THOMAS JAMES PLUNKETT

 The following bio was taken from page 346 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

 Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

 Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Cemeteries of Tx

Thomas James Plunkett was born at Pine Hill, Texas on January 25, 1880, the son of Littleton Walton Plunkett and Mollie Hillin Plunkett.  He had two sisters and one brother, who died in early childhood.  Tom, as he was known, lost his mother when he was about four years old.  For awhile, he lived in Prior, Oklahoma, which was then Indian Territory.  Then he returned to Pine Hill to live with his aunt, Fannie Elliott.

 Tom married Willie Pearl Long at Trawick, Texas on December 18, 1904.  She was born in Nacogdoches County on March 6, 1886 to William James Long and Ophelia Coats Long.  She had two brothers and four sisters.

 Tom and Willie Plunkett and their children, three sons and one daughter, moved to Henderson, Texas in the early twenties.  Tom was a building contractor and built many beautiful homes in Henderson.

 Littleton James Plunkett, the first son, was born October 31, 1905 at Trawick. He married Mable Gardner Gentry on June 16, 1932.  They had four children.  Mary Lou, who married Donald Myers, had two sons, Mark and Gentry.  Merline, who married Maurice McLain, had two girls, Becky and Beth.  L.J., Junior, better known as Jimmy, married Kitty Folden, and they had three boys and two girls:  Kathy, Eddie, Jimmy, Mickey, and Lisa.  Davis Lynn, who married Jane Reed of Henderson, had two sons, Bob and Michael.  Littleton James Plunkett, Sr. passed away on January 29, 1979 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

 Thomas Jody Plunkett, Tom and Willie’s second son, was born October 7, 1908 at Trawick.  He was first married to Velta Thomas, and they had one son Joe.  Joe married Helen Littleton and they had three children - Joanna, Susan and Tommy.  Thomas Jody later married LaVerne Cochran on February 25, 1939.  They had two children: Sue Ann, who married Tony Wooster of Henderson, had one daughter named Elizabeth.  T.J. and Laverne’s son, William James, married Sarah Owens of Good Springs and they have two children, Allison and Logan.

 Riley Davis Plunkett, Tom and Willie’s third son, was born on June 10, 1913 at Longview, Texas.  He married Rubye Jane Jones on August 12, 1937.  They had one son, R.D., Junior, who married Norma White.  They had one daughter, Georgeann.  Later, R.D., Junior married Tina Price of Dallas, and they have one daughter, Leatha Jane.

 Marvis Ophelia Plunkett, Tom and Willie’s only daughter, was born February 19, 1916 at Longview, Texas.  Marvis married Early Rex Green on December 8, 1935.  Earl passed away on April  14, 1967.  They had two sons, David Earl and Harold Michael.  David Earl married Linda Welch, and they are the parents of Jessica Lynn and Patrick Michael.  David Earl later married Catherine Smith of DeKalb, Illinois.  Michael married Michaelle Naddour of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, and they have one daughter, Rebecca Michelle.

 Thomas James (Tom) Plunkett died August 2, 1951, and Willie Long Plunkett died September 21, 1971.  They are buried at Lakewood Memorial Cemetery in Henderson, Texas.

 Submitted by Marvis Plunkett Green