BRAINARD BARDWELL
Brainard Bardwell and his wife, Mary Ada Fly Bardwell, came to Nolan County in 1885 from Gonzales County, Texas. They established their home in the Bitter Creek Community ten miles south of Sweetwater on a ten section ranch.
The Brainard Bardwells had ten children. The five oldest children moved to Nolan County with their parents. They were Emma Lou (Mrs. Sam Glass), Zoe (Mrs. Will Cook), Ada (Mrs. Sam Witt), Madden Fly Bardwell and DAVID EDWIN BARDWELL. The other five children, who were born in Nolan County, were Nanny Elizabeth (Mrs. R. L. Witt), James Robert (Bob) Bardwell, Nettie Irene (Mrs. H. E. Baird) and Gertrude (Mrs. J. H. Withers) and Brainard, Jr., who were twins.
During the early days on the ranch, it was necessary for family members to make the long trip by wagon to Buffalo Gap to buy provisions. Later on, the trip was made to Abilene as the T&P Railroad had been built that far west. These supplies were usually bought for a six months period. The grocery items had to be carefully stored and preserved for that long period of time.
Five of the Bardwell daughters were married in the ranch home that Mr. and Mrs. Brainard Bardwell built on the Bitter Creek ranch. This house still stands and has been restored by the J. C. Pace family, the present owners. The youngest daughter was marred in Sweetwater after the family moved to town.
In 1898, Brainard Bardwell was shot and killed on his ranch by a transient sheep herder. In those days, ranch land was unfenced. The sheepherder had driven his flock of sheep across the ranch land, allowing them to graze and drink water for several days. When Mr. Bardwell went to a watering hole where the sheep were to tell the herder to move on, he was shot.
Several years later, Mrs. Bardwell moved to Sweetwater from the ranch. She was one of eleven people who organized and secured a charter for the First Presbyterian Church in Nolan County. At her death in 1938, she was the last surviving charter member of the present First Presbyterian Church.
Both Brainard and Mary Ada Fly Bardwell are buried in the Sweetwater Cemetery. Two of the children survive, being Gertrude Withers of Sweetwater and Nettie Baird of San Antonio, Texas.
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NOLAN COUNTY DEATH CERTIFICATE
Name: Ada Ethelene Witt
Death date: 15 Mar 1971
Death place: Holiday Retirement Center, Sweetwater, Nolan, Texas
Gender: Female
Race or color (on document): White
Age at death: 86 years
Birth date: 06 Sep 1884
Birthplace: Coleman Co., Texas
Marital status: Widowed
Spouse's name:
Father's name: Brainard Bardwell
Father's birthplace:
Mother's name: Ada Fly
Mother's birthplace:
Occupation: Housekeeper, own home
Residence: Holiday Retirement Center, Sweetwater, Texas
Cemetery name: Sweetwater
Burial place: Sweetwater, Texas
Burial date: 16 Mar 1971
Informant: Mrs. Audrey M. Robison (daughter)
Film number: 2223121
Digital GS number: 4169838
Image number: 2500
Reference number: 20328
Collection: Texas Deaths, 1890-1976
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BRAINARD BARDWELL
Brainard Bardwell and his wife, Mary Ada Fly Bardwell, came to Nolan County in 1885 from Gonzales County, Texas. They established their home in the Bitter Creek Community ten miles south of Sweetwater on a ten section ranch.
The Brainard Bardwells had ten children. The five oldest children moved to Nolan County with their parents. They were Emma Lou (Mrs. Sam Glass), Zoe (Mrs. Will Cook), Ada (Mrs. Sam Witt), Madden Fly Bardwell and DAVID EDWIN BARDWELL. The other five children, who were born in Nolan County, were Nanny Elizabeth (Mrs. R. L. Witt), James Robert (Bob) Bardwell, Nettie Irene (Mrs. H. E. Baird) and Gertrude (Mrs. J. H. Withers) and Brainard, Jr., who were twins.
During the early days on the ranch, it was necessary for family members to make the long trip by wagon to Buffalo Gap to buy provisions. Later on, the trip was made to Abilene as the T&P Railroad had been built that far west. These supplies were usually bought for a six months period. The grocery items had to be carefully stored and preserved for that long period of time.
Five of the Bardwell daughters were married in the ranch home that Mr. and Mrs. Brainard Bardwell built on the Bitter Creek ranch. This house still stands and has been restored by the J. C. Pace family, the present owners. The youngest daughter was marred in Sweetwater after the family moved to town.
In 1898, Brainard Bardwell was shot and killed on his ranch by a transient sheep herder. In those days, ranch land was unfenced. The sheepherder had driven his flock of sheep across the ranch land, allowing them to graze and drink water for several days. When Mr. Bardwell went to a watering hole where the sheep were to tell the herder to move on, he was shot.
Several years later, Mrs. Bardwell moved to Sweetwater from the ranch. She was one of eleven people who organized and secured a charter for the First Presbyterian Church in Nolan County. At her death in 1938, she was the last surviving charter member of the present First Presbyterian Church.
Both Brainard and Mary Ada Fly Bardwell are buried in the Sweetwater Cemetery. Two of the children survive, being Gertrude Withers of Sweetwater and Nettie Baird of San Antonio, Texas.
* * * * * *
NOLAN COUNTY DEATH CERTIFICATE
Name: Ada Ethelene Witt
Death date: 15 Mar 1971
Death place: Holiday Retirement Center, Sweetwater, Nolan, Texas
Gender: Female
Race or color (on document): White
Age at death: 86 years
Birth date: 06 Sep 1884
Birthplace: Coleman Co., Texas
Marital status: Widowed
Spouse's name:
Father's name: Brainard Bardwell
Father's birthplace:
Mother's name: Ada Fly
Mother's birthplace:
Occupation: Housekeeper, own home
Residence: Holiday Retirement Center, Sweetwater, Texas
Cemetery name: Sweetwater
Burial place: Sweetwater, Texas
Burial date: 16 Mar 1971
Informant: Mrs. Audrey M. Robison (daughter)
Film number: 2223121
Digital GS number: 4169838
Image number: 2500
Reference number: 20328
Collection: Texas Deaths, 1890-1976
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Family Members
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Emma Lou Bardwell Glass
1876–1967
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Zoe McKie Bardwell Cook
1877–1966
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Maddin Fly Bardwell
1879–1961
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David Edwin Bardwell
1881–1938
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Nannie Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bardwell Witt
1886–1967
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James Robert "Bob" Bardwell
1889–1977
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Nettie Irene Bardwell Baird
1891–1991
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Gertrude Bardwell Withers
1894–1989
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Brainard Bardwell Jr
1894–1973