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Biographical Sketches - D
DAVISON,
WILLIAM HIRAM
was born at Independence, Texas, February 7, 1857, his parents being natives of
Kentucky who moved to Texas several years prior to the beginning of the Civil
War, settling in Washington County.
He
spent his boyhood at his birthplace, and left Independence to move to Hearne
with his parents in 1872. Hearne at
that time was in its infancy. Mr.
Davison spent the remainder of his life in Hearne.
In 1904 he was married to Miss
Stella Smith, daughter of Mrs. Amelia Smith, Mrs. Smith and her daughters,
Pearl, Anna, Stella and Josie having moved to Hearne from Mexia, Texas in 1895.
His early business connections were
with some of Hearne's leading merchants, and in 1895 he set up a mercantile
establishment of his own with J. H. Hartzog as partner.
This partnership was dissolved after a short time and the firm name of
Davison used afterward with the exception of a few years when J. C. Smith was
taken into the firm and the business was then known as Davison & Smith Dry
Goods Company. Mrs. Davison was
active in the operation of this business for many years.
He was active in civic
affairs and served as a member of the City Council for many years, being upright
and honest in all his dealings with his fellowman, and true as steel to every
friend. His nature was quiet and
unassuming, yet genial and happy at all times.
He was quick to respond to help the needy and those whom ill fortune bad
touched. He had a great and tender
love for little children, scores of whom were listed among his many friends.
In the passing of William Hiram Davison September 20, 1924, Hearne and
Robertson County lost a useful and beloved citizen.
DEGELIA, SAM,
son of Carmello Joseph DeGelia and Josephine Depuma DeGelia, was born in Brazos
County, Texas, September 1, 1912. His father was born in Italy and his mother
was born in Louisiana.
He attended school at Stone City
and Mudville in Brazos County. In 1929 he moved to the Hearne Brazos Valley and
located at Valley junction where he farmed with his father. He also attended
Hearne High School and played football with the Hearne High School Eagles in
1929-30.
In 1935 he began farming and
ranching on his own in the Hearne Brazos Bottom and in 1958 is farming and
ranching 2000 acres.
He was married to Beatrice Amos,
daughter of James and Dora Amos of Calvert, Texas, March 17, 1935. Beatrice
Amos DeGelia was born at Mart, Texas, June 13, 1917.
Three children were born to Sam
DeGelia and Beatrice Amos DeGelia: Sam Carmello DeGelia, Cynthia Ann DeGelia,
and Linda Marie DeGelia. Sam Carmello DeGelia married Virginia Marshall,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Marshall. A daughter, Tamia jean DeGelia was
born to Sam Carmello DeGelia and Virginia Marshall DeGelia. Virginia Marshall
DeGelia was reared in Hearne and attended Hearne High School.
Sam DeGelia and Beatrice Amos
DeGelia are communicants of St. Mary's Catholic Church. He is a member of St.
Mary's Catholic Church Men's Club; a member of the Knights of Columbus; a member
of the Hearne Chamber of Commerce; a member of the Robertson County Farm Bureau;
the Old Cotton Belt Association; a stockholder and director of the Westbrook
Valley Gin Company; and a stockholder and secretary of the Hearne Steel Company,
a firm he helped to establish in Hearne in 1958.
DENENA, ANTHONY, son of
Lee Denena and Maria Corona Denena, was born in Italy, January 12, 1908.
With his parents, he came to the United States to make his home when he was five
years of age. The Denena family landed in New York in 1913 and lcoated in
the Brazos Bottom near Mudville in Brazos County, Texas. He attended the
rural school at Mudville, Texas.
In 1925, with his family he moved to the Hearne Brazos
Bottom and farmed with his father.
In 1934, he began farming on his own and in 1958 his
farming and ranching activities are carried on utilizing over 800 acres in the
Brazos Bottom.
He was married to Rose Falsone, daughter of Joe Falsone
and Frances Labaria Falson, April 8. 1934. Her father was born in Italy
and her mother was born in Texas. The following children were born to
Anthony Denena and Rose Falsone Denena: Leon Anthony, Joseph Falsone
Denena, James Robert Denena, and Margaret Mary Denena.
Anthony Denena and his family are communicants of St.
Mary's Catholic Church. Rose Falsone Denena is a member of St. Mary's
Altar Society and a member of the Parent-Teacher's Association of Hearne and
Mumford. Anthony Denena is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church Men's
Club; a member of the Robertson County Farm Bureau; a member of the Old Cotton
Belt Association; a stockholder and director of the Brazos Valley Dehydrating
Company; a stockholder and vice president of the Farmers & Brazos Gin Company;
and has been a member of the Board of Education of the Mumford Independent
School District since 1950.
