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Family photos
courtesy of Barbara Sliva |
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The Broughton family has resided in Matagorda County since 1902 when William Hamilton "Will" Broughton brought his family by train to Bay City. Born in Hunt County, Texas, on January 14, 1875, Will Broughton moved to Matagorda County to farm rice and raise cattle. He brought with him his bride of seven years, two children, Earl and Ira, and a nephew whose mother had died. William Hamilton Broughton was the son of William Smith Broughton and Martha Reese Broughton. His father was born in the 1840's in Alabama, and his mother was born on January 2, 1850, in Mississippi. William Smith Broughton brought his wife, sisters, and members of the Tabb family, who were relatives, by handmade raft down the Mississippi River to the Red River above New Orleans. From there they traveled to Shreveport, Louisiana, to the Cypress River and to Jefferson, Texas. The family settled in the Talco community where they built a one-room log cabin and began their family. Will Broughton met Tempie Franklin Andrews at a church social in Mt. Vernon, Texas, and they were married on January 16, 1896. Tempie was born in Hernando, Mississippi, on November 5, 1873, and was the daughter of Absalem Mitchell Andrews and Nancy Ann Ragsdale Andrews. After moving to Bay City, they had five more children: Weldon Herwin, Maurice, Gladys Marion, Fred Oscar, and Seldon.
At one time Will Broughton had one of the largest
rice farms in Matagorda County with over 760 acres in cultivation
and thirty or forty workers employed. He also had a large herd of
cattle. He and his sons would ride the train to Citrus Grove from
Bay City, and there they would spend the summer growing and
harvesting rice. The rice was cut with a machine called a binder,
then it was shocked and and left to dry for fourteen days. The
workers then used pitch forks to load it into horse drawn wagons
which delivered it to the threshing machines where it was threshed
and sacked. With the advent of combines and rice dryers, the
Broughton farm was modernized. A portion of the original farm was
bought by one of Will's sons, Fred, who kept it in the family until
he was forced to sell it for the construction of the South Texas
Nuclear plant. Jessica Broughton Leslie
50th Anniversary Tempie and William H. Broughton |
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Final rites for William Hamilton Broughton, 77, a Bay City resident for 51 years, were held from Taylor Brothers Funeral Home here Monday, with the Rev. W. W. Conerly officiating. Burial was in Cedarvale Cemetery. A retired rice farmer, Mr. Broughton was a member of the Methodist Church and of the W. O. W. Lodge. He is survived by his wife; one daughter, Mrs. Ludolph Heiligbrodt of Bay City; six sons, Ira of Wharton, Buddy of Newgulf, Seldon of Corpus Christi, and Earl, Fred, and Maurice, all of Bay City. Also surviving are three sisters, Mrs. Blanche Cherry of Mt. Pleasant, Mrs. Bell Newton of Dimmitt, and Mrs. Mattie Sanders of Hadley; two brothers, Grover and Milton, both of Big Spring. Daily Tribune, April 17, 1952 Photo courtesy of Betty Crosby
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Services for Mrs. Tempie F. Broughton, 90, were held Tuesday afternoon from Bay City Funeral Home. She was the widow of the late W. H. Broughton and had been a resident of Bay City 63 years and a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church. She expired Monday morning at the Caney Valley Hospital in Wharton after an extended illness. Rev. Billy Norton of Newgulf Baptist Church officiated at the services, and interment was in Cedarvale Cemetery. Six sons and one daughter survive, Mrs. Ludolph Heiligbrodt, Earl, Buddie, Maurice and Fred Broughton of Bay City, Ira of Wharton and Seldon of Corpus Christi; one sister, Mrs. Ira Bond of Mobile, Ala.; 13 grandchildren and eight grand-grandchildren. Daily Tribune, August 5, 1964 Photo courtesy of Betty Crosby
