James Family Archives

 

•  Researching the Past

•  Education for the Present

•  Preservation for the Future

 

Children of Marvin Leftrich James (1895-1969) of Hunt County, Texas and Eula Georgia Maynard (1898-1959) of Forrester, Terry County, Texas:

 

1.    Tura Clyde James:  born December 27, 1917 in Trent, Taylor County, Texas; married July 6, 1941 through November 30, 1996 to Zelpha Faye Walker (1921-2015), daughter of William Thomas Walker (1867-1946) and Alberta Boone Turner (1881-1964); died November 30, 1996 (aged 78) in Abilene, Texas; buried at Rose Hill Cemetery, 4th Addition, Block 15, Lot 60, Space 1, Merkel, Taylor County, Texas; known children include:  Judy Ann James (1942-2011) and Gary Dale James.

 

2.    Charlene James: born May 26, 1924 in Trent, Taylor County, Texas; first marriage in Trent, Taylor County, Texas from April 18, 1942 through January 7, 1946 to Kenneth Lanor Purser (1921-1991); second marriage June 3, 1946 through October 14, 1977 to Joseph Peter Hellinghausen (1925-1999); third marriage in Live Oak, Bexar County, Texas from February 17, 1984 through February 7, 1988 to Lawrence William Elkins (1918-1988); died October 27, 2001 (aged 77) in Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas; buried at Seaside Memorial Park, Corpus Christi, Texas; known children include:  Kathy Loyette Hellinghausen and Curtis Lloyd Hellinghausen.

 

3.    Virgil Darwin James: born November 6, 1929 in Trent, Taylor County, Texas; died November 22, 1931 (aged 2) in Trent, Jones County, Texas; buried at Shiloh Church Cemetery, Noodle, Jones County, Texas.

 

4.    Carlton Dwayne James: born August 9, 1936 in Trent, Taylor County, Texas; married to Laura Jane Lollar (1941-2021), daughter of Grover Loyal Lollar (1911-1977) and Ruth Pauline Merritt (1914-2011); died February 3, 2011 (aged 74) in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas; buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Section 71, Site 380, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas; known children include:  Michael Sean James, Tamara Josann James, Shara Joann James and Christopher Johnathan James.

 

5.    Eldon Larry James: born February 2, 1940 in Trent, Taylor County, Texas; first marriage to Juanita Estelle Grice (1939-); second marriage November 18, 1961 to Carol Ina Gilbertson (1943-2009), daughter of Ernest Jerome Gilbertson (1913-1999) and Esther Irene Husemoen (1915-1975); third marriage in Folsom, California to Leona Franke; died November 19, 2014 (aged 74) in Madera, Madera County, California; cremated at Jay Chapel in Madera, Madera County, California; known children through Juanita Estelle Grice include: Debra Renee James (1958-1959); known children through Carol Ina Gilbertson include: Larry Paul James (Family Tree Y-DNA Kit No. 74812).

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Notes:

 

Marvin Leftrich James (1895-1969) was the son of Braxton Leftrich James (1864-1923) of Fannin County, Texas and Flora Alice Johnson (1874-1960).

 

Tura Clyde James (1917-1996) - initially enlisted in the U.S. Army on February 8, 1939.  From 1939 until the time of his discharge on June 23, 1945 he fought in the European Theatre during World War II.  On June 25, 1945, Tura filled out his DSS Form 1 Draft Registration Card even though he was already a veteran of WWII.  On November 20, 1945 Tura reenlisted at San Antonio, Texas in U.S. Army’s Ninth Infantry.  He attained the rank of Master Sergeant and was shipped to Asia where he fought in the Korean War.  By 1955 Tura was still in the U.S. Army living in El Paso, Texas.  Tura would retire from the U.S. Army and settle in Abilene, Texas.

 

Carlton Dwayne James (1936-2011) - served as a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force.  He was a crew chief during the late 1960’s for U.S. Air Force’s performance flight team called the Thunderbirds during the time the team was flying the F-100 Super Sabre.

