M. R. Cheatham Family - Family Histories

      M. R. (Uncle Dick) Cheatham came to Texas from Kentucky in 1872, in a covered wagon caravan. He joined the Texas Rangers in June 1874 and was stationed in Coleman County as camp blacksmith. He was in the Rangers until 1876. He was also a Mason. He was born December 17, 1850 in Adair County, Kentucky - died January 30, 1940 in Ballinger, buried in Rockwood, son of Matthew Hopson Cheatham, born February 10, 1814 in Kentucky and Emily Coggins Stone, born August 24, 1823. M.R. married (1) Alta Myra Batton, July 11, 1878 in Brownwood, February 20, 1860 in Tennessee-July 3, 1884, buried in Clear Creek, near Bangs, the daughter of Samuel Hal Batton, born March 10, 1821 and Sarah Frances Lamberson, born August 6, 1828, both buried in Clear Creek near Bangs, Texas.

     The M. R. Cheatham's moved to Trickham in 1880. He bought a gin and flour mill on the banks of Mukewater from J. J. Burrage and Dr. James, who were brothers-in-law. He put the first flour in sacks in Central West Texas, choice 4x, colors red and blue. He also operated a thresher powered with 5 teams of horses. The Cheathams moved to Rockwood in 1893 where he also operated a gin and farmed. They had three children:

     (1) Samuel Hopson (Hop) born May 18, 1879 in Brown County, married Mattie Harrison, December 2, 1900 in Rockwood. They lived in Eldorado. Hop was a farmer, died March 7, 1953, Mattie, May 18, 1967, both buried in Eldorado. They had two children: Richard Edward and Mary Alta.

     (2) Emily Ethel, August 12, 1880 - August 1, 1881, buried in Clear Creek.

     (3) Anner Bertram (Bert), August 1, 1882 in Trickham-January 26, 1955, married (1) Dollie Fowler in Rockwood, November 3, 1907 (see B. B. Fowler). Bert was a medical doctor, went to college at Howard Payne, Galveston Medical School, and graduated from a medical school in Memphis, Tennessee in 1907. He went to Millersview, June 8, 1907. He was attending medical school in Galveston when the hurricane of September 8 and 9, 1900, killed between 6,000 and 8,000, luckily, he was at home in Rockwood for the weekend. In 1906, there was a terrible flood on the Colorado River near Rockwood. His brother Henry had spent the night with two friends and they were found in the top of a tree, and would have drowned, but Bert took the bed of a new wagon and used it for a boat, rescuing them. He was a 32 Degree Mason. They had three children:

       (3a) Alta Josephine, born March 18, 1910 in Millersview, married Charles J. Benge over the radio in San Angelo, November 8, 1927.

       (3b) George Alex, November 21, 1911 - July 30, 1976, buried in Millersview, married Rosalie Thurman, December 31, 1946, died in 1975.

       (3c) Lizzie Juanita, June 8, 1913-January 19, 1983, married Floyd Franke, February 2, 1933. He died March 31, 1980, both buried in Millersview; adopted son, Manoah, born May 30, 1948. M.R. married (2) Mary Elizabeth Gray, born November 17, 1853 in Tennessee on February 25, 1886, she died May 14, 1936 at Whon, buried at Rockwood. Their four children:

   (1) Maggie Charlotte, January 6, 1887 in Trickham-June 20, 1972 in Coleman, married Robert Edgar (Bob) Johnson in Rockwood, December 18, 1904, he died August 11, 1958, both buried in Rockwood. They had 13 children: Ida, October 30, 1905; Robert Earl, July 22, 1907-October 21, 1982, buried in Rockwood; Katie Elizabeth (Polly), January 12, 1909; Ruby Beatrice, August 6, 1911- May 27, 1969, buried in Old Runnels Cemetery near Ballinger; Henry Edgar (Jack), March 3, 1913; Leon Eldon (Gap) November 22, 1916; Ada Bell, June 19, 1917; Alpha May, August 12, 1919; Bert, June 29, 1921; Emily Hopson, November 30, 1922; Maggie Charlottee, September 18, 1924-December 16, 1971, buried in Dallas; Thomas Richard, March 27, 1926; Ina Grace, July 9, 1927.

