The Story of James E. Bennett, Jr.
in his own words
Chapter 1, part 2
My mother's family, the Markhams:
My mother's family, the Markhams:
My Mother's family:
I have no knowledge of my great grandmother's family on my mother's side. My mother, Elizabeth Lee Markham's, parents were Minnie Irene Lynch and Peyton A. Markham. Minnie Lynch was born on August 4, 1861, and Peyton Markham was born on October 25, 1858, two years before the Civil War. We have no information on their parents. They were married on December 28, 1887 in Eastern North Carolina. They had three girls and four boys.
Children of Peyton and Minnie Markham
Name Date of Birth
Azubuh "Zuba" Irene October 10, 1889
Elizabeth Lee November 12, 1890
Lemon Pressly October 6, 1891
George Haywood November 14, 1894
Charlie April 29, 1896
Henry Lee September 10, 1897
Peyton Mozelle September 3, 1900
Azubuh "Zuba" Irene October 10, 1889
Elizabeth Lee November 12, 1890
Lemon Pressly October 6, 1891
George Haywood November 14, 1894
Charlie April 29, 1896
Henry Lee September 10, 1897
Peyton Mozelle September 3, 1900
Peyton and Minnie spent the majority of their married life in the eastern part of North Carolina.
Peyton operated a saw mill and dealt in lumber. He would buy uncut timberland, cut the timber and allow the land to go back to the state for back property taxes. The interesting part is that this land is in an area now called Southern Pines and Pinehurst, N. C. and is very expensive land.
In early May Peyton went out to help fight a local forest fire, got pneumonia and died on May 8, 1900 in Troy, North Carolina. After his death, Minnie ran a boarding house in Lumberton, North Carolina, keeping the family together. Later she moved to Cherrydale, Virginia, outside of Washington,D.C. to keep house for her two sons, Pressly and Haywood. Peyton also lived with her in Cherrydale until she married. Minnie died April 19, 1929 in Cherryvale, Virginia.
Peyton operated a saw mill and dealt in lumber. He would buy uncut timberland, cut the timber and allow the land to go back to the state for back property taxes. The interesting part is that this land is in an area now called Southern Pines and Pinehurst, N. C. and is very expensive land.
In early May Peyton went out to help fight a local forest fire, got pneumonia and died on May 8, 1900 in Troy, North Carolina. After his death, Minnie ran a boarding house in Lumberton, North Carolina, keeping the family together. Later she moved to Cherrydale, Virginia, outside of Washington,D.C. to keep house for her two sons, Pressly and Haywood. Peyton also lived with her in Cherrydale until she married. Minnie died April 19, 1929 in Cherryvale, Virginia.
Ed. Note: Peyton and Minnie's youngest child was a girl who was born Sept. 3, 1900, about four months after Peyton died. Minnie named the girl Peyton.
Zuba Markham: Zuba married Arthur A. Raymond from Buffalo, N. Y. on December 21, 1918. They lived the majority of their life in Kansas City, Mo. Uncle Ray, as we called him, worked for Truston Steel and retired from that Company. Uncle Ray was very active in the Masonic Order and Zuba was involved with the Eastern Star. They had no children but did raise Pressly's children after their parents died. They were our favorite Aunt and Uncle and they would visit us in N. C.. Aunt Zuba died November 20,1964 and is buried in Floral Hills cemetery, Kansas City Mo. Uncle Ray died January 12, 1979.
Pressly Markham: Pressly and Louise Seals Walter were married June 22, 1923. in Washington D.C.. They lived in Takoma Park, Maryland, outside of Washington D.C.. Pressly was an electrician and served as a Sergeant in the Signal Corps during World War I in Europe. After the war Pressly worked for various contractors in the Washington area. They had three children, two boys and one girl.
Phyllis Irene July 17, 1924
Walter Grey January 19, 1926
George Pressly July 6, 1932
Louise died May 14,1939 and Pressly died February 7,1942
The children then went to Kansas City and lived with Aunt Zuba and Uncle Ray in Kansas City.
Phyllis married John Daniel Morgan on December 19, 1949. Phyllis died during 1980. John retired and is now living in Independence, Mo.. They had three children, one girl and two boys.
Claudia Lynn Morgan January 6, 1951
John Keith Morgan November 4, 1956
Matthew Wayne Morgan November 10, 1960
Claudia married Christopher Mark Crabtree on June 5,1971 and they live in Independence, Mo.. They have one son, Christopher Michael Crabtree Jr., born on December 29, 1971.
