Whitney Messenger

Whitney Messenger - Obits

Whitney Messenger Friday Dec. 23, 1966

J.E. Dyer, Whitney Native, Dies Tuesday
In Waco Hospital

Funeral services for J. Edgar Dyer, 85 of
Waco, were held at 4 p.m. Wed. in the
Wilkerson Hatch Chapel in Waco with Dr. Joe
Weldon Bailey and Rev. M. E. Williamson
officiaing. Burial was at Oakwood Cemetery
in Waco. Mr. Dyer was born in a log cabin near
Whitney. He was the grandson of the First
judge in Hill County. He was a former barber
and semi-professional base-ball player. He
died at 1 a.m. Tuesday in a Waco Hospital.
Mr. Dyer had lived in Waco since 1905, owning
and operating several barber shops in that city
over 56 years. He was a member of the Columbus
Avenue Baptist Church and Waco Masonic Lodge.
Surviving are a daughter; Mrs. Frank Grevelle
of 4200 Mockingbird Lane, Waco. A brother-in-law,
A.M. Barker of Whitney and a niece Mrs. W.T.
Curtis of Whitney. Mr. Dyer was a twin brother
of the late Mrs. Edna Barker of Whitney.

Whitney Messenger Friday March 11,1966

Final Rites Held For George Epps

George J. Epps, 64 of Peoria died at 5 p.m. March 3
at Grant Buie Medical Center, Hillsboro. He was born
in Whitney and spent most of his life time in Hill
County. He was a member of the Huron Baptist Church.
Funeral services held at 4 p.m. Saturday in the
Marshall and Marshall Chapel with the John Dillinham
officiating. Burial was at Ridge Park Cemetery.
Surviving are his widow the former Alma Rose, a son
Garrison Epps of Phoenix Arizona; three grandchildren;
four sisters: Mrs. Bill Heath of Huron, Mrs. J. H.
Vinson of Whitney, Mrs. Laura Turner of Whitney and Mrs.
Noble Holt of Lubbock; one brother, Jim Epps of Ft. Worth.

This obituary is for a brother of Mary Ann Hicks,
wife of Jesse Booth.

Obit - Whitney Messenger, Whitney, Hill Co. Texas,
April 3, 1914; vol 31, no 21

"Death of James H. Hicks"

"After an illness of about two weeks, Uncle Jim
Hicks died at his home near town last Friday,
March 27, at noon. He was taken ill with paralysis,
in the same manner that his brother, C.C. Hicks,
was taken about three weeks before and after
continually growing worse death came just three
weeks and ten hours after his brother.

Mr. Hicks had reached the advanced age of 80 years,
1 month and 15 days. The funeral service was conducted
Saturday afternoon by his pastor, Rev. R.F. Jones,
and after an impressive service the Masonic fraternity
took charge of the remains and followed by a large
number of sorrowing friends they conveyed the body to
the DeGraffenreid cemetery where it was confined to
its last resting place. The following biographical
sketch was written four years ago by W.S. Mayes
and published in the Hillsboro Mirror.

Only about two miles from Whitney at the old
homestead, lives a very interesting character
a man who has always stood for the right, and
has done much for the advancement of civilization.
This gentleman is Mr. James H. Hicks. He was
born in Hardeman county, Tenn., in February, 1834,
but about the time when he reached his first
birthday his parents moved to the Chickasaw Nation
which was then in the state of Mississippi and
after he had reached the age of about ten years,
he started to school in that community and found
that four of the pupils were Indians. Young Hicks
did not become an intimate companion of these
redskin pupils, for he could never be persuaded
that they were friendly. He always imagined they
had a tomahawk concealed on their person, and
might at any time break out with a war hoop and
scalp every one of the pale faces.

When Hicks had reached the age of manhood, which
was in 1855 his parents and other members of the
family, including the trusted slaves, started to
Texas, and, as there was no railroads in the Lone
Star State at that time, they were compelled to
drive through in wagons, the subject of the sketch
having driven four mules to a wagon. They landed
in Comanche county which was at that time part of
Coryell county, and selected a home in the Mercer
settlement.