     (2) Henry Manoah, January Trickham-January 19, 1919, buried at Rockwood, married Velma Lee Box April 9, 1910. Henry was a barber. Two children; Henry Elon, February 7, 1912, and Mary Gweneth, November 23, 1916 (see Box-Caldwell-Touchstone).

     (3) Mary Ada, September 28, 1891 in Trickham-February 8, 1983, married Tom Bradley May 25, 1915. He died May 22, 1975, both buried in Fife. Two sons: Tom, Jr., October 21, 1919-August 5, 1978, buried in Fife, and Charles William, July 23, 1923.

     (4) Charles William, July 30, 1895 in Rockwood-December 19, 1950, married Agnes Johnson of Rockwood, February 12, 1900, on November 16, 1920. She died May 9, 1979, both are buried in Ballinger. He was a dentist. Two daughters: Jane, born in 1922, and Caroline, 1924.

     Mr. and Mrs. M. R. Cheatham moved to Millersview in 1919 to live with Bert and children, after Dollie's death. Bert, being a country doctor, never knew where he would be day or night. They lived there until Bert married (2) Modena Sansom, principal of school, September 21, 1921.

   M. R. and Betty then moved to Santa Anna and lived until 1923, then he traded their home in on the McCain farm at Whon. Betty died May 13, 1936. Uncle Dick kept the farm, but stayed most of the time with children until his death, January 30, 1940 in Ballinger, buried in Rockwood.

     Charles and Alta Benge moved to the Cheatham farm at Whon January 6, 1941. They had five children:

       (1) Lura Corine, born August 3, 1928, married James Eubank of Santa Anna, November 8, 1947, on the 20th anniversary of her parents. They had 3 children:

     (la) Norma Jo, April 5, 1949, married Eddie Jones. They live near Coleman and have 3 children, Ray, March 9, 1974, Darla Kay, February 2, 1976 and Dana Jo, August 26, 1977, all in school in Coleman. Jo is a deputy in H. F. Fenton's sheriff office;

         (1b) James Richard II, March 12, 1951, married Peggy Bowman of Imperial June 7, 1975, both are coaches at Garden City;

     (1c) Jana Kay, January 23, 1955, is Credit Officer in Bank of Southwest in San Angelo.

       (2) Bert Fiern, March 23, 1930-April 20, 1974, married Margie Blankenship in Georgia. Their children:

         (2a) Betty Sue, September 15,1956, married Ted Gandy of Coleman, September 6, 1974, their children: Teda Sue, December 10, 1975 and Jason West, December 31, 1977;

      (2b) Jurita Lynn, September 27, 1957;

         (2c) Vicki Lynn, December 13, 1958, married Duane Aldridge, March 5, 1977 (see Aldridge Family). Vicki works in the Tax Collectors office in Coleman.

       (3) Charles Edwin, August 28, 1932, married Vernelle Morgan, March 30, 1956 in Coleman. They now live in Lubbock. He is an independent insurance agent. He has two daughters, Selicia Mewzette, April 15, 1959, married Jerry Davis, and Allson Lee, October 20, 1966.

         (4) Alton Myron (Buddy), October 18, 1934, married (1) Eva Nell Hibbetts (see Hibbetts), August 4, 1953. Born to them: Timothy Lee, September 24, 1958; Tammy Gayle, August 18, 1960, Tracy Rene, April 9, 1962. Buddy married (2) Erma Hyde, now lives in Brownwood and is foreman at 3M Company.

         (5) Lanita Jo, November 11, 1939, married (1) Spencer Lee Willis, December 11, 1959. They had four children: Lance Darwin, June 6, 1960; Lisa Joe, September 18, 1961; Charles Lee, January 6, 1965; Larry Don, December 8, 1965. Lanita married (2) Don Delwin Bozeman of Coleman, August 17, 1968 (see John A. Bozeman). They now live in New Caney. Lanita is Supervisor of Accounting with Humble Independent School District and Don is an ICT Coordinator for the same district.

     The Charles Benge family moved to Santa Anna in 1953 and still reside there. All five children graduated at Santa Anna and they have had seven grandchildren graduate there, Norma Jo, Jim and Jana Eubank, Timmy, Tammy, Tracy and Vicki Benge.