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Edward Earl Broughton Services for Mr. Edward Earl Broughton, 87, of Bay City are scheduled for 10:30 a. m. Tuesday at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Leroy Stanton and the Rev. W. W. Conerly officiating. Burial will be at Cedarvale Cemetery. Mr. Broughton was born Dec. 9, 1896, in Mt. Pleasant, Texas and died March 10, 1984, at his residence. A retired rice farmer, Mr. Broughton has resided in Bay City since 1900. He was an army veteran of World War I, a member of Masonic Lodge No. 865 A. F. & A. M. in Bay City and a member of First United Methodist Church. Survivors include: wife, Bertha Rubidoux Broughton of Bay City, daughter, Martherle Broughton Spears of Los Angeles; grandchildren, Sherri Lynn and Scott Byron Spears of Los Angeles; sister, Gladys Heiligbrodt of Bay City; brother, Seldon Broughton of Corpus Christi, Texas; four sisters-in-law, Rena and Nan Broughton, both of Bay City, and Vadyse Hood and Izetta Bedford, both of Matagorda; and numerous nieces and nephews. Pallbearers include Fred, Bill and Richard Broughton, Rob Ramsey, Bill Heiligbrodt, Tommy Turner, Lee Ball and James Hite. Funeral services were arranged by Taylor Bros. Funeral Home. Daily Tribune, March 11 or 12, 1984
Bertha Irene
Robidoux Broughton, 91, long time resident of Bay City, died May 20,
2000 at the Matagorda House. Bertha, daughter of the late Phillip
Fraizer and Essie Mae Henry Robidoux, was born Jan. 8, 1906 in Port
Lavaca, Texas. Following her mother's death in her infancy, she was
reared in foster care by the William Edward Bedford family of
Matagorda, Texas. Bertha attended Southwestern University and taught
in a country school for one year. She married Edward D. Broughton on
March 23, 1935. They settled in Bay City in 1942 in a loving
marriage of 49 years, until his death in 1984. She generously gave
of her time and talents by serving her community in many local
organizations; Eastern Star, Pink Ladies, and the First United
Methodist Church. To her many friends and family she shared her
loving concerns and kindness. She worked in banking for the City of
Bay City, Gulf Coast Rice Farms and retired in 1971 after 15 years
as tax assessor for the Bay City Independent School District. |
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Ira Gerald Broughton
Alma Neal Smith Broughton |
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Weldon Herwin "Buddy" Broughton Rena
B. Broughton W. H. Broughton Services will be held for W. H. Broughton, 80, of Bay City, 4 pm Saturday at the First Baptist Church of Bay City. Officiating will be Dr. W. D. Baker. Broughton died May 26, 1983 at Matagorda General Hospital. Survivors include wife, Rena Broughton of Bay City; daughter-in-law, Nan Broughton of Missouri City; brothers, Earl E. Broughton of Bay City, Seldon Broughton of Corpus Christi; sister, Gladys Heiligbrodt of Bay City; grandchildren, Webb Broughton of Beaumont and Laura Broughton Ball of Houston. Broughton was a member of the First Baptist Church and retired form Texas Gulf Sulphur Company after 40 years. Burial will follow services at Cedarvale Cemetery. Service under the direction of Dick R. Elkins Bay City Funeral Home. The Daily Tribune, May 27, 1983 Photos courtesy of Faye Cunningham
Rena Elizabeth Bailey Broughton, 97, of Bay City,
passed away Monday, September 19, 2005, at her residence. |
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Morris Maurice Broughton Nan Shifflett Broughton Funeral services for Nan Shifflett Broughton, 79, of Bay City will be held at 2 p. m. Tuesday at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Bill E. Leediker officiating. Burial will be in Cedarvale Cemetery. Mrs. Broughton was born May 30, 1906, in Marble Falls, Texas and died Dec. 29, 1985, at Matagorda House. She was a school teacher with the Bay City Independent School District for many years and a member of the Pink Ladies Auxiliary and First United Methodist Church. Survivors include a son, William M. Broughton of Bay City; daughters, and sons-in-law, Linda Kay and Wayne Atkinson of Katy, Janey Beth and Wilbur D. Chambers of Bay City; three sisters, Ruth Ward of Edinburg, Frances Hicks of San Francisco and Dulcie Scott of Mintor, Ohio; a brother, William Shifflett of Orange, Calif.; five sisters-in-law, Bertha Broughton, Gladys Heligbrodt and Rena Broughton, all of Bay City, Mrs. Rex Shifflett of Marble Falls and Amelia Shifflett of Austin; a brother-in-law, Seldon Broughton of Corpus Christi; and five grandchildren. Pallbearers include Paul Ronhaar, Frank Sliva, Thomas Shifflett, James Hite, Fred Broughton and Rob Ramsey. She was preceded in death by her husband, Maurice Broughton in 1976. Services are under the direction of Dick R. Elkins, Bay City Funeral Home. Daily Tribune, December 30, 1985 Photos courtesy of Betty Crosby
