1896 :: The Cozy Corner

Dallas Morning News, June 28, 1896. The Cozy Corner. KATIE PLEASANT, Rockdale, Milam Co., Tex. -- Mr. Big Hat and Miss Big Bonnet: I have been a silent little girl in your department. I am a pupil at the Rockdale public school. I am in the fourth grade. We have a red-headed teacher. But I need not be talking about her having a red head, for I have one, too. Our school will be out in two more weeks. I am so glad of it. We are having some hard lessons now. My mother lives in the country on a large farm. She hasn't but two children, sister Ruth and myself. My father has been dead six months to-day.

1896 :: Death of J.E. Baumgarten

Dallas Morning News. Rockdale, Tex., Nov. 20. -- The dead body of J.E. Baumgarten, with the top of the head blown off and a shotgun beside the body, was found in his room this afternoon by the man's two motherless boys, 9 and 11 years of age. The aged father and two children had lived together and kept a small grocery store. Austin Weekly Statesman, November 26, 1896 

1896 :: Killing of E.B. Shipman

The Galveston Daily News
October 14, 1896

Committed Without Bail.

Rockdale, Tex., Oct. 12. -- In the case of the killing of E.B. Shipman, an account of which was published in The News of the 10th instant, R.N. Penny, who was charged with the killing, was committed to jail without bail. It was developed in the examining trial that there had been bad blood between the parties since the father of the murdered man was accidentally killed by Tom Penny, a brother of the man charged with this murder, although E.B. Shipman was the father-in-law of his slayer, Penny having married his daughter about a year ago.

1896 :: The Cozy Corner

Dallas Morning News. January 5, 1896. The Cozy Corner. ANNIE BLOCKER, Rockdale, Milam Co., Tex. -- Mr. Big Hat and cousins: Here comes a little girl 7 years old. I haven't many pets. I have a kitty and a doll and one little brother. I have never been to school but one session. Christmas is nearly here, and I want Mr. Big Hat to wake up St. Nicholas and send him around with a wagon load.

1896 :: Trouble with the Waterworks

Rockdale, Milam Co., Tex., July 25. -- The waterworks company here has been having trouble with its well for several weeks, so much so that they concluded two days ago to sink a new well. In two days and three nights they have gone down a distance of fifty-four feet. In two or three days more they think they will have the new well ready to furnish all the water needed for all purposes in the city, and by holding in the reservoir sufficient water to use with direct pressure in case of fire furnish a sufficient supply for all other needs. In other words, the supply of water for general purposes has been just a little short. The company says, however, that this will be overcome in just a few days more. Galveston Daily News, July 26, 1896 

1896 :: First Bale of Cotton

Rockdale, Tex., July 24. -- The first bale of cotton of this season's crop was brought in here yesterday morning, was ginned by Mr. Rexford Wells, and was sold to Strelsky & Clark for 6.80c. There was a premium of $12.50 paid, making it net the owner $52.75. The bale of cotton was raised by Mr. Forrest Randle on Mr. John T. Randle's farm in Little river valley about fifteen miles northwest of Rockdale, it weighed 598 pounds and classed middling. This is the earliest by three days that the first bale was ever before received here. Galveston Daily News, July 26, 1896

1896 :: Confederate Veterans Reunion at Rockdale

Galveston Daily News
Galveston, Texas
24 July 1896

Confederate Veterans. 
Reunion at Rockdale. 
Selecting a Burying Ground. 

Rockdale, Milam Co., Tex., July 22.-- Second day's programme Camp Ben McCulloch No. 29, United Confederate Veterans opening this morning. 

The camp was called to order at the stand at 10:30 a.m. Music by the choir. Colonel W.B. Woody, who attended the reunion at Richmand as a delegate from this camp, was called upon for his report. His report was received and adopted. The camp then went into the annual election of officers, which resulted as follows:

Commanding officer, Colonel N.H. Tracy; adjutant major, J.B. Moore; treasurer, Captain J.B. Wolf. Rev. James Peeler had heretofore been elected permanent chaplain, which was ratified.

Adjourned for dinner.

