Van Alstyne Leader
February 10, 1961

On Saturday, Feb. 11, the second of Van Alstyne's residents to reach the century mark in age will be Mrs. Bird Amonett, who makes her home here with her daughter, Mrs. Raymond Arrington.  While open house will not be observed, her friends are invited to drop in and see her Saturday.  She still possesses remarkably good hearing and clear understanding, although her eyesight is not so good.  Until three years ago, she was active.
Mrs. Amonett was born at Celina, Gray County, Tennessee, on Feb. 11, 1861.  At the age of 17 she was married to T.M. Amonett in Tennessee.  Her husband died in 1931.  She has lived in and within 2-1/2 miles of Van Alstyne for seventy years.
She is a charter member of the First Christian Church, having united with the church when it was first organized at Mantua before the town of Van Alstyne was started.
She is the mother of the following children: Mrs. J. R. Ross of San Antonio, George Amonett of Houston, Mrs. Annie Joe McNeill of Dallas, Johnnie Bob Amonett of Dallas, Mrs. A. B. Ayres of Sherman, Jack Amonett of Van Alstyne and Mrs. Raymond Arrington of Van Alstyne.  Until 1952, there had been only one death among her children and grandchildren, and that was a son in California in 1918.  Mrs. Amonett has 16 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.