|
| Birth Date: 1846 |  |
Birth Date: Sep 12, 1860 |
| Death Date: Sep 6, 1933 | |
Death Date: Mar 1921 |
Civil War VeteranRichard Sherman Holly was born to Washington Holly somewhere in Mississippi. Richard enlisted in the Confederate Army (CSA) in Jan. 1864. The confederate army being poorly organized, Richard was moved from one unit to another. All indications point that he joined up with Yeager´s 1st Cav. A Unit later placed under Col. Terrell´s Texas Rangers, a confederate unit. When the war ended he went back to Texas with them. The scarcity of the Ranger Records make it practically impossible to follow Richard S. Holly´s activities. It is believed he was a "minute man", we do know he was a bugler.
After the Civil War, Richard went to Coleman, Texas, a new town that formed in 1864.
Mary Rebecca Ferguson was born 1860 in Texas, her mother was from Alabama and father was from Missouri - names Unknown
Richard married May FERGUSON, a young lady of sixteen in 1875. His family lived in Graham, Texas, Young County from 1870 to 1880. In 1880 he was 35 years old and May was twenty-one.
Richard, his wife May and children traveled in a canvas-covered wagon to Dickens County, Afton, Texas in 1899. Richard´s wagon was loaded with furniture, carpenter tools, clothing, quilts and a Bible.
If Richard and May Holly were to settle a homestead, they would have to build a barn first. The cow and chickens would need a place for protection from the weather. They lived out of the wagon, cooking on an open fire, until a house could be built. Richard took two horses from the wagon team and rode to town. One horse to ride and one to carry the supplies back to the camp. They had little money to purchase supplies.
Richard later came to settle about 2 miles west of Midway, Texas. November 15, 1905 R.S. Holly filed for 206 acres. He paid $2.50 per acre. His cattle brand filed 4-12-1899 was "HO over Bar over Y" The home place was built from lumber brought from Quanah, Hardeman Co., TX.
Water was hard to come by, rainwater was caught for drinking water. The nearest water might be ten miles away and to drill cost 25 cents per foot for a hole six inches wide. Fuel for cooking and heating came from mesquite sprouts, cow chips were also used. All kinds of game including buffalo, deer, antelope and turkeys could be found near Duck Creek in Dickens County. The cows provided milk and butter and chickens provided eggs. The garden supplied vegetables.
Prairie fires were common, but funnel clouds was terror to everyone. Richard built a storm cellar to protect his family.
His money crop was cotton. Plowing the fields brought on dust storms, which sometimes were so thick it shut out the sunlight. Richard´s Texas Ranger pension of $30.00 help to sustain his children during the depression.
Richard moved to Dickens after his wife May died in 1921. Later he moved in with his daughter, Ocie. Sept 6, 1933, Richard died of an accident. He had walked from Spur to Dickens and stopped at a service station for a drink of water. Instead of the water hose he picked up the gas hose by mistake. The cause of death was inhalation of gasoline, pulmonary edema.
Richard´s brother came to Dickens in 1890. He was known as "Uncle Mark" Mark ran the livery stable for Tom Harkey in 1900. Mark was a veteran of the Spanish-American War. Mark was born 4-12-1886 and the youngest of five boys. He died 2-5-1937 and was buried near his mother in a little cemetery about 6 miles south of Graham, Texas.
Submitted by D.W. Holly
Uncle Dick Holly, who drank gasoline by mistake Wednesday of last week, passed away Tuesday afternoon about five o´clock. Funeral services were held at Dickens Wednesday afternoon at two o´clock. Wright Randolph, minister of the Church of Christ, reading the funeral rites. Interment followed in Dickens cemetery with Z. W. Fowler acting as funeral director.
Uncle Dick was 84 years old his last birthday. He came to Dickens County, bringing his family, in 1899 and has made his home here ever since. His wife passed away in March 1921, and since that time he has made his home with his children most of the time.
He made a profession of the Christian religion in an early day and became affiliated with the Church of Christ. He lived an honest and exemplary life in the church of which he was a member more than fifty years.
He is survived by eight children; Mrs. W.P. Marshall of Steel Hill community, Mrs. M.C. Overstreet of Elton and Mrs. E. Austin of California; L. C. Holly of Hobart, Okla., T.L. Holly of California, Ben Holly of Post, Shep Holly, Watt and Hallet of Dickens.
There were a number of nephews and nieces and a large number of grandchildren in the family.
ªThe Texas Spur, Septemer 8, 1933
© Dickens County Historical Commission 1997-2022
This site may be freely linked to but not duplicated in any fashion without consent. |
