Roy Banks COLE

The following bio was taken from pages 152-153 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Gloria Riley

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

My father, Roy Banks Cole, was born in Rusk County June 4, 1893. He was one of eleven children born to M. C. and Mary Frances Armstrong Cole. He grew up in the Crims Chapel Community, where he met and married Mary Eliza Gibson, daughter of Church Fleming and Maud Crow Gibson. She was born May 29, 1896 and was one of twelve children. They bought a small farm in the same community where their two children, Virgil and Imogene, were born. Virgil was born October 3, 1917, and Imogene was born September 20, 1920. Daddy farmed and commuted into Henderson, where he worked for Reed and Forman and G. P. Futch Dry Goods. Before the children started to school, Roy moved his family to the “edge of town,” as he always referred to the home that was built on a small farm that is now Highland Drive. Later, part of this acreage was sold and now occupied by International Paper and other industries on Industrial Drive. We have many dear memories of growing up on this hill. We attended Sunday School at the First Baptist Church in town but drove back to Crims Chapel for church services. Daddy worked for the Federal Land Bank and in the courthouse. In 1945 he was elected County Clerk and served until his retirement in 1958. After his retirement he missed the courthouse so much he returned and operated a concession stand in the lobby. On December 11, 1941, Virgil married Maurine Blair. She is the daughter of Vince and Inez Blair of Laneville. They have one son, Virgil Keith, born April 15, 1952. Keith married Patricia Jones, May31, 1979, and they have one daughter, Niki Rene, born August 4, 1980. On September 17, 1939, Imogene married Jack (Marion C.) Ross. Jack was born in Greenville, Texas and grew up in Denison. Like many others, he was a victim of the depression years. After he graduated from high school, he came to East Texas seeking employment. Since 1935 he has called Henderson home. The Rosses are the parents of two daughters, Betsy and Jeanne. Betsy, born January 13, 1942, married Jackson Dunnavant of Longview on September 7, 1961. The Dunnavants have three sons, Steven Ross, born July 23, 1967; Michael Jackson, Born September 2, 1971; and Clayton Cole, born January 3, 1976. Jeanne, born October 27, 1943, married Garland Irwin of Henderson on December 19, 1964. They are the parents of twins, David Garland and Deanne, born July 11, 1966, and another daughter, Cindy, born June 29, 1972. Written by Imogene Cole Ross