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Biographical Sketches - E
EASTERWOOD, HENRY BASCOM was born in
Lowndes County, Mississippi February 17, 1856, the son of William C. Easterwood
and Martha G. Easterwood. The parents of Henry Bascom Easterwood came to Texas in 1858
and after a brief stay in Bell County, Texas settled on a farm at Port Sullivan
in Milam County on the Brazos River.
He
attended school at Port Sullivan and at the age of 18 years in 1876 he began
clerking for his elder brother, William E. Easterwood, in a store at Port
Sullivan. Later, he opened two more
stores for his brother in Milam County.
In
March 1880 he moved to Hearne, and on borrowed capital of $2200 he engaged in a
grocery business of his own. He soon secured a good trade, and with the growing prosperity
of Hearne extended his line of operations into the largest general mercantile
establishment in Hearne. A two
story brick building on the corner of Market and Fourth Street was built to
house the Easterwood Mercantile Co.
Mr.
Easterwood acquired considerable outside properties and interests, such as three
farms which he operated, purchased and improved a number of town lots, ran a
cotton gin, was vice president of the Hearne Building & Loan Association,
helped organize a local cotton compress, served as president of the compress,
president of the Brazos Valley Lumber Company, a stockholder and
secretary-treasurer of the Hearne & Brazos Valley Railroad.
He also helped to organize the First National Bank of Hearne and served
on the Board of Directors and also served on the Hearne City Council.
As an old saw has it . . . "he stood ready at all times to honor
sight drafts on his time and services in behalf of good government-, the
building up of local schools, and the promotion of all those things that tend to
elevate, adorn or improve the society in which he moves."
In
1879 he was married to Miss Lillian Gohlman, daughter of S. L. Gohlman of
Houston. Eight children were born
to Mr. and Mrs. Easterwood; H. Goblman Easterwood, Floyd W. Easterwood, Vernon
Easterwood, and Clarence Easterwood; daughters were: Clara Easterwood Klopp,
Lillian Easterwood Beckham, Lucille Easterwood Kempen, and Evelyn Easterwood
Hansard.
Henry
Bascom Easterwood died June 5, 1919. Lillian
Gohlman Easterwood; who was born May 13, 1863, died December 28, 1933.
ELY,
HOSEA ALBERT
was born October 11, 1875, the son of Lafayette Ely and Susan Frances Fowler
Ely, pioneer citizens of Milam County. He
lived and worked on the family farm during his boyhood. On May 20, 1896 he was
married to Miss Emma Lucille Tabor at the Methodist Church in Cliriesman, Texas.
Mr. and Mrs. Ely had two daughters: Pansy, who died at the age of 19
months, and LaFayette Lucille Ely who was married to J. Bryan Peel.
Mr. and Mrs. Ely came to Hearne in
1901 where Mr. Ely was associated with his brother William Henry Ely for 56
years in the cattle and farming business, and this firm accumulated large cattle
and land interests. The Ely brothers name was prominent in the cattle and farming
business in this area of the state.
Mrs. Ely was a charter member of the
Hearne Garden Club, a member of the First Baptist Church, a member of the Hearne
Shakespeare Club, a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas (San
Jacinto Chapter of Houston), a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy
(Jefferson Davis Chapter of Houston), and many other civic and religious
organizations. Mrs. Ely's
grandfather was a minister in Texas when Texas was a part of Mexico and she
later owned a farm that was deeded to her grandfather by the Mexican Government.
Grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Ely
are Hosea Bryan Peel and Emma Jane Peel Thomason, wife of Dr. Maurice Thomason.
Hosea Bryan Peel married Jean Haynie.
Hosea Albert Ely died April 5, 1944
and Mrs. Ely died October 31, 1952.
ELY,
HUDSON PURVIS,
(Lt. Colonel, U. S. Army, Retired),
son of Jay Gould Ely and Mary Lillie Purvis Ely, was born May 14, 1905 in Milano,
Texas.
He
moved to Hearne, Texas in 1912 and entered the Hearne Public Schools and also
attended Hearne High School, playing football for the Hearne Eagles.
On December 10, 1923, he went to work for the H. & T. C. Railroad
Company as a clerk in the Hearne yards. During
his railroad career, he has worked for this company as Yardmaster, Engine
Foreman, and General Yardmaster.
On
May 4, 1942, he entered the U. S. Army for active duty as a Second Lieutenant
and received the following promotions: July 20, 1942, First Lieutenant; June
1943, Captain; May 16, 1945, Major; November 1, 1953, Lt. Colonel.
During his military career he attended anti-aircraft and guided missile
school at Fort Bliss, advanced Transportation School at Fort Eustis, Virginia,
schooling on warehousing and use of mechanical appliances.
He served two years as Railway Operations Superintendent in Australia and
qualified in air, water, and rail transportation.