In the spring of 1856 they planted a small crop,
but that year, like some years since was very dry,
and nothing was made at all. In August it was
decided that James Hicks should take a Negro
servant and go to mill. With a wagon and two yokes
of oxen they started for bread, and when they
reached the Brazos river, four days after a
glorious rain came and put new life in all kind
of vegetation. Immediately after this rain
Mr. Hicks' father sowed a patch of turnips and
when James Hicks returned home with his grinding,
the turnips were large enough to eat. This sounds
strange to us now, but it was necessary to go 190
miles, near the town of McKinney, where he purchased
85 bushels of wheat and then had to go on to the
old time tread mill to get the wheat ground. This
mill was run by an ox which was put in a box and
made to move the entire machinery. This was a slow
process and took several days waiting to get his
turn, and when 70 bushels were ground he started
for home, taking the other 15 bushels along for
seed. It was a long, tiresome journey and required
forty two days to make the trip. During this entire
time Mr. Hicks never heard from home. They did not
need any feed for their team but would camp in
the evening and hobble out the oxen and let them
graze all night.

At that time there was no ferry on the Brazos above
Waco, and when a person found the river too high to
ford the only chance was to wait for it to run down
or go by the way of Waco. On Mr. Hicks' return home
on this trip he was compelled to wait six days at
Ft. Graham for the river to go down.

The nearest post office to Comanche county then was
Gatesville, which was sixty miles away. There would
be people passing on their way to Stephenville and
other points north almost every week and the
postmaster would send the mail to all along the route.

The Indians had been raiding all through the country
frequently but had never done any serious damage until
August 1859, when a band of savage Comanches came
through the country stealing horses and anything that
pleased their eyes. A Negro slave belonging to the
Hicks family had been staying with a lady at the town
of Comanche, which was just beginning to build up and
on Sunday morning he was permitted to visit his folks
several miles away. This Negro started early and when
near his home he met the Indians in the trail face to
face. The Negro was riding a mule and it is supposed
that he turned and was running his animal. The savages
chased him for three and one half miles before they
killed him. The Indians never scalp a Negro, so they
left him dead and took the mule. This was the first
burial in Comanche county and recently the brothers
of this Negro, Green, Neal and Len Hicks of Whitney
erected a suitable monument over the grave.

Ten days after this Indian raid the Hicks family
became afraid to live on the border and moved to
near Towash, and in 1860 made a crop across the
river from Towash, in Bosque county but as that was
a very dry year the crop was very small. In August
1860, Mr. Hicks bought the land where James H. Hicks
now lives, and ever since then it has been the Hicks
homestead. Mr. Hicks brought corn from across the
Brazos when he moved to his present home and has
raised the same kind ever since. He has never failed
to raise plenty of corn for all purposes except two
years and that was 1902 and this year. He has usually
had corn to sell but has never sold corn for less than
fifty cents per bushel except one time when he received
forty cents per bushel. When he could not get fifty
cents he let it remain in the crib and usually he found
a ready market the next year. He did not raise cotton
until several years after the war, his principal crop
being corn and wheat. When Mr. Hicks' father bought
this farm everyone in the country said it was
impossible to raise a crop on the prairie. They thought
the prairie was fine grass land but fit for nothing
else. It was soon proven however, that this was a
mistake. Mr. Hicks now has oats that were baled eleven
years ago, that are as fine as when put up. These oats
were stored in the barn and as they were not fed away
that year the new crop was stored on top and he
continued to carry these old oats from year to year,
but it is probable that he will get his barn cleaned
out this year. Mr. Hicks has always been an excellent
neighbor and when he could not get his price for corn
he would loan them what they needed. One neighbor has
borrowed corn eighteen years out of twenty.

