Tressie
Lorene
Huffhines
Oct
29, 1916 - Mar 14, 1931
Location:
unknown
Memorial
marker placed on May 27, 2007 by Gene and
Patsy Huffhines.
Firsthand Account by youngest brother in the boat,
Elisha G. Penland
Two
Children of A. A. Penland Are Drowned in Bay
Boat Capsizes in High Gale; Bodies of Children Have Not Yet Been
Found.
The extent of the receivable
information is that the two children of Mr. A. A. Penland were
drowned at Collegeport Saturday afternoon late while playing around
in a boat out in the bay. Evidently the high wind capsized the boat
and the two children were drowned. As yet the bodies have not been
recovered.
Saturday night Tressie Huffhines,
twelve years of age was playing with her four little nephews, the
Penland children on the bay shore. An oar [the only oar] was lost overboard and the
boat drifting into deep water Tressie, who can swim removed her
boots and started for shore to secure aid. Clyde Penland, six
years-old being frightened jumped from the boat with his rubber
boots on and Tressie returned to save him and both drowned. The boat
with the three remaining children drifted across the bay towards
Palacios, where it was discovered and the children taken home.
Dragging for the bodies since Saturday night has been without
success. It is thought that the stiff northern wind which blew all
day Sunday drifted them down into the lower bay and perhaps they
will not be found for some time.
Daily Tribune, March 16,
1931
Drowned Victim To Be Buried Tomorrow
Tressie Huffhines, the 14-year-old girl who met her
death by drowning, Saturday afternoon while attempting to save her
nephew, will be buried at Collegeport Wednesday afternoon. The body was
found Monday afternoon after a diligent search of two days. The body of
the eight-year-old boy has not yet been found. Taylor Bros. will be in
charge of the services.
Daily Tribune, March 17, 1931
Boy's Heroism Saves Lives as Boat Drifts
PALACIOS, March 16.--A movement was under way here
today to obtain medals for two childish heroes of the tragedy here
Saturday afternoon, which took the lives of two children, one of them
the 14-year-old girl who sacrificed her life in a vain effort to save an
8-year-old playmate from drowning.
The body of the girl, Tressie Huffhines, was
recovered late today. That of the boy, Clyde Penland, son of A. A.
Penland, had not been recovered.
Ten-year-old Glenn Penland is the other hero. He it
was who took charge in the rotted and waterlogged skiff in which six
children, five of the Penland family and the Huffhines girl, Mrs. Penland's sister, were playing about noon Saturday at a wharf on the old
Pierce ranch, across the bay from Palacios, when the rope holding to
boat to the wharf [beach] parted and the old skiff began drifting out on the
rough waters of the bay.
As the boat drifted farther into the bay Tressie
pulled off the rubber boots she was wearing and jumped overboard and
struck out for shore to bring aid to the frightened children in the
boat. She had almost gained the wharf when Clyde, distracted with fear,
jumped out of the boat. He did not remove his boots and could not remain
afloat. When Tressie saw that he was sinking, she turned and swam to his
rescue. She reached him as he went down the third time, but was unable
to drag him to shore. She sank with him.
The old boat began to take water as it was buffeted
by the rougher waves and Glenn began bailing with an old bucket which
the children had been playing with.
Two-year-old John Penland, Glenn's baby brother and
the other two children, were crying and screaming. Several times, Glenn
said in telling the story as the waves threatened to engulf the little
boat, first one and then another of the frightened children none of them
more than babies, would try to climb over its side into the water to
swim to shore. Glenn would pull the child back with one hand as he
frantically bailed with the other hand.
For more than two hours the boat drifted. Then after
covering more than three miles it came near to the Palacios side of the
bay where the screams of the children could be heard, and boats put out
and took them from the skiff and brought them ashore.
Searching parties were organized and dragging for the
bodies of the two victims was started. The search was kept us all day
Sunday and today.
Daily Tribune, March 17, 1931
Tressie Huffhines Buried Tuesday
Body of Clyde Penland Drowned With Her Is Not Found
By H. A. Clapp
Special to the Tribune
COLLEGEPORT, March 17--The funeral of Tressie
Huffhines was held today in the local cemetery with a large attendance.
