Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Fort Worth, Texas
Saturday, September 30, 1933, front page

STORM VICTIM HAS LOCKJAW

Suffering from lockjaw, contracted from a nail which he stuck in his foot while repairing the damage done to his home during the recent storm in the Rio Grande Valley, Rev. I. E. Hightower of Edcouch is in a critical condition in an Edinburg hospital.

Word of Rev. Mr. Hightower's condition was received here by his wife and three of his sons, I. D., W. C. and w. L. Hightower. Mrs. Hightower and I. D. Hightower have been at the minister's bedside since Thursday. The other seven children were en route to Edinburg Saturday morning.

Little hope is held for the minister's life.

Although Rev. Mr. Hightower stuck the nail in his foot over a week ago, the abrasion caused him no concern until he was taken suddenly ill Thursday.

The minister's wife came to Fort worth after the couple lost their home, furniture, clothing and citrus crop in the valley storm. Rev. Mr. Hightower had remained at Edcouch to supervise repairing of his property before coming to Fort Worth to make his home.

Rev. Mr. Hightower is 70 years old and a retired Methodist minister. He and Mrs. Hightower escaped uninjured in the storm after they abandoned their house from which the porch and part of one side had been blown. Their arms locked together and bracing themselves against the wind with a strong stick, the couple fought their way to a neighbor's house a mile and a quarter away.

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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Fort Worth, Texas
Thursday, May 6, 1948, page 2

Retired Texas Minister Dies In California

Rev. I. E. Hightower, 86, retired Central Texas Methodist Conference minister, died Wednesday afternoon at his home in Portersville, Cal.

Rev. Mr. Hightower moved to Porterville from Pharr about a year ago.

He preached for 56 years before his retirement eight years ago. He began his ministry in Garvin and held pastorates in Grapevine, Midlothian, Italy, Meridian, Gordon and Stamford. His last pastorate was at the Central Methodist Church in Mineral Wells.

He was a native of Texas and was reared in Johnson County. He once said that he got his education "between the plow handles."

He and his wife were married more than 65 years ago in December, 1882, in Cleburne.

Surviving are his wife; four sons, Warren and Doyle of Fort Worth, W. R. of Porterville and Rev. W. L. Hightower of Flatonia; four daughters, Mrs. T. C. Martin of McKinney, Mrs. Fleet McDaniel of Los Angeles and Mrs. Ward Lusk and Mrs. T. B. Harmon of Porterville; 24 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.

The body will be brought to Fort Worth for funeral services.