Abstract of Obituary for Wiley Benjamin Sammons

"Services Are Held For W. B. Sammons -
Pioneer Resident of this County had been in ill health many years "-

Wiley Benjamin Sammons 87 years old died at home of daughter, Mrs. Henry
Burrell.  Confined to bed past two months.
Funeral services held at First Baptist Church, Friday afternoon.
Reverend Marvin B Norwood, local Methodist pasture, conducted services.
Pallbearers: Joe Sauermilch, H. N. Reeves, John Hefley, Tom Wright, Sol
Blonstein, George Hefley.  Honorary Palbearers:  Bill Walker, J. H.
Caperton, Jess Brewer.  Internment in Shamrock Cemetery by Clay Funeral
Home.
Born near Hot Springs AR 22 Feb 1826.  Married Dorcas Ophelia Owens at
Floresville TX.  Ten children.
Preceeded in death by Mrs. Sammons, one son Will, and one daughter
Daisey.
Survivors include four sons and four daughters:  Fred Sammons (Ft.
Worth), Lonnie Henry Sammons (Houston), Timothy Eugene Sammons
(Houston), Jess Floyd Sammons (Amarillo), Mrs. Elizabeth Mae Brown (Ft.
Worth), Mrs Emma Howard (San Diego, CA), and Lilly Rosa Burrell of East
Shamrock.  Twenty three grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren also
survive.

The Shamrock Texan  Thursday, 23 Sep 1943, vol 40, No. 20, pg 1

Abstract of Obituary for William B. Sammons

"William B. Sammons Succumbs Monday -

Funeral Rites are held Tuesday Afternoon for Twitty Resident"
First Baptist Church Tuesday Afternnon.  Wm B Sammons age 56, prominent
resident.  Rev. Vernie Piper of Holurt and Rev H. H. Henry of Twitty
officiating.  Masonic Lodge conducted burial services at local cemetery.

Flower attendants were:  Mrs. Bailey Burgess, Mrs. Jack Jolly, J. B.
Henderson, Mrs. Edgar Baker, Mrs. J. W. Buckingham, and Mrs. Marvin
Montgomery.  Pallbearers were members of the Masonic Lodge.  Nix Funeral
Home in charge.
Mr. Sammons resided in area 26 years.  Born in Floresville TX 18 Jan
1885.  Came to Wheeler County in 1915.  Farming and livestock.
Survived by widow, one daughter Mrs. John Porter, one son Haskell
Sammons of Twitty, five sisters including Mrs. Elizabeth Byas of Ft
Worth, Mrs. Cretia McCray of Mobeetee, Mrs. Emma Howard and Mrs. Daisey
Hays of Shamrock, Mrs Lilly Burrell of Twitty, and four brothers
including Fred Sammons (Ft. Worth), Tim and Lonnie Sammons (Houston),
and Jess Floyd Sammons (Amarillo).  Also father, Wiley B. Sammons of
Shamrock.
"Three weeks ago he underwent an emergency operation and has been in
critical condition since.
He succumbed 4 o’clock Monday afternoon."

The Shamrock Texan  Thursday 16 Oct 1941,  vol 38, No. 46, pg 1

Obituary for Luiella (Owens) Sammons

"Pioneer Resident Claimed by Death -

Mrs. Luiella Sammons, 83, widow of the late Will Sammons and a pioneer
resident of Wheeler County, died at 5:30 am, Sunday, in Shamrock General
Hospital, following a lengthy illness.
Funeral services were conducted at 3 pm Tuesday in the First Baptist
Church of Shamrock with the Rev. Jimmy R. Wilson, pastor, and Shirley
Curray, minister of the Shamrock Church of Christ officiating.
Serving as Pallbearers were: Paul O’Neal, Sterling Parrish, Billy
Cantrell, Royce Cantrell, Clois Jolly, and Morris Pillers.
Richard Funeral Home was in charge of interment in Shamrock Cemetery.
The former Miss Luiella Owens was born November 14, 1884, in Freestone
County, and was married to Will Sammons in Oklahoma in 1906.  They moved
to Lela Community in 1909, later returned to Oklahoma for a short time,
and came back to Wheeler County in 1915.  Mr. Sammons died October 13,
1941, and in recent months, Mrs. Sammons had made her home at Golden
Spread Nursing Home in Shamrock.
She was a Baptist.
Survivors are: a daughter, Mrs. Violet Porter of 138 North Goliad,
Amarillo; a son C. H. Sammons of Twitty; three grandchildren Mrs. Gary
Bednoz of Twitty, Mrs Peggy Carr of Amarillo, and Mrs Pat Ely of El
Campo; four great grandchildren, Conrad and Amille Carr of Amarillo, and
John and Ellen Ely of El Campo.
Also surviving are: three sisters, Mrs Anna Sims of Paducah, Mrs. W. B.
Hogg of Dallas, and Mrs Lem Waggoner of Pampa; and two brothers, T. F.
Owens of Tishomingo, Okla., and Charles Owens of Odessa."

