George Washington Parks was born November 23, 1839 in Parks Crossroads, NC. He was the youngest child born to Joab and Lucy York Parks.
George is shown to have lived in North Carolina on the Parks homestead until the census of 1850 shows him in Weakley Co., Tennessee. He remained in Tennessee until he is listed in the Goliad Co., census of 1870. At this time he worked for his brother, Solomon Parks, at the Parks Ranch in Fannin, Texas.
In 1880 George moved to Nixon, Texas. He moved into the Hartwell Passmore family home and worked for Hartwell Passmore on his ranch. The Passmore's had a young daughter, Luciebe Gertrude Passmore who was 10 years old at this time.
When Luciebe reached the age of 17, she and George were married on April 7, 1887. George was 47 years old.
George acquired quite a vast amount of acreage in Gonzales Co., Texas. George found that his second eldest son, Lonnie, and the town deputy were stealing cattle from him. George told them that if they did not stop he was going to have them put in jail.
On September 30, 1914 as George was leaving his ranch on horseback, he was gunned down while closing the gate to his ranch. When George was killed he was 75 and Luciebe was 45. There were rumors that she was tired of George telling her what to do and controlling the money.
George's estate was valued at $125,000 in 1914....a considerable fortune. He left a thousand acres to each of his seven children and the remainder to.....Luciebe!!!!
The eldest son, Lonnie, and the deputy reportedly hired two black men to kill George. It is believed at the instructions of Luciebe. At separate trials Lonnie and the deputy were found innocent.
Solomon Parks, his brother, was quite old at this time and in failing health. He was devastated by the murder and hired an attorney to go to Gonzales Co., and represent the Parks family. Solomon died in November of the same year, some say of a broken heart due to his brother's murder.
Luciebe died Feb 20, 1938. All but one, the youngest daughter, lost their fortunes during the depression. They mortgaged the land and the banks eventually foreclosed.
OBIT: Gonzales Reform, Vol 10, No. 7, Ed. 1
Thursday, October 8, 1914
MR GEORGE W PARKS, MURDERED
George W Parks, a pioneer citizen of this section, was waylaid and assassinated at his pasture gate, 3 miles southeast of Nixon at about 8 o'clock Wednesday morning. The culprit who committed the deed has not been apprehended, but officers from Wilson and Gonzales County are busy running down all possible clues.
Mr Parks left his home, which is about half a mile from the scene of the tragedy, about 30 minutes before, and must have been in the act of opening the pasture gate when shot from the rear, the bullet entering about two inches to the right of the left ear and passing out about one inch below the right eye. The shot was evidently fired at a very close range as the hat worn by the deceased was badly burned. The shooting was not heard at the Parks home, but cotton pickers nearby are said to have heard two shots, one of which must have gone wild. Death must have been instantaneous as there was no sign of a struggle where the body was lying when found. The Nixon-Elm Road where the tragedy occurred, is a much traveled road, and people had passed the Parks gate, only a few minutes before the body was found. It having been discovered by two ladies who were coming to Nixon, and who notified the authorities here.
The tragedy has shocked the entire community, as Mr Parks was an old man, and is not known to have had an enemy low enough to commit such a deed.
Mr Parks was born in Fayettesville, NC, on November 23, 1839, and came to Texas about 40 years ago, locating in the western part of Gonzales county where he resided at the time of his death.
He was married about 26 years ago to Miss Lucebie Gertrude Passmore, to which union ten children were born, eight of which survive, as follows: Cleveland, Lonnie, Roy, Julia, Ethel, Mary Lee Parks and Mrs Lucy (A.Matthew) Ezzel all of this place, and Mrs Loss Asher (Hattie) of San Antonio. He is also survived by his widow and a brother, Solomon Parks of Fannin, Texas.
Mr Parks had accumulated considerable property, owning 7000 acres if land running up to one mile of Nizon, besides other ranch interests in West Texas.
The funeral took place at Smiley at 11 o'clock Thursday morning.
The News extends sincere sympathy to the bereaved family in their great loss.
---originally published by Nixon News
The Houston Post
Houston, Texas
25 Jul 1915, Sun • Page 21
Convicted of Parks' Death.
Gonzales , Texas, July 14.
George Dawson, charged with murder, sentenced to five years, and Johnnie Jones, charged with murder, 26 years. The last two were charged with the killing of G. W. Parks, an aged ranchman, residing near Nixon, and whose death occurred on the 30th day of September of last year. Both of the parties entered a plea of guilty in court yesterday mornIng and asked for mercy from the court and jury.
