C. L. DEASON

 The following bio was taken from page 172 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

 My mother and father were both born in the Brachfield Community.  He was the oldest don of Dr. Tim Deason and Margaret Welch Deason.  She, Willie Pearl, was the daughter of Tom and Emily Griffith Osborn.  They were married May 12, 1902.  When they first married, Papa taught school.  Later he had a store in Brachfield.  My brother, Burnette and Veda, were born there.

 My first memories are of our home in Longbranch, in Panola County.  Longbranch at that time was much larger than it is now.  It was there that Papa became a full-time barber.  Two other brothers were also born there – Jarrell and Earl, as well as a little sister, Vera.  A great treat for us was to go to Henderson on the train, which ran from Timpson through Longbranch and Pine Hill.

When I was nine years old, Papa sold our home in Longbranch and we moved to Henderson.  Later we moved to Mr. Enterprise for four years and then back to Henderson.  For years Papa had a barbershop on South Main and built a home on Richardson Drive.

 I graduated from Henderson High School in 1927 and went to Baylor College at Belton the following year.  I met my husband, Marvin Andy Anderson, the year I was a senior.  His family, the J. B. Andersons, lived two miles on the Tatum Highway, now owned by his sister and husband, James and Pearl Bynum and known as the “Four Oaks Gallery.”

 When I returned in the spring, Perry Brothers was opening a new store and I went to work, instead of going back to school in the fall.  Marvin and I got married on December 1, 1928.  Marvin and his Dad were cement contractors and were doing work on the new Rusk County Courthouse at that time.

 About that time Dad Joiner brought in the Discovery Well at Joinerville.  People rushed in from everywhere.  Every kind and every home that had a spare room was called upon to help to take care of the influx of people.  All the businesses stayed open every night.  “It was an oil boom.”  New business came to town and I changed jobs and we built us a small home on Elizabeth Drive.

 Then came World War II and Marvin had to go.  He was stationed in Florida where I joined him until he went overseas.  He was in the Eighth and Ninth Air Force attached to the Special Engineers Brigade. 

Finally after three and one-half of the being away, the war was over and Marvin returned and I quit work. 

My family were all Baptists and I was raised in the First Baptist Church and am still involved in Sunday school and W.M.U. work.  My husband and his family are Methodist. 

We Andersons are now retired on Cherokee Lake. 

Submitted by Marvin and Veda Anderson