1901 :: Death of Mrs. Katie Wise

Rockdale, Texas, November 15. -- Mrs. Katie Wise, wife of Arthur A. Wise, the latter a popular salesman in the employ of Scarbrough & Hicks here, died this morning at 5 o'clock of pneumonia. Deceased was a native of Georgia. She was a most excellent lady, and besides her husband, leaves four small children to mourn her loss. Houston Daily Post, November 17, 1901

1896 :: Death of F.W. Queensberry

Rockdale, Tex., Nov. 14. -- The gravel train on the International and Great Northern was wrecked three miles north of Rockdale. F.W. Queensberry was killed, Conductor John Brown and five others were injured. The caboose was mashed into kindling wood. The Eagle (Bryan, Texas), November 15, 1896

1920 :: Death of Retta Daniel

Houston, Tex., Nov. 13. -- Mrs. Retta Daniel, wife of G.W. Daniel, civilian employee at Ellington Field, died early this morning at the post hospital from burns received Thursday when, mistaking gasoline for coal oil, she attempted to start a fire and an explosion resulted. Her body will be sent to Rockdale for burial. Hutchinson News, Kansas, November 13, 1920

1894 :: Friendship Album

Rockdale Texas.
Nov 12th 1894.-
Berta.-
Ever remember Your Afectionate-
Brother.-
S.H. Sharp    _,.-:*:-.,_,.-:*:*:-.,_,.-:*:-.,_,.-:*:*:-.,_,.-:*:-.,_
    Rockdale Texas
Nov 12th/94
Dear Berta.
This above all. To thy self
be true, and it must follow
as the night the day
Though canst not then be false
to any man.
Your cousin.
L.O. Stewart.
  _,.-:*:-.,_,.-:*:*:-.,_,.-:*:-.,_,.-:*:*:-.,_,.-:*:-.,_  

• Berta is Berta Mary Sharp (1872-1955) who married Edgar Henry.
• S.H. Sharp is Sam Houston Sharp, Jr. (1867-1921), who married Edgar's twin sister, Emma.
• Berta and Sam are two of the six children of Sam & Nellie (LeMaire) Sharp who are spoken of throughout The Journal.
• L.O. Stewart is the son of Margaret (Sharp) Hall (aka the little woman in The Journal) and her second husband, Frank Stewart.
• Sam, Sr. and Margaret are the only children of John and Mahala (Roberts) Sharp.
• Following John Sharp's death, Mahala married J.J. Hall, who is the father of James Madison Hall.
• J.M. Hall, the step-brother of Sam and Margaret, is also Margaret's first husband.

1874 :: Pleasure Ground of the Black Bear

Rockdale, Nov. 6, 1874. Rockdale is one of the important wonders of Texas -- a sort of infant Hercules. The town is eight months and a half old, yet it is doing more business than a half dozen old-fashioned, gray-haired cities. Everything is as neat as the last fashion in bonnets.

It is a big day for Rockdale. An immigration meeting and a circus are a congregation of great events that have never before happened in the history of this thriving city, and consequently the town is as proud as a little boy with his first pair of red top boots.

Seriously speaking, the town is delightfully located, in a thriving section of the county, which is contributing to its wealth. There are two or three banks, fifty or sixty merchants, and plenty of saloons, and has generally all the appearances of a railroad town. . . . 

While all is new and in some degree crude, there are some five stone and brick buildings. Subscriptions have already been made for Baptist and Methodist Churches, which will soon be erected. A public hall is at present used for the purposes of worship, and such is the good order of the city that not more than two police cases are heard by the Mayor in a week.

Where a population of eighteen hundred now thrive, was ten months ago the home of the deer, and the pleasure ground of the black bear. Where the wild beasts roamed on Christmas last, there are now stores, with merchants busy selling hoopskirts, paper collars, sewing machines, cotton, and the other appliances of civilization.

Where the hunter then toasted his game on the point of his ramrod there are now French restaurants, with napkins and silver forks for table accessories. Civilization, enterprise, refinement and luxury are making a lively race in and about the beautiful town of Rockdale. Such is the rapid growth of this section. . . . The Galveston Daily News, November 7, 1874

1899 :: WOW Monument Dedication

Rockdale, Texas, November 6. -- A very beautiful ceremony took place in the local cemetery Sunday afternoon, the occasion of the unveiling and dedication of a monument to the memory of Dr. S.C. Cawthon by Pin Oak camp No. 222, Woodmen of the World. A large crowd was in attendance. Houston Daily Post, Tuesday Morning, November 7, 1899