#52ancestors: Post Seven: The Courtship of my Grandparents, Redic Bryan and Myrtie Hairston

The writing prompt for #52Ancesters was Valentine so I turned my grandparent's
wedding photo into a Valentine. They were married one week before Valentine's
Day in 1900. 

My grandparents lived in Erath County, Texas when they met. My grandfather, Redic E. Bryan was the son of Terrell Bryan and Harriet Albritton. They came to the Stephenville area in 1878. My grandfather was 8 years old. 

My grandmother, Myrtie Hairston, came to Erath County with her parents, Phillip A. Hairston and Lodema Criswell, in 1883. Myrtie was three years old. They lived in the Bethel Community (near Huckabay) along with extended family. 

I was told my grandfather first met my grandmother when he purchased a horse from her father. 

In 1899, I found the following and one other reference to Redic visiting Huckabay in the Dublin Progress. At the time, he was living in the town of Dublin (also in Erath County). Was he visiting Myrtie? He had Wylie relatives at Ex-Ray and Biggs family in the Huckabay area, but that "incidentally" doesn't make it sound like he was visiting family. 

Three mentions of his visits from Dublin to the Stephenville area were reported in the Stephenville Empire that fall.

The Bethel Community in Erath County no longer exists. It was very near
the Bethel Cemetery on this map - about a 10-minute ride to Huckabay. My grandfather
must have ridden the train to Stephenville in order to visit Huckabay. 

Redic and Myrtie were married on Wednesday, February 7, 1900. The following wedding announcements were found while searching newspapers. 

Found in the Erath Appeal:

R. E. Bryan and Miss Myrtie Hairston were united in the holy bonds of wedlock one day this week at the home of the bride’s parents. Miss Hairston is the only daughter of Mr. Phil Hairston of near Huckabay who is one of Erath’s best citizens and most prosperous and well to do farmers. Miss Hairston is bright, beautiful and attractive and commands the love and respect of all who know her. Mr. Bryan, the son of Esq. Terrell Bryan, is educated, robust and handsome and numbers his friends as legion. He has grown up in our mist and those who know him love him the most. The Appeal joins their host of friends in wishing them a long, happy and prosperous life.  

Found in the Dublin Progress:

Mr. Redic Bryan of Dublin and Miss Myrtie Hairston, of near Huckabay, were married at the home of the bride's parents Wednesday evening and arrived in Dublin yesterday evening on the Rio Grande train. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018

Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn

The Duplin Progress (Dublin, TX). Vol. 12, No. 9, Ed.1, Friday, July 21, 1899.

The Duplin Progress (Dublin, TX). Vol. 12, No. 38, Ed.1, Friday, February 9, 1900.

The Duplin Progress (Dublin, TX). Vol. 12, No. 16, Ed.1, Friday, September 8, 1899.

The Erath Appeal, Vol. 2, No.29, Stephenville, Texas, Feb. 8, 1900.

The Stephenville Empire (Stephenville, TX). Vol. 28, No. 10, Ed.1, Thursday, October 5, 1899.