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John Roy McLemore

John Roy McLemore

Male 1896 - 1961  (65 years)

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  • Name John Roy McLemore  [1, 2
    Birth 8 Jan 1896  Erin, Jasper County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Male 
    Death 30 Apr 1961  Paris, Lamar County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Burial Evergreen Cemetery, Paris, Lamar County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • ROY McLEMORE, BOY OF FEW WORDS Ivy McLemore often told his children this story favorite story about his younger brothers: When Roy and Lee were rather small children, Roy received a new coin purse of the type that snaps together on the top. He was playing with it while sitting beside the fireplace one night, when he inadvertently snapped it onto his lower lip. In a voice showing some consternation he said, "Come hyar, Lee!" Lee was engrossed with something else and ignored Roy for the moment. In a somewhat more insistant voice, Roy repeated "Come hyar, Lee!." When Lee still had not come, Roy's voice rose in a crescendo and, with the purse pinching his lip, causing excruciating pain, he fairly screamed, "I SAID COME HYAR, LEE!!" (Submitted by Ivy's son, Bobbie McLemore)

      1920 Federal Census It appears that Roy was working as an Oil Field Laborer in Iowa Park, Wichita County, Texas at the time of this census. His listing appears as follows: McLemore, John R. Lodger M w 24 S Tx Tx Tx Laborer Oil Field He is living in the Lodging home of Dale and Vivian PIERCE, both from Iowa. This census enumeration was completed in January, 1920. Living in the boarding home at the same time was Walter Winfield STRONG. In an amazing coincidence, meaning absolutely nothing, Walter's great grandson, Tom STRONG, would some sixty years later marry Roy McLemore's half first cousin, twice removed, Melinda McLEMORE.


      Former President of Paris Junior College in Paris, Texas. The student union building is named in his honor. Tombstone is inscribed, 'TX, PFC, Company A, 358th Infantry, WW I, PH."

      THE PARIS NEWS, 30 Apr 1961. 'On the eve of his retirement after 35 years association with Paris Junior College, Dr. J.R. McLemore, its president since 1929, died of a heart attack Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at his home, 2343 Culbertson St. Due to retire within a month as head of the college, he had been named honoree for the Ex-Students Association annual spring banquet on May 20, the same group having presented an appreciation plaque to him at the 1960 fall homecoming game. Joining the faculty of the two year old college in 1926 as basketball coach and instructor, he became its head three years later, and guided its growth, from obscure quarters in Paris High School basement and a shoestring budget, to a million and a half dollar plant, and a high scholastic standing. Monday evening, 'Doctor Mac's' body will lie from 7 to 9 p.m. in DeShong Chapel on the college campus, and Tuesday at 2 p.m. service will be held at Fry and Gibbs Funeral Home. Dr. Ronald Prince of First Baptist Church, where Dr. McLemore was a deacon, will officiate, assisted by the Rev. John Shuler of First Methodist Church. Interment will be made in Evergreen Cemetery. Surviving are Mrs. McLemore, the former Miss Willie Mae Robinson; these children: Capt. John Robinson (Pondus) McLemore, US Air Force, Panama City, Fla.; Mrs. Newton O. Felps, Baytown, and Mrs. Wallace Finfrock, Dallas; four grandchildren; these sisters and brothers; Mrs. Robert Morgan, Kirbyville; Mrs. Ollie Newman and Mrs. Clyde Wilkinson, Houston; Frank McLemore, Beaumont, and Ivan McLemore and Lee McLemore, both of Jasper. Son of Samuel M. and Rose Ella (Bean) McLemore, John Roy McLemore was born at Erin, Jasper County, 8 Jan 1896. He attended Sam Houston State Teachers College, Huntsville, and later, East Texas State at Commerce, receiving his master's degree from the University of Texas, and the honorary LLD from Howard Payne College. He studied for a time at the University of Dijon in France, after World War I service with the 90th Division, and wore the Purple Heart for injuries during that period. He married Miss Robinson at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. R.M. Robinson at Biardstown, 27 Dec 1920, and they taught the nearby Burnett school together for two years. In the spring of 1926, Dr. McLemore taught French before joining the PJC faculty here for the fall term. He became the first president of the Texas Public Junior College Association; headed also the Junior College Athletic Association, the Texas Association of Universities and Colleges, and was treasurer of the Committee on Cooperation between Colleges and Public Schools and was listed in 'Who's Who in America.


