1920 :: Death of Mrs. Julia Robinson

The body of Mrs. Julia Robinson, who passed away at a sanitarium in Taylor at 2:30 o'clock Saturday afternoon, arrived in Rockdale on the 2:46 I. & G. N. train Sunday, and was borne to the Old City Cemetery where interment was made by the side of her husband in the family plot. . . . At the time of her death she was 76 years, 11 months and 1 day old. She was a native Mississippian, and in 1864 was married to Richmond Robinson. . . . They moved to Rockdale 46 years ago and established a home, and assisted in the upbuilding of the town. . . . 

Almost coincident with her passing, the old homestead erected by the late Richmond Robinson, known of late as the Cottage Hotel, situated in the heart of the city, was sold and demolished, perhaps to make way for a more pretentious business house on the sacred site, in keeping with the modern buildings on the newest of blocks that marks the city's growth within the past quarter century. It was here they spent the greater part of their lives, surrounded by their children, . . . The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 34, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 21, 1920

1881 :: Entertainment at Mundine Hotel

Dallas Morning News. Rockdale, August 13. -- Quite an enjoyable entertainment at the Mundine Hotel last night was given by the young gentlemen. Old Bender, Johnny Austin and old Burch seem to have migrated from Rockdale. A thanksgiving proclamation will probably be issued. Your correspondent does not know whether they went to Temple, Belton, or Valley Mills, or Cisco, but our loss has probably been the gain of some one of them. Weekly Democratic Statesman, Austin, Texas, August 18, 1881

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

1874 :: Name derived from Rock Prairie

. . . After a pleasant run of three hours over one of the best railroads in the South, at 12 m. we arrive at our destination, the terminus, Rockdale. At first sight of the town the stranger is disappointed; but after a careful survey he is agreeably surprised to find such a live town in the woods. Sixty days ago this place was a post oak forest, and to-day it is a living town of seventy houses, two hotels, one livery stable, depothouse, six restaurants (so-called), one banking-house in contemplation, and stores of all descriptions. Like all terminal towns, the population is a floating one, and as high as two thousand people have been seen on the streets in one day. From good authority, the population of the town is about 1000 to 1500.


It is astonishing with what rapidity this town has sprung up. The first train reached this pace on the third of February last, and now there are four trains daily. The houses are built and [paper damaged] . . . good deal of cotton coming into town, and selling at low figures for want of competition. The lumber trade is an important feature here. There is a great demand for it, and I heard that lumber men have shipped to this point at the rate of . . . a day. There are already two or three brick houses here, . . . . The town derives its name, Rockdale, from Rock Prairie. It is desirably located on a hill. Town lots are the property of the railroad company, and are selling for from $50 to $300 each, and very rapidly, as many strangers are moving in. No postoffice is established as yet, but a petition for one has been sent on.


There is some talk of having a stage line from this point to Austin, a distance of fifty miles. Two newspapers are also spoken of, and there is a large schoolhouse to be completed soon. I find merchants establishing themselves here from Galveston, Bryan, Calvert, Hearne and Cameron. Our friend Dr. Conger, from Bryan, has opened a find stock of drugs here, and I predict will do well. I was pleased to find a desire to obtain the News here, and the citizens are a liberal-minded and reading community. Success attend their efforts at the flourishing town of Rockdale. Galveston Daily News, February 26, 1874

1903 :: Death of S L Glassfort

Cameron, Tex., Sept. 4. -- S.L. Glassfort died at the Buford Hotel here early this morning. He was above 70 years of age and had resided in Cameron for the last twenty years. He leaves no family. The deceased was a native of Alabama and was a Confederate soldier from that State during the Civil War. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. C.M. Tomkies, pastor of the Baptist Church, and the funeral was observed at Oak Hill Cemetery under the auspices of the Confederate soldiers. Dallas Morning News, September 6, 1903


Death - Sam Glassford, age about 77, an ex-Confederate soldier, died at the Buford hotel last Friday morning and was buried in the allotted ground in Oak Hill cemetery. He had been in ill health for several years. Cameron had been his home for some 20-years. Cameron Herald, September 10, 1903

1881 :: Rockdale & Milano

Tuesday last, a reporter of the Statesman took a little trip up the International as far as Milano Junction. His first stopping place was Rockdale, which has improved some in the last few months. Besides the erection of an elegant three-story brick hotel, many new stores and swelling houses have been built, the streets and sidewalks put in good condition, and had the citizens succeeded in getting the G.C.&S.F.R.R. to pass through the place, Rockdale would have had at no distant day a population of double what she can now hope for. The merchants say, however, that their trade last fall was better than for several years. After spending part of a day here, and securing a large number of subscribers to the Daily Statesman, the reporter boarded a freight for Milano, "the future great."

