The Nocona News (Nocona, Tex.), Vol. 109, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 18, 2013 Page: 4 of 8
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Page 4, Thursday, July 18, 2013, The Nocona News
Marker examination . . .
wn W'«
~ Photo by Tracy Mesler
Following the dedication of a state historical marker Saturday morning (background),
County Judge Tommie Sappington reads the inscription on the only marker located in
the County Poor Farm Cemetery, which contains the remains of 85-87 residents.
Marker honors paupers
Continued from Page 1
Later the Texas A&M
University, through the
extension service, leased 56
acres for its grape and horti-
cultural research station.
With the coming of the
Federal Works Progress
Administration (WPA) in the
1930s to battle unemploy-
ment and poverty resulting
from the Great Depression
and more and more families
across the county contracting
with the county commission-
ers to care for paupers in
their homes, the need for the
poor farm faded and passed
into history in 1939,
Behind it left buildings,
memories, and a cemetery.
Saturday County Judge
Tommie Sappington recalled
then Pet. 3 Co. Comm.
Glenn Seay cane to him and
asking for Sappington's help
in locating the cemetery.
Seay was planning to replace
a fence west of the cemetery
but did not want to disturb
the site itself.
"It was all grown up, just
like that," Sappington said,
gesturing to the thick stands
of post oaks and brush to the
north and south of the ceme-
tery site. "But I knew if I
could find that lone tree, I
could find the one marker,"
he said, recalling the single
stone marker located within
the cemetery. The two com-
missioners - at the time
Sappington was commis-
sioner of Precinct 4 - found
the tree, and Sappington
found the marker.
With only vestiges of the
original barbed wire fence
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825-3148 by 10:30 each day
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Thurs. - Crispy chicken
sandwich, lettuce, tomato,
pork and beans, dessert.
Fri. - Salmon patties,
pinto beans, fried potatoes,
hush puppies, dessert (fried
fish in the dining room).
Mon. - BBQ chicken,
new potatoes, squash, rolls,
dessert.
Tues. - Taco bake, retried
beans and rice, chips,
dessert.
Wed. - Chicken fried
steak, mashed potatoes and
gravy, spinach salad, rolls,
dessert.
standing, Seay wondered
where the graves might be,
because he did not want to
disturb them. Sappington
said he could find the graves.
"Glenn really didn't think
I could 'witch' the site,"
Sappington said smiling.
"Water witching" or
dowsing is a methodology
using willow or peach tree
branches to find water or
other subsurface changes.
For centuries "water witch-
ing" was used to find loca-
tions for digging water
wells.
Sappington used a similar
technique to try and locate
subsurface disturbances
where the remains of
deceased paupers were
buried.
"I would walk along and
draw a small 'X' in the dirt
where I found them. Glenn
really didn't believe I could
do that, and then he pushed
the dirt away and found a
brick." The bricks were used
as head stones so grave dig-
gers know where to not dig
the next grave.
All totaled, Sappington
found between 85 and 87
locations, "more than I
thought were there," and
many bricks, laid in rows
and spaced apart about 6 to 7
feet.
Seay's crews then cleared
the site, uncovering portions
of the old fence, found the
marble marker for Sarah
Flax, the only named marker
ill the cemetery, and erected
a new chain link fence
around the cemetery. They
also cleared off a grass park-
ing area and built a graveled
road into the site.
In 2008 the county erect-
ed a County Historical
Marker on the site. Since
then the County Historical
Commission, led by member
Johnell Thompson and
assisted by now
Chairwoman Janis Sneed
began an extensive research
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of county records and inter-
views of people who remem-
bered the Poor Farm as a
child.
In 2012 an application for
the Texas Historical
Commission marker was
approved, and Saturday it
was unveiled.
"They are gone," Mrs.
Thompson said of the Poor
Farm residents buried in the
cemetery, "but not forgot-
ten."
Following the unveiling,
the dozens of people in
attendance walked through
the simple cemetery noting
the arrangement of the brick
headstones, reading the
markers and, as Mrs. Sneed
noted, "gain insight in what
has passed."
The judge reflected on
stories that people saw a
number of stone markers in
the pit of an old house on the
Poor Farm. Sappington said
he hopes during the remain-
ing 19 months in office he
can convince one of the
commissioenrs to excavate
the pit. "We don't know
where they are buried, but at
least we can know some of
their names," he said.
Loyless
Continued from Page 1
pal.
"I went back into coach-
ing for bit (at Van) before
getting back into administra-
tion," he said taking the job
of secondary principal at
Cross Plains. Since 2009 he
has worked as the coordina-
tor of student support at
Athens ISD since 2009.
His wife, Leann, is the
federal program coordinator
at Brownsboro ISD. They
have two daughters, Lauren,
who just graduated from the
University of Mississippi,
and Madie, who will be a
freshman.
"We have put our home
on the market waiting for it
to sell before they can move
up here," he explained.
"I've met about half the
staff and several of the stu-
dents," the principal said
Monday. "They are good
teachers. They are concerned
about the quality of educa-
tion," he said.
nderpass
Continued from Page 1
the road. And there's a lot of
semis on that road," she said
explaining why the tempo-
rary paving seems to deterio-
rate overnight.
Obituaries
Mel llureli
Funeral services for Mel
"Papa" Burch, 69, of
Nocona, were held at 9 a.m.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013, at
the Nocona Church of Christ
with Rusty West officiating.
Interment followed at
Nocona Cemetery under the
direction of Scott-Morris
Funeral Home of Nocona.
Mel was born Nov. 12,
1943, in Rochester, N.Y., the
son of the late Melvin Carl
and Betty Burch Sr. He mar-
ried the former Barbara
Long and passed away July
11 in Nocona.
