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SHEDRICK VANBUREN ABLES
Mr. Ables was from Missouri. He fought for the Union in the Civil War. He married Catherine Jane Burch (daughter of Barnabas Burch) Barnabas was one of the men hung in the Great Hanging in Cooke County. After Barnabas' death, his family moved to Missouri. This is where Catherine married Shedrick. In later years, Shedrick and Catherine moved back to Cooke County.
According to the Gainesville Daily Hesperian dated March 6th, 1888, Shedrick V. Ables resided with his family about 4 miles southeast of Gainesville. He made application to Judge Hayworth to be admitted to the Poor Farm. His petition was granted and he was taken "Over the Hills to the Poor Farm."
According to The Gainesville Daily Hesperian dated April 17th, 1888, Shedrick V. Ables passed away on Monday, April 16th, 1888. He was buried the same day in the Potter's field.
According to the 1890 Veterans Census and the Civil War Pension Index: Interestingly, after Shedrick's death, Catherine received a pension for his service in the war to the Union. Catherine's father was hung, for service to the Union.
Shadrack is FamilySearch ID KLVH-JP8. His wife Catherine is FamilySearch ID L7R3-CKH, and her father Barnabas Burch is FamilySearch ID LV6V-FQ9, His Great Hanging story is at
gainesvilletx1862.blogspot.com/2011/04/barnabus-burch
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor, Linda Jonas & Matthew Spaeth
For Mr. Ables, you will see different spellings of his name. For our research and for the Memorial Stone we chose to use the spelling of his name on the Veterans Census and the Civil War Pension, as they are official documents.
Hesperian 4-17-1888 - Shadrack V. Abel | Hesperian 6-6-1888 - Shadrick V. Abels | Find-a-Grave - Shadrach Ables | Bible - Daniel 3:12 - Shadrach
JOHN LEECE
John Leece, a pauper at the County Poor Farm passed away in the morning of April 18th, 1888 of Consumption (Tuberculosis). He was buried the same day in the Potter's Field. John had been placed in the care of the county, after he was brought in from Sivells Bend, where he had been living with a daughter.
According to The Gainesville Daily Hesperian Dated April 19th, 1888
Research Credit: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
FRED FOUNTAIN
Fred Fountain, was a tailor who was an employ of Heninger Bros. He was sent to the Poor Farm by order of the County Judge. He was sick and in destitute circumstances at the time, and had no one here to care for him. He died August 4th, 1888 and was buried in the Potter's Field.
According to the Gainesville Daily Hesperian Dated August 6th, 1888.
Research Credit: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
ANTONIO VUANNI
Antonio was a 65 year old Italian. He was employed as a cook at Lindsay House, but just prior to his death he was a cook at St. Elmo Restaurant. Antonio died on September 30th, 1889 in his room over the St. Elmo Restaurant of a fever, after an illness of several days. He was buried in the Potter's Field at the County's expense the following day.
According to The Gainesville Daily Hesperian Dated: October 2nd, 1889
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
DANIEL MONROE "MACK" HANEY
Hiram C. Haney was born on January 24, 1836 in Marion Co., Illinois. He died on January 21, 1885 in Bellevue, Clay Co., Texas at the age of 48. It is thought that he is buried at Boggy Depot. Hiram C. Haney married Sarah Elizabeth Gwin Haney (1842-1895).
Children from this marriage were: William Haney (1857-1859), Thomas Abner Haney (1859-1936), James Theodore Haney (1863-1914)
Charles Porter Haney (1868-1922), Margaret Haney Penry (1871-1951), Luther Benjamin Haney (1874-1946)
DANIEL MONROE "MACK" HANEY was born about 1809 in Marlboro County, South Carolina. He dies about 1897 in Cooke County, Texas. There was no source given for the 1897 death date. One family member could have calculated it and others copied it. Our original 1891 death date could easily have been a typo as well.
DANIEL MONROE "MACK" HANEY married Nancy Catherine Wilkins (1817-1857) in Marion, Illinois.
