News From Surrounding Areas   The Daily Democrat [Marlin, Tex.] Saturday Dec. 7, 1907 The voters in Ellis County are getting busy and buying poll tax receipts right along. County Collector Spencer is hopeful of breaking all previous records this year and feels quite confident that the total number will exceed 9000. Up to the close of business Nov. 30 he had issued 1473 receipts. One day recently 119 citizens of the county secured the necessary credentials permitting them to vote in next year's election. Contributed by Theresa Carhart, with permission of The Marlin Democrat The Daily Democrat, Marlin, Texas Friday, October 18, 1907, Page 3 column 3 Ennis, Tex. Oct. 18. G. C. McClain, a farmer of this vicinity, was in town purchasing supplies, and in conversation with a friend stated that he and his wife were married twenty-five twenty-five [sic] years and have had seventeen children, eleven boys and six girls. Fifteen are living, and of that number three are married. Mr. McClain is forty-seven years of age and his wife is forty  [Contributed by Theresa Carhart, 19 June 1999] The Graham Leader [Young Co. Tex.] July 24, 1884. A letter from W. R. Moore of Diana, Giles Co. Tenn. has been received making inquiry for one William Newton Wilson who came to Texas from that county several years ago - lived for awhile in Ellis County and for a short time in vicinity of Hubbard  [Hill Co. Tex] Reports have reached Mr. Moore that Wilson died somewhere in this State last spring. He was familiarly known as "Newt" Wilson. Any information regarding him, dead or alive, will be thankfully received by Mr. Moore, Wilson's brother-in-law. The Marlin Democrat Wednesday, Nov. 27, 1907, page 1, column 1 [Reprinted with permission] Ennis. Tex. Nov. 26. Mrs. Maude Winkler, wife of Conductor Winkler of the H. T. C. railroad, died here today from the effects of a self-administered dose of carbolic acid. She left a note to a friend containing funeral directions. Mrs. Winkler had been in poor health for a long time and physicians had decided that she would have to undergo a surgical operation, the dread of which is believed to have been partly responsible for the deed. [Contributed by Theresa Carhart  23 June 1999] [name of paper unknown] Italy, Texas, July 27 [ca 1938] Four Roaches Have Been Bardwell Postmasters Bardwell is an interesting Ellis County town located on the Rock Island Railroad twenty miles southeast of Waxahachie and almost half way between Ennis and Italy....like most towns, much of its romantic history centers about its postoffice where for forty-five years people have gone daily for their mail. Bardwell is a town of fine people, beautiful homes, modern churches and a new $45,000 school building with all modern equipment....the postoffice was established forty-five years ago and records of the Postoffice Department, Washington, D. C. disclose the following postmasters and tenure of service: Alfred B. Willis, June 30, 1893 (established) John R. Roach, April 10, 1894 Sidney C. Roach, June 12, 1904 Richard O. Roach, Feb. 8, 1906 W. Dave Williams, March 9, 1914 J. C. McCrary, April 22, 1918 Mrs. Jewell D. Woodward, Feb. 3, 1922 Oscar Roach (acting) Feb. 1, 1924 James W. Render, April 4, 1924 Nicholas Stacke (acting) Sept. 22, 1931 Mrs. Lillie J. Tolleson, April 22, 1932 Nicholas Stacke (acting) Nov. 22, 1933 Nicholas Stacke Mar. 6, 1934 [Contributed by Betty Good Hannah 08 May 1999] The Dallas Morning News April 27, 1896 Mr. John Belew and family of Tennessee arrived here this week and will locate [Midlothian] August 5, 1889 Miss Mollie Newton, much to the discomfiture of a certain young man left [Midlothian] last week on a visit to friends at Honey Grove. August 3, 1891 Midlothian. Misses Mollie Newton, Mattie Hawkins, Lecretia Hawkins and Bennie Works have returned from a visit to Ennis. November 17, 1902, page 8 Midlothian. Mr. S. A. Belew, an old merchant here, says he thinks the [cotton] crop is about finished and the outlook not very promising for any more cotton and the receipts will not be more than three-fourths of last year. Lubbock Avalanche, Lubbock, Texas, February 17, 1910. p. 14] R. E. Rape and wife of Midlothian, parents of Mrs. A. M. Wesson, are here since Mrs. Wesson is reported quite ill. The Graham Leader, Graham, Young County, Texas August 13, 1885 Ennis. Mr. N. B. Rankin, in feeble health, asked his daughters, ages 19 and 17, to go upstairs before supper and get a small amount of spirits from a barrel. They did so, using a candle for light, which caused an explosion setting the house on fire, instantly killing one daughter. The other died this morning. Mr. Rankin's house was large and costly and the entire contents were lost. He and Mrs. Rankin are barely alive. November 26, 1885 Ennis. John S. Chambers, long time resident, died on the 18th inst. He was an Elder in the Presbyterian Church and respected by all. The public schools were dismissed for the funeral services which were conducted by Rev. T. W. Erwin. Jan. 26, 1888 Ennis. Seven persons drowned in Sand Lake ten miles east of Ennis. Two young ladies, daughters of William Williams, and a young man named Bobbitt, were skating when the ice gave way putting them in over six feet of water. Miss Bobbitt and two daughters of Williams, aged 9 and 13, drowned in trying to rescue them. One Williams child fell through the ice but was saved by one of the drowning young ladies who threw him out on the ice. Mr. Williams' brother was about a quarter of a mile away and ran to the rescue, but he was also drowned. His mother was pulled down but her two daughters, ages 7 and 11, threw her a rope and pulled her to safety. January 7, 1886 Waxahachie. Dr. W. T. Flower, postmaster, resigned the first of the year. Mr. J. D. Campbell of Ferris was robbed of $720.00 in the suburbs of that town. January 6, 1887 Ferris. Albert L. Cook, aged 14, large for his age, left home October 26, 1886, and his whereabouts are unknown. He was last seen in Corsicana on November 5th. His father, J. N. Cook of Ferris, will appreciate any information. June 8, 1887 Waxahachie Prof. E. L. Barham of the Hope Institute at Italy was making a prohibition speech at Hamlett's School House when an empty whiskey bottle aimed at him hit a lady in the audience, inflicting a slight wound. The parties responsible were fined the next day. January 12, 1888 Waxahachie. The general merchandise store of Ledwell and Ludley at Boyce, six miles east of here, burned Monday with all contents destroyed. Origin of fire is not known. December 20, 1888 Ennis. Henry Wade, who was returning to his home in Bell County, was taken severely ill here last week. Early Thursday morning, with a high fever he tried to climb out of his hotel window, fell, and and died several hours later from injuries received.   Copyright © 1999-2017, Ellis County TXGenWeb. All Rights Reserved. This page was last modified: Monday, 10-Sep-2018 10:23:08 MDT