STEPHEN JAMES ROUTON & DESCENDANTS
STEPHEN JAMES ROUTON
BRIEF SUMMARY
The Hon. Stephen James Routon was a Senator from the Twenty-fourth District, composed of Henry and Carroll Counties.
The Nashville Banner pays our Senator a deserved compliment in saying, “the hardest working member of the Senate is Mr. Routon.”
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The 5th child of S.P. and M. C. Routon was born 2-28-1874. His father died the same year he was born. Educated at Bethel College, McKenzie, Tenn. and Rome University in Rome, Ga. He taught school in Florida. He married Pearl Sanders Dec. 12, 1901. He served as deputy Court Clerk to his brother, Q. E. Routon. He was a State Senator.
He died Oct. 2, 1958.
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Stephen James Routon and Pearl Routon had 4 children:
Mary Catherine who married Ray Burton; S. J. , Jr. who married Val Rucker; William Sanders who married Marcia Fremering; and Joseph who married Virginia Rucker.
STEPHEN JAMES ROUTON
(Son of Stephen Palmer Routon and Mary Catherine Haymes Routon)
Born: February 28, 1874 Died: October 2, 1957
From
The Routons of Paris and Henry County, Tennessee
by Stephanie Routon Tayloe
S. J. Routon was born February 28, 1874 at Routon, Tennessee. He was the fifth and last child of Stephen Palmer Routon and Mary Catherine Haymes Routon. He was named Stephen after his father and James after his uncle, Jim Haymes.
One of the stories he told about his childhood was in 1885 there came a big snow. His teacher had offered a prize to the children who did not miss a day at school. He was determined to get that prize. He walked in the deep snow to the school to find it closed. He then walked to the teacher’s house to be sure she knew he had been to the school. He won the prize, a pearl handled knife. His big brother, Quince, won the bigger prize as he married the teacher, Miss Laura Bowden. The old timers used to talk about the big snow of 1885. Another time he and a friend went to town and on returning a blinding snow came upon them. They were riding on the same horse, and they kept each other warm and alive by telling stories. When he was about thirteen he ran away from home. He got a job as a news butch and worked on a riverboat going to New Orleans. Once the riverboat got stuck on the sandbar. The captain ordered the passengers into the main salon where he showed pictures and had my grandfather talk, explaining the pictures, to keep the passengers from panicking. He went to New York with the intention of working his way to Europe. He got a job on a cattle ship, but the odor of the cattle was too much for him, so he left the ship before it sailed out of the New York harbor. He returned home in a year or so and entered Bethel College in McKenzie, Tenn. I have a letter he wrote to his mother explaining a fight or “horseplay”he had had with another boy at the rooming house where furniture was broken in the scrimmage. The letter was an attempt to completely exonerate himself from his mother’s ire.
He attended Rome Business College in Rome, Georgia. Here he took penmanship under a man by the name of Justine, who was 100 years old at the time and had lived in George Washington’s day. My grandfather had the most beautiful handwriting of anyone in Henry County. His older brother was County Court Clerk in the Henry County Courthouse. Daddy Jim was his deputy and the early court books are filled with his beautiful script.
After Rome he went to the St. Augustine, Florida, area where he taught school for a few years. He was one of the ones who put the first house numbers on houses in St. Augustine. He always referred to his time in Florida as the land of the crocks. He said he used to walk to his school and stop on a bridge to watch the crocodiles crawl to sun in the sand. In 1901 he married Pearl Sanders, daughter of Henrietta Sanders.
They had four children.
In 1907 he was elected State Senator representing Henry and Carroll Counties. This was during the administration of Malcom Patterson.
He was knowledgeable about the murder of Senator Carmack
as it had happened while he was in the Senate.
He admired Senator Carmack greatly.
He was instrumental in helping veterans get confederate pensions, also helping widows get pensions. The Nashville Banner paid him the high compliment of calling him “the hardest working man in the senate.”
One of his greatest triumphs was obtaining a pension for a dependent of a renowned black cook who had served in the Confederacy. Long after he left the Senate he continued helping veterans get pensions, earning him the “the friend of the confederate veteran” name.
He entered the real estate business and at one time he owned over thirty rental houses. His wife’s uncle, Tom Walker, was a big help to him in getting started.
He was an intimate friend of Senator Carmack, Gov. Patterson, Gov. James Porter, Gov. Tom Rye, and Gov. Cooper.
