| Birth Date: Oct 4, 1866 | Birth Date: Jan 1 1877 | |
| Death Date: Sep 29, 1943 | Death Date: Sep 23, 1958 |
Pope Dorris Bartley was born in Callaway Co. Mo., Oct. 4, 1866 near Cotessandessein. He was the son of Daniel Morgan and Elizabeth Heill Bartley, who were of English-German descent, respectively. John and Winnie Dee Bagby Bartley were his paternal grandparents. His maternal grandparents were Henry and Deborah Shootman Neill. Winnie Dee was a Missourian, the others of Roanoke, VA. The Shootmans, Neills and early Bartleys migrated to Missouri before the Civil War. David Morgan served with the Confederate army.
The Bartleys were tobacco and stock farmers. The Shootmans were designated as having the first place of business, a leather shop, in Roanoke, VA. Grandfather Henry Neill was a veteran sailor, so, with a nautical urge, lived, after marriage to Deborah Shootman, on an island in the Missouri River.
A staunch though exciting lineage powered Pope Dorris Bartley. At an early age he picked up the art of trading and bartering by accompanying his father to the trading post. His first experience was talking his mother out of a flour sack of biscuit and tea cakes to offer a little Negro friend for a gambler´s sleeve-type gun. The transaction was agreeably made and Pope Dorris obtained the little gun which has been preserved through the years.
The family heirlooms of the Shootmans, the gift of a musical library from Dr. Pope Dorris to his namesake, the rich island "Gram" Neill, who had become a widow; none of these restrained the adventurous and pioneering spirit of the Daniel Morgan Bartley family in the fall of 1875. Morg, Betty, Dorry, Effie Dora, "Gram" and daughter, Deborah Neill, made it by trail and stagecoach to Fort Worth. There the street car was drawn by little Mexican mules, friendly Indians frequented the town. David Crockett was somewhat of a patron saint. After two years of school in Fort Worth, the Morg Bartley family moved to Hood County. Acton, Granbury area where they farmed two years. About 1880 the Daniel Morgan - "D.M." or Morg Bartley heads became the original grantees of a ranch tract of land in Stephens Co. Eureka Community.
The Bartley children were: Pope Dorris, Effie Dora (Mrs. B.T. Elliott), Missouri natives; Texas born: Andrew Jackson, passed away in young manhood; Minnieola died in infancy; William Derward, was accidentally killed; Ivy Pearl (Mrs. Claud Gallimore) and Winnie Dee (Mrs. Emmett Eager).
After some years of ranching with his father "Dorry" acquired land adjoining the home site. He, too, ran cattle, sheep and horses. He had quite a love of animals. He, along with the other Bartley children, went to school at Eureka. Some went to Normal School at Albany and took private tutoring in word analysis, Latin and Greek from retired professors living in the community. Music was regular recreation in the family, singing, even composing music; violin, guitar, mandolin and the French Harp were their musical instruments.
At the age of 26, Dorry met and later married Ida Isabell Brown from a neighboring ranch. She was the daughter of John Riley and Martha Ellen Rose Brown, natives of Olive Hill, TN. They were married at the ranch home Dec. 9, 1894 by a Baptist minister, J.W. Walker, and took up residence in a house built by Dorry near a delightful recreational spot, Battle Creek. Four children of Pope Dorris and Ida Bartley were born. Harris Derward, deceased at age 7, Edna Ruth, Olin Neill and Ola Allene. The family was active in affairs of church school, politics. Dorry was a bass singer, played violin, an avid baseball fan, hunter, fisherman and a lay meteorologist. He was postmaster of a ranch postoffice named Morg, in honor of his father, Daniel Morgan Bartley. The office was stationed in one corner of the living room. Dorry carried the mail from Morg to Eolian post office. Ida sang, played the organ and accordion. She was a superb cook and seamstress, took lessons from great Aunt Dora who had operated a trousseau-making shop in St. Louis, MO. Ida was cited as near profession in her pastries and bread making and thoroughly enjoyed every fishing, hunting or exploring excursion the family made.
