William Ellis Reid ^{3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12}

   Cause of his death was nephritis. Contributory causes were fracture of hip several months before death..¹³

  General Notes:

On the 1870 census, Ellis was listed as if last name were Meek in household of his stepfather. He did not attend school more that ten months in his life. He was a self educated man.

Wilma Earline Lee (who became the wife of Gerald Carlos Head) wrote that Ellis's first trip to Texas took him to Denton County near Lewisville. He carried food to Sam Bass just about three weeks before he was killed (1878). He went back to Mississippi for a short visit. At the time of the 1880 census, Ellis was listed as a boarder in his sister Martha and C A Wofford's home in Chewalla, Marshall County, Mississippi.

W E Reid came back to Texas in 1883 at age 22 by train. He settled at Star, Texas, because a neighbor friend of his in Mississippi settled there. They operated the first store and gin. He freighted goods from Waco, Gatesville and Lampasas. In 1884, he became the first postmaster in Star, Texas, while it was in Hamilton County. He met his wife Mary Ethel Bradley when she was teaching oil painting at Star and Center City. He worked on the Kingsley ranch located between Star, Texas & Center City, Texas. He purchased a farm of 190 acres west of Center City, Texas on top of a hill. Raymond Reid & Jewel Reid McBeth were born there.

At the time of the 1900 census, Ellis was listed as a farmer in Mills County, Texas. He was paying a mortgage to own his farm. (He gave his parent's birthplaces incorrectly every year.). On the 1910, 1920 and 1930 census, Ellis reported that he owned his farm in Mills County, Texas, free of any mortgage. His farm was listed as a general farm. In 1935, he was still living on his farm in Mills County, but at the time of the 1940 census, Ellis and his wife were living in a rented home in Star, Mills County, Texas. He paid $5 a month. He gave the information on the census and gave his wife's initials as L. M. incorrectly. He reported only 2 years of schooling for himself and 4 years for his wife.

He joined the Baptist church in about 1905. He was a Sunday School teacher and church clerk for forty years. He broke his hip in a fall and moved to Goldthwaite, Texas. He died at his son's (Bill Reid) house in Brownwood, Texas.

W. E. Reid

William Ellis Reid passed away Sunday afternoon, November 24, at 4:20 o'clock, after being confined to his bed for 19 months with a broken hip caused from a fall.

The body was brought to Goldthwaite Sunday evening. Funeral services were held at the First Baptist Church Truesday afternoon at one o'clock. Rev. D. A. Bryant, pastor of the Goldthwaite Church and Rev. Cloud, pastor of the Center City Baptist Church conducted the services. Burial was at the Hurst Ranch cemetery at Star.

Mr. Reid is survived by his wife, six daughters and two sons, a number of grandchildren and other relatives, and a host of friends.

W. E. Reid

William Ellis Reid, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Riley Reid, was born in Marshel County, Mississippi near Holly Springs September 26, 1860. He came to Texas in 1883 and to Mills county in 1884. He was joined in wedlock to Mary Ethel Bradley December 14, 1892, joined the Baptist Church in 1905, served as a Sunday School teacher for many years. He was a great worker in all church, community and civic activities, and also served as association secretary for several years.

Mr Reid died November 24, 1946, at 4:45 p.m. at the home of his son, W.R. Reid, in Brownwood. Funeral services were conducted at the Baptist Church in Goldthwaite November 26 by Rev. D. A. Bryant, the pastor, and Rev. Cloud, paster at Center City. Burial was at Hurst Ranch Cemetery at Star.

Survivors include his wife and seven children: Mrs. Ethel Carrol, Lockney, Texas; Mrs. Verdie McCasland, Goldthwaite; Jim Esta Atchison, Gatesville; W. R. Reid, Brownwood; Johnnie Head, Goldthwaite; Jewel McBeth, Gatesville; S. R. Reid, Goldthwaite; (deceased, Elta Elizabeth died in infancy); 18 grandchildren, 15 present, 3 absent; and seven great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were grandsons: Vernon, R.L., Kenneth, Wayland, Glenn, James.

Flower girls were granddaughters: Loyce, Foy, Mary Dean, Vondell, Etheleen, Monete, Atheleen.

Honorary pallbearers were: J. W. Coffman, Rev. Allen Carter, Ed Knight, and C. A. Head, Center City; Austin Jones and Neal Saulls, Star; W. M. Carlisle, Mullin; Dr. J. M. Campbell, Otto Kendall, E. A. Obenhaus, E. L. Pass, J. W. Jackson, Joe Casbeer, and John Evans, Goldthwaite. ¹⁶

  Additional Information:

• Death Certificate Image: here.

• FindAGrave: Memorial# 34259614.

William married Mary Ethel Bradley, daughter of James Walter Bradley and Mary Jane Blanton, on 14 Dec 1892 in Star, Mills County, Texas.^{1 2} (Mary Ethel Bradley was born on 16 Sep 1867 in Tellico Plains, Monroe County, Tennessee,^{1 17} died on 20 Oct 1948 in Gatesville, Coryell County, Texas ^{17 18} and was buried on 21 Oct 1948 in Hurst Ranch Cemetery, Hamilton County, Texas ¹⁷.). The cause of her death was carcinoma of intestines with metatasis of liver.¹³

  Marriage Notes:

The marriage between Mary and William Ellis Reid was performed by Rev. J. W. Johnson. The bottom section of the marriage record shows 1893 instead of 1892 as recorded on the top section.

Golden Wedding
Last Sunday, six of the seven children of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Reid surprised them with a delicious dinner celebrating Mr. and Mrs. Reid's fiftieth wedding anniversary.

Mr. and Mrs. Reid are longtime residents of Mills County, having married here on December 14, 1892. They made their home in the Center City Community until recently, moving from that community to Goldthwaite. They reared their family of seven children here, all of whom were present except one, Mrs. Hugh Carroll of Lockney.

The children arrived early Sunday morning, bringing the delicious dinner already prepared, with the beautiful 2-tiered wedding cake decorated in gold and white. Mr. and Mrs. Reid received many beautiful gifts from their children and a host of friends.

The children and families who enjoyed the dinner were: Mr. and Mrs. S. P. McCasland and family, Goldthwaite; Mrs. T. M. Atchison and Leonard, and Mrs. J. L. McBeth and two children of Pidcoke; Mrs. F. M. Head and son Billy of Houston; Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Reid, Fort Worth; Mr. and Mrs. S. R. Reid and family, Center City; and Mrs. J. D. Atchison and Barbara Kay of Pidcoke.

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Scrivner of Goldthwaite were also dinner guests. Friends and relatives who visited in the Reid home in the afternoon were: Mrs. T. J. Venable, Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Jackson, O. H. Yarborough, Mr. and Mrs. Ira Alldredge, Grandmother Shain, Mrs. J. B. McCasland, Mrs. Ruth Langford, Mrs. J. D. D. Berry, Mrs. Luther Rudd, Mr. and Mrs. F. D. Webb, Mrs. Chas. Frizzelle, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Kendall, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Weathers.

The Goldthwaite Eagle and Mullin Enterprise