1894 :: Death of W.M. Curry

Rockdale, Milam Co., Tex., Oct. 11. -- The funeral of Mr. W.M. Curry occurred yesterday afternoon at the city cemetery. Mr. Curry was a young man and at the time of his death was a convict guard, and on Tuesday was killed by the accidental discharge of a shotgun loaded with buckshot near Burlington. Dallas Morning News, October 14, 1894

1894 :: Death of Judge J.S. Perry

Rockdale, Tex., Feb. 26. -- Milton Perry, father of Judge J.S. Perry, John, Buck and Pete Perry, died here at his home last night aged 83 years. The deceased came to Texas forty years ago. Most of the time he has lived in Milam county. His wife and four sons survive him. Galveston Daily News, (Galveston, Texas) February 27, 1894

1892 :: Death of Judge Walker

The Galveston Daily News. Tuesday, May 31, 1892. MORTUARY. Judge Walker's Funeral. Rockdale, Tex., May 30. -- The remains of Judge Richard S. Walker arrived here Saturday from Cincinnati, O., on the 12 m. express in charge of his son, Dr. A.C. Walker, and were buried at 4 p.m. in Rockdale city cemetery by the side of his wife's grave. The body was followed to the grave by a large concourse of citizens in carriages. The funeral exercises were performed by Rev. W.E. Copeland, assisted by Rev. B.B. Baxter, Sr. His son, John C. Walker, of Galveston is here. [Click HERE to visit his findagrave memorial page.]

1891 :: Death of Miss Bulah Loper

Dallas Morning News, October 20, 1891. Taylor, Tex., Oct. 19. -- Miss Bulah Loper, a young lady of Rockdale, and cousin of Mrs. B. Garry and Mrs. Minar Brown of this place, died at Sherman university to-day. Remains will be interred at Rockdale to-morrow.

1891 :: Death of G.W. Williams

Dallas Morning News, October 13, 1891. Mineola, Tex., Oct. 12. -- G.W. Williams of Rockdale suicided here last night by taking twenty grains of morphine. He came here from Rockdale on Friday with a cotton-planter, which he placed on exhibition at the fair. He was found on the steps of his boarding house at about 6 o'clock Sunday evening. The doctor worked with him until 3 o'clock this morning, when he died. The Knights of Pythias, of which order he was a member, took charge of the remains and wired the Knights of Pythias lodge at Rockdale of his death. They received a message to forward the body there, which was done at 4:40 on the International and Great Northern train. He told some parties that he was going to kill himself, but they thought nothing of his threats, and consequently he was not watched.

1889 :: Death of Miss Emma Perry

Rockdale, Tex., Feb. 15. -- The pure and gentle spirit of Miss Emma Perry, only daughter of A.P. Perry, departed from its earthly abode this afternoon. Deceased was a most beautiful and lovable young girl just budding into womanhood and her death from pneumonia contracted not more than a week ago, has saddened the hearts of her many friends and stricken her doting parents with grief almost beyond human endurance. Dallas Morning News, February 16, 1889

1885 :: Death of Dr. Milton Antony

On this date in the history of our hometown . . . the 25th day of January . . . in the year 1885 . . . Dr. Milton Antony dies in Rockdale, Milam County, Texas. He is buried in the Old City Cemetery, which is just out of sight at the bottom edge of this postcard.


Dr. Milton Antony, Jr. was a Confederate Surgeon in Brazoria County, Texas during the war between the states, then relocated to Milam County, Texas where he was the third Postmaster in Rockdale, serving 06 June 1876 to 26 April 1877 (which was one month after the entire wooden portion of Rockdale burned). He was a practicing physician in both Cameron and Rockdale. A Henry family reunion write-up in a 1931 edition of The Rockdale Reporter states that --

On Oct. 3, 1876, the Henrys [i.e., William Paschal Henry (1836-1912) and Josephine Wingfield Henry nee Davis (1842-1899)] arrived in Rockdale to visit a sister and family of the Mrs. Henry's, it being Dr. and Mrs. M. F. Anthony, who at that time had the post office and drug store combined on the corner where the Wolf Hotel now stands.

That is the Wolf Hotel on the right corner of the Rockdale postcard. The Wolf sat on the northeast corner of the intersection of Main and Milam. According to a history of Rockdale published in 1936, a two-story stone and brick bank building was erected in 1875, which later became the Wolf Hotel, and then, ca. 1935, the American Legion Hall. An 1885 map of Rockdale does show a bank at that location, and on the corner across the street is a post office in the Mundine House.


A year before Josephine arrived in Rockdale to visit her sister, Margaret, the following item appeared in the 12 November 1875 issue of the Galveston Weekly News --

There are street fights occurring (in Rockdale) almost every day and the officers of the law seem to enjoy it, taking their fines, never giving offenders the least word of warning or lecture. Nothing better could be expected when they license women of ill fame for ten dollars a month and receive half of the fines and their compensation. The most disgusting of it is, when they choose, these officers step beyond their authority and utterly disregard the law at pleasure. Every day or two some very interesting scenes occur in the pettifoggeries of Rockdale.

And just a year before that 1875 report, the same paper, in the 09 November 1874 issue, described the brand new city of Rockdale as being --

delightfully located in a thriving section of the county. . . . there are two or three banks, fifty or sixty merchants, and plenty of saloons, and has generally all the appearances of a railroad town. . . . While all it new and in some degree crude, there are some fine stone and brick buildings. . . . Where a population of eighteen hundred now thrive, was ten months ago the home of the deer, and the pleasure ground of the black bear.

For more information about Dr. Antony and his family, see --

• Dr. Milton Antony, Jr.
• His findagrave memorial page
• Dr. Milton Antony, Sr., his father
• Judge Edwin Le Roy Antony, his son
• Antony Roots & Branches, his ancestors & assorted kith 'n kin

P.S. The handwritten paper in the background of the collage is a document from 1864, signed by Milton Antony, M.D. and three other doctors -- requesting the Confederate army to excuse the only druggist in Brazoria County, Texas from being conscripted into the army . . .

1878 :: Death of Mrs. Isaacs

At Rockdale on Tuesday last, Mrs. Isaacs, wife of Leonard Isaacs, feeling indisposed, retired to her chamber and for the purpose of relieving her headache saturated a handkerchief with chloroform and spread it over her face and when an effort was made to awaken her, she was dead. Galveston Daily News, October 2, 1878

1874 :: Death of J.E. Featherson

The Milam Messenger has an account of the sudden death of Mr. J.E. Featherson, an agent of Glenny & Wagoner, live stock dealers, New Orleans. "He retired to his room Monday night, complaining of a slight indisposition from the effects of a disease of the heart, to which he was at times subjected. Early the next morning he was discovered in an unconscious and dying state, and died about 2 o'clock Monday evening. Austin Weekly Statesman, October 29, 1874