1917 :: Bats in City Hall

The city hall is being overhauled and the bat roosts which have so long made the place a nuisance are being destroyed and the cracks sealed up so that the bats may not again take over this valuable piece of public property. Carpenter Jim Copeland is at the helm, with Alderman O.K. Phillips supervising the work. The wainscoting in the auditorium was removed yesterday, and several bushels of bats were killed. The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. 45, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 17, 1917

1914 :: Death of Mrs. P.A. Lewis

Rockdale, Apr. 30th. -- The funeral of Mrs. P.A. Lewis, who died at the home of her granddaughter, Mrs. Fred H. Graves, Wednesday at 2 p.m., while sitting in an easy chair, were held Thursday afternoon at 5 o'clock from the newly dedicated Presbyterian church, Rev. W.E. Copeland, the pastor, conducting the ceremonies. 

Mrs. Lewis was born in the state of Alabama, and was at the inauguration of the President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis. At the time of her death she was 79 years, 8 months and 29 days old. She had resided with a daughter in Rockdale, Mrs. E.S. Loper, for the past 27 years, where her life had been marked by a strong devotion to duty. 

Last January she suffered a fall from which she had never regained her former activity. To break the monotony, she would spend each alternate week with a grand daughter, which fell upon Monday. Each vied with the other in showering her with attentions. 

Her cherished prayers were that she might live to witness the dedication of the new church in which her labors had played so important a part, and to be able to walk without assistance. Both were granted. On Sunday, April 19, she was tenderly borne to the place, and given an honored seat amid an environment of palms, ferns and Easter lilies, when her choice anthem was sung. And the day she died, she walked to the midday meal alone. 

The last services were held at sunset in the Old City Cemetery. Probably no greater tribute was ever paid another than that extended to this favored daughter. Mrs. Lewis is survived by two daughters, Mesdames E.S. Loper of Rockdale, and Mattie Werner of Houston, fifteen grand-children, of which is Mr. Henry T. Werner [sic] of the Associated Press, Houston, and 30 great-grand-children. Cameron Herald, May 7, 1914

1933 :: Death of C.K. Stribling

Rockdale, Texas, Dec. 1. -- Funeral services for C.K. Stribling, who died Wednesday, were held Thursday morning. Mr. Stribling had lived in Rockdale for more than fifty years and married Miss Mary Copeland, daughter of the late W.E. Copeland, pioneer Presbyterian minister. 

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary C. Stribling; one son, Ralph Stribling of Houston; seven daughters, Mrs. Reed Laurence of Castroville, Mrs. W.S. McClintock of Refugio, Mrs. Alfred Dippel of Dallas, Mrs. Esther Quinlan, Misses Catherine, Cornelia and Helen Stribling of Rockdale, and two sisters, Mrs. Kate Gentry of Corpus Christi and Mrs. W.A. Morrison of Cameron. Dallas Morning News, December 2, 1933

1881 :: Death of the President

Yesterday at 4 o'clock p.m. all business houses in this place [Rockdale] were closed in respect to the death of the president. Memorial services were held at the Methodist church, which were attended by nearly the entire population of the town. An address, reviewing the life and character of the deceased president, was delivered by Rev. W.E. Copeland, of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Several beautiful selections, well suited for the occasion, were sung by Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Jones, Mrs. W.R. Kennard and Mrs. L.H. Porter. The occasion was one of imposing solemnity, and one which will never be forgotten by those present. Weekly Democratic Statesman, Austin, Texas, September 29, 1881

---

Dallas Morning News. Rockdale, Texas, September 23. -- Robt. J. Boykin, Jr., who escaped from the Cameron jail on Saturday night last, was captured on Wednesday, within half a mile from Cameron, where he had been quietly hiding. Something like three hundred men were in pursuit of the escaped prisoners. When discovered, Boykin drew a revolver, and asked, "Is this a mob?" On being informed that it was not, he quietly surrendered, and was conducted back to jail. The remaining four who escaped are still at large. Weekly Democratic Statesman, Austin, Texas, September 29, 1881