Services by Reverend Connors of Palacios. The body of Clyde Penland, who
was drowned at the same time has not been recovered. Both the children
were pupils of the Collegeport school and were making good grades. The
school was closed and all teachers and pupils attended the services.
Daily Tribune, March 18, 1931
Two
Children of Near Collegeport Drown Saturday
Funeral
Services For Girl Held Wednesday; Boy Found This P.M.
 Untold
sorrow has come to the home of Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Penland, who live on
the Pierce place south of Collegeport across the bay southeast from
Palacios, by the drowning of their 8 year old son, Clyde, and a sister
of Mrs. Penland, Tressie Huffhines, aged 14 years, on last Saturday
afternoon.
It
seems that while the girl, with four of the Penland children were
playing in an old skiff on the bay shore near their home, that the
anchor broke loose, and they had drifted out quite a distance from the
shore before they noticed the fact. Having no oars, Tressie, who could
swim, took off her rubber boots and started for the shore to get aid.
She had almost gained the wharf when Clyde , distracted with fear jumped out of
the boat. He did not remove his rubber boots and could not remain
afloat. Tressie saw he was sinking and swam back to his rescue. She
reached him as he was sinking the third time but was unable to drag
him to shore and sank with him.
This
left the other three children in the boat by themselves to drift at
the mercy of the wind, which was from the southeast. The old boat
began to take water as it was being buffeted by the rough waves and
Glenn, age 10 years, began bailing with an old bucket which the
children had been playing with. For more than two hours they drifted
and covered a distance of over three miles before some parties living
in the B.Y.P.U. grounds were attracted to their cries and noticed the
boat out in the bay a short distance from the pier. A boy got in his
skiff, went to their rescue and pulled them in. The older boy, upon
being questioned, told who they were and where they lived, and Jack
Lee and son made their boat ready to take them to their home. While
this was being done the children who were almost frantic and chilled
by exposure to the wind and water were warmed and made ready for the
trip and then to reveal to the mother, who had no suspicion of the
terrible news that awaited her and the father who was at work in the
field nearby.
As
soon as it was learned that two bodies were in the bay, searching
parties were sent out, working throughout the night and all day
Sunday. Work was resumed again early Monday morning and an airship
sent out, and they located the body of the girl on the shores of Coon Island, 3 miles south of Palacios that
afternoon.
The
remains were taken to the home and funeral services were held at the
Collegeport cemetery Wednesday afternoon, conducted by Eld. C. F.
Conner of this city. The father, who lives in Oklahoma , was notified and accompanied by his
wife, came to be with his daughter and attend the service.
Parties
have continued search for the body of the little boy and about 3:30 this, Thursday, afternoon, R. Kirkman
found it a short distance out in front of John LeCompte's place on East Bay . Mr. Kirkman had waded out in the
water up around Grassy Point, and was on his way back when he sighted
the body, which was in fairly good condition.
The
Palacios Beacon,
Thursday, March 19, 1931
NOTES:
Tressie's parents were Adonia Wright Huffhines b
Texas
and Maggie Fitzgerald b
Tennessee
.
Obit courtesy of
Susie Penland Genck daughter of A. B. and Marguerite Penland,
granddaughter of A.A. and Vannie Penland.Picture courtesy of Gene Penland.
The marker for Tressie pictured above was placed in Collegeport Cemetery
on Sunday, May 27, 2007 by Gene and Patsy Huffhines.
|
Burton
David Hurd
Dec 18, 1868
-
Nov 03, 1936
Location:
28o44.500 N
096o10.203 W
|
Burton D. Hurd Local
Dam Promoter, Dies
Deceased
Was Important Developer of Several So. Coast Cities
|
|
Burton David Hurd, third son of David Elisha and Anna Delight Faye
Hurd was born on the family homestead in
Hamilton County
,
Iowa
,
Dec. 18, 1868
and died
Nov. 3, 1936
at his home in
Collegeport
,
Texas
, aged 67 years, 10 months and 16 days.
