Felix Cornelius "Mac" McLemore

Notes:

Melba Gene McLemore noted he first married Lois LEVEL. She also writes that when he was born, he was delivered by a black midwife who suggested the name Jasper Cornelius. His grandmother had a fit, saying that was a black name, and thus he was renamed as Felix Cornelius.

Obituary, copied from his Find A Grave Memorial Page:

Felix C. McLemore, Sr, age 80, of Weatherford, Texas formerly of Wilmar, Arkansas died Tuesday, December 11, at Regency Hospital, Fort Worth, Texas.

He was born April 27, 1927 in Jefferson County, Arkansas a son of the late Sterling Cornelious McLemore and Elna Ophelia Bass McLemore.

He was a Baptist, served in the US Army, was a retired diesel mechanic and worked many years for Blankinship Motor Company, Warren, Ark.

Surviving is his wife Cookie McLemore whom he married on October 2, 1971 at Pine Bluff, Arkansas; 3 sons Lynn McLemore, US Marines, Beaufort, South Carolina, John Wayne McLemore, US Army stationed in Iraq and Felix C. McLemore, Jr, Mineral Wells, Texas; 2 daughters Sharon Kay Bussell, Middleton, Tenn. and Karen Scott, Austin, Tex; 1 brother Tommy McLemore, Warren, Ark; 2 sisters Faye, Patenotte, Yazoo City Miss and Betty Kight, Monticello, Ark; 12 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

He was also preceded in death by a son Donald Wayne McLemore.

Funeral services were 10:00am Monday, December 17, at Frazer's Chapel by Rev. Richard Warren. Linda Barrett was the organist. Burial with flag presentation ceremony was in Fitzhugh Cemetery in Jefferson County by Frazer's Funeral Home of Warren.

Pallbearers were James Caldwell, Ted Hess, Chris Brown, Bryan Tutor, Jerry McLemore, Clint McLemore, Danny McIntyre and Wendell Taylor.

Felix married Merle Dean "Cookie" Smith on 2 Oct 1971 in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas. Merle was born on 11 Mar 1947 in Butler, Choctaw County, Alabama; died on 11 Jul 2017 in Weatherford, Parker County, Texas; was buried in Fitzhugh Cemetery, Jefferson County, Arkansas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Melba Gene McLemore shows his year of birth as 1899. The SSDI instead shows his date of birth as 14 July 1900. The year inscribed on his headstone, presumed to be correct, is 1898.

(Research):
Census Listings:

1930 Census
Arkansas, Lincoln County, Owen
Enumerated April 2, 1930
ED 40-19 SD 10 Sheet 1B
10-10
McLemore, Sterling Hd M W 29 M@17 Ark Ark Ark Laborer Miss Fuel Corp
McLemore, Elma Wf F W 26 M@14 Ark Ark Ark
McLemore, Freddie Mae Dtr F W 10 S Ark Ark Ark
McLemore, P. D. Son M WS 8 S Ark Ark Ark
McLemore, Alton Son M W 5 S Ark Ark Ark
McLemore, Felix Son M W 2 S Ark Ark Ark
McLemore, Willie Dtr F W 6/12 S Ark Ark Ark

Sterling married Elna Ophelia Bass on 2 Jun 1918 in Jefferson County, Arkansas. Elna was born on 15 Jan 1904 in Arkansas; died on 5 Oct 1983 in Wilmar, Drew County, Arkansas; was buried in Fitzhugh Cemetery, Jefferson County, Arkansas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Melba Gene McLemore shows her as the daughter of Will BASS and Marthey Eve MOSLEY (sic).

Her Find A Grave Memorial page links her to partners, William Franklin BASS (1868-1913) and Marthy Elizabeth MOSBY.

Notes:

Married:
At the time of their marriage, he was a resident of Pine Bluff and she of Winchester, Desha, Arkansas. FHL Film #983120.

Notes:

Melba Gene McLemore shows that he married three times, to Lola DERASAUL, Elizabeth BURKHAM Mason (his first cousin, daughter of his mother's sister Victoria Reynolds Mason), and Willie BAILEY.

