Haley Family

 After the death of the mother, the father was married a second time.  Four children were born to this union.  They were Sally, Cora, Ben and Nettie.

Many of the members of this family spent their entire lives in Dallas County, contributing to the growth of a frontier settlement to a metropolitan area.  The family burial ground was donated to the community and is still known as the Haley Cemetery.

John became a doctor and is listed as one of the founders of the Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas.

Philip, the fifth child of William and Lucinda Haley, born June 2, 1861, became a farmer.  He was married January 16, 1884 to Rebecca Jane Fulbright, born September 6, 1861, the daughter of William A. and Mary A. Brock Fulbright, who came to Texas from Missouri.  Philip and Rebecca Jane Haley became the parents of seven children; Mary Katherine (Kate), Ethel Jane, May, Harry Olen, Henry Daniel and Roy Martin.

In 1900, Philip decided to seek a new location for his farming activities.  He sold his home in Dallas County and made preparations for a long overland trip.  One team and covered wagon chosen to carry household goods was drive by Byrom Kistler, a nephew of Mrs. Haley.  The parents and younger children rode in the second wagon.  Kate and Ethel, ages 10 and 8, drove a pony hitched to a single buggy. 

Roads were rough and bridges were scarce.  From Irving, the small caravan headed north to ford Red River and explore Indian Territory, now Oklahoma.  If a wagon yard was available at nightfall, the family sometimes enjoyed the comfort of a camp house.  More often, they camped by the trailside and slept in the wagons.

Not finding a suitable location in the Territory, Philip Haley came back across Red River and looked over the farming land in several north Texas Counties.

Weary from three months of travel, the family stopped at a small settlement in Palo Pinto County.  Philip asked a resident if there was a camp ground near.  He was told that there was one down by the creek, but panthers were bad in that area.  He asked if the panther were shod.  The answer was and astonished ‘no’.  Philip said, “Well, I’m not afraid of them.  Nothing could get over these rocks without shoes.”

A few more days of travel brought the Haley’s to Tarrant County, where they bought a farm five miles north west of Keller.  Their travels had brought them back to within thirty miles of their former home, friends and relatives in Dallas County.  Asked if she wanted to visit Grandma, six year old May remembering the tiresome journey said, “No!  It would take too many nights.”

If any questioned his choices of a black land farm instead of sandy land, Philip answered with characteristic Irish wit, “If you stick to this black land in dry weather, it will stick to you when it’s wet.”

The farm was the family home for twenty-two years.  The children grew up there and attended the Lone Star School and the Keller Church of Christ. 

In 1922, Philip Haley and his wife sold their farm and moved to Haslet.  This change did not mean retirement for a man of such boundless energy.  He continued to operate a thresher, lent a helping hand to his children and cared for his wife who was in failing health. 

Rebecca Fulbright Haley died March 9, 1923 and was buried in Bourland Cemetery.  Philip Haley died March 2, 1951 and was buried beside his wife.

The Haley children married as follows:

1)      Mary Katherine (Kate) Haley, born February 19, 1885, married Joseph Henry Creecy, born June 6, 1871, in Tennessee and died May 11, 1927.  Their first home was in Kaufman County, where the Creecy ancestors had settled when they came from Tennessee to Texas.  Four of the seven children of Kate and Henry Creecy were born in Kaufman County; Mae, born May 12, 1910; Twins Nora Ethel and Dora Jane, born December 24, 1912 and Bertha Elizabeth, born May 28, 1913.  In 1914, the family moved to Tarrant County and bought the Boone Farm west of Keller.  The log cabin, a relic of early days, still stands on acreage owned now by the Earle Mash family.  Three more children were born here; John Philip, August 28, 1915; Josie Pearl, May 22, 1917 and Ethel Wynona, December 7, 1919.  The father of this family died May 11, 1927 and was buried in Bourland Cemetery.  His death left a widow with seven children, the oldest only eleven years of age.    The widow and her children continued to operate the farm with the help of her father Philip Haley.  The children walked across the fields to and from the Keller School.  Neighbors who walked with them were Clara Johnson and the Tom Crawford children.  Faster transportation came with the purchase of their first automobile, a model T Ford with side curtains to be buttoned on in bad weather.  The farm home was sold in ----.  Mrs. Creecy moved to Haslet.  The children married as follows:  Mae married William Golladay; Nora Ethel married Allen A. Carlile; Dora Jane married Martin E. Caster; Bertha Elizabeth married James C. Courtney; John Philip married Anna Louise Thweatt; Josie Pearl married Ernest E. Courtney and Earl Pennington, and Edith Wynona married J.W. Branan.

2)      Ethel Jane, born September 8, 1892, was married December 24, 1911 to Rufus Mart Haire, the son of Calvin Haire and his wife, Amanda Thompson Haire.  The wedding was held at the bride’s home.  T.A. Lowery, minister of the Keller Church of Christ read the ceremony.  The Haire family lived east of Keller in the Jellico Community.  They became parents of four children.  Their first child, Ethel Irene, died at birth on December 15, 1912 and was buried in Mt. Gilead Cemetery.  Martin Philip born January 1, 1914 and died December 3, 1959.  He was married to Nell Daniel.  Claudie Calvin was born January 3, 1916, died June 19, 1934 and was buried in Bourland Cemetery.  Clara Juanita was born January 4, 1920 was married to Clarence E. Steward.  Mart and Ethel Haire have retired from farming and live now in Fort Worth.  Mr. Haire is employed as a patrolman at the school crossing on Highway 377.

3)      May Haley, born September 3, 1894, was married to James T. Clampitt, born July 22, 1884, in Tennessee, on December 26, 1915.  The wedding was held at the Haley home.  The ceremony was read by Harve Moore, Minister of the Church of Christ.  Mother Haley served dinner to the bridal party and guests.  The Clampitts, who were farmers, began their housekeeping at a place north west of Haslet.  Subsequent moves took them to Newark, to West Texas, and finally back to Tarrant County, where they bought a farm on half mile south of Haslet.  Their daughter, Ruby Irene, born February 17, 1917, is now Mrs. Frank Joplin.  The son, James Edward, born January 7, 1920, is married to Virginia Griffith.  James T. Clampitt died September 5, 1967 and was buried in Bourland Cemetery.  Mrs. Clampitt lives at her farm home south of Haslet.

4)      Harry Olen Haley, born 1896, died 1964 and was buried in Bourland Cemetery.  He was married to Lee Hooten and Virgie York.

5)      Henry Daniel Haley married Ollie Murdock and Katie Stovall.

6)        Roy Martin Haley married Anna Beth Roy(?).

References:

Mrs. May Haley Clampitt

Mrs. Mae Creecy Golladay