Williamson Co., TX - History: William Franklin Condron ****************************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb by: Mick Bradley USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ****************************************************** William Franklin Condron-Margaret M Willis, Alabama to Texas NOTE: This document was originally prepared by W.F. Condron in July 1961. It has been transcribed as closely to the original as possible. This transcription completed by Mick Bradley, April, 2005. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To date, July, 1961, it is believed that there has been no recording of a short family history of the Condrons. It is thought if it is not recorded the younger generation will be at a complete loss as to who their pioneer fore- bearers were. Through the valuable assistance of the following this short history has been assembled: Mrs. Grace N. Nance, Medina, Texas; Mrs. Ralph McWhorter, Eunice, New Mexico; Mrs. Belle Bundrant, Pasadena, Texas; Mrs. Alice Condron Dannelley, T.O. Condron and Elmo Lane of Elgin, Texas; Mrs. Mayme Lou Beaty, Brownwood, Texas; Clarence Condron and Mrs. George Condron of Throckmorton, Texas; Mrs. Edna Bourland of Clarendon, Texas and others. This history is not complete and names are missing. It is, therefore, suggested that someone from each of the named families use this as a basis and add the next generation as to who the children married and the names of their children. This information should then be forwarded to me in order that the complete history may be centralized. HISTORY OF WILLIAM FRANKLIN CONDRON AND HIS WIFE, MARGARET M. WILLIS CONDRON, AND THEIR DESCENDENTS In 1848, three years after Texas joined the Union and when new lands were available to settlers, there came from Decatur, Alabama, William Franklin Condron and his wife, Margaret M. Willis and their family. This trip was made by wagon train. The caravan consisted of five families in nine wagons: the Condrons, Lanes, Richies, Olivers and Jordans, all of which were related. The trip was made in two months in which plenty of fishing and hunting were enjoyed by all. The Condron family consisted of eleven children, all making the trip by wagon train except possibly the last two or three girls who were born in Texas. The children’s names were as follows with the oldest listed first: Rachel Ann, Stewart, Ben, Harvey, Riley Francis Marion (Frank), Tom, Louise, Jane, Mary and Josephine. The Condrons first settled between Boggy Creek and Brushy Creek in Williamson County, Texas about 10 miles from Elgin, Texas. After residing there for about two years they moved between the communities of Lawrence Chapel and Beaukiss. The farm is known today as the old Briggs Farm. This farm is about 18 miles from Elgin and is located in Williamson County. The two communities were five or six miles apart and each one was a thriving community at that time. All living near the two communities had large families. Their recreation consisted of attending parties, dances and camp meetings: they were all Presbyterians by religious belief and were men of strong convictions. Close by was Post Oak Island Masonic Lodge No. 181. It is believed that most of the men were members of this lodge, which is still organized and a few years ago celebrated its 100th anniversary. William Franklin Condron died in 1867. Probably his older children knew his connections in Decatur, Alabama, but at this date very little is available as to who the relatives were. He is buried in the Lawrence Chapel Cemetery. His wife is buried