Was Wright the father of Maggie McLemore, born in Jan 1891 in Arkansas? Maggie was living with her grandmother, Elvira McLemore Newman in Lincoln County, Arkansas at the time of the 1900 census.

Melba Gene indicates that sometime before, Wright had married to his third wife, Willie Bailey, and they were living in Owen, Lincoln County, Arkansas at the time of the 1900 census. Living with them was 6 year old James Harmon, born March 1894, a step son to Wright, born to Willie during her first marriage. They were also the parents of 10 month old Sterling McLemore.

In 1910, Willie Bailey Harmon McLemore was remarried to Eli BENNINGFILED. They were living in Niven Twp, Jefferson County, Arkansas with their blended family.

(Research):Census Information:

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Oc
cupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
James SMITH Self M Male W 30 MS Farmer MS MS
Beckey SMITH Wife M Female W 30 AR Keeps House AL GA
Rasa SMITH Dau S Female W 8 AR MS AR
David SMITH Son S Male W 5 AR MS AR
Lula SMITH Dau S Female W 3 AR MS AR
W. A. SMITH Son S Male W 5M AR MS AR
Wright MCLEMORE Other S Male W 18 AR Works On Farm AR AR
Source Information:
Census Place Owen, Lincoln, Arkansas
Family History Library Film 1254049 NA Film Number T9-0049
Page Number 51B

1880 Census
Arkansas, Lincoln County, Owen Twp
Enumerated 10 June 1880
Stamped 54
103-106
Newman, Chas. W M 37 Farmer Canada Canada Canada
Newman, Messy W F 43 Wife Keeping House Ala SC Ga
McLemore, Wrigh W M 19 Step-son Works on Farm Ark Tenn Ark*
Newman George W M 7 Son Ark Canada Ala
Newman, Chas. W M 6 Son Ark Canada Ala
Newman, Joseph W M 1 Son Ark Canada Ala

*This was written, and then lined through. Wright McLemore was also listed as a boarder in the Smith Home in Owen, Lincoln, Arkansas at the 1880 census, working as a farm laborer. The enumerator must have crossed him off the census in his mother's home to avoid double counting him.

1900 Census
Arkansas, Lincoln County, Owen Township
Enumerated 2 June 1900 by J.A. Blythe
SD 6, ED 119, Sheet 2B
31-32
McLemore, Wright Hd W M Apr 1861 39 D? Ark Tn Ala Farmer
McLemore, Willie Wife W F Sep 1878 21 M 2 Ark Ga Ark
McLemore, Sterling Son W M July 1899 10/12 S Ark Ark Ark
Harmon, James StepSon W M Mary 1894 6 S Ark Ark Ark

Wright married Willie Bailey between 1894 and 1898 in Arkansas. Willie was born in Sep 1878 in Arkansas; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Research):Census Information:

1900 Census
Arkansas, Lincoln County, Owen Township
Enumerated 2 June 1900 by J.A. Blythe
SD 6, ED 119, Sheet 2B
31-32
McLemore, Wright Hd W M Apr 1861 39 D? Ark Tn Ala Farmer
McLemore, Willie Wife W F Sep 1878 21 M 2 Ark Ga Ark
McLemore, Sterling Son W M July 1899 10/12 S Ark Ark Ark
Harmon, James StepSon W M Mary 1894 6 S Ark Ark Ark

1910 Census
Arkansas, Jefferson County, Niven Township
Enumerated 21 May 1910
11-11
Benningfield, Eli M Hd M W 57 m 2 7 NC NC NC Farmer
Benningfield, Willie Wf F W 33 M3 7 8/7 Ark Ga Ark
Benningfield, Mason Dtr F W 5 S Ark NC Ark
Benningfield, Myrtle Dtr F W 4 S Ark NC Ark
Benningfield, Willie F Son M W 2 S Ark NC Ark
Benningfield, Lonnie Son M w 6/12 Ark NC Ark
Harmon, Jim StepSon M W 15 S Ark Sc Ark Laborer Farm
Macklimore, Sterling StepSon M W 11 S Ark Ark Ark
Macklimore, Eula StepSon M W 9 S Ark Ark Ark

Notes:

His middle name is listed by some as Columbus, but Coy McLemore instead shows his middle name as Cornelius. Melba Gene McLemore has located land transactions of Sterling McLemore's on record at the Little Rock land office dating to early 1860.