Children from this marriage were: Hiram C.P. Haney (1836-1885) | Infant Son Haney (1839-1845) | Elizabeth Ann Haney (1843-1858) | Abner Clayton Haney (1844-1901) | Susan Catherine Haney (1847-1931)
After Nancy's death in 1857, DANIEL MONROE "MACK" HANEY married Melissa Belk (Guinn, Gwynn) Thompson (1825- ) in Randolph, Illinois. Children from this marriage were: James M. Haney (1858 - )
DANIEL MONROE "MACK" HANEY'S son, Hiram C. Haney's wife - Sara Elizabeth Gwin appears to have been the daughter of DANIEL'S second wife Melissa.
In regards to the connection of the Haneys and the Smothers, this was discovered.
Susan Haney married Leonard Roy Haney. She was born in 1901 and does on January 10, 1919 from pneumonia with influenza as a contributing factor (this was during the famous Spanish Influenza epidemic that happened as WWI was ending). Charles Slagle was her Father and her Mother was Clara Smothers Slagle. Leonard Roy Haney was born September 27, 1897 in Cooke County. He died February 13, 1972 in Grayson County. His parents were Thomas Abner Haney (1859-1936) and Clarissa Ann Stotts Haney(1868-1905). Thomas Abner's parents were Hiram C. and Sarah Elizabeth Haney and of course, Hiram's Father was DANIEL MONROE "MACK" HANEY who is buried in Potter's Field Cemetery.
James Theodore Haney married Emaline Francis Smothers. He was the son of Hiram C. And Sarah Haney. Emaline was the daughter of George W. Smothers, and her sister was Clara Smothers.
Research Credit: Shana Powell
JIM HARRIS - According to early Cross Timbers Genealogical Society records, Jim Harris died January 30, 1891 from a gunshot.
Research Credit: Cass and Sue Reasor
HARRY PHILLIPS
Harry Phillips died on November 13, 1891 at the County Poor Farm. He was between 30 – 35 years old. He stated that he fell from a window in the second story of a building in Oklahoma. He sustained injuries from which he never could recover (paralysis). He stated he had a wife named Gena, and was a dressmaker in Denison. He had two tattoo marks on one of his forearms.
According To The Gainesville Daily Hesperian Dated: November 20, 1891.
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
CYNTHIA MILLER
Mrs. Cynthia Miller died July 26, 1892 in a tent a few miles east of Gainesville. She was buried at the expense of the County.
According To The Daily Hesperian Dated: July 27, 1892
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
MARY McCLAIN
Mrs. Mary McClain was married to John McClain of Valley View. She came to Gainesville some months prior to her death. She worked as a domestic, with her last employment being at Mrs. George Cooner's. She had been discharged the evening before her death.
Mary died September 3, 1892 from an apparent fall from a window at the Tungate Building on the corner of Commerce and Elm Streets in Gainesville. However, suspicion and mystery surrounds her death, as George Kimbrough was jailed and believed to have murdered Mary by throwing her from the window.
Upon her death Sheriff Ware telegraphed Esq. R.P. Head, Justice Of The Peace in Valley View, to ask if Mary McClain had any money there. The reply came back that she had no effects that anyone knew of. She was buried in the graveyard at the Poor Farm at the expense of the County.
According To The Daily Hesperian Dated: September 4, 1892
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
SARAH SMITH
Mrs. Sarah Smith was a woman who suffered with mental health issues and wandered around Gainesville. Many locals knew of her. She was a resident of the County Poor Farm. Some time after midnight, on November 30, 1892, she managed to break a plank off the partition of the small room she was confined to and crept out into the chilly night. Mr. Ethridge (Superintendent) missed her and began a search. Sometime before noon, she was found in the Gooding hole in Elm Creek. She had drowned. She had evidently committed suicide as her dress was pinned closely around her feet, so she would sink. The coroner’s verdict was suicide. She was buried in the Poor Farm cemetery December 1, 1892.
According to The Daily Hesperian Dated: December 1, 1892
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
RUSH NICHOLS
Unfortunately not a lot of information has been found at this time about Rush Nichols. He was a resident of the County Poor Farm for several years.
He died on March 17, 1896.
According to The Daily Hesperian Dated: March 18, 1896
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
MART BUCHANAN
Mart Buchanan was a resident of the County Poor Farm. On the morning of August 17, 1897 while playing dominoes he suffered an epileptic seizure and died within a few minutes.
According to The Daily Hesperian Dated August 18, 1897.
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
ANN CROW
Unfortunately, at this time not much information has been discovered about Ann Crow. She died on January 3, 1899.
