Nolan County Texas - Obits: Permelia Nabours Wheeler ********************************************************* Contributed by: Michele Holland Mills Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ********************************************************* Permelia Nabours Wheeler obituary Copy in the possession of Michele Holland Mills, Boerne, Texas Transcribed 5 January 2004 By Michele Holland Mills 28403 Woodbridge Boerne, TX 78015 mhmills@email.com Permelia Nabours, 92, Pioneer Texan, Dead Friends in Cameron and Milam county will regret to learn of the death of Mrs. Permelia Nabours Wheeler. She was a sister of the late W. A. Nabours, former treasurer of Milam County and R. A. Nabours, justice of the peace of Cameron. She was an aunt of John House and County Clerk Homer Nabours, Jerry Nabours and Mrs. Ethel Massengale of Maysfield. Her father, Jeremiah Nabours, whose portrait now hangs in the Milam county Court House, was a pioneer official. The following tribute to Mrs. Wheeler's memory will be read with interest by relatives and friends of the deceased. "A life span extending back 92 years, and one filled with the adventure of the pioneer woman was ended late Friday night with the passing of Mrs. Permelia Nabours Wheeler of Hawley, a Texas resident since 1849 and long a resident of this section of the state. Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon April 7th at 2 o'clock at the Methodist church at Hylton, Nolan County, former home of Mrs. Wheeler. She, several years ago, donated to that congregation the ground upon which the church stands. Rev. H. B. Scroggin, pastor of the Hawley Methodist church conducted the rites. She was the mother of twelve children, including three sets of twins. Mrs. Wheeler leaves 84 direct descendants: six children, 18 grandchildren, 48 great-grandchildren and twelve great-great grand children. She was affectionately known in Hawley as "Grandmother" Wheeler. Born December 21, 1841, Permelia came with her family to the then new State of Texas, 85 years ago. She lived successively in Washington, Bell, Milam, Nolan, and Jones counties, moving each time into the frontier country to become one of the pioneer leaders. She was married in 1859 to Joseph E. Wheeler. A member of the Methodist church since childhood, Mrs. Wheeler was active in religious work, and in the early days made her home a stopping place for the frontier circuit riders. Her brother, Jim Nabours, was a member of the group of cowmen who drove the first herds of cattle out of Texas to northern markets. Mrs. Wheeler's surviving children are: Mrs. Alice Dockery, Hawley; Mrs. Nora Smithson, Vernon; Mrs. Dora Seals, Roscoe; John Wheeler, El Paso; Jerry Wheeler, Hawley; Ben Wheeler, Carrizo Springs. ************************************************************************** Mrs. Permelia Wheeler Mrs. Permelia Wheeler, of Hawley, Texas, better known as Grandmother Wheeler, passed to her reward March 30, 1934. She was born in Mississippi, Dec. 21, 1841. She came to Texas with her parents in 1849. Her father, Rev. J. Nabours, was one of the few Methodist ministers who reached Texas before 1850. Grandmother Wheeler has entertained a number of early circuit riders in her home and some of them conducted regular services there, among these were such Methodist stalwarts as Dr. Orceneth Fisher, Robert Alexander, Josiah and Lewis Whipple, also Rev. Mordecai Yell who held one Quarterly Conference in her home. Grandmother lived a consistent Christian life. She was liberal and faithful to the church, always encouraging her pastor and co-laborers. Some years ago she contributed to the erection of the Methodist Church at Hylton, Texas, and also donated the ground upon which it stands. From this little church her funeral service was conducted. She is survived by one brother, six children, eighteen grandchildren, forty-eight great-grandchildren, and twelve great-great-grandchildren. For her to die was gain. Her body rests in the Hylton Cemetery, while her life remains a blessing and inspiration to all who knew her. H. B. Coggin, P. C. Hawley, Texas *************************************************************************** Nabours Genealogy http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~mhmills