Beckham County, OK - Obits: Robert E. Lee Banks, 1922
01 Aug 2007
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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BANKS, ROBERT E. LEE
(16 Nov 1922, Beckham County Democrat, Erick, Beckham Co, OK):
Captin (sic) Robert Banks, son of David Banks and Patrecia (sic) Sizemore,
was born Nov. 17, 1833, at Double Cabins, Hawkins Co, Tenn.  When he was
two years old his parents moved to Floyd Co, Ky.  When he reached manhood
he emigrated to Missouri in 1854, where he met and married Hanna Thompson.
 To this union were born ten children.  He leaves to morn (sic) his death
five sons and two daughters twenty-nine grandchildren and thirty-two great
grandchildren.
Captin Banks had been ill only a few days with a serious case of
indigestion.  He seemed better at twelve o'clock Saturday night but soon
grew gravely ill.  He died at 6 o'clock A. M. Nov. 11, 1922.  Three of his
sons were with him in his last hours, William, James S. and George Banks.
Captin Banks was laid to rest Nov. 12, 1922, beside his wife, who died
several years ago, in the Rock School House Cemetary (sic) in the
Panhandle of Texas.
Notwithstanding the day was gray and threatening many near and old time
friends and neighbors joined the funeral cortege to the cemetary where
many others had gathered from other parts for the final interment.
When a young man Captin Banks carried the Surveyor's chain to help lay out
the town of Leavenworth, Kansas, and at that time Kansas City was known as
West Port Landing.  Captin Banks moved with his family to Texas in 1872
and came to Oklahoma in 1892.  He was a Confederate veteran and a member
of the Christian church.
Many of the early settlers will remember Captin Banks not only as a
citizen of commendable qualities in his younger days, but a man who was
willing, many times to his own discomfort, to help humanity.  He and his
boys were some of the early settlers who faced the frontier of Texas and
Oklahoma.
So it is well said, an old land mark has passed away.
NOTE OF THANKS.
To the good neighbors and friends in the Sweetwater community of our aged
father, Captian (sic) Robert Banks, we the undersigned extend to you and
yours our sincere thanks for the kindness and patience manifested during
his illness, death and funeral.
William Banks, Sr.
James S. Banks
George Banks.
(17 Nov 1922, Unidentified Newspaper clipping):
In Memoriam.  CAPT. ROBERT BANKS.
Robert Banks of Sweetwater, Okla., commonly known as Captain to his many
friends and acquaintances of all Western Oklahoma, and the Texas
Panhandle, died at his home last Saturday morning at six o'clock, November
11, 1922.  Two of his sons, Jim and William, who live there, were with
him.
Captain Banks was ninety years of age; was born in Kentucky and moved to
Missouri when a young man.  He settled in Wheeler county, Texas, in 1872,
and made the run for a homestead down Elk Creek, now known as the O. H.
Eggleston farm, in 1892.  He sold this homestead to live near his sons at
Sweetwater, where lived alone in his private quarters.  His wife died
sixteen years ago, and the remains were buried by her side at the little
cemetery in Wheeler county, by his request.
Capt. Banks was one of the big cattle men of the great plains in early
days.  He was loved by all who knew him.  Funeral services were held at
Sweetwater last Sunday.  He leaves five sons and many grand-children to
mourn his death.  Besides Jim and William of Sweetwater, Okla., are Frank
of Mills, N. M., Lee of Pampa, Texas, and George of Amarillo.  Forest
Banks of this city is his grandson.  Forest heard of the death Saturday
night and started for Sweetwater, when he was compelled to return on
account of the storm.