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Percy Lavell McLemore

Percy Lavell McLemore

Male 1913 - 1991  (78 years)

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  • Name Percy Lavell McLemore  [1, 2
    Birth 11 Jan 1913  Bronson, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Male 
    Death 30 Apr 1991  San Augustine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Burial Liberty Hill Cemetery, Bland Lake, San Augustine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Notes 
    • Vessie McLemore didn't see the importance of naming his children immediately after they were born. He was content to simply call them "baby" until a name seemed to fit. Percy remained Baby for several years, until his parents began to call him "Baby Percy" after a bottle of Patent Medicine popular at the time. His middle initial was shown as "C" on the 1920 census.

      Percy started helping his father on the ranch at a very young age. Evon remembers him going on a freight train with cattle to Kansas City, by himself, when he was only 14. He also became a rancher, as well as operating a cotton gin that had been his fathers. He also kept bees as a hobby.
    Person ID I54  Strong Family Tree
    Last Modified 8 Jan 2021 

    Father Vessie Eugene McLemore,   b. 1 Feb 1885, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 21 Jan 1952, San Augustine, San Augustine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 66 years) 
    Mother Nina Ophelia Fuller,   b. 15 Sep 1891, Rosevine, Sabine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 8 Jul 1980, Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 88 years) 
    Marriage 7 Nov 1907  Many, Sabine Parish, Louisiana Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    • 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
    Documents
    Fuller, Nina Ophelia marriage to Vessie E. McLemore, Many, Louisiana, 1907
    Fuller, Nina Ophelia marriage to Vessie E. McLemore, Many, Louisiana, 1907
    Nina and Vessie eloped in Many, Louisiana, just across the state line from Sabine County, Texas, where they both grew up
    Family ID F11  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Elma Callie Smith,   b. 14 Mar 1914, San Augustine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 23 Oct 2001, San Augustine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 87 years) 
    Marriage 19 Apr 1936  San Augustine County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Children 
     1. Living
     2. Living
    Documents
    McLemore, Percy and Elma (Smith)
    McLemore, Percy and Elma (Smith)
    Golden Wedding Anniversary Announcement, 1986
    Family ID F53  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 20 Nov 2012 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 11 Jan 1913 - Bronson, Sabine County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 19 Apr 1936 - San Augustine County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 30 Apr 1991 - San Augustine County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Liberty Hill Cemetery, Bland Lake, San Augustine 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, Percy ca 1919 with Evon and Earl
    McLemore, Percy ca 1919 with Evon and Earl
    The three eldest children of Vessie and Nina McLemore
    McLemore, Percy ca 1920, with Evon, Earl and Ray
    McLemore, Percy ca 1920, with Evon, Earl and Ray
    The four oldest of the McLemore siblings, children of Nina (Fuller) and Vessie McLemore, ca 1920, Sabine County, Texas
    McLemore, Percy ca 1933
    McLemore, Percy ca 1933
    Husband of Elma Callie Smith
    B. 1913 D. 1991 Texas
    _McLemore, Percy Lavell ca 1933
    _McLemore, Percy Lavell ca 1933
    Husband of Elma Callie Smith
    B. 1913 D. 1991 Texas
    McLemore, Percy Lavell ca 1923
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    McLemore, Percy ca 1985 with Evon, Earl, Ray, Tom and Lynn
    The McLemore Siblings, Children of Nina Fuller and Vessie McLemore, October, 1985 Family Reunion at the Tisdale Lake House

    l to r: Percy, Evon, Earl, Ray, Tom and Lynn
    McLemore, Vessie and Nina Family Reunion, October 1985, Broaddus, Texas
    l to r: Samantha Weimmer, Nina Ross (McLemore) Weimmer, Velta (Rawson) McLemore, Evelyn (McLemore) Sanders, Fred Sanders (kneeling), Evon (McLemore) Tisdale, Missy McLemore (Seated) with Lee Jay Rawcliffe on her knee, Melinda (McLemore) Strong, Tom Strong, Earl McLemore, Cassandra Weimmer, Lynn McLemore, Elma (Smith) McLemore, Percy McLemore, Dale Tisdale (facing left), Ray McLemore, Opal (Hensarling) McLemore, Tom McLemore

  • Sources 
    1. [S675] Strong, Melinda (McLemore) and Tisdale, Evon (McLemore): McLemore Reunion, Broaddus, Texas October 1985: Family Group Sheets prepared by each family and Personal Interview.

    2. [S873] Find A Grave [database online]; http://www.findagrave.com/, (Thousands of contributors submit new listings, updates, corrections, photographs and virtual flowers every hour to the FIND A GRAVE website. When it comes to administrating, building and maintaining the site, Find A Grave is largely operated by its founder, Jim Tipton.), # 86299794 (Reliability: 3).

    3. [S382] State of Louisiana, Parish of Sabine, Marriage License.