1892 :: Judge Walker's Funeral

The Galveston Daily News. Tuesday, May 31, 1892. MORTUARY. Judge Walker's Funeral. Rockdale, Tex., May 30. -- The remains of Judge Richard S. Walker arrived here Saturday from Cincinnati, O., on the 12 m. express in charge of his son, Dr. A.C. Walker, and were buried at 4 p.m. in Rockdale city cemetery by the side of his wife's grave. The body was followed to the grave by a large concourse of citizens in carriages. The funeral exercises were performed by Rev. W.E. Copeland, assisted by Rev. B.B. Baxter, Sr. His son, John C. Walker, of Galveston is here. [Click HERE to visit his findagrave memorial page.]

1924 :: Rev. W.E. Copeland Dies in Rockdale

Dallas Morning News. May 25, 1924. Page Four. Rev. W.E. Copeland Dies in Rockdale. 

Special to The News. Rockdale, Texas, May 24. -- The Rev. W.E. Copeland, 85 years old, died at 8 o'clock Friday night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. C.K. Stribling of this city. Dr. Copeland was a veteran of the war between the States, losing a leg in the battle of Gaines Mill, Virginia. He served as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church here for more than forty years. He was a member of Hood's Texas Brigade and life chaplain of the organization. He was a native of Scotland and was educated at Edinburgh University, coming to America when a very young man. Dr. Copeland is survived by three sons, Robert, John and James Copeland, and one daughter, Mrs. Stribling. Funeral services will be held at the Presbyterian Church and burial will take place Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock.

1899 :: Death of Dr. Stephen Colquitt Cawthon

The Rockdale Messenger, Thur., May 18, 1899. Death - After a long and lingering affliction, Dr. Stephen Colquitt Cawthon died Monday evening at 3 p.m., at the home of his father-in-law, J.R. Rowland on Burleson St. The doctor's oldest sister, Miss Mary had been with him for several months and his youngest sister, Miss Missouri of DeFuniak Springs, FL arrived that morning and was with her brother just 5-hours before his death. Mrs. Alice Lee of Waxahachie came in on the morning of the 16th to attend the funeral. He leaves a wife and sisters. The funeral was Tuesday evening at 4:30 p.m., after which the Woodsmen of the World took charge and interred the remains in the city cemetery.

1896 :: The Cozy Corner

Dallas Morning News. May 10, 1896. The Cozy Corner. 

RUSH WITCHER, Rockdale, Milam Co., Tex. -- Mr. Big Hat and cousins: I have been reading the Cozy Corner and think it very interesting. I live eight miles from Rockdale, in the black land. I have not been in Texas long. My home is in Mississippi. My brother, myself and a friend are "keeping batch." We do our own cooking. We hunt and fish some and live very happy. But we are not old bachelors. We do not aim to keep batch always. My friend is a subscriber to your paper. I like it very much. My age is 17 years.


ANNIE LAURA BLOCKER, Rockdale, Milam Co., Tex. -- Mr. Big Hat and cousins: It has been a long time since I wrote. It has been raining for three days and I have to stay in out of the mud. Our school closed the 27th day of March, and I was so sorry. I think Mr. Big Hat is so kind to give the cousins a whole page. My papa takes The News and he says he can't do without it. I have got a little pig and his name is Joe. I hope Peggy is sick when my letter arrives. I help mama do the housework. I will answer Fannie Chernosky's riddle. It is a watermelon. My age is 8 years.

1908 :: Moving Picture Outfit For Sale

Dallas Morning News. May 5, 1908. FOR SALE. -- First-class, complete moving picture outfit, now in operation at Rockdale, Tex. Good chance for right man. Box 41. Rockdale, Tex.

1910 :: Birth of G.S. Perry

One hundred and one years ago today . . . on the 5th day of May . . . in the year 1910 . . . a baby boy is born in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas . . . he would later write of his own birth as follows . . .

Then, in the third year of this tripartite union of Andrew Perry and Laura Van de Venter and Maie Van de Venter, an event occurred which the local press, with its usual carelessness, probably described as "blessed." At eleven o'clock on the morning of May 5, 1910, a son was born, red and squalling. The parents, wishing to commemorate Granny's late husband and also to honor an old friend, Dr. Sessions, named this strident, wriggling little creature, who would henceforth participate in the already adequate pandemonium of the household, George Sessions Perry.

As in the case of all other family offices that appeared to Granny either important or interesting, she immediately took over the management of this new member. She washed it, fed it lukewarm malted milk, and talked to it so constantly that the tiny brain, unable to effect other means of escape, simply succumbed to merciful sleep. At other times, fed and wanting diversion, the baby clutched its empty nursing bottle and sent it sailing at its Granny's head.

By 1912, after interminable sieges of colic and a few spasms induced by eating banana skins, the baby began to have a little smudge of personality of its own. And as this personality took shape, so did the struggle between it and its Granny Van for the control and direction of its existence.

From My Granny Van, The Running Battle of Rockdale, Texas by George Sessions Perry . . .