Mr. Hurd was baptized into the membership of the Baptist denomination at
an early age and was the founder of the First Federated Church of
Collegeport, a fellowship of 14 denominations, which church is still the
only house of worship in that community. When Dr. William States Jacobs,
of
Houston, organized the
Independent
Church
, Mr. Hurd became one of his first members.
He
was a well known promoter and developer, and was largely interested in
the development of
Port Arthur
, and the early developing of
Collegeport and other coast sections. His last work was promoting the
building of a dam across the Tres Palacios bay between Collegeport and
Palacios which was just recently passed on favorably by the War
Department at Washington, D. C.
Besides
the widow he is survived by one son, Vernon King Hurd, one grandson,
Vernon Hurd II, two brothers, Elgin C. Hurd of
Hurdsfield
,
North Dakota
, and Faye Hurd,
Galveston
,
Texas
. Two sisters, Mrs. George Boody, St.
Paul, Minn., Mrs. Norabel Culp, Minneapolis, Minn.
Funeral
services were held in Collegeport Wednesday afternoon, conducted by Rev.
G. F. Gillespie and interment made in the
Collegeport
Cemetery
under the direction of the Brandon-Duffy Funeral Home.
The
Palacios Beacon,
November 5, 1936
|
|
BURTON
D. HURD, PROMOTER, DIES
DECEASED WAS IMPORTANT DEVELOPER
OF SEVERAL SO. TEXAS CITIES
|
|
Palacios
Beacon
Burton
David Hurd, third son of David Elisha and Anna Delight Faye Hurd was
born on the family homestead in
Hamilton County
,
Iowa
,
December 19, 1868
and died
November 3, 1936
at his home in
Collegeport
,
Texas
aged 6[sic] years, 10 months and 16
days. Mr. Hurd was baptized into the membership of the Baptist
denomination at an early age and was the founder of the First Federated
Church of Collegeport, a fellowship of 14 denominations, which church is
still the only house of worship in that community. When Dr. William
States Jacobs, of
Houston, organized the
Independent
Church, Mr. Hurd became one of his first members.
He
was a well known promoter and developer, and was largely interested in
the development of
Port Arthur
, and the early developing of
Collegeport and other coast sections. His last work was promoting the
building of a dam across the
Tres
Palacios
Bay between Collegeport and Palacios which
was just recently passed on favorably by the War Department in
Washington ,
D.C.
Besides
the widow he is survived by one son, Vernon King Hurd, one grandson,
Vernon Hurd II, two brothers, Elgin C. Hurd, of
Hurdsfield
,
North Dakota
, and Faye Hurd,
Galveston
,
Texas
. Two sisters, Mrs. George Boody, St.
Paul, Minnesota, Mrs. Norabel Culp, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Funeral
services were held in Collegeport Wednesday afternoon conducted by Rev.
G. F. Gillespie and interment made in the Collegeport cemetery under the
direction of the Brandon-Duffy Funeral Home.
|
|
THOUGHTS
ABOUT THE
PASSING OF THE LION
By Harry Austin
Clapp
|
|
The passing of the lion? Aye, the passing of the lion. When Burton
D. Hurd passed from the stage of his earthly works, into the great and
wonderful over there, it was the passing of a man with the heart and
courage of a lion. The works of this remarkable character, from the
Sabine to the
Rio Grande
, will be visible and remembered by
generations. Great monuments to his wonderful vision and his ability to
execute. Burton D. Hurd needs no monument of stone. His monument will be
in the works accomplished, standing so long as there is a
Texas
coast. Wherever one may wander along
this vast coast there one will cross his trail.
I
write this copy with sorrow. I am unable to understand why this valuable
man should be taken and I should be spared.
Burton
mixed his paint with sunshine and where
he journeyed he traveled with a smile. Many men discussed and analyzed
Burton
's plans, visions, ideas. Some were
severe in criticism, but none questioned his morals.
