Benjamin Franklin "Ben" DURANT

Submitter: Franklin C. Durant, Sr.

Husband: Benjamin Franklin "Ben" DURANT
Born: April 24, 1898 Place: Leon Co., TX
Married: January 26, 1919 Place: Leon Co., TX
Died: December 7, 1984 Place: Lufkin, Angelina Co., TX
Cemetery: Old Liberty Cemetery Place: Leon Co., TX
Father: William Bethel DURANT
Mother: Zelda McKANDLES
Other Spouses:  

Wife: Clara Lee PARSONS
Born: November 18, 1899 Place: Leon Co., TX
Died: March 17, 1973 Place: Lufkin, Angelina Co., TX
Cemetery: Old Liberty Cemetery Place: Leon Co., TX
Father: Sam T./P. PARSONS
Mother: Mariah Lucresia "Creasy" RODGERS
Other Spouses:  

Children:

1 Name: M Franklin Crowell DURANT, Sr.
Born: October 27, 1919 Place: Leon Co., TX
Died: December 21, 2010 Place: Tyler, Smith Co., TX
Cemetery: Liberty Cemetery Place: Leon Co., TX
Spouse 1: Fannie Ophelia CRIM (deceased)
Married: August 26, 1946 Place: Leon Co., TX
Spouse 2: Dorothy THOMPSON
Married: November 26, 1957 Place: Livingston, Polk Co., TX

2 Name: M James Lawrence DURANT
Born: June 8, 1922 Place: Leon Co., TX
Died: July 12, 2006 Place: Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches Co., TX
Cemetery: Rock Springs Cemetery Place: Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches Co., TX
Spouse 1: Mable HORN
Married: January 13, 1945 Place: Leon Co., TX

3 Name: M Elton Lee DURANT
Born: October 8, 1923 Place: Leon Co., TX
Died: December 3, 2010 Place: Weatherford, TX
Cemetery: (Cremated-ashes will be buried at Tin Top Cemetery when wife dies) Place: Parker Co., TX
Spouse 1: "Lucy" Marion BRAUND
Married: July 4, 1945 Place: Wales, Great Britain

4 Name: M Melton Edward DURANT
Born: living Place: Leon Co., TX
Died: living Place: Jacksonville, TX
Cemetery:   Place:  
Spouse 1: Nora Evelyn TOWNLEY
Married: living Place: Livingston, Polk Co., TX

5 Name: F Annie Mae DURANT
Born: living Place: Leon Co., TX
Died: living Place:  
Cemetery:   Place:  
Spouse 1: Ronald "Ronnie" Carlos DORMAN (deceased)
Married: living Place: Buffalo, Leon Co., TX
Spouse 2: John NETTLES
Married: living Place: Tuscon, Arizona

6 Name: F Bennie Faye DURANT
Born: living Place: Buffalo, Leon Co., TX
Died: living Place: Lufkin, TX
Cemetery:   Place:  
Spouse 1: Samuel Thomas "Sam" STAFFORD
Married: living Place: Leon Co., TX

7 Name: M Reagan Herald DURANT
Born: living Place: Buffalo, Leon Co., TX
Died: living Place: Oakwood, Leon Co., TX
Cemetery:   Place:  
Spouse 1: Barbara Ann McKAGUE
Married: living Place: Port Arthur, TX

8 Name: M Robert Alton DURANT
Born: living Place: Buffalo, Leon Co., TX
Died: living Place: Lufkin, TX
Cemetery:   Place:  
Spouse 1: Billie Dene WARREN
Married: living Place: Angelina Co., TX

9 Name: F Clara Virginia DURANT
Born: living Place: Leon Co., TX
Died: living Place: Natalia, TX
Cemetery:   Place:  
Spouse 1: David Robinson HARRELL
Married: living Place: Wichita Co., TX (Sheppard Air Force Base)

NOTES:
Ben F. and Clara Lee Durant, are both deceased; however their nine children were living as of March 12, 2005 (6 as of 2011)

Our GGG-Grandparents were Augustine Blackburn Hardin, Sr., and Mary Elizabeth (Garner) Hardin, of Columbia, Maury Co., TN.  A.B. Sr., came to what is now Liberty, TX in 1825.  He was one of the 59 signers of the Texas Independence from Mexico.--He acquired more than 35,000 acres of land in the 4 surrounding counties of Liberty Co. from the Mexican Government, as well as from Texas, after 1836.. His son, A. B. Hardin, Jr. and his mother were "Leon County Pioneers" in about 1840 until late after the 1860's.  His mother and half-sister are buried in the Beaver Dam Cemetery in Leon Co.  Our GGG-Grandmother died February 6, 1853.  Her son was a dedicated Real Estate Person, and operated a Post Office, about where the old Guy's Store used to be on Hwy 7 toward Crockett.  Our Great-grandparents were James Alexander McKandles and Francis "Mammie" Reeder, who also resided in Centerville, TX, rearing a large family there.


SOURCES:
Frank C. Durant, Sr.