James William Goree
&
Mary Ella Gowdy
Wedding Day
James
William Goree was the son of Robert Gilliam Goree and Frances Elizabeth
Johnson (1836 - 1865). He was born on June 26, 1862 in Georgia.
After his mother's death, he and his father moved to Fannin
County, Texas and, then, later to Grayson County, Texas. James'
occupation was a railroad bridge builder and contractor. He married
Mary Ella Gowdy on October 20, 1892. Shortly after their
marriage, James and Mary had one of the first greenhouses in north
Texas. The greenhouse was built out of old church windows for
Mary to pursue her passion for growing plants and flowers which she
shared with family and friends. This first greenhouse developed
into a successful greenhouse and florist business. They moved the
business to Paris, Lamar County, Texas in 1909.
J. W. Goree Home and Greenhouse
Whitewright, Texas |  |
ca 1909
Postcard of Goree home inherited by daughter, Ruth Elizabeth Goree Eubanks.
J.W. Goree died of a stroke in 1917 when he was only 55. James’
death certificate states that his funeral was held at the family residence,
east of town (Paris) on 15 Aug 1917. His occupation
was that of “florist”. Burial was held at Evergreen
Cemetery in Paris, Lamar County, Texas.
Cost
of funeral:
Casket size 6/3: $125.00
Embalming: $25.00
Hearse: $10.00
7 Autos: $35.00
Coach: $5.00
Flower Car: $3.00
Open grave: $5.00
Total: $208.00
Tuesday, August 14, 1917
The death of Mr. J.W. Goree at his home in the eastern part of the city at 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon has caused genuine sorrow in many
of the homes of this city where he had shed the radiance of his splendid Christian character. It is probably that no man who has ever lived in this
city has made so many true friends as has Mr. Goree.
He was stricken with something like apoplexy Saturday night and never rallied, death ensuing at 4:30 Monday afternoon. The end of his life came at a time when seemingly he was just starting on larger things for the city of Paris in incident to the installation of a modern system of greenhouses. Mr. Goree had just recently returned from Chicago where he had purchased a large stock of plants, etc. for his new greenhouse, now being erected just south of the city. While in Chicago he visited quite a number of the larger places in that city and section devoted to floriculture
and had planned improvements in his system here in keeping with the new features which he had found in his investigations. It is sincerely hoped that the death of this good man will not necessarily mean the abandonment of the vast enterprise which he had planned.
Mr. Goree was born in Georgia, June 26, 1861 and moved to Texas in boyhood with his parents who located in Grayson county. He married Miss Mary Gowdy in 1892 and started out in life as a railroad bridge builder, later he became engaged in the occupation of a florist and keeper of greenhouses and located at Whitewright, where he remained several years and built up a big business. Seeing an opportunity to enlarge however, although well established, he moved to Paris 9 years ago.
He is survived by his wife and one son, John; and 4 daughters, Misses Ruth, Pearl, Mabel and Sarah. The funeral service will be held at 3 o'clock tomorrow afternoon at his late residence, Rev. L.C. Kirkes of the Central Presbyterian church
officiating, assisted by a minister from Whitewright. Burial will be at Evergreen cemetery.
Mary Ella Gowdy Goree
| THE PARIS NEWS
August 17, 1961
Funeral services for Mrs. James W. Goree, prominent
Paris florist and member of a pioneer Grayson County family, will be held
at 2:00 p.m. Saturday at Fry & Gibbs Chapel, with the Rev. Melville
D. Nesbit officiating. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery.
Mrs. Goree, 87, died Thursday at 10:45 a.m. at the
Sanitarium of Paris, where she had been a patient for several weeks. She
had been a florist here for nearly 60 years.
Mary Ella was born 26 Oct 1873, at Whitewright, Texas,
where her parents, John Gowdy and Sallie Porter, had settled after coming
to Texas. The Gowdys gave part of the land to build the town of Whitewright.
The former Mary Ella Gowdy married James W. Goree
on 20 Oct 1892 at Whitewright. She had attended public schools there and
also Grayson College.
Before coming to Paris in 1904, Mr. & Mrs. Goree
had been in the flower business in Whitewright. Prior to that, growing
flowers had been a hobby for Mrs. Goree. Their first greenhouse was built
out of windows salvaged from an old church.
They opened their uptown store on Lamar Avenue in
1916. Mrs. Goree became manager when her husband died in 1917. The Goree
greenhouses have been very successful. Goree flowers have been presented
to two Presidents, Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft; and other
prominent persons, such as William Jennings Bryan and Philip Sousa. The
greenhouses have always been a family affair.
Collecting paper weights was a favorite hobby of Mrs.
