Taylor County, Texas Obituaries

Taylor County, TX Obituaries

J. T. Dodson
Abilene Police Chief Dies Unexpectedly
ABILENE, Texas, Jan. 4 (AP).~ Funeral services were held this afternoon for J. T. Dodson, Abilene Chief of police, who died unexpectedly early today of heart disease. Dodson. 58. was named chief last September to succeed R. E. Burch. killed in an automobile accident near here. [Big Spring Herald Jan 5, 1930 - Submitted by J. Rice]

Mrs. C. W. Dollar
Dollar Funeral Is Wednesday, 3 P.M.
Mrs. C. W. Dollar, who early yesterday succumbed to pneumonia, is to be buried in Cedar Hill cemetery Wednesday afternoon. Funeral services will be said at 3 o'clock at Elliott's chapel by the Homer Haley, minister of the Highland Church of Christ. Named as pallbearers are Raymond Gann, Marvin Johnson, R. J. Collier, George Daniel, Sam Terry, and Raymond Brown. Mrs. Dollar, who was 50 years old, lived at 1002 Locust street. Survivors are her husband, their daughter, four sisters, and two brothers.

Walter Freeman
Abliene Texas, Sept. 24 -- Walter Freeman died at his home near Tyscola, this county, Saturday. [Dallas Morning News, 1900-09-27, submitted by Barbara Ziegenmeyer]

Aubrey Groves
MACOMB (IL) - Aubrey L. Groves, 39, of 602 W. Washington died at 3:18 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, 1996, at Bridgeway Home.
She was born Jan. 16, 1957, in Abilene, Texas, to John W. Jr. and Barbara Harwood Groves.
Surviving are her mother, Barbara Morgan of Beardstown; her father of Beardstown; one brother, Johnny Groves of Astoria; and one sister, Barbara Groves of Fort Worth, Texas.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Shawgo Memorial Home in Astoria. Kevin Sager will officiate. Visitation will be one hour before services at the memorial home. Burial will be in Beardstown City Cemetery in Beardstown. [Peoria Journal Star, (IL) August 11, 1996, Page: C14, submitted by Sara Hemp]

ODBER RAYMOND HARTT Jr.
1920 -1999
First Central Presbyterian Church, Abilene, Texas
A Service of Worship in Memory of Odber Raymond Hartt Jr.January 15, 1999
Odber "Ray" Hartt Jr. was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, February 3, 1920. Ray graduated from high school and attended Texas A&M University, graduating in 1946 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, after a four-year time for service in World War II. He served as Captain in the Corps of Engineers while in the military, serving in North Africa, Italy, and also the Philippines and Japan. Ray married Joan Logan in Wichita Falls on February 11, 1950. He was a member of the First Central Presbyterian Church where he served as an ordained Elder and Deacon. He was in charge of adding and installing the air-conditioning to the original First Presbyterian Church Sanctuary, and supervised the remodeling of the old sanctuary into Fellowship Hall. Ray began working for West Texas Utilities as an air-conditioning engineer March 1, 1954 and was later the Space Conditioning Engineer in Customer Services. He retired from WTU March 2, 1986. Ray was a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, and the Abilene Exchange Club where he served as president. He had been on the City Board of Electrical Examiners for six years and Chairman of the Volunteer Weatherization Committee. Ray was a member of the Advisory Committee for construction of the headquarters building for Meals on Wheels. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. O.R. Hartt Sr.; a sister, Helen Hartt Thompson; and a nephew, David Thompson. Survivors include his wife of Abilene; a daughter, Ann L. Hartt of Abilene; a grandson, Robert Lee Hartt of Abilene; and four nieces. [Contributed by Carole Dick]

Welch Hardie
April 2 -- Welch Hardie died Saturday and was buried yesterday in the city cemetery. He was about 24 years old and died of consumption. [Dallas Morning News 1900-04-03, Abilene Texas - submitted by Barbara Ziegenmeyer]

T. J. Kelley
TAYLOR Dec. 2. -- Word was received in Taylor today announcing the death of T. J. Kelley of Waco, but formerly of Taylor, and one of this city's oldest pioneers Kelley was one of the first owners of the Taylor Weekly Texan established by the late Minor H Brown, in 1881,. and the first building contractor of this city. He came to Taylor from Ireland In early manhood, and leaves no relatives In this country outside of his immediate family. In 1903 he moved to LaRue, Texas, then in two years to Waco, where he had lived on a, farm up to the time of his death. Kelley suffered a stroke of apoplexy. The funeral was held In Waco this afternoon with Interment In the Oakwood Cemetery Kelley is survived by his wife [Fort Worth Star Dec. 2, 1921.submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer]

