Alexander Gardner Banks (1882-1970) &

Lula Effie McLucas (1881-1946)

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Submitted by Sara Jane Overstreet, direct descendent

Alex Banks was born to Joe and Nancy Banks on 11-26-1882 in Fayette County, GA. He attended Liberty Chapel church and particularly enjoyed participating in the Singing Schools that were a frequent week-long social event in the community. He had various jobs ranging from traveling the country with the Gulf Oil company to being a guard at the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. His main love was farming. As a young man he had been hired by Sarah Jane Luncford McLucas to plow on her farm in Inman. "Sally" McLucas had been widowed with a houseful of daughters, and Alex dated several before asking Lula to marry him. The couple had attended church together all of their lives, and both of them had grandfathers who were Local Preachers. After their marriage in 1903 they continued their association with Liberty Chapel church until their deaths. A Bible given to Alex Banks by his father records the family information as follows:

The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments

New York: Thomas Nelson & Sons 1900

handwritten: A gift from J. N. Banks to A. G. Banks

Inman GA

1905

A. G. Banks & Lula E. McLucas

A. G. Banks

Lula Effie Banks

Walter Ralph Banks

Mary Lennie Banks

Martha Lounelle Banks

Sarah Nancy Banks

Joseph Weldol Banks

Joseph Weldol Banks

Lula Effie McLucas Banks

There were periods of time when Alex took jobs out of the county. He was working in Dallas, GA with the state Department of Transportation when his second child was born. When his children were teenagers he moved to Atlanta for a few years to find employment during the 1920s when farming could not longer support the family. Alex and Lula had the following children:

1--Walter Ralph Banks--b. in Fayette; d. in Monroe Co., GA; married Mary Harper. Ralph was a carpenter by trade, and had employment in several other areas. He and Mary established a home in Juliette, GA and were active in the Baptist church there. That is where they are buried. They had two infants buried in the Inman cemetery. Their living daughter Betty Ann Banks first joined Inman Methodist in 1940, then moved her membership with her parents to Juliette. She married E. Cecil Copeland and they had two children. Their son Mike Edgar Copeland (married and had a son Adam Christopher Copeland ). Their daughter Lisa Ann Copeland married Mark Jenkins and they had two daughters--Rebecca Ann Jenkins and Rachel Lauren Jenkins and Mary Elizabeth.

2--Mary Lennie Banks--b. in Dallas, GA; m. Marvin Proux. Lennie and Proux lived most of their lives with Alex and Lula Banks. Proux worked at the Army Depot in Atlanta until retirement, and was an Atlanta cab driver and then worked at a golf course on the side. He was a 32nd Degree Mason. Lennie was a homemaker and helped in the care of her younger relatives while their parents were employed outside the home. In retirement Lennie and Proux moved from Fayetteville to Inman and continued their involvement with Inman United Methodist Church. Both held positions of responsibility for years. Proux died 9-15-1995 and is buried in Inman Cemetery.

3--Martha Lunell Banks--b. in Fayette; d in Fayette; m. Edgar Moss. The couple married when Lunell was 16, and did not regret their early decision. They were active in the church until their respective deaths. Edgar worked with American Seating Company and the couple lived sometimes in Fayette County and sometimes in the metro Atlanta area. Edgar was very active in the Masons. The couple retired to Fayetteville. They had one son, James Walter Moss who married Glenna Thompson. James and Glenna live in south Fayette. Edgar died in 1968, and Lunell died in 1996. They are buried in Clayton County, GA.

4--Sara Nancy Banks--b. in Fayette; see biographical sketch below

5--Joseph Wendell Banks--b. 12-1-1914 in Fayette; d. 1-4-1915 buried Inman

At middle age Alex and Lula established a home on Lee Street on the south side of Fayetteville. They continued to be active in Inman Methodist church. Various of their children would live with them from time to time, in an extended family setting. In 1946, Lula died suddenly of a heart attack. Alex lived on until 1970, when he died suddenly at age 86. Both are buried in the Inman cemetery.

 by Linda Blum-Barton