Cenie Elizabeth Moss

Notes:

The Victoria Advocate, Nov 16, 1986

Refugio-Cenia Moss Risher, 95, of Refugio died Friday at a Refugio nursing home.

She was born June 5, 1891 in Refugio to George W. Moss and Marcena McGrew Moss. Except for a brief period in which she taught school in Bayside and for two years as a bride i Oklahoma, her entire life was spent in Refugio. She was a life long member of Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church. She was preceded in death by her husband Raymond L. Risher in 1934...burial....Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Refugio.

She is survived by three daughters, Pauline KANE of Fort Worth, Mrs. Joyce GILEVICH of Riverside, CA, and Mrs. Lois TUTTLE of Woodsboro; one brother, Basil Moss of New Orleans, two sisters, Josephine MOSS and Mr. France Moss MAGOTT, both of San Antonio, 18 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren.

Grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

Family/Spouse: Raymond Llewellen Risher. Raymond was born on 26 Nov 1887 in Kansas; died on 2 Jun 1934 in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas; was buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Refugio, Refugio County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
At the time of the 1930 census, they were residents of Refugio, and living with them were daughters Pauline, 11, Frankie L. 9, Lois 7, Dorthy 3 and Joyce 1.

George married Marcenia McGrew. Marcenia (daughter of John McGrew and Julia Hart) was born about 1868 in Refugio County, Texas; died about 1891. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Said to have married G. W. Moss.

Notes:

Middle initial variously shown as J, H or M. Ester McGrew Hardin states his middle name was MOODY.

Children names were obtained from both census records and a letter from Clara Manning, a descendant of Katherine McGrew McGuill to Esther McGrew Hardin. The McGrew's lived in Blanconia, just barely across the Refugio county line in Bee County. It was distinguished in the early days as being the headquarters of Sallie Scull, a notorious woman cattle operator and gunwoman.

John McGrew was killed in a gunfight in front of a saloon in Refugio in 1876. According to Hobart Huson's book "Refugio":

"Charles Berkowitz moved to Refugio and founded the famous "Bull's Head Saloon" at the southwest intersection of Alamo and Yabacion streets. It also had a gambling parlor associated with it. ..(perhaps the most noted gunfight) between John McGrew and Luke Porter. There was some sort of disagreement between the two men, and bullets began to spatter all over the place. The customers rushed to cover leaving a clear field to the principals. Present was a Mexican gambler, who with more courage than discretion tried to stop the melee. He stepped behind McGrew at the instant that a bullet from Porter's gund plowed through McGrew's body. The same bullet tore through the Mexican gambler's body and killed him." The footnote to this story cites W.L. Rea's "Memoirs."

His wife Julia Hart, whose parents were early settlers in the Irish Colony in nearby San Patricio, Texas.

Buried in Calvary cemetery.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1870 Census
Texas, Refugio County, SD Number 4, PO Refugio
Enumerated 8 July 1870 Stamped 139
71-71
McGrew, John 24 M W Stock Raiser 4--- $500 Miss
McGrew, Julia 23 F W Keeping House Tx
McGrew, Marcina 2 F W Tx
72-72
McGrew, R W 27 M W Stock Raiser $5000 $10,000 Miss
McGrew, Alice 24 F W Keeping House Tx
McGrew, Dixie 5 M W Tx
McGrew, Sophie 3 F W Tx
73-73
McGrew, WIlliam 78 M W Farerm 1000 $--- Ala
McGrew, Elvira 60 F W Keeping house Ga
McGrew, James 36 M W Stock Driver Miss
McGrew, Besty 30 F B House Servant Tx
McGrew, Harriet 36 F Mu Houseservant Tx
McGrew, Tom 4 M Mu Tx
McGrew, Billy 3 m Mu Tx
McGrew, Norah 5 F Mu Tx

John married Julia Hart on 2 Jun 1869 in Refugio County, Texas. Julia (daughter of Timothy Hart and Mary St. John) was born in Feb 1848 in San Patricio County, Texas; died on 20 Jan 1923 in Blanconia, Bee County, Texas; was buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Refugio, Refugio County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name Julia Mcgrew
Event Type Death
Event Date 20 Jan 1923
Event Place Blanconia, Refugio, Texas, United States
Gender Female
Marital Status Widowed
Birth Date:
Birthplace , Texas
Father's Name Timothy Hart, b. Ireland
Mother's Name Mary St John, b. Ireland
Informant Mrs. Joe McGuill, Blanconia
Certificate Number 2801
GS Film number 2074698
Digital Folder Number 005145618
Image Number 03258



Citing this Record:
"Texas, Deaths, 1890-1976," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K3CP-45X : accessed 08 Jul 2014), Julia Mcgrew, 20 Jan 1923; citing certificate number 2801, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2074698.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1880 Census
Texas, Refugio county
Enumerated Jun 1880
Page 5 SD 6 ED 128 Stamped 347
35-39
McGrew, Juila W F 33 Housekeepign Tx Ireland Ireland
McGrew, Massenia W F 11 Dtr Going to School Tx Miss Tx
McGrew, William W M 9 Son Tx Miss Tx
McGrew, Catherine W F 8 Dtr Tx Miss Tx
McGrew, John W M 6 Son Tx Miss Tx
McGrew, Agnes 2 F 4 Dtr Tx

