NAVARRO LEAVES AND BRANCHES VOLUME XL, …jbarron933.com/Files/LB401.pdf · NAVARRO COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY 2017 OFFICERS ... Treasurer Christine Steele Historian Jo Ann Rhodes

NAVARRO LEAVES AND BRANCHESVOLUME XL, ISSUE 1 (July, 2017)

NAVARRO COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

2017 OFFICERS

President Lea MurrayVice-president / Program Chairman Camille McClanahanSecretary Dana StubbsTreasurer Christine SteeleHistorian Jo Ann Rhodes

COMMITTEES

Membership/Publicity Barbara ShoreEditor John C. Barron

Director, Liz Gillispie Genealogy Dept. Dana Stubbs

Library Volunteers Dana Stubbs, Ines Waggoner, Christine Williams, Lea Murray, JohnBarron, Bill & Geneva Davis, Becky Follis, Debra Aday, Barbara Honea

Field Volunteers Jim Wright, Pete and Karen Rost

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No.

Officers/Table of Contents 1News from the Liz Gillispie Genealogical Department 2Corsicana Eastside History 10By-Laws of the Navarro County Genealogical Society 15Road Memories 23

Neither the editor nor the Navarro County Genealogical Society and it's members assume any responsibility forinformation or material given by contributors or for errors of fact or judgment in material that this publication mightcontain. Members are encouraged to submit Bible Records, Family Histories, Historical Articles, Old Letters, Diaries,Ancestor/Pedigree Charts, Family Group Sheets, or any item which might prove to be of interest and assistance to others. ADDRESS CHANGES: When you move let us know - give both Old and New Address. If you have one address in thewinter and another in the summer, you still need to notify us, we can mail to either address. THE CHANGE OFADDRESS CARD LEFT WITH THE POST OFFICE DOES NOT APPLY TO OUR MAILINGS FOR LONG PERIODSOF TIME. Your compliance will be appreciated, after all you don't want to miss your Quarterly.

Navarro County Genealogical SocietyGenealogy Room, Corsicana Public Library

[email protected] [email protected] Box 2278

Corsicana, Texas 75151-2278

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txnavarr/Library: (903) 654-4810, Historical Society: (903) 654-4846

mailto:[email protected]


News From the Liz Gillispie Genealogy Department

In this issue of Leaves and Branches:

We are publishing the By-Laws of the Society as of 2007. I know that they were revised afew years later when, due to a budget crunch, we were forced to suspend publishing on aquarterly basis. No copy of that revision has been located, however.

There’s an impressive list of new books at the genealogy department.

We’re also going to celebrate Family History Month in October.

And we say goodbye to one of the pioneers of Navarro County history.

Mrs. Mable Scott was gracious enough to write us an article on the history of Corsicana’seast side.

And some of our members reflect on what the word “road” means to them.

John C. Barron, Editor

New Books at the Library 2017

1. Creswell’s Pictorial Record Centennial Oregon History 1873-19732. Fort Worth In Vintage Postcards3. The Overland Migrations4. The Trails to Rails, The Post Offices Stage Stops & Wagon Roads of Union Co Oregon5. History of the Second World War published in 96 weekly part 226. Warren County Kentucky Records #1 Marriages 1800-18507. Spencer Butte Pioneers8. In the Perimeter of Bastogne9. Texas Disasters – True Stories of Tragedy and Survival 10. Wyoming A Guide to Historic Sites11. Kings and Queens of England and Great Britain12. Who Was Who In The Union 13. Flavor of the Hill Country14. Roaring River Heritage 15. The World Book of Morrison’s16. Galveston A Different Place 17. The Scottish Tartans Histories of the Clans Chiefs’ Arms and Clansmen’s Badges18. Civil War Journal The Leaders19. Historical Times Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Civil War20. The Historical Atlas of Native Americans

2NAVARRO LEAVES AND BRANCHES, AUGUST, 2017


21. The Clan Morrison22. Utah Trails Moab Region23. Bastogne and The Ardenne Offensive24. Idaho for the curious a guide25. Battle of the Ruhr Pocket 26. SS and Gestapo Rule By Terror27. A Chilling Portrait of the Infamous Fuhrer Hitler28. Images of America Boulder City Nevada29. Images of America Clark County Nevada30. Appomattox Court House 31. Discover Oklahoma USA32. The Story of America in Pictures 33. Gonzales Hope Heartbreak Heroes 34. The German Settlement of the Texas Hill Country35. Castles of Germany A Stars and Stripes Publication36. Tejano Legacy Rancheros and Steelers in South Texas 37. The Civil War Battlefield Guide 38. Cowpens Official National Park Handbook39. Antietam National Battlefield, Maryland40. Colonial Williamsburg Official Guidebook & Map41. Salem Maritime Salem in the Age of Sail42. A History of the Amish Revised and Updated 43. The Lees of Virginia44. Give Your Heart to the Hawks 45. Land that Moves, Land that Stands Still46. Tales of the American West47. Storm Over Leyte, The Philippine Invasion and the Destruction of the Japanese Navy48. The West from documentary film script49. Once Upon a Town, The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen WWII50. The Human Tradition in the American West51. Death and Honor 52. G.I. The American Soldier in WWII 53. The Power of One 54. No End Save Victory essays 55. The Victors, The Men of WWII56. A is for American, Litters and Characters in the Newly United States57. Wondrous Times on the Frontier 58. The Age of Gold, the California Gold Rush59. The Alluring Silence of Hope vos 1 and 260. The Damned of Petersburg61. Cain At Gettysburg62. Valley of the Shadow 63. Lincoln and the War’s End

3 NAVARRO LEAVES AND BRANCHES, AUGUST, 2017


64. A Diary From Dixie65. The Fate of Texas66. Backstage and the Lincoln Assassination67. The Last Citadel Petersburg June 1864-April 186568. Disunion War Defeat and Recovery in Alabama The Journal of Augustus Benners1850-188569. The God of War When I Rode with N. B. Forrest70. They Met at Gettysburg71. Voices in the Storm72. Gone To Texas A History of the Lone Star State73. Columbiad A Quarterly Review of the War Between the States vos 3 2-4; 4 174. The Time Life History of the Civil War 75. Historical Times Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Civil War76. The War Time Papers of R. E. Lee77. 20 Good Reasons to Study The Civil War78. Civil War Times and Civil War Times, Illustrated 30 Year Comprehensive Index79. Guide to Civil War Periodicals80. Battles and Leaders of the Civil War 81. Journal of Confederate History82. The Civil War Letters of Joshua K. Callaway 83. The St. Albans Raiders84. The Papers of the Blue & Gray Summer 1999 and Fall 200185. The Right Hand of Command Use & Disuse of Personal Staffs in the Civil War86. Manassas (Bull Run)87. Antietam88. Gettysburg89. Shiloh90. John Bell Hood and the Struggle for Atlanta91. Treasures from the Archives: Select Holdings from the Museum of the Confederacy 92. Ashes of Glory Richmond at War93. This Grand Spectacle the Battle of Chattanooga 94. Voices from the House Divided 95. The Causes of the Civil War96. Lee the Last Years97. The Confederate War98. Civil War Handbook99. Civil War on the Web A Guide to the Very Best Sites100. The Battle of Fredericksburg!101. Nashville Battlefield Guide102. Gone Are The Days103. Memorabilia of the Civil War104. The Battle of Gettysburg Illustrated Graphic Library105. Christian History the Untold Story of Christianity & the Civil War



