Ethel Howard and Her Society Life

Ethel Howard, our 1st cousin once removed, was mentioned in the post related to her parents, Robert Lee Howard and Dora Elizabeth Angel.

The Howards were part of the early Collin County prominent society. Their daily activities and family matters were announced in the social columns of the local newspapers. Studying those old papers you can learn what certain persons did, where they went or whom they met on a given day.

When Ethel grew up, her whereabouts and major life events also became "public", known to the citizens of Plano and McKinney, the readers of The Plano Star Courier and The Weekly Democrat-Gazette.

25 May 1912 - Saturday, Ethel was 19 then. A day in Frisco.

Clipping source: Perkins, Tom W. & Wilson, Walter B. The Weekly Democrat-Gazette (McKinney, Tex.), Vol. 30, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 30, 1912, newspaper, May 30, 1912; McKinney, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth292099/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

24 June 1912, Monday

She had her cousins for dinner. Ina was Ethel's relation via her mother's side. Victoria and Viola were Ethel's first cousins.

Clipping source:  Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 27, 1912, newspaper, June 27, 1912; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570549/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

1/2 February 1913, a day with friends in Sherman

Miss Ethel Cothes was Mary Ethel Cothes, daughter of Herman Cothes and George Anna Brown of Kentucky. She was three years older than our Ethel (Mary Ethel Cothes was born on 17 January 1889).

Clipping source:  Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 37, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 6, 1913, newspaper, February 6, 1913; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570342/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

23 May 1913 - Ethel Howard was 20 years old, she graduated from Plano High School.

Ethel is mentioned in the second place regarding the list of graduates. Since the names are not given in the alphabetical order, I assume her final results might have been the second best in the class.

Note that Ethel's class colors were purple and gold and the class flower was the sweet pea.
The class motto: "If I am not for myself who is? If for myself only what am I? If not now, when?" seems to be a paraphrase of the thought by Hillel, Jewish scholar and philosopher: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?" Ethics of the Fathers, 1:14

Clipping source:  Perkins, Tom W. & Wilson, Walter B. The Weekly Democrat-Gazette (McKinney, Tex.), Vol. 30, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 29, 1913, newspaper, May 29, 1913; McKinney, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth992654/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

12 June 1913, Thursday

Ethel played the game of 42 at her cousins'.
 

Clipping source: Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 12, 1913, newspaper, June 12, 1913; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570558/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

Lula, Viola and Ethel were cousins. Thanks to a marriage in the family, Tessie also was Ethel's relative. She was a cousin of Georgia Lou Mayes who had married Ethel's cousin Leffel.

22 June 1913, Sunday

Ethel spent the day with the Dillehays in Plano.

Clipping source: Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 26, 1913, newspaper, June 26, 1913; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570504/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

Jim Dillehay was Mr. James Allen "Jimme" Dillehay. His children Cassie (b. 1890), John (b. 1894) and Allie (b. 1896) were around Ethel's age.

12 April 1914, Sunday. Ethel is 21. She meets Leona Mathews.

Clipping source: Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 47, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 16, 1914, newspaper, April 16, 1914; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601809/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

9 July 1914, Ethel's father Robert Lee is sick.

Clipping source: Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 9, 1914, newspaper, July 9, 1914; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601693/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

1 November 1914, Sunday in McKinney.

Clipping source: Wankan, Fred E. & Bagwill, Arthur A. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 24, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 5, 1914, newspaper, November 5, 1914; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601684/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

28 March 1915, Sunday

22-year-old Ethel spent the day with friends and her two years younger brother Claudie (b. 1894).

Clipping source: Wankan, Fred E. The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 44, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 1, 1915, newspaper, April 1, 1915; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601628/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

26 Sept. 1915, Sunday

Ethel gives a luncheon which was a "family only" event. Ethel (1897) and Florence (1898) Richards were sisters of Ethel's future husband Cecil. The latter one married Claudie (Ethel's brother) two years later.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 30, 1915, newspaper, September 30, 1915; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601621/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

7 November 1915, Sunday

A month after the family luncheon at Ethel's, she was hosted by Florence and Ethel Richards - her future sisters-in-law. Forrest Richards present at the dinner was her future brother-in-law.

There is a mistake in the surname Gant (not Grant). What's more? Clark Sexton became Viola Gant's husband in December 1915, Fred Lunsford married Ethel Richards (one of the hostesses) two years later.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 11, 1915, newspaper, November 11, 1915; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601770/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

Another piece of information about the same Sunday dinner and more mistakes - Claudie Howard, not Claudia. Misses Richards, not Miss Richard.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 11, 1915, newspaper, November 11, 1915; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601770/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

December 1915, Ethel and friends attend a dinner hosted by her cousin Victoria Gant

The marriage of Viola Gant and Clark Sexton announced at dinner, took place on 15 Dec. 1915.