When Mr. Hicks came to this country the soldiers had
been removed from Ft. Graham as the savage Indians had
ceased to visit this section. However the friendly
Indians would occasionally visit this country and
trade with the white people.

At this time Peoria had no store or blacksmith shop,
but there was a little tread mill which was first run
by oxen and later by horses.

Jack Greenwade built a little gin near Towash which
turned out about a bale of cotton per day and was
pulled by four horses. This was one of the first
gins ever built in Hill county, the Gathings gin at
Covington was probably the first but the Greenwade
gin was built just after.

The year of 1860 and 1887 were both very dry years
but the droughts were broken by the August floods.
In 1860 the flood came August 27 and in 1887,
August 29.

Mr. Hicks still has several relics of those early
days which he values very highly. One of these is
a flintlock pistol that was afterward changed to a
cap and ball pistol. It is about twelve inches long
and will carry a ball for fifty yards as true as any
gun. Mr. Hicks also has an old fashioned reap hook,
candle mold and a cap box in which he carried his
supply of caps in during the war.

When it became evident that the war was inevitable
between the North and the South. Mr. Hicks offered
his services and enlisted in the 19th Texas Cavalry,
Co. D, Parson's Brigade. In his company John P. Cox,
H. McLary, Crocket Wornel, P.M. Greenwade and Gip
Smith. Most of their service was seen in Arkansas,
and the comrades of Mr. Hicks say that he was one
of the truest and bravest soldiers in the company.

Mr. Hicks has never married preferring to live a
life of single blessedness. He lived with his parents
until his death, his mother having died September 24
and his father Nov 24 in the year 1879. Up to this
time he had not been away from home six weeks at any
one time except when he went to mill as already mentioned."

Whitney Messenger - June 3, 1904

"Uncle Jesse Booth Passes to His Reward"

"As presaged in our last issue, the low vitality
of advanced years and the prostration of an acute
bowel trouble, overwhelmed Uncle Jesse Booth and he
succumbed to his illness last Sunday morning at about
3:30 o'clock. However, considering his decrepid years,
he showed a remarkable resistance to the approach of
death and yielded in the last possible stages of his
malady. All that loving friends and relatives could do
was provided, and though it was a faint hope for his
recovery, a heroic struggle was made. Therefore, death
was not unexpected, and since it must come to all, the
inevitable must be accepted, and in this case it was
probably a liberation of the body from the sufferings
of disease and decay. Uncle Jesse has gone to his heavenly
reward, which, by a long life of piety and usefulness,
he has so richly inherited. There are few kindlier
disposed personages than was Uncle Jesse, and his quiet
life and his proverbial friendliness to all, won for him
the highest commondation from everyone. He was one of our
most beloved old settlers, and had scores of anxious friends,
who were ever interested in his welfare. As he grew older
and seemed to retain the vigor of much younger years, his
fondness in the hearts of our people increased, and each
felt a personal and revered interest in him. Each succeeding
year, as he would celebrate his birthdays, our people rejoiced
with him that he was yet spared them and honored him with a
kind devotion. Uncle Jesse had been a man of remarkable
industry and strength, and even up to a few days ago
enjoyed the health and strength to perform arduous manual
labor, doing his farm work in the cultivation of a little
crop. He had known little sickness throughout his long life,
but his infirm age caused the thread of life to become
brittle and was consequently easily snapped when the ravages
of disease racked his body and prostrated him on a bed of
sickness.

The Messenger voices the sentiments of our entire
people in attributing to this good and useful citizen the
best eulogy given to man, and each heart is pricked with
keen sorrow at his taking away, although he had run his
course, in man's allotted time. When he was laid away all
that was mortal was forever passed from view, but his memory
will live and be cherished for years to come. No more honest
man lived than Uncle Jesse and no one possessed and exercised
a truer principle in life than he, having never incurred the
hostility of anyone and passing to his eternal reward without
having an iota of ill will against him.