106. The Concise Illustrated History of the Civil War107. Hallowed Ground the Murder of Lincoln and the Flight of John Wilkes Booth108. Never Call Retreat 109. Across Five Aprils 110. Southerners in Blue They Defied the Confederacy 111. Storm Over the Land 112. Nall Families of America 113. Nelson Family of Navarro County Texas114. Tramel, Navarro County Texas115. What God Hath Wrought, A History of Blanco Baptist Association, 1873-1973116. The Birth of America From Before Columbus to the Revolution117. Mirages, Mysteries and Reality, Brewster County Texas, The Big Bend of the RioGrande118. In and Around the Big Rock, A History of Bald Knob, Arkansas119. Lois Gainer Remembers, 80 years of small town and county life in and around Hutto,Texas



Family History Month

In celebration of October as Family History Month, the Liz Gillispie Genealogy Department at theCorsicana Public Library will join the Genealogy Network of Texas (GNT) for a collaborative event onOctober 20th from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The GNT is a state-wide initiative to connect libraries andprovide educational and research opportunities and is spearheaded by the Genealogy Center of theWaco-McLennan County Library. The GNT will provide a series of eight live streamed programs withup-to-date topics accessible at participating libraries and genealogical societies http://bit.ly/2ukKrpU.Hours of participation vary by location. Corsicana will participate 11:00 am – 9:30 pm.

Programming includes something for everyone. · Orphan Train Riders: Tracks to Texas & Beyond, All Aboard 1854 to 1929 with Paula

Perkins kicks off the event at 11 am – 11:50 am.· Beginner’s Guide to Documenting Your Family History with LaToya Devezin of the

Austin History Center fromnoon-1:30 pm can get you started or refresh youknowledge.

· Discover Local History through a Regional Depository with Laura Saegert of the TexasState Library & Archives from 1:40 – 2:40 pm will address TSLAC’s regional depositoryprogram.

· My Texans during the Republic with Sharon Farnsworth from 2:50 – 3:50 pm answersquestions about your Texas Republic era ancestors.

· Connecting Your DNA Matches with Diahan Southard from 4:00-5:00 pm. DNA is a hottopic, so don’t miss out!

· Researching Your Czech Immigrant Ancestor’s Background in the Old Fatherland withDr. Miroslav Koudelka from the Czech Republic from 6:00-7:00 pm.

· Get the Scoop on Your Ancestors with Newspapers with Lisa Louise Cooke from7:10-8:10 pm.

· Discovering Your WWI Ancestor: Sources & Resources with Earl Pogue from 8:20-9:30pm winds up the evening.

Do you have a road block in your family research and need some special help? During the event at

the Waco location and via Skype at participating libraries http://bit.ly/2u1eoMa the Lone Star Chapterof the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) will be hosting an Ancestors Roadshow from3:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. The Roadshow is an opportunity for you to enjoy a free 15-minute consultationwith a professional genealogist from the Lone Star Chapter. You can ask questions about a specificgenealogical problem or get general information on how to approach a research quandary. This is anexcellent chance to get expert advice on that brick wall dilemma or elusive ancestor in your familyhistory research. Roadshow appointments are limited to one-per-customer.

To register, fill out a questionnaire at lonestarapg.com/roadshow_forms.htm and email the formbeginning October 16th to [email protected] or bring the form and register on-site(Waco) starting at 3 pm. on October 20th. You must be present in Waco or at a participating library tobe assigned a time slot. For additional information, contact Dana Stubbs, 903-654-4808.


http://bit.ly/2ukKrpU

http://bit.ly/2u1eoMa

http://lonestarapg.com/roadshow_forms.htm



In MemoriamBy Deanna Kirk1

One of the leading collectors and authorities on Navarro Countyhistory passed away Sunday, May 28. Wyvonne Yaws Putman was 90at the time of her passing. Putman, who married Wendell WaynePutman of Navarro Mills in 1947, was a beauty operator by trade, andowned and operated salons in both Stamford, her home town, andPurdon, once she and Wendell moved to the family land following thepassing of his father.

A movement to get a new paved road to Navarro Mills in the 1960’swas the beginning of Putman’s love of Navarro County history. Herinterest piqued, she began reading everything she could get her handson about the history of the county. Thus, she was primed and ready

when the first Director and Curator of Pioneer Village position was opened by the City ofCorsicana in 1972. Putman applied for and got that job, and added another role as the firstExecutive Secretary of the Navarro County Historical Society.

“There are not enough words to tell all the positive historical information Wyvonne Putmangathered for our enjoyment through the years,” said Margaret Thomas, Navarro CountyHistorical Society. “The good thing about Wyvonne was she knew how to get others interestedand involved ... Always positive and upbeat.”

Through the years, Putman gave hundreds of tours of Pioneer Village to thousands of schoolchildren and other visitors. Several buildings were added to the Village under her supervision;the Office and Archives, Redden House, Tack Shed, Sam Roberts Museum, Playhouse and theCarriage House. Under her guidance, seven volumes of “Navarro County HIstory” werepublished, and over 100 Texas Historical Markers placed in Navarro County. She also chairedthe Navarro County Historical Commission from 1998 to 2002.

Prior to Putman’s arrival, the place near Jester Park was called “Frontier Village,” and wasa small collection of buildings that were reconstructed on that site in the 1950’s, according toa 1972 issue of the Corsicana Daily Sun. When Putman was hired as director and curator,quite a bit of work was done to rejuvenate the village, and she and her mother-in-law begankeeping the village open seven days a week for tourists. The original structures were the logcabin of the Ethan Melton family from near Dawson dating back to 1845; a slave cabin from

1Corsicana Daily Sun, May 31, 2017



Chatfield; the George Washington Hill Trading Post from Springhill; a “dog trot” typetwo-room house belonging to Dr. Cooksey; the Post Office and General Store from CryerCreek. There were also a stagecoach, blacksmith shop and working grist mill.

Bobbie Young, a member of the historical society along with her late husband Bill, recallsattending holiday functions and dinners at Pioneer Village while Putman was running it, andlater when Putman stepped down, Young took the position. “She was quite the historian, andshe loved Navarro County history,” Young said. “They published all those history books, andI helped them proof the last one. “When she came (to Pioneer Village) there was no fence atall, and she said lots of stuff just ‘walked off’ because people could just roam in and out. Therewas no office then, and I asked her where she stayed during the day. Wyvonne said she justsat down on the frontier porch in the dog trot house.”

