Thomas Franklin B. JIMERSON

The following bio was taken from pages 260-261 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

This story really began in Cass County, Georgia on January 6, 1839 when Thomas F. Jameson and Mary Barr obtained a marriage license. Next, on the 1850 Census of Coosa County, Alabama, a teamster, Thomas Jemison, born in North Carolina and his wife, Mary, born in Georgia, are shown with six children born in Georgia. In 1860-1870 they were in Columbiana, Shelby County, Alabama and had two more children. The eight children were: Clementina, Wiley, Missouri, Hannah, Thomas, William Henry Harrison, Dock and George H. – all born between 1841-1855.

In the fall of 1870 the families left in a wagon train for Texas, arriving in Rusk County in early winter with many of their treasured possessions. Aunt Missouri and Uncle John had a balky cow, so they had to bring up the rear and were always late to camp at night.

The group were staunch Baptist and soon after arriving in Rusk County, many of the family presented their letters from Beaver Creek Church to Zion Hill Baptist; later moving to other parts of the county as they purchased farms.

The son, Thomas Franklin B. Jimerson (1847-1920), soon purchased a farm in Dirgin Community after marrying Mary Cynthia (Mollie) (1853-1903), daughter of James Hillory and Cynthia (Brabham) Dunklin, on December 24, 1871. To them were born; Robert Statewright, who married Ruthie Pepper; Edna Arlevie, who married Will Grigsby; Mary Ida, who married Tom Grigsby; Pearl, who married Wilce Pepper; James T., who married Mary Browning Pepper; Icyphine, who married Miller Adams; Josephine, who married James Percy Jennings; and Arthur and Joe, who never married.

After Mollie died in 1903, Frank lived alone with his unmarried children and was finally left with only his sons Arthur and Joe at home. He still farmed; however, cotton was his money crop though the price was low. He spent many hard days of labor on his beloved farm until his death September 22, 1920. He was "laid out" by his neighbors in his homemade black broadcloth suit and white shirt made by his sister, Missouri Gothard, and in a coffin from McNaughton’s Hardware store in Tatum. He was carried to Harmony Hill in the wagon of a neighbor and placed in a grave dug by friends of the family, at the side of his beloved wife who had died in 1903. His obituary on the front page of "The Rusk County News" recognized him as "honorable and upright in his dealings with his fellowman."

It is remembered by a neighbor that Frank and his two sons were faithful to their church, Frank going in his own buggy followed by Arthur and Joe in theirs pulled by a yellow mule.

The home of Frank stood for many years among the stately oaks on the Old Black Jack Road in Dirgin, now crossed by Highway 43 at that spot. It was a large house with a center hall and large front rooms on each side, with a fireplace in each. A side porch on the back had a well. Several years ago the house burned to the ground, but many memories remain in the minds of the many descendants of this fine gentleman.

Written by Edna Mae Watson