157	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	9 Dec 2006

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 15 Mar 1850 - Sabine Parish, Louisiana Marriage - 25 Feb 1872 - Bastrop County, Texas Death - 16 Jan 1918 - Houston, Harris County, Texas Burial - - Smithville, Bastrop County, Texas  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S501] McLemore, Melba Gene-Family Researcher/Family Group Sheets, Correspondence, Email (maddoxyellowrose@hotmail.com) ; http://www.mclemoregenealogy.org/index.php, (http://www.mclemoregenealogy.org/index.php).