Young had trouble and couldn’t comprehend doing that all day, and with no restroom on thepremises. Later on, the war bond sales office that once sat on Beaton St. was moved to thevillage, and became the office.

Ines Waggoner had battled breast cancer and lost her husband, and needed a distraction whenshe began going to Pioneer Village. She said there was a group of ladies who pretty much hungout there, helping Putman compile the history books. They would bring their lunches and stayall day, and when one had a birthday, they would celebrate with a party.“Wyvonne was always cheerful, always had a smile, and was nice to everyone,” Waggonersaid. “You could tell she loved what she did.”

Waggoner recalled one instance when they were working on Volume 7 of the Navarro CountyHistory books. Putman gathered all the women together, and stated that all the other bookshad been about Navarro County history, and she wanted this one to be “up to date.” “Sheassigned each lady a small community in the county, then turned to me and said she wantedme to do the schools in Corsicana,” she said, laughing. “I discovered then they weren’t verygood about keeping records.”

Obituary

Mrs. Wyvonne Yaws Putman passed away on Sunday, May 28, 2017 in Corsicana at age 90.A resident of Heritage Oaks Retirement Village, she had previously resided in Navarro Millssince 1963, living on family land dating back to 1870.

She was born on October 10, 1926 in Stamford, Texas to Sudie Mae and Fred Yaws. Shegraduated from Stamford High School in 1944 and from Scoggins Beauty Academy in Abilenein 1946.

She married Wendell Wayne Putman on September 27, 1947 in Haskell, Texas. They residedin Stamford several years where she operated a hair salon.



In 1963, she and her family moved to Navarro County where her husband had grown up andbuilt a home on family land. For a time, she operated a hair salon in Purdon. Then, shebecame very interested in Navarro County history and was hired as the first Director andCurator for Pioneer Village when the position was created by the City of Corsicana in 1972.In addition, she became the first Executive Secretary of the Navarro County Historical Society.

Over the next 26 years, she conducted many hundreds of tours for school children and othervisitors at Pioneer Village. Under her direction, 7 volumes of history were published and over100 Texas Historical Markers were placed in Navarro County. And, she chaired the NavarroCounty Historical Commission from 1998 through 2002.

After retirement from the City of Corsicana in 1998, she still remained active in the NavarroCounty Historical Society and worked one day a week at the Corsicana Senior Citizen Center.When she was at home, she enjoyed her visits from her beloved grandchildren, Elliott andErin.

She was preceded in death by her parents; the love of her life, Wendell and her siblings,sisters, Colleen Pickett and Lois Wills and brothers, Wayne and Charles Yaws.

She is survived by her daughter, Patrice Putman Flint and husband Robert of Wylie; son,Wendell Wayne Putman, Jr. and wife Jennifer of Corsicana; grandson, Elliott Flint ofHuntsville; granddaughter, Erin Lea Abay and husband Mike of Corsicana; nephews, DonWills and wife Irene of Ft. Worth and Chuck Yaws of Hobbs, New Mexico; nieces, Lisa PickettPierson of Phoenix, Susan Humphreys of Midland and Donna Allbritten and husband Steveof Murphy, and various nieces and nephews.

Visitation with the family will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 30, 2017 at CorleyFuneral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 at theCorley Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow in Dresden Cemetery. Pallbearers will beRobert Flint, Elliott Flint, Sherman Putman, Eddy Putman, Steve Allbritten and Don Wills.Honorary Pallbearers will be Mike Abay and Jerry Jordan. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the Navarro County HistoricalSociety in Mrs. Putman's honor. The family would also like to thank the staff at heritage OaksRetirement Village, Bethany and Kindred Home Health care, Family First Hospice and Dr.Kent E. Rogers for taking such great care of her.

An online guest book is available at www.corleyfuneralhome.com and selecting the WyvonneYaws Putman obituary.


Corsicana Eastside History

by Mable Cook Scott

And "YES", I do remember when........As a race of people, "You name it and we have produced it." Maybe some of you didn't havethe privilege of living on the Eastside, where disciple was a parental demand, education andreligion was a necessity and delicious home cooked food was a daily habit.

Let me identify myself for those of you who do not know me. My name is Mable Cook Scott,a native of Navarro County and a life long citizen of Corsicana, Texas except the first ten yearsof my life that was lived in a small rural community, nine miles south of Powell called "ElmFlat."

I am not a public speaker just old enough to have remembered a lot of history and so I put itdown on paper so as not to repeat myself.

At a very early age on the farm, the community talked for years about an event that I willnever forget. It was when my parents and siblings witnessed the drilling of the first oil wellin Elm Flat on the Green Springfield farm that could be seen from our house.

As the community people waited for the event, they prepared themselves by killing a pig tocook outside so they would have food for the night. They knew it would be an all night affair,because the drillers said it would be that night but didn't know what time.

When the oil came in, they screamed, laughed and jumped all night. That oil well ended upbeing the livelihood for two generations of Springfields before it was shut off and capped.

During the early 20's and 30's, there were only two black communities in Navarro Countywhere the land was owned and worked by black families.

From 1933 to 1938, our basic values were taught from education and religion. Most of theministers and teachers were our leaders but our parents were our mentors. Our #1 lesson was"How to Survive,"

Our gardens were so large they were called "Truck Patches", our fruit trees were calledorchards and our fenced-in pastures held horses, cows, swine, chickens and a variety of fowls.

The small pens held the wild animals that were edible. On the other acreage we had cotton,corn and animal food.

While the men tilled the crops, the women taught the girls how to quilt, sew, preserve and canfoods.



My father built along with the County Agent, an underground storm house to protect us fromthe stormy weather and when not in use for that, we used it to store "out-of-season" foodincluding veggies.

As late as the 1930's, there was a Community Center built by the men and the land wasdonated by one of the citizens. It was a 2 room building where we gathered on Saturdaymornings with the female County Agent to learn the facts of survivals and preservation.

Our only school was a five teacher type building located on 2 acres of land and built by JuliusRosewald Construction Company at the cost of $8,800.00. It housed the 1st thru the 8thgrades. It was very small but it served the purpose.

No funds were available for playground equipment, so again the men stepped forward andmade all of it.

In 1938, my family moved to Corsicana and I attended G. W. Jackson High School. It wasthere I learned about the blacks in business and how they got started. There was very littlehistory known or documented by the City. As late as 2002, there was not one school Annualat the Library from Jackson High School until I gave them six that was passed on to me by anex-teacher.

You might not have known or remembered, but in the downtown area, the East end of 5thAvenue and a portion of Commerce Street was all black businesses.

