Rodes, Fowler Families at Farquhar Cemetery

The Thomas Stalworth Henderson family written about in the last Sandbar column on the Farquhar Cemetery continues in the histories of the Rodes and Fowler Families at Farquhar Cemetery.

First is the Rodes Family in that Henderson and his first wife Nancy’s daughter, Georgia Ann, marries James W. Rodes about 1876.

James W. Rodes was born Nov. 30, 1847 in Virginia, the son of Ryland and Virginia Rodes. By 1860, he is recorded still in Virginia and served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. In the 1880 census, James is recorded as a farmer in Washington County, Texas and married to Georgia Ann Henderson. They have two children, Mary, age 3 and Alice, age six months. The couple resided one home away from the Thomas C. Fowler family. The wives are Henderson sisters.

By 1900, the Rodes family is now living in Navasota. Living in the household with James and Georgia Ann are their daughter, Mary, now age 23; daughter Alice, now age 20; as well as daughter Ada, age 14; and a son Edwin, age 10. At this time James is a business partner with Stephen F. Walker, the husband of James and Huldah Farquhar’s daughter, Josephine.

Unfortunately, the Rodes had three children who died as infants while they were still in Washington County. They are all three buried in the Old Farquhar Cemetery. Gravestones mark each grave. They are an unnamed son, born Jan. 4, 1876, who died two months later on March 16, 1876; son Jimmie, born Aug. 8, 1882, and died nearly four years later on Jan. 3, 1886; and a daughter, Little Georgia, born Aug. 10, 1885 and died a day previous to son Jimmie on Jan. 2, 1885.

In Navasota, the Rodes were prominent within the Baptist Church. James died Nov. 23, 1903 and is buried in Navasota’s Oakland Cemetery. His widow, Georgia Ann Henderson lived another 17 years dying on Dec. 2, 1921 and is also buried in the city’s Oakland Cemetery.

Now, on to the Thomas C. and Alice Henderson Fowler Family. Again, Thomas’s wife Alice, is the daughter of Thomas Stalworth Henderson and his first wife, Nancy. Alice was born in 1847 at Washington- on-the-Brazos, and married Thomas Christopher Fowler at Washington- on-the-Brazos in 1868. Fowler was born in Bedford County, Virginia’s Northern District about 1840. The 1860 census records him as a ‘medical student’ living with his parents William D. and Elizabeth Fowler. He served the Confederate Army during the Civil War.

By 1868, he is at Washington- on-the-Brazos listed as a farmer and married to Alice Henderson. A son, William, was born in 1869. By the 1870 census, the Fowlers are living next door to Ivah Jean Wells Hendley Moore, now a widow of Robert Moore. Several of Alice’s siblings are also living in the household. Ten years later in 1880, the Fowlers have five children, William, age 11; Harriet, age 6; Henderson, age 4; Samuel H., Age 2 and Elizabeth, age six months. A surviving gravestone in the Old Farquhar Cemetery verifies that Samuel H., born April 26, 1878 dies on March 3, 1881 just shy of his third birthday.

By 1900, the Fowlers have moved from Washington County to Anderson, Texas in Grimes County. Living in the household is daughter Harriet, now age 25 and teaching school; Henderson, now age 24; Elizabeth (Lizzie) age 20; and Thomas, 18. Fowler is still listed as a farmer.

The Fowlers soon moved to Lampasas, Texas where Thomas died on Dec. 26, 1909 and is buried in the Lampasas City Cemetery. In 1910 Alice, listed as a widow, is living in Lampasas as head of the household with son Thomas, age 27, who is a dry goods merchant. Also living with her is her daughter, Elizabeth and her husband E. Stoneham with their 9-year-old daughter, Eleanor.

By 1930, widow Alice is living in San Antonio with her granddaughter. Alice died March 1938 at the age of 83 and is buried in Lampasas at the side of her husband Thomas.

(Next is the final chapter of the Farquhar Cemetery History Book).

(Written by Betty Dunn, Two Rivers Heritage Foundation. See www.tworiversheritagefoundation. org for more info).