Another interesting interview which appeared in the Redland Herald 21 July 1938 was with W. W. Alvis, age 97.

"He sat in a wheel chair, his sense of hearing dulled and his eyesight almost worn out, and talked of the 97 years that he has been on this earth. Born while Texas was still a Republic, William Warren Alvis, who now lives at Woden, saw active service in the Civil War, started his family in the period of Reconstruction, and for 76 years has been a voting citizen of Texas.

"Mr. Alvis' eyesight is too dim to permit him to read, but his son, Taylor Alvis with whom he lives, reads the papers closely, then tells his father what he has read and discusses events with him.

"When Texas became a state, Mr. Alvis was 7 years old, having been born April 15, 1841, at old Briley Town near Garrison. He recalled his father, an Englishman who came to the United States as a young man and landed at Richmond, VA., where he was occupied in the printer's trade for several months. He then went to Memphis, Tenn. Where he met and married Miss Mary Elizabeth Akin and they came to Texas to live. Mr. Alvis became interested in the Texas War for Independence and was made captain of a company under General Sam Houston. Wish such an adventurous father, William Alvis was reared to stories of travel and fighting.

"Unlike his father, however, Mr. Alvis lived all his life here in Nacogdoches county. When he was five his family moved from Briley Town to Chireno and he lived there until he went to war.

" 'I joined the company of Captain Moss of this county when I was 21 years old,' the old man explained. We were Company A of the Eleventh Regiment. About the biggest battle I was in was fight at Manassas or the first Battle of Bull Run.'"

"Wounded several time, Mr. Alvis said his most severe wound was one in the flesh of his right leg. He commented that 'if the bullet which pierced his leg had got inside of me it would've killed me.' Besides being wounded, Mr. Alvis recalled that he was captured once and held prisoner for four months in a Kentucky camp. The Kentucky people were mighty nice to the Southern soldiers, however, he explained.

"He is a big man, over 6 feet tall. More grizzled than gray, his hair is abundant but is cropped close for coolness this summer. Quite proud is he of the wavy beard which just reaches his chest and is not gray but a faded brown. Young men of his day wore beards and he has kept his all his life.

"To this old man who has seven great-great-grandchildren now, thoughts of a tomorrow not too far away come frequently, as he says, 'I have been a member of the Methodist church for 71 years, and one thing I am looking forward to is a Heavenly home.'"

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Seeking information on Levi Burk, born about 1835 in Tennessee. He is reported to have died about 1862 in the Civil War. He was the son of Martin Briggs & Mary (McClure) Burk, married Nancy A. Taylor and was the father of at least three children: Charles, Feldy and Louisa. His estate was settled in Hillsboro, Texas. Would like to hear from anyone having information on Levi Burk and where he was buried. Any help will be appreciated. Dawn Williams, dawnwilliams1@msn.com.

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I am looking for anyone who may have known or heard of Alva Guy Hawkins. His father was Alva Mason Hawkins and his mother was Gillie Boone Russell. I would like any information on either the whole family or just Alva Guy Hawkins. Alva went off to World War II in April 1941 and was killed on 27 May 1942 over the Port Moresby, New Guinea area. Please call me with any information. You may contact me at 936-707-2486 or by mail. My mailing address if Scott B. Thomas, 206 Eastwego Road, Lufkin, Texas 75901. You may also contact me by e-mail at Scottbthomas@yahoo.com

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Another early Nacogdoches obituary:

Saturday, December 17, 1904

"Mrs. D.K. Cason is in receipt of a telegram conveying the sad intelligence of the death of her sister, Mrs. H.P. McKnight, which occurred at her home in Dallas, yesterday afternoon. Mrs. McKnight, on her occasional visits to Nacogdoches, endeared herself to everyone with whom she came in contact. She was a lovely character from every point of view, and The Sentinel joins many other friends in extending profound sympathy to Mrs. Cason and other relatives in their affliction."