Walter Gray retired from the Navy in Hartford, Conn. and became a Professor in Political Science for the University of West Hartford. He retired from the University in 1994 and moved to Virginia sometime in 1997. He married Annette and they have no children. He was married previously to Martha in January, 1956 and had a girl and a boy.
Martha Lou Markham November 4, 1956
Walter Gray, Jr December 17, 1957
I visited Walter Gray and Annette a couple of times when I was working in Connecticut on short term assignments for Harza in 1974.
George married Sally Jane Franklin on December 31, 1961. George retired from DuPont in 1994 and they live in Woodbury, New Jersey. They had two sons.
Christopher Raymond Markham July 1, 1962
Colin Franklin Markham May 15, 1966
Pressly Markham: Pressly and Louise Seals Walter were married June 22, 1923. in Washington D.C.. They lived in Takoma Park, Maryland, outside of Washington D.C.. Pressly was an electrician and served as a Sergeant in the Signal Corps during World War I in Europe. After the war Pressly worked for various contractors in the Washington area. They had three children, two boys and one girl.
Phyllis Irene July 17, 1924
Walter Grey January 19, 1926
George Pressly July 6, 1932
Louise died May 14,1939 and Pressly died February 7,1942
The children then went to Kansas City and lived with Aunt Zuba and Uncle Ray in Kansas City.
Phyllis married John Daniel Morgan on December 19, 1949. Phyllis died during 1980. John retired and is now living in Independence, Mo.. They had three children, one girl and two boys.
Claudia Lynn Morgan January 6, 1951
John Keith Morgan November 4, 1956
Matthew Wayne Morgan November 10, 1960
Claudia married Christopher Mark Crabtree on June 5,1971 and they live in Independence, Mo.. They have one son, Christopher Michael Crabtree Jr., born on December 29, 1971.
Walter Gray retired from the Navy in Hartford, Conn. and became a Professor in Political Science for the University of West Hartford. He retired from the University in 1994 and moved to Virginia sometime in 1997. He married Annette and they have no children. He was married previously to Martha in January, 1956 and had a girl and a boy.
Martha Lou Markham November 4, 1956
Walter Gray, Jr December 17, 1957
I visited Walter Gray and Annette a couple of times when I was working in Connecticut on short term assignments for Harza in 1974.
George married Sally Jane Franklin on December 31, 1961. George retired from DuPont in 1994 and they live in Woodbury, New Jersey. They had two sons.
Christopher Raymond Markham July 1, 1962
Colin Franklin Markham May 15, 1966
George Haywood Markham: George married Eileen D. Brennen on June 13, 1935. Haywood was an Electrician in the Washington D. C. area. They had no children. George died in 1937.
Charlie Markham lived only one month and fourteen days and died on June 13,1896.
Henry Markham lived seven months and nineteen days and died on May 5,1898.
Charlie Markham lived only one month and fourteen days and died on June 13,1896.
Henry Markham lived seven months and nineteen days and died on May 5,1898.
Peyton Markham: Peyton married Alvin R. Perkins in May 1929 and had one girl, Irene Emma, born on December 9, 1931. Peyton died on April 18, 1933 and is buried at Arlington, Virginia. Irene spent several summers with us in Charlotte. I also visited Alvin and his family several times when I was in service during World War ll, and during the 18 months we lived in Maryland.
Elizabeth Markham: My mother moved to Charlotte and was quite active in riding horses and playing tennis. She lived with a group of girls in the YWCA building. She went to work for Conner and Walters and ended up as a secretary for my father. She worked with my father until he sold the business. They were married on January 26, 1920.
I have two older sisters. Edith Markham was born on January 26, 1921, Gloria Lee on August 22, 1923 and I was a fourth of July baby in 1925. After moving out to the country she was responsible for getting father to construct a tennis court and for teaching us how to play. She was a very independent lady. My mother stayed in the Providence Road home after father died. She lived alone until about 18 months before she died. There was sufficient money in my father's estate to support mother. Mother had a horror of going to the hospital. She had a fall and was placed in the hospital and died less than two days later. She died on March 8, 1984 in Charlotte. It was determined that she had a severe heart attack earlier. We were living in Saudi Arabia at the time and came home for the funeral.