Nina Ophelia Fuller

1891 - 1980  (88 years)

• Name	Nina Ophelia Fuller  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
  Born	15 Sep 1891	Rosevine, Sabine County, Texas   [3, 4, 6]
  Gender	Female
  Died	8 Jul 1980	Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas   [1, 4, 7]
  Buried	Rosevine Cemetery, Rosevine, Sabine County, Texas
  Notes	Nina Fuller was a striking. She was nearly six feet tall and slender. When she unwound her hair from the bun she usually wore, it cascaded down her back almost to her feet. She enjoyed gardening and quilting, growing most of her own vegetables. She was a thrifty woman. She continued to make her own soap from lye, pine rosin and "fat cracklings" even when she could just as easily purchased a bar at the store. Being the oldest daughter, Nina helped her mother daily with the household chores. She remembers that when she was quite young, her parents went to the State Fair in Dallas by horse and buggy. They came home with a washboard and a box of packaged laundry soap. Nina claims they were the first family in Sabine County to have a washboard, and remembers neighbors coming by on wash day just to see how it worked. The 1940 census indicates she had attended school for six years. She was a staunch member of the Rosevine Church of God. She truly believed in doing good works, and never turned away anyone in need. Her son Tom remembers that their home was on the "hobo circuit" during the depression. He often passed men asleep on a spare mattress in their garage on his way to school. She fed everyone who came to their door hungry, and made regular visits to the local nursing home to take food to friends and relatives. Nina Sue Wade, who was a backdoor neighbor to the McLemore family when they lived in town, recalls that her mother relied on her more experienced neighbors parenting advice. The Wade family had several young children, mainly very active boys, with Nina being the oldest. Mrs. Wade worked hard to keep her rambuctious children in line, to no avail. Mrs. McLemore advised her to ignore the minor infractions. Nina Sue recalled her mother often quoting a saying Mrs. McLemore told her, "When your children are young, they step on your shoestrings. When they get older, they step on your heartstrings." She would go on to advise her to cherish her children while they were young and full of spirit, because she would miss them sorely when they were grown and on their own. Nina McLemore was an independant woman, living alone in a house her brother Lonzo built for her after her husband died. She lived next door to her son Percy, and her grandson's Dental Office was directly behind her home. She was able to live at home and care for herself until she was in her mid 80's, when she went to live with her daughter Evon. Written by Melinda McLemore Strong, granddaughter, circa 1995 and revised periodically (Medical):cerebral arteriosclerosis
  Person ID	I50	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	12 Dec 2020

  
  

