1894 :: Death of Milton Perry

Rockdale, Tex., Feb. 26. -- Milton Perry, father of Judge J.S. Perry, John, Buck and Pete Perry, died here at his home last night aged 83 years. The deceased came to Texas forty years ago. Most of the time he has lived in Milam county. His wife and four sons survive him. Galveston Daily News, (Galveston, Texas) February 27, 1894

1874 :: Name derived from Rock Prairie

. . . After a pleasant run of three hours over one of the best railroads in the South, at 12 m. we arrive at our destination, the terminus, Rockdale. At first sight of the town the stranger is disappointed; but after a careful survey he is agreeably surprised to find such a live town in the woods. Sixty days ago this place was a post oak forest, and to-day it is a living town of seventy houses, two hotels, one livery stable, depothouse, six restaurants (so-called), one banking-house in contemplation, and stores of all descriptions. Like all terminal towns, the population is a floating one, and as high as two thousand people have been seen on the streets in one day. From good authority, the population of the town is about 1000 to 1500.


It is astonishing with what rapidity this town has sprung up. The first train reached this pace on the third of February last, and now there are four trains daily. The houses are built and [paper damaged] . . . good deal of cotton coming into town, and selling at low figures for want of competition. The lumber trade is an important feature here. There is a great demand for it, and I heard that lumber men have shipped to this point at the rate of . . . a day. There are already two or three brick houses here, . . . . The town derives its name, Rockdale, from Rock Prairie. It is desirably located on a hill. Town lots are the property of the railroad company, and are selling for from $50 to $300 each, and very rapidly, as many strangers are moving in. No postoffice is established as yet, but a petition for one has been sent on.


There is some talk of having a stage line from this point to Austin, a distance of fifty miles. Two newspapers are also spoken of, and there is a large schoolhouse to be completed soon. I find merchants establishing themselves here from Galveston, Bryan, Calvert, Hearne and Cameron. Our friend Dr. Conger, from Bryan, has opened a find stock of drugs here, and I predict will do well. I was pleased to find a desire to obtain the News here, and the citizens are a liberal-minded and reading community. Success attend their efforts at the flourishing town of Rockdale. Galveston Daily News, February 26, 1874

1895 :: Deaf Man Killed by Freight Train

On the 12th of this month J.W. Jackson was run over and killed by a freight train near Minerva. He lived on the road between here and Rockdale. He was deaf and could not hear the approach of the train. He leaves a wife and six children in destitute circumstances. Cameron Herald, February 21, 1895

1880 :: War on Dogs

In the town of Rockdale a war has been opened on dogs and a many a one has bit the dust. Brenham Weekly Banner, February 20, 1880 

1874 :: Rockdale, a flourishing town

The Milam Messenger says: 

"Rockdale, the present terminus of the International Railroad, has already grown to be a live and flourishing town, and in a few weeks will number several thousand inhabitants. We have been informed by contractors and merchants who have purchased lots, that more than fifty large buildings are now under contract. The sound of the hammer is heard from morning until night." Galveston Daily News, February 18, 1874

1889 :: Death of Miss Emma Perry

Rockdale, Tex., Feb. 15. -- The pure and gentle spirit of Miss Emma Perry, only daughter of A.P. Perry, departed from its earthly abode this afternoon. Deceased was a most beautiful and lovable young girl just budding into womanhood and her death from pneumonia contracted not more than a week ago, has saddened the hearts of her many friends and stricken her doting parents with grief almost beyond human endurance. Dallas Morning News, February 16, 1889 

1957 :: Missing Author Found Drowned

Missing Author Found Drowned. Police Say George Sessions Perry Is 'Apparent Suicide' -- Body in River Near Home. Special to The New York Times. 

Madison, Conn., Feb. 13 -- The body of George Sessions Perry was found today in the East River here. The 46-year-old author disappeared two months ago from his home in Guilford, about two miles away. Police Chief Jacob Rickert said Mr. Perry had "apparently committed suicide by drowning." Dr. Susan Spencer, town medical examiner, said there were no marks on the body to indicate violence. The body was found by Edward Lambert, a steel company employe. He had been checking material for a bridge over the river, a narrow tidal inlet of Long Island Sound, at a point a quarter of a mile north of U. S. Route 1. Identification was made by George Heinold, assistant police chief and a close friend of Mr. Perry. An autopsy was ordered.

Clothes Are Missing. The body was unclad except for a pair of socks. When last seen on Dec. 13 at his home on Clapboard Hill, Mr. Perry had worn a tweed jacket, corduroy trousers and heavy shoes. The police believed the body had been imprisoned in heavy ice, which was freed by recent mild weather. Mr. Perry, who was six feet four inches tall, suffered a nervous breakdown a year ago. He had been crippled by arthritis. He was home Dec. 13 when his wife left for a dentist's appointment. When she returned he was missing. The Perry house and the river are separated by woods and salt marshes. The area was scoured by police and volunteers for weeks after the writer's disappearance. Chief Rickert said Mr. Perry apparently had entered the river north of the point where the body was found. The river is the boundary between Madison and Guilford. Mr. Perry, a native of Texas, was known for his "Cities of America" series in the Saturday Evening Post. He wrote several novels and was a World War II correspondent. Mrs. Perry, the former Claire E. Hodges, was in Villanova, Pa. The couple had no children. New York Times, February 14, 1957