Directly behind the Hashop's building, east of the alley, was a large café owned and operatedby Luby Nolan.

A shoe shine parlor next to it was owned and operated by Fitz Simmons. Next to that was arecreation hall owned and operated by Willie Gipson. On the corner was a drug store ownedby a black woman, Mrs. Harris. Her son, Froncell Harris served as her certified Pharmacistin Navarro County.

Dr. L. L. Smith, had a dental office on the second floor of the same building with Dr. H. B.Orr, a family Physician and the McBay Funeral Home was on the north-end on the same floor.

The next block held: Clara Nell's Barber Shop, Ezra Carroll's Cleaners and Tailor Shop,Flintroy's Sandwich Shop and Charlie George's Restaurant.

On Commerce Street between 5th Avenue and Collins was a Theater called "The Star Light"for our entertainment. It was named from what it was. A building with no roof, only the starfor light.

As years rolled and I became aware of the surroundings, in my search from the Library, I



found that from 1901 through 1921, the blacks had: 4 Medical Doctors, 3 Dentists, 2Blacksmiths, 2 Taxi Cabs, 4 Funeral Homes and 8 Restaurants including Sandwich Shops. Ihave the names of all of them and they are documented.

At this age my motto, is: "I do remember and oh yes, I do remember."

In 1939, I remember that a black owned and operated clinic was located on the southeastcorner of East 5th Avenue and Business 45. The Doctor was named Dr. Labron Caraway andhis chief Surgeon was Dr. Patrick.

I have tried with no luck to locate some photographs of that building or something concerningit's history. I found nothing but an old city directory with Dr. Caraway's name in it. I was aneye witness at the age of 10 when my sister had an operation on her head forMastoid-Infection.

In the early 40's, there was a German concentration Camp located between East 10th Avenueand the St. Louis Railroad just east of Powell Pike that housed the German prisoners of war.

It was something to remember because you were only allowed a block from the barricades,assuming for your safety. We would walk as close as were allowed just to see what they wereduring. They worked from sun to sun. They waved and continued to work. This was in theheart of the Black Community. And "Yes", I still remember as some of you when we allsurvived segregation and accepted integration.

In the late 50's, I had the pleasure of working downtown on Beaton Street at a store named,"The Dollar Store" and that's what it was. It was more like a Department Store than a varietystore. Each item was either $1.00 each or 2, 3, 4, or even 5 for $1.00. I was one of the clerks. There were only two restrooms. One for white females and the other one for white males. There were two water fountains, one for white and one for blacks, but both from the samewater system. But I made it.

There was one hospital in Corsicana and the blacks had to go thru the main building, downa walkway, and outside to a small adjacent building if we needed to see a doctor. All of thesurgery patients were sent to Prairie View College Hospital.

On the property where HEB is located was a clinic. Our waiting room was the storage roomfilled with boxes of supplies and pop for the vending machines. But I made it.

Years passed and along comes integration. Our High School was destroyed by a runningflame of fire and we lost our championship trophies, our mascot statue and our school colors. But we made it.

We have not only made ruts in the path of success for Corsicana, but we have made tire prints



that we are proud of.

My friend, the late Bill Young, encouraged me to document as many families as possible byname, on paper and pass on to my next generation. I did and I still remember.

Let me close by saying and bragging if you will, That:1. My husband, Robert M. Scott, II was the 1st black male Mayor-Pro-Tem and CityCommissioner for Corsicana, Texas serving from 1969 - 1971.2. He also built the 1st Funeral Home from the ground for that purpose.3. My daughter, Faith Holt, was the 1st black female Peace Officer and Jail Administrator ofNavarro County, 1st Black Female County Commissioner and 1st Black Female Board ofTrustee at Navarro College.I'm sure there are others but these I know.I am a living witness to the aforementioned events and I thank you for your time.

END

I became aware of the surroundings, in my search from the Library, I found that from 1901through 1921, we had four Medical Doctors, three Dentists, 2 Blacksmith's, 2 Taxi-Cabs, fourFuneral Homes and 8 Restaurants including Sandwich Shops.

1901 Dr. W. W. Humphrus, 311 N. Beaton DoctorDr. Gordon Phipps, 107 N. Beaton DoctorGeorge Sparks, 905 E. Collin Grocery

1922 Stewart's Undertaking, 117 ½ E. 5th Ave. Funeral HomeNavarro Mortuary, 619 E. 5th Ave. (Sam Branch)Dr. L. E. Traylor, 115 ½ E. 5th Ave. DentistAlfred Hunt BlacksmithMartin Mackey Blacksmith

1928 R. G. Youngblood, 222 E. 5th Ave. ShoemakerCharles Jefferson Recreation HallDavid Whitaker, 117 E. 5th Ave. BarberJ. D. Jones, 119 E. 5th Ave. RealtorDr. Walter Davis DoctorOlin Mayfield, 1215 E. 8th Ave. WoodyardR. H. Durham, Downtown BarberC. C. Turner, 1505 E. 8th Ave. BarberWiley Alexander, 1017 S. 12th St. RestaurantHenry Artope, 800 E. 5th Ave. Restaurant



Ethel Benjamin, 601 Park RestaurantJohn Collins, ?27 S. Main RestaurantE. M. Glass, 1002 E. Collin RestaurantEdward Hall, 110 N. Commerce RestaurantManhattan's Café, 120 N. Commerce RestaurantL. T. Moody, 914 S. Beaton RestaurantF. W. Thomas, 813 S. 5th Street Restaurant

1931 Hardee Brothers Funeral HomeJerusalem Hall Masonic HallKnights of Tabor LodgeDr. L. E. Lister, 120 ½ N. Commerce DentistSam Wilson BarberR. M. Jones, 1109 E. 7th Ave. GroceryDeluxe Sandwich Shop, 618 E. 5th Ave. RestaurantChanie Moss, 1002 E. Collin RestaurantGeorge Flournoy Ice Cream ParlorMelvin Elias, 906 E. 5th Ave. RestaurantNancy Jessie, 800 S. 5th Street RestaurantLorenza Roberts, 1405 E. 7th Ave. RestaurantL. T. Smith DentistJoe Will Watts Dentist

1936 W. H. Hall, 1215 E. Collin CleanersC. L. Lee, 718 E. 5th Ave. TaxiEastside Inn, E. 6th Ave. Restaurant14 Churches and Pastors

1938 Isaac Louder, 206 E. 15th Ave. WoodyardGray-Ross Funeral HomePeople's Undertaking Co. (B & G Adair) Funeral Home


By-Laws of the Navarro County Genealogical Society

NAVARRO COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETYCONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

CORSICANA, TEXAS1

Changes adopted January 2007

ARTICLE IName and Office

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Navarro County Genealogical Society. For brevity,it shall be referred to, herein, as the society.

