Aunt Teck

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Texana Travis Passes Away

The subject of the above sketch was born August 19th, 1861, and departed this life at 9:15 Sunday evening, February 25, 1917. She was married to C.L. Travis September 16, 1880. To this union was born five sons, all of whom survive and were at the mother's bedside during her last illness.

Never before has the writer of these lines felt more forcibly the eloquence of silence. "Aunt Teck," as she was lovingly called by neighbors and friends far and near, was one of the most splendid characters I have ever known. She became a christian about forty years ago, and has lived nobly the better life If she ever shunned a duty or faltered in her faith toward God it is not known by anyone living. She was everybody's mother, her home was everybody's home. She seemed never to be too tired to prepare a meal for the hungry, a garment for the cold, a drink for the thirsty, or make a visit to the sick, notwithstanding the fact that she had cares at home that few mothers have. For thirty-five years she patiently and lovingly watched over and cared for her first-born, an invalid, beside the other duties of a wife and mother, in which she seemed ever patient, faithful and true.

At five o'clock Monday afternoon at the Ralls Cemetery a throng of relatives and friends stood about the open grave with bowed heads and sad hearts, while Rev. G.W. Tubbs of Floydada read from the scriptures and spoke words of comfort and admonition to the living. While a song was being sung, friends and loved ones gathered around the casket and with tear-dimmed eyes looked for the last time on earth upon the sweet face of this noble woman. The casket was then lowered, the mound raised above it and beautiful flowers placed thereon as the last act of loving hands toward one of earths best women.

Uncle Charles and the boys are admonished to look to the promises of God, and receive strength from the following beautiful and appropriate words of the poet:
"How our hearts ache with grief as we say goodbye.
Where, no sorrow or tears ever dim the eye.
We shall meet, some day.
We shall meet where no storm clouds gather,
We shall meet, some day.
By the river of life, sparkling cool and clear,
We shall meet, some day,.....A friend.

©Ralls Banner, February 1917

Submitted by James Travis

Additional Information

When Charles Lloyd Travis was born on March 30, 1859, in Daviess County, Kentucky, his father, Charles Ripley Travis Jr., was 34 and his mother, Mary Emma O'Nan, was 20. He married Texanna Stewart in 1881. Texie Ann was born August 19, 1861, in Georgia. They had five children in 19 years. Texana died on February 25, 1917, at the age of 55. Charles remarried to Mrs. Eula Robertson of Commerce, she died in 1935. Charles died on December 14, 1945, in Ralls, Texas, at the age of 86, and was buried there.

From Crosby County History Book:

C.L. or uncle Charlie, as his friends knew him was a native of Kentucky but made his first trip to Texas soon after the Civil War when he was small. " I can remember hearing the noise of battle during the Civil War" Travis told Mrs. Spikes. I was born in Curdsville, Kentucky March 30, 1859. We lived on the Green River. My father had fought in the Mexican War and was badly wounded. He was a neutral during the Civil War. Once some Federal soldiers spent the night on our place and fed their horses. My father had to report this the next day. "we raised tobacco and had three big barns to cure it in. I remember when we cut tobacco in the field our pants would get so gummy they could stand alone. I remember my first trip to Texas. I was still quite small. Father sold out everything but the household goods and one fine mare and put us on a steamboat for New orleans. We changed boats, I suppose it was at Memphis, and I almost slipped off the gangplank. Our rooms were on the upper deck and I loved to watch the pilot and to stand and watch the waiter set the long table for meals. I have not forgotten how I enjoyed eating that trip. "We left the boat at New Orleans and Father bought some horses and wagons, loaded on our household goods and we came to Texas. We stopped in Paris and lived there a year. Father then decided to return to Kentucky. We went through Indian Territory and had to watch out for Indians day and night. Father decided to stop i n Arkansas and bought a place at Conway. I grew up there and married Texie Stewart at Conway and came back to Texas and in November 1907, the family moved from Haskell to Cone, Texas. After Mrs. Travis passed away, Mr. Travis married Mrs. Eula Robertson of Commerce. She died in 1935.