Burton
was "clean as a hound's
tooth." Years ago he acquired a conception of what Christianity
meant to man's life and he practiced it. According to the light he
received from his God he practiced charity, tenderness, good-will and
benevolence in contact with his fellows. I never knew a man so eager and
willing to overlook and forgive bitter words uttered by men, who no
knowing him, did not feel friendly. Many times he told me, that life was
entirely too short to spend any time worrying about what might be said
of him. As a neighbor he was kind, generous, helpful, willing to aid in
any and every way. No better neighbor lived elsewhere. As a citizen he
was interested in all civic projects and some of the things we now enjoy
results from his unknown and unheralded interest. I have been an
intimate and personal friend of this man, for twenty-seven years and
what I have written is the result of my own observations. His passing is
a great loss to Collegeport, to
Matagorda
County
and to the entire coast country. No man is left to take his place. His
smile and his charming personality and his belief in the goodness of his
fellow men will be with us so long as memory remains. If
Burton
had been conscious the last few hours,
this is the prayer he might have uttered: |
|
"I rest. My
journey done,
I face the West again.
And see the gold of the setting sun,
No longer feel the pain.
The lights are slowly growing dim--
My ship is going out to sea,
I am slowly slipping o'er the rim,
Into eternity.
But one last prayer, O God,
Thou who knowest best,
Before I am beneath the sod,
Before I am at rest.
Let me have Light
To guide my way
On through the night
Across the bay." |
|
--Bickerton |
|
I pray my God to hold him in His comforting arms and give his soul
peace, contentment and well-earned rest. I love this man and he loved
me. I enjoyed his respect, confidence and friendship.
Good
bye
Burton
! I'll be with you soon, so please
linger along the shore. The personal history of this man is full of
romance. A builder of railways, vast canal and irrigation systems, rice
mills and warehouses, settlement of thousands of splendid farm folk on
fertile lands, erecting school houses for the education of the children,
organizing churches, all that people might have opportunity for finer
lives.
Burton
had little respect for money, except
what might be accomplished with it. Born on a farm in
Hamilton County
,
Iowa
, his entire life has been closely
identified with some phase of agriculture. He seldom was interested in
other developments. His last, and the culmination of years of dreaming,
planning, studying was the project of building a dam across Matagorda
Bay for the purpose of impounding water for the irrigation of many
hundreds of acres and the development of an immense truck industry.
Plans for this have all been approved and the burden which is not a
light one, now rests on the shoulders of his son Vernon King Hurd.
Burton
David Hurd was born
December 19, 1868
and died November 3rd, in his home in
Collegeport. He was the third son of David Elisha and Anna Delight Faye
Hurd. I knew his parents well, for they used to live here. They were
rugged, splendid folk, the kind that has made
America
. They helped make
Iowa
and their progeny is now keeping
Iowa
. It was said that when Garibaldi, the
great Italian liberator died, his heart was embalmed and placed in a
casket on which was inscribed "Open this casket and there you will
find graven on my heart '
Italy
"." If one could see the heart
of
Burton
, one would find graven there
Collegeport, and so it is fitting that his resting place should be in
local soil, on the west side of the cemetery in sight of the sparkling
waters of the bay. The funeral services were held at the bayshore home,
with Reverend George Gillespie reading the service. Evidence of the
respect and regard the citizens had for this man, was shown by the fact
that every home for miles around was represented in whole or in part,
except those who were detained by illness, and the faculty attended in a
body. Many who were unable to be present sent flowers. The floral
offerings were gorgeous and seldom has such profusion of bloom been
seen. Hundreds of roses, chrysanthemums, carnations, sprays, wreaths and
set pieces, one spray being so large that it actually embraced and
covered the casket. Relatives who were present, consisted of Fay Hurd
youngest brother, his wife and son, Herbert Hurd, from Galveston, Mrs.
Flora Morris and Mrs. Anett O'Leary, sisters of Mrs. Hurd, Mr. and Mrs.