Evelyn Kirk
Rites Set Today For Kirk Infant
Funeral for Evelyn Kirk, five months-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Kirk, 2517 Cedar street, was set at 3 o'clock this afternoon from the University Baptist church, with the pastor, the Rev. C. A. Powell, officiating. Burial was to be made in Babyland in the Masonic cemetery. The baby's father is a ministerial student at Hardin-Simmons university. Besides the parents, survivors are three other children, Truman, Geneva, and Glenn Kirk. Abilene Reporter News, April 22, 1937, transcribed by, Amanda Jowers

Hon. W.H. Lockett Dead.
August 10, 1899
Abilene, Tex., Aug. 9-Hon. W.H. Lockett, a prominent lawyer of this place, died Monday evening of heart failure at his home in this place. He had been in bad health for some time, but was improving, and spent the day Monday at his office. Late in the evening he went home and was at the barn superintending the unloading of some hay. He leaned against the fence and remarked that he was very sick and then fell to the ground dead. Mr. Lockett has taken an active part in politics. Several years ago he served a term in the state legislature as a democrat but later joined the populist party. In 1896 he lacked but a few votes of receiving the populist nomination for attorney general and has always stood high in populist councils. [From The Evening News, Maria Texas, Submitted by Shauna Williams]

Lucinda Long
RITES SET FOR LUCINDA LONG
Baby Daughter of Judge And Mrs. M. S. Long Succumbs Funeral services for Lucinda Long, ten-months old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Milburn S. Long, will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday from St. Paul's Methodist church. The baby died late Thursday night at Hendrick Memorial hospital of pneumonia. Her father is judge of the forty-second judicial district of Texas. She also is survived by a sister, Emilie. Dr. O. P. Clark, pastor of St. Paul's, Dr. Millard A. Jenkens, pastor of the First Baptist church, and Dr. W. M. Murrell, Methodist minister, will conduct the rites. Pallbearers will be Harvey Brown, W. J. Cunningham, P. A. Tower, Walter Ely, J. R. Black and Ben L. Cox. Burial will be in the Albany cemetery under direction of Kiker-Knight Mortuary. The interment will be in the family plot of Mrs. Long's family. The body was to be moved from the mortuary to the family home, 1842 North Sixth street, at 2 p.m. Friday, to remain until time for the funeral. The cortege will leave for Albany immediately after the services Saturday afternoon. [Abilene Reporter News, April 23, 1937, transcribed by, Amanda Jowers]

Mary G. Oliver
Dies At Buffalo Gap
Mary Gaddis Oliver, who came to Taylor county 37 years ago from Georgia, died today at her home in Buffalo Gap. Mrs. Oliver, the wife of C. P. Oliver, had been in ill health several months. She succumbed at 9:15 o'clock this morning. Survivors are her husband; three sons, G. A. Oliver of Port Grand, Ariz., and S. G. and Grover Oliver, both of Abilene; five daughters, Mrs. L. A. Nall of Gardendale, Ala., Mrs. C. W. Cross of Gulon, Mrs. D. R. Hobson of Garner, Texas, Mrs. Edgar Robinson of Modesto, Calif., and Mrs. S. E. Clark of Abilene; and eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Mary Gaddis was born June 4, 1862, in Lumpkin county, Georgia. That state still was her home when she became the bride of C. P. Oliver on November 29, 1880, more than 56 years ago. They had made their home in Buffalo Gap since moving there in 1900. Burial arrangements, which will be directed by Laughter Funeral home, were incomplete early this afternoon. Services probably will be held tomorrow. [Abilene Reporter News, April 20, 1937, transcribed by, Amanda Jowers]

Mrs. C. P. Oliver
Last Rites Today For Mrs. Oliver
Mrs. C. P. Oliver, whose home had been at Buffalo Gap since 1900, was to be buried this afternoon in the Masonic cemetery. Funeral services were to be read at 2 o'clock at the South Side Baptist church by the Rev. W. C. Ashford. Named as pallbearers were I. C. Cox, Jeff Hinds, Al Yeager, Howard DeShazo, Gus Seastrunk, and John Robinson. Laughter Funeral home is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Oliver, a native of Georgia, died at her home yesterday morning after an illness of several months. She was 74 years old. Survivors are her husband, three sons, five daughters, eight grandchildren, and one great grandchild. [Abilene Reporter News, April 21, 1937, transcribed by, Amanda Jowers]