1922 :: New High School

Dallas Morning News. November 6, 1922. Rockdale's New $75,000 High School Dedicated. Special to The News. Rockdale, Texas. Nov. 5. -- Although Rockdale's new $75,000 high school building has been completed and occupied by the faculty and pupils for several weeks, the house-warming under the auspices of the Parent-Teacher Association was not held until Thursday, when the new auditorium was more than filled by 500 persons, among them were Ben Loewenstein Sr. and the Rev. W.E. Copeland, who were members of the first Rockdale School Board, elected in 1888, and are the only survivors of that board. The first school building was erected in 1884. The Parent-Teacher Association was organized about a year ago. The old high school building had long since outgrown the scholastic needs of Rockdale. Bonds for the new building were voted by Rockdale people more than three years ago. Construction of the new building was delayed for more than two years in the Supreme Court because of the mandamus suit against the Attorney General, who had refused to approve the bonds, due to an election technicality. The mandamus suit was a friendly one.

1925 :: Reporter looks back at 1888

The Rockdale Reporter. 1925. Old Paper Gives Account of Epochal Event in History of Rockdale. 37 Years Ago Mundine Hotel Burned in Rockdale. Through the kindness of Y.A. Gjedde the Reporter editor has been privileged to peruse a copy of the old Rockdale Messenger, published by Enoch Breeding, of date June 7, 1888, in which is printed an account of the burning of the Mundine Hotel in Rockdale. The fire occurred at 4:00 a.m. on Monday, June 4, 1888, and eleven people lost their lives in the flames, as follows:

• Isaac Crown, Rockdale business man
• Pemberton Pierce, a traveling man
• J.F. Brisco, wife and two children. Brisco was a barber and with his family was to have moved to Taylor the next day.
• Mrs. W.A. Brooks and four children. Mrs. Brooks is described in the story as being "a lady who had been a kind mother to all of us for lo, these many years, until we had all learned to love her."

Of the thirteen people sleeping in the hotel that night only two escaped, one being D.M. Oldham, a traveling man, who got out through an upstairs window, and Dr. Brooks, who was rescued by D. Sanford. The account of the fire is written in a somewhat flamboyant style, and the writer was evidently much agitated, the story being rather incoherent. It is not made plain just who Dr. Brooks was. His rescue and the account of the death of Mrs. Brooks and children are treated in separate paragraphs and no connection established between them. 

The style of the writer is entirely different from present-day newspaper style. The story gives little details of property loss, merely stating that the post office and store of T.B. Kemp were destroyed, and that an adjoining building owned by J.R. Rowland was damaged by the falling walls of the hotel. V.B. Orr, a jeweler, is mentioned as having sustained a heavy loss. The story closes with the following paragraph:

"If we have not told all this terrible story, let the conditions and circumstances under which we write suffice. There was only one of those who perished, but was an intimate and a friend of ours. The pen fails to transcribe the words we would write."

Other items contained in this copy of the Messenger, printed 37 years ago, included:

• an account of the marriage of Mr. C.A. Duffy to Miss Dedie Wilson. Mr. Duffy was described as the representative of the Missouri Glass Works, and Miss Wilson as one of Rockdale's most esteemed young ladies
• the death of a child of N.P. Crump
• the birth of boy babies in the homes of Luther Davis and T.J. Woody
• the removal of the post office to the Messenger building, "around the corner"
• the return from Wooten Wells of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Isaacs [findagrave]
• the visit of R.H. Hicks and G.B. Randle to Galveston
• the receipt by the editor of a 29-inch turnip and six Irish potatoes weighing near four pounds

A perusal of the advertisements showed that:

• bottle beer was for sale at the Rockdale Saloon at 5¢ a glass
• Hawkes' spectacles could be purchased at Douthit's drug store
• board and lodging could be had at J.H. Simmons, six miles south of town, at the rate of $10 per month or $3 per week by those who desired to stop there and drink the mineral water from the well on that place
• Wallace & Company handled lumber
• John G. Brown sold all kinds of good whiskey
• Isaacs & Lockett were dealers in general merchandise
• J.P. Heywood sold millinery and fancy goods
• T.B. Kemp dealt in dry goods and groceries
• Geo. W. Williams sold farm implements
• Wolf & Winterberg were house and sign painters

