Wills Point History

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This Week in Wills Point History
Friday, February 2, 1968

The First National Bank of Wills Point celebrated the completion of its remodeling and expansion program with open house from 3 to 7 Friday afternoon. Approximately 400 people from Wills Point and neighboring towns helped the bank celebrate.

Judge Truett Mayo has tendered his resignation as county judge to the Van Zandt County Commissioners’ Court, effective March 13, 1968 and in a special meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 1968, the court accepted the resignation. The court appointed A.J. Riley to serve as county judge until a successor is elected in the general election in November.

Following a meeting of the board of directors of The First National Bank of Wills Point Wednesday, January 31, Mr. R.W. Curtis announced that Truett Mayo, county judge of Van Zandt County, had accepted an association with the bank to become effective March 31, 1968. Mr. Curtis stated that Judge Mayo will be active in the bank and will serve as vice president.

There were two fires in the Wills Point area over the weekend. A barn on the O.D. Farthing farm on Friday night completely destroyed the barn and the hay in the barn. The other fire was at Wanda’s Café, operated by Oliver Massey on Sunday night Jan. 28.

An upset, 67 to 62 Tuesday night of the Brownsboro Bears and a 79 to 64 win over Mineola Friday night gave the Tigers two victories in district competition. Tommy Morgan led the Tigers with 21 points, including 9 out of 10 free throws. Kirk Evans, Jack James, Steve Sacharko and Mickey Robertson added 11 each.

Men, Women In Service: Marine Private First Class, Robert O. Roberts, son of Mr. and Mrs. Glen Roberts, of Wills Point has reported for duty with Headquarters Battalion, First Marine Division near Da Nang, Vietnam. 

Clifford Ray Ashley, grandson of Mrs. L.C. Ashley, was recently discharged from the service and arrived home in Dallas on January 23. He visited in Wills Point over the weekend with his grandmother and other relatives. Clifford was on the carrier, Forrestal, when it caught fire and was heavily damaged and many boys were killed.

Sgt. Jerry Hollister, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hollister, arrived in Dallas, Tuesday, January 30 from Vietnam. He came on to Wills Point on Wednesday. Sgt. Hollister was overseas with the 4th Infantry Division for around 11 months. From Vietnam he first went to Fort Lewis, Washington for a discharge and then home.

Cradle Roll: Mr. and Mrs. David G. Morris have announced the arrival of a daughter, Carisa Marie, born on Jan. 25 in Crosby Memorial Hospital at Picayune, Mississippi. Grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Roger Morris, Dallas and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Campbell, Wills Point. They have a son two year old Timothy David.

Miss Brenda Truett, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Truett, and Sidney Ray Cox were united in marriage on Saturday night Jan. 20 at the Elwood Church. Rev. G.W. Prather of Pleasant Oaks Baptist Church read the double ring ceremony. Bridesmaid was Lovon Denby, Wills Point. Miss Truett attended business school in Dallas and was employed in Dallas. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Sidney A. Cox, Mesquite, and is presently serving with the United States Air Force. The couple left on Sunday for Columbus, Ohio, where the groom will be stationed. (See newspaper for complete article and picture.)

Mr. and Mrs. J. Harold Jones, Route 4, Wills Point, wish to announce the engagement of their daughter, Helen Sue, to Pvt. James A. Warren, son of Mrs. Ruby Potts, Wills Point. Pvt. Warren is stationed at Fort Ord, California, where he is serving with the armed forces. Miss Jones is a senior at Wills Point High School. A formal wedding date has not been set.

Mr. and Mrs. S.L. Lovell and Barbara were honored with a house warming at their new home in Elwood Community last Saturday night. Many lovely and useful gifts were received from neighbors, friends and relatives. Hostesses for the evening were Mrs. J.H. Truett, Mrs. Jack Ferguson and Mrs. Mary Fletcher.

Mr. and Mrs. Billy Ford have recently bought the Darvin Woolverton house in the Gateway Addition. The Woolvertons are moving to Canton.

  1. L. Vernier, Terrell has recently taken over as the new area manager for Sears Roebuck and Company with headquarters in Terrell. The local supervisor is Larry Neal Travis who moved here from Canton and now lives on Delaware Street.

Leatha R. Hall and Brenda Hodge, Wills Point are on the Dean’s List for the first semester of work at Henderson County Junior College according to an announcement from the college this week.

Newest member of the Junior Class is Pam Reid, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Reid. Pam attended Sam Houston High School in Arlington before coming here.

Principal Lee Pennington announced the honor roll for the third six weeks Monday. Names of the five seniors making the honor roll are: Melissa Hallman, Ann Hollandsworth, Anne Rash, Dale Travis and Emma Tucker. Carolyn Corbett and Ann Furrh are the two girls in the junior class. Twelve students were named out of the Sophomore class. Eight girls and four boys. (See newspaper for names of all students making the honor roll.)

From the Tiger-Cat: Tommy Morgan, son of Mrs. Horace Morgan and the late Mr. Morgan is a member of the graduating class. While attending Cartwright, Tommy was class president. Tommy was chosen Who’s Who in shop last year. (See newspaper for complete article and picture.)

Kurt Simmons, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Simmons, has been selected as a contestant to participate in a spelling bee sponsored by the Dallas Morning News. Jeanne Furrh, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Blake Furrh was selected as an alternate.

Miss Martha Jane Dunlap and James Roy Stultz, who met when they worked for the agricultural extension service were married January 27, in the Methodist Church of Azle. (See newspaper for complete article.)

Miss Peggy Gale Hodge became the bride of Albert Arnold Stewart Friday evening, Jan. 19, in the Bethany Lutheran Church in Houston. Parents of the newlyweds are Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Hodge of Wills Point and Mr. and Mrs. Russell Stewart, Houston. The bride vice-president of the Sam Houston Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha is an art major at Sam Houston State College. The bridegroom also attended Sam Houston State College and University of Texas where he too is studying art and will be honored with the showing of his work at the Exhibiting Art League in Houston this week-end.

Mrs. Lou Ella Mann, resident of Wills Point, died in a Dallas hospital Sunday. Funeral services were held from the First Baptist Church Monday, with Rev. Gerald Perry officiating. Interment was in Cana Cemetery.  Mrs. Mann was born in Wise County on Feb. 15, 1886. She was married to B.L. Mann on June 2, 1901 and to this union fifteen children were born. Three sons and three daughters have preceded her in death. She is survived by, her husband, five sons and four daughters. (See newspaper for complete obituary and names of survivors.)

Funeral services were held in Independence, Kansas, Jan. 26, for Mrs. Earl C. Todd, the former Constance Sanders daughter of the late Dr. D. Leon Sanders of Wills Point. (See newspaper for complete obituary.)

J. Sidney Thompson died Wednesday night in Dallas. Mr. Thompson was married to the former Charlotte Tomlin of Wills Point.