  Father	Joseph Thomas Fuller,   b. 4 Nov 1869, Malvern, Hot Springs County, Arkansas ,   d. 28 Nov 1950, Rosevine, Sabine County, Texas  (Age 81 years)
  Mother	Viola "Ola" Fullen,   b. 29 Feb 1872, Sabine County, Texas ,   d. 1 Mar 1907, Sabine County, Texas  (Age 35 years)
  Married	22 May 1889	Sabine County, Texas   [3, 8, 9]
  	J.T. Fuller and Viola Fullen were married by S.D. Harp, J.P. Beat No 6, Sabine County, Texas on May 22, 1889. A copy of their marriage certificate was filed on the 8th day of June, 1889 by W.T. Arnold, County Clerk for Sabine County. In his "Farm Corner" column (clipping not dated), Joe Combs wrote: "Recently (I) had the pleasure of meeting Lonzo A. Fuller of Hemphill. He was at the desk of Otis A. Fullen, president of the Security State Bank. The thought occurred that changing the last letter of either name would change the name to either Fuller or Fullen. Being a little curious a few questions were asked, and it developed that Mr. Fuller and Mr. Fullen are related. "Yes," said Mr. Fullen, "we came from the same stock. In fact, Mr. Fuller's great grandfather was also my great grandfather. Right there the Fullers and the Fullens got mixed up in such a way that most of them in the Hemphill region are kinfolk." Mr. Fullen explained further that one of the families often became enamored of one of the other families, and a marriage took place. The fact that only one letter of the alphabet had to be changed to make the bride's name fit that of the groom's may or may not have had its influence upon courtships. Mr. Fuller is a builder in the Hemphill region, and also does some farming. He said that his great grandfather was somewhat of a builder also. He says the first house ever built in Sabine County that had a brick chimney was built by great grandfather Fuller sometime about 1840. "That old house just wouldn't fall down," says Mr. Fuller, "and fire finally had to get rid of it. And as proof of the quality put in brick chimneys of that day, the old chimney is still standing as a silent reminder of a day that is gone." {Note: Since John Fuller didn't move to Sabine County until 1870, it is most likely that it was Lonzo's other great grandfather John/James? Fullen who built the above mentioned house in 1840...proof that those pesky "n's" and "r's" are indeed easily confused}. Joe and Viola Fuller had eight children before Viola died in 1907. Joe married twice more, to Blanche Birdwell (a widow with children). Blanche and Joe had two children of their own before she died. Joe's final marriage was to Alice Pointer, also a widow with children, in 1917. He and Alice were married for over 30 years until his death.
  Documents		Fullen, Viola and Joseph Thomas Fuller Marriage License, May 1889 Issued in Sabine County, Texas
  Family ID	F52	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Vessie Eugene McLemore,   b. 1 Feb 1885, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas ,   d. 21 Jan 1952, San Augustine, San Augustine County, Texas  (Age 66 years)
  Married	7 Nov 1907	Many, Sabine Parish, Louisiana   [10]
  	Nina's mother died six months after Nina's Fifteenth birthday. As the oldest girl, and second of eight children, all the day to day household tasks of caring for their large family immediately fell to her. To make matters worse, Nina's father had relatives who had moved to the fertile lower Rio Grande Valley to farm. They encouraged him to move down there as well. He had made several trips down to visit them, and to inspect land. Nina was desperately afraid of leaving her beloved east Texas. About this same time, Nina met Vessie McLemore met at a church revival. They enjoyed each other's company, and began secretly corresponding with each other. Vessie soon proposed, and in November 1907, they snuck across the river to Many, Louisiana and eloped. Nina had turned sixteen years old not quite two months earlier. Nina told her granddaughter, Melinda, that she and Vessie had only seen each other twice in person before their marriage. A photo exists that appears to be their wedding picture. Vessie is wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and white bow tie, and Nina in a white dress, with a large flower in her hair. Witnesses at their wedding were, H. E. White, presumably Henry Ernest White--Vessie's first cousin-- and A. McGown [likely either Albert or Andrew McGown, brothers who lived nearby the young couple in Geneva, Texas]. The license was filed for record on 14 July 1908 in Volume 3, Page 272 of the Marriage Records of Sabine Parish, Louisiana by W. E. McNuly, clerk, oper J. J. McNuly, Deputy. Joe Fuller was not pleased with his daughters elopement. For at least several months after their wedding, the young couple avoided him. Rumors abounded that he might shoot Vessie on sight. Jan Tisdale, another granddaughter, remembers similar stories. Jan said that Nina's younger sisters were especially saddened by the hasty marriage. They lost both their mother and older sister in less than a year. Written by Melinda McLemore Strong, granddaughter, circa 1995 and revised periodically
  Children	1. Infant McLemore,   b. 3 Dec 1908, Sabine County, Texas ,   d. 17 Feb 1909, Sabine County, Texas  (Age 0 years)   2. Infant McLemore,   b. 10 Mar 1910, Sabine County, Texas ,   d. 11 Mar 1910, Sabine County, Texas  (Age 0 years)   3. Infant McLemore,   b. 25 May 1911, Sabine County, Texas ,   d. 25 May 1911, Sabine County, Texas  (Age 0 years)   4. Percy Lavell McLemore,   b. 11 Jan 1913, Bronson, Sabine County, Texas ,   d. 30 Apr 1991, San Augustine County, Texas  (Age 78 years)   5. Viola Evon McLemore,   b. 6 Nov 1914, Bronson, Sabine County, Texas ,   d. 18 Oct 2008, Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas  (Age 93 years)   6. Vessie Earl McLemore,   b. 12 Sep 1916, Bronson, Sabine County, Texas ,   d. 30 Apr 1997, Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas  (Age 80 years)   7. Ira Ray McLemore,   b. 1 Dec 1918, Bronson, Sabine County, Texas ,   d. 14 Feb 1991, Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County, Texas  (Age 72 years)   8. Living   9. John Lynn McLemore,   b. 26 Dec 1932, San Augustine, San Augustine County, Texas ,   d. 13 Sep 2007, Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas  (Age 74 years)
  Documents		Fuller, Nina Ophelia marriage to Vessie E. McLemore, Many, Louisiana, 1907 Nina and Vessie eloped in Many, Louisiana, just across the state line from Sabine County, Texas, where they both grew up
  Last Modified	30 Jun 2013
  Family ID	F11	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 15 Sep 1891 - Rosevine, Sabine County, Texas Married - 7 Nov 1907 - Many, Sabine Parish, Louisiana Died - 8 Jul 1980 - Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas Buried - - Rosevine Cemetery, Rosevine, Sabine County, Texas  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		McLemore, Vessie Eugene and Nina wedding portrait Vessie McLemore and Nina Fuller eloped in Many, Louisiana in 1907, a few months after her sixteenth birthday. Her mother had died six months previously.
  		_Fuller, Nina The wife of Vessie McLemore B. 1891 Texas D. 1980 Texas This picture was taken when Nina was a newlywed, shortly after she turned sixteen
  		McLemore, Vessie Eugene ca 1920's with wife Vessie McLemore and his wife, Nina Fuller
  		McLemore, Ray ca 1922 with his mother, Nina Ray and his mother, Nina (Fuller) McLemore
  		Fuller, Joseph Thomas and Family, Rosevine, Texas, 1940's back, l to r, Lonzo Fuller, Nina McLemore, Ethel Eddings, Bertha Williams, Tera Cousins, Herman Fuller, and Edna Pointer front, Alice Holland Pointer Fuller and her husband, Joseph Thomas Fuller
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		Church of God Congregants-1949, Rosevine, Sabine County, Texas The congregation of the Rosevine Church of God, ca 1949
  		McLemore, Vessie Eugene ca 1950's with Nina Probably taken at their farm home in San Augustine in the 1950's
  		Fuller, Alice (Holland) Pointer with her daughter and step-daughters, ca 1956 Left to Right: Bertha (Fuller) WILLIAMS, Nina (Fuller) McLemore, Alice (Holland) Pointer FULLER, Ethel (Fuller) EDDINGS, Edna (Pointer) KERR, Tera (Fuller) COUSINS
  		Fuller, Alice (Holland) Pointer with her daughter and step-children, 1956 Left to Right: Joe Fuller, Edna (Pointer) Kerr, Alonzo Fuller, Alice (Holland) Pointer Fuller, Nina (Fuller) McLemore, Bertha (Fuller) Williams, Ethel (Fuller) Eddings
  		Fuller, Nina ca 1960's The wife of Vessie Eugene McLemore B. 1891 D. 1980 Texas
  		Fuller, Alonzo, Nina, Ethel and Tera, ca 1965, Sabine County, Texas At Lonza's 75th Birthday Celebration in 1965, Sabine County, Texas (l to r): Alonzo Fuller, Nina McLemore, Ethel Eddings, and Tera Cousins.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		Fuller Sisters--Nina, Ethel, Bertha, Tera---with step-sister, Edna Pointer, ca 1970's, Sabine County, Texas (l to r): Nina McLemore, Ethel Eddings, Bertha Williams, Tera Cousins, and Edna Kerr
  		Fuller, Lexie, with her Aunts, Nina and Ethel, ca 1975, Sabine County Lexie Fuller Smith, center, with her Aunts, Nina McLemore (l) and Ethel Eddings (r)
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.

