John Don Eyre (1891-1926)

John Don “Donnie” Eyre was born January 21, 1891 in either Rapides or Grant County, Louisiana.  He was the son of John S. Eyre and Frances Ann Boggus.  He was raised in Grant County, Louisiana.

Donnie married Martha “Mattie” Lewis around 1908 in Grant County, Louisiana.  He was 17 years old and she was 16 years.  Mattie was born December 14, 1892 in Pollock, Grant County, Louisiana, the daughter of John Thomas Lewis and Martha Elizabeth Tracy. 

After their marriage, the young couple lived with Donnie’s parents in their home in Pollock, Grant County, Louisiana.  Donnie and Mattie had at least five children:

            Julius Peter               born August 12, 1909

            Ruby                         born May 25, 1911

            Daisy  Woodley        born 1913

            Jack Stewart             born July 13, 1920

            Francis Elizabeth     born 1924

Donnie registered for the draft for World War I on June 5, 1917 in Allen County, Louisiana.  He was employed as a farmer for Alexandria Turpentine in Oakdale County, at that time.  Donnie was described as of medium height and build, with blue eyes and brown hair.

Three years later, Donnie and his family were living on 7^th Avenue in Allen County, Louisiana, where he found work as a carpenter.

John Don Eyre died on May 18, 1926 in Alexandria, Rapides County, Louisiana.  He was just 36 years old at his death.  Mattie died two years later.

Martha Lewis Eyre died on March 16, 1928 in Alexandria, Rapides County, Louisiana at the age of 35 years.

After the death of their parents, Donnie’s and Mattie’s children went to live with their grandmother, Fannie Eyre, in Alexandria, Rapides County, Louisiana.

Notes for John Don Eyre

Birth & Death:  FamilySearch.org, Louisiana Deaths, 1850-1875; 1894-1954 for Don John Eyre

Residence in 1910:  Year: 1910; Census Place: Pollock, Grant, Louisiana; Roll: T624_515; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0060; Image: 86; FHL Number: 1374528.

Military, Residence, Occupation & Physical Description in 1917:  Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.

Residence & Occupation in 1920:  Year: 1920; Census Place: Police Jury Ward 5, Allen, Louisiana; Roll: T625_603; Page: 19A; Enumeration District: 22; Image: 1072.

Notes for Martha Lewis

Birth & Death:  FamilySearch.org, Louisiana Deaths, 1850-1875; 1894-1954 for Mattie Eyre