Lee Roy Browder

The very first thing that must be noted here is that, contrary to what others have posted, his name was Lee Roy Browder. He did NOT have a first name of William. NO record shows such a name for him. And if he had that first name, my grandparents would have told me.
Lee Roy Browder was born on April 17, 1856 in McNairy County, Tennessee, very likely in the John Browder home at Oxford Creek. He was the first Browder in my direct line to be born in McNairy County, Tennessee. He married Arminta Ruth Jopling in 1878.
Lee Roy Browder married Arminta Jopling when he was 21 years of age. It seems reasonable that, since he would have been considered to have been an adult by that time, he might have received property from his father, John Browder, at that time in 1878. John probably divided his property among his children well prior to his own death since there is no actual record of this. The new Democratic ideal that all children should share whatever was left equally seems to have been in play here. So, like his father, Richard, john would have divided his property among his descendants more or less equally.

Lee and Minter settled on Crooked Creek near Lawton later in life. Many members of the Browder family moved to, or near, Lawton during this time and it was the closest town to the original Richard Browder lands there. There were eventually so many Browders residing at Lawton that it by this time had come to be nicknamed “Browdertown.”

Lee was a cotton farmer, hunter and mechanic. He especially loved to hunt squirrels. He is also known to have produced water melons.

Lee and Minter Browder became members of Prospect Baptist Church, which was established by Dave Redmond in 1852/54, after they married. In fact, Lee probably attended this church growing up also. During the time that they were members of this church it was still a log structure. They ceased to attend Prospect Church after the new structure was built, which was partially standing until the 1980’s, during which time it burned down. The earliest records are missing.

After they left Prospect, the family attended the Clear Creek Baptist Church, having moved to Lawton. The particular Clear Creek Church building in which they attended was the one built in 1901 on land donated by Dr. Henry C. Sanders, now known as the “old church” (but which was not the original). They are also known to have attended Union Grove Methodist Church and Bethesda Presbyterian Church on occasion.

It was said by Frank and Esther Browder that to church Lee always wore black pants and a black wide rimmed hat and that Minter, like most other women, wore a long black dress and a white bonnet. Virgie Etheridge also recalled seeing Lee Roy and his big black hat at church.

Lee Roy Browder served as bondsman for the marriage of Marcus L. Sanders to Almira S. Hockaday on January 11, 1877. David Horn, Justice of the Peace, officiated. This was about a year prior to Lee’s own marriage to Arminta Jopling.

Lee and Minter were well known for their great sense of humor. Lee especially loved to tell jokes and to sing songs such as “The Blue Tail Fly.” In fact, as Lee was growing up he was called nicknames which exemplified the fact that he loved to play tricks on others and joke around, and because he was rowdy. His teachers would get his attention by calling him “Lee Roy Tiger Bill!” As he grew older he would love to sing to little children, but he is said to have not really been much of a singer. Minter loved to quilt. Upon her death her many, many quilts were divided among her children.

Lee is also known to have attended school at Browder Schoolhouse as a boy. My grandparents told me this. In fact, it seems obvious that all of the early Browder children attended Browder’s School. Perhaps it was the closest school to all of the early Browder families. There is little doubt that Lee Roy’s own father, John Browder, would have likely been one of his teachers.

On November 5, 1891 Lee and Arminta Browder were deeded about 100 acres of land which was the former John S. Jopling property, by other relatives. Then, in 1893, Lee Roy Browder received one-sixth interest in the land of his father, John Browder, which he immediately transferred to Thomas R. Sanders (McNairy County Miscellaneous Records, p. 60). In 1895, during John Browder’s estate settlement, Lee also received the following items; one wash kettle, one bay mare, some corn, one double-barrel muzzle load shotgun, and $17.50 for previous work cutting a ditch, all totaling in value $63.90. Lee obviously did not receive much, indicating that, in all likelihood, he had been given some of John’s property prior to John’s death, but records have not been found concerning this.

Lee and Minter Browder also inherited two-thirds divided interest in the property of Minter’s mother, Sylvia Jopling, in 1907. And Minter inherited the Jopling home place as part of this property. Lee and Minter initially purchased the rest of the Jopling family property from the other siblings. So, the Jopling family property was divided in this manner among two siblings. They later sold most of this property to Minter’s brother, Virgil Andrew Jopling, and his wife, Florence L. Jopling, on December 1, 1910.

During his later years Lee Roy Browder came to be called “Pap” by his descendants and still later as “Big Pap”, just as John Browder had also been (and John was called “Big Pap” after Lee began to be called “Pap”). Minter came to be called “Ma Minter.”

About 1937, after Minter died and after Delia, their daughter, continued to reside in the house on her own for a while, Oliver and Fons, Executors of Lee’s estate, sold that property and divided the proceeds equally between themselves and their other siblings. This home is known to have burned down, presumably shortly before they sold the property. It is said that many photographs of the Lee Browder and related families were in the home when it burned. Luckily some have, in fact, survived as they were in Delia’s possession later in her home at Lawton. Delia gave some away in her old age, but it is unknown to whom she gave them. Still, other family members had family photographs, which survive.

Lee Browder chewed tobacco practically all his life and this caused him to eventually contract mouth cancer. During his final days he had become unable to eat because of this cancer, so it is said that his son, Fons, and his grandson, Frank, would buy canned oysters from the store for him as this is all he could swallow. It is known that he was sick for some time, but especially beginning in February of 1936. His death certificate states that he died of carcinoma of the lower lip. He was buried on May 19, 1936. the undertaker was R. B. Gooch of Selmer, Tennessee.

Funeral records confirm that Lee Roy’s father was John Browder and that his mother was Delia Martin. They also confirm that Arminta’s father was “Frank” Jopling and that her mother was Sylvia Luttrell (Brown 11). Both Lee Browder and Arminta Browder died at home and are buriend in Prospect cemetery in McNairy County, Tennessee.

From The Tennessean; Thursday; Page 7:
"Selmer, Tenn. May 20 – Funeral services for Lee Browder, 80, who died at his home Monday night, were held at the Union Grove Methodist Episcopal church yesterday afternoon conducted by the Rev. J. W. Maxedon of this city. Burial was in the family plot. Survivors are his wife, Mrs. Minnie Jopling Browder; two sons, Oliver Browder and Faun [Fons] Browder, and two daughters, Mrs. Al Lumpkins and Miss Deliah Browder."

The children of Lee and Minter Browder were Cornelia “Nelia” (February 12, 1879-November 23, 1923), Oliver Darius “Darris” (October 20, 1881-June 20, 1960), Alfonza “Fons” (December 1, 1883-November 27, 1948), Virgie (June 23, 1889-July 9, 1889), Wilma Elsie “Willie/Willou” (December 9, 1891-1977) and Cordelia “Delia” Frances “Shucks” (August 1, 1895-1987).