 

Eldon Larry James (1940-2014) was born in Trent, Taylor County, Texas.  He grew up in the neighboring town of Sweetwater, Nolan County, Texas.  As a youth he was active in amateur boxing having competed in several Golden Gloves tournaments. At age 17 his high school girlfriend Juanita Estelle Grice became pregnant with his first child, Debra Renee James who was born on August 5, 1958.  Because of the pregnancy of his girlfriend, Eldon married Juanita and dropped out of high school going to work with his father in the oil fields. In late 1958, at the age of 18 he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was promptly sent to work as a cook at the Makah Air Force Radar Station in Neah Bay, Washington.  Late in 1959, following the death of his his daughter and his mother, Eldon’s marriage to Juanita was annulled.  Within two years of the annulment Eldon met his second wife, Carol Ina Gilbertson of Port Angeles, Washington.  The two were married in November of 1961.  According to Carol James, “We lived in Biloxi, Mississippi from May 1968 to April 1964 while Cookie went to school at Keesler AFB. During this time Carol worked as a cashier-hostess at the Sea-n-Sirloin Restaurant and later as a clerk-typist for Olin Mathison Aluminum in Gulport.  We enjoyed the first snowfall in approximately 20 years. We lived in a two bedroom duplex half way between Biloxi and Gulport and about a block from the beach.” Eldon would go on to serve as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force through 1967 in the 552nd Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing during the Vietnam War as an in-flight radar technician on board an EC-121 Morning Star. His mission was to fly up and down the coast of North Vietnam, monitor in-bound Russian Mig fighter jets and alert American aircraft of their location. His aircraft contained no armament and its only defense to an attack by a Mig fighter jet was to either fly above the Russian jet's altitude ceiling or fly out to sea beyond the enemy's point of no return. During his time in service he received the following medals and citations:  Good Conduct Medal - 1962; Air Force Longevity Service Award - 1963; Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon - 1964; Air Force Good Conduct Medal - 1965; Vietnam Service Medal - 1966; National Defense Service Medal - 1966; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award - 1966.  On March 22, 1966 his second child was born, Larry Paul James.  Within one year of the birth of his son, Eldon would be honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force while stationed at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, California.  Following his discharge, Eldon began working for private electronic development companies including Weather Measure, Inc, and PMI, Corporation as a purchasing agent for electronic components.  In 1970 Eldon moved his family to the town of Folsom, California where he took a position with Aeroject Liquid Rocket Company purchasing parts for polaris and titan class nuclear missiles.  At this time he also became a part-time volunteer police office for the town of Folsom graduating from the Sacramento Sheriffs Academy in 1971.  Eldon would remain a volunteer police officer for the next 7 years.  This led to his campaign for Folsom City Council in 1976 and appointment as Chairman of the Planning Commission for the City of Folsom that same year.  Eldon would serve on the Planning Commission for the City of Folsom through 1980.  From the time of his arrival in Folsom in 1970, Eldon was active in the community, a member of Rotary International, a Little League baseball coach and sponsor of the local Boy Scouts of America.  On June 8, 1982 Eldon divorced his second wife Carol James in Sacramento, California.  On September 10, 1983 he married his third wife Leona E. Franke in Sacramento, California.  Eldon met Leona while serving as Chairman of the Folsom Planning Commission.  At the time, Leona was working as the city’s planner.  An affair with Leona led to his separation from Carol and divorce.  Following his marriage to Leona Franke, Eldon left the town of Folsom and moved to the town of Madera, Madera County, California.  For a few years Eldon then worked for Foster Farms, a chicken and poultry processing company in Merced, California where he worked as a purchasing agent.  He then accepted a position as Director of Purchasing for the Madera Unified School District.  This is where he would remain until 1994 when he resigned his position as director and opened his own leather crafting business, JAX Leather Company.  During his time in Madera, Eldon remained active in Rotary International.  He also took up raising mules which he showed in various equine events including Mule Days in Bishop, California.  Eldon also became a member of the Single Action Shooting Society (“SASS”) in which he competed in period fire arm shooting contests and celebrated living history.  His active participation in SASS led him to start his own leather crafting business in which he built historical replica holsters and other leather equipment for the members of SASS.  In 2004 Eldon suffered from a stroke, became disabled and was forced into retirement.  In 2006 his third wife Leona Franke left him and divorced him in 2010. Between 2010 and his passing in 2014, Eldon remained a loving and devoted father to his son Larry James; and, grandfather to his granddaughter Alexandra “Lexi” Renee James.