Other marriages which took place some time later (considering the guests mentioned in the clipping):
Ethel Howard + Cecil Richards
Florence Richards + Claudie Howard
Ethel Richards + Fred Lunsford
Marion Bourn + Leslie Yarbrough.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 29, Ed. 1 Friday, December 24, 1915, newspaper, December 24, 1915; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601597/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

2 March 1916, Thursday - Ethel and Cecil got married

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 40, Ed. 1 Friday, March 10, 1916, newspaper, March 10, 1916; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601631/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

The wedding colors (including the cake) were pink and white. Cecil Richard's (the groom's) mother's grandfather was Salathiel Coffey, a Collin County pioneer.

Ethel Richards who found a ring in a piece of cake married Fred Lunsford in 1917.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 41, Ed. 1 Friday, March 17, 1916, newspaper, March 17, 1916; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601592/: accessed July 23, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

Victoria Gant

Victoria Wylie Augusta Gant was the oldest daughter/child of John Lee Gant and Rachel Clementine Howard.
Victoria came to this world on 13 March 1893 in Dallas, Texas.

When she was a young lady, Victoria was an active member of Fannie Harrington Chapel and Bethany Church in Plano. Studying old newspapers, I learned that she also enjoyed socializing, attending parties and meeting other persons of the local society.

 Transcription
Correspondence. Harrington Chapel Items

Bro. Humphries filled his pulpit Sunday at eleven o'colock.

The Children's Day program was to have been rendered last Sunday night was rained out but will be carried out Sunday night beginning at 8:30 p.m. Everybody cordially invited.

Miss Ina Erickson of Allen is the guest of Misses Leone Matthews and Victoria and Viola Gant this week.

The ladies Missionary Society was entertained at the home of Mrs. John Harrington. Several invited guests present were entertained with music by Misses Maud Davis and Leone Matthews, and readings by little Misses Helen Davis and Fannie Lee Harrington. Refreshments served consisted of ice cream and cake.

Sunday School every Sunday morning at 10 o'clock. Everybody come. Junior League at 3 p.m. They are doing a good work with the children.

J. H. Harrington started his thrashing machine Thursday. The big rain Sunday intereferred with the thrasher men.

Mrs. J. V. Brimer has returned home from McKinney where she had a surgical operation on her neck. She is improving at this writing.

Miss Leone Matthews entertained the following to dinner Sunday: Misses Mildred Kennedy, Ethel Howard, Victoria and Viola Gant, Ina Erickson, and Willie Brown of Allen.

Mrs. Lee Howard and children were Frisco visitors Tuesday.

Clipping source: Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 27, 1912, newspaper, June 27, 1912; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570549/: accessed June 4, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

• Mr. J. H. Harrington was John Huffman Harrington, husband of Fannie, the Fannie Harrington Chapel leader.
• Mrs. Lee Howard (Dora Elizabeth Angel, wife of Robert Lee Howard) mentioned above was Victoria's aunt. Ethel Howard was Dora's daughter, Victoria's cousin. Viola Gant (Viola Winfred Gant, born 1895) was Victoria's younger sister.

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From Harrington Chapel news:
Transcription
Mrs. J. L. Angel who has been sick, is now convalescent.

Miss Tessie Dupree was the guest of the Misses Gant Sunday.

Clipping source: Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 23, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 9, 1912, newspaper, May 9, 1912; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570559/: accessed June 4, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

• Mrs. J. L. Angel was Mrs. Opal Angel nee Blankenship, wife of James Lafayette Angel. The latter one was Victoria's third cousin once removed.

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Bethany Church news: Transcription

Evelyn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Carpenter, who was operated on for appendictis, was resting nicely at last report.

Miss Lula Brown and sisters, Misses Victoria and Viola Gant, entertained the young folks Saturday night. Games were the diversions of the evening. About thirty-five guests were present and each left thanking these young ladies for such a delightful evening.

Quite a crowd attended the closing exercises of the faulkner school Friday night.

Clipping source:

Logsdon, Ernest. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 1, Ed. 1 Saturday, May 18, 1912, newspaper, May 18, 1912; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570314/: accessed June 4, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

• Miss Lula Brown was Victoria's sister. 
• Mr. G. E. Carpenter was Gibson Edgar Carpenter (born 1856 in Plano).  He was our distant relation (related to the Brown and also to the Harrington family). Gibson's wife was Elizabeth Cyrene King (born 1876). Their daughter Evelyn King Carpenter was born in 1899.

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Transcription
Misses Victoria and Viola Gant have returned home to their home at Plano after a delightful visit to their cousin, Miss Nona Porter, of this city.

