From the bullseye center of Texas, Pecan capital of the world that includes the 200 year old "Mother Pecan Tree", a town consisting of about 10k people and only other claim to fame that San Saba, Texas has is Tommy Lee Jones birthplace and his 3000 acre ranch, there comes yet another family not as well known by the world but certainly blessed by God!
He was born 153 years ago today in New Orleans and He died in San Saba, Texas, 15 years before I arrived on the scene, and just 7 months before two step sons would survive the attack on Pearl Harbor.
I do not know the story how he came to San Saba from his birth place of New Orleans.
Here is the part of the story I know.
His first wife, Della, married him at 15 and died at 42 in 1918. Her headstone refers to her as an angel... can you imagine following her footsteps?
He married my 32 year old grandmother on July 9, 1927 and had two children with her. My father, William James Jr and his younger sister, Geneva.
He was 61 when my dad was born and my dad was 10 when his dad died on a Sunday after an illness of eight weeks.
According to the obituary in the San Saba News, he was a well known carpenter "and lived a very active and useful life, and was highly respected by those who knew him."
His headstone says:
"All I gave that I have
All I had I lost"
Not exactly sure what he meant by that, but I think he probably would be astonished at the family that came after his death.
And that is what I know... and as we continue learn like we do from new pictures NASA takes of the vast universe, there is a lot more going on than we ever imagined!
Today I thank God for His providence and for the testimony of a man I never met who touched my life and our entire family.
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