Lest We Forget, Furry, Button, Bates

Along the way of searching for our ancestors The Three Sisters have made many discoveries about our family.  We often advise those searching for family history that one of the most effective research tools is finding an older family connection that has already done much work on our shared family history.  Two of our most useful bits of Powell history came to us from Furry, Button, and Bates.


James Furry passed on to us his copy of information from our  Charles Powell Bible.  James received this from William Garland Button.  The list of names and dates from this Bible has been one of the most useful tools in tracking down our early American Powell family history.

The Three Sisters have, I believe, more than paid this forward by sharing this and our other family discoveries with hundreds of other interested amateur historians.  We often see something on the net that seems to be a hint of something new only to find ourselves as the originator.

Hazel Bates had been researching her family before some of us were even born.  She shared generously and freely with us and others. One small copy of one piece of paper among the many she sent us that has proven most valuable in establishing our Charles Powell military history was a list of deserters from the Halifax County, Virginia Revolutionary Militia.  This is actually the only Revolutionary War document that we can definitively say is our own Charles Powell.  And, the DAR agrees because we have found DAR membership papers for Charles Powell descendants citing this Halifax County Militia service as proof of Revolutionary service.  However, we have yet to find any DAR document that in any way mentions this is actually documentation of desertion from that Militia.  Just the same, Hazel was a really big help to us in finding our Kentucky Powell family.

We remember.

Freedom

by Fleta

Shackled and Chained,

Yoked and Bound,

Dreaming of Freedom,

New Worlds, New Ground.

Give him just one glance,

He'll never again be found,

Shackled and Chained,

Yoked and Bound.

 

William Garland Button 1918-2011

William Garland Button (Garland) died peacefully December 7, 2011 after a brief illness. He is survived by a daughter, Betty Button, of Austin; twin sons, William L. (Bill) Button of Dallas and Robert G. (Bob) Button and his wife, Nancy, and two very special grandchildren, Jeff and Amy of Murphy, Texas. He was preceded in death by his precious wife of 62 years, Margaret Miller Button. Garland is also survived by his sister-in-law Alma Ruth Sissel and her husband, Charles, of Eunice, New Mexico. He was preceded in death by his parents A.G. and Verba Jessee Button, and by a sister, Jean Rae Cantrell.

 

Garland was born December 1, 1918 in McKinney, Texas. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce, Texas (now Texas A&M University-Commerce) in 1938. Upon graduation, he taught briefly in high schools at Lindale and Gladewater. In 1945 he joined Texas Power & Light Company (a predecessor of TXU) in Dallas. After working many years as a district and division manager, he was elected Vice President in charge of Operations in 1966. In 1970, he became Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and was appointed to the TP&L Board of Directors. For many years Garland worked tirelessly as a volunteer in support of his alma mater. Garland was appointed by Governor Preston Smith to the first separate Board of Regents of East Texas State University in 1969 and was elected its first Chairman. He served on the board for 16 years receiving appointments from three governors. Upon his retirement from the board he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree and named a Distinguished Alumnus of the University.

 Garland was a loyal, faithful member of The Episcopal Church for more than 50 years. He was a long time member of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Cathedral in Dallas, serving in many capacities including Vestryman, Senior Warden, Chairman of the Endowment Committee, and Diocesan Convention delegate. He also served a 3 year term on the Board of Trustees of St. John’s Episcopal School of Dallas. Garland has been described as “Everybody’s Friend” who touched untold numbers of lives. He had an abiding love for his Church, his family, and his alma mater. We will miss his amazing intellect, his wonderful sense of humor, and his love for us all. A Requiem Eucharist will be celebrated at 11:00 am on December 17, 2011 at The Episcopal Church of The Transfiguration, 14115 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, Texas with a reception immediately following. All are welcome. Garland will be privately interred in the Columbarium at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, Texas.

William Garland Button was James Furry and The Three Sisters' 5th cousin once removed.  His ggg grandparents were Charles Powell Jr. and Leah Goldman through their son Dr. David Powell.  Around the time of the Civil War, David Powell migrated from Northern Missouri to Collin County, Texas.

William Garland Button's line from David Powell is  below:

1. David Powell / Lucinda Shoemaker
2. William Elliott Mallone / Mary ‘Polly’ Powell
3. William Thomas Button / Lucinda Mallone
4. Agustus Garland Button / Verba Button
5. Wm Garland Button