His remains were consigned to their last resting place
in the DeGraffenried cemetery, Monday morning, at about
11 o'clock, the Masonic fraternity having conducted their
burial rites at his grave. before the start was made to the
cemetery a funeral service was conducted at his late
residence by Eld. L. N. Nuckols. The obsequies were attended
by a large concourse of sympathizing friends.

Jesse Booth was born in Patrick county, Va., on March 29,
1818, and was therefore 86 years and two months old when death
claimed him. When he was about 10 years old he moved to the
western portion of Tennessee, where he lived for a number of
years, when he moved to Mississippi. His father died when he
was quite young, and he being the oldest child had to provide
for and protect his younger two brothers and four sisters. He
engaged in the milling business in Mississippi for about ten
years, when he sold out and moved back to Tennessee. He engaged
in the cotton business there for some years, and in 1859 came
to Texas, locating at Navasota and engaging in the mercantile
business, which was during the time of the yellow fever scourge
in that country. In 1869, he moved to Hill county, where he has
since resided, and having engaged in farming and stock raising
all this time. For years he conducted the first and most
extensive brick plant in the county, and several of Whitney's
store houses were constructed of brick from his kiln.

He was a faithful observer of the Seventh Day Adventist
religion and was devout in all his doings.

At the age of 22 years he was made a Mason and that order
ministered to him during his last illness and honored
him in death.

On September 8, 1854, he was married in Mississippi, to
Miss Mary A. Hicks, of Whitney, and who died in Texas in 1868.
To them were born four children, viz: Dora, Cora, Nora and
Joe Booth, the latter having died several years ago. His three
daughters, Mrs. Dora Sims, of Whitney, Mrs. W. T. Wade, of
Hillsboro, and Mrs. Milton West, of Whitney, survive him."

Whitney Messenger, Whitney, Hill Co. Texas, 1923

"In Memory of Mrs. J. H. Mallory"

"As the shadows of night were being transformed
into the splendor of day the spirit of Mrs. Penelope
Hayes Mallory took its flight from home and loved
ones to be "forever with the Lord," in that beautiful
city with sure foundations whose builder and maker is God.

Dead, no, it is true that the weary body has been laid
to rest, but the mortal has put on immortality, while
here she lingers in the hearts and affections of those
who cherish her memory.

Miss Penelope Hayes was born on March 10, 1857, at Orange,
Texas, and departed this life July 13, 1938, at the home
of her daughter, Mrs. T. O. Hennessee of Whitney, aged
81 years, three months and 10 days.

At an early age she was awakened to a sense of her
soul's deep need and accepted Christ and united with the
Baptist church where she continued faithful until the end,
at which time she was a member of the First Baptist
church at Whitney and had been for 32 years.

On September 11, 1872, God gave her a companion in the
person of John Henry Mallory, who was ever by her side to
cheer her in her faith and love, he having departed this
life July 5, 1923.

The home of Brother and Sister Mallory was blessed by the
presence of ten children, five boys and five girls, all of
whom are living. they are G. W. Mallory of Coon Creek, Mrs.
Kate Gray of Whitney, Mrs. Mollie Holt of Floydada, Mrs.
Ruby Jackson of Henderson, Mrs. May Moorman of Coon Creek,
J. E. Mallory of Spur, J. L. Mallory, Dennis Mallory, O.D.
Mallory and Mrs. Jewel Henessess, all of Whitney. In
addition to these there are surviving 53 grandchildren,
19 great grandchildren and a half sister, Mrs. Arrington.
Funeral services held at the First Baptist church in Whitney,
Wednesday, July 13, at five p.m., were conducted by the
pastor, Rev. Arthur Johnson, assisted by Rev. F. E. Weller.
The choir sang two selections "Nothing Between" and "When
They Ring Those Golden Bells", and a special selection,
"It Pays To Serve Jesus", was sung by Mrs. Roy Wilson and
Mrs. L. W. Sheffield.

