BANKS Summer-Fall 2013
October 12th & 13th It’s almost time for the
78th Reunion
of the Thomas Marion Banks Family Details enclosed
A Salute to Thomas Dean Dixon Thomas Dixon has long-been the Thomas Marion Banks Family’s Historian. Not only is he the keeper of family data and photos that are so dear to us today, he also has firsthand familiarity with Thomas Marion Banks, as you'll read in his biography. Thomas, we thank you for your untiring commitment to our family. You are loved and appreciated!
Thomas Dean Dixon was born in Charlotte, N.C. in the Old Presbyterian Hospital July 28, 1930. He was the first of four children and the only one of Willard Rodolph and Bertie Banks Dixon 's children born in a hospital. He lived in Charlotte until he was nine months old when he
moved his family to Spartanburg, S.C. His father, Willard was working for the Southeastern Railroad when they went out of business as a result of the Great Depression. Willard was offered a job in Spartanburg with the Southern Railway/Railway Express Shortly thereafter, Willard was transferred to Greenville and the family moved to the Sans Souci community of Greenville. The family consisted of Willard, Bertie, Thomas Dean and grandparents Thomas Marion Banks and Sarah Jane Aderholt Banks. The grandparents lived with the Dixon family the rest of their lives. This meant that Thomas Dean had four people looking after him and they did a very good job!!! His sister Martha Jane was born at home on Brockman Avenue in Sans Souci, bringing the family to six. Then the family moved a house or two down the street and Volina was born there. Now there were seven.. It was while living here that Willard was told by Dr. Brown that for his
health he needed to move to the country and have a cow so he could drink fresh raw milk. The family moved to Moonville, S.C. which is ten miles south of Greenville on Augusta Road. The farm consisted of 100 acres including the home place and a dwelling for "Aunt Hester" and her family. The rent was 16 bales of cotton per year. Yes, Thomas Dean went to the cotton fields, first sitting on a blanket where his mother was working but later on as a farm hand. He has been told he was never a good cotton picker, but there were plenty of other jobs to be done. It was while living here that Rodolph was born on a bitter cold, snowy day in January. Dr. Stoddard of Princeton and Dr. Brown of Greenville were both called. Rodolph could not wait and he arrived before either of the doctors. Dr. Brown got there in time to "cut the cord" and he signed the birth certificate. It was about this time Willard and Bertie deInside this issue: cided to purchase land to build their own brick home P.2 about five miles closer to Thomas Dixon continued Greenville on the Augusta Road. The family moved to a P.3 News from the house about two miles Branches above Moonville and farmed there until the house on Augusta Road was built. P.4 Graduation 2013 They moved into the new Dylan Byrum Aaron Banks house in 1938. For a month La’el Ankerich or so prior to moving, a Mari Gayler wagon was loaded with manure each afternoon and then in the morning Bertie with Thomas Dean would go up Augusta Road with the mules pulling the wagon. Thomas Dean would unload the manure while Bertie would make sure the carpenters and brick masons were doing their work. At that time all of the workers smoked and they would stop every hour and pull out their little bags of tobacco and a thin strip of paper and roll their own smokes. Bertie did not like this so she