Freestone County, Texas
Obituaries



                    Mrs. Amos Persons Buried At Quitaque  *1*

  With the passing of Mrs. Amos Persons Wednesday of last week, at the Plainview 
sanitarium, another pioneer has gone from our midst. Mrs. Persons was taken to the
hospital the preceding Thursday suffering with pneumonia. Complications developed 
and she died Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 9, at 2:15.
  Last rites were held last Thursday afternoon at 3 o’clock at the Quitaque school 
building, with Rev. W. M. Draper of Anton officiating, assisted by Rev. A. L. Shaw, 
Quitaque pastor. Interment was in Quitaque cemetery under direction of Stewart-
Hardcastle Funeral Home.
  Pallbearers were Jim Stell, Earl Wise, Leon Middleton, Gene Bedwell, Orlin Stark 
and P. C. Hamilton. Flower bearers were Mrs. Leon Middleton, Mrs. Frank Gillespie,
Mrs. Alton Johnson, Mrs. R. E. Hardberger, Mrs. John Lindsey and Mrs. Marion 
Roberson.
  Mary Ollie McCullough was born October 20, 1873 at Wortham, Freestone county, 
Texas. She married Amos Persons on December 24, 1893. While they were living in
Freestone county, four children were born to them. In 1904, they moved to Floyd 
county, about 8 miles east of Plainview. While there another child was born, but
died in infancy. In 1906, they moved to Quitaque, to the old Persons place, 2 miles
south of town. They lived there until 1920 when they built the present-home and 
moved to town. Mr. Persons died February 5, 1934, and a son, Thede, died in 1915, 
at the age of 17. Survivors are two sons, Ray and J. T. Persons, Quitaque; six
daughters, Mrs. Gladys Wise, Mrs. Seney Bogan and Mrs. Sue May Berry, Quitaque; 
Miss Mary Ollie Persons, Amarillo, Mrs. Lucille Savage, Pampa, and Mrs. Rena
Bchott, Silverton, There are fifteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Other survivors are one brother, J. J. McCullough of Brownwood, and one sister 
Mrs. Lizzie Moody of Socorra, N. M. A brother, Frank McCullough who had been 
seriously ill for some time and whom Mrs. Persons visited several weeks ago,
died at his home at Brownwood just a week before death came to his sister.
All of the children and Mr. and Mrs. J. J. McCullough were present for the last 
rites. Converted in early girlhood, Mrs. Persons joined the Primitive Baptist
church, and was a devoted member until her death. She held membership in the 
church at Turkey, and was present at every service it was possible to attend,
finding inspiration and strength for the everyday cares of life from her devotion 
to the Scriptures. A devoted wife and mother, rearing her family under the hardships
of pioneer life, this devotion to her Christian convictions was often her mainstay.
  Life was not easy for the first-comers to this section. Quitaque was a small 
village of two stores, a blacksmith shop and the postoffice when the Persons first 
came. The children walked the two miles to town to attend school. Neighbors were 
few and far away. For visits back to Freestone county, the family had to make a 
two-day wagon trip to Estelline to the nearest railroad. 
  The strength of character and endurance of pioneer women, such as she, contributed 
beyond measure to the foundation of our society and the growth and development
of our Western Plains, and we who followed them here, are eternally indebted to 
them.

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SOURCES:

*1* = The Quitaque Post newspaper (of Quitaque, Brisque County, Texas) - THURSDAY, 
     JANUARY 17, 1946