Flower girls were Jewel and Pattie Sue Moorman, Mary
Elizabeth Mallory, Mrs. Joe White, Mrs. Ola Crinnick,
Verda Ruth Mallory, Mrs. Virgil McMillan. Active pallbearers
were Hodge and Elford Gray, Wilson Moorman, Garland
Mallory, Wilton and Raymond Holt. These bore the body
to its last resting place in the DeGraffenreid cemetery,
there to await the glories of the Resurrection Morn.
Servant of God's well done,
Thy warfare is past
Thy victory won!"

Friday, February 29, 1962

Services Sunday for Kenneth Roy Ivy

Kenneth Roy Ivy, 58, a lifetime resident of Whitney passed away
Friday at Whitney hospital.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the PrairieValley
Church with Rev. Calvin Halbert officiating. Burial was in Pairie
Valley Cemetery.
Mr. Ivy was Born May 23, 1903 near Whitney. He married
to Bessie Mae Waggoner on August 23, 1923.
Survivors include his wife; two brothers, S.H. Ivy of Mansfield
and D.W. Ivy of Kennedale; four sisters, Mrs. Mamie Shelley of
Whitney, Mrs. Minnie Pyles of Mansfield, Mrs. Tressie Marry of
Mansfield and Mrs. Willie Copeland of Fort Worth; two daughters,
Mrs. Barbara Ann Hoffman of Fort Worth and Mrs. Dale Ince of
Kennadale; one son, Kenneth Ivy Jr., of Whitney; and Five grandchildren.

Thursday, August 12, 1948

Services Held for J. W. DeArmon

Funeral services for James Wilson DeArmon were held at Prairie
Valley Tuesday afternoon August 10, 1948 at 2:30 o'clock with
Marshall and Marshall in charge and Rev. F. E. Weller officiating.
Interment was in the cemetery at Prairie Valley.
Mr. DeArmon passed away on Monday August 9, at 8:30 a.m.,
aged 81 years. He was born in Bonham, Texas and for many
years resided in the Whitney Territory, moving to Hillsboro in 1936.
He was united in marriage to Miss Mary Bell Earl in 1906, and she
passed away July 9, 1945. He was a member of the Walnut Street
Baptist Church, Hillsboro.
Survivors include the following children: Mrs. Eva Auten, Whitney;
Mrs. Bobbie Dyer, Valley Mills; John DeArmon, Corsicana; Clint
DeArmon, Dallas; Miss Lillie DeArmon, Hillsboro and three step-
children; Mrs. Daisey Ivy of Fort Worth, F.E. Earl of Hillsboro and
W.H. Earl of Hillsboro; also seven grandchildren and 9 great
grandchildren and one great great grandchild.

Whitney Messenger
Thursday, July 12, 1945

Rites Held for Mrs. DeArmon

Mrs. Mary Belle DeArmon, wife of J.W. DeArmon passed away at
8:10 o'clock Monday morning, July 9, at the family home in Hillsboro.
She was 74 years of age. They for many years residents of the
Whitney section, where she was beloved by all who knew her.
She was born at Columbia, Kentucky, Nov. 18, 1870 and came
to Texas in 1904, and had made her home in Hill County for the
past 32 years. She united with the church when a young girl and
was a member of the Walnut Street Baptist Church at the time of her
passing. Surviving are her husband, two sons, Clint of Hillsboro
and John of Sweeney; six daughters, Miss Lillie DeArmon of
Hillsboro, Mrs Cecil Ivy of Fort Worth, Mrs. F.R. Earl and
Mrs. Eva Auten, Whitney and Mrs. Bobbie Dyer of Valley Mills.
Twenty grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren also
survive.
Funeral services were held at Marshall and Marshall chapel at
Hillsboro Tuesday afternoon at 4 o'clock, conducted by Rev.
F.E. Weller of Whitney. Interment was in the cemetery at
Prairie Valley.

