NATIONS, Robert H., Beeville Bee, 11 Sep 1908:

Two Landmarks Removed; Finger of Death Touches Two of Beeville's Oldest Citizens Within the 
Past Week.

Within the past week the hand of death has been laid upon two of Beeville's oldest residents and 
two of the oldest landmarks removed from its citizenship.  (Robert H. NATIONS & Henry William WILSON)

In the death of Robert H. NATIONS, on Tuesday morning, another ode of the most notable of its 
citizenship was removed. He had been a resident of Beeville since 1888, but previous to that he had 
resided for many years in the nearby town of Oakville where he had been, as in Beeville, engaged in the 
Hotel business and brought into contact with the general public, perhaps as no other man of this immediate 
section. 

In this way he outnumbered a more extensive acquaintance possibly than any other resident and it was a 
subject of frequent comment that is whatever section the citizens of Beeville might travel he would meet 
people who knew and pleasantly remember Uncle Bob Nations as he was commonly known, even to the 
casual as well as ultimate acquaintance. The adage that "poets are born, not made" might well be extended 
to the vocation of public entertainers, at least to the extent that it might well be said that Mr. Nations did not 
acquire the vocation he followed so many years but was naturally gifted for it.

With a cheery word for everyone who changed his way, and a pleasant salutation to every passer, he was a 
man that naturally attracted friends and left a pleasant impression. His solitude for the welfare of his guests 
exceeded the quid pro quo of business and entered the domain of true neighborly friendship and impressed 
the recipient as being prompted by an inherent inclination to a kindness and far beyond any suggestion of 
recompenses. Even the lowly and unfortunate have cause to feel a pang of regret on his death. No one was 
ever turned from his door empty handed. Over the years many young men who, in their time, have made his 
house their home, he exercised a paternal solicitude that aided them in their many seeming abstruseness of 
life and established a relationship that exceeded the bonds of mere friendship.

The deceased was a native of Yalobusha County, Mississippi and was born July 25, 1839; when five years of 
age he moved with his parents to Texas, landing at Old Indianola and settling in Gonzales County where he 
attained manhood's estate. November 9, 1859, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Ann LAWLEY at Atascosa 
County, who with three children survive him.  His married life was short, interrupted by the ? (word illegible) of war 
and he was among the first to enlist in the cause of the Confederacy. He was a member of the late Stephen 
DARDEN'S Company Hoods Brigade (TX PVT. CO. A., 4 Regt. Texas Inf, CSA) and participated in all the important 
engagements that befell that command from Manassa down to Appomattox; while the results settled the question 
of strength with him it was never decided the underlying principle of the conflict, and he remained until his death, 
unreconstructed and removable from his adherence to the right of state to control its domestic affairs.

The funeral took place Wednesday morning from the Nation's Hotel with which he had so many years been identified. 
Funeral services being conducted by Rev. I. T. MORRIS, and attended by a large concourse of friends, burial in the 
Glenwood Cemetery. Immediately surviving him are his most estimable life assets, two sons and a daughter, all of 
whom are grown and married. The eldest son, John T. Nation is a resident of Live Oak County, Walter L. Nations, 
the second son, was for a number of years his father's associate in business, but for the past year has been a resident 
of Waco. The only daughter, Mrs. Mary Smith is a resident of Marfa.