1957 :: Death of Jake Pounders

On this date in our family history . . . the 29th day of November . . . in the year 1957 (which was the Friday morning after Thanksgiving) . . . Jacob E. Forrest Pounders suffers a heart attack while preparing to go to work at McVoy's Grocery store in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas . . . aka Pa Jake, this is my paternal grandpa . . . I was six years old at this time, and I can still picture my Dad standing in the kitchen at our home, crying, and saying that his Father was dead . . .

Heart Seizure Friday is Fatal to Jake Pounders.
Jake Pounders, well known citizen of Rockdale, died Friday morning (29 November 1957) about eight o'clock after having a heart seizure at his home and being rushed by ambulance to St. Edwards hospital at Cameron. He was preparing to go to business for the day when the attack struck.

Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at two o'clock from the Phillips and Luckey Chapel, with the Rev. Roy Brewton of the First Christian church officiating. Burial was made in the Tanglewood cemetery. Pallbearers were: Adolph McVoy, Clyde Luetge, William Backhaus, Hershell Bonnett, Garland Caffey, Weldon Henry.

Jacob Edman Pounders was born July 8, 1902, at Reedville, Texas, in Caldwell county. His parents were James Madison and Mary Cain Pounders. His life had been lived in the counties of Lee and Milam, since a small child, and he was known to his many friends as Jake Pounders.

On October 20, 1926, Jacob Edman Pounders was married to Ima Muston and to them were born two sons and a daughter. Mr. Pounders was an active member of the First Christian church. He had been associated with a number of business places in past years and at the time of his passing was an employee of McVoy's Grocery, having been with the company for several years.

Mr. Pounders is survived by the wife, Mrs. Ima Pounders, sons, Forrest Lee and Arlin Dee Pounders; the daughter, Mrs. Bill (Dovie) Green, all of Rockdale; eight grandchildren, seven sisters, Mrs. W.F. Beard of Tanglewood, Mrs. J.E. Dodson of Brownsville, Mrs. W.E. Corder of San Antonio, Mrs. Obie Fretwell of Austin, Mrs. Gaden Sanders of Houston, Mrs. Debs Spivey of Mecca, California; three brothers, J.L. Pounders of Rockdale, Oscar and Fred Pounders of Rockdale.

Rockdale Reporter, December 1957.

2012 Annual Meeting

The Hugh Wilson Cemetery Association will host its annual meeting on Saturday, May 19 at 10 a.m. at the cemetery. Following the business meeting, there will be a fellowship luncheon where each family or person attending is asked to bring a dish. If raining, the meeting and fellowship will move to the Tanglewood Community Center. The Hugh Wilson Cemetery Association is a non-profit 501(C)(3) corporation. Therefore, contributions are tax deductible. If unable to attend the annual meeting, your ideas, concerns and donations can be submitted via mail at PO Box 93,Lexington,TX 78947. Hope to see you there. Lexington Leader, May 3, 2012

Tombstone Tuesday :: Muston

Tombstone Tuesday :: Today I visited yesterday

This is a little country cemetery in Lee County, Texas . . . it is the one I feel the most connected to . . . I can walk through this cemetery and tell stories about many of the residents . . . the family members . . . as well as the people who were their friends . . . I remember my Dad talking about some of them . . . and I remember Grandma's stories . . .

I memorialized this cemetery in my Ode to My Family History back in January of the year 2010 . . . the little one in these photos is one of my grand-nephews . . . he will have these photos to show how he had fun in the cemetery on a spring day when the wildflowers were blooming in Texas . . . I need to write down the story of this day for him . . .



Today I visited yesterday
And walked among the graves
Of family and friends from long ago
Whose memory had begun to fade.
The graves were unattended
As were my thoughts of them
When a vision of the ages past
Brought back my sense of kin.


The vision showed the church lawn
On a crisp summer day
The table spread, the food prepared
And friends who would break bread.


All my relatives were there
both young and old
Grandma and I walked hand and hand
Sharing stories never told.


We laughed and cried
And shared our thoughts
And I found the friend
I thought I'd lost.


As the sun began to fade . . .
The church bell rang out clear
Grandma and the others
slowly disappeared . . .


Today I visited yesterday
And now the memory is strong
Of the family from which I came
AND NOW BELONG . . .


by Pat Conner Rice