I remember him as a kind southern gentleman who tipped his hat to all of the ladies, opened doors for all women and he went to the Caldwell Barbershop, located in the Caldwell Hotel, every morning for his daily shave, shoeshine and collection of the news. He was always vitally interested in current events and the growth of the community. (This interest was mentioned in the newspaper published at his death.) Each morning upon rising he put on a fresh white shirt (done at the laundry) and his necktie and suit. He kept his hat on a rack at the front door and as he got outside the front door he placed his hat on his head and was ready for the day. He was proud and kept his pride.
In 1956 he went to Los Angeles, CA to appear on national TV, the show Ralph Edwards’ “This is Your Life, “ honoring his wife. This was his last train ride. He was always supportive of the railroad industry.
He died Oct. 2, 1957 and is buried in Maplewood Cemetery in Paris, TN. At his funeral the minister, Rev. O. E. Turner read the scripture, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches and loving favors.”
MARY CATHERINE ROUTON BURTON
From
The Routons of Paris and Henry County, Tennessee
by Stephanie Routon Tayloe
Catherine Routon Burton was the oldest child of Stephen James and Arendal Pearl Sanders Routon. She was tall, had dark hair and brown eyes, characteristics of her father’s family. She was twelve years old when her brother William Sanders and Joseph Routon were born. So she grew up essentially as an only child, feeling more like one of the caretakers for her young brothers. She was a graduate of Grove High School, attended Union University where she was SAE Queen and a member of Chi Omega sorority. She graduated from Peabody College in Nashville and earned a Master’s degree from Ames College in Iowa where her thesis became a textbook. She was a Home Ec Major with emphasis in Child Development. She taught at Union University and after moving to Knoxville, TN with her husband, Ray Berry Burton, she taught at the University of TN for several years. She remained an avid supporter of Chi Omega, serving in a national office, and a scholarship was established in her honor at UTK.
She was a very proud person. She had a beautiful home on Hillvale Drive in Knoxville that she furnished with many antiques, some of which she had gotten from her family.
She and her husband adopted a daughter, Betsy Sanders Burton, and two years later they had their own son, Ray Berry, Jr. Her husband was a very successful businessman, being an associate with I. H. Little Co., selling municipal bonds and stocks. She was able to pursue her interests such as activities of Chi Omega, attending conventions regularly, and an avid supporter of UTK. She had her own Packard and fur coat in the depression years. When it was unusual for women to travel in cars without male escorts, she and three of her girlfriends took a tour of the West in a Model T automobile.
After her husband died and her children were grown and on their own, she lived alone in her home on Hillvale for a year, then sold the house to move into an apartment in a security complex where she lived until she suffered a strokethat required special care. She went to a sanitarium in Knoxville where she spent the last years of her life. Her handwriting and mind remained very clear and stable. She became close friends with the girls’ basketball coach at UT and at her funeral she was eulogized by this friend and a Chi Omega representative.
Her three brothers visited her on her ninetieth birthday. She had her hair done and wore a bright dressing gown for the occasion. Her son Ray had died two years earlier and his family lived in New York without close contact with her. Her daughter, Betsy, had moved to Chicago to pursue her own interests, completing her college education and making her own life with her four children on their own. Catherine had a granddaughter in Atlanta, one in Nashville, and one in Memphis, and a grandson who moved to Nashville. She loved the grandchildren and she had five great-grandchildren when she died (no biological descendants).
Catherine had beautiful hands,
that remained beautiful in her advanced age.
She and her husband are buried in Knoxville. She had planned her funeral services that included her brother Joe playing the violin and “Jesus Loves Me” being one of the musical selections.
Her adopted daughter Betsy had three daughters and one son. The oldest was named for Catherine and called “Cathy”. The second was named Cynthia and called “Cindy”. The third was Constance, “Connie” and the son was Michael, “Mike”. Cathy graduated from Vanderbilt and married a young man from Atlanta. They had three daughters. Cindy, a UTK graduate in Art, lived in Nashville and had one son and one daughter. The other two were not married at Catherine’s death.
Her son, Ray, married a girl from New York. They adopted two sons.
MISS VIRGINIA
Mrs. Joe Routon
Lillie Virginia Rucker Routon
Born: February 9, 1922 Died: March 21, 2008
Virginia Rucker Routon was born in Carroll County on February 9, 1922. She was the daughter of the late Rev. Edmund Birten Rucker and Velma Patterson Rucker. Her sister is Val Rucker Routon.
