My ancestors, they hail from . . .
the redlands of Texas . . . and the marshes of Maine . . .
the plantations of Georgia . . . and the courts of Spain . . .
and from a hodgepodge of places . . . betwixt and between . . .
P.J. Kirtley, a veteran of the Orphan Brigade, died at Russellville from blood poisoning, caused by a wound received in battle in 1864. Mount Vernon Signal, December 21, 1900
The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 19, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 20, 1935
Cole Springs, June. 17. -- Mr. and Mrs. B. Hickman and children, of Austin, spent the week end with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. F.F. Moore, the occasion being the natal day of Mrs. Emma Muston. Her daughters entertained in her honor Sunday, June 16, at the Muston home.
The date falling upon Father's Day seemed fitting as Mrs. Muston has been both father and mother to her family. She was left a widow by the death of her husband with seven little girls, the youngest a tiny infant. By frugality and perseverance she has reared this family, giving them both school and social advantages. She is one of the fortunate mothers who enjoy the complete devotion of her children as they are constantly planning to make life fuller and sweeter for her. A beautiful cake decorated with fifty three candles, adorned the festal board, which contained an abundance of choice viands.
The children attending were:
- Mrs. Emma Rodgers and children, Audrey, Charlie and Eleane, and
- Mr. and Mrs. Jake Pounder and children,
- Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Jones and baby, of Pleasant Hill,
- Mr. and Mrs. Dean Quinney and children,
- Mr. and Mrs. Bernice Taylor and family, of Lexington, and
- Miss Gladys Muston.
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Beynolds of Houston were unable to attend.
Mrs. Muston's mother, Mrs. M.A. Nettles, a brother, J.A. Nettles, wife and daughter, Carrie Belle of Lexington, and Mr. John Taylor were the other guests who attended.
There is a beautiful Brass which I now give you :
PIETATIS OPUS
This grave (oh griefe) hath swallowed up with wide and open mouth
The body of good Richard Brooke of Whitchurch, Hampton South,
And Elizabeth his wedded wife, twise Twentie years and one.
Sweet Jesus hath their souls in heaven, ye ground flesh, skin and bone.
In Januarie, worne with age, daie sixteneth died hee.
From Christ full fifteene hundred years and more by ninety-three;
But death her twist of life in Maie, daie twentieth did untwine,
From Christ full fifteen hundred years and more by ninety-nine.
They left behind them, well to live and grown to good degree,
First Richard, Thomas, Robert Brooke the youngest of the three;
Elizabeth and Barbara and Dorothee the last
All six the knot of nature, love and kindness, keeping Fast.
This toomstone with the plate thereon, thus graven fair and large
Did Robert Brooke, the youngest sonne, make of his proper charge.
A citizen of London State by faithful service Free,
Of Marchant great Adventurers a brother sworne was hee;
And of the Indian Companie, come gain or loss or lim
And of the Goldsmith liverie, All these God gifte to him
This monument of memorie in love performed hee
December thirtie-one from Christ, Sixteen hundred and Three.
Anno Domini, 1603 --
Laus Deo.
The Rockdale Reporter
December 8, 1955
Mrs. Edgar Henry dies Tuesday at home here
Mrs. Edgar Henry, 82, died at her home here Tuesday morning after an extended illness.
In September she had an accident that left her with a broken hip for which she underwent surgery. Later due to shock and other complications of her system she became bedridden and the long illness followed.
Mrs. Henry, as Berta Mary Sharp, was born in Houston county, Texas on November 10, 1873, the daughter of Sam and Nellie Lamar [sic] Sharp. She married Edgar Henry and had lived in and near Rockdale for approximately sixty-one years [sic], having in that time formed many close friendships. Her husband preceded her in death June 26, 1950.
Mrs. Henry was a member of the Baptist church.
Funeral services were conducted Wednesday at 2 p.m. from the Chapel of Phillips and Luckey Funeral Home. The officiating ministers were the Rev. M.M. Fulmer of First Baptist church and Rev. Graham Pugh of First Christian church.
Burial was made at Oak Lawn cemetery with six of the grandsons serving as pallbearers.
The survivors are the following six children: George Henry, Mrs. Ruby Christian, Oscar Henry of Rockdale, Milton and Robert Henry of Sinton, Mrs. Nellie Peebles of Lexington; 18 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and a sister, Mrs. Ida Halyard of Crockett, Texas. A son, Frank Henry, died here on July 8, 1952.
Accident - Mrs. W. P. Henry who has lived on the Cameron road, 3-miles from Rockdale for over 20-years left her son’s home on the Dr. A.C. Isaacs farm, about 3-miles beyond her home, to come home and as was her habit, she pushed her buggy animal, a gray mare that she has driven for several years, into a lope.
She drove over the hill at the home of George Banzhaf and turning down the hill, Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Bradly were going from Rockdale to their home beyond Minerva in a light spring wagon, seeing the vehicle coming down the hill near them, pulled their team, a pair of young mules, to one side to give the road, but before the left wheel had cleared the track to the right fore wheel of Mrs. Henry’s buggy struck the hub of the wagon wheel and smashed it.
The woman had probably never seen the wagon or saw it too late to stop, and she was pitched foremost and fell with her head between the left fore wheel of the buggy and shafts and was so held that her hair was wound around the buggy hub and spindle and she was held there until some young man, met the buggy at the gate near the old Ferguson place, more than a half-mile this side of where the accident occurred.
She was dead when found as her neck was broken. She was buried at the Pleasant Grove cemetery Sunday evening. She leaves a husband and five grown children, three sons and two daughters, all married. Brother Henry does not blame the drivers of the wagon for the accident but thinks they should have ascertained the results before driving home.
