Naples Nostalgia

This is a photo of the old Rocky Branch Store owned and operated by Nat Wright. The store was built in 1894 and was torn down in 1952. I remember stopping at the store with my family late one summer Sunday afternoon in the early 1940's to get a soda pop. The roads between Daingerfield and Naples/Omaha were not yet paved at that time.

Another photo of the Rocky Branch store. Photos provided by John Wright.

A photo of the Nat Wright house taken in the early 1900's. The fellers in the photo are, from left to right: Carl Higgins, Ernest Wright, Charlie Freeman and John S Thigpen. The store above would be to the right and in the foreground in relationship to this house.

A photo of the Rocky Branch school students taken about 1903.

Another photo of the Rocky Branch school taken about 1906.

Another photo of the Rocky Branch school taken circa 1915.

Top Row, from left: Wilburn Tittle, C.L. Pratt, Ed Foster, Jesse Pratt, Terrell Northam, C.N. Wright, John Freeman, Buster McDaniel, Ernest Nix, Oswald Freeman and Vernon Wright. Second row from top: Lonnie Ragland, Dessa Tigert, Estell Jones, Katy Terrell, Ruby Smith, Mattie Lou Martin, Annie Lou Conner, Willie Terrell, Lela Belle Tittle, Volu(sp) Stringfellow, Mary Jessie Northam, Mattie Lou Rice, Bernice? Jones, and Vinnie Lou Taylor. Third row from top: Wade Freeman?, Jessie Bazemore, Willie Stringfellow, Ella Richardson, Cecil Taylor, Sybil Rice, Eddie Bolen, Lucy Smith, Zula Stokes, Irma Stokes, Mabel Terrell, Lottie Stringfellow, Willie Hargrove, Winnie Lou Tigert, Irma McDaniel, Era Foster, Willie Bolen and Hub Boozer. Fourt row from top: Pete Bolen, ?, Oscar Suggs, Clarence Jones, Sally Tigert, Margaret Terrell, Ollie Dee Tigert, ?, W. May Hussey, ?, Alleree Northam, Pauline Northam, Woody Rice, Georgia Lee Hussey, Jack Wright, Joe Wright, and Lester Forsyth. Bottom row: ?, Frank Richardson, Morris Freeman, Joe Taylor, ? Martin, Morris Godfrey, Crowder Bolen, Cecil Pratt, Pete Taylor, Earl Stringfellow, Reese Old, Morris Hargrove, Elvin Boozer, and Lilburn Hall.
Photo taken about 1917.

Yet another photo of the 4th, 5th and 6th grades of the Rocky Branch School taken around 1925. Bottom row from left to right are: Ohue Fletcher, Wilton Tigert, Worth "Buddy" Tigert, George Thigpen and I.D. Minton. Second row are: James Murray Griffin, Edwina Harvey, Lucy Tigert, Lizzie Lee Tigert, Edna McDaniel, Suda Turner, Genoma Brunette, and Lucile Tigert. In the 3rd row are: Mary Collins, Hazel Rice, Ruby Carr, Alva Rea Harvey, Lillie Jennings, and Lizzie Mae Fletcher. In the 4th row are: L.J. Forsythe, Irma Lee Smith, Miss Eva Heard(teacher), Morris Brunette, and Fred Pratt.

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A fairly recent photo looking southward into Rocky Branch. Rocky Branch is approximately 6 miles south of Naples. Rocky Branch still has two churches and a convenience store. The Baptist Church is a relatively new building, but the Church of Christ appears to be on its last legs. I need to get a photograph of it quickly!! It is still being used, however.

Rocky Branch was so named for the site of a saw and gristmill established in the late 1870's. The community had a post office from April 28, 1890 until it was discontinued on December 15, 1904. The mail was ordered to Naples.

"Debt Free Tree"
In the late 1920's or early 30's five men, two of which were Bill Gilliam and Orb Gibbs, stood under this tree and repaid their debts. Bill Gilliam owed one of the men $1.00 and he reached in his pocket and paid his debt. It turned out that each man in turn owed another $1.00. The dollar bill passed around, each paying his debt, and the dollar bill wound up back in Bill Gilliam's pocket. Therefore, the name "Debt Free Tree". This tree is located near the present George Gilliam residence.

This is a photo of an old dead tree that stood until 1998. The "great fire of 1998" along the highway between Omaha and Daingerfield destroyed this old tree. It was located in L.J. Forsythe's pasture. I wonder how many picnics were held under it.

A photograph of the Spring Hill Baptist Church located about a mile or so north of Rocky Branch and between the Omaha and Naples highways. The church met on the 18th of March 1843 and Bethlehem Church was constituted into a church by J.V. Cherry, an ordained minister of the Gospel, and Alford Hefner, an ordained deacon. The membership consisted of D.T. King, Nancy King, Richard Tankersley, A.J. Hamack, Eliga G. Wolfe, A____ and Elizabeth Henson. The church was renamed Spring Hill on April 3, 1852, and the present building erected in 1859 by John A. Knight. (Note: John V. Cherry fought in the Texas War of Independence and was appointed by Sam Houston as interpreter for the indians. He was minister of the Concord Baptist Church and is buried near there, approximately a mile to the southwest of the church on his family farm.)

More Old Naples Photos

One Hundred Years Ago

Twix the Crix

Reunions

"In the Still of the Night"