The John McAnally Family
(Drury Lane Family Included)
Facts by Mrs. Stuart McAnally
The McAnally family and Lane families came to Texas from Tennessee. John McAnally, whose sister, Addie, married Drury Lane, arrived in the early 1800's and settled for a time near Nacogdoches. The family later purchased land in Cherokee County, three miles northeast of Jacksonville. As there were no large settlements near at that time, they had to travel to Nacogdoches in wagons for supplies.
John McAnally married Katie Love and they were parents of six children. After her death, he married Tabitha Jane Jowell. They had several children.
The youngest son of John and Katie was Robartus, called "Bart", born September 28, 1878. In 1907, he moved to Liberty County and married Edna Young, only daughter of Joshua and Josephine Young. They settled on the banks of the Trinity River and operated a ferry for ten years. In 1925, they moved back to Jacksonville and the "old home place." Here Bart farmed until his death July 8, 1946. The next year the house was torn down and a new one built for "Ma" McAnally, as she is affectionately called. Mother of 14, she will celebrate her 80th birthday May 8, 1972, during Jacksonville's Centennial week. Eleven of her children survive.
Henry McAnally married Della Gossett and lives in Pecos; Ura (Mrs. Leo Buffalo) lives in Woodville; Oscar married Helen McKnight and is principle of Elkhart, Texas, high school; and Joyce (Mrs. James Ruth), lives in New Summerfield.
Seven children reside in Jacksonville. The three daughters are Eva (Mrs. D. J. Barnett), Edith (Mrs. Jimmy Harper), and Josie (Mrs. Louis Bass).
The four sons include Stuart, a painting contractor, who married Hilda Martin. Floyd married Lorene Bednarz; Monroe married Ann Rucker, and they operate a dairy. Delbert was married first to Betty McGowan, and then to Doris Norton.
"Ma" McAnally had 33 grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.
Addie McAnally married Drury H. Lane in 1875. He was a son of Isham Lane, a Baptist minister, and was a Confederate veteran. A brother, George W. Lane, was a Jacksonville postmaster, and another brother, Horatio G. Lane, a lawyer, represented Cherokee County in the Texas legislature. Drury H. Lane died in 1921.
Addie and Drury H. Lane had three sons, Charlie,
Drury and Sam. Charlie and
Drury never married and both resided on the homestead. Sam
married Lillie Blackburn and they were parents of a son, Charles,
and two daughters, Rebecca (Mrs. Emmett Dubberly)
and Sammie (Mrs. Robert Ward). Mr. and Mrs.
Ward maintain the "old homeplace," on Byrd Road near Lake Jacksonville,
and plan to retire there.
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John McAnally, his second wife, Tabitha Jane Jowell, with their family. Standing rear, l. to r., Walter, Mandy and Robartus McAnally, three youngest children of Mr. McAnally and first wife, Katie Love. |
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Robartus (Bart) McAnally and bride, Edna Young, wedding picture, Dec. 23, 1907. |
Compiled by Greg Smith. If you have any materials you'd like to contribute, please email me.