1945 :: Death of Marietta Cravy

Miss Marietta Cravy, 84, died Wednesday night, Dec. 19 at the home of Cleve Tucker, and funeral services were held at Salty Thursday at 2 p.m., with the Rev. Frank Luker, pastor of the Methodist church of Rockdale, officiating. Miss Cravy was born on the San Gabriel river near the Kolb settlement about 1861, the daughter of John and Sallie Cravy, and spent her entire life in Milam county. Three brothers and one sister preceeded her in death. She joined the Methodist church in early life and was a consistent christian. Her brother, George Cravy, was a pastor of the Methodist church. About three years ago she became bed-ridden and has endured extreme pain and suffering. The only remaining near relatives are her niece, Mrs. Cleve Tucker and Grofney Cravy's two daughters, these being the only known surviving relatives. For the past 25 years she has resided at the home of Cleve Tucker and family who have devoted their time and efforts in caring for and comforting her in her declining and infirm years, that being the only home she has known for the past quarter of a century. Rockdale Reporter and Messenger, December 27, 1945

1878 :: Death of Abner Kolb

Rockdale Brevities. . . . Four cotton gins have been burned here and near here within the past two weeks, only one of which was partially insured. A large amount of cotton was consumed and a son of Capt. P.M. Kolb was so badly burned that he died in a few hours. Weekly Democratic Statesman, October 3, 1878

1916 :: Death of Arthur Jenness

Rockdale, Texas, April 4. -- Arthur Jenness, a prominent farmer and former business man of this city, was instantly killed near Kolbs' gin nine miles northwest of town this afternoon by a falling tree. Mr. Jenness was supervising some road work, which included the removal of a lot of extra large pecan trees, one of which fell sooner than expected. Mr. Jenness met his death in an effort to save his saddle horse, which had strayed under the tree. His neck was broken and skull crushed. Dallas Morning News, April 5, 1916

1930 :: Rockdale War Veteran Dies from Shell Shock

Rockdale War Veteran Dies From Shell Shock. Special to The News. Rockdale, Texas, March 13. -- A telegraphic message was received by Mrs. J.A. Phillips of this city that her eldest son, James Kolb Phillips, had died in a hospital at Chattahooche, Fla. The immediate cause of his death was a recurrence of shell shock, resulting from his service with the American Expeditionary Force in France.


Young Phillips was brought home from France in 1919, and remained in Government hospitals at Newport News, Va., and California, for some months before being discharged as cured. After two years in New Mexico, he returned to Texas and resumed his studies at Texas A.&M. College, where he graduated in the class of 1924 with his younger brother, Charles. For the last few years he had been engaged in the citrus fruit and nursery business at St. Petersburg, Fla., with his uncle, C.L. Kolb.


He was the son of the late Dr. J.A. Phillips, and is survived by his mother, Mrs. J.A. Phillips of Rockdale; a sister, Mrs. Clyde Franklin, Rockdale; a brother, Charles C. Phillips of Vicksburg, Miss.; an aunt, Mrs. Maie Vanderventer, and an uncle, O.K. Phillips of Rockdale. The body will be brought to Rockdale for burial. Dallas Morning News, March 14, 1930