DESTEFANO, CHARLES,
was born in Palermo, Italy, February 14, 1893, the son of Sam DeStefano and Mary
Truzzeleno DeStefano.
With
his parents he came to America in 1895 to make his home in New Orleans,
Louisiana. In 1903, when he was ten
years old, his family moved to Texas and settled in the Hearne Brazos Bottom
where his father engaged in cotton farming.
He
was married to Miss Lena Ventechola, November 28, 1914 and three children were
morn to Mr. and Mrs. Destefano: Sam DeStefano, Anthony DeStefano, and Mary
DeStefano.
He
has been a progressive cotton farmer in the Brazos Bottom since his early
manhood and has been active in the civic and political activities of his
community; serving as County Commissioner in Brazos County.
The DeStefano's are members of St. Mary's Catholic Church and Mr.
DeStefano is a member of St. Mary's Church Men's -Club and has served as
president of this organization.
A
former Constable of Precinct No. 3 in Brazos County, he is also a member and
past director of the Hearne Rotary Club; a member and director of the Hearne
Chamber of Commerce where he served as chairman of the Agriculture Committee;
Vice President and Director of the Central Texas Water Conservation Association;
Chairman of the Agriculture Committee of the East Texas Chamber of Commerce; and
President of the Robertson County Farm Bureau for 18 years.
In
1934 Mr. and Mrs. DeStefano moved into Hearne to make their home but he
continues his farm activities in the Hearne Brazos Bottom.
DESTEFANO, JOE, son of
Sam DeStefano and Mary Truzzeleno DeStefano, was born November 22, 1899 in
Louisiana. His parents came to America in 1895 from their native home in
Palermo, Italy and settled in New Orleans, Louisiana. The family moved to
Hearne and settled in the Hearne Brazos Bottom in 1903. His father engaged
in cotton farming.
Joe DeStefano attended the rural school at Smetana in
Brazos County, Texas and worked on his father's cotton farm.
In 1922, he moved to Grimes County and farmed there
through 1927. In 1928, he came back to Robertson County to farm. In
1934, he purchased farm land of his own in the Hearne Brazos Bottom and in 1958
is farming and ranching 500 acres.
He is married to Marie Cotropia, daughter of Carl
Cotropia and Beatrice Palermo Cotropia, on January 1, 1936. The parents of
Marie Cotropia DeStefano were born in Italy. Marie Cotropia DeStefano was
born December 8, 1907 and died August 10, 1956. A son, Samuel Ray
DeStefano, was born to Joe DeStefano and Marie Cotropia DeStefano.
Joe DeStefano is a communicant of St. Mary's Catholic
Church; a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church Men's Club; a member of the
Hearne Chamber of Commerce; a member of the Robertson County Farm Bureau; a
member of the Old Cotton Belt Association; a stockholder and director of the
Wood Switch Gin Company; and a stockholder and director of the Brazos Valley
Dehydrating Company.
DESTEFANO, SAM J., son of Charles DeStefano and
Lena Venteciola DeStefano, was born in Brazos County, Texas, February 9, 1916.
His father was born in Italy and his mother was born in Louisiana.
He attended the Smetana rural school in Brazos County
and the Stephen F. Austin High School in Bryan, Texas.
In 1934, he moved to the Hearne Brazos Bottom and in
1939 he began farming and ranching on his own. In 1958, he farmed and
ranched 620 acres.
Sam J. DeStefano married Catherine Ferrara, daughter of
Russell Ferrara and Rosa Inzenga Ferrara, October 13, 1940. Her parents
were from Hammond, Louisiana. The following children were born to Sam J.
DeStefano and Catherine Ferrara DeStefano: Andrea Renea DeStefano, born
July 24, 1944; and Deborah Kay DeStefano, born November 21, 1952.
Sam J. DeStefano and Catherine Ferrara DeStefano are
communicants of St. Mary's Catholic Church. Mrs. DeStefano is a member of
St. Mary's Catholic Church Altar Society. He is a member of St. Mary's
Catholic Church Men's Club; a member of the Robertson County Farm Bureau; a
member of the Hearne Parent-Teacher's Association; a member of the Old Cotton
Belt Association; a stockholder in the Wood Switch Gin Company; a member of the
Knights of Columbus; and a member of the Hearne Band Parents Association.
DILLARD,
CARSWELL LONG
was born in Leon County, Texas, February 11, 1865.
