Dear Don
 
 
 My grandmother Jennie Bell McGovern married my grandfather James
 Turner Chambers in 1915 or 1916.  His brother Vernon (I'm not 100%
 sure of the spelling) also married a sister of Jennie Bell's, Eppie. 

 It seems the Chambers moved from Cobb County, GA to Navarro County,
 TX in 1900.  In addition to her sisters, Eppie, Claudia, Ellen and Maud, she
 also had a brother, Frances, who did not have any children. 

 Several years  ago I looked at the 1910 Navarro County census and 
 discovered that the  Chambers and McGoverns had farms next to each
 other.  

 Jennie Bell passed  away in 1958 in Santa Monica, CA.  Unfortunately 
 she suffered from high blood  pressure and heart disease
 (a curse that  also plagued my father, Sanford LaVoyd
 Chambers).  James Turner Chambers passed away in June of 1981 in
 Corsicana, TX.  My  grandparents are buried at the Pacific Crest Cemetery 
 in Redondo Beach, CA.
 
 My father, Sanford, was born in Navarro County on December 31,
 1917.   He passed away on January 21, 1982 in Carlsbad, CA (he is also
 buried  at the Pacific Crest Cemetery).  He was the second oldest in a
 family  of five girls and two boys.  There were other children who died at
 birth or during their early years. 

 During the 1920's the family  lived for nearly 10 years in Oklahoma.  
 Dad always spoke fondly of  growing up in Oklahoma.  Sorry that I don't 
 know where they lived.  It was a period of time when his family was doing fairly well.  As
 I recall they had a small farm and were able to buy a new car in 1927. 
 Unfortunately they lost everything in the dust bowl and depression.
 I believe they moved back to Texas in 1929 or 1930.  After that the
 family never owned (rented the land was probably more accurate) a
 farm again.  Dad was forced to leave school when he was 12 or 13. 
 He spent the 1930's traveling around Texas working as a farm hand.
 
 In 1940 dad met Melba Fay Mayo while working on her father's farm
 in  Kerens, TX (also in Navarro County).  Dad joined the Texas National
 Guard in 1941.  They were married on June 6, 1942.  Dad's unit, the
 133rd Field Artillery, 36th Division shipped out to North Africa in
 early 1943.  In addition to North Africa, dad's unit saw action in
 Italy, France and Germany.  Dad was wounded during the battle of
 Salerno.  In addition to the Purple Heart, He was also awarded the
 bronze Star while in Italy.  He was discharged from the Army as a
 Technical Sergeant in July of 1945.
 
 After the war dad drove a transit bus in Dallas for about 6 years. 
 We lived in an apartment building that was converted from a
 military  barracks at Love Field.  Three of his sisters were living in
 California.  They had moved to the L.A. area during the war to work
 in defense plants.  With the urging of his sisters, we moved to
 Manhattan Beach, California in September of 1951.  Dad worked 28
 years for Safeway and retired in January 1980.  Mom and Dad lived
 for  almost ten years in Redondo Beach and seventeen years in Torrance,
 a neighboring city.  After mom retired from McCulloch Motors, they
 moved to a retirement community in Oceanside, CA in 1980.  After
 dad  passed away mom moved to Seal Beach.  Mom passed away at age 72 in
 September 1996.
 
 Dad has three sisters that are still living, Doris Koop, Eva Janet
 Ward and Edwina Fields.  Doris turned 80 in January of this year
 and  lives in Seal Beach, CA.  Jeanette lives near Corsicana, TX. 
 Please note    that Janet Ward has dates written in her bible that may be of
 interest to you.    You may wish to contact her youngest son, Ronnie Ward, for
 additional information. Edwina lives in Muleshoe, TX.

 Eppie has a son, Durwood Chambers, who lives in Granbury, TX. 
 Claudia has a  son, Harold Woodard living in Corsicana.
 
 Take care and thanks.  Unfortunately, for the past 40 years I have
 not had much contact with my Texas relatives.
 
 Thanks again.
 
 Sincerely,
 
 
 Norm Chambers
 Sandy, Utah