According to Cooke County Pauper Records 1895-1905
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
WILFORD BAKER
Wilford Baker was a 21 year old white male. Wilford died on October 1, 1903 at the County Poor Farm. Cause of death was Syphilis.
According to Cooke County Death Records.
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
MARTHA REAVES
Martha Reaves was an 82 year old, white female. She died on October 2, 1903 at the Cooke County Poor Farm. Cause of death was old age.
According to Cooke County Death Records
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
MIKE TIPPS
Mike Tipps was a soldier for the Confederacy in the Civil War. Injuries he sustained in the war left him disabled. A Mrs. C. J. (Celina?) Tipps is listed as his wife on the Confederate Pension List for Cooke County. He died on June 10, 1904 at approximately the age of 68 years old.
According to Confederate Pension Archive and Cooke County Pauper Records 1895-1905. Confederate Pension Application Number 00959
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
MARY LOGAN
Mary Logan was a 50 year old, white female. She died on November 16, 1905 of Dropsy (Edema). Dropsy (Edema) can be caused by heart, liver or kidney disease or from malnutrition. She was buried in the County Poor Farm Cemetery.
According to Cooke County Death Records
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
MAGGIE CRUM
Maggie Crum was a 47 year old, white female. She died on December 8, 1905 of Syphilis. J.H. Etheridge was listed as her attending physician. He was the manager of the Cooke County Poor Farm at the time.
According to Cooke County Death Records.
Research credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
IVA VALENTINE
Sadly, Iva Valentine was only 5 months old when she died on July 31, 1909 of Dysentery.
According to Carroll Funeral Home Records
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
JOHN DOYLE
John Doyle died on September 29, 1909 at the age of 58. General debility attributed to his death.
According to Carroll Funeral Home Records
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
MABLE BELL HAY
Tragically, Mable Bell Hay was just 1 year old when she died on September 30, 1909 of accidental drowning.
According to Carroll Funeral Home Records
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
ANDREW "ANDY" CHAMBERS
Andy Chambers died of pneumonia on January 27, 1910. He was 60 years old.
According to Carroll Funeral Home Records.
Research Credit: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
MATTIE CLAYTON
Mattie Clayton died on December 3, 1910. Tragically, she was murdered by Houston Haywod Clayton. She was 25 years old.
According to Carroll Funeral Home Records
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
Shana Powell spent hours of her time and research talent to delve into the life of Mattie Clayton. What Shana has uncovered is remarkable and is valuable history to us all in Cooke County!
Shana wrote about her research of the Claytons in a two-part series article for The Weekly News of Cooke County. The first being published on January 24, 2023.
With Shana's permission I am excited to share Part One of her submission.
THOMAS HALEY
Thomas Haley died from an assault on December 30, 1910. He was 55 years old.
According To Carroll Funeral Home Records
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
FRANK HEFLER
Frank Hefler died on January 19, 1915. He was 60 years old.
According To Carroll Funeral Home Records
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
JOHN W DOW
J.W. Dow, died March 6, 1915 of tuberculosis. For a short time, he had been living three miles west of Gainesville. He was a widower. At the time of his death, he was survived by two sons, one of who lived in Alabama and the other in Mississippi. He worked in truck farming on the John Proffer place east Gainesville.
According to Gainesville Daily Register Dated March 6, 1915 and Carroll Funeral Home Records
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
UNKNOWN/UNNAMED MALE - Died July 14, 1893.
A drifter came to the Petty Building on north Commerce Street and put up at the boarding house kept by M.F. Smith. He was a well built man, about 35 years old, and weighed about 190 pounds. He had a light mustache and blue eyes and was dressed in jean pants and a black satin shirt and appeared to be a laborer. He seemed to be drinking. Mr. Smith thought he didn’t go to bed Wednesday night, and slept all day Thursday and drank again that night. Friday morning he didn’t come to breakfast. Around noon another boarder noticed the man breathing heavily and called for Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith went for the doctor, but before he returned the man had died. An empty 3 ounce laudanum vial was found at his bedside. His name is unknown, but he told the lady of the house he came from Fort Worth. He was taken to the Poor Farm and buried. A slip of paper was found in his pocket with the name W. Varbel, Justin, Texas. It was suspected this person was probably someone he was looking for.
According to the Daily Hesperian Dated July 5, 1893.
Research Credits: Cass and Sue Reasor & Matthew Spaeth
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