Family Tree , Hollimon,Vandiver and Portwood.
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William James Hollimon ( 1875-1913 ) and Lena Abigail ( Portwood ) Hollimon ( 1878-1955 ) .

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Lena Abigail Portwood ( 1878-1955)
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Wife of William James Hollimon

William James Hollimon (1875-1913 ) was born in Franklin County , Alabama . He was the youngest child of James and Mary Hollimon of Franklin County, Alabama . William meet and married Lena Abigail Portwood ( 1878-1955) of Franklin County , Alabama . William died at 38 yrs. He was a farmer and timber cutter . William is buried in " The Old Bethel Cemetery " in Franklin County , Alabama .

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Lena Abigail Portwood ( 1878-1955) was born in Franklin County , Alabama. She was born to Jesie James Portwood  and Luisa Portwood of Franklin County , Alabama . Lena meet and married William James Hollimon on [ June 30, 1895] in Franklin County , Alabama . Lena lost her William at the early age of 35 yrs old. Lena and William James had six children together and now she was left to raise those children without her husband .
 
Lena Abigail Portwood's father Jesse James Portwood was born : 1837 , Newburg , Franklin Co. Al. , died 30 May 1895 , Newburg , Franklin Co. Al.
 
Note : Jessie James Portwood  served in the Civil War , Pvt. Company A 27th Alabama Infantry CSA.
 
Jessie married Eliza Jane Davis [Ray] , born : 1834 , Tennessee , USA. in June 1860 in Tn . USA.
 
Children of Jessie James Portwood and Eliza Jane Davis [Ray] Portwood.
 
1. Lenar A. Portwood , b 02 Oct. 1860.
2. Mac [ M.J.] Portwood , b . 11 Feb. 1862 .
3. Lily Portwood , b. 12 Feb. 1865.
4. Agnes Piney [Portwood] Dodd , b. 10 Dec. 1866 .
5. Clara W. [Portwood ] Morgan . b. 10 Aug 1869.
6. Jesse Owen Portwood b. 10 Aug 1871 in Owens Cerossroads , Tn. USA
    died , 06 July 1966 . Jesse O. was a Mason .
7. John Portwood , b, 16 Jan . 1873.
8. Lena A. [ Portwood] Hollimon .b. 11 Feb. 1875 and died , 29 Sept. 1945 in Brinkley , Ar.
9. George W. Portwood b, 18 Dec 1876 in Owens Crossroads , Franklin Co. Al. USA.

Lena Abigail Portwood  was a real pioneer woman . She was faced with the responsibility of  raising her children alone . I know she must of had alot of hard times .

Lena Abigail ( Portwood ) brought her family to Arkansas . They settled in a community near Brinkley , Ark.  Times were very hard in the 1920's . Lena felt life would be better for her family in Arkansas . Her daughter Inez and sons Lonnie , Comer and Charlie found a farm that they could share crop . It was a hard life for them all. Lena never gave up , she just keep trying to help her family survive . Her two oldest children had already left home . Her oldest son Jessie James Hollimon had left Alabama and travelled to Arkansas to work for his Uncle Monroe J Vandiver . Soon after he came he was drafted into the Army . He served in World War 1 in France . Lena's oldest daughter Bessie had left home to marry Guy Parker of Winter Haven , Fla.

Lena made her children the center of her life . She was always there to watch out for her boys. She was a very special lady and I know she was blessed when she passed on . She loved the Lord and lived her life showing her love . She didn't have alot of earthly treasures but I know she had bountiful treasures in heaven .

Lena Portwood Hollimon
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" The Children of William James Hollimon and Lena Abigail ( Portwood ) Hollimon "

Jessie james Jollimon ( 1896-1984 )
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Oldest Son of William James and Lena ( Portwood ) Hollimon

1.   Jessie James Hollimon ( 1896-1984 ) was the oldest son of William James and Lena Hollimon . He was born in Franklin County , Alabama . Jessie was very depressed at the death of his father at such an early age . Jessie thought he could make some money for his family if he took a job offered by his Uncle Monroe J. and Martha ( Hollimon ) Vandiver . They had bought a farm in Riley Creek , Ark. and needed some help on their farm . That sounded like just what Jessie should do . He worked for a while for his uncle before he was drafted into the Army at Danville Arkansas . Lena knew she and her other children would have to follow and come to Arkansas too. They settled near Brinkley , Ark.  Jessie served his tour of duty and returned to his new bride waiting for him. He had married Ida Mae ( Reed ) Hollimon before he left for the Army . Ida Mae ( Reed ) Hollimon ( 1900-1952) was the oldest daughter of Enoch Benjamin and Arbelia ( Farmer ) Reed of Yell County , Ark.  After his tour of duty he worked on the farm for Ida Mae's father Enoch Benjamin but soon decided that was not the life he wanted . Jessie had learned he had a talent for cutting hair. A talent he had discovered while serving in France . He decided that was what he wanted to do . Jessie and Ida Mae decided he would need to go to a larger town to find someone that would give him on the job training . The town he decided to try  was Ft Smith, Arkansas . He found a Barber Shop that needed another barber and was willing to give him on the job training .

