My First Cast of Characters

Did the Haynes family have "characters"?  Absolutely!  No doubt I am only one of them. 

Granddaddy, W.T. Haynes, Sr. married my grandmother, Helen Josephene Sanders on 10-11-1906 in Ft. Worth, TX.  My grandmother, who died before my second birthday,was born 2-4-1887 in Grenada, MS and died died 3-17-1956 in Lambert, MS.  While I don't remember "Meme" my father made certain that she got to meet me.  When I was only a few days old, he took me by himself to the Delta so his mother would be sure to see me before she died.

In the early and mid 1900s I am certain that many outside the family referred to my grandparents as Mr. Haynes or Mrs. Haynes.  From what I have been told by other family members, friends who were on a first name basis called them Wendell and Helen.

Who are my siblings?

Wendell Thomas Haynes Jr. married Virginia Belle Atkins

on February 20, 1937.  Born to that union were:
Virginia Louise Haynes (10-4-1938 in Marks, MS)
Helen Gwendolyn Haynes (1-24-1950 in Columbus, MS) and
Angela Dell Haynes (7-9-1954 in Columbus, MS)

W. T. Haynes Jr.'s first wife was Jo Elizabeth Worthey. 
From that union were born my two other siblings:
James Eugene Haynes (5-12-1929 in Greenville, MS) and
Jo Ann Haynes (11-26-1932 in Marks, MS)

My Interest Began

When I was growing up in the mid-1950's and 1960's in Columbus, MS there was one very important family outing no one in our family was allowed to miss.  It was the annual Haynes family reunion held each Easter Sunday afternoon in a lodge owned by my uncle, Fletcher S. "Buddy" Haynes.  Daddy's family was from Lambert, MS which is located in the Mississippi Delta. Uncle Buddy's home and his lodge were located by the Coldwater River and had a mailing address of Crowder, MS.

My father was Wendell Thomas "W.T." Haynes, Jr.  He was the son of Wendell Thomas Haynes, Sr. and Helen Josephine Sanders Haynes.  Although daddy was born on Lucy Avenue in Memphis, TN he spent most of his formative years on the family farm on Highway 3 outside "downtown" Lambert, MS.  Lambert is located about 3 miles from Marks, MS; 18 miles from Clarksdale, MS and about 30 miles from Batesville, MS.

My father's first schooling was at the Haynes School and his teacher lived with his family. I am uncertain if children other than the Haynes attended the school; but my father was next to the oldest of 14 children.