| J. B. “Bert” Howington was born February 6, 1877 at LaGrange, Texas.
His Mother died when he was very young. Gid Howington came to Coleman
County in February 1883 with sons; Burton, George, Mark and his second
wife. He herded sheep on the Wooten and Coggin Ranch a few miles
north of Santa Anna gap. In 1884, he bought a place on the Coleman
- Camp Colorado road, that had a livable log cabin. The deal included
a 100 head of hogs, for a total price of $400.00. The fertile soil
provided them with fine corn for their use and plenty to sell.
Burton attended school at Camp Colorado, some two miles from home and
across Jim Ned Creek, which he waded at a shallow place. There was
no school for him when the creek was full! Bert learned ranching
at an early age, and grew to be a top cowhand. He went to work for
Capt. W. C. Dibrell, and in 1900 was in charge of the herd when they were
taken to Ozona for pasture. The next year he took the main Dibrell
herd to Fort Stockton. His memories of Coleman County 1883/1905 -
cattle drives, using only landmarks to reach their destination, with weeks
of camp cooking - guarding the livestock day and night from predators -
the wolf hunts, with more than 20 wolves hanging from a single fence -
the big barbecue at the Mahoney Ranch sale - all these are recorded on
tape in the Southwest Collection at Texas Tech University.
J. B. Howington and Effie J. Hunter were united in marriage, January
12, 1902 (see W. W. Hunter). Their son, Joel Ruben was born October
21, 1903, married Doris ‘‘Patsy’’ Palmer December 5, 1929 in Dallas, where
they were living when Patsy died November 28, 1977. He is now living
in Mesquite. Effie died April 22, 1922, buried in Santa Anna.
Burton married Annie Evans, July 16, 1924. Their daughters, all
born and reared in Coleman County: (1) Charlotte, August 11, 1925.
Her second marriage was to Willis Burney, Coleman County Treasurer.
He died in office and Charlotte completed his term, and served another
full term. Scott was her third husband. She died in 1979, buried
in Santa Anna. (2) June, July 10, 1928, married Fred Thomson, November
10, 1945. She will be retiring from the telephone company soon, Portland,
Oregon. (3) Ola May, August 1, 1936, married Gustafson, lives in
Idaho.
Gid’s daughter, Jeanie S. Howington, wed Leo Blair, December 8, 1901.
George Howington and Pollie Alexander married January 17, 1901. Mark
Howington served in Cuba during the Spanish American War. His wife
and child were killed in the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco. He
is buried in Rawlings, Wyoming.
John Burton Howington was a resident of Coleman County for 92 years
and 10 months. He died December 30, 1975, five weeks before his 99th
birthday. His second wife, Annie Evans preceded him in death in 1961.
They are buried in Santa Anna.
(Images to be added)
J. B. and Effie Hunter Howington
Mark Howington
George and Pollie Howington - 1901
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