J.W. was the third child born to Pearl (nee Goodson) and Thomas William Connolly. In his early years, he was nicknamed "Short-horse" by his uncle, Alex Goodson; this eventually evolved into "Shorty" and thus he was known. He used to help his Uncle Alex drill water wells in the area around Deanville, using a mule, walking round and round.
He had some anxious times as a youngster. At age 6, he fell off and beneath a moving wagon. Fortunately, he was wearing a cap which caused the wheel to slide off and prevented his skull from being crushed.
He and his brother, Bill Connolly, played high school baseball for Deanville. He met his future wife, Hattie Skopek, a student at Hogg School in Caldwell, at a baseball game between these schools. After the game, he walked her home, the courtship continued, and they married, and had one son, James Wilburn Connally, Jr. The family moved to Houston, and Shorty was employed as a truck driver for Sanitary Farms Dairy, and later, Admiration Coffee.
During WWII, he served in the U.S. Army, 315th Infantry, rank of Tech-4. He drove a heavy 4-ton semi-trailer truck, hauling all types of rations from a base depot to the active front, driving under fire and on all types of roads and highways, nights and days. He also inspected, serviced and made minor repairs and adjustments to his vehicles.
He received five Bronze Stars for five battle campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe; the Good Conduct Medal, and the Victory Medal. In 1945, after the war, he returned to Houston, and was employed by Wm. Cameron Company, (later Certain-Teed Products Corp.) and delivered building materials all over Texas. The payroll department continually misspelled his name, so he eventually changed the spelling from "Connolly" to "Connally".
He was very affable, and well liked by all on his delivery route. His hobbies included: collecting advertising ballpoint pens; spending the weekends at his BBQ pit and entertaining family and friends; raising doves, and being with his much-loved grandchildren.
He had some anxious times as a youngster. At age 6, he fell off and beneath a moving wagon. Fortunately, he was wearing a cap which caused the wheel to slide off and prevented his skull from being crushed.
He and his brother, Bill Connolly, played high school baseball for Deanville. He met his future wife, Hattie Skopek, a student at Hogg School in Caldwell, at a baseball game between these schools. After the game, he walked her home, the courtship continued, and they married, and had one son, James Wilburn Connally, Jr. The family moved to Houston, and Shorty was employed as a truck driver for Sanitary Farms Dairy, and later, Admiration Coffee.
During WWII, he served in the U.S. Army, 315th Infantry, rank of Tech-4. He drove a heavy 4-ton semi-trailer truck, hauling all types of rations from a base depot to the active front, driving under fire and on all types of roads and highways, nights and days. He also inspected, serviced and made minor repairs and adjustments to his vehicles.
He received five Bronze Stars for five battle campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe; the Good Conduct Medal, and the Victory Medal. In 1945, after the war, he returned to Houston, and was employed by Wm. Cameron Company, (later Certain-Teed Products Corp.) and delivered building materials all over Texas. The payroll department continually misspelled his name, so he eventually changed the spelling from "Connolly" to "Connally".
He was very affable, and well liked by all on his delivery route. His hobbies included: collecting advertising ballpoint pens; spending the weekends at his BBQ pit and entertaining family and friends; raising doves, and being with his much-loved grandchildren.
J.W. was the third child born to Pearl (nee Goodson) and Thomas William Connolly. In his early years, he was nicknamed "Short-horse" by his uncle, Alex Goodson; this eventually evolved into "Shorty" and thus he was known. He used to help his Uncle Alex drill water wells in the area around Deanville, using a mule, walking round and round.
He had some anxious times as a youngster. At age 6, he fell off and beneath a moving wagon. Fortunately, he was wearing a cap which caused the wheel to slide off and prevented his skull from being crushed.
He and his brother, Bill Connolly, played high school baseball for Deanville. He met his future wife, Hattie Skopek, a student at Hogg School in Caldwell, at a baseball game between these schools. After the game, he walked her home, the courtship continued, and they married, and had one son, James Wilburn Connally, Jr. The family moved to Houston, and Shorty was employed as a truck driver for Sanitary Farms Dairy, and later, Admiration Coffee.
During WWII, he served in the U.S. Army, 315th Infantry, rank of Tech-4. He drove a heavy 4-ton semi-trailer truck, hauling all types of rations from a base depot to the active front, driving under fire and on all types of roads and highways, nights and days. He also inspected, serviced and made minor repairs and adjustments to his vehicles.
He received five Bronze Stars for five battle campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe; the Good Conduct Medal, and the Victory Medal. In 1945, after the war, he returned to Houston, and was employed by Wm. Cameron Company, (later Certain-Teed Products Corp.) and delivered building materials all over Texas. The payroll department continually misspelled his name, so he eventually changed the spelling from "Connolly" to "Connally".
He was very affable, and well liked by all on his delivery route. His hobbies included: collecting advertising ballpoint pens; spending the weekends at his BBQ pit and entertaining family and friends; raising doves, and being with his much-loved grandchildren.
He had some anxious times as a youngster. At age 6, he fell off and beneath a moving wagon. Fortunately, he was wearing a cap which caused the wheel to slide off and prevented his skull from being crushed.
He and his brother, Bill Connolly, played high school baseball for Deanville. He met his future wife, Hattie Skopek, a student at Hogg School in Caldwell, at a baseball game between these schools. After the game, he walked her home, the courtship continued, and they married, and had one son, James Wilburn Connally, Jr. The family moved to Houston, and Shorty was employed as a truck driver for Sanitary Farms Dairy, and later, Admiration Coffee.
During WWII, he served in the U.S. Army, 315th Infantry, rank of Tech-4. He drove a heavy 4-ton semi-trailer truck, hauling all types of rations from a base depot to the active front, driving under fire and on all types of roads and highways, nights and days. He also inspected, serviced and made minor repairs and adjustments to his vehicles.
He received five Bronze Stars for five battle campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe; the Good Conduct Medal, and the Victory Medal. In 1945, after the war, he returned to Houston, and was employed by Wm. Cameron Company, (later Certain-Teed Products Corp.) and delivered building materials all over Texas. The payroll department continually misspelled his name, so he eventually changed the spelling from "Connolly" to "Connally".
He was very affable, and well liked by all on his delivery route. His hobbies included: collecting advertising ballpoint pens; spending the weekends at his BBQ pit and entertaining family and friends; raising doves, and being with his much-loved grandchildren.
