Waurika News Democrat:
Bell Rider, the daughter of Captain and Mrs. Henry Rider, was born in Panola County, Texas on October 29 1861. Her father was a steamboat captain on the Mississippi river and he and his family made the trip to Texas from Indiana, in a covered wagon drawn by oxen. Their daughter Bell, one of 14 children. She was married to John Hopkins Gay at Panola on Sept 20, 1876. Five years later she was left a widow with two small sons, Thomas Henry, John Hopkins junior, and the baby Samuel Bert who was born a few months after his fathers death.
With her little family she moved back to her girlhood home and kept house and cared for her sons and her father until his death in 1904. John Hopkins Gay Jr. who was named for his father died in 1903. Bell and her other two sons, Bert and Henry were left to make a family of their own and to take care of each other.
Henry married and she and Bert lived on together. Bert married in 1905, his mother being a part of his household then as she had always been From his utter dependence on her, from infancy to her later dependence on him in her old age. Bert's family was devoted to her.
Mrs. Gay wass strong christian and reared her family in the "shadow of the church", a Methodist church being less than 200 yards from the family home in Panola county. She lived her religion daily and impressed her children and grandchildren with the beauty of her convictions.
In 1907, Bert and Bannie Gay and their family, including Grandma Belle, moved to Jefferson County, Oklahoma where they have since lived. She was in ill health the last few years.
She is survived by her two sons, Henry and Bert and their families which include 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. She was the last of her fathers family.
Along with other pioneer mothers who knew privations, hardships, sacrifices, and whose pathways were often wet with tears, Grandma has also known much of happiness and laughter and the joy of living. Of her it might truly be said "She hath done what she could", and she was ready and anxious to claim the promise. "He giveth his beloved, sleep."
Bell Rider, the daughter of Captain and Mrs. Henry Rider, was born in Panola County, Texas on October 29 1861. Her father was a steamboat captain on the Mississippi river and he and his family made the trip to Texas from Indiana, in a covered wagon drawn by oxen. Their daughter Bell, one of 14 children. She was married to John Hopkins Gay at Panola on Sept 20, 1876. Five years later she was left a widow with two small sons, Thomas Henry, John Hopkins junior, and the baby Samuel Bert who was born a few months after his fathers death.
With her little family she moved back to her girlhood home and kept house and cared for her sons and her father until his death in 1904. John Hopkins Gay Jr. who was named for his father died in 1903. Bell and her other two sons, Bert and Henry were left to make a family of their own and to take care of each other.
Henry married and she and Bert lived on together. Bert married in 1905, his mother being a part of his household then as she had always been From his utter dependence on her, from infancy to her later dependence on him in her old age. Bert's family was devoted to her.
Mrs. Gay wass strong christian and reared her family in the "shadow of the church", a Methodist church being less than 200 yards from the family home in Panola county. She lived her religion daily and impressed her children and grandchildren with the beauty of her convictions.
In 1907, Bert and Bannie Gay and their family, including Grandma Belle, moved to Jefferson County, Oklahoma where they have since lived. She was in ill health the last few years.
She is survived by her two sons, Henry and Bert and their families which include 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. She was the last of her fathers family.
Along with other pioneer mothers who knew privations, hardships, sacrifices, and whose pathways were often wet with tears, Grandma has also known much of happiness and laughter and the joy of living. Of her it might truly be said "She hath done what she could", and she was ready and anxious to claim the promise. "He giveth his beloved, sleep."
Waurika News Democrat:
Bell Rider, the daughter of Captain and Mrs. Henry Rider, was born in Panola County, Texas on October 29 1861. Her father was a steamboat captain on the Mississippi river and he and his family made the trip to Texas from Indiana, in a covered wagon drawn by oxen. Their daughter Bell, one of 14 children. She was married to John Hopkins Gay at Panola on Sept 20, 1876. Five years later she was left a widow with two small sons, Thomas Henry, John Hopkins junior, and the baby Samuel Bert who was born a few months after his fathers death.
With her little family she moved back to her girlhood home and kept house and cared for her sons and her father until his death in 1904. John Hopkins Gay Jr. who was named for his father died in 1903. Bell and her other two sons, Bert and Henry were left to make a family of their own and to take care of each other.
Henry married and she and Bert lived on together. Bert married in 1905, his mother being a part of his household then as she had always been From his utter dependence on her, from infancy to her later dependence on him in her old age. Bert's family was devoted to her.
Mrs. Gay wass strong christian and reared her family in the "shadow of the church", a Methodist church being less than 200 yards from the family home in Panola county. She lived her religion daily and impressed her children and grandchildren with the beauty of her convictions.
In 1907, Bert and Bannie Gay and their family, including Grandma Belle, moved to Jefferson County, Oklahoma where they have since lived. She was in ill health the last few years.
She is survived by her two sons, Henry and Bert and their families which include 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. She was the last of her fathers family.
Along with other pioneer mothers who knew privations, hardships, sacrifices, and whose pathways were often wet with tears, Grandma has also known much of happiness and laughter and the joy of living. Of her it might truly be said "She hath done what she could", and she was ready and anxious to claim the promise. "He giveth his beloved, sleep."
Bell Rider, the daughter of Captain and Mrs. Henry Rider, was born in Panola County, Texas on October 29 1861. Her father was a steamboat captain on the Mississippi river and he and his family made the trip to Texas from Indiana, in a covered wagon drawn by oxen. Their daughter Bell, one of 14 children. She was married to John Hopkins Gay at Panola on Sept 20, 1876. Five years later she was left a widow with two small sons, Thomas Henry, John Hopkins junior, and the baby Samuel Bert who was born a few months after his fathers death.
With her little family she moved back to her girlhood home and kept house and cared for her sons and her father until his death in 1904. John Hopkins Gay Jr. who was named for his father died in 1903. Bell and her other two sons, Bert and Henry were left to make a family of their own and to take care of each other.
Henry married and she and Bert lived on together. Bert married in 1905, his mother being a part of his household then as she had always been From his utter dependence on her, from infancy to her later dependence on him in her old age. Bert's family was devoted to her.
Mrs. Gay wass strong christian and reared her family in the "shadow of the church", a Methodist church being less than 200 yards from the family home in Panola county. She lived her religion daily and impressed her children and grandchildren with the beauty of her convictions.
In 1907, Bert and Bannie Gay and their family, including Grandma Belle, moved to Jefferson County, Oklahoma where they have since lived. She was in ill health the last few years.
She is survived by her two sons, Henry and Bert and their families which include 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. She was the last of her fathers family.
Along with other pioneer mothers who knew privations, hardships, sacrifices, and whose pathways were often wet with tears, Grandma has also known much of happiness and laughter and the joy of living. Of her it might truly be said "She hath done what she could", and she was ready and anxious to claim the promise. "He giveth his beloved, sleep."
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