1880 :: Accessions to Population

Rockdale has had quite a number of accessions to her population; they are all from Barbour county, Alabama. Brenham Weekly Banner, February 13, 1880 

1945 :: Death of Sid Hudson

J. Sid Hudson, 86, of 4510 Abbott, southwestern branch manager of a shirt and collar manufacturer, before retiring about fifteen years ago, died Monday. He had lived in Dallas about thirty-five years. Hudson was born in Maryland and was brought to Texas as a boy by his parents, settling in Rockdale, Milam County. He was reared in Rockdale and was a member of the Methodist Church there. Before coming here from San Angelo, he traveled Texas and the Southwest as a clothing salesman. Surviving him are his wife, a daughter, Mrs. B.C. Blenton, and granddaughter, all of Dallas, and a brother, Lon Hudson, of Rockdale. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Guardian Funeral Chapel, 2811 Oak Lawn, with Dr. Marshall Steel officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery. Dallas Morning News, February 13, 1945

1950 :: Death of Preston H. Harriss

Preston H. Harriss Succumbs at Rockdale. Rockdale, Texas, Feb. 10. -- Funeral services for Preston H. (Boots) Harriss, 42, who died suddenly Wednesday, were held here Thursday. The Rev. T. Miller Smith officiated. Since a young man he had been associated with lumber and oil interests. He leaves his wife, Mrs. Flora Scheihing Harriss; three children, Johnny, Virginia and Bobby Harriss; two brothers, Lon Harriss of San Antonio and Dr. W.D. Harriss of McKinney; four sisters, Mrs. Bryan Bernard of Austin, Mrs. Buford Hall of California, Mrs. J.C. Oliver of Dallas and Mrs. E.H. Rinn of Rockdale. Dallas Morning News. February 11, 1950.

1909 :: Death of David Brodnax

David Walker Brodnax, an old and highly esteemed citizen of Rockdale, Tex., died there on the 11th of February, 1909, aged sixty-seven years. He was a Virginian by birth, but had lived in Texas since the fifties. He served through the entire war as a member of Company D, 15th Texas Cavalry, Green's Texas Brigade, and his loyalty to the cause for which he fought never wavered. He was interested in the Confederate Reunions, and at the time of his death was Commander of Sam Davis Camp, U.C.V., of Rockdale. Comrade Brodnax was never married, but leaves several brothers and sisters. Confederate Veteran. June 1909. Created by Margie Daniels. Published Monthly in the Interest of Confederate Veterans and Kindred Topics.

1901 :: New Owner of Rockdale Messenger

Taylor Topics. . . . Mr. Howard Willson has removed his family to Rockdale, where he has been since January 1, in charge of his recent purchase, the Rockdale Messenger. Houston Daily Post (Houston, Tex.), Vol. XVIth YEAR, No. 312, Ed. 1, Sunday, February 10, 1901

1881 :: Shipment of Texas Horns

A man at Rockdale has shipped a barrel of horns to Clarksville, Tennessee. Hands working in the tobacco patches in that neighborhood will be called to dinner by the blowing of a Texas horn. Brenham Weekly Banner, February 10, 1881

1924 :: The Diamond Earscrew

Special to The News. Rockdale, Milam Co., Texas, Feb. 6. -- Lost and found for the third time is the history of a diamond earscrew which has just been returned to Mrs. C.F. Drake by little Billye Gaither, who found the missing article on the radiator of the car which conveyed Mrs. Drake to a U.D.C. meeting some three weeks ago, since which time the car has traveled many miles over city and country roads. Although a believer in advertising, Mrs. Drake refused to advertise for the glittering bauble, contending that it would "find itself," which has been the case on two former occasions, being found on the streets of Rockdale last spring and again during the holidays it was found in the family car in Dallas, where it was picked up by her little grandson, with the baby exclamation, "Pretty bead." Dallas Morning News, February 7, 1924

1904 :: Death of Emma Seelke

Rockdale, Tex., Jan. 19. -- Emma Seelke, a German girl, aged 16, was quite seriously burned while engaged in burning off grass in a field in Holtzclaws Bottom, four miles northwest of here. Several persons were at work in the same field with the girl, but before they could reach her and render assistance the greater portion of her clothes were burned from her body. Dallas Morning News, January 20, 1904

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Rockdale, Tex., Feb. 4. -- Emma Seelke, the German girl who was recently burned while engaged in burning off the grass in the Holtzclaw bottom, mention of which was made in The News at the time, died this morning in intense agony. Dallas Morning News, February 6, 1904 

1892 :: Death of Jason Carter

The Rockdale Messenger chronicles the death of Mr. Jason Carter [sic] Wilson aged 88: He was born in Williamson county, Tennessee, Feb. 13, 1804. That country, then was infested with Indians, and he was born and the family often lived while he was a child in a blockhouse for protection. His recollection of those perilous times was vivid to the last. In 1842 in company with the celebrated Kit Carson and a party of about eighty, he went on a hazardous trip across the plains to New Mexico. After many exciting and bloody adventures he found himself in Texas at that early day. He was in California in 1849, and could interest one for hours with personal reminiscences of those days. Ten years before the war his home was at Marshall, Tex. Dallas Morning News, February 2, 1892