Some Cass County Fants

ELIZA JANE, LURY ANN, SAMUEL DAVID, & JOHN PRESTON FANT Eliza Jane Fant (twin) b, July 7, 1870, d. Aug. 13, 1870, buried Townville Baptist Church Cemetery, Anderson County, South Carolina.

Lury Ann “Lou” Fant (twin) b. July 7, 1870 in Townville, Anderson Co. South Carolina, 5th and 6th twin daughters of Edward Waldo and Sarah Caroline (Simmons) Fant, d. Sept. 4, 1946.

Lou came to Texas Cass Co. in 1871. In 1888 Lou married Lee Vi “Levi” Cox, son of William and Miss (Jackson) Cox in Cass Co. Texas. Levi was b. Aug. 26, 1864 in Muhlenberg Co. Kentucky, d. Feb. 21, 1938 Lanier Cass Co. Texas, buried Friendship Cass Co. Cemetery Texas.

Lou and Levi moved to Van Alstyne, Texas, living there a number of years before returning to the Lanier Community, Cass Co. Texas. They built their two-story home on the lot next to Lou’s stepmother, Ann Lemmon Fant.

Levi was a farmer and an excellent carpenter. He was the first in Cass County to raise blackberries and strawberries commercially. He was known to be able to move a house with fireplace and chimney intact.

I. Roy Lee Cox b. Dec. 19, 1892, d. June 27, 1952, buried Plainview, Hale Co., Texas, m. Nannie Leolla (Blaylock) Little-john in 1918, b. Oct. 25, 1888, d. June 21, 1970, buried I 0 0 F Cemetery, Abernathy, Hale County, Texas. Nannie had a daughter Maudie Leolla Littlejohn by a former marriage.

1. William Waldo Cox, b. Feb. 13, 1919, m. Betty Jean McDowell May 29, 1949, b. May 23, 1927 (1) William Rickey Cox, b, 1950, he is head of Traffic and Safety, Plainview, TX, (2) Theresa Jerilyn Cox, b, 1953, graduate of Wayland College Class of 1975, Employed by a law firm in Plainview, Texas, 2, Roy Lee Cox, Jr., b. Oct. 21, 1920, m. Dorotha Farris Bonds Nov. 29, 1956, b. May 2, 1927. Roy served in the U. S. Coast Guard during World War II. He is now employed as a maintenance mechanic.

3. Carroll Blaylock Cox, b. Nov. 26, 1922, m. Dorothy Inez Petry Sept. 4, 1944, b. May 2, 1927. (1) Robert Charles Cox, b. Jan. 4, 1949, m. Elizabeth Jean Bailey Aug. 22, 1965. Michael DeAngelo Cox 1966 and Sabrina Michelle Cox 1968. (2) Malcolm Roy Cox 1951, m. Ivonne Nieves Nonez April 21, 1972 in Veiques, Puerto Rico. Cynthia Ivonne Cox 1974. (3) William Baldwin Cox 1961.

II. Olene Cox, b. 1894, d. 1927, buried Friendship Cemetery, Cass Co. Tex., m. Marvin Davis. Marvin was a pharmacist and made their home in Sherman, Texas. They were a friendly, helpful couple and very devoted to each other.

III. Unnamed daughter, b. & d. July 10, 1895, buried Friendship Cemetery, Cass Co. Texas.

SAMUEL DAVID FANT Samuel “Sam” David Fant, 7th. child of Edward Waldo and Sarah Caroline (Simmons) Fant of South Carolina, was b. Nov. 2, 1872, d. Sept. 12, 1945, m. Achsah Blackwell, daughter of David Rivers and Ann (Taylor) Blackwell, b. Feb. 11, 1879, d. July 17, 1928, buried in Linden Cemetery, Cass Co. Texas.

Sam was a farmer and merchant. He had a good sense of humor and was a big teaser. Achsah was a hard worker. There wasn’t a lazy bone in her small frail body.

I. Olene Fant, b. Jan. 18, 1898, m. G. W. Morris July 20, 1923.

II. James Edward Noble Fant, b. Jan. 16, 1903, d. Sept. 22, 1979, m/1 Geneva White. m/2 Trobie Howard.

1. Wanda Fant m. Jack Ewald. III. Mahan Watson Fant, b. July 23, 1908, d. Feb. 5, 1947 of a heart attack, buried Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas cemetery, m. Marie Uldene Hankins.

1. Elizabeth Fant 1934 2. Edwina Fant 1936 3. Jeraldine Hankins Fant 1939 4. Mahan Watson Fant, Jr. 1947 - 1967 IV. Eva Kathryn Fant, b. Jan. 5, 1913, m. Elizah Coleman Kirtley.

