Bob Hairston Story

(A copy of this article from the Timpson newspaper was provided by Paul Jauch of Sunnyvale, California, grandson of Rev. John Franklin McLendon. Mr. Jauch has done extensive family research. Webmaster doe not know the writer of the article or when it was published in the Timpson Times.)

Week 1:

Bob Story, now residing in Houston, has his roots in Timpson with the Hairston and McLendon families. He is a subscriber to this newspaper and enjoys all the news in the paper. In fact, he says that he plans to move back to Timpson some day.

His mother was Josephine Hairston Story and was the daughter of Robert (Bob) and Ida McLendon Hairston. bob's mother died earlier this year. He was 14 years old when his grandparents, Bob and Ida, died. His memories of his grandparents include a ride in a wagon to the town of Timpson with grandpa Bob, for whom he was named.

"I was so excited sitting in that wagon and on the way back from town we stopped at a service station and (I think it was Crumps) and we drank an orange soda water, which was his favorite."

Then he recalled some of the people and stores he remembers at Timpson in about 1940.

"I remember the saw mill, McDavid's Drug Store, Bussey's Drug, Blankenships, Timpson Times, Blacksmith shop, hardware stores, the old post office, the train station and on and on...

"I've always looked forward to the annual family reunions we had in Clayton when all the aunts, uncles and cousins were there. That's the first time I remember them talking about John McLendon, the Baptist preacher who was my great-grandfather. I am 59 years old now but I was lucky to have been around to know Papa and Mama Hairston, Ollie, Mina and Sam Henry."

Week 2:
(Bob Hairston story continued...)

I have received letters from Bob Hairston Story, 7670 Broadview, Houston, TX 77061, in regard to a recent column when I told of my McLendon ancestry that included one of my father's first cousins who married Bob Hairston, he grandmother, in Timpson.

Bob's story does not have enough data on his McLendon line. His great-grandfather, the Rev. John Franklin McLendon, was a well-known Baptist minister.

The late Dr. J. Carroll Chadwick told me that his parents were united in marriage by the Rev. John F. McLendon in Clayton or Carthage.

To give him and others a little background on this family, we'll go back to Bob's gr-gr-grandfather, Martin Maxwell McLendon (1816-1860) whose wife was Katie Katherine Campbell, whose parents were a Campbell and aurora Block Campbell.

Their children were John Franklin, 1839-1918, whose wife was Josephine Holmes; George Hamilton McLendon; Martha Matt who married Pettus and lived in Upsher County; Nancy India McLendon, who married the Rev. George Wyatt; Sarah Elizabeth (Lizzie) married Wylie Cumbri; Augusta married McIntoch; Harriet N. married a Turlington; L. G. (my grandfather) married Lynda Ann Demaris Bridges; Laura married a Arnold; and no marriages were listed for Margarnto Jo and Mary Ann. Most of these settled in Upsher County or nearby counties.

After the death of Joseph Holmes, the Rev. John McLendon married Mary Catherine Wils.

The late Miss Mina McLendon, a first cousin of my father, gave me the following information about her father's family which may be of interest to some of the relatives of this family:

The Rev. John Franklin McLendon, 1839-1918, born in Barber Co., Ala, was buried in Clayton Cemetery. He married Josephine Holmes Dec. 17, 1863 in Alabama. She died July 6, 1901 at Rosborough Spring, Tex. Their children: Florence Magdelene, 1864-1946 married John R. Martin and lived in Houston; Ida McL. 1866-1946, was born in Pice Co. Ala and was married to Robert (Bob) Hairston; Henry Martin McL. 1968-1937 was married to Melina Caroline Heath and Lula Ames Welch; Della McL 1870 - was married to Dr. George Turner; Judson McL. 1872-1956; Walter Lee McL. 1875-1919, was married twice, 1st to Rosa Pyror and 2nd to Lema Bailey; Ollie, 1879- was married to Dr. G. E. Hairston; Willie C. McLendon, 1879-1891; Ben H. McL. 1882-1932 was married to Kate Sawter; Maud C. McL 1884-1959 was married 1st to John Joel Carmichael and 2nd to John L. Denny; Mina McL. 1887- never married and Monnie McL. 1888-1942 was married to Ed Summers.

So, now there are lots of descendants of this family still living in this area.

Hats Off! to Paul Jauch of Sunnyvale, California for providing this information.

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03/21/2005