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Ludolph Heilingbrodt Gladys
Heilingbrodt Ludolph Robert Heiligrodt Ludolph Robert Heiligrodt, 69, a resident of Bay City for 45 years, died April 1 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Houston. He was the owner of Heiligbrodt Ins. Agency and was a member of Bay City and Austin Lodges A. F. & A. M.; Arabia Temple Shrine; Sheriff’s Assn. of Texas; Rotary International; and American Legion. Survivors include: wife, Gladys Broughton Heiligbrodt of Bay City; son, L. William Heiligbrodt of Houston; and granddaughters, Heather Hill Heiligbrodt of Houston. Funeral services were held at 2 p. m. April 3 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church with Rev. Milton McWilliams officiating. Interment was at the Cedarvale Cemetery with pallbearers being: Joe Entzminger, J. D. Voyles, Bert Steves, Roy Shoultz, Roswell Burke and Jerry Voyles. Arrangements under the direction of Taylor Bros. Funeral Home. Bay City Loses Active Leader Funeral services for Ludolph Robert Heiligbrodt, age 69, were held today at 2 p. m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, with the Rev. Milton McWilliams officiating. Interment was at Cedarvale Cemetery. Heiligbrodt died Saturday night, in St. Luke’s Hospital in Houston. He was one of Bay City’s individual business men being the sole owner of Ludolph Heiligbrodt insurance agency for more than forty years. Born in Lufkin he and his parents moved to Austin where he was educated in the Austin public school system and attended the University of Texas. After coming to Bay City in 1934, he became involved in numerous community activities. He served on the executive board of the Chamber of Commerce, membership chairman and a member of the board of directors for Bay City Country Club, he served on the Rules Committee and was a member of the Men’s Golf Association. He was a member of the Arabia Temple and served as president of the Shrine Club. He also was a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Rotary, Masonic Lodge No. 12 of Austin, the Masonic Lodge of Bay City, Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, the American Legion, Sheriff’s Association of Texas, and the Longhorn Club. He served his country in World War II, from 1943-1946 as a quartermaster in the U. S. Army. Survivors include his wife, Gladys Broughton Heiligbrodt of Bay City; one son, L. William Heiligbrodt of Houston; one granddaughter, Heather Hill Heiligbrodt, and one daughter-in-law, Corinne Collins Heiligbrodt of Houston. The family request that memorials be made to the Heart Association. Daily Tribune, April, 1978
Gladys B. Heiligbrodt, 90, of Bay City died June
27, 2002 at Matagorda General Hospital. She was born November 23,
1911 in Bay City to the late William Hamilton and Tempie Andrews
Broughton. She had six adoring brothers, Earl, Ira, Maurice, Fred,
Buddy and Seldon, who had preceded her in death. Gladys lived a
wonderful life, surrounded by a loving family and many friends. |
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William
Hamilton Broughton Family
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Fred Oscar Broughton Family Fred Oscar Broughton, the sixth of seven children, was born in Bay City, Texas, on December 18, 1913. He was the son of Tempie Franklin Andrews and William Hamilton Broughton, who came to Matagorda County in 1902 to farm rice. Mr. Broughton attended Jefferson Davis Elementary School, and was graduated in 1932 from Bay City High School. He played football for the varsity high school team, and was graduated as the salutatorian of his class. He remained active in sports after graduation by playing semi-pro baseball. At the age of eighteen he went to work for the Groce-Wearden Company, then Groce-Parrish, loading box cars. He was promoted