Mel served his country in
the United States Navy from
1964 until 1985 earning his
hash marks for 20 years of
service and many medals
and ribbons before retiring
as an E7, Navy Chief Petty
officer.
Mel was a member of the
Nocona Church of Christ.
Since retiring to Nocona,
Mel had been in the restau-
rant business, including
owning Mel's Place, and
most recently operated the
grill at Gibbs Drug Store.
Survivors include: his
wife, Barbara Burch of
Nocona; his children, Gary
Burch of Nocona, Kimberly
Rosales of Nocona, Jennifer
Burch and Jason Buck of
Nocona and Audra and Abe
Friesen of Nocona; seven
grandchildren; two great-
grandchildren; his mother-
in-law, Audrey Long; and
several nieces and nephews.
Memorials in lieu of
flowers can be made to
Hospice in Mel's name.
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News, Call - 825-3201
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Montague County Cowboy Church
Shooting Club
WOLF CHASE
liisaturday, July 27, 2013
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3r Round -1 Re-entry per Round $5
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for information.
All proceeds benefit MCCC. Follow us on Facebook.
To it Loca LJ Places of 1 nrship
Bethel Baptist Church
310 7th St. - 825-3577
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11a.m.
Evening Service 6 p.m.
Nueva Vida Bautista
609 Montague - 825-3924
Bible Study 10 a.m.
Worship Service 11 a.m.
Bible Baptist Temple
700 E. Willow - 825-4940
Sunday School 10 a.m.
Morning Worship 11a.m.
Bible Wav Mission
Cherry & Henrietta Sts.
Sunday School 10 a.m.
Morning Worship 11a.m.
Evening Service 7 p.m.
Central Christian Church
300 Cooke St. - 825-3794
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11a.m.
Illinois Bend Church
Sunday School 10 a.m.
Morning Worship 11a.m.
Evening Worship 6 p.m.
Wednesday Service 7 p.m.
Jean's Men's Bible Class
105 Main St. - 825-3432
Sunday Morning 9:30 a.m.
Ringgold Methodist
Church
Sunday School 10:30 a.m.
Morning Service 11 a.m.
Church of Christ
311 Cooke - 825-3136
Bible School 9:30 a.m
Morning Assm. 10:30 a.m.
Evening Assm. 5:30 p.m
Wednesday Assm. 7 p.m.
Northside Landmark
Missionary Baptist Church
Corner of Grayson &
Mimosa
Sunday School 10 a.m.
Morning Worship 11a.m.
Evening Worship 6:30 p.m
Church of the Nazarene
300 E. Elm St. - 825-6031
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 10:45 a.m.
Evening Worship 6 p.m
First Assembly of God
West Pine Street - 825-4742
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Morning Worshipl0:30 a.m.
Evening Worship 6 p.m
Molsbee Chapel Church
Molsbee Chapel Rd.
825-4580
Sunday School 10:00 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Evening Worship 6:00 p.m,
Wednesday 6:00 p.m
Shepherd of the
Hills Baptist Church
FM 1956 at FM 3301
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Church 10:55 a.m.
Evening 6:30 p.m.
First Baptist Church
511 Cooke St.- 825-3885
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Worship Service 10:45 a.m.
Evening Worship 6 p.m.
Wednesday Service 6 p.m.
Christ Community Church
101 Bois D'Arc St.
825-3791
Sunday Worship 10 a.m.
Wednesday Study:6:30 p.m.
Shadv Grove
Community Church
Worship Service 11 a.m.
First Presbyterian Church
406 11th St.
Worship Service 9:00 a.m.
First Baptist of Montague
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11a.m.
Evening Worship 6 p.m.
Montague Holiness Church
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Worship Service 11 a.m.
Sunday Evening 6:30 p.m.
Bonita Baptist Church
Sunday School 10 a.m.
Worship Service 11 a.m.
Evening Worship 6 p.m.
Ringgold Baptist Church
Sunday School 10 a.m.
Morning Worship 11a.m.
Evening Worship 6 p.m.
Vallev View Baptist
Church
FM 103 North of Nocona
966-3318
Sunday School 10 a.m
Morning Worship 11 a.m.
Evening Worship 6 p.m
Nocona Hills
Community Church
Nocona Drive 825-5285
Sunday School — 9:00 a.m.
Sun. Workship — 10:00 a.m.
Mon. Bible Study —2:00 p.m.
United Methodist Church
Montague
Worship Service 9 a.m.
Sunday School 10 a.m.
United Methodist Church
202 Grayson - 825-3785
Sunday Worship 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11 a.m
Abundant Life Church
7th at Pecan Sts. - 825-6549
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Worship Service 11 a.m.
Evangelic Service 6 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church
406 11th St. - 825-4168
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Worship Servicel0:30 a.m.
St. Joseph's Catholic
109 Denison - 825-6331
Feb., May, Aug., Nov. - Sat. 5 p.m.
Sun 10:40 a.m. - Mar., Jun., Sept.,
Dec.
Sun. 11:45 a.m. - Ian., Apr., July,
Oct.
Thank the Following Merchants for Providing This Service Schedule
301 E. Hwy. 82
825-3301
Noeona
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Home
306 Carolyn Rd.
Mtridi Ftti
604 E. Hwy 82
825-3313
Market
Place
400 E. Hwy. 82
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Mesler, Tracy R. & Mesler, Linda L. The Nocona News (Nocona, Tex.), Vol. 109, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 18, 2013, newspaper, July 18, 2013; Nocona, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth439357/m1/4/: accessed July 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Friends of the Nocona Public Library.