William Thomas Fannin

Surnames: FANNIN, CAMPBELL, VARNADO, DAVIS, ANDING, SCHMEYER, CURRY, STALLWORTH, CHRISTIAN, HODGES, KAROW, ROGERS, MARLIN, SINGER, BURNS

William Thomas Fannin, b. January 18, 1846 in Copiah County, Mississippi, d. March 17, 1910 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Texas-was a son of James O. and Sarah ("Sallie" Campbell) Fannin-natives of Georgia and North Carolina, respectively, who married in Copiah County, Mississippi where all their children were born. William Thomas Fannin enlisted with his father in the Confederate States Army, serving in Company C, 21st Mississippi Regiment. His father died in Richmond, Virginia that same year. William Thomas was wounded at Petersburg on June 20, 1864, and remained in the hospital at Richmond, Virginia until July 30, 1864. He participated in the battles of Seven Pines, Marvern Hill, the first and second battles of Fredericksburg, and the battles at Knoxville, Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, as well as a number of skirmishes. He was on post duty at Macon, Mississippi when the Civil War ended.

After the war, William Thomas Fannin returned to his in Copiah County, Mississippi, and in 1866 he was employed as superintendent of a farm. In 1875, he came to Texas-settling in East Falls County at Stranger-with his widowed mother and two brothers, John Franklin and Warren Oscar Fannin. He resided in Stranger until 1891, when he moved to Marlin and engaged in the livery business.

On December 19, 1867 in Mississippi, William Thomas Fannin married Mary Minerva Varnado, b. January 11, 1847 in Copiah County, Mississippi, d. January 11, 1949 and buried in Calvary Cemetery by her husband-a daughter of Howell and Assenith Elizabeth ("Cenith" Davis) Varnado-both natives of Copiah County, Mississippi. William Thomas and Mary Minerva (Varnado) Fannin were the parents of ten children:

Florence E. Fannin, b. ca 1868-married first on December 1, 1886 to Chester Magee Anding, b. July 17, 1860 at Caseyville, Lincoln County, Mississippi, d. March 1, 1901 in Falls County; and married second to J. B. Schmeyer. No further information.

Infant Fannin, b. & d. 1870 in Copiah County, Mississippi.

Emma C. Fannin, b. 1872, d. 1963-married Oscar E. Curry, b. 1869, d. 1964 and both buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Texas. They were the parents of Fleta Mae Curry who married George Stallworth and had a daughter, Patsy Curry Stallworth. They lived in Levelland, Texas. Another daughter of Oscar and Emma Curry was Eveyln (Curry) Christian, who had Chloe and July Christian; and the son of Oscar and Emma was Irby R. Curry (called "Rabbit"), b. August 4, 1894, d. August 10, 1918 at Chatearthierry, France during World War I while serving as a 1st Lieutenant who was an "All-Southern Vanderbilt football star and flying ace of the Lafayette Escadrille." "Rabbitt" was married, and left two young children.

William Franklin Fannin, b. 1874 in Mississippi, d. August 1945 at age 71 years, went into business with his father in Marlin. This livery stable and transfer business was known as "Fannin's Livery Stable"-and was widely known for the fine horses, rigs, and decorative harness. A portion of the brick building with metal roof was later occupied by the J. R. Taylor Company and the Texas Motor Company, and used by the Fannin Livery Stable until later when automobiles were more commonly used. No further information of William Franklin Fannin.

Effie Fannin-who married W. E. Hodges, and had a daughter who married a Mr. Karow of College Station and had Billy and Bobby Karow; a son, Fannin Hodges of Marlin, Texas who married and had Richard Lee Hodges; and a second son, Marion Lee Hodges, who moved to San Francisco, California.

Infant Fannin, b. & d. ca 1878 at Stranger, Falls County, Texas.

Campbell L. Fannin (called "Cam"), b. May 1, 1880 in Falls County, Texas, d. October 15, 1949 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Texas-married Mirth Rogers, b. December 12, 1880 in Falls County, d. July 4, 1961 and buried by her husband in Calvary Cemetery-a daughter of Henry Thomas and Mary Elizabeth (Marlin) Rogers-both natives of Falls County. Cam and Mirth had no issue.

Howell Oscar Fannin, b. 1882 in Falls County, Texas, d. April 28, 1888 at age five years, and buried in Stranger Cemetery in Falls County, Texas.

Myrtice Fannin, b. January 15, 1884 in Falls County, Texas, d. September 11, 1884 and buried in Stranger Cemetery.

Ernest Edwin Fannin, b. August 6, 1885 in Falls County, Texas, d. December 9, 1951 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin, Texas-married Harriet L. Singer, b. July 6, 1884, d. November 7, 1967 and buried by her husband-a daughter of R. L. and Sallie V. (Burns) Singer-both buried in Calvary Cemetery. A son of Ernest Edwin and Harriet (Singer) Fannin, William Richard Fannin, b. June 14, 1907, d. October 16, 1911, was also buried in Calvary Cemetery. Another son has been identified as Earl Green Fannin. No further information.

Infant Fannin, b. & d. 1887.

In 1887, William Thomas and Mary Minerva (called "Mollie") Fannin built their in Marlin, Texas on the west side of Craik Street. This was moved in 1946 to make way for construction of the Henderson Chevrolet Company building, and became the residence of Joe E. Johnson-located on Capps Street in Marlin. In 1889, William Thomas Fannin built the first brick hotel in Marlin, Texas. It was known as "Fannin's Hotel," and was a three-story building situated on the southeast corner of Live Oak and Falls Streets. It contained more than 25 rooms, and the Fannins operated the hotel for several years. In 1936, the old hotel building was bought by the Scheiblich Grocery Company. The building was torn down, and a new store building-the Kash Way Grocery-was constructed on the site.

A large birthday celebration was held in honor of Mary Minerva (Varnado) Fannin-called Mrs. Mollie Fannin-on the occasion of her 100th birthday. She took out the first fire insurance policy on January 6, 1933 from Mr. H. E. Wrenn, the local insurance agent, who collected her insurance premium each year on January 6th. She kept telling Mr. Wrenn it might be the last year she lived to pay the insurance; and Mr. Wrenn kept telling her if she lived to be 100 years, her insurance would then be free each year-that he would pay the premium himself as long as she lived. She died on her 102nd birthday.

William Thomas and Mary Minerva (Varnado) Fannin were members of the Baptist Church, which she had joined in Mississippi when she was a girl of 14 years.

Typed by : Jan Shelfer

Some biographies from "Families of Falls County", compiled and edited by the Falls County Historical Commission.
Permission granted to Theresa Carhart by the Falls County Historical Commission, for use on this page.