He was married to Miss Callie Elizabeth Bass in 1893 and the following
children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dillard: Will T. Dillard, Anita Dillard Tysk,
Elizabeth Dillard, Madelyn Dillard Fleetwood, and Mrs. E. J. Reed.
Mr. Dillard started in business for
himself in Hearne in the retail grocery business after having worked in the
Easterwood General Merchandise Store. At
the time of his death he was one of the oldest active business men in Hearne.
Always active in civic affairs, Mr.
Dillard served over 30 years on the Hearne City Council.
He was a member of the City Council in 1911 when the city constructed the
Municipal Electric and Water Works System.
Mr. Dillard retired from the city council in 1947.
A charter member and one of
the mainstays of the Hearne Chamber of Commerce, he served two years as
president of that organization and was a director for nearly twenty years.
At the Chamber of Commerce banquet in 1948, he was presented with a
plaque in recognition of his many years of service and as an outstanding citizen
of the community. He was also one
of the most tireless workers in the project to secure natural gas service for
Hearne in 1927-28 and spent quite a sum of his personal funds to further this
project. He was a member of the
Free Woodmen of the World and the Baptist Church. Mr. Dillard died October 2, 1952 and Mrs. Dillard died
February 3, 1951. Few men have
rendered more public service than C. L. Dillard.
DORRELL, JOHN MANTON,
son of Thomas Bynam Dorrell and Emma Lou Sheppard Dorrell, was born at Barada,
Texas, September 10, 1891. He attended the rural school in Pine Valley, Texas
and was graduated from the Blackjack High School in East Texas with the Class of
1909. After completing his high school work he attended Sam Houston State
College at Huntsville, Texas.
On May 21, 1911 he was employed by
the Gulf Coast & Santa Fe Company at Cleveland, Texas and worked in this
position until May 21, 1912 when he was employed by the Wells Fargo Express
Company. He worked for the Wells Fargo Express Company to October 12, 1912 when
he became Agent for the Gulf Coast & Santa Fe Railroad Company at Stonam, Texas
and worked on this job until April 11, 1914. He returned to his home on April
13, 1916 and worked on his farm until September 12, 1916.
He entered military service with
the U. S. Marines April 6, 1917 and served in the Marine Corps during World War
I and received his dischage February 24, 1918.
Prior to entering military service
he became employed with the H. & T. C. Railroad Company. He moved to Hearne,
Texas, September 21, 1921 to continue his employment with the H. & T. C.
Railroad Company. He was married to Katie Bell Henry, daughter of James Sidney
Henry and Annie Clara LeFevere Henry, April 18, 1923. A son, Henry Manton
Dorrell, was born to John Manton Dorrell and Katie Bell Henry Dorrell. Henry
Manton DorrelI married Carolyn Bayne Arnett, daughter of Bayne K. Arnett and
Carrie Ficklan Arnett of Kosse, Texas. Two sons were born to Henry Manton
Dorrell and Carolyn Bayne Arnett Dorrell: Manton Bayne Dorrell and John Kevin
Dorrell.
John Manton Dorrell is a member of
the Hearne Golfer's Association; a member of the Golden Rule Masonic Lodge of
Hearne; a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks; and served as a member of
the City Council of the City of Hearne for six years. Mr. and Mrs. Dorrell are
members of the Grace Methodist Church of Hearne where he serves as a member of
the Board of Stewards and she is a member of the W. S. C. S. Mrs. Dorrell is
also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.
DOTSON,
De LAFAYETTE,
generally known to his friends as Jack Dotson, was born in Holmes County,
Mississippi near the old town of Ebenezer, in 1852.
He came to Texas in 1868 with his parents, Henry W. Dotson and Martha
Dotson and settled in Washington County and remained there about a year.
On December 24, 1869 he moved with
his family to Robertson County and located on a farm near Sutton just south of
Hearne. Here his father died in
October 1883. Mr. Dotson then moved
to the Elliott Community in 1874 and settled on a farm that he purchased in that
area. In 1925 he bought some land
in the Rio Grande Valley near Donna, Texas and moved to that location, but
retained ownership of his farm near Elliott.
Mr. Dotson was married twice;
his first wife being a widow, Mrs. Williams, to whom he was married in 1874 and
they had a son who died at the age of 5 years.
After the death of his first wife, Mr. Dotson was married to Miss Kate
McMordie of Calvert, Texas in 1877 and the following children were born to them:
Cecil Dotson, Herbert Dotson, H. Maxie Dotson, Fred Dotson, Buford Dotson, and
D. L. Dotson Jr.
De
Lafayette Dotson died at Donna, Texas in 1926 and is buried in Franklin, Texas.