james paul “j.p. ‘skinny’” eubanks
1910-2003
Life Story
Early Life and Family Roots
James Paul Eubanks, known throughout Scott County as “J.P.” and affectionately nicknamed “Skinny,” was born in late August 1910 in Forest, Scott County, Mississippi. He was the son of Sylvester Eubanks and Stella Eubanks.
Growing up in rural Scott County during the early twentieth century, James was raised alongside his siblings Archie, Ora, Edna, and Claude. Like many young African Americans of his generation, he came of age in a close-knit farming community where family, faith, and hard work shaped daily life. He completed eight years of elementary education, an accomplishment that prepared him for work beyond the family farm.
By the time of the 1930 United States Census, twenty-year-old James was employed as a delivery boy for a local grocery store, demonstrating the strong work ethic that would characterize his life and career.
A Lifelong Career in Automotive Service
During the late 1930s and early 1940s, James entered the growing automotive industry, a profession that would define the remainder of his working life.
When he registered for the World War II draft on October 16, 1940, he listed his employer as Central Chevrolet Company in Forest, Mississippi. As automobiles became increasingly essential to everyday life, skilled mechanics like James played an indispensable role in keeping farmers, families, and businesses on the road.
The 1950 United States Census records him employed full time as an automobile mechanic, reflecting the expertise he had developed through years of experience.
In later decades, “Skinny” Eubanks became a familiar and trusted figure at Lee-Gray Chevrolet Company on Highway 80 in Forest. For generations of Scott County residents, he was the mechanic they came to know and depend upon. His reputation for skilled workmanship and dependable service made him one of the best-known automotive professionals in the community.
Marriage and Family
James married Mildred Eubanks during the late 1930s or early 1940s. Together they established their home on East Third Street in Forest, where they raised a family that included:
- James E. Eubanks
- Stella L. Eubanks Smith
- Sylvester Eubanks
- Kay Eubanks
- Margaret Eubanks Brown
Following Mildred’s death, James later married Annie Laura Collier Johnson Eubanks, a native of the Lawrence community in neighboring Newton County. Annie Laura was a faithful member of Jerusalem Baptist Church, where she remained active until her death in July 1985.
Their marriage joined two families with longstanding roots in Scott and Newton Counties, strengthening ties between neighboring communities that had shared generations of family, faith, and friendship.
A Respected Member of the Forest Community
For more than six decades, J.P. Eubanks was woven into the everyday life of Forest. While many knew him through his work repairing automobiles, others knew him simply as “Skinny,” a familiar face whose quiet professionalism earned the confidence and respect of customers throughout Scott County.
His career spanned an era of tremendous technological and social change. From the early days of Depression-era automobiles through the modern automotive age, he adapted his skills while remaining committed to serving his hometown.
Following his death, a local newspaper tribute remembered J.P. as more than an accomplished mechanic. It described him as “a committed community leader” who “worked for the betterment of our community.” Those words reflect the high regard in which he was held and suggest that his influence extended well beyond the garage where he spent much of his working life.
Passing and Legacy
James Paul “J.P.” “Skinny” Eubanks passed away at his home in Forest, Mississippi, on October 25, 2003, at the age of 93.
Memorial services were held on November 1, 2003, at Concord Baptist Church, with funeral arrangements entrusted to Holifield Funeral Home. He was laid to rest at Lovelady Cemetery in Forest, Scott County, Mississippi.
Although he spent most of his life repairing automobiles, J.P.’s legacy extended far beyond his profession. He belonged to a generation of skilled African American tradesmen whose craftsmanship, dependability, and quiet leadership helped sustain their communities throughout the twentieth century.
Remembered as both a respected mechanic and a man devoted to the betterment of his hometown, James Paul “J.P.” “Skinny” Eubanks left an enduring legacy of hard work, integrity, and community service. His life stands as a testament to the countless individuals whose daily labor and steadfast character strengthened small-town Mississippi for generations.
Resting Place
Lovelady Cemetery, Forest, Scott County, Mississippi
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1920 U.S. Census, Scott County, Mississippi, enumeration district ___, sheet ___, Sylvester Eubanks household.
- 1930 U.S. Census, Scott County, Mississippi, enumeration district ___, sheet ___, James Paul Eubanks, occupation listed as grocery delivery boy.
- U.S. Selective Service System, World War II Draft Registration Card, James Paul Eubanks, October 16, 1940, Scott County, Mississippi; employer listed as Central Chevrolet Company.
- 1950 U.S. Census, Scott County, Mississippi, enumeration district ___, sheet ___, James Paul Eubanks household, occupation: automobile mechanic.
- Scott County Times (Forest, Mississippi), advertisements and business notices, various issues during the 1960s, identifying J.P. “Skinny” Eubanks as a mechanic employed by Lee-Gray Chevrolet Company.
- Scott County Times (Forest, Mississippi), October 29, 2003, community column, noting the death of J.P. (Skinny) Eubanks and remembering him as “a committed community leader” who “worked for the betterment of our community.”
- James Paul “J.P. ‘Skinny’” Eubanks obituary, Scott County Times (Forest, Mississippi), October–November 2003, announcing his death on October 25, 2003, memorial service at Concord Baptist Church, and burial at Lovelady Cemetery.
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