Section 2. The office and headquarters of this Society shall be in Corsicana, Navarro County, Texas, atsuch local address as the Executive Committee from Time to time designates.

ARTICLE IIObject and Purposes

Section 1. The Society is non-profit and educational, created to foster and maintain interest in genealogyand history among citizens of Navarro County, Texas, and surrounding areas.

Section 2. The Society publishes and disseminates genealogical and historical information to the public,and assists the Corsicana Public Library in the acquisition of genealogical and historicalresearch material.

ARTICLE IIIMembers

Section 1. a. The members of the Society shall consist of those in good standing; good standing meansthose who have paid the current calendar year's dues.

b. Memberships shall consist of three classes; Regular, Sustaining and family. Familymembership shall consist of not more than three persons residing in the same household. Eachperson included in a family membership is to be listed individually on the membership roll ofthe Society.

c. The Executive Committee, by unanimous vote of members present at an ExecutiveCommittee meeting, may confer upon any Society member An Honorary Life Membership for

1Reformatted for inclusion in publication.



valuable service rendered to the Society. The holder of an Honorary Life Membership willcontinue to be a member of the Society without payment of annual dues.

Section 2. The annual dues are on a calendar year basis only. The amount of the annual dues may bechanged from time to time by a recommendation from the Executive Committee and amajority vote of the membership present at any regular or annual meeting. The amount of thedues at any given item will be set forth in the Society's Standing Rules. Dues are considereddelinquent after February 28 of each year. Those members who have not paid dues by thatdate will no longer be considered members of the Society.

Section 3. Each member, each sustaining member and each person included in a family membershipshall have one vote, and each shall have the same rights and privileges.

Section 4. Each regular or sustaining member shall receive one copy of each publication designated formembership distribution. Regardless of the number of persons involved, a "family"membership shall receive only one copy of each publication.

Section 5. No member of the Society shall receive compensation for his respective service performed forthe Society, except upon the approval of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IVMeetings

Section 1. Regular meetings of the membership shall be held quarterly, at such time and place as shallbe determined by the executive Committee, with the approval of a majority vote of themembers present at any meeting. This schedule may be altered by the Executive Committeeto permit workshops and/or dinner meetings in place of regular meetings.

The Executive Committee shall meet monthly or on an as needed basis to discuss on-goingbusiness of the Society.

Section 2. The Annual meeting of the members for the election of officer shall be held on the secondSaturday in November, at which meeting such members by a majority vote shall elect Officersfor the next year. Such other business as may come before the meeting may also be transacted.

Section 3. Special meetings of the membership may be called by the president, or Vice-president, uponwritten request of ten members, or upon recommendation of the Executive committee.



Section 4. a. Notice of regular or annual meeting shall consist of written or telephone notice issued toeach of the members in good standing at such time, giving therein the date, time and place ofsuch meeting. However, said contact shall cover only a fifty-mile radius from Corsicana.

b. Notice of Special meetings shall be subject to the same conditions as above, (Article IVSection 4-a), except that notice shall be given at least four days prior to such meetings and aclear and definite purpose of the meeting stated.

Section 5. Those members in good standing present at any meeting of the membership shall constitutea quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 6. The following Agenda of business (where each is applicable) shall be observed.

a. Each member shall sign the roster upon arrival at meetings.b. Meeting called to order by President/Presiding Officer c. Announcementsd. Reading of the minutese. Treasure's reportf. Election of Officers (Annual Meeting only)g. Officer's reportsh. Committee reportsi. Unfinished businessj. New businessk. Adjournmentl. 10 min breakm. Program

ARTICLE VExecutive Committee

Section 1. The Society's Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers, plus StandingCommittee Chairman and each member of the Executive Committee shall be a member ingood standing during his term.

Section 2. The direction and administration of the affairs, business, and funds of the Society shall bevested in the Executive Committee.

Section 3. The Executive Committee shall meet as needed to conduct the affairs of the Society. The



President or any three member of the Executive Committee acting Together, may call ameeting of the Executive Committee and set the time and place of such meeting. A quorumshall consist of at least three members of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VIOfficers

Section 1. The officers of the Society shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer andHistorian. The President at any time during his/her term of office may appoint aParliamentarian.

Section 2. All officers of the society shall be nominated at the annual meeting. Election shall be by amajority vote of the members present at the annual meeting.

Section 3. a. Each year the Society shall have a nominating Committee, composed of three members,which committee's duty shall be to secure a nominee for each officer of the Society for theensuing year, at the annual meeting, present those names to the members for theirconsideration.

b. The President shall appoint a chairman of the Nominating Committee, and this chairmanof the Nominating Committee, who shall be considered a member of the Executive Committee,shall select the other two members of the Nominating Committee.

c. At the Annual Meeting nominations may be made from the floor for any elective office.

Section 4. The regular term of office for each elected or appointed officer, except the Parliamentarian,and all standing committee chairman shall begin on January 1, and the length of that termshall be one year. The term of office of an appointed Parliamentarian shall end at the close ofthe term of the President who made the appointment.

Section 5. A vacancy occurring between elections in any elected office shall be filled by a majority voteof the members of the Executive Committee. A vacancy in any appointed office or committeechairmanship, shall be filled by appointment by the President.

ARTICLE VIIDuties of Officers

Section 1, President. The President shall be the Chief Executive officer and Official spokesman for the Society andshall preside at all meetings of the members and of the Executive Committee. The President



shall be the Society Liason. He shall appoint all standing and special committee chairman,except those otherwise provided for. He shall be an ex-officio member of all committees exceptthe nominating committee. He shall prepare, in duplicate, a brief annual report of the workof the Society, one for his office and one copy for the secretary. The president is entitled to votewhen the vote is by ballot, and in all other cases where the vote would change the results. Thepresident may appoint the editor(s) of any publication the Society may vote to establish.

Section 2. Vice-PresidentThe Vice-President shall preside in the absence of the president, or in the case of his inabilityto act, and shall assist him in all duties. The Vice-President shall assist the President with theduty of Society Liason. He shall be Program Chairman for the Society, and may appoint acommittee to help with this work. Publicity and Public Relations shall also be the duty of theVice-President for promoting the Society and its activities, and shall maintain harmoniousrelationships with other organizations in the community having interest parallel to those ofthe Society.

Section 3. SecretaryThe Secretary shall prepare and maintain full and correct records of all the meetings of themembers and Executive Committee. Shall keep current and have on hand for reference at allmeeting: the Society 's By-Laws. Standing Rules and the recording secretary's notebook withthe current and previous year's minutes of all Society meetings. It shall be the duty of thesecretary to handle all correspondence directed to his office by the president or the ExecutiveCommittee.

