Benjamin Franklin Lewallen Sr.
Rick Llewellyn - May 11, 2014
Benjamin Franklin Lewallen Sr.
The Heritage of Morgan County, Tennessee 1817-1999
Benjamin Franklin Lewallen was born in Fentress County Tennessee March 25, 1899 the son of John Granville Lewallen and Cynthia Greer Lewallen. Ben was the third great grandson of Anderson and Lucy Rice Lewallen who were some of the first settlers of Morgan County Tennessee. Ben was an identical twin of Andrew Russell Lewallen. He spent his early years with his parents in Morgan County and Scott County Tennessee. Preacher John Lewallen, Ben's father, was a circuit preacher who relocated to Arkansas and Texas before returning to Scott Tennessee around 1912.
Ben was living in Loudon County Tennessee when he met Mattie Elizabeth Littleton. They were married in Loudon COunty Tennessee December 18, 1920. On September 30, 1921 their only child was born, Benjamin Franklin Lewallen, Jr., in Lenoir City, Loudon County Tennessee. The family relocated from Loudon County to High Point North Carolina in the early 1940s.
Ben Sr. died July 20, 1968 in High Point North Carolina, Mattie Littleton Lewallen died January 1, 1968 in High Point North Carolina.
Ben Lewallen Jr. met and married Maxine H. Durham May 30, 1942 in in High Point NC. She was the daughter of James Richard Durham and Hattie Venable Durham of High Point NC. Ben Jr. and Maxine raised their family in High Point. Ben retired from the High Point Fire Department. Maxine retired from the City of High Point.
During WWII Ben Jr. served in the 8th Air Force, 453rd Bomber Group out of Old Buckenham England as a B-24 Liberator engineer. Ben Jr. and Maxine had two children:
- Wayne Franklin Lewallen, born May 11, 1943 in High Point, NC
- Carol Susan Lewallen born July 18, 1948 in High Point, NC
Wayne F. Lewallen married Linda F. Smith December 6, 1963 in Alamance County NC. Linda is the daughter of William A. Smith and Lucille Coble Smith Surgeon. Wayne and Linda have two children:
- Tammy Lynn Lewallen born December 21, 1964 in Greensboro, Guilford County NC. Tammy married Thomas G. Burlingham September 12, 1987 in CHarlotte, NC., their children are Mandy Mae Burlingham, born March 29, 1990 in Charlotte NC., and Hope ELizabeth Burlingham, born July 20, 1995 inCharlotte, NC.
- Sherry Linda Lewallen, daughter of Wayne and Linda Lewallen was born April 18, 1973 in Charlotte, NC.
Carol Susan Lewallen, daughter of Ben Jr. and Maxine Lewallen married #1 Roger Parris , #2 Michael Edward Wall. Susan and Roger Parris had one child; Bruce Randall Parris, born January 30, 1966 in High Point, NC. Bruce married Lois L. Harrison, Fenruary 27, 1988 in Wilmington, NC. Bruce and Lois have one daughter, Rowan Lois Parris, born March 20, 1996 in Wilmington, NC.
Mandy, Emily and Hope Burlingham and Rowan Parris are the 7th great grandchildren of Anderson and Lucy Rice, who were pioneers of the Lewallen family that settled in Morgan County Tennessee at its formation in 1817.
Submitted by Bruce R. Parris, 90 Roland Court, Burgaw, NC 28425 and researched and compiled by Wayne F. Lewallen, Charlotte, NC