      Source:
      http://theusgenweb.org/tx/lamar/cemetery/
      (Courtesy of Debra Usry)
    • (Research):Census Listings:

      1930 Federal Census
      Texas, Lamar County, Paris, Fourth Ward Culberston Street
      #556-138-142
      McLemore Roy Head O $3000 M W 34 M 24 Tx Tx Tx Teacher Junior College
      McLemore, Willie M Wife F W 30 M 21 Texas La Mississippi Teacher Public School
      McLemore, Mysie L Dtr F w 7 S Tx Tx Tx
    Person ID I2017  Strong Family Tree
    Last Modified 17 Aug 2014 

    Father Samuel McFarland McLemore,   b. 22 Oct 1862, Erin, Jasper County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 5 Jul 1924, Jasper County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 61 years) 
    Mother Rose Ella Bean,   b. 24 Nov 1862, Texas Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Mar 1943, Kirbyville, Jasper County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 80 years) 
    Marriage 20 Dec 1891  Jasper County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    • Both Samuel and Rose Ella had been previously married, and each had children of their own prior to their marriage. Rose Ella's children, Cecil, Hattie and Annie were raised by Samuel. According to Nan McCoy Kittell, the grandchildren of Sam and Rose Ella called them "Other Papa" and "Other Mama."
    Family ID F1306  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Willie Mae Blanche "Babe" Robinson,   b. 7 Oct 1899, Biardstown, Lamar County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 21 Mar 1986, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 86 years) 
    Marriage 27 Dec 1920  Biardstown, Lamar County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Children 
     1. Mysie Kelly Lee McLemore,   b. 30 Dec 1922, Biardstown, Lamar County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 8 Mar 1978, Baytown, Harris County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 55 years)
     2. John Robinson "Pondus" McLemore,   b. 1 Sep 1930, Paris, Lamar County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 May 1982, Oxon Hill, Prince Georges County, Maryland Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 51 years)
     3. Living
    Photos
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae, Family Home
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae, Family Home
    The family home in Paris, Texas, possibly at 2343 Culbertson Street, which was the address of his residence at the time of his death
    McLemore, Roy and Babe, 1957
    McLemore, Roy and Babe, 1957
    John Roy and Willie Mae McLemore, just prior to the 1957 wedding of their eldest child, John Robinson "Pondus" McLemore in Homerville, Georgia
    Documents
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae (Robinson) Family History
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae (Robinson) Family History
    From a digital scrapbook put together by Sharon McLemore Goforth detailing the families history
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae (Robinson) Family History
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae (Robinson) Family History
    From a digital scrapbook put together by Sharon McLemore Goforth detailing the families history, relating to Roy's Military Service during the First World War
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae (Robinson) Family History
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae (Robinson) Family History
    From a digital scrapbook put together by Sharon McLemore Goforth detailing the families history, and the young couples courtship and early years
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae (Robinson) Family History
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae (Robinson) Family History
    From a digital scrapbook put together by Sharon McLemore Goforth detailing the families history, detailing Roy's lifelong passion for education
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae (Robinson) Family History
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae (Robinson) Family History
    From a digital scrapbook put together by Sharon McLemore Goforth detailing the families history, showing Roy and Babe with some of their children and grandchildren
    Headstones
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae
    McLemore, John Roy and Willie Mae
    Double headstone at Evergreen Cemetery, Paris, Lamar County, Texas
    Family ID F1322  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 23 Sep 2008 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 8 Jan 1896 - Erin, Jasper County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 27 Dec 1920 - Biardstown, Lamar County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 30 Apr 1961 - Paris, Lamar County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Evergreen Cemetery, Paris, Lamar County, Texas Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    McLemore, John Roy, World War I
    McLemore, John Roy, World War I
    Roy served with the 90th Division in France during World War I, and wore the Purple Heart for injuries during that period.
    McLemore, John Roy, Graduation Photo, ca 1920's
    McLemore, John Roy, Graduation Photo, ca 1920's
    Husband of Willie Mae Robinson
    B. 1896 D. 1961, Texas
    He attended Sam Houston State Teachers College, Huntsville, and later, East Texas State at Commerce, receiving his master's degree from the University of Texas, and the honorary LLD from Howard Payne College. He even studied for a time at the University of Dijon in France, after World War I service
    McLemore, John Roy, President of Paris Junior College, Paris, Texas, ca 1950's
    McLemore, John Roy, President of Paris Junior College, Paris, Texas, ca 1950's
    Joining the faculty of the two year old college in 1926 as basketball coach and instructor, he became its head three years later, and guided its growth, from obscure quarters in Paris High School basement and a shoestring budget, to a million and a half dollar plant, and a high scholastic standing
    McLemore, John Roy, ca 1950's
    McLemore, John Roy, ca 1950's
    Photo of Roy taken during his tenure as president of Paris Junior College

    Documents
    McLemore, John Roy
    McLemore, John Roy
    Memorial articles published after Dr. Mac's death in 1961, on the eve of his retirement as President of Paris Junior College

    Headstones
    McLemore, John Roy, footstone
    McLemore, John Roy, footstone
    Engraved to show his Military service during World War I, as a Private, First Class, Co. A, 358 Infantry

  • Sources 
    1. [S163] Kittell, Nan McCoy--Samuel McFarland McLemore and Descendants, Living Family History (Unpublished typescript ca. 1984, updated periodically).

    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, Jasper County, Pr. No. 3 Enumerated 26 Jun 1900 SD 8 ED 29 Sheets 21 B and 22A 356-359 (Reliability: 3).