Another display ad on the front page announced the democratic ticket of Cleveland and Thurman, giving woodcut engravings of each. Among the professional cards were those of:

• Dr. E.W. Allen, dentist
• Dr. J.H. Wilson, physician
• Thos. A. Pope, physician
• Henderson, Henderson & Mcalla, attorneys
• A.G. Wilcox, attorney
• A.C. Walker, G.A. Trott, B.F. Lee, P.A. Horton and J.B. Stone, physicians

Advertising rates were quoted at one dollar per single column inch. (Present-day advertisers take notice.) T.B. Kemp's produce quotations were as follows:

• Butter 12½¢ per pound
• eggs 7¢ per dozen
• chickens, each 10¢ to 16¢
• turkeys, per dozen, $3 to $7
• hides, 3¢ to 5¢ per pound
• corn 60¢ per bushel
• sweet potatoes 40¢ per bushel
• pecans 5¢ pound
  
• J.H. Hill was mayor
• J.R. Arthur, city marshal
• Solon Joynes, R.H. Ames, J.G. Brown and Joe Lowenstein were aldermen
• H.C. Travers was postmaster
  
• Rev. J.H. Stribling pastor of Baptist church
• Rev. N.F. Law, pastor Methodist church
• Rev. T.C. Brittle, pastor Episcopal church
• Rev. W.E. Copeland, pastor Cumberland Presbyterian church

No less than nine separate and distinct lodge directories were given. The paper consisted of four pages of six columns each, and much of the inside space was devoted to politics, including a two-column interview with Harry Tracy on the subject of the Farmers Alliance.


The brittle and yellowed original of the above 1925 newspaper clipping belongs to Iola Avrett nee Christian of Rockdale.

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.

1924 :: Death of George Doss

Dallas Morning News. March 30, 1924. Rockdale Man Had Coffin Ready When Death Came. 

Special to The News. ROCKDALE, Texas. March 29. George Doss, 81 years old, died at his home in the Gay Hill community after an illness of several days. Mr. Doss has been ill for some time, and for quite a while had had his coffin at home ready. He was at one time the most prominent and progressive farmer in Milam County, taking his prize-winning exhibits to all the fairs. He was a veteran of the Civil War. Mr. Doss is survived by a large family, having been the father of ten sons and daughters, most of whom are living -- Ed Doss and Charles Doss, two sons, living near him all their lives. Funeral was held at Hamilton Chapel Cemetery Friday afternoon, the Rev. W.E. Copeland of Rockdale conducting the services.

1925 :: Death of James H. Copeland

Dallas Morning News. March 22, 1925. COPELAND. -- Rockdale, Texas. March 21. -- James H. Copeland, 55 years old, died here suddenly Friday at noon and will be buried Sunday. Mr. Copeland was son of the Rev. W.E. Copeland, minister of the Presbyterian Church and Confederate veteran who died some months ago. Mr. Copeland was engaged in the building of the Christian Church here when stricken. He leaves a wife, who was Miss Izolie Turner, and a sister, Mrs. C.K. Stribling. Burial will be from the Baptist Church, with the Rev. Jesse Garrett, pastor, conducting the services.

1918 :: Death of John A. Shapard, Postmaster

Special to The News. Shapard. -- Rockdale, Texas, Jan. 24. -- The funeral of John A. Shapard, Rockdale's postmaster for the last four and a half years, was held Tuesday at the Presbyterian Church by the Rev. W.E. Copeland. Mr. Shapard was 67 years of age and died last Friday, the body being held for the arrival of a son in the United States Navy. Another son is with Pershing in France. He was a printer by trade, and worked on the local newspaper almost continuously for thirty-two years. Dallas Morning News, January 25, 1918 

See also . . . Postmaster's Sudden Death Last Week Came as Shock . . . The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. [45], No. 47, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 24, 1918 Page: 1 of 8 . . .