James McClennahan was the son of Winnie Fae McClennahan. James Thomas and Ona Mary Sally (nee' Womack) McClennahan are his grandparents. Six weeks before she died in 1993, while hospitalized, Winnie was visiting with daughters Ruby Jewel, Myra Nadine, Lois Evelyn & son-in-law, Aaron Leon. She told them calmly about her unknown, out-of-wedlock child, a secret she'd kept for 70 years.
Although the father of Winnie's child, her Ben Lomond High School boyfriend, took responsibility for the pregnancy and asked Winnie to marry him, her parents would not allow it. They were 16 years old. Winnie's mother told her she had "shamed the family" so she put her own name and her husband's name on the gravestone (pictured). Winnie said she was never allowed to hold her son. He lived three months. Her parents told her the baby died from "locked bowels", an acute condition that still occurs today from many causes. James was conceived and died in Sevier County, Arkansas. Two years after his death, the McClennahans, migrant workers who snapped cotton, moved into Oklahoma following the crops. Several years later, the family was in Western Oklahoma when Winnie met and married future husband, Wester. They had a good, long marriage and had four healthy daughters.
Although the father of Winnie's child, her Ben Lomond High School boyfriend, took responsibility for the pregnancy and asked Winnie to marry him, her parents would not allow it. They were 16 years old. Winnie's mother told her she had "shamed the family" so she put her own name and her husband's name on the gravestone (pictured). Winnie said she was never allowed to hold her son. He lived three months. Her parents told her the baby died from "locked bowels", an acute condition that still occurs today from many causes. James was conceived and died in Sevier County, Arkansas. Two years after his death, the McClennahans, migrant workers who snapped cotton, moved into Oklahoma following the crops. Several years later, the family was in Western Oklahoma when Winnie met and married future husband, Wester. They had a good, long marriage and had four healthy daughters.
James McClennahan was the son of Winnie Fae McClennahan. James Thomas and Ona Mary Sally (nee' Womack) McClennahan are his grandparents. Six weeks before she died in 1993, while hospitalized, Winnie was visiting with daughters Ruby Jewel, Myra Nadine, Lois Evelyn & son-in-law, Aaron Leon. She told them calmly about her unknown, out-of-wedlock child, a secret she'd kept for 70 years.
Although the father of Winnie's child, her Ben Lomond High School boyfriend, took responsibility for the pregnancy and asked Winnie to marry him, her parents would not allow it. They were 16 years old. Winnie's mother told her she had "shamed the family" so she put her own name and her husband's name on the gravestone (pictured). Winnie said she was never allowed to hold her son. He lived three months. Her parents told her the baby died from "locked bowels", an acute condition that still occurs today from many causes. James was conceived and died in Sevier County, Arkansas. Two years after his death, the McClennahans, migrant workers who snapped cotton, moved into Oklahoma following the crops. Several years later, the family was in Western Oklahoma when Winnie met and married future husband, Wester. They had a good, long marriage and had four healthy daughters.
Although the father of Winnie's child, her Ben Lomond High School boyfriend, took responsibility for the pregnancy and asked Winnie to marry him, her parents would not allow it. They were 16 years old. Winnie's mother told her she had "shamed the family" so she put her own name and her husband's name on the gravestone (pictured). Winnie said she was never allowed to hold her son. He lived three months. Her parents told her the baby died from "locked bowels", an acute condition that still occurs today from many causes. James was conceived and died in Sevier County, Arkansas. Two years after his death, the McClennahans, migrant workers who snapped cotton, moved into Oklahoma following the crops. Several years later, the family was in Western Oklahoma when Winnie met and married future husband, Wester. They had a good, long marriage and had four healthy daughters.
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JAMES - INFANT SON OF J T & ONA McCLENNAHAN - SEPT 21, 192_ - DEC 21, 1921 - Gone from our arms to Jesus
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