The Whitewright Sun
April 23, 1920
pg. 6

George B. Gowdy, a pioneer citizen of this section, was found dead at his home in this city early Tuesday morning. He had been in ill health for some time, and for a week or more before his death his family and friends had noticed that he did not seem to be as well as usual, but they never thought of his condition being of a serious nature. Since his tragic death, his family and friends can recall things that he said and did that proves to them that he was not himself for several days preceding his death.
Mr. Gowdy's body was discovered early Tuesday morning hanging from the cross beam over a well in the back yard, where he gone in the early hours of the morning and hung himself. He left his room without disturbing the family and they knew nothing of the tragedy until neighbors discovered the body about 6:00 o'clock.
Mr. Gowdy went to his farm north of town Monday and looked after some work he was having done.  After he returned home he did some work in the garden and when he retired he seemed as well as usual.
Mr. Gowdy was born in Kentucky January 25, 1853. He came to Texas with his parents in 1856, and has lived in this community ever since. He was the last surviving member of this pioneer family. His father died while serving in the Confederate army and his oldest brother died from wounds received in the Civil war. After his father's death he took his place in the home and supported his mother and two sisters. During the hard times following the war he had to work hard and economize to support the family, during which time he acquire the habit of saving his earnings. This habit followed him throughout his life and as a result he left family in good circumstances. He was a man of his word and his word was as good as a bond. He was a good husband and father and it was always a pleasure to him to supply every wish of his family.  He was a good citizen and a good neighbor and was a true friend.
The funeral service was conducted at the family residence Wednesday afternoon by Rev. W.J. Epting of Madill, Oklahoma.  C.W. Bryant and Uncle Jim Andrews, both of whom had known the deceased since his boyhood, made short talks. Mr. Andrews served in the Confederate army with his brother and nursed him after he was wounded. Both of these gentlemen said they never had a better friend than Mr. Gowdy was, and he was one of the best neighbors.
Mr. Gowdy is survived by his wife and two daughters, Misses Lena May and Sallie Joe, who have the heartfelt sympathy of their many friends in this their saddest hour.
The remains were laid to rest in the City cemetery. A large number of relatives and friends attended the funeral services several of whom were from out of town.
The Bonham Daily Favorite
Thursday, September 18, 1969
pg. 2

Trenton - Mrs. Holmes Connelly, 69, died at her home here Thursday morning, September 18, 1869, after suffering an apparent heart attack.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church with the Rev. Leroy Martin, Baptist minister of Gainesville, and the Rev. Molton Kirchmiere, Trenton Baptist pastor, officiating.  Interment will be in the City Cemetery at Whitewright with Earnheart directing.
Mrs. Connelly, the former Miss Sallie Joe Gowdy, was born February 8, 1900 at Whitewright, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B.G. Gowdy.  She married Mr. Connelly October 10, 1922, at Whitewright.
She was a member of the Baptist church and a graduate of Baylor University.
Mr. Connelly had been in the drug store business in Trenton fifty years before retiring in 1968.
Mrs. Connelly is survived by her husband; a daughter, Mrs. David White, Dallas; a sister, Miss Lena Mae Gowdy of Whitewright and two grandchildren.

The Leonard Graphic
Friday, September 26, 1919
pg. 1

CONNELLY SERVICES IN TRENTON SATURDAY
Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon in the First Baptist Church in Trenton for Mrs. Holmes Connelly, 69, who passed away Thursday, September 18, 1969 at her home on South Paul Street.  Rev. Leroy Martin, Baptist minister of Gainesville and Rev. Milton Kirchmiere, pastor of the church, conducted the service. Burial was in the City Cemetery in Whitewright with Earnheart Funeral Home Directing.  Rev.  Herman Lancaster, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Whitewright conducted graveside services.
Mrs. Connelly was born February 8, 1900 at Whitewright.  She was the former Miss Sallie Joe Gowdy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B.C. Gowdy.  She married Mr. Connelly October 10, 1922 at Whitewright.  She was a member of the Baptist church and graduate of Baylor University in Waco.  She and her husband had been in the drug business in Trenton more than 50 years.
Pallbearers were James W. Donaghey, Clyde Robinson, Reed Robinson, W.H. Summers, R.D. Butler and Home Withrow.
Survivors are her husband of Trenton; one daughter, Mrs. David White of Dallas; one sister, Miss Lena Mae Gowdy of Whitewright; and 2 grandchildren, Bob and Susan White of Dallas.

