For over 175 years our Warren's were in Virginia. Our earliest known ancestor, John Warren, was born in Virginia about 1635. Our third great grandfather, Jesse Warren, migrated from Virginia to Tennessee around 1812. Before 1869 our Great Grandfather Isaiah Warren Jr left Tennessee. After short stays in other states he migrated southwest and took…
Our Home Town: Floydada, Texas
Floydada is prominent in the more recent history for our family branches of Hanks and Warren's. Great grandfather Tobe Hanks migrated to Hardeman County, Texas from Arkansas but it was Floydada where he later made his home in 1911. Three years later, in 1914, two brothers, Grandfather Tom Warren and Great Uncle Russell Warren, made…
Y-DNA for Hanks and Warren
What is Y-DNA? The "y" is one of the two inherited sex chromosomes. Only a male inherits a "y." DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the carrier of genetic information for a living organism. A "y" chromosome is passed from father to son. At most basic, a chromosome contains inherited genetic material that is passed from parent…
Elmus Tobe & Minnie Mae (Smith) Hanks Descendant Chart
Billy Lawton Hanks (1936 – 2015)
Uncle Billy loved to talk. He and Aunt Betty talked an hour or two on the phone almost daily. When interviewing him I asked him to let me know if he got tired because he'd just gotten out of the hospital. Billy replied, "I don't get tired of talking. I get out of breath sometimes…
Paul Malcolm “Sonny” Hanks (1931 – 2013)
Called Sonny by family, his given name was Paul Malcolm. Sonny's parents, Aubrey E and Mattie Mae (Meador) Hanks, gave him his middle name after a beloved brother-in-law, Malcolm "Maggie" Daniel. Maggie was married to Aubrey's sister, Amy. As indicated by Sonny's birth certificate, Aubrey worked as a mechanic. Maggie owned an auto repair shop…
Glenna Mae Hanks (1929 – 2003)
Words thoughtfully written for Aunt Glenna's obituary read, "Glenna was a loving and gentle woman who would give anyone in need a helping hand and a shoulder to cry on or just an ear to listen to our problems." When thinking about how to begin Glenna's post I kept returning to that description because it…
James “Glen” Hanks (1927 – 1949)
It makes me sad that the only memory I have about Uncle Glen is the way he died. That is not unusual, I believe, for those that die young. Glen was only 21 when he died of an accidental gun shot wound. I don't remember him personally because I was only three when he died…
Amy “Grace” Hanks (1925 – 2008)
Aunt Gracie was a character, a cute one. She was short in stature and had beautiful red hair that turned white when she was older. Ed, my husband, enjoyed listening to her stories and she appreciated having an audience. She had the Hanks' knack for telling family stories that were funny if a bit exaggerated…
Helen Anniece Hanks (1924 – 1991)
The most treasured gift I've had in my life is a recording of my mother reviewing her life. I asked questions I wouldn't have thought to ask if it wasn't for a class I was taking on aging with an assignment to interview an older person about their life development. Mother was happy to help…
Generations 