Mimi's School Days

1920-1921 

Old Thalia Wooden School

My Parents

 I originally wrote this at the bottom of my "Growing up in a small town" series. I decided to go back and insert this short synopsis of my parents because this is where my journey begins. My first purpose of this blog was to document the rich history of my lineage as far back as I can prove... I wasn't thinking that I would detail my parents so quickly, as that is so recent and so raw. I WILL, however, detail them fully in the weeks ahead.

MY PARENTS

Mother

Before I close my "Growing Up in Small Town America" series, I have to brag on my parents. Though I have recorded much about their lives in their own papers, I would be remiss not to tell what they each meant to me as a child growing up.  I was given so many opportunities because of their sacrifices.  My mother was not my friend, but she was my beloved mother. She lived through the Great Depression but learned to love life through it all, which she passed along to me. She taught me all that I needed to know to become a well round individual, complete with proper manners. She taught me to love God, to respect others, and how to handle difficult situations. She was ROCK solid.  She transcended my soul as a mother, and later became my best friend. Though their marriage fell apart, I was always loved by both with agape love.

Daddy

I really have to brag about my daddy. He was abandoned as a small child, left in his father’s care with nothing. They had to fend for themselves and often lived in places with a dirt floor. They travelled around to help harvest crops. He pulled himself up by the bootstraps, so to speak, with the help of my mother, he truly became a community leader. He was handpicked by Mr. Nichols (a well-known newsman in America, see his book) to take over the newspaper, and from there Daddy rose in the ranks of influential people in the community.  Because of him, Vernon was able to form a hospital district through his connection with Representative Bill Heatly and Senator Jack Hightower helping to get Gov. Connelly to sign the proclamation. He was head of the first Wilbarger County General Hospital board and a plaque inside the door honors his service.  He secured land for the new high school stadium, researching, traveling and eventually securing the best design. His name is also on a plaque at the field house. He secured land and made proposals for Nacona Boot factory to find a home in Vernon. Without progressive forward-thinking men like Daddy, Vernon may not have become such a vibrant little town.

Sources for Ava Ella "McNair" Jones

 My Maternal Grandmother

1910 U.S. Federal Census. "Ava Mcnair" Ancestry.com
1920 U.S. Federal Census. "Ava E Mcnair" Ancestry.com
1930 U.S. Federal Census.  "Ava Jonas" Ancestry.com
1940 U.S. Federal Census. "Ava E Jones" Ancestry.com
1950 U.S. Federal census. "Ava Jones" Ancestry.com
Social Security Death Index. Ancestry.com
Texas, US, Birth Index. Ancestry.com

1991 - Introduction to my first McNair booklet 

On 30 March 2016, I transferred this booklet into a current word document. In 1991,I sent this booklet out to several family members, including distant cousins to help establish our connections.  I was able to save this booklet from a floppy disc. Some info didn't translate :)

     It is my privilege to share with you the information I have found on the McNair family.  My main sources were of great help compiling this information.

      The first person I must thank is Ova Kerr, my grandmother's sister.  She supplied me with some rich family history given to her by Lessie Trena McNair Rawlins, Charles Franklin McNair's sister. Lessie's source was a family Bible.

      My second invaluable source was a book I found in the Texas State Library titled McNair, McNear, McNeir Genealogies compiled by James Birtley McNair in 1923, but his second volume published in 1929 was where I found my family connection. (I have since purchased this collection.)

      My last source, and probably my most important one, was my mother, Carolita Quillin.  Through family albums, news clippings, letters, address books, etc., and countless hours of reminiscing with me, I have been able to pull together the following history of the McNair clan.

      Before advancing further, I must explain that there were discrepancies between the information in the family Bible and the library book.  Such pitfalls are a genealogist's nightmare.  The biggest discrepancy was found with the name of Mack McNair's father.  The family Bible listed his name as Jackson McNair, but the book listed his name as John McNair. Through research at the Texas Archives, I feel that I can substantiate that his name was John McNair.  It is my belief that his name was probably John Jackson McNair and the family referred to him as Jackson.  A case in point is with my great-grandfather, Charles Franklin McNair.  The family and community knew him as Frank McNair.  Most people would not have recognized him being referred to as Charles.

      There may never be a way to totally substantiate any conflicting information, but where there were differences, I have tried to make note to you without causing confusion. Also the symbols I have used are as follows: b.= birth; m.= married; d.= death.

      I sincerely hope that you find this information as intriguing as I have.  It is my wish to keep the family history alive for those to whom it matters and for those future generations who may someday wonder who we are!

                    Nancy Claire Quillin Long

                         August 1991

 2023 - advancements have been made and I feel certain of my documentation of this family back to John's father James McNair born 1747. Genealogy is an ongoing process.