Reflections of My Life by JL Byars – page 1

My name is J. L. Byars . . . I was born in Springtown, Parker County, Texas, which is 25 miles northwest of Fort Worth, on September 2, 1916.

My father, William Franklin Byars, the son of Ozais and Nancy (Reeder) Byars, was born in McMinville, Warren County, Tennessee, on September 21, 1868.  He left Warren County when he was 13 years old and came to Ennis in Ellis County, Texas, south of Dallas.  He was a farmer and married Mary Frances Merritt and they had two sons, Jesse Elmo and William Lee and a daughter, Susie.  Mary Frances died in January 1905 when Susie was eleven days old.  My dad and his children moved to Parker County in December 1906.  He married my mother, Delia Louisa Welch in Springtown.  Her parents were Thomas F. Welch from England and Mary Frances (Fuston) Welch, who was born in McMinville, Warren County, Tennessee.

William and Delia farmed in Parker County and were blessed with five children: Gertrude (Jack), Ivo, Hazel, J.L. (me) and Margaret.  When I was born my dad wanted to name me Jesse Lee (after his older sons) and my mother wanted to name me Jimmy Leon.  They settled for J.L. and that is the only name I have ever had.  I have always had lots of trouble explaining that this is my full name.