Hopkins Co., TX - Obit - Rufus Montgomery Bryant ***************************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb by: June E. Tuck USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ***************************************************** From the files of June Tuck BRYANT, RUFUS MONTGOMERY - (Tribute by E.E. Hargrave) Rufus Bryant was born in Red River County, Texas, March 23, 1857, and died September 14, 1933, past 76 years of age. He was reared on Bryant prairie, a short distance east from Clarksville, Texas. There were several children in his father's family, a part of whom we have well known. He was a brother of Jim and Bob Bryant, also had two sisters, Maggie and Katherine who were married to John Day and Oliver T. Stone of Sulphur Bluff. Bob Bryant of Stephenville still survives. This Bryant family was originally from Tennessee, moving to Texas about 1850. In early manhood Rufus came to Sulphur Bluff, Hopkins County, and on the first day of March, 1877, he was married at Pleasant Hill, now Nelta, to Eva Hargrave, daughter of Lee and Martha Hargrave. To this union eight children were born: Bertram was born January 21, 1880, and died September 10, 1883. He was the first person buried in the Nelta cemetery. Carrie was the first wife of Marcellus Johnson. She died April 14, 1912. The other children living - Gesta lives at Marshall and is married to Miss Bessie Anderson of Longview. Vessie married Effie Hamby and lives at Union. Ethel is the wife of J. F. Dawson at Nelta. Dee married Onie Taylor, and Myrtle married Hunter Moss, both of Dike. Lois married Frank Gregg and lives at Birthright. Rufe and Eva spent most of their lives in Hopkins County while they lived a few years in Falls County where one child, Ethel, was born, in August, 1888. They returned to Hopkins County in November of that year. On March 18, 1916, his wife and companion was taken by death and since that time Rufe has made his home with his children, principally with his son, Vessie, where he was at the time of his death. (E. E. Hargrave was his brother-in-law)