GUS FORD'S FUNERAL

This article about Gus Ford's 1948 funeral,
from the Dallas Daily Times Herald,* demonstrates
the interrelationship of several pioneer families
from northwest Dallas County, Texas.
Bracketed matter has been added.

Ford Funeral Shows
Reverence for Past

By Douglas Hawley

Americans have high regard for their antecedents—the founding fathers and those pioneers who have preceded present generations. Dallas County, as evidenced by its Historical Society, its Pioneers Association, the Half Century Club and other organizations, also has due appreciation of those who have gone before.

Were testimony lacking, it might have been in ample evidence at a funeral service recently. Scores of scions of the county's first families attended the last rites for the late Gus L. Ford, lineal descendant of the Webbs and Hughes. His interment took place in the Daniel family burying ground, located on the former farm property of another group of pioneering folk. The plot is now located at the end of Milton St., on Hillcrest Ave.

Gus L. Ford was the son of Mr. and Mrs. G. L. (Dutch) Ford. She was Sophronia Webb, daughter of Isaac Webb, who came to the Farmers Branch district, of what is Dallas county, in 1842.

After checking up on the promising land, he returned to his native Missouri. Then came John Cochran, a brother-in-law, in 1843, to be followed by Isaac Webb on his second and final trek in the same year.

They were followed by the Hughes—natives of Virginia, but coming to Texas from Murray [sic; probably Maury County] County, Tennessee. There were seven sisters and a brother. With them, the pioneer Webb, Cochran, Hughes, Knight, Record, Williams, Bachman and Dennis families came into being.

Mary Hughes was Mrs. Isaac Webb. Nancy Jane Hughes was Mrs. William Cochran. Sarah was Mrs. Tom Williams, whose husband taught the county's first school. Alice [sic; usually known as Amanda] was Mrs. George Record; Strena [sic; usually spelled Serena] Caroline, Mrs. Obadiah Knight; Margaret, Mrs. John Bachman; Letitia, Mrs. Levy Dennis. The brother's name was William. And, he was very well known, even to just a few years ago, as "Uncle Buck."

Dallas county's first Methodist church was organized in 1846 in the log-cabin home of Isaac Webb. Webb and William Cochran were among the first county officials after Dallas County was organized.

In the Daniel burying ground, as Gus Ford was laid to rest, there was to be observed the graves of five generations, and also a stone for a family servant of pre-emancipation times. Close to that of her father, was the tiny grave of Margaret Ann Ford, who died in infancy.

*Dallas Daily Times Herald, Dallas, Tex., 1 Feb 1948, sec. VI, p. 1, cols. 2-3, continued at sec. VI, p. 6, col. 1.