James Benjamin (J. B.) Pinson and Leta Mae Harris
Husband James Benjamin (J. B.) Pinson
Born: 26 Sep 1907 - Goldthwaite, Mills County, TX Christened: Died: 6 Nov 2001 - San Benito, Cameron County, TX Buried: - Evergreen Cemetery, Lyford, Willacy County, TXMarriage: 3 Feb 1929 - Duncan, OK
Wife Leta Mae Harris
Born: 9 Jul 1910 - Wise County, TX Christened: Died: 10 Jun 2004 - Harlingen, Cameron County, TX Buried: - Evergreen Cemetery, Lyford, Willacy County, TX
Father: James David (Jimmy) Harris (1871-1938) Mother: Docia Bell Pyron (1872-1944)
Children
1 F Sharron Pinson
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: ? Gilliam ( - )
General Notes: Husband - James Benjamin (J. B.) Pinson
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=21003751
Birth: Sep. 26, 1907
Goldthwaite
Mills County
Texas, USA
Death: Nov. 6, 2001
San Benito
Cameron County
Texas, USA
SAN BENITO, TX--On November 6, 2001, J.B. Pinson, surrounded by his wife of 72 years, his daughter and grandchildren, died peacefully in his sleep at Twinbrooke Manor in San Benito, Texas.
J.B. was born in Goldwaith, Texas, to Samuel Jackson Pinson, Sr., and Monte Sisk Pinson. The Pinson family moved from Texas to Oklahoma when he was 9. J.B. graduated from Duncan High School, Duncan, Oklahoma.
He worked with his father on their family farm in Duncan. J.B. met his wife to be riding on a hay baler in 1926 and on February 3, 1929, he married Leta May Harris.
They farmed together in the Duncan area until they moved to Lyford, Texas in 1939.
He worked the suction at the Parker Gin in Lyford and then as a ginner when Parker was purchased by the Lyford Co-Op Gin. J.B. and Leta bought a piece of land east of Lyford in the Stillman Tract area in 1942 and lived and farmed there until J.B.'s retirement in 1972. They built a new home and moved to Lyford in 1978.
Not only was J.B. a farmer, but he was a community-oriented person as well. He was determined to improve his community's way of life. His first endeavor was obtaining telephone service to rural areas.
In the 1940's interest began to grow in obtaining telephone service in Willacy County. A committee, consisting of local people, was formed to contact existing telephone companies to see if they were interested in providing telephone service.
The response was negative, companies found it expensive and unprofitabe to serve the rural areas. The committee determined that the only solution was to organize a telephone cooperative.
Members of the committee conducted telephone surveys to determine the number of farm families interested in organizing a member-owned telephone cooperative.
The committee proceeded to collect membership applications and fees to obtain the amount of equity required in order to obtain a REA loan. J.B. Pinson, along with a host of others, handled inquiries and volumes of government paperwork for REA funding.
On September 28, 1950, a meeting of interested persons was called to formally organize a telephone cooperative.
At this meeting J.B. Pinson was not only elected to serve as an organizing director, after a special meeting, he was elected President.
Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc. was incorporated on April 22, 1952. The first meeting of the incorporators and directors of Valley Telephone was held May 13, 1952.
The first long-distance call out of Willacy County, made from the Stillman Exchange.
It was made by J.B. Pinson to his mother in Oklahoma. Mr. Pinson served as Board President from 1950 through 1961.
Even though Mr. Pinson was no longer a member of the Cooperative, because he resided outside the service area, his enthusiasm for the benefit of the Cooperative continued through the years until his death.
He lived to see VTCI become a multimillion dollar corporation traded on Wall Street with its own worldwide network.
Water became a problem in the Stillman Tract area when the wells began to produce salt water or dried up, and J.B. found it necessary to do something about the situation.
He, along with others, once again contacted other families who would be interested in having water piped in from Lyford.
Irrigation farmers with water rights sold their water and additional land and water rights were purchased to complete the water trail which would supply the community with the water they so desperately needed.
Armed with water and a government grant, the Stillman Water Exchange was formed. J.B. served as Chairman of the Board of Directors until the Exchange became associated with the North Alamo Water District.
In addition the Telephone Cooperative and the Stillman Water Exchange, He was a pioneer in many others areas. He was youth-oriented.
J.B. was the organizational leader of Stillman 4-H Club and served as the first adult leader along with Doris Cooley.
He was active with the Willacy County Livestock Show and was instrumental in having the livestock show moved from Lyford to its present location.