At 2 p.m. the camp assembled again for business. It was proposed that the camp buy two acres of ground on the opposite side of the river, adjoining the plot on which the camp is situated, which belongs to the city of Rockdale, and build a pavilion and make it a permanent meeting place for the camp. In furtherance of this plan the camp elected Captain J.W. Perry, Messrs. D.S. Harriss, J.H. Sparkman and W.M. Gill as trustees to consummate the purchase and receive the deed to the property.

Major J.B. Moore and Captain J.B. Wolf were appointed to receive the deed from the cemetery association at Cameron to a plot of ground donated to the camp by the ladies of Cameron for a burying ground for indigent ex-confederate soldiers.

Captain J.J. Irwin, R.C. Turnham, D.S. Harriss, H.E. Joiner, Captain L.L. Lee, M.M. Caldwell, Captain G.W. Adams and B.V. Arnold were appointed as a finance committee to solicit funds to be used for the different interests of the camp, especially for the burial of indigent ex-confederate soldiers, it being one of the principles of this camp that an ex-confederate shall never be buried as a pauper.

The business interest of the camp was then adjourned, to meet on the same grounds on July 21, 1897.

1896 :: Death of G.W. Heywood

Rockdale, Tex., March 20. -- G.W. Heywood died at the McGuyre hotel yesterday and was buried at the Odd Fellows cemetery this morning. During his prosperous days he paid for the plot of ground now known as the Odd Fellows cemetery and presented it to that society. He also bought and stored away a fine coffin to be buried in. This casket has patiently awaited his demise for several years. Galveston Daily News, March 22, 1896

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

1896 :: Death of Jim Trueblood

Rockdale, Tex., Oct. 10. -- While Olive and Jim Trueblood were hauling a load of cotton out of their field this morning Jim was run over by the wagon and killed. After hitching their teams to the wagon both men put their shoulders to the wheels to help the team start, expecting to mount themselves while the wagon was in motion. Oliver succeeded, but Jim, while attempting to mount, lost his footing and fell under the wheel, which passed over his breast, causing almost instant death. Both men were farmers and lived on the San Gabriel river six miles north of Rockdale. The Galveston Daily News, October 12, 1896

1896 :: Death of James E. Mosely, Sr.

Rockdale, Tex., July 29. -- James Edward Moseley, Sr., [sic, i.e., Edward B Moseley] died yesterday morning at 2 o'clock at the residence of his son, J.E. Mosely, Jr., [sic] nine miles southwest from Rockdale, in the 83d year of his age. Mr. Mosely was an ex-confederate soldier. He was living in Mississippi when the war broke out, and served in the army of Tennessee. After the war was over he removed with his family to Texas and settled in the community where he died. About a month ago Mr. Mosely fell from the front gallery of a neighbor's house and hurt himself, from the effects of which he never recovered. He was under the care of a physician but twice in his life. Galveston Daily News, July 31, 1896 

1896 :: Keeping Batch

To Correspondents -- When writing a letter to this department, first give your full name, postoffice and state. Use pen and ink, on smooth paper, not larger than note size. Write only on one side of the paper and do not sew, paste or pin the sheets together. These rules must be observed to insure publication.


RUSH WITCHER, Rockdale, 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 batchelors. 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. Galveston Daily News, May 10, 1896

1896 :: Death of W.S. Puryear

Rockdale, Tex., July 30. -- In the examining trial of J.F. Greenwood for the killing of W.S. Puryear, an account of which was published in yesterday's Galveston News, it was developed from the testimony of the widow of Puryear and other corroborating witnesses that the difficult was provoked because of Greenwood's wife's refusal about a week before the killing to loan Puryear a wagon sheet. Puryear drove out of Rockdale at a breakneck speed not more than thirty minutes before the killing with his wife in a wagon with him. On his way out home, which was only a short distance from the home of Greenwood, he said to his wife that he was going to stop at Greenwood's and tell him what he thought of his (Greenwood's) wife. The execution of this threat was what provoked the difficulty which ended in Puryear's death. Justice Wells, in whose court the examining trial was conducted, admitted Greenwood to bail in the sum of $500. He was satisfied from the evidence that it was a case of excusable homicide. Galveston Daily News, Saturday, August 1, 1896 [Puryear's findagrave memorial page]

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.