L.B.M. RAINWATER

The following bio was taken from page 355 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

 Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Cemeteries of TX

Little Berry Moore Rainwater, 1833-or 1834, came to Rusk County, Texas, from White Plains, Greene County, Georgia in 1852, with the family of Wiley Astin Parker.  Berry was the son of Elisha Rainwater, who was a soldier in the Battle of San Jacinto and one of the group led by Deaf Smith, sent by Sam Houston to Vince’s Bridge.  Named Little Berry Moore by his mother, Donemency, a Cherokee Indian, he dropped the Little in later life.

 In Rusk County, about 1855, Berry married Susan A. Parker, who was born in Georgia in 1836, daughter of Wiley Astin Parker.

 During the War Between the States, Berry served in Company C of Lane’s Recruits.  He was not in any battles, but spent his term of service as a saddle and harness maker.  The couple lived in Oak Flat Community and their children were: Ellen, who was born August 1, 1857, married D. Hillary Wallace, and died about 1910; James W., who was born January 26, 1859 and died about 1900; Laura W., who was born March 19, 1860 and died about 1915; William Thomas, who was born January 28, 1862 and married Mollie McGuire, (his step-sister); after they met when Tommie went from Rusk County to Collin County where his father lived; Marion Edmund, who was born October 6, 1865, married Fannie Raines and died about 1930; Francis Myrtle, who was born December 28, 1867, married Lucuis Rousseau in 1890 at Minden and died March 4, 1900; Walter, who was born 1871, married Nora Nesmith and lived in Collin County, Texas; Mary who was born 1879, married a Mr. Husband.

 When Mary was about six months old, her mother died and her father married Carolyn Peters McQuire, a widow of Rusk County, Texas, with three children: Thomas, John and Mollie McQuire.  Berry and Caroline’s children were: Charlie, Mandy, Hettie, who married George Little, son of James Robert Little of the Wood Glen Community; Ira who married Alma; Joe, who married Alice, sister of Alma; and Viola.  Carolyn died when Viola was born and William Thomas and Mollie raised her younger half brothers and sisters.

 Berry Rainwater’s grandfather was Solomon Rainwater, born in 1755, who lived in the Pendleton District, South Carolina.  He married Ruth Felton and moved to Georgia.

Submitted by Ron Gregory