Whitney Messenger
Friday, May 18, 1962

Final Rites Thursday For Mrs. Finis Earl

Mrs. Ella Bird Earl passed away at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday in the
Whitney Hospital after an extended illness. Funeral Services
were held at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Missionary Baptist Church
in Whitney, Rev. W.L. Walters and Rev. Calvin Halbert officiating.
Mrs. Earl was a member of the Fairview Church in Bosque County.
Survivors include her husband, Finis Earl of Whitney and ason
Ralph Earl of Hillsboro.

Whitney Messenger
Friday, January, 15, 1988

Finis Ralph Earl

Mr. Finis Ralph Earl, age 63 of Route 4, Whitney, died Monday,
January 11 in the Hillsboro Hospital. Funeral was at 10 a.m.
Wednesday, January 13, at the Marshall and Marshall Chapel, Rev.
W.L. Walker officiating, burial in the Whitney Cemetery.
Mr. Earl was born August 14, 1924 in Valley Mills, the son of
Finis Reno and Ella Bird Earl. He married Jean Seay, June
15, 1946 and lived most of his life in Hillsboro and Whitney areas
except for 18 years in the Houston area. He served in the 36th
Division of the U.S. Army in Europe for almost four years during
World War Two. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of
Friendswood, Texas. He was a painter and paper hanger.
He is survived by his wife, Jean Earl of Whitney, one son, Paul
Keith Earl and his wife Lori of Whitney, two daughters,
Catherine Rosanne Barker of Whitney and Elaine Craig and husband,
Bill of Glouscester, New Jersey, two grandchildren, Christy
Clepper of Whitney and Jesse Craig of Glouscester, New Jersey
and a large number of cousins, nieces and nephews.

Whitney Messenger
Friday, September 9, 1994

Sarah "Sally" Shires

Sarah "Sally" Shires, age 74 of San Bernadina, California died
September 1, 1994 in San Bernadino. Graveside services were
held at 2 p.m. Saturday September 3, 1994 at the Hillcrest
Garden of Memory near Hillsboro, Texas with the Rev. Joe Bob
Boyd of the Bethel Bible Church in Whitney officiating.
Mrs. Shires was born June 28, 1920 in Ardmore, Texas. She was
the daughter of James and Nancy Staples. She married Carl "Babe"
Shires on January 27, 1940. They lived 33 years in Baytown,
Texas area. After his retirement they moved to Whitney in 1971.
She was preceded in death by her husband Carl Shires on April
26, 1993 Mrs. Shires is survived by one son, James Shires and
his wife Suzanne of San Bernadino, CA; one grandson Jason Shires
of Texas; two granddaughters Ilanna Shires of San Bernadino and
Kristen Shires of Dallas, Texas; one sister Marcella Anderson of
Whitney, Texas. The family requests that all memorials be made
to the American Cancer Society.

Whitney Messenger
Friday, September 30, 1994

Edwin Ince

Edwin Ince, age 74 of Whitney died at his home in Whitney
September 25, 1994. Funeral services were held at 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, September 27, 1994 at Marshall and Marshall Chapel
in Whitney with Rev. John Pelham officiating. The interment
was held at the Prairie Valley Cemetery near Whitney. Edwin
Ince was born December 7, 1919, in Blum. He grew up and lived
all of his life in the Whitney area, except for four years
during WWII in which he served in the 56th Evacuation Hospital
attached to the 36th Division of the U. S. Army. He married
Virginia Dell Ivy December 21, 1942. He was an operating engineer
in the construction business. He was preceded in death by two
brothers and three sisters. Mr. Ince is survived by his wife,
Virginia Sell (Ivy) Ince; three sons, Jessie Roy Ince of West,
Jodie Edwin Ince of Whitney and Johnny Mack Ince of Prairie
Valley; three brothers, R.P. Ince of Whitney, Willie Ince of
Whitney and George Ince of Whitney; two grandchildren, Shelby
Roy Ince of West and Timmy Lee Ince of Detroit, Texas; two great
grandchildren, Phillip Lee and Christian Ince of Detroit.

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