Section 4. TreasurerThe treasurer shall be custodian of the funds of the Society, and his duties are:

a. The treasurer shall keep full and accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements inbooks belonging to the Society, and shall deposit all monies and other effects in the name andto the credit of the Society in such depositories as may be designated by the ExecutiveCommittee. He shall make prompt disbursements. The Treasurer can not make anyexpenditure exceeding the amount of $50.00 without first receiving the approval of the body.All non-budget disbursements shall be made only when authorized by the president orExecutive Committee. Properly signed vouchers, statements or invoices must be presented forall such disbursements. All funds receivedby the Society shall be in the treaurer's hands notlater than ten days afterreceipt.

b. The Treasurer shall bring all books and records to each regular meeting ofthe Society, tothe Annual Meeting and to each Executive Committee meeting.

c. The Treasurer shall submit a written report at regular meetings, including the annualmeeting, and shall prepare an annual report at the close of the calendar year. He shall submita report of the financial operations of the Society to the Executive Committee at their



meetings.

d. There shall be an audit of the books following the annual meeting and prior to the firstmeeting of the New' Year, said audit to be made by auditor or auditors appointed by theExecutive Committee prior to the annual meeting.

Section 5, EditorIt shall be the duty of the Editor, to edit and publish the Society's Quarterly Publication,Leaves and Branches, and ensure that a copy of the Publication be placed in the NavarroCounty Genealogical Collection. It shall be the duty of the Editor to obtain resources for thepublication of the Quarterlies.

Section 6, Membership CoordinatorIt shall be the duty of the Membership Coordinator to be responsible for the officialmembership list; shall provide printed copies of additions and changes in the membership listat each meeting; and shall place two printed copies of the official list (as of December 3 1), onea file in the Genealogical office and one with the society minutes. Shall assist theVice-President with Publicity and Public Relations for promoting the Society and its activities,and shall maintain harmonious relationships with other organizations in the communityhaving interest parallel to those of the Society.

Section 7, HistorianIt shall be the duty of the Historian to maintain the Society's scrapbook and to add to it newitems, pictures and any other interesting material concerning the Society, its meetings and itsmembership.

ARTICLE VIIICommittees

Section 1, MembersIt shall be the duty of the President to appoint a chairman for each and every committee,except those otherwise provided for.

Section 2. Standing CommitteesAll members of a committee of whatever type shall be members in good standing. The Societyshall have standing committee as follows:

a. Program Committee, whose chairman, by virtue of his office, shall be the Vice-President ofthe Society.

b. Special Projects Committee, whose chairman shall be titled "Coordinator."

c. Publications Committee, whose chairman shall be titled "editor of the Society's QuarterlyPublication"



d. Membership Committee

e. Publicity and Public Relations Committee, whose chairman shall be titled "Vice President".

Section 3. Special CommitteesThe Executive Committee may from time to time designate such special committees of aGenealogical and Historical nature as are deemed advisable. Special committee chairman andspecial committees are appointed for a purpose, and continue to exist until discharged.

Section 4. ChairmenIt shall be the responsibility of all committee chairman to fill their committee membership,unless otherwise provided for. A committee, except the Nominating Committee, may becomposed of as many persons as is deemed essential by the chairman. The committeechairman are to supervise and be responsible for all matters pertaining to the work of suchcommittee.

The general purpose of each committee is indicated by its title. Specific duties andresponsibilities of each committee, except the Nominating Committee, shall be agreed uponby the existing Executive Committee and the respective chairman. Standing committeechairman shall submit in writing an annual report at the close of the calendar year. Suchreport shall be in triplicate, one copy for the committee records to be an aid to futurechairman, one copy for the president and one for the secretary. The chairman of a specialcommittee shall submit a written report to the president when the purpose for which thecommittee was established is accomplished, and the committee discharged.

ARTICLE IXProperty of the Society

Section 1. All officers, committee chairman and committee members, upon retiring from office shalldeliver to their successor, or successors, or to the president, all monies, accounts, record books,papers or other property belonging to the society.

ARTICLE XParliamentary' Authority

Section 1. This Society shall be governed by Roberts Rules of Order. Revised, in all cases to which theyare applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the Society's By-Laws.

ARTICLE XIAmendments and Alterations

Section 1. The Constitution and By-Laws of this Society may be amended, altered, repealed or added to,



in whole or in part, at any annual or regular quarterly meeting of members, by a two-thirdsaffirmative vote of the members present at such meeting, after having been read at theprevious meeting.

Section 2. The standing rules ot the Society shall contain such rules of a continuing nature as may beadopted by a majority vote at any business meeting without previous notice, or in the call forthe present meeting, the rules may be suspended at any meeting by a majority vote.

STANDING RULESNAVARRO COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

(See: ARTICLE X, Section 2, Constitution and By-Laws)1. The annual dues, on a calendar year basis, shall be $10 for Regular Membership, $15 forSustaining Membership, and $15 for Family Membership.

2. Each year, members shall receive a reminder that time "for" payment of yearly dues isJanuary 1. This reminder may be in the form of a notice included in the fourth Quarterly issueof "Leave and Branches."

3. The Society shall meet on the second Saturday of March, June, September and Novemberat 1:00 PM in the Corsicana Public Library Civic Room.

4. On special occasions and in emergencies, the time and place of meeting may be changed bythe Executive Committee or the President.

5. The name of the Society s publication shall be "The Navarro Leaves and Branches."

6. The Society's publication shall be published quarterly.

7. The Society shall sponsor at least two workshops per year, one for beginners, and one of amore professional nature.

8. The Society may sponsor annually other activities, such as bus trips, tours, field trips, etcetera, that are of an historical or genealogical nature.

9. A key to the Post Office Box shall be in the hands of the President, Executive Committeemember and/or his appointee.

10. A budget shall be prepared for the year during the first quarter of each New Year. TheExecutive Committee under the leadership of the Treasurer shall prepare the yearly budget,which is to be presented to the Society at the March regular meeting, for approval or rejection.


