Montague Co., TX - Newspapers - Saint Jo Tribune: Friday, September 22, 1939 ****************************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb by: Anita Emberlin USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ****************************************************** Saint Jo Tribune Saint Jo, Montague County, Texas Friday, September 22, 1939 A Ride Through the Country Mr. and Mrs. O’NEAL are justly proud of their shrubbery. MRS. W. H. BROWNING has an abundance of peas that she is kindly sharing with her neighbors. I join the many friends along the way of MRS. BEN HENLEY, who lost her brother, BRYAN DILL, in a car accident and of MRS. A. V. FLEMING who also lost her brother, GENE RITCHIE, in the same accident, in expressing sincere sympathy to them and their families. Two Brothers 92 and 90, Observe Their Birthdays Electra: JOE C. MCCRACKEN of Electra, only surviving Confederate veteran living in Wichita County, and his brother F. R. MCCRACKEN, pioneer cattleman and banker of Alanreed, celebrated their birthdays together Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. F. R. MCCRACKEN of Electra. These two men formerly lived near Saint Jo and are the brothers of D. P. MCCRACKEN who is the father of MRS. C. F. PHILLIPS. JOE G. MCCRACKEN was 92 and his brother from Gray County was 90. Their only surviving sister MRS. VIC EGGLESTON of Marlow, Oklahoma was among the throng of relatives present for the occasion. Both men are active for their years and told stories of their trip by covered wagons from North Carolina to Texas in 1859. They said their father, ENOCH MCCRACKEN, sold his farm in North Carolina with the intention of moving to Nebraska, which then was being opened for settlement, but due to the fact that some close friends had moved to Cooke County, Texas, they decided to try Texas first. They left their old home community on October 1, 1859 with the household goods into a wagon pulled by four horses, while two fine horses pulled the carriage in which the “women folks” rode. They literally made their own road part of the way, fording streams or crossing on ferries. Sometimes there were large companies of people, Texas bound, at some of the camping places, they recalled. The McCracken family crossed Red River on December 31 and rested all day on Texas soil on New Year’s Day 1860. They settled in Montague County near Saint Jo that county being the real frontier line. Gainesville was their near trading post for several years. BRYAN DILL and E. E. RITCHIE Killed in Highway Collision BRYAN DILL, 39, of Montague died in a Wichita Falls hospital Wednesday morning, seven hours after the highway mishap which claimed the life of his companion, E.E. RITCHIE, 34, Montague filling station operator, on the Henrietta highway four miles southeast of Jolly. The two men occupied a light coupe which was caught between two trucks driving in opposite directions about 7:00. Demolished in the impact, the machine instantaneously ignited. Their bodies were charred before men in the trucks and passersby could rescue them. T. A OLER, Oklahoma City, driver for the Texas Distributing Co., told state highway patrolmen the coupe pulled up beside him once before the accident occurred, dropped back when an car approached from the west and was attempting to pass a second time when the other truck came up. Oler related that he tried to swerve to the right off the road to give the automobile room. BILL WOOTEN of Dallas, driver for W. B. MOUNT & Co. of Dallas, was at the wheel of the other truck. It was too late to swerve from the highway when he saw the approaching coupe. BRYAN DILL Funeral services for BRYAN DILL, 39, of Montague, were held Thursday afternoon at the Saint Jo Baptist Church, with Rev. FRANK JOHNSTON of Van Alsytne and Elder JOHN RAYMOND of the Saint Jo as officiating ministers. Special music was rendered by a quartet from Montague and by the choir of the Baptist Church. Pallbearers were LEE HUSBAND, C. D. MEADOR, GEORGE D. PEDIGO, ROY WILLIAM HUCHTONS, J. S. LAUDERDALE and FRED HOLLAND. Interment was in the Mountain Park cemetery arranged by E. N. Dunbar. Survivors include his wife, MRS. ALMA DILL of Montague, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. GEORGE N. DILL, a sister MRS. BEN HENLEY all of Saint Jo, three brothers, H. E. DILL of Dallas, PAUL DILL of Bogota, and MAXEY DILL of Saint Jo. Bryan Dill was born Sept. 25, 1900 at Illinois Bend and died Sept. 20, 1939. He was a member of the Baptist Church. After finishing school, he taught in public schools for a number of years after which he entered the grocery business at Olton, Texas. Some 18 months ago he returned to Saint Jo for a short time and worked with his father in the grocery business here. At the time of his death, he was employed in the County Clerk’s Office of Montague. E. E. RITCHIE Funeral rites for E.E. RITCHIE, 44, were held at the Montague Cemetery Wednesday afternoon with Rev. JOHNNIE COX officiating. Pallbearers