biography – Page 32 – Texas History Notebook

Gordon McLendon

Gordon Barton McLendon was born June 8, 1921 in Paris, Texas to Barton Robert and Jeanette Marie Eyster McLendon. A week after Gordon was born, there was a birth announcement in an Oklahoma newspaper about Gordon, stating that his father was visiting his newborn son and wife from Idabel, Oklahoma where he was working. We also know that Gordon’s grandfather, Jefferson Davis McLendon was a lawyer and judge living there in Idabel at the time. A few months later, there was another short article in the local Idabel newspaper saying that Gordon was with his mother in California and that his father was visiting them while Gordon had been taken ill. By 1930 when the federal census was taken, Barton was practicing law and the family was residing together in Idabel, Oklahoma.

Ramiro Gonzalez Gonzalez

Ramiro Gonzalez Gonzalez was an actor in films for many years. He usually played comedic and dramatic roles of a certain type and would be considered a character actor. His name was Gonzalez Gonzalez because both his parents had the same surname. He also was a comedian and made personal appearances as such.

Gonzalez Gonzalez was born in Aguilares in far South Texas in 1925 to a family of entertainers, including his Spanish mother, a dancer, and his Mexican American father, a trumpet player. He left school at age 7 to perform with his family in a traveling group and was involved in some aspect of entertainment for almost his entire life. He is said to have gotten his break in films after appearing in 1953 on a segment of Groucho Marx’s television quiz show “You Bet Your Life.” Gonzalez Gonzalez’s witty and quick responses caught the eye of actor John Wayne, who then signed him to a seven year contract leading to Gonzalez Gonzalez’s appearance in many movies including “The High and the Mighty,” “Rio Bravo,” “McLintock!,” “Hellfighters” and “Chisum.”

Bob and Almeady Chisum Jones

Clipping from Denton *Record-Chronicle*, Wednesday 14 Apr 1949

Almeady “Meady” Chisum Jones was the daughter of Jensie Moore and John Chisum. Jensie was a former slave and lived as the wife of John Chisum in North Texas. Almeady married John Dolford “Bob” Jones in 1874 (some accounts say 1869, but Almeady was born around 1857 and their first child was born in 1875) after they met at a dance in Bonham. The couple had at least ten children.

1LT Curtis Rogers, Jr. and CPL Fernando Villasana

Orville Curtis Rogers, Jr. was born in 1945 in Bakersfield, California. Curtis was a graduate of Dallas’ Woodrow Wilson High School and Baylor University. He was assigned to 1st Marine Air Wing, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 263, nicknamed the Thunder Chickens. 1LT Rogers had been in Vietnam since June 5, 1970.

Judge Darrell Hester

Darrell Bernard Hester was born February 9, 1925 to James L. Hester and the former Lucille Tullos in Frost, Navarro County, Texas. James Hester was an auto mechanic but died at the age of 44 while working in Austin. Mrs. Lucille Hester survived her husband James Hester many years.

Darrell Hester graduated from Corsicana High School in 1942. World War II was already underway. The future jurist was one of four featured speakers at his high school graduation in a patriotic ceremony, the topic of the presentation being described as “a patriotic tribute to those able to discern between propaganda and free speech.” The first speaker spoke in support of free speech. Hester spoke illustrating the influential voice of rumor by stating hypothetical rumors that could affect support for the war effort. The remainder of the dialogue warned about the importance of separating rumor from truth. Hester was named as one of twenty-three honor graduates, having maintained a grade average of 90 or better throughout their high school years.