“Road” Memories of Some of Our Members

When I think of the word road two memories come to mind. First, when I was about 15 my dad’s work place moved from one side of Corsicana to the other. Iremember riding in the truck with dad on our way to his new work place and thinking how cool thatroad was. I had never been down it and it was so wide and had curves in it with houses on each side allthe way down it. I was entertained with this road. I was from Blooming Grove and the west side ofCorsicana. So I was used to gravel or brick or narrow roads so this road just mesmerized me. Littledid I know that in two years I would own a house and live on that road for 39 years and counting. I loveliving on Beaton Street. The other memory of a road I have concerned a short slab off of Navarro County FM 1839. We, shallI say, frequented this road when dating but also used it a bit after we were married, well, up until thisone particular night. It was a Saturday and a little rainy. When we turned off Highway 22 on to FM1839 there was car with no lights parked on the side of road. We laughed as we drove by figuring theywere waiting on someone to meet. We went on down to the slab and we were there about 15 minuteswhen two cars came by. The rain had turned into a hard shower. The first car started to turn onto theslab but when they saw us they continued up the gravel road that was on the end of the slab we wereon. It started raining hard and as we were leaving the slab I just had to drive by the cars to see whothey were. Did I tell you it was raining? So we turned down the gravel road and drove by them. Noproblems until the gravel turned to dirt. Norman decided he would turn around. He was afraid wewould get stuck in that dirt road so as we turned into a driveway to turn around the car slid into a hole.There we were, 2:30 in the morning, in the middle of that driveway and its pouring rain. No oneanswered the door at the house for that driveway so we started walking. Did I tell you it was raining?We walked in the rain by the two parked cars with frosted windows. It was a good two miles down thatdark wet gravel road to FM 1839. We walked to the first house but no one answered, we walked to thenext house and no one answered. The next house was off the road a good bit but it did have lights on.However, by the time we got to the door the lights had been turned off. Norman knocked anyway. Wewere about to walk back to the road when we heard a voice ask who we were and when Normanidentified us they opened the door. Nothing like having friends! That was on Saturday night. Beforeday light Sunday morning the phone rang. “Hello,” I said. “Hello, this is the Corsicana PoliceDepartment, did you leave your car parked on a road?”

Norman and Dana Stubbs

When I think of the word "road" I think of my favorite drive in Navarro County. Just off of theBazette Road (FR 636) going north from Kerens, passing through the community of Bazette, a littleroad locally known as the Morgan Springs Road takes you down to the Trinity River. It isn't a pavedroad lined with beautiful homes lined with beautiful lawns. It is just a simple road.

If you drive far enough you run out of homes and see only a simple road that gradually narrows, linedwith trees that have been there since before anyone ever heard of the Trinity River or Texas. It is justa simple road....just gravel, but as the seasons change this is a place to see the beauty of nature. Eachyear new spring growth and the fall leaves challenge us to choose which season is the "best season" fora drive. Both are spectacular. I have never been able to choose just one.



At the end of the road lies another treasure, the Trinity River. Here you can escape the busy life andcares of this world. Here you can sit and watch that beautiful river headed south.....no longer pollutedby man and now looking as it did when our forefathers used this spot of a resting place on their lifejourney. If you need a place to "escape" this is the spot. Try it.

Lovingly submitted by Barbara Shore

My brother Kelly at age 16 had a drivers’ license and always enjoyed participating in drag races. Oncehe even took a motor from an old washing machine and added it to a bicycle. Today at age 81 he canfind the manual on the Internet and fix any problem even on a farm tractor. I admire his abilities -sometimes just getting me out of the house was a life saver.

Especially on holidays, I was a six year old child very impatiently waiting for meals and activities tostart. Kelly would take me for car rides down country gravel roads to search for rabbits and othercreatures surprised by the rare noise of a car passing. Often we would sing this version of Jingle Bells: Jingle Bells, Shotgun Shells Rabbits all the way Oh what fun it is to ride in Grandpa’s Chevrolet

Pat Wade

The first image and family memory that came to my mind when I saw the word "road" was one ofmyself walking down the road when I was a young girl. I was with my parents, my brother and twosisters. It was a dark night, pitch black with not a cloud in the sky, but the stars were amazing. Thereason we were walking down the road was not, at first, a very pleasant one. We had been at mygrandmother's house, as was the normal routine on a Friday night. The whole family (her four kidswith all their kids) would get together at my grandparents house every Friday night for dinner (whichwas usually sandwiches, chips, dips, etc.) and the adults would play dominos and us kids would playfootball out in the yard or run and jump off the edge of the porch onto the grass seeing who could jumpthe furthest. We would sometimes either sit on the kitchen floor and play Jacks with my grandmotheror stand at the kitchen table watching and learning how to play 42. At least once each visit, mygrandmother would entertain all her grandbabies with a song on the piano. We would all dance aroundthe room, laughing and having fun. I can still hear that tune even now. Eventually, as the visit cameto a close, everyone headed to their cars with sleepy children in tow and drove home. On this particularnight, we were in my dad's small Chevy Luv pick-up, so us kids rode in the back....my parents weren'toverly concerned about seatbelts apparently; I certainly didn't mind either. We loved riding in the backof the truck without even a thought of "what if we had a wreck and got thrown from the vehicle".....we just watched the stars with the wind whipping through our hair and an occasional bug flying downour throats!!

We got about three or four miles down the road from my grandparent's house, which happened to beout on an old country road with not a house in sight. The truck started to sputter and jerk and thennothing. It died right there on that dark country road. This was a time way before cell phones so our



only option was to walk back to my grandparents house for help. So we start out walking back; myparents, my two sisters, one brother and myself. I was a little scared at first since it was so dark andI know my mother sensed that we were all a bit apprehensive about this little journey, so she and mydad started talking to us, telling stories and looking at the stars. Soon it became a grand adventure! Iwas almost disappointed when we reached my grandmother's house but also relieved because my poorlittle feet were flat worn out. I believe I shall remember that night on the road for the rest of my life.My mother has been gone for many years now, as well as my grandparents; but I have my memoriesand I treasure every single one of them.

Teresa PennyGroesbeck, Texas

We always lived on a dirt road when I was young. They were either dry and dusty or wet and muddybut my memories are happy memories because if you were on the roads you were going to see someoneyou loved, like grandpa and granny or to town to spend the day! Wow!

Chris Steele

The word is Road. One of my childhood memories involving a road begins with my father taking allof us to the Dairy Freeze for ice cream cones. Then he would drive us around Baldwin Lake - a locallake in the small Michigan town where I grew up. The "road" circled around the lake in a lazy windingpattern. It was very scenic and is actually an historic road for the area. I have such great memoriesassociated with those times going around the lake on one of my favorite roads with an ice cream conemelting in my hand.

Barb Honea

The picture that popped into my mind almost immediately was of the freeway between Paris andDeauville with all traffic just barely creeping along not unlike rush hour traffic in Houston. We werein our blue Mustang, my husband, three children and myself, on our way to the beach on a lovelySaturday. The Beach Boys were blaring from the radio and our expectation had been to feel the windin our hair and the sun on our faces as we cruised, like that famous t-bird, to the beach. And, naturally,the envious looks of all those other people in ordinary family cars. I suppose I thought of this becauseits a memorable instance of fantasy running headlong into reality and makes me smile. We had a lotof fun that day.

