Robert Kilgore Grimes

His first marriage was to Julia R. Weaver, born December 9, 1864, the daughter of William W. and Sarah T. Read Weaver.  Their home was a double log house.  They became the parents of four children; John, Byron (Barney), May and Grace.  The mother of these children died October 19, 1895.  She was buried in Mt. Gilead Cemetery.

As a circuit rider, Robert K. Grimes served a church in the Benbrook Community.  There he met Anna Belle Moore, born February 20, 1860, who had come with her family from Indiana by covered wagon.  She became his second wife and the mother of two children, Edwin C., born June 11, 1898 and Mamie Belle, born May 17, 1900.  Being a woman of rare ability, she managed well the duties of a minister’s wife, stepmother and mother.  Her services extended beyond her immediate family to relatives and neighbors who needed her loving care.  A nephew, Wesley Caraway and his sister, Ruth, now Mrs. Alfred Lee Pipkin, remember her affectionately as their foster mother following the death of their own mother, Mrs. Nettie Moore Caraway. 

The Grimes’ children attended Lone Elm School.  Their religious training came from both parents.  They assumed a generous share of the farm work which left little time for play.  Their social life centered around the church and school.  Walking to and from Lone Elm was a happy experience as they were joined by children from neighboring farm families.  Family names which they recalled now are Fawks, Hogue, Johnson, Elston and Thompson. 

The father of the Grimes family died at his farm home April 2, 1921.  He was buried in Mt. Gilead Cemetery.  His wife Anna Belle died February 20, 1937.  She was buried in Bourland Cemetery.

The Grimes children married as follows; 1) John, born December 4, 1888, was married to Alice Keller on March 23, 1910.  They planned a quiet wedding at the home of Brother Simms, in Keller, before the hour for prayer meeting at the Union Church (now Presbyterian). 

The groom arrived at the bride’s home two hours late.  The reason for such a delay was that a team of wild mules, recently purchased, had broken out and had to be corralled.  However late, the wedding party proceeded to Keller, the bride and groom in one buggy and the groom’s sister, May and a friend Ellen Elston in another.

The explanation of Brother Simms’ failure to be at the church to conduct the prayer meeting on time brought the entire congregation to his front yard to attend the wedding.  Their ceremony was read while the bride and groom remained seated in their buggy.  Then the wedding party and guests went to the church for payer meeting.

John and Alice Grimes farmed in the Keller community for several years before moving to Burk Burnett.  They became the parents of seven children; Lawrence, Lloyd, Mildred, Ruby Estelle, Julia Ruth, Glenn and Geneva.  Ruby Estelle and Julia Ruth died in infancy. 

John Grimes died March 25, 1925 and was buried at Burk Burnett.  His widow Alice, now eighty one years of age resides in Fort Worth.

2) Byron (Barney) moved to Fort Worth where he was married first to Emma _______ and second to Alta __________.  He and his second wife were the parents of a daughter, Beverly Sue. 

3) May, born November 22, 1892, was married to Harold Brenholtz.  The wedding was held at the home and the bride’s father read the ceremony.  The young couple established their home at Denton, where the husband was a member of the staff at North Texas State Teachers College, later North Texas State University.  He passed away.  His widow resides in Denton.  Their children are Harold Robert, Gerald, Joanna, Eddie and Billy.

4) Grace, born December 28, 1894, was married to Earl Evans.  They were parents of five children; Kerman Lee, who died in infancy, Imogene, Raymond, Albert and Leonard.  Mrs. Evans resides at 3466 Locke in Fort Worth.

5) Edwin C., born June 11, 1898, married to Ruth Stewart.  They reside in Fort Worth and are active in the Travis Avenue Baptist Church, where he serves as a deacon.  They are the parents of two daughters, Patsy and Neeta.

6) Mamie Belle, born May 17, 1900, was married to Ivy Pearson.  Her father urged that the marriage be postponed because she was only seventeen.  For this reason, plans for the wedding were made secretly.  The chosen date was Sunday evening, July 26, 1917. When members of her family had gone to the church service at Mt. Gilead, Mamie Belle wrote a note for her parents to find when they returned.  Ivy arrived in a horse drawn buggy, rented from the Harrison Livery Stable.  Because the local ministers were all busy holding summer revivals, the young couple drove to Roanoke where the ceremony was read by Justice of the Peace Trotter. 

During their fifty one years of housekeeping, Ivy and Mamie Belle Pearson were residents of the Keller community.  They became parents of five daughters, Fannie Belle, Geraldine Faye, Iva Nell, Willie Aileen and Wanda Joy. 

In 1958, the Pearsons retired from farming and bought a home in Keller.  He passed away December 13, 1968 and was buried in Bourland Cemetery.  His widow resides at the family home at 134 N. Elm.

Information sources:

Mrs. Alice Keller Grimes

Mrs. Mamie Grimes Pearson