Genealogy - A Biography of Jan Junkin written by Sam Junkin

Jan Junkin's life starts where others do, at birth.  She was born June 21, 1939 in Hamilton Alabama.  At age 10, she moved to Mississippi.  Here was the first place they had the luxury of indoor plumbing.  She went to a school that had two classrooms with coal burners as heaters, a study hall, and a lunch room.  While a student, she made it her duty to go to every sporting game. 

In her 8th grade year, the moved to Tuscaloosa.  There they found themselves in a horrible icestorm.  This house in Tuscaloosa had 1 bedroom, a closet, a living room, a kitchen and a dining room, but they had an outhouse. 

They then  moved to Gordo, and for the next 4 years, she remembered loving being in the band.  She married Thomas Junkin in August 11 of 1956.  They lived in Birmingham, and both worked.  On Janettes 19th birthday, she had her first child, Tim Junkin, and in 1958, Tanya was born.  In 1965, Tera was born. 

In 2006, they moved to Cullman and on January 8, 2006 Thomas died.  Then on November 9, 2010 Myrtle, Jan's mother, died. 

My mawmaw was generation 10 of the Davis family from Hezekiah Davis.  William Junkin was board on September 4, 1869 in Gordo, Pickens County Alabama, and died on April 26, 1959.  The Junkin family is from Gordo in Pickens county.  Jody Davis was a family member that was a famous baseball player. 

I've learned about a lot of my family coming out of Pickens county Alabama on the Junkin Side, and also that the Ratcliff side was all from Alabama.  I learned that my great grandmothers line of Davis came out of Georgia primarily, so in conclusion, my family has been in the Southern States and mainly Alabama for many generations.

Post Script from Dad...Troop 354 had a guest speaker on genealogy and both Sam and Davis were working on this merit badge.  In completing his interview, and the subsequent report, Sam has earned the merit badge.  These blogs are my connection to our families stories.  I am so happy to have a record from MawMaw "Let me tell you about my Grandpa" as these stories paint the pictures during a time that we didn't take pictures of every moment...our genealogy is filled with stories that are mostly untold, but even in little snips, they paint a picture of my sweet grandmother marching in a band and cheering at a football game.