When father´s health failed, Grandfather John Riley Brown of Floydada, through the C.B. Livestock Co. of Crosbyton, arranged a trade of our Stephens County ranch for 10 acres, a house, general merchandise store, and post office in Cone. On July 11, 1911, we came by train from Moran to Spur, where we shipped our household goods, one horse, and family dog. While we were riding the line car from Spur to Cone it became sluggish and all passengers got out and gave it a boost up the Caprock. "Uncle Casper and Aunt Ophelia" Littlefield took us in their home until they could move to Stephens Co.
Fresh rains had made the Plains a veritable garden and native grass was green and beautiful, but it was nostalgic to us children. We had left Grandpa, Grandma, the stock, swimming hole, too many things dear to forget in a few days.
The first afternoon we met Dr. J.C. Dial (practicing physician in Cone); Carroll Littlefield, "Uncle Charlie" Travis and son, J.D., Henry and Ella Assister and daughters, Bessie and Ruby, some members of the G.J. Ragle family; "Uncle Fan" (ginner) and "Aunt Mary" Montgomery (W.F.), Frank and Henry Cone, M. English; the Ed Terrells and Rube Bowmans, all such friendly hospitable people.
The climate helped to restore Father´s health. Soon the family was involved in all community activity as previously accustomed. My father became postmaster at Cone, Aug. 11, 1911. We children were admonished of the importance of Uncle Sam´s business, too, we received training in elementary salesmanship along with general store technique.
Allene married Len F. Smith from Dallas
Olin married Ruby Callaway, daughter of the T.E. Callaways of Cone, in 1925. They had three children.
Ruby Kathleen Bartley married Dr. John Daniel Cherry, Jr. They have five children.
Elizabeth Ann Bartley became active in sports, coaching and refereeing - student in history and political science.
Edna Ruth Bartley, graduated as valedictorian from Crosbyton High School, attended Hardin Simmons College, West Texas State; taught school at Cone and Harmony in Floyd County.
Source: "A History of Crosby County 1876-1977" © Crosby County Historical Commission 1978; Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, Texas.
P.D. Bartley, for 30 years postmaster at Cone and for 25 years a merchant there until he retired two years ago, died suddenly at his home in Cone Wednesday morning of last week at 11:25, his death attributed to a heart attack.
Funeral rites were conducted Thursday afternoon at 5 o´clock at the Cone Baptist church, where Rev. F.M. Wiley, a former pastor, officiated and interment was made in Cone Cemetery.
Nephews and nieces served as pallbearers and flower attendants, the pallbearers being Bartley Eager, of Abilene, James E. and Dorris Cheney of Canyon, J.K. and Brooks and Hilliard of Clovis, NM, and Clark Hargrove, of Crosbyton.
Surviving the deceased are his widow, two daughters, Mrs. Len F. Smith, of Dallas, and Miss Ruth Bartley, of Cone; one son, Olin M. Bartley, of San Antonio, three grandchildren, Joe, Kathleen and Elizabeth Bartley, of San Antonio; and three sisters, Mrs. B.T. Elliott, of Texarkana, Mrs. G. E. Eager, of Fort Worth and Mrs. Claud Gallimore of Levelland.
During his long residence at Cone Mr. Bartley was known as a leader in civic affairs, being active in community, church and lodge circles.
Born October 4, 1866, in Calloway county, Missouri, Pope Dorris Bartley came to Fort Worth, Texas, as a child with his parents.
While a young man he took up residence in Stephens County, where he engaged in stock farming and served as postmaster for years. There their children were born.
With his family Mr. Bartley moved to Crosby Count in 1911 and took up duties as postmaster and later as merchant in the pioneer community, where he lived until his death last week.
Paper unknown, October 1943
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