![James W. \"Dubber\" Durham 1952](https://www.mihp.org/wp-content/gallery/james-w-durham/Durham-James-W.jpg "James W. \\"Dubber\\" Durham 1952")
![James W. \"Dubber\" Durham 1971](https://www.mihp.org/wp-content/gallery/james-w-durham/Durham-James-W-1971.jpg "James W. \\"Dubber\\" Durham 1971")
James William Durham, a.k.a. “Dubber” was born February 12, 1934 in Marion to Harold Durham and Sophia Galyean. When the 1940 federal census was taken, his family was living on Illinois Rt. 37 in a rental home that cost them $10 per month in rent. His father was working as a road laborer under the W.P.A and there were 3 children in the home, Virginia 8, James 6 and Robert 4. His father had only worked 18 weeks in the year 1939 and earned $190.
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Rex Davis Presson was born in East Prairie, Missouri on October 28, 1923 to Leonard Presson and Eva H. Davis. His father appeared to be following work because by the time the 1930 federal census was taken the family had relocated to Sterling, Colorado and were living in a rental home paying $20 per month. Rex’s father, Leonard 35, was working as a commercial hide and fur buyer. The family at the time had four children, Rex D. 6, Elzeth 5, Ned A. 5 and Elizabeth June just born that year. All three of the youngest children were born in Colorado.
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Everett Ewing Jeter, a.k.a “Doc”, was born in Marion to Cullen Jeter and Minnie Mae Smothers on January 21, 1916. When the 1920 federal census was taken. Everett’s parents were living at 306 N. Bentley Street in Marion in a home they owned with a mortgage. Everett’s 41 year old father, Cullen, was working as a coal miner. The parents then had 3 children in the home, Leon 17, Cletis 15 and Everett aged 4. Also living with the family were widowed 73 year old Mary Smothers, Everett’s grandmother on his mother’s side and his father’s brother in law, divorced 40 year old William Stoker, also a coal miner.
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Lawrence Henry Feurer was born in Marion on March 19, 1915 to Walter Feurer and Elisabeth Henrietta Trentleman. When the 1920 federal census was taken, Lawrence’s parents Walter and Elisabeth, were respectively 35 and 39 years of age. Walter was self-employed and then working a wholesale meat business. The only address given in the census was that of a rental home on W. Copeland Street. At the time, Lawrence was 4 years old and had six siblings, Olinda 13, George 12, Carl 10, William 9, Walter 7 and Elizabeth aged 2 months.
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Oscar Harris was born on March 4, 1896 in Corinth to George Harris and Sarah Elizabeth Williams. When the 1900 federal census was taken the farming family was located on a rental farm in Northern Township (now called Corinth Township). Father, George, 29 and mother, Sarah 27, reported that they had birthed two children and both children were living with them. The children were Ola J. 6 and Oscar R. 3.
The same year of the 1900 census, Oscar’s mother, Sarah, passed away. Likely unable to handle the growing children, George lived separately and sent the children to live with their widowed grandfather Alisie Harris in Spillertown which is where they were found in the 1910 census. Alisie was 76 and living in a house that he owned free of mortgage. Oscar at that time was 13 and his older sister Ola was 16.
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