1900 Census
Texas, Refugio County, JP 3
Enumerated 5 Jun 1900
SD 13 ED 71 Sheet 2B
26-26
McGrew, Julia Head W F May 1848 52 Wd 5/4 Tx Ireland Ireland Farmer
McGrew, William Son W M feb 1872 28 S Tx Miss Tx farm laborer
McGrew, Agnes Dtr W F Dec 1877 22 S Tx Miss Tx
Cowan, Edward Nephew W M Aug 1893 16 S Tx Tx Tx At School
Cowan, Joseph B Nephew W M Mar 1893 7 S Tx Tx Tx
Westin, Lewis Servant B M May 1832 68 S Ky Ky Ky Farm Laborer

Notes:

According to Esther McGrew Hardin, William P McGrew was in Copiah County, Mississippi in 1850, with two sons, with wife M. McGrew and Burrell Moody, 18, living with him. In view of this, and because Dr. William's son John H. named a son John Moody McGrew, Esther believes that the first wife of Dr. McGrew was a Moody. Nancy Lea Wilson Wright of Shreveport says that William McGrew's first wife was Marcina Moody Welch.

He was listed as a merchant and planter in 1850. He must have become a doctor sometime before he moved to Refugio prior to 1860.

Dr McGrew was one of the largest slaveholders in Refugio in the mid-1850s. Esther McGrew Hardin cites Hobart Huson, in his history REFUGIO, as noting these slaveholders were mainly planters and stock-farmers living along the San Antonio and Guadalupe Rivers, most whom brought their slaves with them. They were also, not surprisingly, some of the most active and leading secessionists in the county. Dr. William P. McGrew was chief justice during the period of 1862 to the end of the war. His court "took prompt and effective measures to guard against slave uprisings." They appointed patrols over the entire county, along with working to help support the families of the men who had gone to war.

The Refugio list of Home Guard units included: Thomas M. Duke, Thomas M. Duke, Jr.; Henry McGrew; James McGrew; John McGrew; Dr. William P. McGrew; Thomas McGuill; Alfred S. Thurmond.

After the end of the war, Dr. and Mrs. McGrew were said to have owned the original Mission Hotel, at the northwest corner of Alamo and Purisiama.

Wynema McGrew adds that he was also Mayor of Refugio and a Methodist preacher. She shows that he died ca 1884 in Beeville, Texas.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Census
Mississippi, Copiah County
23 Sept 1850
683-683
William P. McGrew 25 M Planter and Merchant 1200 Miss
M. McGrew 29 F Miss
John McGrew, 5 M Miss
William P. McGrew 3 M Miss
Burrell Moody 18 M Student Miss

1860 Census
Texas, Refugio County and Precinct, PO Refugio
Enumerated 23 Jun 1860
Page 13
168-133
Wm P McGrew 35 M MD 50 20,000 Miss
Clara F. V. 25 F Teacher New York
John H McGrew 15 M Miss
Wm H McGrew 13 M MIss
Albert G B 9 M Miss
William Downs 22 M Carpenter Miss

William married Marcina Moody on 12 Dec 1844 in Copiah County, Mississippi. Marcina was born about 1821 in Mississippi; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Wynema McGrews shows that she was the widow of Martin WELCH, and died prior to 1860.

Notes:

Married:
Wynema McGrews shows that they were married on 12 Dec 1844, in Copiah County, by Jesse Butler JP, John Gustavus, bondsmane.

Notes:

From the book "The Irish Colony In Texas" (p.186)

Mrs. G.H. Heldenfels of Beeville recalls "Timothy Hart, my grandfather, set out for his sheep ranch in McMullen County. He rode off with the money bags tied to the back of his saddle. With it he was to pay his sheep herders and a Tilden merchant who supplied them with provisions. On the way he stopped at the house of a Mexican friend who asked him to spend the night rather than to continue his journey. He thanked him but declined, saying he must push on as the sheep herders expected him. But his amigo urged him to spend the night, saying that there were two very bad hombres in the area, and he did not think it safe. Again Tim refused to stay. (When) he did not return to Papalote ... the alarm went out. A search was made to no avail. The only clue they had was what the Mexican man had told them. And this led to nowhere."

According to "Refugio" by H. Huson, Timothy Hart was among the signers of the Goliad Declaration of Independence.

Timothy married Mary St. John before 1847. Mary was born before 1831 in Ireland; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Her father was Edmund St. John, born in Ireland. Per a letter to Esther McGrew Hardin from Jeannie Ross (a great granddaughter of Julia Hart McGrew), Edmund St. John was on a boat that Colonel Power brought over. It was believed to have been shipwrecked off the coast of Texas, and many passengers fell to Cholera. (She cited H.Huson "Refugio") Jeannie also received information from the Texas State Archives that Ed. and William St. John were in the Texas Revolution, and were granted bounty lands.