Lee R. Jerry was born in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi on August 12, 1917 to Harrison and Ruby Ryan Jerry.
His father, Harrison Jerry, was born sometime between 1894 and 1898, which are two dates indicated on two separate censuses, showing the poor record keeping at the time. Harrison had completed the fifth grade. He moved to St. Louis around the end of World War I. Here, he worked for a food processing plant, called Swift and Co. By 1930, however, he had moved back to Mississippi.
His mother, Ruby Ryan Jerry, achieved a fourth grade education. Lee had a younger brother, Sammie Jerry, and a younger sister, Callie Mae Jerry Hollinshed, both born in 1921. Lee also lived with his cousin, James Roberts, who was 17 years younger than him. Sammie had completed a sixth grade education by 1940 whereas Callie Mae had achieved a seventh grade education, the highest in the household. Callie Mae Jerry was married to Robert Hollinshed, who was born in about 1924 in Sessums, Mississippi. Interestingly, she divorced with Robert, who lived until 1992, and remarried by 1952. James Roberts had completed a first grade education by 1940. These children's attendance attended school throughout the Great Depression shows that the Jerry family valued education.
His father, Harrison Jerry, was born sometime between 1894 and 1898, which are two dates indicated on two separate censuses, showing the poor record keeping at the time. Harrison had completed the fifth grade. He moved to St. Louis around the end of World War I. Here, he worked for a food processing plant, called Swift and Co. By 1930, however, he had moved back to Mississippi.
His mother, Ruby Ryan Jerry, achieved a fourth grade education. Lee had a younger brother, Sammie Jerry, and a younger sister, Callie Mae Jerry Hollinshed, both born in 1921. Lee also lived with his cousin, James Roberts, who was 17 years younger than him. Sammie had completed a sixth grade education by 1940 whereas Callie Mae had achieved a seventh grade education, the highest in the household. Callie Mae Jerry was married to Robert Hollinshed, who was born in about 1924 in Sessums, Mississippi. Interestingly, she divorced with Robert, who lived until 1992, and remarried by 1952. James Roberts had completed a first grade education by 1940. These children's attendance attended school throughout the Great Depression shows that the Jerry family valued education.