The Shamrock Texan  Thursday 5 Sep 1968,  vol 65, No. 23, pg 1

Obituary for Dorcas Ophelia (Owens) Sammons

"Rites Spoken for Mrs. W. B. Sammons -

Long Time City Resident Dies Sunday Morning at her Home Here
Funeral services for Mrs. W. B. Sammons, 81 years old, long a beloved
resident of Shamrock, were conducted Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock at
the Sammons home on North Madden Street.  Rev. Virgil Lollar,, Twitty
Baptist pastor, gave the funeral sermon and was assissted in the rites
by Rev. Lance Webb, Shamrock Methodist pastor.
Burial was in the Shamrock Cemetery with Clay-Young Funeral Home in
charge of arrangements.
Scores of friendsgathered to pay a last loving tribute to the memory of
this devoted wife and mother, and consecrated Christian character who
passed away at her home at 12:30 Sunday morning.  She had been in
failing health for several years.
Pallbearers were: J. R. Brewer, O. R. McVern, Ted Williams, J. H.
Caperton, Geo. Hefley, John Hefley, Herbert Reeves, and J. C Sourmilch.
Honorary pallbearers were W. H. Walker, Frank Wofford, O. T. Nicholson,
B. A. Ziegler, Joel Ziegler, Paul Ziegler, Sol Blonstein, O. V. Petrie,
and Eck Harvey.
Serving as flower attendants were Mrs. Violet Porter, Mrs. Opal Beaty,
Mrs Elizabeth Sammons, Mrs. Estel Sammons, Mrs. Mildred Howard, Miss
Dorotha Sammons, Miss Bernice Burrell, Miss Hazell Burrrell, Miss Verna
Dell Howard, and Miss Ada McCray.
Dorcas Ophelia Owens was born Janurary 7, 1857, at Jackson,
Mississippi.  She was married May 5, 1879, to W. B. Sammons at
Floresville, Texas, and to their union was born five daughters and five
sons.
The deceased had lived in Wheeler County for a period of 27 years and
had made her home in the same house in Shamrock for the past 16 years.
She had been a faithful member of the Baptist Church since joining in
Mississippi at the age of 16.  Poor health in recent years curtailed her
activities, but she never lost interest in the welfare of the church.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by her ten children, 22
grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, and two sisters.  The daughters
are Mrs. Elizabeth Brown of Fort Worth , Mrs. Irene McCray of Houston,
Mrs Emma Howard, Mrs Daisey Hays, and Mrs. Lilly Burrell, all of
Shamrock.  The sons are Fred Sammons of Fort Worth, Timothy E. Sammons
and Lonny H. Sammons of Houston, William B. Sammons of Shamrock, and
Jess F. Sammons of Amarillo.  The nieces are Mrs. Olen Phillips of
Memphis and Mrs Dan Castle of Groom."

The Shamrock Texan  Thursday 7 Feb 1938,  vol 34, No. 231, pg 1

Obituary for Daisy (Sammons) Hays

"Mrs. Daisy Hays Passes Away Sunday -
Hundreds Assemble Monday and Pay Last Respects to Beloved Resident

  Shamrock was shocked and deeply grieved this week over the sudden and
untimely passing of one of her most beloved residents, Mrs. Daisey
Sammons Hays.
    Mrs. Hays was stricken with a heart attack and passed away about
2:30 o’clock Sunday afternoon.  She apparently had been in the best of
health.
    Hundreds of relatives and friends from over a wide area gathered to
pay last respects to her memory in rites conducted at the First Baptist
Church here Tuesday afternoon.  Rev. Edw. C. Derr, pastor, had charges
of the services and was assissted by Rev. Marvin B. Norwood, pastor of
the First Methodist Church.
    The combined choir of the Baptist and Methodist Churches sang "The
Old Rugged Cross" and a beautiful vocal duet, "Does Jesus Care?" was
rendered by Mrs. Shirley Draper and Mrs Flake George.  The Eastern Star,
of which Mrs. Hays was a member, sat in a group at the services.
    Pallbearers were Dave Skidmore, Joe Sauermilch, George Hefley,
Charly Brothers, Fred Wood, and Huey Cook.  Honorary pallbearers were
Frank Wofford, Bill Balker, H. T. Fields, S. Q. Scott, and J. H.
Caperton.  Flower attendants were Essie Holmes, Pearl Sauermilch, Ola
Puett, Anne Fowler, Alma Gregg, and Maggie Porter.
    Internment was in the Shamrock Cemetery by Clay Funeral Home.
    Mrs. Hays was born in Floresville, Texas, on March 28, 1898.  Shehad
resided in Wheeler County for the past 30 years and in Shamrock for 20
years.
    In November, 1918, at Wheeler, she was married to John W. Hays and
to this union was born one child, John W. Hays, Jr., who survives and is
a Sergeant in the U.S. Army, serving somewhere in India.  She was
proceeded in death by her husband, who passed away in June 1920, and was
laid to rest in the Shamrock cemetery.  Her mother, Mrs. Wiley B.
Sammons, died on February 6, 1938, and a brother, William Benjamin
Sammons, on October 13 last year.
    Besides the son, survivors include her father, Wiley Benjamin
Sammons, four brothers, Fred Sammons of Fort Worth, Lonny Henry Sammons
and Timothy Eugene Sammons both of Houston, and Jesse Floyd Sammons of
Amarillo, and four sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth May Byas of Fort Worth, Mrs.
Irene Cretia McCray of Mobeetee, Mrs. Emma Howard and Mrs. Lily Rosa
Burrell both of Shamrock.  Also surviving are several nieces, nephews,
and other relatives.
    Mrs. Hays became a member of the Baptist Church of Center in 1915,
and her membership still is with that congregation."

