Former Residents of Nashville

The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. 52, No. 35, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 23, 1924 Page: 3 of 10

. . . the following description of the old town of Nashville [is] from a letter from Mr. Frank Brown, who lived in Nashville as a boy and who after sixty-three years of absence, retained a vivid picture of the place as it existed in its palmiest days: . . .

It is impossible after a lapse of 63 years to give the names of all the families that lived in and near Nashville. In 1836, and up to the winter of 1839 and 1840 when I left there, I knew nearly every one. The village was small, not over 15 or 20 families in town and immediate vicinity. . . . I call to mind only the following residents:

• Neill McLennan
• John McLennan and others of that name.
• Calvin Bowles
• Jacob M. Harrel
• Jasper Crouch
• ? Bell
• W.D. Thomson
• John Duff Brown
• Robert Davidson
• James Shaw
• Gid Bowen
• Jack Hopson
• Lige Bailey, with others lived just below the river.
• Capt. James Howlett (first surveyor of the County of Milam)
• Capt. Goldsby Childers
• George and Herman Chapmen

Among those at Nashville more or less, and at different times in the middle and late 30's were:

• Timas C. Thomson
• Sterling C.R. Robertson
• E.S.C. Robertson (then a youth)
• Alexander Thomson
• James G. Swisher
• O.T. Tyler 
• Laughlen McLennan
• George B. Erath
• Capt. Eastland
• Ehan Stroud Fleruy
• Captain John Bird
• James Robinett
• W.S. Wilson
• Maus Griffin
• W.B. King
• Ben Bryant
• Joseph Rowland
• ? Campbell
• R.M. Coleman
• Thos. H. Barron
• Daniel Cullins
• David Clark
• James Coryell
• Stephen Fazier
• Moses Cummins
• Frank W. Johnson
• Mrs. Matilda F. Connell [widow of John Connell; daughter of Elisha Roberts]
• James Graves
• William Moore
• Lewis Washington
• Isaac Parker, and his brothers
• Daniel Moses
• Massilon Farley
• N.C. Raymond [attorney]
• F.T. Duffau
• John Cockrell
• Henry Kattenhom
• Daniel McKay
• Gus Sullivan
• E. Lawrence Stickney
• W.H. King
• John R. Craddock
• C.M. Hubby
• John Pool
• William and Thomas Robers
• John Taylor (a lawyer)
• George Green
• Lewis Moore
• Jacob Gross
• ? Icleberger
• ? Chalmers and his son, Albert

1952 :: Operators say goodbye

Rockdale Reporter
August 14, 1952

Rockdale telephone operators are pictured (below) as they plugged in the final phone calls under the old hand crank phone system here shortly after noon, August 2. 

As the picture was made, switches were thrown at the dial building, Rockdale was transferred to the dial system, and the telephone girls had written finis to their jobs in Rockdale.

building photo in background by Neal Douglass

Seated at the switchboard reading in reverse order, right to left:

• Mrs. Jean LaRue Alford
• Mrs. Roberta Pounders
• Mrs. Ruth Wooten
• Mrs. Faye Oldham
• Miss Loretta Neeley
• Mrs. Faye Pratt
• Mrs. Ann Summers
• Mrs. R.L. Myrick.

Standing at rear, left to right:

• Miss Vera Sheppard, chief operator
• Mrs. Betty Ashabrenner
• Miss Doris Jean Parker
• Mrs. Pansy Hairston, Evening Chief
• Miss Emogene Hilliard
• Miss Shirley Curlee
• Mrs. Eva Randle
• Mrs. Josie Scott

. . . Around the year of 1914, space was needed in the [former location in the] Quebe building and the operators were pushed out of their quarters, across Cameron street to the space above the Citizens State Bank. Here the office remained until recently when it was stripped of its operating personnel. . . . 

During the span of 55 years since 1897 local operators have instigated calls to England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Hawaii and Japan. The long distance traffic averaged 400 calls per day at the close of the Rockdale office. . . . 

1877 :: William will not know his own cows

Wm. Plasters, who killed a man [i.e., Willis Parker] last spring in Milam county, has been tried and convicted of murder in the second degree, and sentenced to 6 years in the penitentiary. He was a rich cattleman. William will not know his own cows when he comes out. Daily Brenham Banner, January 18, 1877

1913 :: Death of Beatrice Parker

Rockdale, Tex., May 18. -- Beatrice, 13-year-old daughter of Mrs. Joe Parker, died at the family home here. Dallas Morning News, May 16, 1913