James William Elston, the eighth
child of David E. and Hannah West Elston, spent his entire life of 67 years on
the homestead where he was born. He was
converted at the age of twelve and joined the Pleasant Run
Baptist Church. Later he moved his membership to Mt. Gilead,
where he was ordained as a deacon.
Eventually he became a member of the First Baptist Church of Keller.
He was married in 1900 to Nettie
Liegh Simon, a native of Dallas
County. They became the parents of two sons, William
Jennings Bryan, born July 4, 1901, married Lucille Howard; and Verda Leo, born
April 24, 1904, married Marie Andrews.
Present day descendents remember the father’s insistence that the barn
be kept in an orderly manner, especially the harness. Each piece was to be hung in a specific place
so there would be no fumbling when the horses were to be harnessed before dawn
for a long days work in the fields.
Both parents passed away at their
farm home, he on May 22, 1939 and she on ____ 15, 1949. Both are buried in Bourland Cemetery.
Following the pattern set by their
parents, Bryan and Verda established permanent homes on the Elston homestead.
Bryan was married to Lucille Howard. Their son, James Alva lives on a portion of
the land homesteaded by his great grandfather.
James Alva and his wife Mary Charles are the parents of one son, James
Alva Jr., who lives in Fort Worth.
The daughter of Bryan and Lucille
Elston is Billie Pearl, wife of L. Bates and the mother of two children, Rosie
and Tommy. Their home is in Bowie, Texas.
The second son of James William and
Nettie L. Elston is Verda Leo whose wife is Marie Andrews. They live on a portion of the Elston
homestead. Mr. Elston is retired after
being employed twenty one years with the Fort Worth Transit Company.