Died as a result of the Civil War, in a field hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas. He and his brother, Rufus, who both enlisted in the 26th Arkansas Infantry on the same day as Sterling, died in the same hospital just a few days apart. Their older brother, John, had died three months previously, also after being hospitalized in Little Rock.

(Research):Census Information:

1860 Census
Arkansas, Jefferson County, Bartholomew Twp, Post Office Pine Bluff
Page 10 (handwritten)
#367-317
S.C. McLemore 27 M Farmer
E.M. McLemore 24 F Alabama
H.E. McLemore 2 F Arkansas
M.J. McLemore 3/12 F Arkansas

Brothers Rufus and John are in the same census, on pages 1 and 3

1870 Census
Arkansas, Drew County, Mill Creek Twp, P.O. Branchmill
Enumerated 24 Aug 1870
Page 13, Stamped 638
100-111
McLamore, Mary 34 F W Keeping House $--- $50 Alabama
McLamore, Harriet 13 F W At Home Arkansas

By 1900, Elvira Mary had remarried, and she and her second husband Charles NEWMAN are living in Owen, Lincoln County, Arkansas with her granddaughter, Maggie McLemore, born 1891.

(Courtesy of Melba Gene McLemore)

Sterling married Elvira Malissa "Missy" Mary Reynolds on 19 Sep 1856 in Jefferson County, Arkansas. Elvira was born on 24 Feb 1836 in Alabama; died on 7 Nov 1907 in Star City, Lincoln County, Arkansas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Melba Gene noted that Elvira had a sister, Victoria Adaline Reynolds, who married Arcy Mason. They had a daughter anmes Elizbeth Burkham Mason, who was later married to her first cousin, Wright McLemore.

(Research):Census Information:

1860 Census
Arkansas, Jefferson County, Bartholomew Twp, Post Office Pi
ne Bluff
Page 10 (handwritten)
#367-317
S.C. McLemore 27 M Farmer
E.M. McLemore 24 F Alabama
H.E. McLemore 2 F Arkansas
M.J. McLemore 3/12 F Arkansas

1870 Census
Arkansas, Drew County, Mill Creek Twp, P.O. Branchmill
Enumerated 24 Aug 1870
Page 13, Stamped 638
100-111
McLamore, Mary 34 F W Keeping House $--- $50 Alabama
McLamore, Harriet 13 F W At Home Arkansas

1880 Census
Arkansas, Lincoln County, Owen Twp
Enumerated 10 June 1880
Stamped 54
103-106
Newman, Chas. W M 37 Farmer Canada Canada Canada
Newman, Messy W F 43 Wife Keeping House Ala SC Ga
McLemore, Wrigh W M 19 Step-son Works on Farm Ark Tenn Ark*
Newman George W M 7 Son Ark Canada Ala
Newman, Chas. W M 6 Son Ark Canada Ala
Newman, Joseph W M 1 Son Ark Canada Ala

*This was written, and then lined through. Wright McLemore was also listed as a boarder in the Smith Home in Owen, Lincoln, Arkansas at the 1880 census, working as a farm laborer. The enumerator must have crossed him off the census in his mother's home to avoid double counting him.


1900 Census
Arkansas, Lincoln County, Owen Township
Enumerated in June, 1900 by J.A. Blythe
SD 6, ED 119, Sheet 1B
17-18
Newman, Charles Hd W M July 1848 56 m 28 Canada/French Canada Canada Farmer
Newman, Elvira Wife W F Feb 1836 64 M 28 3/3 Ala SC Ga
Newman, Chas O Son W M Nov 1874 25 S Ark Canada Alabama
Newman, Joseph Son W M Oct 1878 21 S Ark Canada Alabama
McLemore, Maggie G-Dtr W F Jan 1891 9 S Ark Ark Ark