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

1922 :: Death of A.P. Perry, Jr.

The death Tuesday morning and burial Wednesday afternoon of Andrew P. Perry Jr., 49, threw the whole town into mourning, as Mr. Perry was one of the most beloved and useful citizens. He died following a lingering illness which had lasted more than a year. Mr. Perry was a native of this place and had been in the drug business here since 1899. He was connected with every important activity of the town, was an active Mason, a Knight of Pythias and a Woodman. He was married to Miss Laura Vandevetter in 1907 and his widow and son, George, survive him. Services were conducted at the family residence by the Rev. G.B. Tumlin, pastor of the First Baptist Church, of which the dead man had been a member since early manhood. The pastor was assisted at the graveside by the Rev. Joseph Carden, rector of the Episcopal Church. Flowers were sent for the burial from all over Texas, and Rockdale business hours were closed from 3 to 5 p.m. out of respect. Dallas Morning News, December 1, 1922 

1902 :: Death of William Pleasants

Ennis, Ellis Co., Tex., Nov. 28. -- William Pleasants, a young man from Rockdale, died here Thursday evening at the home of his sister, Mrs. C.W. McKenney. The remains were taken to Rockdale today for burial. Dallas Morning News, December 1, 1902 

1896 :: Death of Dr. Letcher

Dr. Joseph Stephens Letcher, who died yesterday at his home in this city, was born in Alabama forty-six years ago, and has ended peacefully a remarkably active and useful life. He leaves a devoted wife and three interesting and promising children. As a physician he has, by unceasing labor and the best opportunities discovered by himself, arisen from obscurity to the first place in his profession, and as a Christian gentleman he was honored and beloved by a large circle of friends. His medical experience was varied, having practiced eleven years in Milam* county, Texas, six years in Lampasas and since 1889 in the city of Dallas. During this later period and prior to the appointment of Dr. C.M. Rosser to the position now held they were associated professionally together. His practice has been general, including surgery. He was surgeon for railroad companies and vice president of the Texas Railway Surgeon's association, as also of the Texas State Medical association. He was examiner for nearly all insurance companies located here, and for three of them was medical referee for Texas. Dr. Letcher was a man of great head and heart, affectionate with his friends and true to all men. He was of cheerful temperament and, being given much to the happiness of others, was universally beloved. Perhaps the most signal service attained here, and longest to be remembered, was that which attended his efforts for the establishment of the charity hospital now in course of construction. In this he was ably seconded by the local profession, but to his energy and zeal is largely due the gratitude of the people for this blessing. The funeral services will be held in the second Baptist church to-day, and the burial will follow at Oakland cemetery. . . . Dallas Morning News, December 1, 1896 [*He was enumerated in Maysfield on the 1880 census.]


 

1892 :: Watchers Shot in the Leg

Rockdale, Tex., Nov. 26. -- Billy Doss, living four miles west of Rockdale, has been annoyed recently by some person rocking his house at night. Last night while Edna Hinter and George Doss were on guard to catch the perpetrator of the outrages unknown persons slipped up and shot both men in the legs, Hinter seriously and Doss slightly. Papers have been taken out for the arrest of August Silky [Seelke?], suspected as the guilty party. Dallas Morning News, November 27, 1892

1904 :: Death of Col. N.H. Tracy

Cameron, Tex., Nov. 23. -- News was received here last night from Rockdale of the death there at 9:30 of Col. N.H. Tracy, who has resided in that city for several years and who has been a member of the Milam County bar a long time. He was a member of the Legislature from this county and Mayor of Rockdale for some time. A number of Cameron people left this morning for Rockdale to pay their last respects to the deceased. He was also a soldier in the Confederate Army. Dallas Morning News, November 24, 1904

1875 :: Death of Hattie Baines

Earlier this year . . . on the 25th day of June . . . the Keeper of this Rockdale history blog was doing some work on Find-A-Grave regarding the Old City Cemetery in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas . . . two of the photos posted on Find-A-Grave during that work session are of the final resting place of a little girl with the name of Hattie R (1873-1875), Dau. of Wm. M. & E.V. Baines. . . . little Hattie died on this date (23rd day of November) in the year 1875 . . .







As far as is currently known, there are no other Baines buried in this cemetery . . . and the parents were not listed as being buried elsewhere in Milam County . . . so, a search was begun for her family members . . .


The 1880 census quickly revealed that amongst the inhabitants of Rockdale as of June of that year were 37-year-old Wm. M. Baines, his 39-year-old wife, Elizabeth V. Baines, and an assortment of children . . . also in the same household were William's 33-year-old brother, Geo. W. Baines, and his 24-year-old wife, Cornelia . . .


Further research led to the fact that these Baines brothers are two of the sons of George Washington Baines, Sr. and his first wife, Melissa Ann Butler . . . this info wound up placing these Baines brothers in the waayyy distant branches of the personal family tree of the Keeper of this blog, where . . .


On the 26th day of June, in the year 1881 . . . a baby girl is born in Collin County, Texas . . . she is the first of three children known to have been born to her parents, Joseph Wilson Baines (1846-1906) and Ruth Ament Huffman (1854-1936) . . . and they give her the name of Rebekah . . . 

Rebekah's father, Joseph, is a brother to the above named William and George . . . which makes Rebekah a first cousin to the little Hattie who is buried in the Old City Cemetery in Rockdale, Texas . . . 

Rebekah grows up to marry Samuel Ealy Johnson . . . and they are the parents of the 36th President of the United States . . . who is a 9th cousin twice removed to the Keeper of this Rockdale history blog . . .


Did y'all follow all of that!?! :)