OBITUARY OF COL. ARCHIE NORRIS JUSTISS

This obituary is reprinted from the Corsicana Daily Sun,
Corsicana, Texas, 23 Jan 1940, pp. 1-2, with the consent
of the Daily Sun. Obvious typographical errors have been
corrected. The asterisk marks the spot where the obituary
jumps from page 1 to page 2 of the newspaper.

FUNERAL RIGHTS HELD
FOR COL. A. N. JUSTISS
AT FIRST METHODIST
_____

POLITICAL AND CIVIC LEAD-
ER DIED HERE AT EARLY
HOUR MONDAY
_____

Funeral services for Col. Archie Norris Justiss, aged 74 years, who died at the Corsicana Hospital and Clinic early Monday, were held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock from the First Methodist church. The rites were conducted by Rev. P. E. Riley, pastor of the church. Interment was made in Oakwood cemetery.

Col. Justiss had been prominent in the civic, church and political affairs of this community for more than a half century, and had spent almost a quarter of a century as a newspaper executive, served nine years as Corsicana postmaster, was a member of the Texas legislature for four years, and had served in democratic circles on numerous occasions. He had been in the insurance business since leaving the postmastership and had been a member of the board of stewards of the First Methodist church for more than 20 years.

Former Editor

Born at Lebanon, Tennessee, Jan. 19, 1866, he came to Texas in 1885 and to Corsicana in 1889. Prior to his appointment as postmaster by President Woodrow Wilson, May 10, 1914, he was editor, proprietor and business manager of the "Daily Courier Light" and "Weekly Observer," and was active in democratic circles, conduct- [p. 2]* ing campaigns for funds for W. J. Bryan in 1908 and for Wilson in 1912.

Col. Justiss was married to Miss Katie Frost, daughter of the late Judge and Mrs. Sam R. Frost, Corsicana pioneers, Oct. 12, 1893.

Governor S. W. T. Lanham in 1903 appointed Col. Justiss on his personal staff with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was a member of the W. O. W. and Praetorians. He was Navarro county democratic executive committee chairman for four years and held the secretaryship of the county committee for a similar term. He was a member of the Texas state democratic executive committee from 1904 to 1906, and for several years was chairman of the sixth congressional and ninth senatorial districts. Elected secretary-treasurer of the Texas Postmasters association in 1914, Col. Justiss served as president of the association in 1915.

Member Legislature

While a member of the Texas legislature, 1929-1933 during the Moody and Sterling administrations from Navarro county, Col. Justiss was vice chairman of the banks and banking committee and served on the education, insurance, claims and accounts, congressional districts and public committees of the house.

Surviving are his wife, two sons, Frost Justiss, Dallas, and Alton N. Justiss, assistant cashier of the State National Bank, Corsicana, and a niece, Miss Hallie May Fowler, Corsicana.

Active pallbearers were Barry Frost, R. L. Calkins, Max D. Almond, Guy M. Gibson, N. Suttle Roberts, J. N. Garitty, Mayor J. S. Murchison, Lynne A. Wortham and Dr. W. T. Shell, Sr.

Honorary pallbearers were John W. Carpenter, J. E. Van Horn and W. G. Harris, all of Dallas; Judge Rufus Hardy, A. A. Allison, J. E. Butler, George W. Boyd, Chris L. Knox, board of stewards of the First Methodist church and friends of the family.

The flag on the post office here Tuesday was lowered to half-staff in respect to Col. Justiss. Employees of the post office, a majority of whom served during his administration, sent a floral offering.

Sutherland-McCammon Funeral Home directed the arrangements.