Ellis County Texas Archives Biographies.....Collard, George & Sallie 1876 - 1936 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/txfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Virginia Crilley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00003.html#0000642 July 22, 2022, 7:54 pm Author: Carolyn Collard Wilson Carolyn Wilson researched documents and has shared memories she gathered from Alma relatives and friends. George Washington Collard was born in West Clifton, Kentucky, October 18, 1876. He and his brother, Louis (not sure which came first) settled in Alma around 1898. George was 22. His WWI registration card indicated Blue Eyes , brown hair and medium height. They worked for their Uncle William Martin "Bill" Whitfill. In 1886, Sallie, the 5th child of Henry J and Winnie Virginia Jinks Ruffin, came with her family from Taylor County, Georgia. She was born in Taylor Co May 28, 1881, so was about 5 when she arrived in Ellis County. Her older sister, Mattie was 17, Elum C. "Bub" 15, George Tolliver 11, Allan Tillman 10, William Harrison 7, and younger brother Willis 2. (Rupert born 1888 and Claude 1992 born in Alma) Sallie may have attended Alma school held in the Methodist Church. The family lived on a farm (leased for 6 years) in the Thomas J. Chambers Survey, east of Alma towards the Trinity River. Sept 29 1899, Sallie (18) married George W. Collard (23) by Rev. M.J. Kelly. Standing with the couple was Sallie's brother, Till, Ora Brown Treadaway stood with Sallie. [The Brown girls had come to visit their sister, Ora, and both Lillie and Willie married Ruffin boys) They chose Galveston for their Honeymoon trip. This was the year before the 'big storm' with a tidal wave said to be 15 feet high that so devastated the city (Sep 8-9 1900). The 'island' city was a favorite resort place. Their first child was born July 16, 1900 and named Henry W (for Sallie's father) and W. for George's father. It is believed by the family that Sallie chose to have her first born baptized in the Methodist church as there are no baptism pictures as were for later siblings. Charlie L was born July 25, 1902, Genevieve, Feb 13, 1904. Diphtheria struck the household, with Charlie (9 days before his 2nd birthday and Henry (2 days before his 4th birthday) died on the same day July 14, 1904. Genevieve, only 5 months old, survived. Franklin George (Jan 3, 1906; Clyde Vernon (Dec 15, 1907); Hugh Joseph (Nov 26, 1911); Theodore Roosevelt (July 3 1914), Hatton William (April 29, 1917); Joe Edward "Babe" (Jan 20 1920) George. a devoted Catholic, made sure all the family was in Mass every Sunday. (Sallie never converted to Catholicism and attended Methodist church occasionally. He would get one of them by the ear if he didn't really 'get with it', and out the door they'd all go, off to church and line up in the pew. Someone they described would either sit at the other end or close a little door to shut them in. They laughed telling about it. The priest often had breakfast with them. Uncle Hugh tried to avoid the priest, however, because he didn't want to be tickled on the cheek. (Hugh born in 1911, so this probably 1920 or so. Youngest son, Edward born 1920. The family never ate a bite at our meals until after Daddy had asked the traditional Catholic blessing (per Frank born 1906. The parents encouraged all the children to play musical instruments. George and Genevieve often played the guitar and piano together on Sunday afternoons. Theodore played a guitar, mandolin, and fiddle. Hugh played a violin. As teenagers, Hugh and Theodore often played at Roly Wilson's store when the neighborhood youngsters gathered for dances. The family had some good times. Every Friday night there was an ice cream supper. Sallied filled the old ice cream freezer with a creamy milk, sugar and egg mixture, George packed it with ice, covering it with an old quilt. The younger boys sat on the freezer to hold it down while the older boys or George turned the crank. When the ice cream was frozen, the family, friend, and neighbors enjoyed big bowls! Throughout her life Sallie was plagued with severe bouts of depression. Everyone described her a beautiful, and felt her sorrow was over the death of two of her babies (in 1904 of diphtheria) She was described by neighbors as sweet and loving, but when these emotional attacks occurred she would explode in a verbal rage and become unable to function. During these spells, George would bear the brunt of caring for the children. He hired Mrs. Sol O'Dear to cook and clean. [Note HJ sold land to her husband for Negro Baptist Church] George