Stories of a World War II Haston Hero - His Haston Family Roots
Lieutenant (later Major) Robert "Bob" Weldon Haston
The following links will be activated, as his stories are posted throughout the “Memorial Month” of May.
A "Memorial Month of May"
During the upcoming Memorial “Month” of May, I want to share some stories with you about an amazing descendant of Daniel Haston–a multifaceted American hero. Bob Haston’s story is so phenomenal I wouldn’t dare try to tell it in one story. So I’m going to try to do some degree of justice to the story by breaking it into five articles, in addition to this introduction to Bob and his place in the Daniel Haston Family. I want to thank Bob & Mary Ann (McGuire) Haston’s daughters, Sheri Haston Baetz and Lynda Haston Britain, as well as grandson Brad Britain, for their help in providing information and resources for these articles. Men like Robert Weldon Haston should make all of us proud to be Americans and part of the wonderful Daniel Haston Family.
Robert (Bob) Haston's Roots in the Daniel Haston FAMILY
August 24, 1821 – James W. Haston, 10th child (sixth son) was born to David and Peggy Roddy Haston on this date. A marriage bond was issued to James W. and Jane Shockley on October 15, 1841, in Van Buren County. John Fleming, a Justice of the Peace of the Peace officiated their wedding on October 21, 1841.[i]
[i] Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Nashville, TN: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm.
According to the 1850 census, James W. Haston (Sr.) was a blacksmith by trade.[i] He died in 1858 in Van Buren County and supposedly was buried in the Big Fork Cemetery but if so the location of his grave there is not known. From what I’ve read, apparently he died when his horse slipped on ice and fell on him.
[i] 1850; Census Place: District 4, Van Buren, Tennessee; Roll: 897; Page: 378B.
October 5, 1846 — David Montgomery Haston, was born in Cummingsville (Haston Big Spring Branch area) of Van Buren County, Tennessee to James W. and Jane Shockley. David Montgomery Haston married Lucinda Evalee/Evaleen Jones on February 4, 1865, in Van Buren County and had 14 children. He passed away on 20 Dec 1933 in Leona, Texas.
May 31, 1870 – Philip Morgan Haston, was born in Van Buren County, Tennessee. On February 4, 1899, he married Sarah Louise Hallmark. Philip Morgan died on February 11, 1939, in Leona, Texas.
June 21, 1890 – Laroy (Roy) Haston, was born in Temple of Bell County, Texas. He married Maggie (Margaret) Ann Day on January 8, 1911. Roy died in that same area on March 5, 1981. Margaret died on January 28, 1976.
Bob Haston's Early Life
As told by his oldest daughter, Lynda Diane Haston Britain
Robert Weldon Haston (known to the family as Bob) was born November 4, 1923, in Waco, Texas to Laroy “Roy” Haston and Margaret Ann Day Haston. He was the youngest child in a family of four children, two brothers and one sister. The oldest child was brother, Raymond followed by his only sister, Maurine, and next oldest brother, James just two years older than Bob. The family were hard working farm folks. Margaret and Roy divorced when Bob was around 5 or 6 years old. The children and Margaret remained in Waco, Texas to stay close to family and Roy moved to his farm near Temple, Texas. Margaret took in laundry and ironing to make ends meet. The boys all went to work at an early age to help during hard economic times. I have been told that at one time or another they all had paper routes with the Waco Herald Tribune. Bob graduated High School and went to a local business school (learning to type, bookkeeping, and various other business skills) before planning to attend college. He wanted to attend Texas A&M.
As a teenager, during his free time after chores and newspaper routes, he read books, sought out neighborhood work, and helped the family with the garden. During the times he visited with his father at the farm in the summer (I think this was in Temple, Texas), his chores included milking the cow, bailing hay, riding horses, fixing fences and various other farm activities to help out. He was a “Jack of all Trades” learning to fix just about anything. He had a good relationship with his siblings, often teasing and joking with all of them. He was fascinated with airplanes and from a very young age expressed an interest in one day flying a plane. Uncle James said Bob was always looking up hoping to see an airplane fly over. (Usually a crop duster.)
And that’s where we’ll pick the story up in the next episode of Bob’s life–the beginning of his military experiences.
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