1948 :: Death of Robert Lee Yoakum

Robert Lee Yoakum, 16 year old student of Rockdale high school and son of Mr. and Mrs. George Yoakum, was killed Monday afternoon between 2:30 and 3 p.m., when he came in contact with a live wire while moving a house at Caldwell.

Young Yoakum was working with his father and a brother, George Jr., on a house-moving job. The wire across the highway was believed to be dead at the time the house was being moved under it. 

George Yoakum, Jr. was knocked out but not seriously injured and does not remember what happened, he said.

Funeral services for Robert Lee Yoakum were conducted from the Phillips and Luckey Chapel Tuesday at 3:30 p.m., with Rev. Howard Mitchell officiating and burial at Oak Lawn Cemetery. A huge crowd attended, attesting to the popularity of young Yoakum. 

Pallbearers were fellow teammates of the 1948 football team: Walter Heckendorn, James Caffey, Henry Hall, Jack Crane, H.D. Maxwell Jr. and George Haley.

A star athlete and member of the FFA judging team that won second place this year, Robert Lee Yoakum was one of the favorite students of the entire Rockdale high school among both students and teachers. "He was always so willing, so able, and he will be sorely missed," in the words of so many of his friends in school.

He was active in all school activities, lettered in football, and played basketball and tennis. He was named a Lone Star Farmer at the State FFA convention at Houston last week, and during the year served the local chapter as reporter. He had always been very active in chapter work. He was an individual prize winner at the soil conservation contest at Taylor last fall.

Robert Lee Yoakum was born Nov. 2, 1931, near Rockdale, and would have been seventeen years old next November. He would have been a member of the R.H.S. senior class this coming term.

Besides his mother and father he leaves three brothers: Herbert, Vernon and George Yoakum Jr., and two sisters, Mrs. James Burch of Meridian and Mrs. John Yoakum of Rockdale, besides a number of other relatives. Rockdale Reporter, June 24, 1948

1975 :: Death of C.W. Matson

C.W. Matson, 88, of Rockdale died Thursday in a Rockdale hospital after a long illness. Funeral was at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Murray Street Church of Christ with Minister George Hall and Minister Milton Pogue officiating. Burial was in Laurelland Cemetery in Dallas. Mr. Matson had lived in Rockdale since 1921 and was owner of the Matson Theaters in Rockdale and other Central Texas cities until his retirement several years ago. Surviving are a granddaughter, Dorothy Ann Wallis of Rockdale; his sister-in-law, Miss Lilly Hardeson of Rockdale; two brothers-in-law, Joe Hardeson of San Francisco, Calif. and W.F. Hardeson of Dallas. Cameron Herald, January 6, 1975

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.

1875 :: Election of Municipal Officers

At the election of municipal officers at Rockdale, the following were the successful candidates: A.A. Burck, Mayor; H.L. Witcher, Marshal; F.A. Hill, Joe King, W.B. Ayers, C.B. Hall, Alderman. Galveston Daily News, April 13, 1875 

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.

1937 :: Renflow Services Held Saturday

Dallas Daily Times Herald, January 1, 1937. RENFROW, Mrs. Alyne, age 59, died Friday at the residence, 217 Sunset. Born in Tupelo, Miss. Resident of Dallas seventeen years. Survived by husband, Dr. G.B. Renfrow, Dallas; two daughters, Mrs. Robert Farmer, Wichita Falls; Mrs. J.E. Little, Dallas; son, W.H. Renfrow, Corpus Christi; two grandchildren; father, W.H. Poole, Rockdale, Tex.; two sisters, Mrs. Hugh Estelle, Rockdale, Tex; Mrs. Gaddy Hall, Rusk, Tex. Services will be held Saturday, 9:30 a.m., Guardian Funeral Chapel, 2811 Oak Lawn, Rev. Wallace Bassett officiating. Remains will be taken overland to Rockdale, Tex., Saturday, for interment at 4:30 p.m. Leave flowers at her findagrave memorial page.

Dallas Daily Times Herald, January 2, 1937. RENFROW SERVICES HELD SATURDAY. Funeral services for Mrs. Alyne Renfrow, 59, who died Friday at her home, 217 Sunset Avenue, were held Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the Guardian Funeral Church, following which the body was taken to Rockdale for additional services and burial. Mrs. Renfrow, wife of Dr. G.B. Renfrow, had been a resident of Dallas for seventeen years. Surviving, beside her husband, are one son, W.H. Renfrow of Corpus Christi; two daughters, Mrs. Robert Farmer of Wichita Falls, and Mrs. J.E. Little of Dallas; her father, W.H. Poole of Rockdale; two sisters, Mrs. Hugh Estell of Rockdale and Mrs. Grady Hall of Rusk and two grandchildren.