BENJAMIN F. MARCH  

The following bio was taken from page 297 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, Cemeteries of Texas 

Benjamin Franklin (Frank) March of Mt. Enterprise, Texas, was born in Coleman County, April 4, 1875.  His parents were William D. March and Ann Eliza March, better known as “Uncle Bill” and “Aunt Ann.”   They moved to Rusk County when Frank was very young and settled near the Oak Flat Community, later moving near to Old Town or Old Mt. Enterprise.  They always farmed.  William D. died July 28, 1902 and Ann Eliza died August 28, 1908.  They are buried in Old Town Cemetery.

On October 4, 1893 Frank March married Martha Elizabeth (Lizzie) Wolverton, who was born January 17, 1876.  They were married by Rev. John Isabell at his home in Old Town.  Lizzie was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Wolverton.  Frank helped clear the town site of Mt. Enterprise, and their home was among the first to be built.  He was a clerk at March & Ross Mercantile Store, then owned and operated the cotton yard, weighing cotton until late at night with two gins running.  Later he did carpenter work, building houses and doing repair work as long as he was able.  Frank died March 6, 1949, and Lizzie died August 2, 1953.  Frank and Lizzie had three children, two boys and one girl.

William F. (Bill) March was born September 21, 1896 and married Blanche Katherine Batchelder August 15, 1923.  Bill was employed by Magnolia Oil Company in Ft. Worth, Texas for twenty years, and Blanche worked for the “Ft. Worth Press” for a number of years.  Later they moved back to Mt. Enterprise, and Bill was employed by W. G. Ross, County Commissioner in Precinct Three.  He died December 7, 1948 at the age of fifty-two.

John W. March was born February 16, 1898 and married Luna Lee Coston September 30, 1923.  John worked in the Tipton Drug Store in Mt. Enterprise, then was owner and operator of March Drug Store in Moscow, Texas, later moving back to Mt. Enterprise as a partner in Oliver-March Drug Store.

After selling the drug store, he and his wife, Luna, owned and operated the Red and White Grocer.  A few years later John sold this business and was owner and operator of the Humble Station in Mt. Enterprise.  During this time Bill’s wife, Blanche, and Luna were co-owners and operators of the M & M Cleaners.  After a few years, they sold out and the three, John, Luna and Blanche became owners and operators of the Laundrymat until they sold it and retired.  John died November 8, 1978 at the age of eighty.  Neither Bill nor John had any children.

Martha Lorine March was born September 1, 1909 and married Tatum Brown July 6, 1947.  Tatum was in law enforcement for forty-two years.  He was a policeman in Kilgore for thirteen years and served the remaining years in Henderson, Texas, as policeman or Deputy Sheriff and four years as Sheriff of Rusk County.  He is now in the cattle business (See Brown family)

Tatum’s wife, Lorine, worked in the courthouse for thirty years.  She worked for the county clerk, District Clerk, Pearson Abstract Company and Arnold Abstract Company.

 The Browns had one son, Jerry March Brown, born June 10, 1949.  He was employed by the State Highway Department for about twelve years and is now with the Kilgore Fire Department.  Jerry married Martha Elaine Grindle February 21, 1976.  They have two sons, Jeremy Todd Brown, born January 9, 1978 and Jason Scott Brown, born December 29, 1978.

 Submitted by Lorine Brown