HENRY VANN

HENRY CLAY VANN

Henry Clay Vann, b December 28, 1872, Grenada, Mississippi, d January 1, 1970 in Falls County, buried in Calvary Cemetery, Marlin; was the second son of Thomas Vann, Sr., b North Carolina, d ca 1874, Mississippi, whose wife was Louise (Cohee) Vann. Henry's brother, John Vann, b 1869, Mississippi, d 1915, was buried in the Stranger Cemetery. He was reared by his uncle, Quenton Vann, and was never married.
The grandfather, Harrison Vann, b 1790, North Carolina married Julianne Field, and they were the parents of ca ten children, moving to Mississippi with them in 1856. The children were: Mills Van, married and stayed in North Carolina; John Vann married Ella Spearman; Quenton Vann, came to Texas before the Civil War via Gonzales and Limestone County where married second to Mrs. Sarah C. (Roberts) Jones, widow of Dr. John Jones, b ca 1825, North Carolina, and daughter of Andrew and Cynthia (Hodge) Roberts Moffitt, 1828 colonists in Austin's Colony. Thomas Vann who married Louise Cohee; William W. Vann; Mollie Van Woodall (twin of William); Mary Vann married William R. Loper; Elizabeth (Betty) Vann; Sally Vann married Wesley S. Loper; and James Edward Vann, b May 23, 1845, North Carolina, d Decebmer 28, 1928, buried in the Stranger Cemetery; was a veteran of the Confederate States Army, married first ;0 Janette (Nettie) Eaven, b September 12, 1852, d February 20, 1878, buried in Stranger, a daughter of J. W. Eaven, b February 28, 1819, d November 15, L874, buried in Stranger Cemetery. James Edward .vas married second to Rachel Nunn, b December 27, L856, d May 18, 1940, buried in Stranger Cemetery.
After their father's death and their mother's second marriage to Mr. Burke, John and Henry were ) bought to Texas in 1876 by their uncle, James Edward Vann, who settled in Kosse for a short time while he operated a hotel. Later, James Edward purchased a farm in Falls County, located between Marlin and Stranger, becoming a prominent farmer and rancher and serving as a Falls County Commissioner. James Edward built a rock several miles east of Marlin, which was a landmark for over fifty years. He and Rachel had no children but helped in rearing fourteen orphans.
On December 11, 1892, Henry Clay Vann was married to Mary Elizabeth Barton, b December 21, L874, d February 9, 1928, and buried in Calvary Cemetery. Mary was a daughter of David A. and Virginia Minerva (Cain) Barton, granddaughter of David and Sarah (Borum) Barton II, pioneer settlers in Texas. After Mary's death, Henry was married second to Mrs. Lucy (Elder) Morgan on March 30,1931.
The five sons and five daughters of Henry and Mary have nearly all lived in and around Marlin all their lives except for brief periods. The children are:
Myrtle Effie Vann, b October 1, 1893, married on December 7,1913 to William Joseph Evans, b October 1,1892, d January 23,1939. They had four children: Daisy Valera Evans, b September 15, 1914, married first on May 19, 1934 to Alton Davis and married second on December 5, 1952 to Chester Labit; Edward Bradford Evans, b September 8, 1918, married October 23, 1938 to Ama Rogers, b July 24, 1916 at Iredell. Edward worked at the Live Oak Grocery of his uncle, Clyde Woodward, purchasing it with Cecil Vann. In January, 1943, he enlisted with the Seabees, serving in New Guinea and the Philippines. After his return to Marlin, Edward and Cecil Vann re-established the grocery business which they operated together until Cecil's retirement. The store was enlarged and remodeled as the Live Oak Supermarket, and is still in business with Edward as owner. Edward and Ama have one son, Randall Edward Evans, b August 11,1947 who married Susanne Walker Baker. The third child of Myrtle and William Joseph Evans was: Mary Jo Evans, b June 8, 1924 who married on April 17, 1949 Barton Warren Shields, b November 10, 1921, a son of Warren and Reba (Small) Shields, residents of Stranger. They had Martin Lee Shields, b September 17, 1950, who married Arlyn Cook, b June 20, 1948. The fourth child of Myrtle and W. J. Evans was Charles Ray Evans, b August 21, 1929, married on March 4, 1956, to Theresa Keelan, b October 26, 1931, a former teacher of Vocational Economics in Marlin High School. Charles Ray owns the EVANS TIRE CO. in addition to some other business. He is active in community and school affairs. He and Theresa have Mary Jane Evans, b May 13, 1957 who married on March 1, 1980 Robert (Bob) Davis, b January 10, 1956; and Terrance Ray Evans, b August 10, 1961.
Virginia Louise Vann, b June 25, 1895, married on February 24, 1916 John Edward Gurley, b March 31, 1893, d February 18, 1972 in Marlin. Ed was a prominent barber in Marlin until his retirement, and Virginia worked as a cashier in the Live Oak Grocery Store. They had: James Vann Gurley, b August 14, 1917, married on October 21, 1941 to Sybil Earle Green, b August 17, 1922; and Rodney Gurley, b January 15, 1919, married October 13, 1943 to Eva (Dolly) Dodgreen.
