This is a photo of and information about HUGH HENRY MCDERMETT and family members from the family book produced in 1984.
If you know the names (in order) and ages of the people in the above photo please let me know.
Hugh Henry McDermett was an early settler of Crosby County. He came to West Texas for the purpose of establishing a home and providing for his family and he fulfilled that purpose in admirable measure before his death. He farmed land that was eight miles northeast of Ralls.
Hugh H. McDermett was reared in Limestone County. His education was limited to the schools of that day and the frontier environment. For a brief time he attended school after the family moved to Erath County.
In Erath County, January 30, 1881, he married Nancy Jeanette Snell, born in Missouri, was ten years of age when her parents came to Texas. Her parents were Samuel W. and Loretta Ann (Crockett) Snell, and the famous Davy Crockett, hero of the Alamo, was her great uncle. Her father came to Texas about 1870 and was a stock farmer in Erath County until 1888. He lived in Oklahoma for a time, was in Floyd County and finally went back to Oklahoma, where he died in 1912. Her mother died in 1865.
After his marriage Mr. McDermett engaged in stock farming in Erath County and in 1890 moved to West Texas , settling in Crosby County on a place four miles east of the home place. He filed on land, but sold his first property in 1900 and moved to the place eight miles northeast of Ralls where his energies and activities were centered on stock farming until his death, September 9, 1923. He kept on an average of 200 head of cattle. His home place comprised 840 acres and of that 460 acres were in cultivation. McDermett was in West Texas before the era of general agriculture development started. He freighted many of his supplies from distant railroad points such as Colorado City and Amarillo.
He was much admired as a man of strength and firm will and his fellow citizens conferred upon him the responsibilities of office as frequently as he would accept. For two terms he was a county commissioner and deputy sheriff for a number of years. He served 23 years on school board of Fairview school district. He was a member of Church of Christ. He neglected none of those fundamental interests that put a claim upon a man's time and labor, but undoubtedly he derived the greatest amount of satisfaction and regarded as his best achievement the splendid household of sons and daughters who grew up and most of whom became well established and honored citizens of this community before he died.
Hugh hadn't been back from Stephenville, on one of his trips, long when he received a letter edged in black. He looked at Frank and told him "It's all off with Pa".
Hugh Henry McDermett, was born Oct. 24th, 1858, Limestone county, Texas, died Sept. 9th, 1923. Erath county, Texas near Duffau, came to Callahan county in 1877, entering the cow business. After struggling with the ups and downs for five years, gave up the cow business and returned to Erath county and married. and after trying the farm there some five years moved west to the plains, near old Emma, and has lived there ever since, about 34 years. He had never visited the old home during this time, so in August 1923 while J. C. McDermett was out to see him on the plains, he decided to go back and see the old home and their old sister once more, as she was the only one of the family living in that county, so Sept. 8th, W. R. McDermett of Ft Worth. J. C. McDermett of Cross Plains, H. H. McDermett of Rails, left Cross Plains for Stephens to Visit their old home in J. C. McDermett's car, with Gladys McDermett as chauffeur. reaching Stephenville for dinner without trouble, then on to Johnsville, where they met their sister, Mrs. Mary Davis apparently in good health, so as it was not far all drove over to the old home and looked it over once more, came back and stopped over night with sister and family. So next morning all started to visit our mother and father's graves about 7 miles distance and all went well until we got to Chalk mountain a post office about one mile from the graveyard, Hugh McDermett took sick, with acute indigestion. The good people and old friends of that community did everything that they could possibly do for a sick person until a Dr. could get there from Hico, he seemed to get better and we took him back to our sisters, but he died shortly after we got there, having the Doctor with him all the time. He only lived about five hours from the time he first taken sick until he was dead. His body was embalmed by Higginbotham Bros. & Co. at Stephenville and shipped to Rails for burial: J. C. McDermett and W. R. McDermett accompanied the body to Rails where it was interred. The entire little city turned out to the funeral, over one thousand people. We have not the language to express our feeling to those good people that helped and assisted us in our trouble, it will be remembered. Hugh McDermett and J. C. McDermett signed the first petition for a post office at Cross Plains. A Brother, J. C. McDermett.
Remember me as you pass by As you are now so once was I But as I am now, you shall be Prepare for death and follow me.