Jessie James Hollimon  worked hard for his dream and soon had a shop of his own on the Main St. in Ft. Smith , Ark. That was about the same time we were fighting in  WW11 .  Ida Mae and Jessie had a daughter together , that is living.. Ida Mae passed away in ( 1952 ) and is buried in thr Oak Cemetery in Ft. Smith , Ark.  After Ida Mae died in 1952 , Jesse married a second time to Claire E. ( Ford ) Hollimon (1902-1974 )  of Arkoma, Okla. There were no children of this marriage . Claire E. died in 1974 and is buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park Gardens , Arkoma , Ark.  Jessie never remarried again. He lived in the Ft. Smith area the rest of his life. He passed away in 1984 and is buried in the Woodlawn Memorial Park Gardens, Arkoma, Ark. At the time of his death Jessie James Hollimon was survived by a daughter , a  granddaughter and a great-grandson that he got to see.

Bessie L. ( Hollimon ) Parker 1899-1987)
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Oldest daughter of William James and Lena ( Portwood ) Hollimon

2. Bessie L ( Hollimon ) Parker  ( 1899-1987) was the oldest girl born to William James and Lena ( Portwood ) Hollimon . Bessie meet and married Guy Parker of Florida . They made their home in Winter Haven , Florida . Bessie and Guy Parker bought a large orange grove and made it a thriving business . Bessie and Guy had a daughter together . Their daughter's name was Heneritta (Parker ) Sloan  . She died June 2003 in Daytona Beach , Florida . Guy Parker died in the first year of their marriage leaving Bessie to work the Orange Grove Business on her own. She tackled the job and raised her daughter as well . A few years later her brother Charles Hollimon went to Florida to work for her . Charles remained in Florida until his death in 1976 . Bessie L married a second time in her later years to Carl Adams of Winter Haven, Florida . Bessie  died in 1987 and is buried in Haines City , Florida .

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3. Charlie L. Hollimon ( 1902-1976) was born in Franklin  County , Alabama to William James and Lena A. ( Portwood ) Hollimon . Charlie was a farmer for many years until he went to Florida to work for his sister Bessie L. ( Hollimon ) Parker,Smith . Charlie made Florida his home and lived there until his death in 1976 . Charlie was married for a short period of time . Spouse's name unknown and no children .

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4. Lonnie Earl Hollimon  ( 1904-1987) was born in Franklin County , Alabama to William James and Lena ( Portwood ) Hollimon . In his adult years Lonnie lived in Russellville , Alabama . He meet a married Pauline Portwood , who was a distant cousin to him. They were together for many years , but seperated in the early 1980's . Lonnie came to Arkansas and  lived in Forrest City , Arkansas until his death in 1987. He never remarried or had any children . Lonnie was buried in Forrest City Cemetery , Forrest City , Ark.

5.   Inez Maddie ( Hollimon ) Gray  (1907-1989 ) was born to William James and Lena ( Portwood ) Hollimon of Franklin  County , Alabama .  Inez was a very young child when she lost her father . Inez Maddie meet and married George C. Gray of Marion County, Arkansas . They had three children , which are all living. Inez married George C. Gray at Claredon , Arkansas on Feb. 13,1928 . She seperated from her husband just a few years after they married . Inez took control of her family and worked hard to raise them . She had a true pioneer spirit just like her mother Lena Abigail . Inez was a advent Christian and taught her children to love the Lord . She is remember with great respect and love .

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6. Comer Hollimon  ( 1909-1981) was the youngest child of William James and Lena ( Portwood ) Hollimon . Comer was a farmer all his life until heath problems caused him to retire . Comer never married . He lived with his mother all  her life. He was the baby of the family and probably was a great comfort to his mother . He was in a Nursing Home at the time of his death in 1981 in Brinkley , Ark. He was buried in the Oaklawn Cementery , Brinkley , Arkansas . He was buried beside his mother Lena Abigail ( Portwood ) Hollimon .

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Lena Abigail [Portwood] Hollimon 1878-1955
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 This is story of just one of the families of our Family Tree . This family withstood all the hardships of life by their determined spirit . It's a story of a family that were not rich in worldy goods but had many treasure waiting in heaven . We know when we die all our worldly treasures are left behind , so we all should be working for our treasure in the Lord's house . I am very proud to be just one little spark of light in this great family tree .

Old Bethel Baptist Church , Franklin Co. Al. 1930
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The Old Bethel Baptist Church , which played such a large part in the lives of the Hollimon's / Vandiver's and Portwood's , as it looked on a trip made to Alabama by Jesse J. Hollimon in 1930 .  

Old School House , Franklin Co. AL. 1930
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Photo shows the old Franklin Co.  School as it looked in 1930.  The years had taken a toll on the old school and it had been silent for many years as the children now have moved on to newer and more modern schools. Jesse J. Hollimon talked about the days when the Hollimon , Vandiver and Portwood boys and girls attended school there so many years ago . They were lucky if they got to school for just a few years. When Jesse J. Hollimon took a trip back to Alabama in 1930 to visit his family , he took this picture . In later years he would talk about those early school days when children were so eager to learn to read and write .

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Please send any remarks, comments or information to Rebecca seawinds31@earthlink.net .Would love to hear from anyone that has a connection to this Family Tree . Peace and Love ..Copyright pending on:" Family Journal of Hollimon,Vandiver ,Portwood Family History ".2017-2018 .