NEWSTORY:  Richards; Sayner; Pruitt; Kirkland; Lee; Larkin:
           Early Residents of Area

Contributed by Brenda Scott Hines
May 2011
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The Bronte Enterprise, Coke County, TX - Sept. 3. 1964 

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The Bronte Enterprise September 3, 1964 Historical & Progress Edition

(Editor's note: In going through our files early this summer, hunting out 
stories for this special edition, we made notes as we went along, about 
some of the early families who came here.  We just used the information 
available at that time.  Much of the following, we realize, is incomplete 
as to descendants, etc., some were probably overlooked, and some may be a 
duplication of other material in this newspaper.  Working up all of these 
family histories was one of the things that time and space and limitations 
did not allow.  But it is hoped the following paragraphs will be at least 
recognize a good many of the early residents of this area.  There is a good 
story which could be developed in almost every paragraph. Ben Oglesby)

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Mr. and Mrs. M. E. (Med) Richards were married in 1885.  Mrs. Richards was 
the former Nancy Elizabeth Allen, born Apr.5, 1868 at Batesville, Ark.  
She came to West Texas with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Allen, in 1880.  
Mr. Richards died in 1903.  Mrs. Richards was employed at the Fort 
Chadbourne post office when it was the only post office in Coke County.  
Rome Richards of Bronte is the son of the couple. 
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Sam Sayner bought a farm near Tennyson in 1890 from the State of Texas.  
He and his family settled in the Tennyson area in 1882.  After his death, 
the place belonged to D. E. Sayner who operated it until his death.  
Collins Sayner bought the farm from his father estate in 1951.  Mrs. Collins 
Sayner is the former Maggie Hearrell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Hearrell. 
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J. D. Pruitt was born in Aug. 13, 1861, met and married Miss Eliza Mitchell 
June 12, 1883.  Their two children were Mrs. M. E. Lasswell and Tenry Pruitt.  
They moved with their family to Coke County in 1887 and in 1920 moved to the 
Marie community.  
M. E. Lasswell was born Oct. 15, 1897, in Bosque County, son of 
George Columbus and Margaret Allen Lasswell.  
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Mr. and Mr. G. P. Kirkland, were early residents here.  She was born Dora Smith 
in Bright Star, Ark., Dec. 5, 1871 and married to Doss McCracken in Sanger, 
Texas.  He died and she was remarried July 18, 1907 to G. P. Kirkland. 
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A pioneer Maverick family are the Claude Lees.  She was the former Emma Loler, 
born April 8, 1875 in Alabama and came to Texas as a child.  She was married to 
Claude Lee in 1901 in Longview, Texas.  
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Mr. and Mrs. D. Larkin moved to Coke County in 1901.  He was born Nov. 21, 1866 
in Washington Co., Ark.  She was the former Eliza Dunlap, born October 7, 1873 
in Milam County, Texas.  He died in 1952 and she in 1959.  They were the parents 
of Mrs. Tom Williams and the late Mrs. Wylie Clark. 
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