Willie Morris Ragan

Notes:

She was a charter member of the JFG Chapter of the DRT. (White and Toole, p 57).

Notes:

Served as County Commissioner of Sabine County for several years, and he was a guard at Anthony's Ferry during a yellow fever epidemic, boarding with the Tom McGraw family of Hickory Hill, at that time. (White and Toole, p 57).

The digital image of his actual Texas Death Certificate, viewable online at FamilySearch.org, Texas Deaths, 1890-1976, shows his parents as Dr. Jubal Ragan and Martha Ann Broadway. The informant was Willie Ragan. He was shown as a retired farmer and stockman, and was not a veteran.

Name: John A. Ragan
Death Date: 06 Aug 1958
Death Place: Hemphill, Sabine, Texas
Gender: Male
Race:
Death Age: 87 years
Estimated Birth Date: 1871
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Marital Status:
Spouse's Name:
Father's Name: Dr. Jubal Ragan
Father's Birthplace:
Mother's Name: Martha Ann Broadway
Mother's Birthplace:
Occupation:
Place of Residence:
Cemetery:
Burial Place: Hemphill, Texas
Burial Date: 08 Aug 1958
Additional Relatives:
Film Number: 2115590
Digital Film Number: 4167375
Image Number: 1155
Reference Number: 47318
Collection: Texas Deaths, 1890-1976




(Medical):See attached sources.

John married Margaret Anna Youngblood on 3 Jan 1897 in Sabine County, Texas. Margaret (daughter of James Youngblood and Margaret J. Smith) was born on 9 Feb 1872 in Sabine County, Texas; died in 1967. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

MRS. MARGARET ANNA YOUNGBLOOD RAGAN DECEMBER 26, 1963

Mrs. Margaret Anna "Maggie" Youngblood Ragan will be 92 years old February 9, 1964, but a fresh complexion, twinkling eyes and amazing energy belie those years. Born in 1872 at the family home just past the bend in the north edge of Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas on the Milam road, she is the daughter of the master James and Margaret Smith Youngblood, members of pioneer families in Sabine County. The Youngblood's came from Mississippi by the way of Louisana.

Mr. Youngblood, oldest of 13 children, fought in 3 wars---Civil, Indian and Mexican--and did not receive a scratch. His relatives were not so fortunate, however. His father was killed in the Civil war (it is believed that he died in 1862); two brothers died in service, one lost an arm and another a leg. Mrs. Youngblood's grandfather, Robert H. "Bob " Smith was a man of means when he came to Texas. In the 1830's, persons desiring to become a citizen of Texas were required to have a sponsor who was already a citizen. Sam Houston, himself sponsored Mr. Smith, who lived on the Yellow pine Hi way where Roy Payne now lives. Bob Smith bought thousands of acres in many surveys in Sabine and other counties.

On January 3, 1897, Margaret Anna was married to John A. Ragen, who was born where Woods Garage now is. He is the son of Dr. Jubal Harper and Martha Ann Broadway Ragan, pioneers from Virginia. Before they were married, they never went anywhere together. During the week, he would send her a note by a Negro boy telling her he would be coming to see her on Sunday afternoon at the home of her parents. Her sister and family did not get to the wedding because the oxen which were to pull the wagon got out of the pasture and could not be found in time.

In 1900 they loaded up all their belongings in a covered wagon and drove a pair of mules to Greer County, Oklahoma to visit her father, sister and brother who had moved up there. It took them three weeks to get there, staying in wagon yards at night, and cooking in a "cook house" when they were in towns. Most of the time, however, they tied up by the side of the road, if you could call it a road, and did Thier cooking on campfires and slept in the wagon. They baked biscuits and cornbread everyday, using a "Dutch Oven" with 3 legs and a scooped out lid to put the coals on. She says it baked real good.

After a week or two of visiting, they set out on the return trip, but stopped for a year at the Halsell Ranch where they both worked. While there they took a train to Wichita Falls to see Ringland Bros. Circus and came home that night after the show. It was the only train ride that Mrs, Ragan ever took.

They finally returned to Hemphill because they did not like the severe weather, sand storms, wind and cold, and because they could not find a house to buy except a "dug out" This was a house built into the side of a hill with a portion of the hill used as walls so as to conserve building material which was quite scarce on the prairie in those days. Back in Hemphill, they bought a log house on 63 acres of land three miles south of town, which they farmed until 1928, when they traded with Bob Crowell and moved to Hemphill. Mr. Ragan died in 1958, and since then Mrs. Ragan has made her home with her only child, Miss. Willie Ragan of Houston. They spend time as possible at their home here.

