Granite Mountain Explosion

After transcribing the article on the explosion at Granite Mountain, I became interested in the history of the names mentioned within. My husband worked in the Maintenance Department for many years at the Granite Mountain and its colorful history has always been a source of fascination for me.

The Darraugh/Darragh family obviously ran Granite Mountain for many years. I located Thomas Darraugh, Sr., wife Sarah and son George within the

1900 Burnet County, Precinct 4 census:

Darraugh, Thomas Sr. 66 W M Born Oct. 1833 Married 45 yrs. Ireland/Ire/Ire Landlord

Sarah Wife 66 W F Born Jan 1834 12 children born/6 living Ire/Ire/Ire

George G. Son 26 W M Born Aug. 1873 NY/Ire/Ire Quarryman

1910 Burnet Census:

Darragh, George G. 36 W M Married 7 yrs. NY/Ire/Ire Contractor Granite Work

Fidela? 30 W F 3 children born/1 living Ark/NY/Ark

George G, Jr. 1 W M TX/NY/Ark.

And

Darragh, Thomas 76 W M Widow Ire/Ire/Ire Own Income

Mary E. Dau. 34 W F Single NY/Ire/Ire

1920 Burnet Co. Precinct 4 census:

Darragh, George G. 46 W M Married NY/Ire/Ire Contractor Granite

Fidelia A. Wife 40 W F Ark/PA/Ark

George G., Jr. Son 11 W M Single TX/NY/Ark

Thomas Darragh was no longer found within the 1920 census, therefore he possibly died between 1910 and 1920.

1930 Burnet Co. Precinct 4 census:

Darragh, George G. 56 W M Married @ age 29 Owns Home NY/Ire/Ire Proprietor Granite Quarry

Aiddelia Wife 50 W F Married @ age 23 Ark/PA/Ark

George G., Jr. Son 21 W M TX/NY/Ark Clerk Granite Quarry

We can assume from the census records that George Darragh recovered from the burns he received and he, and eventually his son, continued their work at the Granite Mountain Quarry.

Josiah Reed Yett and Thomas Miller Yett were brothers who lived most of their lives in Burnet County. They were sons of Pleasant M. Yett of Tennessee, also a physician, and Amelia/Permelia (found within the 1860, 1870 Pedernales P.O. and the 1880 Burnet Co. Census).

1900 Marble Falls, Burnet County census:

Josiah R. Yett 40 W M Born 1859 TX TN TN Physician

Ollie Wife 26 W F Born Aug. 1873 Married 6 yrs. 2 children TX TX TX

Thomas is also found within the Marble Falls census:

Thomas M. Yett 42 W M Born Sept. 1857 Widow TX TN TN Physician

1910 Burnet County, Marble Falls census:

Thos. Miller Yett 52 W Mx2 Married 7 yrs. TX TN TN Medicine Doctor

Eloise E age 29

Living on Ave. H.

 

J. Reed Yett 50 Medicine Doctor Married 2x

Wife Ollie age 36

Living on 7th St.

1920 Burnet County, Marble Falls census:

Thomas M. Yett 62 Medical Physician

Wife Eloise age 38 TX TX AL

 

J. Reed Yett 60 Medical Physician

Wife Ollie age 46

And finally, from the 1930 Marble Falls, Burnet County census:

Josiah R. Yett 69 Medical Physician

Wife Ollie age 56

And the 1930 Austin, Travis County census, living on "Speedway":

Thomas M. Yett 70 General Practice Physician

Wife Eloise age 49

DR. S. B. HAYGOOD:

I located Dr. Samuel B. Haygood within the 1900 Marble Falls, Burnet County census:

Samuel B. Haygood 61 W M Born Sept. 1838 Married 34 yrs GA GA GA Physician

Wife Emma 57 yrs. Born March 1843 GA GA VA Teacher

1910 Austin, Travis County census living on "Speedway":

Haygood, Sam B. 71 Family Physician

Wife Emma age 67

And finally, from the 1920 Austin,. Travis County census, living on Ave. E:

S.B. Haygood 81 (no longer practicing medicine)

Wife Emma C. 76 yrs. of age.