Miss Virginia married her high school sweetheart, Joe Routon, to whom she was married for 60 years. Joe Routon died on July 3, 2003.
The funeral service was held at First Baptist Church in Paris. Rev. Larry Simmons officiated. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery.
She is missed by her four sons - Phil Routon of Paris, Joe Routon of Haddonfield, New Jersey, Bob Routon of Humboldt, and Ed Routon of Nashville - and three daughters - Amy Montgomery of Franklin, Boogle Bradley of Brentwood, and Velma Huggins of Cordova.
She leaves eleven grandchildren - Joey, Susan, Emily and Erich Routon, Grant Montgomery, Carol Routon Manely, Jenny Bradley, Rachel Bradley Crosby, Carrie and Jeremy Huggins and Shanon Huggins Gruchot - and eleven great-grandchildren.
Her pallbearers were her grandsons - Robby, Will, Wesley and Stuart Routon; Andrew and Elliott Montgomery; and her great-nephews - Matt and Josh Routon.
Miss Virginia was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church and a former member of the Paris Lioness Club, where she was named Lioness of the Year.
After graduating from Grove High School and Toler's Business College, she was employed as a fiscal clerk at Camp Tyson during World War II and later with the Paris Special School District. She retired after 20 years as a bookkeeper at First Trust & Savings Bank.
MISS VIRGINIA
Lillie Virginia Rucker Routon
February 9, 1922 - March 21, 2008
Virginia Rucker Routon was born in Carroll County on February 9, 1922. She was 86 when she died. She was the daughter of the late Rev. Edmund Birten Rucker and Velma Patterson Rucker.
Her sister is Val Rucker Routon.
Miss Virginia married her high school sweetheart, Joe Routon, to whom she was married for 60 years. Joe Routon died on July 3, 2003.
The funeral service for Miss Virginia was held at First Baptist Church in Paris. Rev. Larry Simmons officiated.
Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery.
She is missed by her four sons - Phil Routon of Paris, Joe Routon of Haddonfield, New Jersey, Bob Routon of Humboldt, and Ed Routon of Nashville - and three daughters - Amy Montgomery of Franklin, Boogle Bradley of Brentwood, and Velma Huggins of Cordova.
She leaves eleven other grandchildren - Joey, Susan, Emily and Erich Routon, Grant Montgomery, Carol Routon Manley, Jenny Bradley, Rachel Bradley Crosby, Carrie and Jeremy Huggins and Shanon Huggins Gruchot - and eleven great-grandchildren.
Her pallbearers were her grandsons - Robby, Will, Wesley and Stuart Routon; Andrew and Elliott Montgomery; and her great-nephews - Matt and Josh Routon.
Miss Virginia was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church and a former member of the Paris Lioness Club, where she was named Lioness of the Year.
After graduating from Grove High School and Toler's Business College, she was employed as a fiscal clerk at Camp Tyson during World War II and later with the Paris Special School District. She retired after 20 years as a bookkeeper at First Trust & Savings Bank.
Lillie Virginia Rucker Routon
Born: February 9, 1922 in Carroll County
Died: March 21, 2008 at 86 years old
Buried: Maplewood Cemetery
Miss Virginia was the daughter of the late Rev. Edmund Birten Rucker and Velma Patterson Rucker, and the sister of Val Rucker Routon.
She was married to Joe Routon for 60 years - he died July 3, 2003.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church and a former member of
the Paris Lionness Club - she was named Lioness of the Year.
Miss Virginia was a graduate of Grove High School and Toler's Business College. She was employed as a fiscal clerk at Camp Tyson during World War II and later with the Paris Special School District. She retired after 20 years as a bookkeeper at First Trust & Savings Bank.
Her sons are:
Phil Routon of Paris
Joe Routon of Haddonfield, New Jersey
Bob Routon of Humboldt
Ed Routon of Nashville
Her daughters are:
Amy Montgomery of Franklin
Boogle Bradley of Brentwood
Velma Huggins of Cordova
Miss Virginia was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church and a former member of the Paris Lioness Club, where she was named Lioness of the Year.
After graduating from Grove High School and Toler’s Business College,
she was employed as a fiscal clerk at Camp Tyson during World War II
and later with the Paris Special School District. She retired after 20 years as a bookkeeper at First Trust & Savings Bank.