John W. Vann: the man who officiated the marriage of J.C.W. Ingram and Sarah Alice Chandler

My great grandparents J.C.W. Ingram and Sarah Alice Chandler were married in Kerr County, Texas on January 25, 1890.  The officiant was a man name John W. Vann.  His story is not common.  I thought my children or grandchildren might want to learn more about him so I’m leaving them some “bread crumbs”.  Here is a brief sketch I found on Find A Grave.

Birth: Mar. 19, 1860 Plum Fayette County Texas, USA Death: Jun. 21, 1943 San Antonio Bexar County Texas, USA Kerr County, Texas 1856-1976 page 232 “John W. Vann, is the eldest child of Margaret and W.W. Vann. He received his early education at Tatum’s schoolhouse in Center Point. He and Miss Blanche Weston were married before he was 21 years old. In 1890 he was elected Commissioner of Precinct No. 4 in Kerr County and served as deputy sheriff under Capt. Frank Moore. In 1892 he was elected sheriff and Tax Collector of Kerr County resigning during his sixth term to accept the position of Deputy U.S. Marshall. While sheriff of Kerr County he was twice elected president of the Sheriff’s Association of Texas. He served as Deputy Marshall under Wm. H. Hanson at Houston and Eugene Nolte at San Antonio. Mr. Vann was appointed Collector of Customs by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1909, and stationed at Brownsville. Later he was transferred to the Department of Justice where he served as an investigator of peonage in Alabama, Florida and Texas and is still in government service there. Mr. and Mrs. Vann reared four children at the old home place north of town. Walter, Stewart, Mrs. Amy Wallace and Charles.”Book D Kerr Co, District Court July 3, 1911 Blanche Vann vs John Vann …….It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed by the court that the bonds of matrimony existing between the plaintiff Blanche Vann and the defendant John W. Vann be and are hereby dissolved and annulled and the plaintiff Blanche Vann divorced from the defendant John W. Vann. It is further ordered and decreed by the Court that the defendant pay all costs in this behalf expended for all of which let execution issue.January 10, 1920 Kerr Co, TX Vann, Mrs. Blanche age 56 divorced b. TX dressmakerJanuary 28, 1920 San Antonio, Bexar Co, TX Vann, John W. age 60 b. TX special agent-railroad Vann, Maud A. (wife) age 33 b. EnglandApril 7, 1930 St. Anthony Hotel, San Antonio Bexar Co, TX Vann, John W. age 70 divorced b. TX deputy marshall-govt service”Family links: Parents: Wilson Wade Vann (1835 – 1906) Margaret Laduska Bishop Vann (1839 – 1924) Siblings: John William Vann (1860 – 1943) Mary Ann Vann Burney (1862 – 1950)* Murray Wilson Vann (1864 – 1918)* Josephine Ellen Vann Caldwell (1872 – 1943)* Etta Vann Wright (1872 – 1961)* Thomas S. Vann (1875 – 1950)* Maggie Mae Vann Brown (1878 – 1950)* Edna Blanche Vann Spruill (1880 – 1962)* Bishop Lafayette Vann (1883 – 1958)* *Calculated relationship Burial: San Jose Burial Park San Antonio Bexar County Texas, USA Created by: Cathy Morgan Record added: Aug 26, 2011 Find A Grave Memorial# 75504519

I am grateful to Find A Grave, Cathy Morgan and others who have contributed to this memorial.  I’m also indebted to the West Kerr Current and especially Irene Van Winkle for the photo of John W. Vann and family.  This is how he would have appeared at about the time of my great-grandparents’ wedding.