Clipping: Perkins, Tom W. & Wilson, Walter B. The Weekly Democrat-Gazette (McKinney, Tex.), Vol. 30, No. 32, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 12, 1912, newspaper, September 12, 1912; McKinney, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth292114/: accessed June 4, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

• Nona was a daughter of Jeannie Mae Howard and Thomas Alexander Porter.
• "This city" was McKinney.

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21 Jan. 1915

Transcription

ENTERTAINS

---

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Witt entertained quite a number of young people Thursday night, "forty-two" being the diversion of the evening. Those present were: Miss Nona Porter, of McKinney,; Miss Leone Erickson. Terah Philpot, Etta Grantham, Isabel Beverly, Geraldine Schimelpfenig, Winnie Bourn, Ethel Howard, Lula Brown, Victoria and Viola Gant, Messrs. May-jor Bush, Vennie Tucker, Hendrick, Madingly, Nence Duke, Jess Scott, Cecil Richards, Glenn Dupree, Buster Scott, Estier, Walter Yarbrough, Walter Cocrell, Miss Geraldine Schimelpfenig and Mr. Jess Scott of Allen, won high score.

Clipping: Wankan, Fred E. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 35, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 21, 1915, newspaper, January 21, 1915; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601768/: accessed June 5, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

• Mrs. Arthur Witt was Clevie May Brown, Victoria's sister. 
• Cecil Richards was Lenzie Cecil Richards (born 1890), the future husband of Ethel Howard (Victoria's cousin) - the two got married on 2 March 1916.  
• Glenn Dupree was Glenn Brent Dupree (born 1890) - a cousin of Victoria's brother's wife.
• "Forty-two" is a domino game, played like a card game. It requires constant domino dots counting and bidding at the right moment. The game was invented in 1887 by two Texas teenage boys William Thomas and Walter Earl. The youngsters taught their families to play the game, and soon it became a popular pastime activity all over Texas.  You can check on the game rules here.

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Transcription

(...) Mrs. Emma Hart and daughter of Murphy are visiting G. M. Hart and wife. Misses Winnie Bourn and Victoria Gant visited friends south of Plano Sunday.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 49, Ed. 1 Friday, May 12, 1916, newspaper, May 12, 1916; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601571/: accessed June 5, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

• Mrs. Emma Hart (Mary Emma Hart born in 1874) mentioned in the Bethany Itmes was also a relation - she was a sister of Andrew Morgan Gant.

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And the game of forty-two again. This time at the house of Gibson Egdar Carpenter.
Our Victoria must have been very good at that game.

Transcription

MEETING OF APRIL 28

At the hospitable home of Mr. and Mrs. G.E. Carpenter Friday evening, April 28, 1916, The Idlewise club and a large number of invited guests were most pleasantly entertained by Mesdames H. T. Farrell, J. S. Aldridge, Emma Bishop and G. E. Carpenter, members of the club.

There were fourteen tables of enthusiastic forty-two, a game that never looses its charm.
Miss Victoria Gant, a club member, won high score, having gained twelve games out of fourteen.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 50, Ed. 1 Friday, May 19, 1916, newspaper, May 19, 1916; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601603/: accessed June 5, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

• Wish I knew what that Idlewise club was. It seems it was not a local thing only as I have found that name in some old newspapers issued in other states as well.

• Mrs. J. S. Aldridge was Annie Bell Haggard, wife James Shelton Aldridge (b. 1866). James was related to our aunt Lula's (Victoria's sister's) father.

The game evening report was not exactly correct - see below.

Transcription

PLEASE MAKE THIS CORRECTION
---
I want to call your attention to a slight error made in last week's account of the forty two party at Mrs G. E. Carpenter's. Instead of Miss Victoria Gant winning twelve games out of fourteen, she won every game played, which was something never done before the history of the club.

A GUEST

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 51, Ed. 1 Friday, May 26, 1916, newspaper, May 26, 1916; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601588/: accessed June 5, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

Bravo Victoria! Proud of our aunt Vickie!

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In 1918 Victoria was in a serious car acciden the result of which was her broken back. Victoria recovered and devoted herself to taking care of the family members. She looked after the sick ones, and the children of the family, helped those ones who needed her guardianship.

Aunt Victoria

The people who knew her say she was like a living saint - unselfish and caring, devoting her time helping others.

In 1972, Victoria lived at 3626 Oak Grove Ave in Dallas. The house no longer exists. Victoria passed in DOA Parkland Memorial Hospital on 5 October 1972 at 3:15 AM (due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease). She was 79 years old.

Victoria's body was buried at Plano Mutual Cemetery.

Credits
Photo of the grave marker: mystic75074