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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE JOHN J. AND SALLY McINNIS FAMILYBy Mrs. Melba McInnis
John J. McInnis was born in Fred, Tyler County, Texas, and his wife, Sallie Blanche Sheffield, was born in Spurger, Texas, same county. John served in France in the United States Army during World War I, and many of his surviving letters from France are still owned by his daughter-in-law, Melba McInnis. During John's early working career, he worked for the Kirby Lumber Company as a logging engineer for the big Kirby sawmill at Call, Texas. John and Sallie were married on January 9, 1921. John and Sallie McInnis moved to Nederland about 1931, and they built their home, where they were to live for the remainder of their lives, at 724 Nederland Avenue at Eighth Street. John McInnis went to work for the old Pure Transportation Company, which at that time was the pipe line and tank farm division of the old Pure Oil Company, now Unocal, at Smith's Bluff refinery. At one time, John McInnis served on the Nederland School Board, but the exact dates are not available. They were the parents of two sons, Maurice and Kenneth, who were both graduates of Nederland High School. Maurice played football for Nederland and was also a member of the band. He graduated from Lamar Junior College's two year program, but soon afterward he entered military service during World War II, serving in the Air Transportation Service Command in both Hawaii and Guam. After his return from military service, Maurice went to work for the Pure Oil Company, Smith's Bluff refinery, where he worked for 36 years as a maintenance foreman. He married Melba Rasberry, a daughter of Pearl and Beulah Rasberry of Nederland, and they became the parents of two daughters, Elaine Johnson of Houston, and Maurine de Villeneuve of Livingston, Texas, and four grandchildren. Illness forced Maurice to retire in 1982, and he eventually had to have one leg amputated. He died on March 10, 1991. Kenneth McInnis married Velma Jean Wallace, daughter of Archie and Ella Wallace of Nederland, and they became the parents of two children, Johnnie McInnis of Beaumont and Jo Lynn McInnis Price of Hawkins, Texas. Kenneth and Velma Jean McInnis also have five grandchildren. John, Sallie, and Maurice McInnis are so fondly recalled and are sorely missed by their surviving children, Maurice's widow Melba, grand children, great grandchildren and a multitude of friends and relatives whose lived they touched.
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