Mrs Ragan recalls an incident of their Oklahoma trip. While they were spending time in a Fort Worth Wagon Yard, with a rain coat hung over the front of the wagon sheet. She had laid out a pair of trousers on the spring seat for Mr. Ragan to put on in the morning, and during the night she saw them rise up and go back down. The next morning they were gone, but when Mr. Ragan went to feed his mules, there the pants hung. Since there was no money in the pocket, the robber evidently didn't care to keep them.

James Youngblood is listed along with a brother and sister as living in Greer County Oklahoma and were the purpose of the above trip in 1900. However James Youngblood is listed on the 1910 Census of Sabine Co. TX. Therefore sometime between 1900 and 1910 he had returned to Hemphill.

C. Royall Oct 18, 1969.

Source: ARFAULKN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [ARFAULKN] Wagon Trip to OK. Nancy&Charles Royall [cnroyall@wcc.net]

Notes:

Married:
"Before they were married, they never went anywhere together. During the week, he would send her a note by a Negro boy telling her that he would be coming to see her on Sunday afternooon at the home of her parents. Her sister and family did not get to the wedding because the oxen which were to pull their wagon got out of the pasture and could not be found in time." (Speights, p. 36).

Notes:

They came to Texas ca 1860, and he served in the Texas Militia during the Civil War. (White and Toole, p 57).

Helen Schluter lists him as part of the Sabine County Volunteer Infantry in her annotated transcription of the 1860 census. J.H. Ragin was a private, born Ga; age 50; dark eyes; dark hair; dark complexion; 5 ft 8; Docter (sic). Parents: Jehu Ragan b 1793 in Ga, m Maria Harper (1794-1844) Grandparents: Jonathan Ragan b ca 1744 d 1814 m Ann T. Hall (He served under Col. Elisha Clark in the Amer. Revolution).

Jubal married Martha Ann Broadway before 1845. Martha was born on 18 Sep 1827 in Mississippi; died on 26 Mar 1871 in Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
They had a large fmaily, some researchers showing as many as 15 children. Speight's calls them "pioneers from Virginia."

Notes:

He was a Texas pioneer of which we are proud. He was a Texas Ranger, and participated in both the Mexican War and the Civil War. He was never known to curse, drink or use tobacco. (White and Toole, p 57). Virgie Speights writes he fought in three wars, Civil, Indian and Mexican--and did nto receive a scratch. His relatives were not so fortunate, however. His father was killed in the Civil War; two brothers died in service, one lost an arm and another a leg. (Speights, p. 36). She also indicates he was the oldest of 13 children.

James married Margaret J. Smith about 1856. Margaret (daughter of Robert H. Smith and Mary Ann Johnson) was born about 1839; died about 1877. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Educated in New Orleans, and was a beautiful lady. (White and Toole, p 57).

Notes:

The son of Benjamin and Susanna Collins Youngblood. Henry Youngblood and family moved to Desota Parish, LA in 1837. Eight of their sons fought in the Civil War, two of them giving their lives. (White and Toole, p 81).

There are numerous Youngblood families in the 1850 Newton County, Texas census. There connection to this family, if any, is not currently known.

Henry married Sarah Miller Harvey about 1816 in Marion County, Mississippi. Sarah was born about 1801; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

John Harvey, b ca 1700, was living in Va. in 1742, but moved his sons, John Jr., Michael, and THOMAS to S.C. in 1756. THOMAS HARVEY and his four sons, John, Evan, James, and MICHAEL (Sr.), are listed in the DAR Records. They were all in Gen. Eliza Clark's co. in the American Revolution. MICHAEL HARVEY (Sr.) d in Ga in 1810, m REBECCA HAWKINS, (dau of PINKETHMAN HAWKINS). Issue: MICHAEL JR. m POLLY CLOWER in Warren County, Ga in 1796. Issue: SARAH MILLER HARVEY, b Ju 10, 1801. The family moved to Pike County, Miss, in 1810. (White and Toole, p 81).

Notes:

Married:
Virgie Speights shows that they has 13 children. (Speights, p. 36).

Notes:

Robert H. Smith entered Coahuila-Texas sponsored by Sam Houston. He bought the Sion Smith Headright and paid for it four thousand red gold dollars. He is listed on the first census of Texas with parents, John and Mary Smith. Their home was on the Pineland Road west of Hemphill, and they are buried in the Smith Cemetery, now known as the Old Whitehead Cemetery. When Robert sold this land he reserved a fifty foot square of land for the preservation of the cemetery. This family was from North Carolina and was related to the Pace family, early pioneers of Sabine County. Robert H. Smith married Mary Johnson, and their home was where the Roy Payne home is now. He raised fine horses, farmed, was a real estate dealer, and a member of the Littleton Fowler Masonic Lodge, which buried him with full honors when he died Sept. 20, 1867 (White and Toole, p 56).

Robert + Mary Ann Johnson. Mary was born before 1819; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]