George is shown to have lived in North Carolina on the Parks homestead until the census of 1850 shows him in Weakley Co., Tennessee. He remained in Tennessee until he is listed in the Goliad Co., census of 1870. At this time he worked for his brother, Solomon Parks, at the Parks Ranch in Fannin, Texas.
In 1880 George moved to Nixon, Texas. He moved into the Hartwell Passmore family home and worked for Hartwell Passmore on his ranch. The Passmore's had a young daughter, Luciebe Gertrude Passmore who was 10 years old at this time.
When Luciebe reached the age of 17, she and George were married on April 7, 1887. George was 47 years old.
George acquired quite a vast amount of acreage in Gonzales Co., Texas. George found that his second eldest son, Lonnie, and the town deputy were stealing cattle from him. George told them that if they did not stop he was going to have them put in jail.
On September 30, 1914 as George was leaving his ranch on horseback, he was gunned down while closing the gate to his ranch. When George was killed he was 75 and Luciebe was 45. There were rumors that she was tired of George telling her what to do and controlling the money.
George's estate was valued at $125,000 in 1914....a considerable fortune. He left a thousand acres to each of his seven children and the remainder to.....Luciebe!!!!
The eldest son, Lonnie, and the deputy reportedly hired two black men to kill George. It is believed at the instructions of Luciebe. At separate trials Lonnie and the deputy were found innocent.
Solomon Parks, his brother, was quite old at this time and in failing health. He was devastated by the murder and hired an attorney to go to Gonzales Co., and represent the Parks family. Solomon died in November of the same year, some say of a broken heart due to his brother's murder.
Luciebe died Feb 20, 1938. All but one, the youngest daughter, lost their fortunes during the depression. They mortgaged the land and the banks eventually foreclosed.
OBIT: Gonzales Reform, Vol 10, No. 7, Ed. 1
Thursday, October 8, 1914
MR GEORGE W PARKS, MURDERED
George W Parks, a pioneer citizen of this section, was waylaid and assassinated at his pasture gate, 3 miles southeast of Nixon at about 8 o'clock Wednesday morning. The culprit who committed the deed has not been apprehended, but officers from Wilson and Gonzales County are busy running down all possible clues.
Mr Parks left his home, which is about half a mile from the scene of the tragedy, about 30 minutes before, and must have been in the act of opening the pasture gate when shot from the rear, the bullet entering about two inches to the right of the left ear and passing out about one inch below the right eye. The shot was evidently fired at a very close range as the hat worn by the deceased was badly burned. The shooting was not heard at the Parks home, but cotton pickers nearby are said to have heard two shots, one of which must have gone wild. Death must have been instantaneous as there was no sign of a struggle where the body was lying when found. The Nixon-Elm Road where the tragedy occurred, is a much traveled road, and people had passed the Parks gate, only a few minutes before the body was found. It having been discovered by two ladies who were coming to Nixon, and who notified the authorities here.
The tragedy has shocked the entire community, as Mr Parks was an old man, and is not known to have had an enemy low enough to commit such a deed.
Mr Parks was born in Fayettesville, NC, on November 23, 1839, and came to Texas about 40 years ago, locating in the western part of Gonzales county where he resided at the time of his death.
He was married about 26 years ago to Miss Lucebie Gertrude Passmore, to which union ten children were born, eight of which survive, as follows: Cleveland, Lonnie, Roy, Julia, Ethel, Mary Lee Parks and Mrs Lucy (A.Matthew) Ezzel all of this place, and Mrs Loss Asher (Hattie) of San Antonio. He is also survived by his widow and a brother, Solomon Parks of Fannin, Texas.
Mr Parks had accumulated considerable property, owning 7000 acres if land running up to one mile of Nizon, besides other ranch interests in West Texas.
The funeral took place at Smiley at 11 o'clock Thursday morning.
The News extends sincere sympathy to the bereaved family in their great loss.
---originally published by Nixon News
The Houston Post
Houston, Texas
25 Jul 1915, Sun • Page 21
Convicted of Parks' Death.
Gonzales , Texas, July 14.
George Dawson, charged with murder, sentenced to five years, and Johnnie Jones, charged with murder, 26 years. The last two were charged with the killing of G. W. Parks, an aged ranchman, residing near Nixon, and whose death occurred on the 30th day of September of last year. Both of the parties entered a plea of guilty in court yesterday mornIng and asked for mercy from the court and jury.
