James Monroe ‘Jim’ Sheffield family

J. M. “Jim” Sheffield (born 17 February 1866), son of Lewis Pinkney and Elizabeth PENNY Sheffield, was a wealthy bachelor at 43 when he married Lula Belle WALKER (born 14 July 1889 in Hillsboro, TX), daughter of William Holland and Mary Elizabeth SNELLSON Walker on 15 December 1909. Lula’s father was a traveling photographer who lived in a covered wagon because of his traveling. She had never lived in a house until her marriage to Jim. They lived in a large white frame house trimmed in blue on FM 130 between Almira and Carterville near Linden. It had three fireplaces with a porch all around the house. Jim liked to hunt and fish. He built a five-acre pond across the road from his home. The first time that my daddy, Sleepy Turner, went bird hunting with him, Papa Jim pulled a good one over on Daddy. Every time Daddy would shoot, Papa Jim would say, “I got that one.” Daddy was getting upset because he just KNEW that he had hit those birds. Come to find out, Papa Jim and never even fired his gun! Another time Papa Jim went to sleep at church during the prayer. At that time, everyone kneeled to pray with the men on one side of the church and the women on the other side of the church. Well, when Papa Jim failed to rise after the prayer, there was much whispering about. When he woke up, he realized what he had done, so he stood up and really loud said, “Amen!” He was a retired farmer and cotton gin operator. He sent all of his five surviving children to college for as long as they would go. Jim died at the age of 85 on 05 October 1951. Lula died 21 July 1970. They are buried at Floyd Hill Cemetery in Cass County. They had eight children:

1. Elizabeth Ophelia SHEFFIELD (born 20 August 1910) married Robert Oland McCord (born 09 August 1909) on 15 December 1930 in Texarkana. Oland farmed, ranched, ran a store, and worked at Lone Star Steel. Ophelia was a school teacher and housewife. They made their home at Cornett. They had three children: Robert Donald McCord (born 20 August 1939), Jimmy Dwayne McCord (born 04 August 1993), and Lynda Kay McCORD (born May 1949). Oland died 15 April 1992. Ophelia died 29 September 1994. They are both buried at the Cornett Cemetery.

2. James Cornelius Sheffield (born 15 July 1913) married Marjorie McCOY (born 09 August 1913) daughter of Daisy and Rube McCoy of Smyrna on 15 December 1935. Cornelius was a car salesman, coach, drivers’ education teacher, World War II veteran, and Air Force instructor. They lived all over the United States. After retiring, he taught math at Texas High in Texarkana. They had one son, James Cornelius Sheffield, Jr. (born 20 August 1936). Cornelius died 30 June 1982 and Marjorie was killed in a car wreck at New Diana on 15 January 1988. They are both buried at the Linden Cemetery.

3. Vela Mae SHEFFIELD (born 20 July 1921). See Elmer “Sleepy” Turner Family.

4. Alta Reece SHEFFIELD (born 11 November 1929) married Joel Malvin “J.M.” Newman, Jr.(born 11 July 1929) son of Joel Malvin Newman, Sr. on 24 November 1951 in the home of her mother. J.M. was a mechanic with Stewart & Stevenson in Houston. He retired and bought three office supply stores. Alta worked for Rice and Tenneco in Houston. They made their home in The Woodlands where they were charter members of Oak Ridge Baptist Church. Alta died 01 May 1991 and J.M. died 28 October 1995. They are buried in Conroe at Garden Park Cemetery. They have three children: Joel Rodney Newman (02 September 1953), Rhonda Nell NEWMAN Sacco (born 17 September 1960), and Randy Alan Newman (born 25 November 1964).

5. Eva Nell SHEFFIELD (born 16 January 1931) married Emory Jones (born 29 June 1929) son of Bernard Jones of Marshall on 18 September 1948 in Marshall. Emory was a pipefitter/welder at NASA for several years, and Brown & Root. He was a Shriner and a Mason. Eva Nell was a housewife until they moved back to Linden in 1967. She was the tax collector/assessor for the Linden-Kildare CSD and later a deputy at the Cass County Appraisal District and the Cass County Tax Office. She was a member of the Eastern Star. Emory died on 12 May 1990. Eva died 26 June 1997 at the home of her son, Dennis in Pleasanton, Texas. They are both buried in Linden Cemetery. They adopted four children: Theresa Faye JONES (born 11 May 1958) and (died 16 May 1958), Daniel Emory Jones (born 18 November 1958), Dennis Lee Jones (born 26 February 1962), and David Michael Jones (born 17 November 1965) and (died 02 September 1966.) Theresa was premature weighing only two pounds and David died from spinal meningitis. They are buried in Hughes Spring Cemetery. 6. Infant Sheffield born and died 04

6. Infant Sheffield born and died 04 March 1912.

7. Infant Sheffield born and died 08 December 1914.

8. Infant Sheffield born 04 April 1923 and died 10 April 1923.

Submitted by: Donna Turner Ayers