In addition, he served as President of the Board in 1969 and 1970.
J. B. was one of the original members of the Lyford Lions Club where he served several years as its President and was the oldest active member until his health declined in 1997.
He was elected Lion of the Year in 1968.
J.B. was active in the Willacy and Hidalgo County Soil & Water Conservation Distirct 312 Zone II.
He was the most outstanding Supervisor in 1959, and was named outstanding farmer in 1972.
J.B. Pinson will be remembered by many in the community, but his most treasured accomplishments were his daughter, his grandchildren, and his great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Ruth Laminack, May Segler, Mary Rauch, Sallie Howard, Etta Lee hill and Jewel Coate, and a brother, Samuel Jackson (Jack) Pinson, Jr.
He is survived by his wife, his only child, Sharron Gilliam of Raymondville, grandchildren, Stacey and David Zamora of San Antonio, Donna and Don Price of Houston, Joshua Gilliam of Waco, and John Andrew Gilliam of Raymondville; two great grandchildren, James David Zamora and Elizabeth Mae Price, a sister and brother, Vina Moore of Tulia, Texas, and Arthur Clay Pinson of Owassa, Oklahoma, and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Lyford, Texas, on Saturday, November 10, 2001. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Duddlesten Funeral Home.
(VALLEY MORNING STAR, Nov. 10, 2001)
Family links:
Spouse:
Leta Mae Harris Pinson (1910 - 2004)*
*Calculated relationship
Burial:
Evergreen Cemetery
Lyford
Willacy County
Texas, USA
Created by: Family Finder
Record added: Aug 18, 2007
Find A Grave Memorial# 21003751
General Notes: Wife - Leta Mae Harris
FTM BIRT: RIN MH:IF21861
given names from Glenn Gohr
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=21003785
Birth: Jul. 9, 1910
Wise County
Texas, USA
Death: Jun. 10, 2004
Harlingen
Cameron County
Texas, USA
LYFORD--Leta Pinson, affectionately known as grandmother, passed away on June 10, 2004. She was born on July 9, 1910, in Bridgeport, Texas, to James David Harris and Docia Belle Pyron. She married James Benjamin Pinson, her childhood sweetheart, on February 3, 1929, in Duncan, Oklahoma. She and James moved to Lyford in 1932, where they settled down to raise their family. In addition to working side by side with her husband, she managed their home and spent a lifetime persuing her passion for quilting. She was an incredibly loving and supportive wife, devoted mother and the ultimate grandmother. Best of all, she was a great-grandmother who was absolutely adored. Through the years, Leta was a member of the Stillman Home-Demonstration Club, a senior leader of the Stillman 4-H Club, as well as being active in the Primitive Baptist Church in Lyford and Combes.
Leta is preceded in death by her parents, her husband and eight of her nine siblings: Earl, Alvin, Olin and Leland Harris, Patie Hix, Avie Williams, Retie Cash and Nona Clay. She is survived by her daughter, Sharron Pinson Gilliam, grandchildren Stacey and David Zamora, Donna and Don Price, Joshua and Heather Gilliam and John Andrew Gilliam, and great-grandchildren James David Zamora, Elizabeth Mae Price, and Franklin Sterling Price, her sister, Theola Williams and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Services will be conducted by Elder Bill Waldon on Monday, June 14th at 11 a.m. at Duddlesten Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Lyford Evergreen Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Duddlesten Funeral Home.
(VALLEY MORNING STAR, June 13, 2004)
Family links:
Parents:
James David Harris (1871 - 1938)
Docia Bell Pyron Harris (1872 - 1944)
Spouse:
James Benjamin Pinson (1907 - 2001)
Siblings:
William Earl Harris (1895 - 1967)*
Alvin Luther Harris (1897 - 1969)*
Retie Ceulia Harris Cash (1898 - 1989)*
Patie M. Harris Hix (1900 - 1974)*
Ollin Littlefield Harris (1903 - 1985)*
Avie Elizabeth Harris Williams (1906 - 1979)*
Nona Agatha Harris Clay (1908 - 1984)*
Leta Mae Harris Pinson (1910 - 2004)
James Leland Harris (1912 - 1999)*
Theola Pyron Harris Williams (1916 - 2010)*
*Calculated relationship
Burial:
Evergreen Cemetery
Lyford
Willacy County
Texas, USA
Created by: Family Finder
Record added: Aug 18, 2007
Find A Grave Memorial# 21003785
Notes: Marriage
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=21003751
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