Auther Pulliam

He was married in 1886 to sixteen year old Emma Dye.  They spent their lives as farmers in the Smithfield and Keller Communities.  They were the parents of five children; Henry Alfred, Alice, Almer (Boog), Leona and Mable.

Gravestones in Bourland Cemetery bear the following inscriptions:

Auther F. Pulliam, Woodman of the World, born November 20, 1860, died September 20, 1919.

Emma L. Pulliam born June 10, 1880, died May 19, 1923.

Statistics and information on the descendents of Auther F. and Emma Dye Pulliam:

1)      Henry Alfred was born on November 15, 1887, while his parents lived on the Jarvis farm east of Keller.  He never forgot the day he received his first store bought suit of clothes, purchased at the General Merchandise Store owned by B. Lavoise.  He rode on horseback with his father, to be enrolled in the primer at the two room school on Bear Creek.  Mrs. Jenny Forgy was his first teacher.  His seat mates were Willo Flemister and Ernest Haney.  Other playmates included Green Bourland, Marion Cheney, Alice Keller, Donie Houston and Mary Ellen Pipkin.  His teacher in the second grade was Miss Laura Price.

On October 24, 1909, Henry Pulliam was married to Myrtle Redding, born on July 16, 1893, the daughter of Bud and Ida (Swink) Redding.  The ceremony was performed at the Baptist parsonage in Roanoke.  They became the parents of five children.  Eva, the first child, born on December 16, 1912, was married to Leonard Keller.  Maurene, the second child, born on August 21, 1917, was married to Marvin Childers.  Twins, Boyd and Lloyd, were born on September 19, 1920.  Lloyd was married to Dorothy McCorley.  Boyd was married to Kathryn Sanders.  Morris Edwin, the fifth child, was born on September 27, 1923, was married to Helen Hackney.

The presence of identical twins in the family created a problem of identification for both parents.  Intending to punish each one for misbehavior, the father mistakenly paddled one of them twice.  When bad colds reached epidemic proportions, the mother relied on her home remedy, castor oil.  Because of his strong resistance, Lloyd barely missed getting the second dose which was really intended for Boyd.

The Keller community has been the home of the Henry Pulliams though the years.  Their golden wedding was celebrated in 1959 at the family home at 203 East Vine Street.

In addition to farming, Henry Pulliam was employed at the Keller Gin and the local mill and elevator.  He installed the first water meter in Keller.  He operated the Gulf Service Station for thirty two years, at the intersection of South Main and Vine Streets.  In addition to the sale of gasoline and oil, friendly greetings, good humor and homespun philosophy were dispensed without cost. 

Failing health caused Henry to retire in January of 1973.  Because of his illness, he and his wife, Myrtle, resided in Boulevard Manor in Fort Worth, where they celebrated their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary in 1974.

Myrtle Pulliam died on February 13, 1976 and Henry Pulliam died in 1976 also.  Both were buried in Bourland Cemetery.

2)      Alice, the second child of Auther and Emma Dye Pulliam, was born in December 1890.  She died in 1891 and was buried in the Smithfield Cemetery.

3)       Almer (Boog) Pulliam, the third child, was born on September 5, 1897.  He was married first to Vivian Higgins, born on March 27, 1897, the daughter of Martin and Permelia Higgins.  His second marriage was to Myrtle ----.  He and his first wife were the parents of three children, born in Keller.  The first, J.D., born on July 4, 1919, was married to Louise Bingham.  Martin Arthur, born on March 1, 1925, was married to Toy Tadlock.  Norma Joyce, born on November 12, 1929, was married to Walter E. Duncan.

Vivian Higgins Pulliam died on August 2, 1960 and was buried in the Grapevine Cemetery.  Almer (Boog) Pulliam died on March 31, 1973, after serving fifty years as a law enforcement officer.  He was buried in Bourland Cemetery.

4) Leona, the fourth child of Auther and Emma Dye Pulliam was born on June 10, 1902.  She was married on March 18, 1919 to Leroy Brown, born September 20, 1898.  They became the parents of two children before moving to Burleson.  Their first child, Frances Roberta, born on October 13, 1919, was married first to George Robert Witt and later to Roy Sparks.  By her first marriage, Frances became the mother of three sons, James Robert, Ronald and Roland.  William A., the second child of Leroy and Leona Brown, was born on December 26, 1924.  He was married first to Billie Ruth Branson and second to Ivy Cole.  To the first marriage a son, Terry, was born and to the second, a daughter, Candice.

Leona Pulliam Brown died on January 14, 1941 and was buried in the Burleson Cemetery.  Her husband, Leroy Brown, is a resident of Fort Worth.

4)      Mabel, the fifth child of Auther and Emma Dye Pulliam was born on October 26, 1907.  On November 5, 1923, she was married to Henry Buffington, born on February 26, 1904.  Two children were born to this union.  H.M. Jr., born on February 17, 1925, died on April 4, 1936.  Juanita, born on September 7, 1927, died on May 21, 1929.  Both children are buried in Bourland Cemetery.  Mr. and Mrs. Buffington are residents of Fort Worth.

Sources of information on the Pulliam Families:

Mr. and Mrs. N. J. Pulliam

Mr. and Mrs. Henry A. Pulliam

Boyd and Kathryn Pulliam

Bible records

Bourland Cemetery records

Mt. Olivet Cemetery records

Census Records 1880, Cannon County Tennessee

Valeria Pulliam Bently