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| Birth Date: Oct. 24, 1859 | Birth Date: Feb. 10, 1860 | |
| Death Date: Sep. 9, 1923 | Death Date: Mar. 3, 1944 |
H. H. McDermett, named Hugh by his parents, was the son of Thomas McDermett and Betty Smith McDermett. He was reared in Limestone County. His education, because of the poor facilities of the frontier, was like that of most Texas children after the Civil War.He married Jeanette Snell in Erath County, January 30, 1881. She was a Missourian by birth. Her parents were Samuel H.Snell and Loretta Ann (Crockett) Snell. The famous Davy Crockett was her great uncle and the family has a daguerreotype of that First Texan of Alamo fame.
The McDermett Family moved to Crosby County in 1890 and settled eight miles north of Emma. They lived for a time in Emma and ran a hotel. On their farm their energies and activities were centered in stock raising. He freighted his supplies from Colorado City, Amarillo, and other distant places. Hugh McDermett, as Crosby County knew him, was much admired as a man of character, and his fellow pioneers conferred on him many responsibilities, as many offices as he could be persuaded to accept. For two terms he was County Commissioner; for twenty-three years he served on the school board at Fairview. He was deputy sheriff for a number of years, and was a member of the Church of Christ. He neglected none of the interests that make a claim upon a man´s time and life.
He was head of a large family, six sons and four daughters. All have made honorable citizens of our county and state. Sons of this pioneer couple are: Charlie, John, Troye, Fred, Henry C., and Linnie. Daughters are: Annie, Ethel, Nora and Rosa May.
Source: "Through the Years, A History of Crosby County, Texas" by Nellie Witt Spikes and Temple Ann Ellis ©1951
Hugh Henry McDermett was an early settler of Crosby Co. He came to West Texas for the purpose of establishing a home and providing for his family and he fulfilled that purpose in admirable measure before his death. He farmed land that was eight miles northeast of Ralls.McDermett was a native Texan, born in Limestone Co., Oct. 24, 1859. His father, Thomas Hadden McDermett, was born in Pennsylvania and came to Texas while it was still a republic. He was a soldier in the War with Mexico. He first lived in the vicinity of Dallas, later in Limestone Co. He married Bettie Smith in Texas and she also died in Erath Co.
Hugh H. McDermett was reared in Limestone Co. His education was limited to the schools of that day and the frontier environment. For a brief time he attended school after the family moved to Erath Co.
In Erath Co., Jan. 30, 1881, he married Nancy Jeanette Snell, born in Missouri who ten years of age when her parents came to Texas. Her parents were Samuel W. and Lorette Ann (Crockett) Snell, and the famous Davy Crockett, hero of the Alamo, was her great uncle. Her father came to Texas about 1870 and was a stock farmer in Erath Co. until 1888. He lived in Oklahoma for a time, was in Floyd Co. and finally went back to Oklahoma, where he died in 1912. Her mother died in 1865.
After his marriage, Mr. McDermett engaged in stock farming in Erath Co. and in 1890 moved to West Texas, settling in Crosby Co., on a place four miles east of the home place.
They heard of 160 acres for sale for $600 which had a one room 14´ x 14´ house and a shed room, eight feet, and had 30 acres fenced that had been in cultivation. They traded 60 head of two year old heifers for it, filed on 640 acres of school land in Two-Buckle pasture; it wasn´t long until they fenced them off, and they had to turn their cattle loose on the Plains. They drifted south and the next spring Mr. McDermett, with some ranch men, went to gather what he could. They had to go down Yellowhouse Canyon, and were gone for a long time; it was lonesome for Mrs. McDermett at home with five little children and the work to do. Mr. McDermett gathered what cattle he could and drove some home and the rest to Amarillo to sell, it took four weeks to drive them there. He didn´t make much out of the cattle after expenses were paid.
Their first experience with a prairie fire was in the fall of 1890. The head fire came straight to the house, it went through the yard, burned the chicken house, wagon bed, and feed, but soon passed on. They put out what was on fire. They saw many more after that one.
In 1891, the county seat was moved from Estacado to Emma and McDermett was appointed deputy sheriff. It wasn´t long until some of the men wanted him to run for sheriff, as the man in office didn´t plan to run again. So the McDermetts moved to Emma and lived in the hotel. They boarded one man for the use of the house, and then one regular boarder, with now and then a cowboy stopping in over night. Most of the boarders were McDermetts. When the election was over, Mr. Mc was beaten by one vote, and they decided they could not stay in town, so they moved back to the farm, Nov. 17, 1894 where they continued to live until his death Sept. 9, 1923. He kept on an average of 200 head of cattle. His home place comprised 840 acres land of that 460 acres were in cultivation. McDermett was in West Texas before the era of general agriculture development started. He freighted many of his supplies from distant railroad points such as Colorado City and Amarillo.
He was much admired as a man of strength and firm will, and his fellow citizens conferred upon him the responsibilities of office as frequently as he would accept. For two terms he was a county commissioner and deputy sheriff for a number of years. He served 23 years on school board of Fairview school district. He was a member of Church of Christ. He neglected none of those fundamental interests that put a claim upon a man´s time and labor, but undoubtedly he derived the greatest amount of satisfaction and regarded as his best achievement the splendid household of sons and daughters who grew up and most of whom became well established and honored citizens of this community before he died.
Altogether there were six sons and four daughters. They are: Charles, Ralls, TX. His first wife was Annie Smith and he later married Macey Kincaid. Annie married Benjamin Cavett of Slaton. John, who served two terms as sheriff of Crosby Co., married Belle Ellison. Troy C., who was a windmill dealer in Levelland. Ethel, who married John Trammell, resided in San Angelo with her daughter. Fred married Roxie Martin and lived in Pueblo, CO; Henry C. who resided in Abilene. Nora, who married Clarence Freeman of Crosbyton and moved to Hale Center. Linnie married Edith Beaty and lived in Ralls where he was a carpenter. The youngest was Rosa May who married James S. Grant and lived in Abilene.
Source: "Crosby County History Book 1876-1977", Crosby County Historical Commission, ©1977
Pioneer Resident at Ralls Dies Friday
RALLS, March 4. (Special) — Mrs. Nancy J. McDermett, 84, who is survived by 99 descendants, died Friday night at 8 o'clock at the home of a son, H.C. McDermett, here. She had been a resident of Crosby county for 54 years, living in Stephenville prior to that time.Survivors include 10 children, six sons and four daughters: Charles P. Ralls; John D., of Tucumcari, N.M.; Troy T. of Levelland; Fred of Pueblo, Colo.; H.C., of Ralls; and Linnie McDermett, Crosbyton; Mrs. Annie Cavette, Hobbs, N.M.; Mrs. Rosa Mae Grant, Merkel; Mrs. Nora Freeman, Crosbyton; and Mrs. Ethel Trammel, Crosbyton. Other survivors are 45 grandchildren and 44 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock in Emma Church of Christ here, with H. Hall officiating. Burial will be in Ralls cemetery with Marr Funeral home directing. Pallbearers will be grandsons, and flower girls will be granddaughters.
©Lubbock Avalanche Journal, March 4, 1944
Ralls Woman Leaves Many Descendents
RALLS, March 9 (Special) — Ten children, forty-five grandchildren, forty-four great grandchildren and a brother, Charley Snell, of Bond Springs, Okla., survive the death of Mrs. Nettie J. McDermett, who died here March 3.Mrs. McDermett has seven grandsons, a granddaughter and three great-grandsons in the Armed forces.
Mrs. McDermett was a great-niece of David Crockett.
©Lubbock Avalanche Journal, March 9, 1944
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