CALLIHAM, Mrs. Mary Ann, Beeville Bee, 21 Apr 1911, page 8:

When Mrs. Mary Ann Calliham died at the home of her son-in-law, D. T. W. Nance, in Pettus, 
Sunday, there passed away the oldest woman, and doubtless the oldest resident of Bee 
county. Mrs. Calliham, widow of David Calliham, was born in Louisiana March 5, 1819. She 
was married to David S. Calliham in March, 1838, and in 1849 moved to De Witt county, from 
there to Papalote, and then to Mineral in Bee county, where Mr. Calliham died twenty-five 
years ago. Grandma Calliham had for many years lived with her son-in-law and daughter, 
Mr. and Mrs. D. T. W. Nance, now of Pettus, where she died Saturday, April 15, 1911, aged 
over 92 years.

For over seventy years she was a member of the Methodist church. She was a typical pioneer 
mother and taught many of the neighborhood women the art of preparing the loom for weaving 
cloth, and with her own hands spun the yarn, wove the cloth, cut and made the garments which 
clothed her household. She leaves four children, Mrs. Jane Archer of Mineral, Mrs. Martha Nance 
of Pettus, Joseph Calliham of Tilden and Mrs. Lucy Thomas of Normanna.

Of living descendants there are four children, thirty grandchildren, sixty-eight great-grandchildren 
and three great-great-grandchildren, a total of 105. The funeral services were held Saturday 
evening and the body was placed near that of the husband. The sermon was by Rev. Pike of the 
Methodist Episcopal church.


CALLIHAM, Mrs., Beeville Weekly Picayune, 21 Apr 1911, page 4:

Born March 5, 1819, in Louisiana
Died April 14, 1911, in Pettus, Texas
Aged 92 years, 1 month and 9 days

Mrs. Calliham was probably the oldest inhabitant of Bee County. She was married in March, 1838, 
to Davie S. Calliham and they moved to DeWitt county in 1849, from thence to Papalote and then 
to Mineral where he died 25 years ago. For many years the widow has made her home with her 
son-in-law, D. T. W. Nance, now of Pettus. 

In this house she has been cared for and cherished as its most honored inmate and from it her body 
was borne last Friday to the rest she desired by the side of her husband whose remains for a quarter 
of a century had awaited her coming in the Mineral cemetery. Her children were all at her bedside at 
the last and many grandchildren gathered about her grave to do reverence to her memory.

The service was conducted by Rev. Pike, a minister in the Methodist E. Church of which she had been 
a faithful member for 70 years. A beautiful pillow starred by 92 daisies, numbering her years, and a 
blanket of velvet pansies and rosebuds covered the mound over the worn and weary frame of this 
mother in Israel. She was one of the noble band who helped develop the possibilities of Texas, coming 
when the Indian and the Mexican were more to be feared than the wild and savage beasts and serpents 
that abounded. With her own hands she spun, wove, cut and made the garments which clothed her 
household and taught many others to do the same work. Left a widow, she was still capable of providing 
for and protecting her children, who in her age did not desert her. She leaves four children, Mrs. Jane 
Archer of Mineral, Mrs. Martha Nance of Pettus, Joseph Calliham of Tilden, Mrs. Lucy Thomas of Normanna. 
Mrs. Charlotte Burdette of Taylor died 3 years ago. Besides these four children there are 30 grandchildren, 
68 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grand-children. A total of 105 descendants. Her children's children 
shall arise and call her blessed.

Same page, Normanna news:
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Swan attended the funeral services of Mrs. Swan's grandmother, Mrs. Mary Ann Calliham, 
at Mineral Friday. Mrs. Martin Travland has been for the past week with her mother, Mrs. Nance, of Pettus 
during the illness and death of Mrs. Calliham. Mr. Martin Travland went up Friday to attend the funeral. Mrs. 
Lucy Thomas who has for several weeks been with Mrs. Nance in Pettus helping care for their mother, is 
now spending the week with Mrs. Jane Archer in Mineral.
 
Same issue, page 6, Pettus news:
The community was grief stricken to hear of the death of Mrs. Calliham, mother of Mrs. Martha Nance. She 
suffered with pneumonia, and her advanced age made her an easy victim for the dreadful disease. She died 
Friday 4 a.m. and was buried at Mineral the same day at 4 p.m. The school picnic which was planned for 
Saturday was postponed on account of the death of Mrs. Calliham.