George Washington Parks was born November 23, 1839 in Parks Crossroads, NC. He was the youngest child born to Joab and Lucy York Parks.
George is shown to have lived in North Carolina on the Parks homestead until the census of 1850 shows him in Weakley Co., Tennessee. He remained in Tennessee until he is listed in the Goliad Co., census of 1870. At this time he worked for his brother, Solomon Parks, at the Parks Ranch in Fannin, Texas.
In 1880 George moved to Nixon, Texas. He moved into the Hartwell Passmore family home and worked for Hartwell Passmore on his ranch. The Passmore's had a young daughter, Luciebe Gertrude Passmore who was 10 years old at this time.
When Luciebe reached the age of 17, she and George were married on April 7, 1887. George was 47 years old.
George acquired quite a vast amount of acreage in Gonzales Co., Texas. George found that his second eldest son, Lonnie, and the town deputy were stealing cattle from him. George told them that if they did not stop he was going to have them put in jail.
On September 30, 1914 as George was leaving his ranch on horseback, he was gunned down while closing the gate to his ranch. When George was killed he was 75 and Luciebe was 45. There were rumors that she was tired of George telling her what to do and controlling the money.
George's estate was valued at $125,000 in 1914....a considerable fortune. He left a thousand acres to each of his seven children and the remainder to.....Luciebe!!!!
The eldest son, Lonnie, and the deputy reportedly hired two black men to kill George. It is believed at the instructions of Luciebe. At separate trials Lonnie and the deputy were found innocent.
Solomon Parks, his brother, was quite old at this time and in failing health. He was devastated by the murder and hired an attorney to go to Gonzales Co., and represent the Parks family. Solomon died in November of the same year, some say of a broken heart due to his brother's murder.
Luciebe died Feb 20, 1938. All but one, the youngest daughter, lost their fortunes during the depression. They mortgaged the land and the banks eventually foreclosed.
OBIT: Gonzales Reform, Vol 10, No. 7, Ed. 1
Thursday, October 8, 1914
MR GEORGE W PARKS, MURDERED
George W Parks, a pioneer citizen of this section, was waylaid and assassinated at his pasture gate, 3 miles southeast of Nixon at about 8 o'clock Wednesday morning. The culprit who committed the deed has not been apprehended, but officers from Wilson and Gonzales County are busy running down all possible clues.
Mr Parks left his home, which is about half a mile from the scene of the tragedy, about 30 minutes before, and must have been in the act of opening the pasture gate when shot from the rear, the bullet entering about two inches to the right of the left ear and passing out about one inch below the right eye. The shot was evidently fired at a very close range as the hat worn by the deceased was badly burned. The shooting was not heard at the Parks home, but cotton pickers nearby are said to have heard two shots, one of which must have gone wild. Death must have been instantaneous as there was no sign of a struggle where the body was lying when found. The Nixon-Elm Road where the tragedy occurred, is a much traveled road, and people had passed the Parks gate, only a few minutes before the body was found. It having been discovered by two ladies who were coming to Nixon, and who notified the authorities here.
The tragedy has shocked the entire community, as Mr Parks was an old man, and is not known to have had an enemy low enough to commit such a deed.
Mr Parks was born in Fayettesville, NC, on November 23, 1839, and came to Texas about 40 years ago, locating in the western part of Gonzales county where he resided at the time of his death.
He was married about 26 years ago to Miss Lucebie Gertrude Passmore, to which union ten children were born, eight of which survive, as follows: Cleveland, Lonnie, Roy, Julia, Ethel, Mary Lee Parks and Mrs Lucy (A.Matthew) Ezzel all of this place, and Mrs Loss Asher (Hattie) of San Antonio. He is also survived by his widow and a brother, Solomon Parks of Fannin, Texas.
Mr Parks had accumulated considerable property, owning 7000 acres if land running up to one mile of Nizon, besides other ranch interests in West Texas.
The funeral took place at Smiley at 11 o'clock Thursday morning.
The News extends sincere sympathy to the bereaved family in their great loss.
---originally published by Nixon News
The Houston Post
Houston, Texas
25 Jul 1915, Sun • Page 21
Convicted of Parks' Death.
Gonzales , Texas, July 14.
George Dawson, charged with murder, sentenced to five years, and Johnnie Jones, charged with murder, 26 years. The last two were charged with the killing of G. W. Parks, an aged ranchman, residing near Nixon, and whose death occurred on the 30th day of September of last year. Both of the parties entered a plea of guilty in court yesterday mornIng and asked for mercy from the court and jury.
