Family History

Some of you never had the opportunity to meet Papa Jim Terrell and Inez (Momma Shug) Thomas Brandon. Let me introduce them to you. If it were not for their sacrifices, endurance through discrimination, segregation, injustice, and their will to survive, none of us would be here today. We, as African - Americans should embrace our family's rich heritage and culture. This collection of the life experiences of our ancestors, who faced incredible odds, yet made it through with faith in God. It is so important to know more about our family. Jim Terrell Brandon was the son of Lank and Rebecca Majors Brandon. He had 13 sisters and brothers: Julious, Vincent (Dick), Ola Mae, Lucious, Mary Gladys, Ceil, Clara, Annie B., Caldwell, Theodore, Curtis, and Jenkins who ran away to California in 1918; to this day, has never been heard of again. Rebecca Majors Brandon, Papa Jim's mother, was the daughter of Daniel " Tot " Majors who was born in Georgia; Rebecca's mother was Irene Whitlow of Mississippi. She had 6 sisters and brothers: Surfronia, Dora, Curt, Phil, Mary, and Norm Majors. Irene had a twin sister named Jennie with whom Daniel Majors also parented 8 children with her. Their names are: Leeb, Sal, Joe, Lum, Rob, Polk, Lucy, and Sank Majors. Papa Jim's father, Lank, lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma for a while. When Papa Jim was about 12 or 13 years old, in late 1904, his father, Lank Brandon moved to McLennan County Golinda, Texas and purchased land. He owned most of the land from the cemetery to where the Majors Chapel United Methodist Church is now located. The place was called the ' Post Oaks ‘, also known as " The Sticks ' because of the type of trees that grew there. Lank Brandon was considered to be a wealthy man because he had people working for him.

THE THIRD GENERATION OF JIM TERRELL AND INEZ THOMAS BRANDON