b. 15 October 1868 or 15 October 1869, d. 17 September 1913
Birth | 15 Oct 1868 or 15 Oct 1869 | Myrtle McCamant was born on 15 Oct 1868 or 15 Oct 1869 in Granbury, Hood County, Texas.4,5 |
| | Like several of her siblings, Myrtle's year of birth is shrouded in mystery. Her death certificate provided the day and month of her birth, but not the year. It did however provide her age (44) which calculates to a birth year of 1868. Myrtle's 1900 census entry states she was born in Oct. 1869, a date generally consistent with her daughter's later statement that Myrtle married at 17 and was widowed at 31. However the 1870 census, enumerated in June of that year, listed her as a two year old, and the 1910 census, enumerated in April, listed her as a 42 year old.4,6,7,1 |
Childhood | | Myrtle grew up in Hood County where her father was the county clerk. |
Marriage | 20 Jan 1888 | She married Albert Lawrence McLaurine on 20 Jan 1888 in Jones County, Texas.8 |
| | Albert was known as Doggie because of his small stature. However he was industrious and already had his own farm at Ft. Phantom Hill in Jones County when he and Myrtle married. Albert was also a drover, an occupation which caused him to be away from home for extended periods of time.7 |
Cens-1900 | 30 Jun 1900 | Albert and Myrtle appeared on one census together: the 1900. They were recorded in Jones County with 5 children: Lawrence [Albert Jr.], Cecil [William], James, Cordie, and an infant son [Ludlow]. Myrtle's entry noted that she was the mother of an additional child who was deceased.6 |
| | The child who died was the couple's first daughter, Loree, born after the first 3 boys. Loree died in 1896 of diarrhea at less than two years of age.7,9 |
Widowed | 6 Mar 1901 | Myrtle was widowed in March 1901 when Albert died from a ruptured appendix. Ironically the couple had just signed papers selling their Ft. Phantom Hill farm. They intended to homestead land further west. Myrtle's youngest child, Ludlow, died not long after his father.7 |
| | Although the people who had purchased Albert and Myrtle's land offered to cancel the sale, Myrtle decided to head west as Albert had planned. She and the children settled for a short time near Corona [Lincoln Co.] in what was then the New Mexico Territory. At least one of Myrtle's siblings had already settled in the area.7 |
| | However, after living in a tent for several months Myrtle returned to Texas where she purchased a small house in Dickens County. After the boys had attended school for a term Myrtle decided to move on and homestead land in the Texas panhandle.7 |
| | Myrtle took up a claim in Cochran County, Texas, near what is now Levelland. She built a small frame house, and made a living by raising and selling cattle. Every month or so the family would travel by wagon for about 85 miles to Lubbock (Texas) or Portales (New Mexico) for supplies. Clothes were ordered from a Sears and Roebuck catalog. There was no refrigeration and no plumbing and no neighbors for miles around. Myrtle worked tirelessly to raise her children, insisting they attend school part of each year despite the distances involved. Everyone shared the ranch chores, with the 3 boys assuming responsibilities beyond their age. But after staying on the land long enough to qualify as a homestead, Myrtle sold the property and moved on again.7,10 |
| | This time she moved to the town of Weatherford in Parker County. Although the family enjoyed the community it was not to be their home for long.7 |
Cens-1910 | 30 Apr 1910 | By the spring of 1910 they had settled in the town of Merkel in Taylor County. The census, taken in April, enumerated Myrtle as a 42 year old widow, the mother of 6 children of whom 4 were living. The entry stated that she owned her own home.11 |
| | The two older boys (Albert Lawrence and William Cecil) worked in a dry goods store while the younger son James drove a meat cart. Daughter Cordye attended school. When Lawrence moved to Corpus Christie Myrtle, James and Cordye joined him. |
Death | 17 Sep 1913 | However Myrtle was not well. She died of cancer on 17 Sep 1913 in Corpus Christie, Neuces County, Texas.2 |
Burial | | Myrtle was buried at New Bayview Cemetery in Corpus Christie.2 |