By the 1930 Austin, Travis County census, 86 year old Emma Haygood is shown to be a Widow, thus Dr. Haygood died between 1920 and 1930, probably in Austin.

William Dick Francis lived in Lampasas and can be located within the following census records:

1900 Lampasas, Lampasas County, Texas census:

William D. Francis Boarder 38 W M Born Jan. 1862 Single TX/KY/TN Physician

1910 Lampasas, Lampasas Co. Census:

Francis, W. Dick is listed as a "Roomer" at a Hotel. Shown as 52 W M TX/KY/TN Gen. Practice Physician

And, William D. Francis, age 61, is listed within the 1920 Lampasas, Lampasas Co. census.

DR. JOHN S. BROWNLEE

DR. DORR:

Dr. John Samuel Brownlee is found within the 1900 Burnet, Burnet Co. census:

John S. Brownlee 47 W M Born Nov. 1852 Married 14 yrs. MO/KY/MO Physician

Wife May 30 yrs. old Born Dec. 1869 Ark/VA/TN

Living next to the Brownlees are Eber and Flora Dorr, Eber possibly being the other Physician mentioned in the article. (Unable to read his occupation.)

From the Burnet Co. TXGenWeb site, 1895 Business List, source The Burnet Bulletin of August 1895:

Dr. E. G. Dorr, Merchandise & Drugs

From the Burnet Co. TXGenWeb site, "Contents of Vertical Family Files":

BROWNLEE, J.S. - (1) copy of newspaper dated 16 Nov 1972, with pictures, about the prominent, early-day Burnet physician, his wife and four children. John Samuel Brownlee came to Burnet in the late 1800s and was the area's doctor for the next 25 years until his death in 1909. He married Miss May Banford of Keatchie, LA in 1886. (2) copy of newspaper dated 23 Nov 1972, which contains a continuation of the Brownlee family story with pictures. (3) Handwritten note, unsigned and undated stating that Dr. John S. Brownlee was first married to Mary O. McDonald in 1881 in Burnet. She died in childbirth, but the baby, named Libbie, lived and is mentioned in a 1890-91 school roster.

From the Burnet Co., TXGenWeb site: Death Index Vol. I:

Dr. J. S. Brownlee of Burnet died 09 Feb. 1909 of Heart Disease.

FRANK CHAPMAN AND JAMES McCLISH:

It appears both Frank Chapman and James McClish may have survived their burns as men with the same names can be found within later Burnet Co. census records.

There is also a Frank Chapman buried in the Bear Creek Cemetery:

Frank B. Chapman 1872-1951

however, I have no proof this is the same Mr. Chapman who was injured in the Granite Mountain explosion.

SAMUEL PETERS:

When I began researching Mr. Peters, I found a Samuel Peters who married Lucinda Yett in Burnet County in 1875. After looking through the 1880 and 1900 census records however, I found that this probably was not the same individual who died at the Quarry explosion.

Note:  See update from another researcher, Paulina Thorne, July 2010.

CLINTON CLAYPOOL:

No further information found.

MRS. T.M. YETT:

No further information found.

THOMAS CONLEY:

No further information found.

LEWIS AND SHELBY BALL:

No further information found.

NOTE: If anyone has further information on either LEWIS or SHELBY BALL, please contact me, Lisa Bass, as this is one my Family surnames. Thanks!

DR. WESTFALL:

No further information found. 

[Burnet TXGenWeb note:  Dr. Westfall is noted frequently in Burnet County History, Vol I, by Darrell Debo, available at the Herman Brown Free Library.  He was not only a doctor in the community, but involved in the railroad and in banking.]

REV. J.M. SHIRLEY:

No further information found.