Mary Elizabeth Rains was the daughter of Joseph Robins Rains and Sarah Ann Jettton and was born on September 16, 1872 in Dallas County Missouri. She married James Herbert Morgan Hembree in Dallas County on April 9, 1893. James and Mary, or Lizzie as she was called, were living in Laclede County Missouri during the 1900 census and then moved to Neosho Falls Kansas sometime between 1900 and 1910 where they were living next door to Mary's parents, Joseph and Sarah Rains. They then moved to Bolivar, Polk County Missouri, probably soon after Sarah died in 1910, where they remained. Lizzie died in Bolivar on April 1, 1948. I remember as a child that the family all gathered around her bed to be with her when she died. I remember being in the room and sitting on a travel trunk that I later learned belonged to her mother Sarah, and is now in my front room. I also remember Lizzie, or Granny as we called her, being a strong willed independent lady who smoked a corn cob pipe, that now belongs to my mother. The "granny" character on the "Beverly Hillbillies" TV program often reminded me of my granny. James Herbert Morgan Hembree, son of Benjamin Franklin Hembree and Juliann Pinkley died of pneumonia on July 13, 1939 in Bolivar. I do not remember my g-grandfather James but my mother, who was very fond of her "Pam Pam", as the grandchildren called him, often spoke of him as being very independent and stubborn. My mother's father died when she was only one year old so I'm sure my mother and her siblings considered "Pam Pam" as a father figure.
James and Mary with Children
1. Millie Ann Hembree was born on May 24, 1894 in Dallas County Missouri. As the oldest child she began helping her mother at an early age. She attended grammar school and also worked outside the family doing housework and cooking for other families. She married Ulysses Jenson Durham, son of Samuel Isaac Durham and Nora Wright, in Bolivar Missouri on December 25, 1913. Ulysses died in 1918 while serving in the U.S. Navy. Although Millie received a Military pension, it was a struggle at best, to take care of her family so in 1935, she decided to move to California where she was more likely to find work. After eight days on the road Millie and her family reached Ojai California where she lived until 1942. With her children married and on their own, she returned to Bolivar where she lived until 1974. At that time she returned to California where all her children and grandchildren lived. Millie's daughter Margie and her husband built a comfortable home for her on their property in Porterville California where she lived until her death on February 9, 1980. I remember my grandmother Millie very well and she was simply a lovely person. She often appeared gruff and rough to me when I was a child but as I grew older I realized she was mostly all "bark". I often wondered as a child how my older brother got away with things with her but now I know that he had simply figured her out long before I did. Millie can easily be described as a strong willed, stubborn independent lady which, in case you did not notice by now, runs in this family.
1. Ruby Opal Durham 2. Goldie Durham 3. Viola Mae Durham 4. Joseph Franklin Durham 5. Margie Elizabeth Durham
2. Joseph McDaniel Hembree
3. William Robert Hembree
4. Charles Leroy Hembree
5. Wiley Franklin Hembree
6. Clarence Herman Hembree
7. Minnie Jewel Hembree
8. Lawrence Herbert Hembree
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