This new town is about nine miles from Rockdale, at the junction of the International and Santa Fe, and is the creation of these two roads. A large two-story hotel is being erected for the accommodation of the public, and will be in full blast in about three weeks. Mr. H. Goldsticker, one of the leading business men of Rockdale, owns a large ice house at the junction, and is the wholesale agent for Lemps' beer. He cools the heated inhabitants in the different towns up and down the two roads, and furnishes the thirsty with ice cold beer, and to do this it requires two cars of ice and one of beer per week.

The Santa Fe company owns about 200 acres and have laid off a large number of lots which can be bought for from ten to twenty dollars each. The round-houses of the International at Rockdale have been torn down and will be erected at this point. Mr. E.E. Lang, late of Austin, is in charge of the International freight and passenger business at Milano, and is the right man in the right place. The reporter did not learn whether Milano will be a candidate for the state university or not. Weekly Democratic Statesman, Austin, Texas, June 23, 1881

1888 :: Rockdale Enshrouded with a Mantel of Gloom

Galveston Daily News, June 6, 1888. Rockdale -- The work of desolation and death closes over one of the most peaceful and prosperous little towns in Texas, enshrouding it with a mantel of gloom too impenetrable for a stranger living beyond its borders to be able, however sympathetic, to even faintly appreciate. 

The loss of property, the earnings of years of hard work and close application falls heavy upon poor men, reduced late in life to begin the struggle new. But such considerations pale into absolute insignificance when contrasted with the appalling loss of life, wrought in a few brief moments in so awful a manner.

As has been stated, the Mundine hotel was a three-story brick structure about 60 x 80 feet in size, fronting on the south the International and Great Northern railroad, and on the east Main street, which is 100 feet wide.

The hotel was a perfect mass of windows with a veranda running its entire length on the south and east sides of the second story and a veranda in the third story, connected with halls running to the south and east sides. In addition to these there was another gallery at the extreme west side of the second story of the building, with steps leading to the ground. 

In the extreme southwest corner of the second story, opening on galleries both south and west, were the rooms occupied by Dr. W.A. Brooks, wife and four children. 

Next east of them on the same floor, opening on the south gallery, was the room occupied by J.F. Briscoe, wife and two children, next to which ran a cross hall, also leading to the south gallery. 

Still east, across the hall mentioned, was the room occupied by Pemberton Pierce and next, in the extreme southeast corner of the same floor was the room of Mr. Oldham, while directly above the latter, in the third story, was the room of Isaac Crown.

It almost surpasses human conception that in a building with such numerous avenues of egress that of thirteen people only two should have escaped. The only rational theory advanced is that the fire originated about the staircase in the first story, and a comparatively small space being open to the top of the house operated as a flue, filling the house with a volume of smoke so dense that the inmates were only awakened to suffer almost instant suffocation.

Little air was stirring during the course of the fire, in consequence of which there was no cause to prevent the entire house rapidly filling with smoke. Still it would seem that more than two should have escaped.

Before anyone was aroused or an alarm given the entire first story must have been a seething mass of flames, for in three minutes after Mr. Oldham, who gave the first alarm and descended by one of the upright supports of the south gallery had reached the ground flames burst forth from his room.

It is, alas! Too late to consider what might have been done had certain precautions been taken, but this town having enjoyed immunity from fires for many years perhaps engendered a feeling of security leading to some carelessness, not in the hotel management alone, but the citizens at large, which sooner or later was likely to lead to disaster. And how terrible has it fallen!

Messrs. Scarborough & Hicks have received the following telegram -- Philadelphia, Pa., June 4 – See best undertaker and express body of Mr. Pierce in best shape possible to David Schuyler & Son, undertakers, Philadelphia. Express his effects to 904 Cherry street. George H. Ziegler.

Dr. W. A. Brooks, who was rescued while struggling to regain his family, is not seriously burned or injured, but is of course, terribly prostrated by the loss of his wife and four children. He says that when he was awakened the room was full of smoke, that he rose quickly and reached a window, which he raised, by means of which he obtained a little fresh air and then went back for his family, groping in dense smoke. While doing this he heard the window fall, returned to it and smashed it with his fist and arm, was grabbed by someone and forcibly removed; after which his mind is clouded until he found himself in safety, just beginning to realize his awful loss.

To undertake to mention the names of any who signalized themselves by daring flames and smoke in their efforts to save life would be wrong, as the writer could not name them all. Suffice it to say that no means were left untried and, He who notes the humblest sparrow’s fall will bless the manly bravery and humane efforts of those who in these feeble lines are nameless.

