LABORN P. CONWAY

The following bio was taken from page 155 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

Laborn P. Conway came to Rusk County when he was a tiny baby, having been born January 7, 1929 in Orange, Texas. He was the only child of Virgil Grady and Frances Lee (Hinkle) Conway. Frances came to Rusk County around the turn of the century from Tunnel Hill, Georgia with her parents, Calvin Asbury and Ida Mae (Myers) Hinkle, and settled near Overton where her father was a farmer and a jeweler. Later the Hinkle’s moved near Trammel Trace, where they lived until his death in 1943. Ida Mae moved to Longview, where she lived until her death in 1970.

Virgil was raised in Marshall until he entered the United States Army during World War I. He was a bugler in "L" Company of the 359^th Division. While serving in France, he once blew reveille for General Pershing. Until his son, Laborn, learned to blow the bugle, Virgil played taps over many a soldier who had given his life for his country or who had passed away following the "Great War". Virgil’s parents, Jon Thomas and Lula M. (Brooks) Conway had nine children. John Thomas was a farmer who settled near Martin’s Lake.

Virgil was a farmer, grocery store owner, and in later years a landscape maintenance man. He loved his country, his family, and his God. He and his wife were always willing to help a person in need.

Both Frances and Virgil were musically talented. She was quite a pianist, and he could make a violin or fiddle talk. Virgil’s parents passed away in 1907 and 1953. Virgil died December 28, 1969.

Frances had three brothers and three sisters. She taught school at Crossroads, Dirgin and other places in Rusk County. In later years she spent her time as a seamstress, an excellent one.

Laborn or "Lab" as his friends call him, married Fonta Brittenum December 7, 1956 at the First Presbyterian Church in Henderson. They had two children – Dee Lee, a daughter born January 10, 1960, and Laborn Prentice, Jr., born August 3, 1961.

For many years Laborn worked as a printer for newspapers and job shops. In 1963 he purchased The Henderson Times, a weekly newspaper which was published until 1976 with a fantastic finale of a two hundred-page issue to celebrate the bicentennial, which carried much of the interesting history of Rusk County. While in high school, he played several instruments in the band. For many years he sang in the First Presbyterian Church choir. He is an avid hunter and fisherman. He served in the Texas State Guard when he was only fourteen. He served in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict.

Fonta was born in Marshall County, Mississippi April 18, 1931, was raised in Arkansas, and was living in Marshall, Texas at the time of her marriage. She was one of seven children of Roger and Mollie (Hopson) Brittenum. Roger was the only child of Dempsey E. Brittenum and Augusta Virginia Davis. Roger passed away January 23, 1933. He was a farmer. Mollie was the daughter of Joshua ad Fonta (Hudson) Hopson. At the time of this writing Mollie is living in Holly Springs, Mississippi at the age of eighty-nine. Fonta serves as a Rusk County Extension Agent.

Submitted by Fonta Conway