Orr Family Figures Prominently in History
by Teri Bishop, Managing Editor

The Orr family figured prominently in Van Alstyne's history, even though the life of one of its patriarchs was cut short by a fatal auto crash in 1966.
Garland Orr was born May 1899, according to the 1900 census, to Mancil and Samantha Bowen Orr.  His younger brother, Hugh, was born June 22, 1900 on the family farm, east of Van Alstyne near Sister Grove Creek.  Garland married Miss Ella Williams in 1921.

 The 1930 census lists Garland's marital status as "widower."  He married Samantha Haynes on November. 17, 1931, in Durant. Oklahoma.   Garland and Samantha Orr were cotton and corn farmers in the Van Alstyne area, contributing much to the economy and the way of life here. 
They were Methodists, and he gave community service through the Knights of Pythias.   His wife, also, was born in Texas, to Mr. and Mrs. Doug Boyd.  She served the community as a member of the Heroines of Jericho Lodge.

A grisly auto accident about dusk on March 29, 1966, took Garland Orr's life on the evening of March 28, 1966.  He and his brother, Hugh, were driving on a twisted blacktop road four miles east of the city between Van Alstyne and the Cannon Community when they had a head-on collision with an automobile driven by Larry Neill at the top of a  hill on the narrow county road.  Garland Orr and Mrs. Anna Belle Neill, 42, lost their lives instantly when their two vehicles collided.  Hugh Orr and Mrs. Neill's children - Larry, 15, and Linda, 10 - were taken to the hospital in serious condition.  Many area residents, black and white alike, attended Garland Orr's funeral on Saturday, April 3, 1966, at Morning Chapel CME Church.  He is buried in Van Alstyne Cemetery.  His obituary, which was printed in the Wednesday, March 30, 1966 edition of the Sherman Democrat, identified him as a "Negro".

Samantha Orr died many years later in 1987, at the age of 84.  She was a well-respected community worker.  She also is buried in Van Alstyne Cemetery. 

Their nephew, Lt. Col. Clyde Orr, not only served his community but also his country.
In March 1970, he and his family moved to Ethiopia, Africa, where he was assigned as Senior Infantry Advisor to the  Ethiopian army about infantry tactics and operations. Before that, he was the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Basic Combat Training Brigade at Fort Ord in California. His father, Hugh, survived the terrible crash of 1966 to see his son accomplish great things in the military.

Many Orr Family members still live in Van Alstyne, including Robinson Orr Sr., Robinson Orr Jr., and his wife, Patricia, Walter Nelson Orr and Nicole Orr.

Orr Family Bible

Biography Index