He commanded the 749th Railway Operating Battalion (a New York, New Haven
and Hartford Battalion in the Philippines), and was decorated with the Bronze
Star Medal and Philippine Presidential Citation for restoration work.
He
also served as General Superintendent of Terminals and as a Colonel as General
Superintendent of Transportation during the Korean War, supervising four
Battalions in the operation of 1200 miles of railroads on the Korean National
Railroad. While operating from
Headquarters of the 8th Army in Korea under General Maxwell D. Taylor's staff,
he planned and supervised operations "Little Switch" which handled the
return of sick and wounded and the "Big Switch," the return of North
Koreans and Chinese prisoners; operation "Reclaim" when 5000 North
Koreans and Chinese chose South Korea as home. He was also active in the evacuation of Indian troops from
the demilitarized zone and also supervised movement of the Korean capital from
Pusan to Seoul. After his return
from the Korean tour of duty he served as Superintendent of Operations at Fort
Eustis, Virginia Transportation Training Center.
During
his military career he received the following decorations: Bronze Star Medal
World War II; Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster Korean War; Commendation
Medal with Metal Pendant; Chung Mu Medal with Gold Star (one of Korea's highest
decorations); American Defense Medal; Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with Five
Battle Stars; Philippine Liberation Medal with Two Battle Stars; Korean Service
Medal with Three Battle Stars; United Nations Service Medal; American Campaign
Medal; World War II Victory Medal; Three Meritorious Service Emblems; Philippine
Presidential Unit Citation; Korean Presidential Unit Citation; Reserve Medal
with 20 years service; Texas Service Medal; Authorized 10 Service Bars; and
numerous letters of commendation. Lt.
Colonel Hudson Purvis Ely was one of the most decorated railroad men in Korea.
He
married Grace Emily Thorpe, daughter of Henry Hamilton Thorpe and Mollie Roberta
Walker Thorpe, May 16, 1926, at Denton, Texas.
Mrs. Ely was born in Burleson County, Texas and moved to Hearne in 1921.
One child, Eugene Purvis Ely, was born to Colonel and Mrs. Ely.
Colonel and Mrs. Ely are members of the First Baptist Church and he is a
member of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, The National Defense
Transportation Association, Life Member of Retired Officers Association,
National Sojourners (Masonic Military), Heroes of 1776 (Masonic Military
conferred to VIP's); a member of the National Rifle Association; and a member of
the Golden Rule Masonic Lodge #361 of Hearne.
ELY,
JAY GOULD,
son of LaFayette Ely and Susan Frances Fowler Ely, was born at Gause, Texas, May
14, 1883.
During
his early childhood he attended school at Gause and worked on the family farm
and ranch in Milam County.
On
November 8, 1903, he was married to Miss Mary Lillie Purvis, daughter of Gavin
Purvis and Mary Amanda McCain Purvis. Mr.
Purvis was born in Scotland and was graduated from the University of Glasgow and
Edinburg. He was a schoolteacher
and the Purvis family lived at Burton in Washington County, Texas where Mrs. Ely
was born November 15, 1885.
In 1912, Mr. and Mrs. Ely moved to
Hearne. During their early
residence in Hearne, Mr. Ely was associated with his two brothers, William Henry
Ely and Hosea Albert Ely, in ranching, farming, and meat market business.
Jay Gould Ely also owns ranching and farming interest of his own and has
been associated in this type of business during his entire lifetime.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Ely have been
associated with the business and social life of Hearne during their entire
residence and both are long-time members of the Baptist Church, being very
active in this religious organization.
Mr. and Mrs. Ely have three sons:
Hudson Purvis Ely, Hosea Will Ely, James Carroll Ely; and one daughter: Mary
Frances Ely Howard.
ELY,
ROY 0.,
son of William Henry Ely and Myra Walker Ely, was born at Gause, Texas, February
7, 1895. When he was seven weeks
old, his parents moved to Hearne and he has continued to live in Hearne.
He attended the Hearne Public
Schools and was graduated from Tyler Commercial College in July 1914.
After finishing his education, he was employed by the Planters and
Merchants State Bank of Hearne as a bookkeeper (this position also included such
details as sweeping the bank floors and emptying the spittoons at that time).
During World War I he was in the U.
S. Armed forces for almost two years. After
receiving his military discharge in 1919 he returned to Hearne to resume
employment there as Cashier, later becoming Vice-president.
He held these positions for over twenty years.
In 1949 he assumed the duties of President of the Planters &
Merchants State Bank. He has also
been connected with the Hearne Building & Loan Association and now serves as
director of this organization. His
first connection with the Hearne Building 8c Loan Association began in 1914.
He has a son, William Stephen Ely,
who was born in Hearne and attended public school and graduated from Hearne High
School and Oberlin College.
Roy 0. Ely is a member of the
Baptist Church and the Hearne Masonic Lodge and also holds membership in the
Scottish Rite of Austin and his Shrine membership is at Waco, Texas.