were his nephews, DAVID MINOR, JACK HART, LEO FLEMING, BILLIE MINOR, WILLIS FLEMING, and a friend RAYMOND LEE WALKER. He was a member of one of the pioneer families of Montague, having lived there most of his life. At the time of his death, he was operating a filling station. He is survived by his widow, four sisters MRS. BILL MINOR of Montague, MRS. CHARLES HART of Dallas, MRS. JOYCE HOLBROOK of Tulare, California, MRS. MABEL FLEMING of Denton and his mother MRS. A. W. RITCHIE of Montague. All, except Mrs. Holbrook, were present. Saint Jo Girls Accept New Teaching Positions MISS SARA MEADOR will teach in the Home Economics Department at Oklahoma A. & M. College at Stillwater, Oklahoma. She goes to Oklahoma from Tallahassee, Florida. MISS MARIE MCLAUGHLIN, who taught at Coppers Switch school last year, will teach English at Spanish Fort High School this term. MISS MARIE MCMURRAY will also teach in the Spanish Fort School this year. She taught at Burr Oak last year. MISS EILEEN MITCHELL is teaching business administration in the high school at Nevada, Texas. She graduated from N.T.S.T.C. this summer. There is a photograph and short article about SMITH C. PEDIGO on his 72nd birthday, who enjoys a round of golf on the Saint Jo course. Born in Spivey, Texas. MISS IMOGENE PHILLIPS, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. LESTER PHILLIPS, will be an assistant to Dr. DRABLING. She is a 1939 graduate of Saint Jo High School. Howard-Dennis MISS TRESSIE DENNIS, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. ROBERT DENNIS of Bulcher, and OTIS HOWARD, son of Mr. and Mrs. GROVER HOWARD of Saint Jo, were married Sept. 17 in the residence of Rev. R. L. COOK who performed the ceremony. MISS JOSEPHINE BESHEARS, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. G. BESHEARS of this city, and O. W. KENNEDY, son of Mr. and Mrs. F. N. KENNEDY of Henderson, were married Saturday afternoon at Marietta, Oklahoma, with Justice BLACK of that city officiating. Mr. and Mrs. J. L. LYNCH of Saint Jo attended the couple. The bride is a 1936 graduate of Saint Jo High School. The groom graduated from Jounita High School at Jounita, New Mexico in 1934 and is now employed with the CARY-NORBURY Oil Co. MRS. ERNEST UMBERSON was honored with a household shower given at the home of her mother, MRS. DENA BENNETT, on Thursday, Sept. 14. Attending were Mesdames L. W. YOUNG, TOM TOMPKINS, IRB WILLIAMS, BEN CALHOUN, JOHN RAYMOND, COFER WILLIAMS, D. R. FREEMAN, BELL MAGEE/MCGEE, and Misses BONNIE JONES, JAVENELL FREEMAN, ERNESTINE CALHOUN, and ALA RUTH JOHNSON. Gift were sent by Mesdames BRYAN UPSHAW, G. W. UMBERSON, R. S MANN, JOE FENOGLIO, D. L. MAPLES, BARNEY, BROGDON, JOHN COOK, BILL BOWEN, and MISSES PEARL RAYMOND and DORIS LAUDERDALE and the honoree’s grandmother MRS. N. L. SADLER. MISS DOLLY HARRIS is improving from surgery for appendicitis at the Gainesville hospital. MISS ROMA JOY COOK, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. ED COOK, whose left eye was seriously injured when she was hit by a rock last week, reports that she will not lose the eye and now has some sight in it. SAM TOMPKINS, foreman of the W.P.A. gymnasium project, was hurt in an accident last Friday when a heavy plank, being hoisted to the roof, struck him on the shoulders. 37 Years Ago JOE WHALEY left for Foster, I. T. LOUIS DOWD of Montague was here. J. A. MELUGIN was in Gainesville. MRS. J. H. FIELD visited at Gainesville. LUTHER BELLAH left for Sugden, I. T. on business. ARTHUR LEE and his sister MRS. DELIA OWENS returned to Denison. DODRIDGE WILEY went to Comanche, I. T. where he will buy cotton this fall. S.R. TRUESDELL was in Gainesville. TOM TARWATER was at Whitesboro. MISS LILLIE CHANEY was at Pilot Point. MISS EMI CRAIG went to Dallas to attend the fall millinery show. MISS HATTIE THOMAS visited at Nocona and Spanish Fort. MISS MYRTLE KIMBRELL of Gainesville visited relatives at Hardy. MRS. T. E. BOWERS and son DOUGLAS came from Nocona to visit her mother MRS. W. N. BELLAH. MISS ANNIE HOOVER, who visited Mr. and Mrs. R. L. MITCHELL three miles east of Henrietta, returned home. Mr. and Mrs. B. S KIMBRELL of Galveston visited relatives near Hardy. JAMES R. WILEY had legal business at Gainesville. W. J. WALKER brought the BOSWELL stock of groceries. MRS. R. L. WICKLIFFE was in Illinois Bend to visit relatives. J. A. ROBINSON, brother-in-law of D. C. and WILL BERRY, and his family moved here from Stoney, Denton County and is now working in WILL BERRY’S restaurant. ALBERT PARKS and MISS BERTHE BARNETT were united in the holy bonds of wedlock last Sunday afternoon at the home of the bride’s stepfather and mother Mr. and Mrs. J. J. SMITH of this city. Elder N. FIELD solemnized the ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. CHARLES SMITH, after a visit with relatives at this place, returned to Sherman last Friday. Mr. Smith is a nephew of T. A. WILEY of this city and superintending the erection of a Catholic hospital at Sherman.