George is shown to have lived in North Carolina on the Parks homestead until the census of 1850 shows him in Weakley Co., Tennessee. He remained in Tennessee until he is listed in the Goliad Co., census of 1870. At this time he worked for his brother, Solomon Parks, at the Parks Ranch in Fannin, Texas.
In 1880 George moved to Nixon, Texas. He moved into the Hartwell Passmore family home and worked for Hartwell Passmore on his ranch. The Passmore's had a young daughter, Luciebe Gertrude Passmore who was 10 years old at this time.
When Luciebe reached the age of 17, she and George were married on April 7, 1887. George was 47 years old.
George acquired quite a vast amount of acreage in Gonzales Co., Texas. George found that his second eldest son, Lonnie, and the town deputy were stealing cattle from him. George told them that if they did not stop he was going to have them put in jail.
On September 30, 1914 as George was leaving his ranch on horseback, he was gunned down while closing the gate to his ranch. When George was killed he was 75 and Luciebe was 45. There were rumors that she was tired of George telling her what to do and controlling the money.
George's estate was valued at $125,000 in 1914....a considerable fortune. He left a thousand acres to each of his seven children and the remainder to.....Luciebe!!!!
The eldest son, Lonnie, and the deputy reportedly hired two black men to kill George. It is believed at the instructions of Luciebe. At separate trials Lonnie and the deputy were found innocent.
Solomon Parks, his brother, was quite old at this time and in failing health. He was devastated by the murder and hired an attorney to go to Gonzales Co., and represent the Parks family. Solomon died in November of the same year, some say of a broken heart due to his brother's murder.
Luciebe died Feb 20, 1938. All but one, the youngest daughter, lost their fortunes during the depression. They mortgaged the land and the banks eventually foreclosed.
OBIT: Gonzales Reform, Vol 10, No. 7, Ed. 1
Thursday, October 8, 1914
MR GEORGE W PARKS, MURDERED
George W Parks, a pioneer citizen of this section, was waylaid and assassinated at his pasture gate, 3 miles southeast of Nixon at about 8 o'clock Wednesday morning. The culprit who committed the deed has not been apprehended, but officers from Wilson and Gonzales County are busy running down all possible clues.
Mr Parks left his home, which is about half a mile from the scene of the tragedy, about 30 minutes before, and must have been in the act of opening the pasture gate when shot from the rear, the bullet entering about two inches to the right of the left ear and passing out about one inch below the right eye. The shot was evidently fired at a very close range as the hat worn by the deceased was badly burned. The shooting was not heard at the Parks home, but cotton pickers nearby are said to have heard two shots, one of which must have gone wild. Death must have been instantaneous as there was no sign of a struggle where the body was lying when found. The Nixon-Elm Road where the tragedy occurred, is a much traveled road, and people had passed the Parks gate, only a few minutes before the body was found. It having been discovered by two ladies who were coming to Nixon, and who notified the authorities here.
The tragedy has shocked the entire community, as Mr Parks was an old man, and is not known to have had an enemy low enough to commit such a deed.
Mr Parks was born in Fayettesville, NC, on November 23, 1839, and came to Texas about 40 years ago, locating in the western part of Gonzales county where he resided at the time of his death.
He was married about 26 years ago to Miss Lucebie Gertrude Passmore, to which union ten children were born, eight of which survive, as follows: Cleveland, Lonnie, Roy, Julia, Ethel, Mary Lee Parks and Mrs Lucy (A.Matthew) Ezzel all of this place, and Mrs Loss Asher (Hattie) of San Antonio. He is also survived by his widow and a brother, Solomon Parks of Fannin, Texas.
Mr Parks had accumulated considerable property, owning 7000 acres if land running up to one mile of Nizon, besides other ranch interests in West Texas.
The funeral took place at Smiley at 11 o'clock Thursday morning.
The News extends sincere sympathy to the bereaved family in their great loss.
---originally published by Nixon News
The Houston Post
Houston, Texas
25 Jul 1915, Sun • Page 21
Convicted of Parks' Death.
Gonzales , Texas, July 14.
George Dawson, charged with murder, sentenced to five years, and Johnnie Jones, charged with murder, 26 years. The last two were charged with the killing of G. W. Parks, an aged ranchman, residing near Nixon, and whose death occurred on the 30th day of September of last year. Both of the parties entered a plea of guilty in court yesterday mornIng and asked for mercy from the court and jury.
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