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Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Happy Birthday John - You Look Good for 119!!

This is John Jackson Barham. He is my great grandfather and Ma's father. He was born on this day in 1890 in Russellville, Arkansas to Thomas Franklin Barham and Theodora Hazeltine Willis. His grandparents were Andrew Jackson Barham and Margaret Russell and John Watson Willis and Susanna Couch.

He was engaged to be married a girl when Pearl Dunn spotted him walking across the street in Russellville. Pearl was working as a typesetter for the Russellville Democrat at the time. She saw this tall, dark and handsome man. She set her eyes on him and they were married a short time later. After the birth of their first child in 1912, John and Pearl moved to Comanche, Oklahoma because Pearl wanted to farm. John and Pearl had 5 daughters and 2 sons. One son, Z.T. died at birth.

In 1920, John graduated from the Oklahoma City Automobile School to be a mechanic. Ma still has her father's diploma from the school.

Pearl died in 1955 and John in 1964. They are buried at the Fairlawn Cemetery in Comanche, OK.

Ma loved her dad. She said he was a quiet man. He gave all his children nicknames. Ma's nickname was "slants".

Happy Birthday John and Happy Grandma's Day,

Love,

Territory Mom

2 comments:

Jennifer Chronicles (jenx67.com) said...

I really enjoy reading stuff like this. Even though it's not my family, they're Oklahomans. Five daughters and two sons. Wow!

Territory Mom said...

Thanks, I enjoy reading about your family too.