in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery because the day she died snow had covered the ground and it was impossible to carry her to the Lawrence Chapel Cemetery. The boys all married and were prosperous farmers near Elgin. Riley, Mary and Thomas moved to Comanche, Texas in Erath County. Harvey moved to Clarendon, Texas, due to his wife’s health. Josephine, Francis Marion (Frank) and Rachel remained in or near Elgin. All four brothers fought in the war between the states in the Confederate Army. Francis Marion and Thomas fought in the Second Texas Infantry. Riley was with Terry’s Rangers and Harvey scouted for the soldiers. Francis Marion (Frank) was wounded in his right arm during the siege of Vicksburg. The older members of the Condron family spoke of the Condrons as being of Scot-Irish descent, and it is now a known fact that many Condrons reside in Ireland today. Additional pages have been set up for each of the children to show who they married and the names of their children. Exceptions are: Stewart, who died when 22 years of age; Ben, who died in childhood; Lou, who died shortly after her marriage leaving no children; and Jane, who married Billy Wilson when she was 44 years of age. None of the above had any children. RACHEL ANN CONDRON (1832-1904) – THOMAS W. LANE (1824-1894) DATES CHILDREN (1847- ) 1. Margaret Louise married John Willis (1852- ) 2. George married (a) Stoval and (b) Mattie Taylor ( ) 3. Claibourne (died when small) (1855- ) 4. Henry (died when small) (1861-1931) 5. Riley married Mary West (1858- ) 6. Mary Fanny married Tol Creel ( ) 7. Tom married Etta McWilliams (1869-1892) 8. Doc married Lizzie Brewer ( ) 9. Robert (died when small) (1873-1897) 10. Jim married Eddie Donihugh (1870-1945) 11. Ellen married Zeb Brymer THEIR CHILDREN 1. Harvey 2. (a) Will (b) none 3. None 4. None 5. Seth, Elmo, Verge 6. Ida, Kager, Nora 7. Kirk 8. None 9. None 10. Mamie, Willie 11. Chester, Alvin, Zelma *Numbers refer to numbers of above children. Example: No. 1 refers to No. 1 above, Louisa married John Willis and they one son, Harvey. WILLIAM HARVEY CONDRON (1836-1909 – Sarah J. Owens (1843-1877) Dates Children (1859- ) 1. John Nelson (Sam) married Ada Patton ( ) 2. Dona married Rufus Taylor ( ) 3. Bessie married Will Jarmon ( ) 4. Anna married Jeff Falls ( ) 5. Cornelia married Jim Adams ( ) 6. William Robert (Bob) married Belle Patton ( ) 7. Lila married Tom Graham ( ) 8.Benjamin Franklin (Ben) married Mollie Their Children 1. Bessie, Aubrey, Gertrude, Denzil, Joe, Alvin Sammy, Lola Belle 2. Irene 3. Willie, Edgar, Lillie, Tennie, Oswald, Raymond, Herbert, Rouye, Sidney 4. Harvey, Cora, Dona, Mary, Ruth, Ruby, Lila, Neva, Sally, Talmadge, Angelina, Frank 5. Mary, Will 6. Irene, Robbie, Cathrene 7. None 8. Lila Belle WILLIAM HARVEY CONDRON-MELISIA C. BOBO (Second marriage) (1880-1956) 1. Elmo married Ruth Carter ( ) 2. Edna married Frank Bourland ( ) 3. Stewart married Mary Parmer Their Children 1. Gladys, Imogene, Charlie, Ruth, Harvey, Ruby, Howard, Elizabeth, Louise, Louis 2. Hazel, Jean 3. Stuart H., Marilyn RILEY N. CONDRON (1839-1922) - ADDIE SLAUGHTER (1851-1884) Dates Children ( ) 1. Herrod (unmarried) ( ) 2. Albert married Lucy Purvis ( ) 3. Mary E. married John V. Martin ( ) 4. Daisy married (a) Arthur Hicks (b) Charlie Hicks (c) Will Luker ( ) 5. Pearl married Tom Hollers ( ) 6. Roy married (a) Maude Ellillian Holloway (b) Ora Martin Their Children 1. None 2. Clarence, Leona (Lola) Emma, Jewell, Riley, George, Bertram, Jessie, Earl 3. Rupert E. 4. (a) Gerald, Vada E. (b) Terriel, LaRue, Harrod, Condron, Marion Rae 5. Willie Mae, Tom Jr. 