BANKS Winter-Spring 2011
The Thomas Marion Banks Cousins Face Book Page is up and running!
Let me know if you’d like to be added as a member!
Remembering Marion & Bessie Banks by Charles Banks Born in Stephens County, GA, Russell Marion (18931962) was the sixth child of Thomas Marion and Georgia DeLura. He was named Russell to honor the memory of an infant brother, Russell Felton, who died at the age of nine months. The middle name, Marion, honored his father, and continued a tradition established for generations earlier by Ralph, Sr. Raised near the foothills of Currahee Mountain, Marion, as he was known, attended Stephens County schools and a finishing school in Hiawassee, GA, where he received his teaching certificate. But rather than teach school, he moved to Birmingham, AL, where he began his working career as a streetcar conductor. This was interrupted, however, when he volunteered for service in the U.S. Army as the United States entered World War I. He was trained for the infantry and assigned to an allsouthern division, known as the Rainbow Division. Serving in the trenches of INSIDE THIS ISSUE France, Marion was promoted P.2 Remembering Marion & to the rank of sergeant. P.3 The BIG Snow Event! P.3 News from the Byrum branch An economic boom followed P.4 the war and jobs Pictures from Banks Reunion were abundant. Marion returned Contact me with your news!! to Birmingham and applied for a Donna Banks Dodd 3425 Spinnaker Way job with SouthAcworth, GA 30102 ern Railway. Needing a place 678-574-7071 to live he soon found a room for rent. It was in the residence of Sydney Millican and his wife Katherine— the parents of ten girls and a boy. Needless to say Mr. Millican cast a suspicious eye on the Next Reunion—Sunday, October 9 stranger who wished to occupy a room under his roof—Marion Banks. But all was well Cemetery clean— Saturday, October 8 and it was but a short time that the tenant was attracted to the young daughter of his landContinued page 2
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lord. With permission of Mr. Millican, Marion began courting his fourth daughter, Annie Elizabeth, who was known by family and friends as “Bessie.” The courtship of Russell Marion and Bessie Millican blossomed and it became apparent that the young couple was destined to marry. Having been reared in the Baptist faith, Marion found no conflict with Bessie’s faith and they were married in St. Paul Catholic Church in May 1920. With the exception of four years spent in Anniston, AL, his entire working career was spent in Birmingham. During the early years of their marriage, he and Bessie proudly walked with their young family to Sunday mass, a distance of about three miles. It was not until 1950 that Marion, along with daughter-in-law Mary Francis (Peggy), took lessons in Catholicism and was baptized in the faith. Marion and Bessie’s lives were centered on their family, their Church, and his job with the railroad. They both possessed a strong Christian faith and instilled that faith in their family. They remained members of St. Paul throughout their lifetime. Russell Marion and Annie Elizabeth are buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Birmingham, AL. Contributed by the late Thomas Sidney Banks and brother Gerald Knox (Peter) Banks
Aunt Bessie and mother (Susie Banks) were like sisters. Since they both had railroad passes they would visit each other once or twice a year. By the time I was 15, Bessie's visits became more important to me--I became her designated driver. We had one Catholic church, located on the edge of town, and I got to chauffer Aunt Bessie to and from mass. Charles Banks When Uncle Marion and Aunt Bessie visited they would sit up half the night with our parents, drinking pots of coffee while Uncle Marion and daddy smoked their pipes. And invariably Uncle Marion would lose his pipe and pay me a quarter to help him find it. Sometimes when they visited I could count on making 75 cents, or if I was lucky, a dollar. George Banks
Remembering Papa My own mother died when I was 15, and Tom and I married just two years later when I was 17. Papa and Bessie took over raising me, as I was still very much in need of guidance at that young age. I remember one thing in particular that impressed me from the beginning, and that was Papa’s concern for his siblings. Aunt Ophelia’s son, Bill K. was living with them at that time. I remember when Sara Sue Terrell brought Aunt Alice and Uncle Alec to visit, and when Aunt Bertie’s four children came to visit. I later got to meet the rest of the family (except John) when we started attending the reunions.
Standing: Russ Banks, Tom Banks, Anne Smaha, Trey Banks, Peggy Banks, Delayne Banks, Tom Banks. Kneeling/seated: Elise Bethune, Aunt Bessie, Ed Banks and Chris Banks
I feel truly blessed to be a part of this wonderful family, and our children share that same love for our family heritage! Tom & Peggy Banks
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Georgia’s Big Snow Event—2011 By Charles Honea, Husband to Elaine Banks Honea We could not remember a snow this deep. I do remember back when Elaine and I first married in 1969, there was a good snow. Lanny, Elaine and I borrowed a metal Coca-Cola sign from our landlord/neighbor the Smith's. We had so much fun that day, zooming over the terraces in Vernor Bank's pasture. Inches away from 40 mph snow runs was our backyard Disney World. Wet, cold and soaked we relented to returning I tried the makeshift toboggan missile to the barn it came from. How much did it cost? Not one dime, just a to warn couple of PLEASES and THANK YOUS! History was about to repeat itself. Elaine had purchased new plastic snow sleds for our younger grandkids. At about midday, Joshua ventured out next door from us to test his sled. It's hard to have fun by yourself so grandpa decided to join in.
you!!
Elaine had found some old vinyl rug scrap, so rather than pasteboard, I used that as my sled. Maybe it's the extra weight I've put on over the years, cause that rug would fly. Thoughts of landing in the fence after a sled run was not much fun so we took on the big challenge, the pasture. The problem with pasture sledding is you never know where you will land. Landing inches away from cow piles, just added to the fun and laughter. Alas, my farming skills came to light when a blackberry briar caught my face and scratched it. “Ok, it's not fun anymore. I've had enough, Joshua, I'm going to the house”. "Thank's Pa, for sledding with me", Joshua said. “You’re welcome, Joshua”, as I headed home. What did it cost? A half an hour of TV watching or computer punching. What Pa did gain was PRICELESS!
News from the Byrum Branch! Our youngest son Seth Byrum is on his way to Iwakuni, Japan for a six month deployment with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 533. He and the squadron should return home sometime in July. Bruce Byrum
Seth in his flight suit
Seth in his dress-blues with wife, Brandi
The Dedicated Cemetery Cleanup Crew from the 2010 Reunion
Left to right:
George Banks, Lanny Banks, Becky Dixon, Rusty Terrell, Norma Banks and Eddie Banks
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Family Fun at the 75th Reunion of the Thomas Marion Banks Family!
David Byrum & Grace Byrum Mitchell
Blake Banks; Taylor Coles; Bambi Banks Hoitt with (baby) Lilly Raine, Gabe & Abby; Katrina Honea Spencer with Lexie and Jordan; Alicia Terrell Speers with Kinsey and Brianna; Megan and Lauren Banks; La’el, Sandy Ankerich and Joshua
Joan Lovingood, Bob King, Charles Banks, Truitt Banks, Thomas Dixon, Annette Banks Norman, George Banks, Jeri Stapleton
Charles Honea, Starke Lovingood, Ron Mitchell, Loretta Byrun, Tommy Dodd, Evelyn Banks, Susan King, Ginger Dixon, Howard Norman
Donna Banks Dodd, Eddie Banks, Michael Banks, Susan Banks Banbury, Diane Banks Leonard, Elaine Banks Honea, Bill Banks, Becky Dixon, Rusty Terrell, David Byrum, Tim Dixon, Grace Byrum Mitchell