Thank you, Cecile (Morrel) Coonrod

Do you remember the country roads with only one paved lane? The second lane was dirt. One droveon the paved side and when another car approached heading in the opposite direction, one vehicle



(don't remember which) yielded onto the dirt. Richard Sharp

Oh, yes….almost forgot. Road. As a Houston, Texas, native, my recollection of this would involve thelong ago material used to build roads on the Gulf Coast: oyster shells. They were shell roads…..onwhich shoes were required to walk with any comfort. My family owned an automobile….a Ford ModelT with a rumble seat. In the small space just up and behind the driver and passenger seats, I liked toride, stretched out….so that I could look out at the rice fields, water birds, cattle and oil derricks. Believe it or not, “my” space had maroon curtains….I remember well. One important shell road inparticular seemed to go on forever to me….and they were not too smooth….was the road from Houstonto Galveston where we visited relatives now and then. To this day when I visit Texas and travel theFreeway over the same path….I am reminded of that shell road.

Verlla Graham

I laughed out loud when I read the subject for a 'memory' of mine. My granddad, my dad, my brothersand my husband have all been involved in building roads/highways in the state of Texas. I mentionedthe men but wives and daughters were involved also as we moved all over the place to keep our familytogether. One year my husband and I moved four times... Weatherford to Omaha to Mexia to Clute,Texas. To choose one memory is difficult because there are memory snip's of many roads. I learnedabout gravel, caliche, tar, lime, blacktop, delineators and striping as part of the vocabulary of 'roadhands'. I learned to enjoy a new place to live, new friends and new things to see. When Granddadretired at age 78 he was so bored. His children gave him a recorder and asked him to record hismemories. That sweet man LOVED to talk so this was a great thing. One of his grandchildren was ajournalist major who transcribed his memories... She did such a marvelous job that I can 'hear'Granddad's voice when I read his book The Road Home.

Joanie Owen Teel

I still remember how much I loved the curvy roads between Rusk and Nacogdoches, during the yearsI traveled to and from Stephen F. Austin State University. During the Spring and Fall, that section ofhighway was always so beautiful, with beautiful delicate blossoms in March and April, and red, goldand brown in October and November. There is nothing like a visit to East Texas to remind you thatGod loves creating beauty!! Rowena Winfrey

ROADSIn February 2-5, 1956, it snowed 14.8 inches at Lubbock, Texas. We lived about 20 miles from Lubbockon a country ROAD. There was a very cold north wind and snow drifted



4-5 feet high in front of our garage and prevented either of our cars from leaving.We needed to go to our home town, Ropesville, to get groceries and other supplies. It was only about3-4 miles away, but in that weather, it was a long way. Daddy put my brother Pat and me to shovelingsnow. We were 11 and 13 years of age. My Dad's was recovering from a heart attack and it preventedhim from helping.We shoveled all day long throwing the snow away from the garage door. We got the snow down untilthe car could be backed out and with rear wheels spinning it finally got to the ROAD in front of thehouse. As the car was being driven back into the garage something punctured a tire and it went flatimmediately. No problem, we will change it. Open the trunk and the spare tire was flat.No problem, we have the other car with a spare. Minor little technicality, one vehicle was a Chevroletand the other was a Ford and the wheels were not interchangeable.OK, we will dig out the other car, but there was one "little thing". While digging out the first car, wehad inadvertently piled most of the snow behind the second car. So, we spent another day digging thesnow away from that second door. We could get to the ROAD after we moved that snow twice. Twogood days of exercise for young men, I guess.

Mike Dunavant

It's been a long road. Sometimes a hard road. But it's twists and turns, many stops and detours, havebrought me to a good place, and I am content.

Ken Holmes

A Muddy Road

Being a "town girl" I never experienced the "Pleasures" or country living. That is until I met A. C.Murray. He was a country boy from Pursley, Texas. His family farmed/ranched down a dirt road withno paving. Now A. C. had left home and was working in Temple, Texas. As we began our courtshiphe came to Corsican as many week-ends as he could manage. Having no car of his own he wasdependent on friends with cars, the family farm truck or the truck of his Uncle Edwin who owned thefarm next to his family. To help us have more time together when he came to town he would bring meto his family home early on Saturday until time for our Saturday night date. He had two siblings, abrother and sister who were also of dating age. There was always a battle over who got the "best orcleanest" truck for their date. Now you must understand that that dirt road was not usable by carwhen it rained. You either rode a horse or tractor to get to town. I appreciated neither mode oftransportation! This particular Saturday it rained all afternoon. I was ringing my hands about howwe would get our of the mud hole. His dad decided the newest truck could make it to town because theroad had been newly graded and had fewer potholes. Of course, about half way to town off into theditch went truck, A. C. and Lea. The next car down the road was driven by Eugene, his youngerbrother. Eugene stopped and said do you want me to go get a tractor and pull you out. A. C. said, "No,you can use a chain to pull us out." Eugene said he didn't want to get muddy. A. C. argued that Eugenecould go back home and get clean clothes as A. C. had only brought enough clothes for two days. Afterthe mouth battle, Eugene waded mud almost to his knees to hook the chain on the truck and didmanage to pull us out. We made it to town in time to eat and catch the movie on time. Poor Eugene



and his date had to wait until after the movie to eat. Not only was he covered in mud, but I am sureour name was mud. Thank God for asphalt and concrete.

Lea Murray

Well, the first thing I thought of with the word "road" was where I first learned to drive - on thecountry back roads (gravel, of course!) between Ennis and Waxahachie where my mom grew up. I canremember my mom saying, "Camille, you're getting too close to the mailboxes ... you're going to haveto drive with your father! I just can't do this." Who would have ever thought I'd end up working forDPS as an examiner and giving people their road tests? Just goes to prove, things don't always turn outthe way one might think...

Camille McClanahan

When I saw the word “Roads”, I immediately thought of a road trip my husband, our daughter Cathy,and I took from Florida to Texas in April, 1992. Our ultimate destination was the Grange HallCemetery Association meeting and luncheon in Barry, Texas. We planned to meet with members of theBurnett and Coker families for a mini reunion. It was our first time attending the meeting. Our first stop was San Antonio for a visit with my brother, Doyle Born and his family. We laterfollowed them to Big Spring and Stamford. When we left Stamford he took us through the back roadsto Blooming Grove and then to Barry. There were times I wasn’t sure he knew where he was going. Wesure didn’t. But we did arrive at our destination and had a memorable visit with relatives we had notseen in years and some we met for the first time. It was also my first visit to Grange Hall Cemetery tolearn of my relatives buried there. Doyle passed away just before Christmas that year, making the trip and the time we spent togethereven more special to me. That was also the year I became interested in genealogy. We have been back to the Corsicana areaseveral times since and I feel fortunate to have done research in the library as well as the court houseand Pioneer Village. The volunteers were very helpful in my research. I also became a member of theNavarro County Genealogy Society, even though I live in Florida and can’t attend the meetings. I doappreciate the e- mails and look forward to receiving the Leaves and Branches. Martha Born Price


Documents

NAVARRO LEAVES AND BRANCHES VOLUME XL, …jbarron933.com/Files/LB401.pdf · NAVARRO COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY 2017 OFFICERS ... Treasurer Christine Steele Historian Jo Ann Rhodes