was a good Dad. He played baseball with the sons, also played tag and other games. Sallie was only a background figure to Uncle Theodore (born 1914). He didn't even know he had a mother until he was about eight years old. George was postmaster from April 20, 1905 to June 8, 1914 and again March 8 1917- March 21, 1924, with the Post office located in his General Store. He also was an agent for the Texas Electric Railway (Interurban). The family lived in a house across the road from her Ruffin family place (across from the Interurban Station). One evening the house caught fire from a grease kitchen fire and the family possessions were destroyed. After this they lived behind the family store temporarily. In May 23, 1923 a worse tragedy occurred as daughter, Genevieve, just 19, dyed of pneumonia. She had been hospitalized in St. Paul's Sanitarium in Dallas. They believed the strong toxins given her when she was only 5 months old to fight when diphtheria killed her 2 little brothers in July 1904, weakened her heart. Her brothers were: Frank, 17, Clyde 16, Hugh 12, Theodore 8, Hatton 6 and Edward 4. That year Frank graduated from Ennis High School as Valedictorian. Another tragedy: Hatton Collard had a bad accident in 1931 when he was 14, described as a train/car accident. He was crossing Front Street (stores on that street facing RailRoad). A train was coming and the noise of the train prevented his hearing a car approaching. He was struck. "The whole top of his head was cut off" someone told his niece Carolyn (d/o Frank) He had a long hospital stay but survived but was 'never the same after that' leaving him mentally deficient, and also walked with a limp the rest of his life. The Depression years were difficult. George extended credit to many Alma citizens which jeopardized the Store. Son, Clyde, argued with his Dad, wanting to collect, and when George wouldn't hear of it, Clyde took off to California. Later brother, Frank and young Theodore (16)join him working in The Old Homestead Inn in Wilmington CA . In 1934, Frank returns to Alma when his Father became ill. George, 59, after two years of poor health attributed to yellow jaundice was taken to St. Pauls' Hospital in Dallas at the end of January for medical treatment. The family learned that his illness was liver cancer. He died there 5 weeks later, Feb 29, 1936. Sallie was 54. The youngest son, Edward, was 16; Hatton was 18. A school mate of Hatton's remembered how Hatton asked him out in front of the Collard Store, "Did you know my daddy died?". Funeral services were held in St. Vincent de Paul Church in Alma with Rev Monsignor F. Graffeo of Corsicana officiating. He is buried in Rice Cemetery in the row of Ruffin graves. In beginning of World War II, both Hugh and Edward joined the armed forces. Hugh fought in the Air Force 34th Bombardment Squadron. "Survived three single engine and two belly landing. Twice he had his turret shot out" [The Thunderbird Goes to War: A Diary of the 34th Bombardment Squadron pg 70 by O.K. Earl. Edward fought in the Burma Mission, caught malaria and was sent back to Australia. Nov 1943, Sallie receives a telegram that her youngest son, who she called "Babe" had died in Queensland, Australia. His body was later shipped home for burial in the family plot in Rice Cemetery. A letter from Mrs. Rose Manson of Australia written to Aunt Vert (Mrs. Lloyd Smith) and was printed in the Ennis Daily News, describing his burial in Australia. At various times Sallie had spent time in Terrell State Hospital when her condition worsened, and came home to visit for short periods. She was transferred to a hospital facility in Kerrville which was more suited to older people. She died Feb 16, 1960 age 79, cause of death myocardial infarction, survived by 4 sons, Frank, Theodore, Hugh and Hatton. She is buried beside George in the Rice Cemetery. ====================================== Mattie Bell Smith Elliot ltr Feb 15 1993 Uncle George Collard was still running the business when he died [1936]. At that time it was only a Gas Station. The family lived in the back of the store and Aunt Sally and the boys continued to live there until 1948. Hugh Collard Ltr June 1993. "Your Dad (Claude J. Ruffin) visited with Dad since the(Interurban) station was so close to Aunt Mattie and usually 2 or 3 of us kids were always playing around the station. Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/ellis/photos/bios/collard66gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/ellis/bios/collard66gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/txfiles/ File size: 9.3 Kb