1. Marlene Kirtley 2. Samuel Coleman Kirkley V. Aloise Fant, b.. March 30, 1914, m, William L. Thompkins. Betty Jane Tompkins.

VI. Earl Wesley Fant, b. July 1, 1916, d. Oct. 4, 1966, single, buried Linden, Cass County, Texas cemetery.

VII. Sue Allie Fant, b. Jan. 15, 1919, m, Clyde Buford Harris.

1. Clyde Buford Harris, Jr., single. 2. James Ernest Harris, m. Darlene Faulk. VIII. James Cicero Fant b. April 26, 1922 d. Jan. 1, 1970, buried La Porte, Texas cemetery, m. Virginia Ruth Gentry Sept. 21, 1945.

Virginia b. June 25, 1924.

1. James Byron Fant 2. Vicki Morice Fant JOHN PRESTON FANT John Preston Fant, 8th. child of Edward Waldo and Sarah Caroline (Simmons) Fant of South Carolina, was born Sept. 11, 1874 in Cass County, Texas, d. May 27, 1947 of a heart attack while attending the State Legislature in Austin, Texas. He was serving his second term as State Representative. He was known throughout East Texas. Served as Cass County Commissioner 4 years; Cass County Judge 8 yrs., State Representative 3-1/2 years, Mayor of Linden, Deacon in Baptist Church, Director Marion County Chamber of Commerce, and a Master Mason. For more than 20 years, he served as trustee for the College of Marshall. His children all attended that college. He was also a farmer, businessman and owner of Fant Brother’s cotton gin at Lodi, Texas.

Gov. Beauford Jester issued this statement of his death: “I am shocked and grieved at the passing of Representative Fant. Although in bad health when the session opened, he answered the call of duty and was vitally interested in all matters. I extend his family my deepest sympathy”.

John Preston married Rosa Lee Owen Nov. 18, 1900, daughter of William Clark and Martha Jane (Murdock) Owen, born Oct. 16, 1882 Cass County, Texas, died Feb. 6, 1978 in Jefferson, Texas. Both are buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Jefferson, Texas.

Rosa was a charter member of the Linden Eastern Star, past Worthy Matron of O.E.S., life member of Jesse Allen Wise Garden Club, former dietician of College of Marshall and a Baptist.

John and Rosa were assets to their family, friends, community and state.

I. Gladys Gertrude Fant, b. Sept. S, 1901, retired teacher, single.

II. Owen Preston Fant, b. Sept. 18, 1903 former teacher - retired American Airline employee, Single, III. Clyde Edward Fant, Sr,, b. Oct, 18, 1905, d, July 6, 1973, taught school for a brief time but became interested in politics and civic affairs. He was mayor of Shreveport, La. from 1946 to 1973; married Margaret Moos Sept. 3, 1927.

1. Clyde Edward, Jr. P. H. D., Baptist Minister b. 1934, m. Mary Jean Harrell 1955. Brian Harrell Fant, b. 1956; Carol Elizabeth Fant b. 1960; Julie Ann Fant, b. 1961.

2. John Frank (Jack) Fant, b. 1937, attorney, m. Frances Delyn Bishop 1958. Garvin Bishop Fant, b. 1965; Felyce Delyn Fant b. 1968; Jenny Rebecca Fant b. 1973; Molly Fant IV. Eunice Ada Fant, b. Aug. 27, 1907, retired teacher, m. Gorman Moore 1933.

1. Rosanne Moore, b. 1938, m. Jerry Delacerda 1957 Joe Lane Delacerda b. 1958; Lori Ann Delacerda b. 1961.

2. Rebecca Sue Moore 1944, m. William Eugene Harrison, Jr. 1964 William Eugene Harrison III, b. 1967; Holly Elizabeth Harrison, b. 1969.

3. Ronald Gorman Moore, b. 1947, m. Sandra June Warren 1969. Kelly Rene’ Moore, b. 1972; Merideth Linn Moore b. 1978.

V. Thelma Lucille Fant, retired teacher, b. Nov. 18, 1910 m. Edward E. Taylor 1941. John Thomas Taylor, b. 1948, m/1 Carol Buckland. m/2 Colleen Halm. Justin Ward Taylor b. 1975; Amanda Leigh Taylor, b. 1979.

VI. Ruth Rosaline Fant, b. June 18, 1916, m. Guy Blevins, Jr. Guy Blevins, III, b. 1953, Single