William Edward Vann, b October 31, 1897, married on May 23, 1921 in Fort Worth to Mary Mildred Pinson, a daughter of Sterling Price and Jinny Salome (Lewis) Pinson of Tarrant County. "Eddie" enlisted in World War I when quite young, fighting in France and Germany. He had met and corresponded with Mildred, who was a very young teenager, then; so on her graduation they were married. Eddie returned to Marlin where he was in the grocery business; then moved to Freeport to work at the Sulphur Company. They returned to Marlin where they live. Their son, Henry Clay VannII was b January 16, 1929, who married first on February 22, 1951 to Mary Lee and had Cathy Dianne, Carol Susan, and Clay Reese Vann. He married second Lucille Forshee Moore.
Sallie Arrilla Vann, b February 9, 1900, married June 5, 1917 Noah Bertie Smith, b November 24, 1897, d April 22, 1969, buried in Calvary Cemetery. They had four children: Ruby Vee Smith, b May 23, 1918, married January 25, 1940 George Fillip; Wilburn Raymond Smith, b September 12, 1920, d May 19, 1945 of wounds he received while serving as a Private on Okinawa in World War II, a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. On July 4, 1941 he was married to Anna Clare Chamberlain, b June 23, 1924, and they had two children: David Raymond Smith, b June 9, 1942 and Bertie Allen Smith, b November 5, 1943. The third child of Sallie and N. B. Smith was Berdie Marie Smith, b September 28, 1926, retired after thirty-one years as a teacher at Cyprus-Fairbanks I.S.D., Berdie lives in Marlin with her mother and is active in AARP and the Retired Teachers Association. The fourth child was Gladys Christine Smith, b November 13, 1931, married May 26, 1957 Ernest Carroll Hallmark, b September 23, 1929. They were the parents of three children: Barton Carroll Hallmark, b November 21,1960, Velvet Denise Hallmark, b September 20,1965, and Christi Carol Hallmark, b May 1, 1976.
Ruby Rachel Vann, b February 26, 1902, married May 29, 1918 Clyde Woodward, b August 9, 1891, d March 31, 1960. Clyde was in the grocery business and owned the Woodward Courts on Live Oak Street. They had: Patsy Lou Woodward, b March 28, 1929, married September 16, 1960 to A. N. Carroll, b August 11, 1919; Mary Elizabeth Woodward, b June 5, 1931, married Leon Ray Humphries, b September 26, 1927, d February 10, 1974 and had Michael Allen Humphries, b Intosh, b December 19, 1932.
Thomas David Vann, b December 3,1904, married June 1, 1923 Dessie Conyers, b September 22, 1904 and had Odessa Jane Vann, b August 22,1926, married first on December 22, 1946 to Billy Clyde Neve and had Kitty Marie Neve, b August 11, 1948 who married Frank Olsen, b May 21, 1944; and Barbara Ann Neve, b August 15, 1949, married Claude Eckert. The second child of Thomas and Dessie Vann was Barbara Jean Vann, b March 25,1929, married August 10, 1951 to Richard Turner, b May 23, 1928 and had David, Elizabeth Ann, and Douglas Andrew Turner. Barbara Jean (Vann) Turner was married second to Travis N. Heacock.
Henry Herman Vann, b January 1, 1907, d 1986, married on July 15, 1928 to Ruby Lee Pittman, b March 25, 1908, d March 25, 1971. Henry married second on December 17, 1973 to Ethel Moncrief, b August 12,1920. He was the owner ofVann's Cafe in downtown Marlin for many years. He had no children.
Mary Pearl Vann, b February 14, 1910, married on June 8, 1930 John Wallace Reese, b February 14, 1909, and they had Virginia Edell Reese, b April 19, 1935 who married on September 28, 1957 Herbert Edmund Menn, Jr., b November 29, 1933. Their children are Mary Virginia Menn, b August 6, 1958, and John Edmund Menn, b May 10, 1960.
Cecil Barton Vann, b December 7, 1911, married June 17, 1932 Doris Scroggins, b February 17, 1916. Cecil worked with his brother-in-law, Clyde Woodward, in the Live Oak Grocery, which he and his nephew, Edward Evans purchased. In 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving as a staff - sergeant in England, France, Belgium, and Germany during World War II. After the war he and Edward reestablished their partnership in their former business. After purchasing a parking lot and enlarging the store, now, Live Oak Super Market, Cecil retired and sold his interest to Edward Evans. Cecil and Doris have one daughter, Brenda Barton Vann, b January 15, 1950, who married on July 10, 1970 Sam Albright, b August 14,1950. :
Curtis Elmer Vann, b November 11, 1915, married on November 19, 1940 to Myrtis Martin, and they had Bertha Elizabeth Vann, b September 5, 1941 who married on September 27, 1969 to Gary Morgan, b March 14,1943; Curtis Barton Vann, b December 27,1945, d May 23, 1973, married in 1972 Patricia Dunn; Dee Lynn Vann, b September 23, 1953, married April 1, 1982 Kenneth Clark Smith, b August 13, 1944; and Cindy Kay Vann, b February 11, 1956, married August 16,1971 to Mr. Padgett and had Crystal Ann Padgett, b April 4, 1972.
The Vann family in Marlin have been fortunate in their long lives, having lost only one of the ten children.

Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing these bio of these Falls County Families to this Web page.
FAMILIES OF FALLS COUNTY, PAGE 462, 463, 464.