He has served as President of the Hearne Welfare Council, Treasurer of
the Hearne Chamber of Commerce, a former member of the Rotary Club, a former
member of the Hearne School Board, a member of the Hearne Golfer's Association,
and a charter member of the Miles Scriviner American Legion Post.
ELY,
WILLIAM HENRY,
son of Lafayette Ely and Susan Frances Fowler Ely, was born near Milamo in Milam
County, Texas, January 25, 1865.
In
1885 he was married to Miss Myra Walker who was born February 14, 1870.
He and Mrs. Ely moved to Hearne in 1895 and he engaged in the business of
cattle raising, farming, and meat market owner.
In 1902 he was elected as County
Commissioner and served in this capacity until 1912.
He also served as a member of the Hearne School Board for 6 years.
Elected to the Hearne City Council in 1919 he served in this capacity for
two years and then was elected Mayor in 1921 and served until 1937. Mr. Ely was a tireless worker in any progressive movement for
Hearne and during his service as Mayor many public improvements in the city were
accomplished.
Mr. Ely aided in the organizing of
the Planters & Merchants State Bank and the Hearne Building & Loan
Association. At the time of his
death he was serving as vice president of both organizations.
During his many years in the
business life of Hearne, Mr. Ely was associated with his brother H. A. Ely in
the cattle and farming business and accumulated vast land and property holdings
in this area.
The following children were born to
Mr. and Mrs. Ely: Arna L. Ely, Roy 0. Ely, Elsie Ely, Willie Ely Erwin, Frances
Ely Bluestein, Ruby Ely Stephens, Katie Ely Thames, Addie Ely Moss, and Eleanor
Ely Lincoln.
Mr. Ely died March 5, 1948
and Mrs. Ely died February 5, 1949.
ESCOUBAS,
JOHN HENRY,
the son of Albert Escoubas and Rosalee Pickard Escoubas, was born September 1,
1917 in Sulphur, Louisiana in Calcasieu Parish.
He
attended public school in that city and was graduated from Sulphur, Louisiana
High School with the Class of 1935.
Upon
graduating from high school he worked on a rice farm in Louisiana, and in 1936
he moved to Baytown, Texas where he attended Lee junior College studying
business administration. During
this same year, he secured employment with Steinberg & Maas Wholesale
Grocery Company of Baytown and worked for this firm until 1940.
On March 17, 1940 he began his employment with the Humble Oil gc Refining
Company at Baytown and on March 17, 1953 he was transferred to Hearne, Texas
where he was placed in charge of sales at the Humble Products Station.
He
was married March 10, 1939 to Miss Janie Lorrene Roberts, daughter of Charles
Charpin Roberts and Daisy Ruth Rice Roberts of Baytown, Texas.
Children born to Mr. and Mrs. Escoubas are: Melba Ruth Escoubas, Lorana
Jean Escoubas, Sherridan Escoubas, and Kathryn Sue Escoubas.
Mr.
and Mrs. Escoubas and their family are members of the First Baptist Church where
Mr. Escoubas serves as Sunday School Superintendent and as a teacher of a
boy’s class.
In
1957 he was elected by the citizens of Hearne to serve as a member of the Hearne
City Council. He is a member of the
Hearne Rotary Club, the Hearne Masonic Lodge, a member and past President of the
Hearne Chamber of Commerce, has served as County Chairman for the American Red
Cross, served as a scoutmaster, and Disaster Chairman of the Robertson County
Red Cross Chapter.
EVANS,
EUGENE P. "HOG"
was born in Columbia, Tennessee July 17, 1882, the son of John R. Evans and
Judith Brown Evans.
He
came to Texas with his parents when he was a small boy and was a resident of
Hearne and vicinity for more than 50 years.
Mr.
Evans was married to Miss Jessie Mathews on October 16, 1907. Mrs. Evans was born September 11, 1882. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Evans: Eugene P.
Evans Jr., Agnes Evans, and Robert E. Evans.
A lover of outdoor life and sports,
Mr. Evans chose farming as his first work when he grew to manhood.
He was a plantation manager in the Brazos Botton in the days of big crops
and good prices for cotton and other farm products and also farmed on his own at
different times.
For twelve years he served on the
police force of the City of Hearne, retiring from this work in 1937.
"Hog" Evans was loved by the young and old alike and took a
great interest in hunting, fishing, and following local athletic teams.
During his younger days, he was quite a semi-pro baseball player and his
interest in the sport was never lost. His
son E. P. Evans Jr. is division superintendent for the Southern Pacific Railroad
and his other son, Robert E. Evans, was an outstanding baseball player for the
University of Texas and later was a football coach at the University of Houston.
Eugene P. "Hog" Evans died
January 11, 1942 and Mrs. Evans died May 15, 1951.