Disposition of Bodies. With every tender care possible the remains of the Brooks and Briscoe families, as near as they could be identified, charred and broken as they were, were placed in two separate coffins and interred in the Odd Fellows cemetery after funeral services at the Baptist church, under the auspices of the Odd Fellows and Knights and Ladies of Honor. The services were attended by almost the entire population of Rockdale.

The remains of Isaac Crown were also buried last yesterday afternoon in the Jewish cemetery, under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity.

1888 :: Eleven Persons Perish in Fire

Dallas Morning News, June 5, 1888. Most Horrible Holocaust. Eleven Persons Burned to Death. The Leading Hotel in Rockdale Consumed by Fire -- Men, Women and Little Children Devoured by the Flames. 

Rockdale, Tex., June 4 – Rockdale was stricken this morning [the 4th] at a little after 3 o’clock with fire and holocaust so appalling and heartrending that language is inadequate to describe the scene.

At the time stated the town was aroused by cries of fire and the rapid discharge of firearms. The fire was discovered about the staircase in the office of the three story brick building known as the Mundine hotel. So terrible and rapid was the work of the flames that out of thirteen persons known to have been in the hotel eleven perished. Those known to have been lost are:

• Mrs. W.A. Brooks, wife of the proprietor of the hotel, and her four sons, aged about 4, 6, 9 and 15 years respectively.
• J.F. Briscoe, wife and two little children.
• Isaac Crown.
• A traveling salesman, supposed from papers found to be named Pemberton Pierce. He was representing Geo. Zeigler, of Philadelphia, but the hotel register being lost there is nothing more to identify by.

Mr. D.M. Oldham, representing F. Cannon & Co. of Galveston, escaped without injury, and Dr. W.A. Brooks, proprietor, was pulled by main force out of the room occupied by his family, he having reached the door but resisting every effort to be saved before his wife and children. He was carried down the rear staircase.


Mr. D.M. Oldham, who occupied an extreme southeast room in the second story, says he was awakened by a roaring, cracking sound, thinking that a storm had arisen and was blowing the doors and window blinds about, but he soon detected smoke in his room, arose, went to the door and opened it only wide enough to see the flames in the hall. 

Hastily closing the door, he went to the window, threw his clothing out on the wide veranda which surrounds the south and east side of the second story, and from there to the ground, he then followed by sliding down one of the supports of the veranda. 

Almost immediately after reaching the ground he saw the party supposed to be Pemberton Pierce rush out on the veranda all aflame and leap to the ground, striking on his head and killing himself instantly. 

Thus have perished two most estimable families, one of Rockdale’s promising young businessmen, Isaac Crown, and a stranger whose sad fate will startle and grieve those to whom he was dear.

J.F. Briscoe was for many years a barber at this place, thoroughly respected by everyone, and who by thrift and industry had risen to independence. He recently sold out his business here and opened one in the same line at Taylor, married to a young and beautiful woman who with her two little children had stopped over here, being en route to her girlhood’s home in Indiana. She was joined by her husband, who came in on the 11:30 train last night, only to share with his loved ones a horrible death. 

Mrs. Brooks, who has been identified with all that is good of Rockdale since its construction, was well and widely known by the traveling public, her husband and she always having kept the principal hotel.
Dr. Brooks is entirely dazed, crushed at heart and badly injured, but whether fatally or not cannot be determined, but it is thought he may recover.

Isaac Crown, the junior partner of the firm of I. Baum & Co., was about 30 years of age and unmarried. No citizen held a higher place in the esteem and confidence of all than did this young man.

The origin of the fire is yet conjectural. The hotel building was occupied on the first floor by the United States postoffice and the firm of T.B. Kemp & Co., general merchants, and from neither could anything be saved except such valuables as were contained in fire-proof safes. 

Adjoining the hotel on the north was a one-story brick building, owned by J.S. Perry and occupied by J.R. Rowland for the storage of general merchandise, whose main stock was kept in the building adjoining still on the north. The first-named building was entirely consumed with its contents, and the last named is nearly destroyed, with the goods badly damaged. 

Here the course of the fire was checked by the heroic efforts of the citizens, who worked with unceasing and fearless energy, unaided by organization of any kind and no conveniences for obtaining water. All business here is entirely suspended, and a gloom has been cast over Rockdale which cannot be removed for many a day.


See also . . .

• The Victims . . .
• Mundine Hotel Fire at the Milam County Genealogy Website . . .
• McVoy's Fades into History . . .
• Worst Fire in Rockdale History . . .
• Reporter Looks Back at 1888 . . .