Thomas J. Hamilton Family
 

Dr. Samuel Sholars

Dr. Samuel Sholars, 89, of Bay City died Sept. 13 at a Victoria Hospital. He was a member of the St. Mark's Episcopal Church. Founder of the Rotary International Club of Bay City. Graduated from Vanderbilt University, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He received three awards from the Texas Dental Association. These were the Good Fellow Award in 1941, Life Membership Award in 1951 and Fifty Year Award in 1957. On June 15, 1910, he and the former Annie Jay Hamilton were married in the Episcopal Church in Matagorda. Survivors include one sister, Mrs. Lessley Keese of Beaumont, nieces and nephews, and other relatives. Funeral services were held at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Sat., Sept. 14, with Rev. Milton McWilliams officiating. Interment was in the Cedarvale Cemetery in Bay City. Honorary pallbearers were: Albert H. Wadsworth Jr., Tommy Wise, Wendel Hall, Robert Goddard, Austin Furse, Lawrence Gwin, Dr. Charles Shoultz, Jim Lewis and Jim Hicks. Active pallbearers were: Dr. Shelton Breeden, Dr. Bob Simons, Dr. Robert Kelley, Dr. Kenneth Culbreth, John Woolsey and Alvin Vanderbull. Services under the direction of Dick R. Elkins, Bay City Funeral Home.
 

BC Rotary Club Founder Dies

Dr. Sam R. Sholars, 89, founder of the Bay City Rotary Club, died early this morning at Hofh Hospital and Clinic in Victoria after an extended illness.

Funeral will be at 1 p. m. Saturday at St. Mark's Episcopal Church with the Rev. Milton McWilliams Jr. officiating. Burial will be in Cedarvale Cemetery. Friends may call at Bay City Funeral Home.

It was in late 1923 that Dr. Sam Sholars, a young dentist, had been reading about a civic club called Rotary. He became interested in the description of a civic club where business and professional men could meet once each week at a noonday luncheon.

After talking with other professional men, he made application for a charter from Rotary International. It was granted Feb. 2, 1924 and the first meeting was held here Feb. 7, 1924.

The local Rotary Club recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Through that half century it has become noted for its many charitable activities.

Sholars was born March 7, 1885 in Jasper. At the turn of the century his family moved to Orange. In 1903 he left Orange to enroll in Vanderbilt, graduating from there in 1907.

He spent the summer of that year living with his married sister in McCool, Miss.

During that summer he would go around the countryside extracting and filling teeth for farmers and their families, using a rented horse and buggy.

In the fall of that year he returned to Texas.

He received three awards from the Texas Dental Association. These were the Good Fellow Award in 1941, Life Membership Award in 1951 and Fifty Year Award in 1957.

On June 15, 1910, he and the former Allie Jay Hamilton were married in the Episcopal Church in Matagorda.

Survivors include one sister, Mrs. Lessley Keese of Beaumont and three nieces.

Those wishing to make memorial donations are asked to give to the organization of their choice.

The Daily Tribune, September 13, 1974
 

Dr. Sholars also had an office on the second floor of the building on the corner of 7th Street and Avenue G.
 

Sholars Home 2620 Avenue G
 

Additional Information

Dr. Sholars charged $1 to pull a tooth in 1927.