to salesman and later to the manager of the Bay City Groce-Wearden branch office. He served on the company's Board of Directors from January 14, 1950, until January 8, 1977, when he retired. Pauline Lorraine Aaron was born on March 30, 1913, in Pasadena, California. Because her family frequently relocated due to her father's oil business, she attended thirteen schools in ten years. She skipped the eighth grade. Pauline Lorraine was graduated from Mesa High School in Mesa, Arizona. She attended Pomona Junior College in California where she was the singles tennis champion. She later transferred to the University of California at Berkeley where she had only twelve semester hours remaining for her BA degree. The depression forced her to withdraw from school, and she moved with her family to Bay City in 1935. Lorraine's father Julius Earl Aaron, a native Texan, had come to Texas several months earlier looking for a suitable place to locate his family. After scrutinizing Mexico and later staying with his family in San Antonio, he finally chose Bay City as their next home. Lorraine Aaron met Fred Oscar Broughton at the wedding of her sister Margaret. Fred was the best man for groom Frank A. Hurley, Jr., and Lorraine was Margaret's maid of honor. Fred and Lorraine were married in Angleton, Texas, on April 19, 1941. They lived in the Hastings Apartments on Sixth Street and in several other locations in Bay City before settling in their home at 2816 Fifth Street. They were the parents of three children: Barbara Ann; Fred Oscar, Jr.; and Jessica Pauline. Lorraine began working as a general office worker at Bay City Federal Savings and Loan in January of 1936. She and Albert H. Wadsworth, Sr., the founder of the organization, were the only persons in the office until 1945. She also helped manage Mr. Wadsworth's insurance company. In 1956 Lorraine was promoted to Secretary-Treasurer of the Association, and January, 1966, she was elected to the Board of Directors. She was appointed as Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer in May, 1968, and served in that capacity until her retirement on March 31, 1976. Under her leadership, three branch offices were opened and the Association's assets grew from $19 million in 1968 to over $64 million in 1976. She was also active in the Gulf Coast Savings and Loan League, serving a three- year term as director, beginning in 1968. During his leisure time Mr. Broughton fished at his vacation home on the Colorado River. He and his wife Lorraine also had a vacation home on the beach and a fishing camp at Brown Cedar Cut. The entire Broughton family spent many weekends surf and river fishing. During hunting season, the Broughton family could be found at their farm near Citrus Grove. It was part of the original Broughton farm owned by his father William Hamilton. Although Fred did not farm the land himself, he leased it to others for cattle and for rice and maize cultivation. Mr. Broughton would often have visitors from around the state and from as far north as Minnesota to hunt on his farm. It was a virtual haven for geese, ducks, dove, and quail. The "annual bird hunt" became a tradition, remembered by the awarding of the "killer award" trophy, followed by the dove breakfast. Fred's wife Lorraine would fry about eighty doves, and make 100 of her famous biscuits, and serve many other dishes to the hungry hunters on the last day of the big hunt. It was a sad day in the Broughton household when Fred was forced to sell his farm for the future site of the South Texas Nuclear Plant. When Mr. Broughton no longer had the farm, he diverted his many interests elsewhere. He and his wife moved to Selkirk Island where one could usually find Fred working in his beautifully landscaped yard or standing on his pier, casting his fishing line into the Colorado River.
Fred Broughton died of a heart attack while
working in his yard on October 2, 1978. He was buried in Cedarvale
Cemetery in Bay City, Texas. After having worked for Bay City
Federal Savings and Loan for forty-one years, Mrs. Broughton
retired, and she and her husband lived at their home at Selkirk
Island. They enjoyed their retirement together, often working in
their yard and taking trips to various places.
