L. Varner Stinson of Oklahoma

The grandfather of L. VARNER STINSON was Judge DAVID STINSON** of Shilo, Hunt County, Texas. DAVID STINSON appears on page 108, of  "So Obscure A Person” where his lineage can be documented back to ALEXANDER STINSON of Colonial Virginia.

A biography of L. VARNER STINSON appears in A Standard History of Oklahoma by Joseph B. Thoburn, 1916, Volume IV.

The Oklahoma Legislature of 1915 passed a law providing a method by which public highways might be constructed in every county in the state. ... In Bryan County, where only 42 per cent of the lands are taxable, road work began in earnest in 1915, when the county commissioners designated County Surveyor L. VARNER STINSON as county engineer. From 10 per cent to 15 per cent of the highway built in a county are designated as state highways and one-half the expense of construction is borne by the state, while the county engineer makes the necessary surveys, drawings, plats, specifications, etc.

L. VARNER STINSON was well qualified for the work of county engineer, being a graduate in civil engineering from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas and having had several years of experience in field work. Another qualification lay in the fact that he had for eight years been surveyor of the county, being the only man to fill that office since statehood. During those eight years he had been the commissioners’ engineer in the construction of all highways, bridges and other work of an engineering nature.

MR. STINSON was born at Campbell, Hunt County, Texas, September 27, 1880, and is a son of A. W. D. and IDA (EILAND) STINSON. His father, a native of Texas, is now sixty-seven years of age, but is still actively engaged in the real estate business at Durant, Oklahoma, where he is a member of the city council and a leading and influential citizen. His grandfather** was a lawyer and jurist of more than local note for many years in East Texas.

Louisa Stinson's Six Sons

The Mystery of Mary Louisa STINSON

Mother "Luisia STINSON" first appears on the 1860 census at Buckingham Courthouse, Virginia, as a seamstress and implied single mother with four young sons, Robert STINSON, Samuel STINSON, Charles M. STINSON and James STINSON. On marriage documents, the two older of these sons later gave their father as Thomas STINSON.  On the birth record of her son Charles STINSON, only his mother, Louisa STINSON, was recorded. It appears that Louisa or Mary Louisa STINSON was never married to Thomas STINSON or anyone else, because she was always described as "Single" in lieu of "Widowed" or "Married" in the census records. Her two youngest children, John STINSON (born about 1862) and Edward STINSON, appear as her sons on succeeding censuses. Edward M. STINSON was born in Virginia in September 1871, and in 1896, he married Eva who was born December 1872, in Virginia. When Edward died in 1942, his father was recorded as David Stinson of Buckingham County. In 1910, Buckingham County, Virginia, "Mother Mary L. STINSON" was living in the household of her son John STINSON and his family. Mary Louisa was not with him in 1920.

A Louisa STINSON appears with her STINSON parents on page 101, of "So Obscure A Person” descended from Alexander STINSON of Buckingham County, Virginia.

This post is updated from 6/15/2014 because of discoveries of new information.