JASON LEDFORD

 The following bio was taken from page 283 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, Cemeteries of Texas

  Death came to Jason Ledford at the age of eighty-eight years, seven months, and seven days at his home in what is now called Wright City, Texas.  He was born March 3, 1812 and died October 10, 1900.  Burial was in Salem Cemetery nearby.  Jason and his wife, Sarah Ann and several of their children settled in Rusk County, Texas sometime between 1870 and 1880, having come to Texas from Talladega County, Alabama.  To the best of my knowledge, Absolem Ledford of Haywood County, North Carolina, was Jason Ledford’s father.  Jason was married twice.  He and his first wife had three children:  Ozina, George H., and Anderson.  His second wife was Sarah Ann E. Winifred Thomason, whose parents were Arnold and Elizabeth Shackleford Thomason.

 Jason and Sarah Ann had a large family:  Hannah Francis, Jason Ben, Lafayette, Sarah Ann (Flora), and Union, plus two children that must have been hers by a previous marriage.

 Jason Ben is the connecting link to my family tree.  He was born October 24, 1851 and died February 18, 1917.  Burial was in the Salem Cemetery.  He was married December 23, 1873 to Melissa Hughes, daughter of J. C. (Coffee) and Louisa Hughes.  To this union were born three daughters:  Chatty Viola, Louisa, (who died young), and Melissa Benton.  Chatty Viola was my grandmother.  She was born February 28, 1875 and died July 6, 1953.  She married William Patterson Keeling on December 14, 1890.  He passed away October 26, 1949.  Willie and “Miss Viola” were the parents of four children:  Vernon (who died young), Era Mae, Jason William, and Bessie Lula.  Bessie is my mother.  She was born May 10, 1896 and married Cone Johnson Thompson, son of Martin Luther and Inez Thompson, on October 6, 1912.  He passed away June 28, 1950, at the age of fifty-seven.  They had five children:  Mildred, Elice (who passed away January 30, 1977), Cone, Jr., Imogene, and Milton Lee.

 Melissa Hughes Ledford died when her daughter, Melissa Benton, was eight hours old.  On January 1, 1888, Jason Ben married Mary Elizabeth (Molly) Harman.  They had four children:  Curthe Bert, Columbus, Odie Murl, Essie May, and Gladys.  I have read a number of letters written by Essie to my husband’s mother, Winnie Denton, giving information from the family Bible.  I was fortunate in meeting several of Dr. Lafayette Ledford’s family when we moved to Victoria, Texas.  Lafayette, (Uncle Fate) and his wife, Julia Pitts Ledford, are buried in the old Bischoff Cemetery near Inez, Texas.  He and Julia had seven children:  Avis, Eula, Faris, Ruth, Dr. Jason, a daughter (who died young), and Claude.  Ruth is the only child remaining.

 I have thoroughly enjoyed, and still enjoy trying to fit the pieces of my ancestry together.  My husband, Royal Loyd Denton, and I have three children:  P. E., Katherine Louise, and William.  It is impossible to put all the memories of the past on paper.  The search for more information goes on.

 Submitted by Mildred Thompson Denton