The Whitewright Sun
Thursday, February 17, 1944
pg. 5

Funeral services for Mrs. B.C. Gowdy were held at the family residence in northwest Whitewright Sunday afternoon with Rev. W.J. Epting of Celina, former pastor of the Whitewright Baptist Church, officiating, assisted by Rev. E.P. Wootten, present pastor of the Baptist church.  Interment was in the City Cemetery, directed by Earnheart.
Mrs. Gowdy succumbed early Saturday morning, after being critically ill for the last 4 weeks.  She had been in failing health, however, for almost a year.  
She is survived by 2 daughters, Miss Lena Mae Gowdy of Whitewright and Mrs. Holmes Connelly of Trenton; and one granddaughter, Miss Elaine Connelly, a student at Baylor University at Waco; one sister, Mrs. Tennie Whitaker of Chattanooga, Tennessee; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Gowdy, whose former name was Miss Margaret Swearingen, was a native of Sparta, Tennessee and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Swearingen of that place.  After the death of her parents, she came to Texas in 1897 to visit relatives in Grayson County.  In the following year, 1898, she was married in Whitewright to B.G. Gowdy by the late Rev. R.F. Jenkins at his residence in west Whitewright.  That was in the horse-and-buggy days and Mrs. Gowdy often related in recent years how she was married while sitting in a buggy in front of the preacher's house and how her honeymoon trip was made by buggy from Whitewright to her husband's farm in the Canaan community.  When they reached there she cooked their own wedding supper of fried ham and biscuits.
In the years that followed the couple prospered and in 1903 they bought the residence in northwest Whitewright that has since been the family home.  After the death of her husband in 1920 Mrs. Gowdy assumed active management of their farms and always maintained a great interest in agriculture.  She became a successful business woman and her genial, positive character was a valuable asset.
She had been a member of the local Baptist Church for 45 years and was very active in the work of the W.M.U., being a charter member of that organization.  She was also a charter member of the T.E.L. class of the Sunday school.  When the present church building of the Baptists was built, she was active in her support of that and faithful in her attendance of the regular church services.
Fellowship with her friends and neighbors meant a great deal to her and she had a high regard for social obligations.  She was a gracious hostess in dispensing hospitality.  In recent years she had traveled extensively through the United States in company with her daughters, deriving both pleasure and profit from her travels but maintaining a greater loyalty to Texas, her adopted state.
Among out-of-town friends and relatives attending the funeral services were the following: Mr. and Mrs. U.K. Swearingen; Mrs. Joe Johnson of Weatherford; Mrs. J.W. Goree, Miss Sarah Goree, Mrs. Manson Hutchinson, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Barnett of Paris, Texas; Ferd Moore of Sherman; Osborne Cretsinger of Athens; Fern Inzer of Paris; Mrs. Biff Connelly of Leonard; Mr. and Mrs. Tom Holmes and son, Mr. and Mrs. Gus Holmes, Max Holmes, Mrs. Y.B. Reed, Raymond Reed, Mrs. Dolly Butler, Mrs. Grady Riley, Mrs. T.W. Ayres, Mrs. L.F. Southerland, Mrs. John Hill, Miss Lola McCollom, Mrs. Charlie Hill, Mr. and Mrs. Wig Summers, all of Trenton; Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Wortham, Mr. and Mrs. G.C. Marlowe and son of Bells; Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Lilley of Denison. - - - A Friend


The Bonham Daily Favorite
Sunday, April 15, 1973
pg. 8

GOWDY SERVICES HELD SATURDAY AT WHITEWRIGHT
Whitewright - Funeral services were held here Saturday afternoon, 3 o'clock, at the Earnheart Funeral chapel for Miss Lena Mae Gowdy, 74.
Miss Gowdy died Friday, April 13, 1973, in a Whitewright nursing home.
The Rev. Douglas Rymer, minister of the First Baptist Church, of which she was a member, officiated at the services and burial was in the Whitewright City Cemetery.
Miss Gowdy was born November 9, 1898, in Grayson county.  She was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. B.G. Gowdy.  She attended the old Grayson College in Whitewright and was a member of the Whitewright Friday Literary Club.
Survivors include a niece, Mrs. David White of Dallas, and a brother-in-law, Holmes Connelly, of Trenton.