John R. Banister Family - Family Histories

     John R. Banister, born in Missouri, May 24, 1854, first saw Coleman County in 1868; he and a brother, Will, (see Daniel Dofflemeyer), two years younger, had run away from home and somehow made their way to Fort Worth. A good man, Col. Rufus Winn, saw them there and offered them a ride to Menardville and help them seek their father, who had served in the Confederate Army and had come to Texas to live. With not a fence and hardly a house between Ft. Worth and the Santa Anna Mountains, the beauty of the country, the tall grass and abundance of game, and the clear running springs appealed to John.

     As a young man in the Texas Ranger service, he crossed Coleman County many times, and after leaving the Rangers, he came here to live. He and his wife, Mary Ellen (Walker) of San Saba, preempted a half section of land seven miles east of the two mountains, in 1885. In 1887, their three baby girls were stricken with polio; Alice and Ivy died and are buried in the McDaniel Cemetery, northeast of Bangs. Mary Ellen (Mamie) survived, but was severely crippled. Later children were John, Jr., Neill and Irene. In 1892, the young wife and John's mother died of typhoid, buried in Coleman. John's Ranger experience had made him interested in law enforcement and he became Railroad Officer with the Santa Fe, Deputy Sheriff at Coleman and at times Special Texas Ranger.

     In 1894, he and Miss Emma Daugherty of Goldthwaite, who was teaching at Echo, were married, and made their home in Santa Anna; children born to them were Jennie, Leona, Grady, Mabel and Gillett. Banister continued his work with the Santa Fe and the Cattle Raisers' Association of Texas until 1914, when he was elected Sheriff at Coleman. He had originated and was the first Chief Inspector of the Field Inspection branch of the Cattle Raisers' Association of Texas, which is still the successful arm of the law in tracing cattle thefts and today has nearly two hundred inspectors. He served as sheriff until his death August 1, 1918. On August 4, his wife, Emma,was appointed Sheriff for the remainder of his term. She had spent much time in the office, and had managed the operation of the jail, kept the Sheriff's records and was familiar with all phases of the work. She did not wish to seek election to another term, and returned to her farm property near Santa Anna.

     Later, she bought houses and other property in town, and moved there. She began a collection of Indian artifacts, which came to include thousands of arrowheads, spear points, axes and other tools. A bow found in a San Saba County cave and a costume of Prince Albert coat, armlets, leggings, and medicine pouch all beaded for some Indian chief were among her relics, now in the Fort Concho Museum in San Angelo. During the Depression, she was fortunate in having several good oil wells on her land. Her philanthropies included organization of a WA project in Santa Anna, employing about twenty supervisors for playgrounds, classes and festivities, and building a large concrete wading pool free for the children. An organizer of the Public Library, she also was in the Self Culture Club, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Library Board and the Red Cross. Her death was in 1956. Of the Banister children:

     Mamie was a teacher. marrying Hermman von Heuvel in 1914. An only son, Billy Banister, was born in 1919, died in 1921.

     John R. Jr., was an army officer in World War I, bought a ranch at Rocksprings in 1926, headed the Texas Office of the Draft in Austin during World War II, then returned to the ranch. He had married Myrtle Thomason in 1917, and their children were Myrtle Sue, who married Capt. Hobart M. Rowley, John R. III, Sibyl Claire and Billy Neill, who married Peggy White.

     Banister's second son, Neill Houston, married Lottie Horn. He was an army officer during World War I, owner of a bus line until World War II, when he was Assistant Adjutant General of Texas, and died in office in 1954. His stepdaughter is Marge Fowler.

     Irene was a teacher, married Billy Waldeck, and lived in San Antonio. Their children: Irene, Marjorie, and William, and they adopted Billy von Heuvel after Mamie's death.

    Jennie was a musician, playing professionally and teaching in Winters, Brady and Orange. Getting a degree from a Louisville Conservatory, she was active in music circles in Houston. Her husband was James T. Seddon.

     Leona was a teacher, ranchwoman, and writer. Her husband is Charles D. Bruce (see Charles D. Bruce).

     Grady was a compressor expert with Brown and Root for many years. His wife was Mae Dudgeon.

   Mabel was a teacher, and secretary. She died in 1930.

   Gillett was an inventor, patenting several machines and completing others. A veteran of the U. S. Navy in World War II, he died soon after.

(Images to be added)

Sheriff John R. Banister, Coleman at his desk.