JAMES LOUIS BYNUM

The following bio was taken from page 139 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

James Louis Bynum, oldest son of James Elijah and Mary Katherine Bynum, and Esther Pearl Anderson, fifth child of John Benton and Bertie Lee Anderson, were married in 1942 at the Anderson home which had been in the family since the turn of the century. Reverend E. L. Ingram, Methodist minister, performed the ceremony. Both families were long-time members of the First Methodist Church.

James and Esther lived in the Houston area after they were married. James worked in the shipyard, and this job took them to Brunswick, Georgia, and later to Jacksonville, Florida. They returned to Henderson, where their first son, James Lynn, was born. In 1945 James was inducted into the army and served in Germany with the Twelfth U.S. Army Group. In 1946 he was joined in Germany by Esther, who worked with the Air Force in the Civilian Personnel Office, and their son, Lynn.

In 1947 the family returned to Henderson, where their second son, John Michael, was born. After living in Henderson for two years, where James worked as office manager for the Henderson Clay Products, the family moved to Dallas so James could continue his education at Southern Methodist University. After receiving his Master’s degree, James accepted a position with the U. S. Civil Service Commission. The family’s third son, Marvin Anderson, was born in 1952. Two years later the family moved to Arlington, Texas, where Esther continued her education. This was interrupted when the family was transferred to Shreveport, Louisiana.

During a five-year stay in Shreveport two other children were born to James and Esther – a daughter, Karen Malinda and a son, Douglas Edward, who died at age five.

The family returned to the Dallas area and lived in Richardson. James continued his work with the Civil Service Commission and also was active in scouting and with the Methodist church. Esther continued her education at North Texas State University and in 1964 received a B. A. degree in art education. While living in Richardson, their oldest son, Lynn, joined the Navy.

The family was transferred to Washington, D. C. in 1964. James became Director of Management and Audits in the Civil Service Commission. Esther worked with the Montgomery County Public School System, Rockville, Maryland, first as a traveling teacher and later as the art coordinator for the county school system. During this time, she was also working as a professional artist, exhibiting in a number of museums and galleries, and was listed in Who’s Who in American Art.

The family lived just outside Washington, D. C. in Silver Spring, Maryland. The children – John, Marvin, and Karen – graduated from high school in Maryland. John and Karen attended Montgomery Junior College. Marvin attended the University of Miami and West Virginia University, earned a Master’s degree in business administration and taught for four years at New Brunswick University in Canada. During this time James continued post-graduate work and Esther earned two more degrees, a Master of Art and an Advanced Graduate Specialist in art and secondary education from the University of Maryland.

James Lynn, a flight captain with the Navy settled in San Diego, California. He is now associated with the Pacific Southwest Airlines. He is married to Sally Sullivan. John also lived in San Diego where he works as an engineer. John is married to Theresa Ann Nungary. John has a son from a previous marriage, Sammy Michael. Marvin now operates an antique and stained glass studio in Tyler. Karen is married to Michael James Sullivan, Jr. They live in Maryland near Washington, D. C. and have a son, Michael James III, and a daughter, Jennifer Ann.

In January 1979, both Esther and James retired. Shortly before retirement, James received the Civil Service Commission’s annual Award for Distinguished Service, the agency’s highest award. Upon retirement he received as a tribute the last plaque containing the Commission’s seal prior to the agency’s change to the Office of Personnel Management.

James and Esther came back home to Henderson. They bought the old Anderson home from the other members of the family and set about restoring it for an art gallery. They built their own home beside the old house in what used to be the family garden. The land continued to be the family farm and the old house lives on, serving the artistic interests of the community. The flowers loved and planted over half a century ago by John and Bertie Anderson still bloom and in the concrete that John so lovingly built around the house, one can read the names of the Anderson children. These family traditions are being continued by James and Esther for their children to enjoy.

Submitted by Esther Bynum