Short Biography of William Jackson Defee, Bowie County, Texas *********************************************************** Submitted by: William A. Sweeney, grandson of William J. Defee Date: Jun 2005 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/bowie/bowitoc.htm *********************************************************** William Jackson Defee was born in Jefferson, Texas, on 20 July 1871. He was the son of Green Pinkham DeFee and Margaret Anna Carr DeFee, who had left Pike County, Alabama seeking a new home around 1870. They eventually settled in Hunt County, Texas, where his parents owned a small farm. He was raised in this area, along with his four sisters and three brothers. It was here that he met his future wife, Ruby Dennis, daughter of William I. and Anna Dennis. They were married in Greenville, Texas, on 21 July 1903. They later moved to Texarkana, where he opened a drug store and pharmacy. Mr. DeFee was one of the first licensed pharmicist's in the State of Texas. He served as Texarkana's City Secretary from 28 April 1916, to 26 April 1920. The family moved to the then boom town of Breckenridge for a short time but later returned to Texarkana where he resumed his drugstore and pharmacy business. The family lived many years at 2717 Olive street. Mr. DeFee died 26 May 1941, leaving behind, his wife Ruby DeFee, daughters Ruth DeFee Sweeney and Frances Defee McLarty and sons William J. DeFee and Robert DeFee. Mr. DeFee was a Mason and is buried at Hillcrest Cemetery beside his beloved wife Ruby, who passed away in 1944.