Howard Morris, Mrs. Austin Oberwetter, Mrs. John Logan, Mrs. Luke Hawks,
Mrs. Merle Groves, Frank Groves and Mr. E. L. Morris, nieces and
nephews, all of Houston; Mrs. Abel Pierce, Mrs. Webb, Mrs. Della Braden
and W. P. Braden of Blessing; Mr. and Mrs. John Cherry, former
superintendent of the local school, and Arthur Liggett, of Bay City;
Mrs. and Mrs. B. W. Trull, and Mr. George Harrison, of Palacios; Mr. and
Mrs. Cyrus Smith, of Gulf; Mrs. Morgan Smith and Mrs. Velma S. Rogers,
of Matagorda. Pallbearers were old friends, Messrs. Gustave Franzen, G.
W. Corporon, L. E. Liggett, W. V. Batchelder, Eliot Curtis and M. S.
Holsworth. Old time friends asked the privilege of preparing the last
resting place. In the wet and bitter cold, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Nelson
gathered a group who cleared away the wet grass and erected a shelter.
All day they labored in the cold storm and when the time grew short more
help was sought and more wiling hands asked a part in the arduous task
then were needed to work in relays. This noble couple carried out to the
workers hot coffee and sandwiches that nothing be left undone to make
for their beloved friend a bower of beauty in which to rest. These
friends assisted Mr. and Mrs. Roy Nelson, Stanley Wright, Dick and
Gaines Corporon, Carl Ackerman, Henry Guyer, Tommy Oliver, Frank Mischa,
Orley Brown, James Murry, Clifford Ash, Amos Johnson and Mr. Baggett. As
many as thirty-five cars accompanied the remains to the cemetery where
the commitment was given by Reverend Geo. Gillespie. Arrangement were in
charge of the Brandon-Duffy Funeral Home of Palacios and Matagorda. Many
of the facts given were supplied by Mrs. Dena Hurd and I have used them
freely. As I have mentioned before, I write this with a heart bowed in
sorrow. I feel that I have suffered a great personal loss. I shall miss
the almost daily calls of
Burton and his always words of good cheer. God
rest his soul. |
|
"That's
good, read on, "Earth's light was growing dim.
But
he--he knew time endeth not for him;
He
viewed eternity in wonderment.
Then
quietly abided there--content.
He
who taught bigness took no narrow room;
He
who loved mankind saw no shade of gloom.
"Read
on and on" this page is not the last,
Nor
is the glory of his years forecast.
The
footprints he has made are not effaced,
While
time shall last they cannot be erased.
How
pitifully weak the small the soul
Compared
to him who fought and won his goal!
Prophetic
words, "Read on and on and on"
Stronger
in Death than Life, He is not gone."--Anon. |
|
|
BURTON
DAVID HURD
|
In
the death of Burton David Hurd, who departed this life at his home in
Collegeport, Texas, a town of his own founding, last Tuesday, the state,
the county and this section have been deprived of one of its most
prominent citizens, real estate operator and pioneer of land and
settlement promotions, and a man of keen judgment of values, a
perception of development and a dreamer of agricultural enterprises,
peopled with happy, prosperous and contented people.
It
has been said of this fine neighbor, friend and home builder that he
never cared a cent for any dollar that could not be used for the
betterment of the human family and, yet, in his various promotions
throughout the country he spent thousands of them. His aim was always to
the highest and his fertile mind constantly active in the behalf of the
development of his country.
Burton
David Hurd, the third son of David E. and Anna Delight Faye Hurd, was
born on the family homestead at William,
Hamilton County
,
Iowa
,
December 18, 1868
and passed away
November 3, 1936
at
1 p.m.
after an illness of three months, battling the return of a trouble
sustained in an automobile accident several years ago.
At
his home in Collegeport, and present at the final summons, were his
bereaved wife and son, Vernon King Hurd, Mrs. Vernon King Hurd, Mrs.
Annette O'Leary, of Houston, sister of Mr. Hurd. Surviving are, besides
his widow, one son, Vernon King Hurd, one grandson, Vernon King Hurd,
II, two brothers, Elgin H. Hurd, of Hurdsville, North Dakota, and Fay M.
