John Alexander ( Anderson) Vaughn
by Charlene Butts
John Alexander or Anderson (not sure which is correct) Vaughn was born November 28, 1837 to Pinkney Vaughn and Telithia Stanley Vaughn. We do know that they had married in Wilcox County, AL so assume John born in Al.
John Vaughn died in Panola County July 07, 1893 at the age of 57; buried in Woods Cemetery.
He first married Martha Goodin Brown January 14, 1857 in Lauderdale,MS,
daughter of William Brown and Martha Hambrick. She was born March 04, 1839 in Lauderdale Co. MS and died in 1880.
He then married Ida Anna Vonashington May 03, 1881 in Lauderdale Co., MS.
She was born May 02, 1853 in Boncey, Germany and died March 10, 1933 in San Augustine, Texas.
John Vaughn and Martha Goodin Brown Vaughn had twelve children:
in Gulfport, Harrison Co., MS.,(2) Martha Jane b. 1859, Lauderdale, MS, d about
1884 in Texas, (3) Roxie Viola b.1863 Lauderdale,MS, d, abt 1905.(4) Dora
Margureite b. April 13, 1861, Lauderdale, MS., d. November 27,1928.
(5) Green Berry Vaughn b.1866. (6) Annette b.January 17,1868, MS., d.February 05,1924.,(7) William LaFayette b.March 10,1870., (8) Nolen Etner b.April 20,1872
in Lauderdale Co.,MS., d. March 17, 1939. (9) Edda Bren b.1874, d. March 23, 1945 in Henderson Co., TX.(10) Oliver Perry Vaughn b. January 11, 1876 in MS.,d. June 20, 1948 in Gary, Panola Co., TX.(11)John Carl b. 1878, d. August 28, 1937, Jasper Co., TX.,(12) Aurora Dianna b. July 03, 1881, Lauderdale Co., MS.,d. December 01,
1956 in Henderson Co., TX.
John A. Vaughn and Ida Anna Vonashington children were:
Ida Anna Vonashington had been married to a Frederick Isenbletter who she had married in Germany and they came to America in about 1877. They settled in Landan, a town in Harrison Co., MS. They bought a plantation there and Ida was pregnant with their child when Fred died. The baby was named Frederick William Isenbletter.
She then met John Vaughn whose wife, Martha had died and they married and came to Texas. John had sold his plantation in MS and freed his slaves and Ida sewed their money into her petticoats because they had heard of robberies along the Mississippi river. They were held up but her petticoat
was not searched and they made it to Texas with their money. They settled near Corsicana but later they could not get a clear title to the land they had purchased and the courts ruled against John Vaughn, so he moved his family to Panola County, settling near Woods Post Office. This is where the children grew up.
The story goes that one day while they were working in the fields, they looked up and one of their former Mississippi slaves, Tobe Smith showed up. Everyone had a happy re-union and shortly after they sent back to Mississippi for Tobe’s wife, Easter.
After John died, his son, Oliver Perry Vaughn was seventeen and he went out on his own and Tobe and his family helped him. Ida Vaughn sold the farm that she and John had which was about hundred acres and she moved with the smaller children to San Augustine County. The reason is not known to the descendants left today.
Supposely, Tobe and Easter Smith’s descendants settled around what has been
referred to as the "Tap" which is off Highway 59 between Carthage and Gary.
Oliver Perry Vaughn married Willie Ann Wells October 07, 1901; she was daughter of William Torplin and Sarah Ann Gary.
Their children were:
William Travis Vaughn b. July 08, 1902, d. December , 1970; Dyral Cortez Vaughn b. February 23, 1904, Panola County, TX. d. May 18, 1966, Carthage, TX.;
Dera Deal Vaughn, b. August 17, 1905, San Augustine, TX., d. February 26, 1978,
Carthage, TX., William LaFayette b. 1906, d. 1906; Oliver Duel "O.D." Vaughn
b. September 26,1908, d. February 14, 1973; Lauren Denver Vaughn b. October 22, 1913, d. October 10, 1972, Carthage, TX.; Willie Opal Vaughn b. November 26, 1915, d. January 21, 1993 Carthage, TX.