Jessica Broughton Leslie |
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Fred Broughton Fred Broughton, 64, 251 Selkirk Rd. Bay City, died Monday, October 2, at Matagorda General Hospital. He was born December 18, 1913 in Bay City. The deceased was a retired employee of Groce Wearden Company for 43 years and served on the Board of Directors of Groce Wearden. Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Fred Broughton of Bay City, a son, Fred Broughton, Jr., of Houston, daughters, Mrs. Frank Sliva of Bay City and Mrs. Jessica Leslie of San Antonio, brothers, Earl and W. H. Broughton of Bay City and Seldon Broughton of Corpus Christi, a sister, Mrs. Ludolph Heiligbrodt of Bay City and five grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at the Bay City Funeral Home Chapel on Wednesday, October 4, at 2:00 p. m. Rev. W. D. Baker of First Baptist Church will officiate. Pallbearers include Frank Sliva, Frank Hurley, Jr., Dick McCullough, Roy Leslie and Lewis Schuttz. Interment at Cedarvale Cemetery. Services under the direction of Dick R. Elkins, Bay City Funeral Home. Daily Tribune, October 3, 1978 Photos courtesy of Faye Cunningham
Lorraine P. Broughton Lorraine P. Broughton, 66, of Bay City died April 9 at the Diagnostic Hospital in Houston. She had retired two years ago as executive vice president of Bay City Federal Savings and Loan after 41 years of service. Survivors include: son, Fred Broughton Jr. of Houston; two daughters, Mrs. Frank (Barbara) Sliva of Bay City and Mrs. Roy (Jessica) Leslie of San Antonio; two sisters, Mrs. F. A. Hurley and Mrs. R. B. McCullough both of Bay City; five grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, April 10 at 3:30 p. m. at the Bay City Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. W. D. Baker officiating. Interment will be at the Cedarvale Cemetery with pallbearers being: Frank Hurley Jr., Frank Hurley III, Dick McCullough, Russell Law, Jack Worsham, and Glenn White; honorary pallbearers will be the directors of Bay City Federal Savings and Loan. Services under the direction of Dick R. Elkins, Bay City Funeral Home. Daily Tribune, April 9 or 10, 1979 Prominent Banker Dies in Houston Funeral services will be held Tuesday afternoon for Lorraine P. Broughton who died April 9 at the Diagnostic Hospital in Houston. Mrs. Broughton had retired from her position as executive vice president of Bay City Federal Savings and Loan in March of 1977. She had been with the local bank for 41 years. She joined the savings and Loan in January 1936 as a general office worker and was the only one working in the office until 1945. In 1956 she was appointed secretary-treasurer of the association, a post she held until May of 1968 when she was appointed to her new position. She served for a two year term as director of the Gulf Coast Savings and Loan League. Mrs. Broughton was honored with a reception at the bank upon her retirement. Services will be held at 3:30 p. m. April 10 at the Bay City Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. W. D. Baker officiating. Interment will be at the Cedarvale Cemetery.
Daily Tribune,
April April 9 or 10, 1979 |
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Lorraine P. Broughton Lorraine P. Broughton, 66, of Bay City died April 9 at the Diagnostic Hospital in Houston. She had retired two years ago as executive vice president of Bay City Federal Savings and Loan after 41 years of service. Survivors include: son, Fred Broughton Jr. of Houston; two daughters, Mrs. Frank (Barbara) Sliva of Bay City and Mrs. Roy (Jessica) Leslie of San Antonio; two sisters, Mrs. F. A. Hurley and Mrs. R. B. McCullough both of Bay City; five grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, April 10 at 3:30 p. m. at the Bay City Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. W. D. Baker officiating. Interment will be at the Cedarvale Cemetery with pallbearers being: Frank Hurley Jr., Frank Hurley III, Dick McCullough, Russell Law, Jack Worsham, and Glenn White; honorary pallbearers will be the directors of Bay City Federal Savings and Loan. Services under the direction of Dick R. Elkins, Bay City Funeral Home. Daily Tribune, April 9 or 10, 1979 Prominent Banker Dies in Houston Funeral services will be held Tuesday afternoon for Lorraine P. Broughton who died April 9 at the Diagnostic Hospital in Houston. Mrs. Broughton had retired from her position as executive vice president of Bay City Federal Savings and Loan in March of 1977. She had been with the local bank for 41 years. She joined the savings and Loan in January 1936 as a general office worker and was the only one working in the office until 1945. In 1956 she was appointed secretary-treasurer of the association, a post she held until May of 1968 when she was appointed to her new position. She served for a two year term as director of the Gulf Coast Savings and Loan League. Mrs. Broughton was honored with a reception at the bank upon her retirement. Services will be held at 3:30 p. m. April 10 at the Bay City Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. W. D. Baker officiating. Interment will be at the Cedarvale Cemetery.
Daily Tribune,
April April 9 or 10, 1979 |
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