Hurd, of Galveston; two sisters, Mrs. George Boody, Sr., and Mrs.
Norabel Culk, of St. Paul, Minnesota, besides several nieces and
nephews.
Mr.
Hurd, on June 15, 1891, was wedded to Miss Dena D. Soekland, daughter of
one of the old families of Stuttgart, Arkansas, to which union was born
a daughter, Florence Vera, deceased, and Vernon K., the latter now
residing in Collegeport.
The
funeral rites were conducted from the home by the Rev. Gillespie, of
Palacios, assisted by a group of women with whom Mrs. Hurd had worked in
the county for years.
The
Collegeport school and business houses were closed, while tributes of
love and esteem were evidenced by the bestowal of many wreaths and set
pieces of beautiful flowers. Many relatives and friends from
Houston
,
Galveston
, Blessing and Palacios attended.
Mr.
Hurd worked on his father's farm until he was 16 years of age at which
time he gained his parents' consent reluctantly, to sacrifice his
Father's gift to his boys of a farm equipped and stocked and go for
himself. He worked nights and attended
Spaulding
Business
College
in
Kansas City
,
Missouri
, and completed the study of law after
his marriage.
He
came to
Bay City
before the railroads--driving from
Wharton or
Eagle
Lake
. When the railroad entered
Bay City
he operated his own private car,
increasing that to several cars and often a whole special train,
bringing 100 people per month for several years; in al more than 25,000,
eighty percent of whom purchased land or entered business in the
Texas
Gulf
Coast
country.
A
more intimate picture of the activities of the man may be gained in
perusal of the following from one of Mr. Hurd's briefs of "Land and
Agriculture Development," which follows:
Commencing
in 1893, drainage districts were organized and developed in some twenty
central and northwestern counties of
Iowa
. Reclaiming an aggregate of 150,000
acres, sold to settlers, brought from older eastern states through an
immigration organization built up for the purpose.
This
development and immigration attracted the attention of Arthur E.
Stillwell and a deal was made with him and the Kansas City Southern
Railroad in 1897 to develop and colonize a 42,000 acre tract of land
between
Beaumont
and
Port Arthur
,
Texas
. Also to assist in the development of
Port Arthur
and the sale of town lots to finance
the building of the ship channel from
Sabine
Pass.
The first canal for growing rice in
Texas
, was built in connection with this
project.
Following
the
Port Arthur
development, large tracts of land were
purchased from ranchmen, developed by the construction of canals for
growing rice and sold to settlers
brought from the North, as follow: 8,000 acres at Iowa, La., 10,000
acres at Vinton, La., 8,000 acres at Cow Bayou, 7 miles west of Port
Arthur, 5,000 acres of Hildebrands Bayou south west from Beaumont, both
in Jefferson County, Texas, 16,000 acres 20 miles west of Houston
between the Brazos River and Buffalo Bayou, 15,000 acres east of Eagle
Lake, two canals developing 25,000 acres on the east side of the
Colorado River in Matagorda County, Texas 56,000 acres on the west side
of the Colorado River in the same county, covering the Collegeport
district, 16,000 acres west of the Tres Palacios River south from the
M.P.R.R. to the head of the bay in Matagorda County, 42,000 acres near
Kingsville, Texas owned jointly by the King Estate and the railroad and
20,000 acres for the Texas Land and Cattle Company, north from Midfield
in Matagorda and Wharton Counties, Texas.
The
development work for the sale of these lands included the construction
and operation of ten canal systems for growing rice, road building,
drainage, community development, railroad construction and the building
of rice mills and warehouses.
The
Matagorda
County
Tribune,
Thursday, November 12, 1936
|
|
NOTES:
1910
Matagorda
County
Census
Precinct 8
Enumeration District 147
Sheet 3B
Household 49/50
Hurd, Burton D., 40, b
Iowa
, married 18
years
Hurd, Dena D., 37, b
Indiana
, 2 children
born, 1 living
Hurd,
Vernon
, 14, b
Iowa
|
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