  
  

  Documents » Slide Show		McLemore, Vessie & Nina McLemore family Home, San Augustine, Texas This is the home that Vessie and Nina McLemore bought in the late 1920's in the City of San Augustine, near the intersection of Main and Whitton. Tom and Lynn McLemore were both born in this home, and lived here until late in the 1930's, when their father purchased farm land outside of the city. This picture was taken around 2003. Tom McLemore notes that this roof on the house is the same one his father laid on the home in the 1930's.
  		McLemore, Nina Fuller After her husband died, Nina moved from the farm back into the city of San Augustine. She had a home built for her on Patroon road by her brother, Lonzo Fuller, a local contractor.
  		McLemore, Nina (Fuller), Quilt Square, ca 1966 Nina was an avid quilter. This square is from a quilt she made her granddaughter, Melinda, around 1966. Some of the fabric scraps were from school clothes Melinda had outgrown, as Nina had specifically requested these from her daughter-in-law when making the quilt.
  		Fuller, Nina Ophelia (Mrs. Vessie E. McLemore) Death Certificate As filed in Angelina County, Texas. Nina was being cared for by her only daughter, Evon, a resident of Lufkin.

  
  

  Headstones

  McLemore, Vessie and Nina (Fuller)

  
  

• Sources

  [S418] Texas Department of Health, Death Certificate. [S198] McDaniel, Robert Cecil THE 1900 POPULATION CENSUS OF SABINE COUNTY, TX. [S461] White & Toole, "Sabine County Historical Sketches and Genealogical Records" c. 1972, p 75 (Reliability: 3). [S675] Strong, Melinda (McLemore) and Tisdale, Evon (McLemore): McLemore Reunion, Broaddus, Texas October 1985: Family Group Sheets prepared by each family and Personal Interview. [S384] 1900 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004, (Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls. This database is an index to individuals enumerated in the 1900 United States Federal Census, the Twelfth Census of the United States. Census takers recorded many details including each person's name, address, relationship to the head of household, color or race, sex, month and year of birth, age at last birthday, marital status, number of years married, the total number of children born of the mother, the number of those children living, birthplace, birthplace of father and mother, if the individual was foreign born, the year of immigration and the number of years in the United States, the citizenship status of foreign-born individuals over age twenty-one, occupation, and more. Additionally, the names of those listed on the population schedule are linked to actual images of the 1900 Federal Census.), Texas, Sabine County, JP 6 Enumerated 9 Jun 1900 SD 8 ED 70 Sheet 6B 99-99 (Reliability: 3). [S198] McDaniel, Robert Cecil THE 1900 POPULATION CENSUS OF SABINE COUNTY, TX, She was listed as age 8. (Reliability: 3). [S342] San Augustine Tribune, weekly, 807 E. Columbia, San Augustine, TX, (San Augustine Tribune, USPS No. 479-040, Published every Thursday at 807 E. Columbia St., San Augustine, Texas 75972 Stephen Hays & Arlan Hays, Publishers. Postmaster: Change of Address notice should be made at P.O. Box 539, San Augustine, Texas 75972. The Tribune is a continuation of the Texas Chronicle moved from Galveston to San Augustine in 1837 and published as the Redlander.). [S341] Sabine County, Texas, Marriage License. [S434] Toole, Blanche "Sabine County Marriages 1875-1900 1900-1910 Prior to 1875" c. 1983. [S382] State of Louisiana, Parish of Sabine, Marriage License.