Marjorie & Eugene Vaughn, 1974

In a note handwritten to me by my mother on January 11, 1994, she gave me her recollections of the Vaughn side of the family in as much detail as she remembered:

When I met your father in August of 1942, your grandfather, William Thomas Vaughn, was a salesman for L.B. Price Merchantile Company and part time Baptist minister in Hannibal. I think it was at the Immanuel Baptist Church on St Marys Avenue. Also he was minister at a church located on 5th Street. I’m really not positive on that, as I seem to remember that the Hannibal Calvary Baptist Church, at one time, split apart and some of the people started the church your grandfather pastored. He also, at various times, pastored churches at Perry, Meadville, Braymer and Kahoka, Missouri (Baptist), where he and your grandmother lived in the parsonage home (a house provided by the church for their pastor). It seems to me he also part time, or filled in, for minister vacancies in Macon and Rush Hill, Missouri.

I’m sure there were many small communities where he pastored that I do not recall. Grandmother, Jessie Beulah (Phillips) Vaughn ran a sub station for the Hannibal post office at that time. *L.B. Price Merchantile Company was a business that sold bedroom linens, some dishes and kitchen cookware. I do not know how long he worked for them. Both the merchantile company and the postal station was located at, I think, 1724 Market Street (Hannibal, MO) and grandfather and grandmother lived upstairs. My family lived next door at 1722 upstairs above Neiman Grocery Store.

At the time your father was about 18 months or 2 years old they ran a grocery store in Marion, Illinois. They used to sit your dad in a wooden cracker box on the counter while grandmother ran the store. The store ws located on Chestnut Street in Marion. They were partners in the store. It was not successful.

Your dad, Ruth & Virgil attended Lincoln School in Marion, Illinois in 1928.

William Thomas was born in Creal Springs, Illinois to Lemuel Lafayette and Rebecca Ann (Snider) Vaughn. WT moved to Cartersville, Illinois where he met Jessie Beulah Phillips. They were married by a Reverend Wright in his home.

WT had a sister by the name of Nellie, who had several children. I don’t know her last name. I do remember your dad talking about Sammie, who he liked. Sammie was a son of Nellie.

WT went off to service in World War I to Camp Taylor at Louisville, Kentucky. The period of service I do not know. WT and Beulah had not been married long before he entered active service.

Prior to marrying Beulah, WT worked at #9 Company Store, which I belive was a miner’s store.

There is an old bible somewhere.

Grandmother’s maiden name was spelled Mac Annelly (sic). Her mother’s name was Leona. Bell was Leona’s sister. Grandmother’s brother Clyde was born on the family farm in Marion. They lived with Aunt Bell when Clyde was born.

Clyde married Jessie Hollis, and they had Harold and Eva.

Harry married Nellie Doane and they had Lee.

Arlie married Verna (1907)

Leona Mac Annelly’s sister married George Gilbert

Brother of William Thomas: John & Flo Vaughn & Jack, their only child, lived above a store they ran in St. Louis.

Alfred Phillips-Optometrist, had Lee, Eva, Harold.

Your grandmother Vaughn at one time was a hat maker and a shirt maker. Ruth told me one time grandmother taught school, but Bonnie (Virgil’s wife) said, “No.”