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Sources:

 

Family Bible of Eula Georgia Maynard (1898-1959) and Marvin Leftrich James (1895-1969).

 

Historic Records of Eldon Larry James (1940-2014) including: Birth Certificate issued by the town of Trent, Jones County, Texas dated February 5, 1940; Marriage License to Carol Ina Gilbertson (1943-2009) issued by State of Idaho dated November 18, 1961; High School Diploma issued by Grant Adult School, Sacramento County, California dated June 9, 1965; Certificate of Honorable Discharge issued by the United States Air Force dated July 20th, 1967; Certificate of Training issued by the Sheriff’s Department of Sacramento County, California dated December 19, 1973; Resolution of Commendation No. 81-4 issued by the Folsom City Planning Commission date September 28, 1981; Death Certificate issued from the town of Madera, Madera County, California dated November 19, 2014.

 

Obituary of Virgil Darwin James (1929-1931).

 

Texas Department of State Health Services – Divorce Record of Charlene James and Joseph Peter Hellinghausen.

 

Texas Department of State Health Services – Marriage Record of Charlene James and Lawrence William Elkins.

 

Obituary of Laura Jane (Lollar) James (1941-2021) published by Mission Park Funeral Chapels, February 7, 2021.

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Virtual Memorials on “Find A Grave” Website:

 

Tura Clyde James (1917-1996), Memorial ID No. 49848823, by James Durham, added March 17, 2010.

 

Zelpha Faye Walker James (1921-2015), Memorial ID No. 49848843, by James Durham, added March 17, 2010.

 

Charlene James Elkins (1924-2001), Memorial ID No. 222519269, by James Family Archives, added Feb. 9, 2021.

 

Joseph Peter Hellinghausen (1925-1999), Memorial ID No. 73097667, by DLT, added July 9, 2011.

 

Virgil Darwin James (1929-1931), Memorial ID No. 79362432, by Marty Rutledge, added October 27, 2011.

 

Carlton Dwayne James (1936-2011), Memorial ID No. 70128787, by Lkat, added May 20, 2011.

 

Laura Jane Lollar James (1941-2021), Memorial ID No. 222518462, by James Family Archives, added Feb. 9, 2021

 

Eldon Larry James (1940-2014), Memorial ID No. 203803194, by James Family Archives, added October 13, 2019.

 

Carol Ina Glibertson James (1943-2009), Memorial ID No. 115287452, by Little Orange, added August 11, 2013.

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Photos:

Tura Clyde James (1917-1996) & Zelpha Faye Walker James(1921-2015)

50th Wedding Anniversary - July 6, 1991.

 

Charlene James Hellinghausen/Elkins (1924-2001)

 

Marvin Leftrich James (1895-1969), Charlene James Hellinghausen/Elkins (1924-2001)

and Tura Clyde James (1917-1996) taken May 23, 1969.

 

Carlton Dwayne James (1936-2011) and Laura Jane Loller James with son Michael Sean James.

 

Eldon Larry James (1940-2014), age 16.

 

Carol Ina Gilbertson James (1943-2009) and Eldon Larry James (1940-2014).

 

Eldon Larry James (1940-2014) while serving in

the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War:

 

Eldon Larry James (1940-2014) at Five Dog State Championship in Fresno, California

for the Single Action Shooters Society (“SASS”) in October 2002.

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Updated: June 25, 2023