Happy Holidays to our family and friends
CRENSHAW-MCDONALD WEBSITE
December 20, 2002 A work in progress.....
McDonalds have resided in Athens continuously from about 1851 until today; a period of more than 150 years. The current McDonald home is located on property obtained by John M. McDonald in between 1857 and 1859.
The
latter half of the eighteenth century was a time of great turmoil in Scotland.
The clans who fought for Prince Charles Stuart at the battle of Cullonden (1745)
were hounded by the English and the clan system, a way of life, was essentially
over by 1800. About this time, Angus McDonald of the clan “Donald,” along
with four brothers immigrated to America settling in Moore County, North
Carolina. From these five brothers came a large progeny who are widely scattered
over the south. The McDonalds of Henderson County, Texas are direct
descendents of Isle of Skye McDonalds.
As noted above, Bob & Oleta McDonald returned to the family property, building a new home there, after retiring in 1988. Bob is the son of Glenn and Winnie McDonald; "Leta" the daughter of Richard Benjamin and Pearl Dorbandt Royall of Athens. Bob has one sister, Frances McDonald Berry of Austin. Fran has two sons, Chris and Jon Berry also of Austin. Leta has two sisters Elizabeth and Rosie of Athens and Denton respectively.
Bob & Leta have two sons, Glenn and Mark, both live in the Houston area. Glenn is the father of Ben born in Houston in 1988; husband of Valeria Crenshaw, thus creation of the Crenshaw-McDonald website.
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Mark & Ben McDonald, Lake Conroe, July 2002 |
Less is known about the Crenshaw family than the McDonald's. Some documentation exists showing them in Missouri around 1850. We know Edmund Luther Crenshaw worked primarily in general stores in Sherman and again in Dallas during the early part of the 1900's. His marriage to Mary Bennett produced 12 children, only five of whom survived to adulthood.
Our
branch of the Crenshaw family began with the marriage of Ambers Lawson Crenshaw
to Lucille Imogene Peterson November 19, 1949 in Houston, Texas. Ambers was born
in Sherman, Texas April 15, 1919. His
siblings included Rose, Anna Dee, Helen (Nellie) and E.L.; all grew up in the area now covered by Love
Field at Dallas, Texas. “Crenshaw” as he was called died of natural causes on
December 26, 1983.
Lucille
Peterson is the daughter Roberta (Bertie) Alva Watson and Robert Paul Peterson,
born February 5, 1928 in Alief, Texas. Lucille’s siblings included brothers
James, Carl, Horace, and Robert as well as sisters Louise and Norma Jean. She
resides in far west Houston, living next door to daughter Vicki Elliott.
From
Crenshaw and Lucille’s marriage three children were born: Valeria June; Vicki Lee; and Ambers Loren. Valeria is the mother of Benjamin Dalton McDonald, November, 1988; Ambers is the father of Ashley Lauren born February, 1983.
Valeria, Vicki and Ambers (Bubba) all continue to live in Northwest Houston within a dozen miles of the home where they grew up. Ambers' daughter Ashley is attending school at the University of Texas in Austin where she is a Communications major. Ben is an 8th grader in the Cy-Fair School District.
Christmas 2000 - Valeria, Vicki, Lucille and Ambers