Dr. R. A. Stewart
Dr. Stewart Rites At Spur Saturday
Last rites for Dr. R. A. Stewart, pastor of the First Methodist church at Shamrock and presiding elder of the Abilene district in 1934 and 1935, have been set for 10 a.m. Saturday at Spur. Dr. Stewart died Wednesday at 6 p.m. of a paralysis stroke. He was stricken as he walked from the parsonage to the church to conduct a funeral yesterday afternoon. Lived At Spur Dr. Stewart was reared in Tennessee, and received his college education in Randolph-Macon college, Virginia, and Vanderbilt university. He entered the Northwest Texas conference in 1908, serving first at Spur. He remained there until 1913, and in successive years was pastor at Snyder, Canyon, Miami, First Church at Sweetwater, presiding elder of the Sweetwater district, pastor of St. Johns church, Stamford; presiding elder of the Stamford district, presiding elder at Vernon, presiding elder at Abilene, and pastor at Wellington for one year, after which he was transferred to Shamrock. Dr. Stewart was very active in education and young people's work in the church. He organized the young people's assembly at Clarendon in 1923, when he was chairman of the Epworth League board of the conference. In 1924, he was a member of the general conference, and he had been chairman of the board of education of the Northwest Texas conference for a number of years. Dr. Stewart held an honorary doctor's degree from McMurry college. [Abilene Reporter News, April 22, 1937, transcribed by, Amanda Jowers]

R. A. Stewart Buried At Spur
Abilene Ministers Go To Funeral For Former Presiding Elder
Funeral rites for Dr. R. A. Stewart, former presiding elder of the Abilene district, were held from the First Methodist church at Spur Saturday morning at 10 o'clock with the Rev. O. P. Clark, pastor of St. Paul Methodist of Abilene, officiating. Burial was in Spur cemetery. Dr. Clark was assisted in conducting the service by the Rev. P. H. Gates, pastor of the Spur church; Rev. S. H. Young, presiding elder of the Sweetwater district; Dr. L. N. Lipscomb, pastor of First Methodist church, Lubbock district; Dr. C. A. Long, presiding elder of Abilene district; Rev. W. M. Murrell of Abilene, and Rev. E. E. White, Plainview. Dr. Stewart, pastor of the First Methodist church at Shamrock, died Wednesday at 6 p.m. after being stricken with paralysis earlier in the afternoon while walking from his parsonage to the church to conduct a funeral. He was presiding elder of the Abilene district in 1934 and 1935, was transferred to Wellington as pastor in 1935, and last November was sent to the Shamrock church. Abilene ministers who attended the funeral, in addition to Dr. Clark, Rev. Murrell, and Dr. Long, were Dr. Thomas W. Brabham, president of McMurry college; Rev. J. H. Hamblen, pastor of First Methodist church; Rev. R. B. Freeman and Rev. J. B. McCarley. [Abilene Reporter News, April 25, 1937, transcribed by, Amanda Jowers]

Fannie Mae Whisenhunt
Buffalo Gap Rites For Young Woman
Funeral for Fannie Mae Whisenhunt, 24, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. P. Whisenhunt of Weatherford, was held this morning at 10:30 at Buffalo Gap. Burial was made in the cemetery there beside the grave of the young woman's grandfather. The young woman, a native of Taylor county who returned here from Weatherford a year ago because of ill health, died in a local hospital yesterday morning. Kiker-Knight mortuary was in charge of arrangements.

Walter Freeman
Dallas Morning News – 27 Sept. 1900

Abilene , Tex. , Sept. 24. – Walter Freeman died at his home, near Tyscola, this county, Saturday.
{Submitted by Marla Zwakman}

Grandma Peden
Abilene Daily Reporter (Abilene, Texas) Tuesday, April 16, 1912

“Grandma” Peden as she was affectionately called, died last night at 13th and Oak streets, home of her granddaughter, Mrs. Jeff Bull, death occurring at midnight.
Mrs. Peden was suffering from a fall sustained Friday which, with her extremely old age, 97, was too much for her weakened constitution. Mrs. Peden has been a widow fifty seven years and a resident of Abilene for more than a quarter of a century.
She leaves three sons, Plemon Peden of this city, Will and Chas. Peden of Oklahoma , and two grand daughters, Miss Effie Peden of this city, and Mrs. Jeff Bull, with whom she had been living and at whose home she died.
{Submitted by Marla Zwakman}

Frank Hyatt
Abilene Daily Reporter (Abilene, Texas) Thursday, April 4, 1912
Abilene was shocked this morning to hear of the death of Frank Hyatt, who passed away after a brief illness of only a few weeks.
He was an Abilene reared man and had many friends who will mourn his demise as well as a wife and child and numerous other relatives.
The funeral will take place tomorrow morning at 10:30 o’clock from the family residence, corner South Second and Palm streets, under the auspices of the Modern Woodmen lodge of this city.
Rev. J. A. Gray will conduct the funeral service at the family residence.
This paper extends condolence in the bereaved family and relatives.
{Submitted by Marla Zwakman}