A. W. Blue Family - Family Histories

     Archibald Winfield Blue was the last son of Archibald Malcolm and Mary Jane (Bowie) Blue. A. W. was born in 1846 on Water Fork Creek near Henryville, Tennessee; married Jeanette Ann Rebecca Curry on December 29, 1869, near Blake's Mill, Tennessee, and moved to Texas in August, 1884, with three children: May, born in 1877 at Blake's Mill, Comer, and Bettie. After arriving in Texas, Maggie Lee was born near Waxahachie and Nathan Hardy after their arrival in Santa Anna. A. W. and Jeanette left behind three daughters who died in infancy: Mary, Mollie, and Annie. In 1890. the Blue family settled in Santa Anna. The family immediately became involved in the community and church life of Santa Anna.

     A. W. owned and operated a feed store. He served as commissioner of Coleman County and was very active in the Methodist Church and in the Masonic Lodge. A. W. died June 10, 1898, buried in Santa Anna.

     (1) May owned and operated with her partners. a business. Santa Anna Mercantile, later called Blue Mercantile. She and her sister, Bettie, made many trips to Chicago to market. Mav was a steward in the Methodist Church and was Primary Superintendent. May died in 1950 after a lengthy illness and was buried in Santa Anna.

     (2) Comer, born in 1880 in Tennessee, was proprietor of a jewelry store, which at one time operated in a portion of Phillips Drug. Comer was an expert watch maker. He married Lela Mitchell in Kaufman. The couple had no children. Comer died in 1921, buried in Santa Anna. He was a steward in the Methodist Church at the time of his death.

     (3) Bettie, born in Tennessee on February 29, 1884, graduated from Santa Anna High School in 1902. She went to Kidd Key College in Weatherford to study music. which she later taught at Austin College in Sherman. She returned to her hometown and taught music in the school. She was a steward in the Methodist Church and served as church organist. She left the teaching profession and served as City Secretary until her retirement in the 1950's. She lived at 907 Avenue A with her invalid sister, May, for whom she cared. Bettie died in 1965, buried in Santa Anna.

     (4) Maggie Lee, born June 7, 1886, married Thomas A. Mills in 1914 in Santa Anna. Maggie was a homemaker and mother of two girls, Wilma Jeanette and Mary. She helped her mother with the cooking in her mother's boarding house. Like the rest of her family, Maggie was active in the Methodist Church. She died in 1971, buried in Santa Anna. Wilma Jeanette born in 1921, graduated from SAHS in 1940 and attended Sul Ross College, graduating in 1943. She began teaching in Del Rio, then moved to Roswell. She married a military man, W. C. Spencer, in 1947 in the Methodist Church in Santa Anna. They had two sons, Trannie Thomas and John William. Wilnette and her family settled in Abilene in 1956 where she taught first grade until her retirement in 1982. Mary, born in 1926 in Santa Anna, graduated from high school there in 1943. She attended Sul Ross where she graduated in 1947. Mary was an elementary school teacher in Seminole. There she met Harold White, whom she married in 1953 in Santa Anna. They had two daughters, Nancy and Jan, now live in Midland.

     (5) Nathan Hardy, March 19, 1893. His father died when he was only five years old. His rearing was left to his mother and sisters. Hardy graduated from Santa Anna High School in 1910 and went to Austin College. He returned to Santa Anna around 1913 and opened Blue Racket Store. a variety store. Later, his business became Blue Hardware, which he and his wife operated until 1961, when she sold it to Mildred Galloway and Pauline Eubank. Mae Allen, whom he married in 1921 in Buffalo Gap, was a native of Goldthwaite. Mae came to Santa Anna in 1916 to teach school, which she did until 1922, when their first child was born. Hardy was very civic-minded, serving on the school board in the 30's and on the City Council in the 50's. He was a steward in the Methodist Church, a Sunday School Superintendent, a Mason, a member of the Lions Club in which he served as President and Secretary, and was a veteran of World War I. Hardy died in 1960 after a lengthy illness. Their children: Bettie Ruth, June 7, 1922, graduated from high school in Santa Anna, third in her class, and attended Sul Ross. In 1943, she married Oran Clay Henderson (see J. D. Henderson). Oran died in 1978. Bettie continued living at their rural home until 1980 when she sold their place and moved back to her home in Coleman County. John Hardy, September 3, 1930, graduated from Santa Anna in 1947. attended McMurry College in Abilene and graduated from the University of Texas in 1953 with an engineering degree. He moved to Indiana and worked for Superior Oil Company; met and married Pat Mack of St. Louis. They are in Lafayette, Louisiana. where John retired in 1981. One son. Michael Allen.

pictures to be added

Santa Anna Mercantile Company in 1915.
The owner, Miss May Blue, is pictured behind the counter in white,
next to her is Myrtle Thomason. Lillie Hosch is the customer

Comer Blue repairing watches