6. R.P., Thelma, Inez, Lester, Vernon, Sally LaRue, Mary Ellillian, Albert Lola Mae (b) Betty Jane RILEY N. CONDRON-HENRIETTA BELL (Second Marriage) Children 1. Burney Courtney married Viola (Violet) Malone (b) _____ Bonner 2. Euel D. married Ruth Clark 3. Emma Tommye married Garland Tisdale Their Children 1. (a) Violet, Ilet (b) Job, Tresa 2. Durwood, Dorothy, Tommy 3. None FRANCIS MARION (FRANK) CONDRON-MARY E. BRYMER 1844-1870) Dates Children (1867-1925) 1. James Edward married Lillie Adams (1874-1930) (1869-1908) 2. Emma married Lee Carter Their Children 1. Ila, Ernest, Edgar, Oscar, Allie Mae, Emma Lee, Nellie, Frank, Jack, Florine 2. Ola, Nelson, Howard, Jessie, Edna, Mary, Bruce FRANCIS MARION (Frank) CONDRON- MARTHA J. OWENS (1852-1926) (1872-1932) 1. Minnie married John Lawrence (1872-1950) (1873-1933) 2. Maggie (unmarried) (1876-1932) 3. William Franklin (Bill) married Mabel Litton (1878-1914) 4. Lee married Lee Carter ( ) 5. Woodie married Jeff Owens ( ) 6. Thomas O. married Pearl Swayze ( ) 7. Mattie married Lonnie Gage ( ) 8. Alice married Robert Dannelley (1885-1944) 9. Grover married (a) Lula Strauss (b) Ila Owen (1889-1962) 10. Forest (died at 15 years of age) Their Children 1. Owen, Condron, Mattie Maude, Jem, Helen, Iva Lee 2. None 3. William Franklin, Lillie Bell, Dorothy (died at 18) 4. Lacy, Geneive, Willie Belle 5. J. C., Margaret 6. F.M., Otho, Dorwin, Jack, Rosemary, Ruth 7. Frankie, Lewis, William, Irene, O. W., Wayne 8. Jennie, Robert, Mary, Jim, Margaret 9. (a) Dennis, Oscar, Herbert (b) Emma Lee, G.C., Cora Mae, Alice Marie 10. None THOMAS MARTIN CONDRON (1844-1917) - VIRGINIA JOSEPHINE OWENS (1852-1881) Dates Children (1873- ) 1. Marion (died in teens) (1874- ) 2. William Hade married Audie Bird (1877- 1960) 3. Sidney Albert married Nettie Arizona Martin (1879- ) 4. Tommye Belle married James Clayton Bundrant Their Children 1. None 2. Thomas C., Clay Douglas, Geraldine, Donald Raye, Jack B. 3. Rudy, Hade, Lona, Otto, Dorothy 4. Myrtle Erlene, Wilma Ione, Wendel Ross, Layton Udale THOMAS MARTIN CONDRON – EMMA MITCHELL SLAUGHTER (Second Marriage) Their Children None MARY ACENA CONDRON (1851-1927) - WILLIAM WIRT PARR (1850-1933) Dates Children (1872-1956) 1. Addie Willetta married Ruff Franklin Hargrove (1872-1927) (1874-1935) 2. Albert William married Mollie Daniels (1878-1957) 3. Thomas Walker married Lula Hancock (1882-1898) 4. Bessie Mae (died at 16) (1885-1956) 5. Robert married Zena Whisenant (1888- ) (1887- ) 6. Grace Margaret married M.H. Nance (1883-1944) (1889- ) 7. Eva Jane married William Henry White (1885-1950) (1891- ) 8. Iva Ruth married Ralph McWhorter (1893- ) 9. Mary Louise (Mayme Lou) married W. H. Beaty ( -1952) Their Children 1. Mary Ray, Lois, Garrard Wirt, R. P., Nellie Grace, Robert Ross, Paul, Pauline, Betty Ruth 2. Thelma Grace, Acena, Virgie, May, Neva, Irma, Kenneth, James 3. Ollie, Thomas second marriage-daughter 4. None 5. Robert Charles 9 adopted) 6. M.H., Herbert, Marye Grace 7. Elmo, Bessie Maurine, Mary Dorris, Ralph, Willard, Evalyn Elizabeth 8. Betty Ruth, Grace Brown 9. None JOSEPHINE CONDRON (1857-1927) – ANDREW PETTIJOHN (180_5 – 1904) Dates Children ( ) 1. Ida married George Shelp ( ) 2. Edward married (a) Loma McCathern (b) Laura ______ ( ) 3. Daisy married Pent Griffin Their Children 1. Venetta, Benie, Roy 2. (a)______ (b) _______ 3. George, Marion, J. L. PARENTS AND FAMILY OF WILLIAM FRANKLIN CONDRON WILLIAM JACK CONDRON married RACHEL VOGHT (or VAUGHT) Children 1. Mattie Condron married ____________ Jefferson 2. Mary Condron married _____________ Couch 3. John Condron (died in Civil