The Shamrock Texan  Thursday 31 Dec, 1942,  vol 39, No. 34, pg 1

Abstract of Obituary for Haskell Sammons

"Haskell Sammons Funeral Held Saturday, Jan. 3."

Of Twitty community.
Rites held Saturday at 2:00 pm,3 Jan 1976 at Church of Christ in
Shamrock.
Minister James Douglas, Pastor, assissted by Minister Royce Clay of
Muleshoe.
Burial in Shamrock Cemetery, directed by Richerson Funeral Home.
Pallbearers: Morris Pillers, Bert Bettenbough, Bill Cantrell, Valta
Tarbet, Charles Shields, James Verden, J. H. Henderson, and Clois
Jolly.  Honorary pallbearers: J. W. Buckingham, Walter Pendelton, Walter
Ellerbee, Joel Parrish, Sterlin Perrish, Amos Reeves, Aubrey Higdon, E.
W. Poole, Gaston Harbour, J. R. Hefley, and Billy  Cantrell.
Dead on arrival at Shamrock General Hospital, 12:00 noon Thursday, 1 Jan
1976.  Born 24 April 1907 in Indian Territory Oklahoma.  Came as child
to Wheeler County and Twitty Community.
Haskell Sammons and Miss Ruby Clay married 7 Jan 1942 in Sayre OK.  He
was a farmer and rancher, served in US Army in WWII, a member of the
Wheeler County Farm Bureau and the Church of Christ of Shamrock.
    Survivors include his widow, one daughter Mrs. Laquita Bednorz of
Twitty, two grandsons Gary Charles Bednorz and Clifford Lance Bednorz of
Twitty, and one sister Mrs. Violet Porter of Amarillo.

The Shamrock Texan  Thursday, 8 Jan 1976,  vol 72, No. 42, pg 1, col 3

Obituary for Arrena Lacretia Sammons McCray

"Mrs. McCray’s Last Rites Held Saturday, Dec. 10"

    Last rites were held Saturday, Dec. 10, at 2:30 pm for Mrs A. L.
"Cretia" McCray, 86, in Shamrock’s First Baptist Church, with Rev. Jim
Scott, pastor, and the Rev. Dewayne Beaty of Longview, a grandson of
Mrs. McCray, officiating.
    Mrs. McCray died Thursday Dec. 8.
    Internment in Shamrock Cemetery was under the direction of Richarson
Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were J. R. Hefley, Raymond Moore, Butch Calcote, Aubrey
Higdon, Billy Hefley, J. W. Buckingham, Gleen Bell, and Ernest
Henderson.
    Born in Floresville Oct 18, 1891, Mrs McCray moved to Wheeler County
in 1918 from Vernon.  She had lived at Gageley, Mobeetee, and in the
Twitty Community before moving to Shamrock 12 years ago.
    She married A. L. McCray in 1912 in Wilbarger County.  Her son,
Wiley McCray, twice named "Worlds Greatest Rodeo Clown", died Nov. 19,
1977.
    Mrs. McCray was a member of the Baptist Church.  Survivors include
two daughters: Mrs. George Beaty of Shamrock; and Mrs. Max Baird of
Clarendon; one brother Jess Sammons of Borger, one sister Mrs. Emma
Howard of San Antonio, six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

The Shamrock Texan  Thursday, 15 Dec 1977,  No. 40, pg 1

Abstract of Obituary for Wiley Burt McCray

"Wiley McCray’s Funeral Services Held Wednesday"

Wiley Burt McCray, 61, died Saturday Nov. 19.
Rites held 2:00 pm Wednesday at First Baptist Church of Wheeler.  Rev.
David Campbell, pastor officiating.  Buried at Zybach Cemetery by
Wrightr Funeral Home of Wheeler.
Named "World’s Greates Rodeo Clown" 1960 by Omaha N....
Born Vernon.  Rodeo clown and bull rider since early 30’s.  Moved to
Twitty in 1918, and to Gageley, north of Wheeler in 1929.  First
irrigation farmer in Briscoe area.  In Rodeo Clown and Cowboy’s Hall of
Fame.

Married Mardell Tipps in 1934 in Briscoe.  She died in 1968.
Survived by son Fred of Fort Worth, mother Mrs A. L. McCray of Ericka
OK, two sisters and two grandchildren.

The Shamrock Texan  Thursday, 24 Nov 1977,  No. 40, pg 6 col 4