Myrtle McCamant1

b. 15 October 1868 or 15 October 1869, d. 17 September 1913
FatherAlexander Smith McCamant1,2 b. 19 Jan 1829, d. 31 Mar 1897
MotherSallie Larzalere Lucinda Beach Gardner3,1 b. 13 Apr 1831, d. 28 Aug 1889
Birth15 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. 
Marriage20 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-190030 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 
Widowed6 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-191030 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. 
Death17 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 

Related Links and Images:

In 1977 historian and author Ruthe Winegarten interviewed Myrtle and Albert's daughter Cordye (McLaurine) Hall. Portions of that oral history have been transcribed and are available through several Texas repositories including the Dallas Public Library (History & Archives Division). Texas Woman's University at Denton, TX houses 4 cubic feet of material titled "Cordye Hall Papers, 1941-1990" which includes correspondence, photographs and other material. The excerpt cited by this author was shared by Daphne Davis who obtained a copy from the Richardson Library of Hardin-Simmons University at Abilene, TX.
Myrtle's land in Cochran County

Family

Albert Lawrence McLaurine b. 7 Apr 1863, d. 6 Mar 1901
Children
ChartsDescendants of Jeremiah Gardner and Margaret Edmiston
Last Edited8 Dec 2013

Citations

  1. [S1645] Alexander McAmit household, 1870 U.S. census, Hood Co., Texas, pop. sched., p. 19 (stamped), dwelling 301, family 304, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Sept. 2006, image 37 of 65. Enumeration includes: Alexander McAmit, 41, b. VA, owns real and pers. prop of $500 each, CG clerk; Sarah, 34, b. VA; William E., 10, b. TX; Sam J., 6; Myrtle, 2; all children b. TX.
  2. [S2250] "Texas State Death Certificates", database with digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed Jan. 2013). Mrs. Myrtle McLaurine certificate #20060.
  3. [S2945] Robert Gardner research, 2881 Pruneridge Ave., Santa Clara, California, 95051, email to: e-mail address.
  4. [S2250] "Texas State Death Certificates", database with digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : viewed Feb. 2013). Myrtle McLaurine certificate #20060; family information provided by A.L. McLaurine. Myrtle's birth information was listed as Oct. 15 but the year was left blank. However the age provided (44) computes to a year of birth of 1868.
  5. [S16] Myrtle's 1900 census entry listed her birth information as Oct. 1869, however she was 2 years old in 1870.
  6. [S1653] A.L. McLaurin household, 1900 U.S. cens., Jones Co., Ohio, pop. sched., Precinct 3, ED 100, sheet 24A (p. 191 stamped), dwelling 408, family 418, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jan. 2013. Household includes: A.L. McLaurin, 35, b. Apr 1865, b. TX/TN/TN, marr 12 yrs, stock farmer; Myrtle, wife, 30, b. Oct. 1869, b. TX/VA/VA, mother of 6 children, 5 are living; Lawrence, son, 11, b. Apr 1889; Cecil, son, 9, b. Dec. 1890; James, son, 6, b. Sept. 1893; Cordie, dau, 3, b. May 1897; Baby son, 0/12, b. May 1900; all children b. TX.
  7. [S3071] "Cordye Hall [1898-1994] Oral History", typed excerpt, oral history taken by Ruth Weingarten, 1977, held by Richardson Library, Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, TX.
  8. [S3076] "Texas Marriage Index 1814-1909, 1966-2002", Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com). Entry for A.L. McLaurine and Myrtle McCamant, marr 20 Jan. 1888 in Jones County.
  9. [S1777] Find A Grave Website (http://www.findagrave.com/index.html : accessed Feb. 2013). Loree McLaurine memorial #48830216, 20 Jan. 1895-23 Oct. 1896 (photo).
  10. [S3044] "Land Grant Search", database, Texas General Land Office (http://www.glo.texas.gov/cf/land-grant-search/index.cfm : accessed Aug. 2013), entry for Mrs. Myrtie McLaurine grantee: Cochran Co. School District, file #082346; patentee same, 629 acres patented 26 Feb. 1944, abstract #301, Vol. 93A, patent #342; also Yoakum Co. School District, same file number; same patentee, same acreage, same patent date, abstract #645, same vol. and patent number. [Note: the bulk of the 629 acres fell into Cochran Co. but a narrow band across the southern boundary was in Yoakum County. Oddly this patent was issued many years after Myrtle McLaurine's death]
  11. [S3059] Mrs. Myrtle McLaurin household, 1910 U.S. cens., Taylor Co., Texas, pop. sched., Merkel, ED 292, sheet 18B, dwelling 387, family 386, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jan. 2013. Household includes: Mrs. Myrtle McLaurin, 42, wid, mother of 6 children, 4 are living, b. TX, parents b. VA, has own income, owns home; Laurence A., son, 21, b. TX; Cecil W., son, 19, b. TX, dry goods salesman; James A., son 17, b. TX; Cordia, dau, 13, b. TX, bookkeeper for ice company.
  12. [S2250] "Texas State Death Certificates", database with digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : viewed Feb. 2013). William Cecil McLaurine certificate #88364; family information provided by Mrs. O.R. Davis.
  13. [S1777] Find A Grave Website (http://www.findagrave.com/index.html : accessed Aug. 2013). Loree McLaurine memorial #48830216, Fort Phantom Hill Cemetery, Jones Co., Texas (photo: Loree dau of A.L. & M. McLaurine Born 20 Jan. 1895 Died 23 Oct. 1896).