Dora Bannon McClure

Our grandfather, Dora Bannon McClure was born March 12, 1871, in White County, Arkansas. He was the son of William Holliway S. McClure and Sarah Nancy Elizabeth Cargile.   He was called "Dode" by many who knew him. 

Dode probably grew up in White County. The 1880 White County, Arkansas census, Marion Township, lists him as Dorah, age 9, born in Arkansas.

On February 24, 1891, Dode paid taxes in Royal Township of White County.   Royal Township is in the El Paso area.  The tax was on one mule valued at $75.

Dode married (first) our grandmother, Eliza Julia Jones, on August 14, 1893, in White County. The marriage is recorded in White County Marriage Book J, page 448.

Eliza Jones was born June 20, 1874, near Mountain View, in what at that time was Izard County, but is now Stone County, Arkansas. She was the younger of two children born to Dockery Berry Giddens Jones and Julia Ann Hess. Eliza's mother, Julie, died when Eliza was only about two years old. Eliza lived with her grandmother, Sarah Hess, for a time after her mother died.

Dode farmed in White County for a time while raising his family. The 1900 White County census, Royal Township shows Dode and Eliza with their daughters, Julie A., age 3 and Georgia M., age 1. The census shows that Eliza had given birth to three children, but only two were living at that time. The family was living between El Paso and Beebe.

Dode moved his family to the town of Edgemont, in Morgan Township of Cleburne County, Arkansas, between 1901 and 1908. It was there that Dode worked at a sawmill. The mill operated at Edgemont for many years. When the dam was built, the old town of Edgemont was flooded and the sawmill site is now under water.

The 1910 Cleburne County census, Morgan Township, Town of Edgemont lists Dode as Brandon McClure and Eliza is listed as Liza. On the census with them is daughter Julia, age 13; daughter Georgia, age 11; son Charlie, age 7; son Luther, age 5 and daughter Susie, age 1. The census shows that Eliza had given birth to eight children, but only five were living at that time.

Dode did not remain at Edgemont, however. About 1911, Dode moved his family to Culpepper Township, near Formosa in Van Buren County, Arkansas. It was there that Eliza died on February 24, 1913. She was only 38 years old.  (Eliza's mother was only 23 years old when she died.)  Eliza is buried in Culpepper Cemetery on Culpepper Mountain near Formosa.

Dode married (second) Mary Margaret "Meg" Brewer on December 23, 1915, in Van Buren County. Meg Brewer was born May 1, 1895. The marriage is recorded in Van Buren County Marriage Book 11, page 220.

 Meg had a four month old son when they married. He was raised by Dode and always used the McClure name.

Within a short time most of Dode's children had left home to stay with relatives, friends or neighbors. The two boys, Charlie and Luther, lived with neighbors and worked for their board and keep. The baby girl, Susie, lived with an aunt and uncle for a time, then lived with one of her older married sisters for a time.

Dode eventually moved from the Formosa area of Van Buren County to Conway County, Arkansas.

The 1930 Conway County census, Higgins Township, Ada Valley Road, shows Dode McClure, rented his farm, 52, married at 20; Maggie, 34, married at 26; Ernest, 15; William, 12; S. K., 11; Daisy, 7 and Peggy, almost 3 years old.

The family later moved into the City of Morrilton, in Conway County.  Dode was interested in horticulture. He enjoyed planting trees. He planted redbud trees along Main Street in Morrilton, Conway County, Arkansas. The trees grew and bloomed beautifully for many years. Finally age and disease killed most of them, and the city cut down the rest.

Dode died at Morrilton on September 12, 1955. He is buried in Culpepper Cemetery, in Van Buren County, near Eliza's grave. Meg later married Frank L. Hein, who was born December 7, 1891 and died May 30, 1969. Meg died March 27, 1980. Both Meg and Frank are buried in Kilgore Cemetery near Birdtown, in Conway County.

Children of Dode McClure and Eliza J. Jones

  Children of Dode McClure and Meg Brewer

The music you are hearing is Long, Long Ago.