War) 4. William Franklin Condron married Margaret M. Willis Their Children 1. Unknown 2. Unknown 3. Unknown 4. Rachel Ann, Stewart, Ben, Harvey, Riley, Frank, Tom, Louise, Jane, Mary, Josephine William Jack Condron and his wife, Rachel Vaught, the former of South Carolina, moved to Alabama, located near Decatur where he was a prominent planter and slave owner of that locality. In politics he was a Democrat and was an exhorter in the Methodist Church William Jack Condron, a Methodist Evangelist, was of Scotch and Irish descent. He came to the colonies at an early date, and may have fought in the Revolutionary War. His earliest known resident was South Carolina where he married Rachel Voght. They moved to Decatur, Alabama. Mary Parr, speaking of her father, William Franklin Condron, when he lived at home with his parents, William Jack Condron, said that they had slaves, one of which was a Negro mammy who loved and took care of the children. They also raised race horses. During the Civil War the court house was burned and William Jack Condron’s land was confiscated by a brother, an orphan which he had raised. PARENTS AND FAMILY OF MARGARET WILLIS John Willis married Ruth McNabb Children 1. William Willis, unmarried 2. Margaret Willis married William Franklin Condron (1815-1896) 3. Ben Willis married Helen Latham 4. Nelson Willis married _______ Davis 5. Harvey Willis married Margaret Olive 6. Cynthia Willis married _______ Gay 7. Flora Willis married Mercer Griffin 8. Betsy Willis married _________Favors See Willis Photos: http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/williamson/photos/condron/willis.htm Their Children 1. None 2. Rachel Ann, Stewart, Ben, Harvey, Riley, Frank, Tom, Louise, Jane, Mary, Josephine 3. Riley 4. Daughter (name unknown) 5. Unknown 6. Exa (Means), Lou)Weir) 7. Sam, George, Hugh, Lona, Betty, Maty 8. Ann (Oliver), Flora (Dawson), John, Dick, Lona, Senterfit INTERESTING EXCERPTS ON WILLIS HISTORY John Willis, a Cumberland Presbyterian Preacher, believed a descendent of the McNabb clan, resided in South Carolina at the time of his daughter’s marriage to William Franklin Condron. McNabb Scottish Clan is a Highland Clan, still in existence in Northern Scotland, a small clan, colors are: tartaristan, brown, green and red. Men of this clan are tall, dark or red complexioned. From this clan are the great grandmother and the grandmother descended. Family names known (but no in correct order) are: Tubb, Vaught, McNabb. First ancestor remembered was a great grandmother named Tubb, a Scot of the McNabb Clan. The Mc or Mac Nabb clan is a highland clan in the Northern Highlands. The men of this clan are usually quite tall and dark complexioned though some are red haired. Male McNabb married female Tubb and daughter Ruth became the first ancestor known to Mary A. Condron Parr. Ruth McNabb married John Willis about the time of the Revolutionary War. William Jack Condron is believed to have fought in the war on the side of the Colonies. To this couple was born William Franklin Condron. Ruth McNabb was the sole survivor of an Indian massacre. Alice Condron Dannelley gives this information: Margaret M. Willis’ brothers and sisters came to Texas in the same wagon train. They all moved to Voca in McCoullough county near Brady, Texas. Billy Willis was a major in the Confederate Army and a bachelor. Florentine married in Williamson County, near Lawrence Chapel. She married Mercer Griffin. One of their sons, George Griffin, had a daughter whose name was Lillian. She taught school at Post Oak Island, where many of the Condrons attended school.