Goree. She had more than 200. She was a member of the Central Presbyterian
Church, the Chamber of Commerce, and several florist associations.
She was ever thoughtful and generous of her friends
and numerous organizations in Paris.
She gave flowers for many public affairs and charities,
and to hospitals for distribution among the ill. On Easter, Mother's Day
and Christmas many elder persons, shut-ins and the hospitals were remembered.
Survivors include her children, Mrs. Ruth Eubank of
Houston, John Goree, Mrs. Pearl Barnett, Mrs. Mable Hutchison and Miss
Sarah Goree, all of Paris; grandchildren, James Hutchison and Saradene
Goree; 3 great-grandchildren, Ray, Jan and Jerry Hutchison. |
Children
of
James William Goree & Mary Ella Gowdy ca 1908
Left to Right:
Ruth, age 15; Pearl, age 13, John, age 10; Sarah, age 5; Mabel, age 1 
Ruth Goree Eubank
1893 - 1986 | LAMAR COUNTY ECHO
December 4, 1986
Ruth Goree Eubank, widow of S. J. Eubank, 2464 Cherry
St., died at McCuistion Regional Medical Center at 10:57 p.m. Friday, 29
Nov 1986.
Services were held Monday, December 1st, at Evergreen Cemetery
with Dr. George Faison officiating. Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home had charge
of arrangements.
Ruth was born in Whitewright, Texas, a daughter of James
William Goree and Mary Ella Gowdy. She attended Paris schools and married
Sira J. Eubank on June 6, 1931. She lived in Houston until the death of her
husband when she returned to Paris. She was a member of the Central Presbyterian
Church and the Mary Baker Sunday School Class.
Preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Sira
J. Eubank on September 17, 1975; brother, John Robert Goree in 1966.
Surviving are three sisters, Pearl Barnett of Paris,
Sarah Goree of Paris and Mable (Manson) Hutchison of Paris; nephew, James
Hutchison of Rt. #6, Paris; one niece, Sarah Dene Goree of Paris; and several
great nieces and nephews. | 
Mary Pearl Goree Barnett
1895 - 1993 | THE PARIS NEWS
1993
Pearl Barnett, 97, 2464 E Cherry, died Sunday, Aug 23, at her home.
Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday,
Aug. 24, at Evergreen Cemetery with the Rev. Cline Davis officiating. Fry and
Gibbs Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. The family will be at the home
of Mrs. Barnett.
Mrs. Barnett was born Oct. 18, 1895, in Whitewright,
a daughter of James William and Mary Ella Gowdy Goree. She attended schools in
Paris and was a member of Central Presbyterian Church. She married Frank Barnett
in 1923. He died Dec. 19, 1951. She was a longtime partner with the former Goree
Greenhouses of Paris.
Surviving are two nephews, James Hutchison of Paris
and Charles Joiner of Leonard; one niece, Sarah Dene Goree of Paris; and a
number of great nieces and nephews. | 
John Robert Goree
1898 - 1966 | THE PARIS NEWS
November 15, 1966
John Robert Goree, 68, member of a family of longtime
Paris florists, died Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. at McCuistion Hospital after
three years of ill health. He lived at 262 25th NE.
Services are set for Thursday at 2:00 p.m. and will
be conducted at Fry & Gibbs Chapel by Jack Grant of Lamar Avenue Church
of Christ. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.
Son of the late James W. Goree and Mary Ella Gowdy,
John was born at Whitewright, 29 Mar 1898, but had lived here since the
family moved to Paris in 1904. He married Miss Laura Parchman of Deport,
11 July 1923.
Associated with the family florist and greenhouse
business until it was disposed of a few years ago, he had since then operated
his own business. He was a Presbyterian.
Survivors include his wife, Laura; daughter, Sarah
Dene Goree, a city school teacher in Wichita Falls; four sisters, Mrs.
Ruth (S. J.) Eubank of Houston, Mrs. Pearl (Frank) Barnett of Paris, Miss
Sarah Goree and Mrs. Mable (Manson) Hutchison of Paris; nephew, James Hutchison
of Rt. #6, Paris. | 
Sarah William Goree
1903 - 1989 | LAMAR COUNTY ECHO
October 16, 1989
Sarah Goree, 2464 E. Cherry, died at McCuistion Medical
Center at 11:20 p.m. Sunday, 15 Oct 1989.
Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday,
17 Oct, at Evergreen Cemetery with the Rev. Cline Davis officiating. Fry
& Gibbs Funeral Home has charge of arrangements.
The family will receive friends at the Goree home.
Sarah was born in Whitewright, a daughter of James
William Goree and Mary Ella Gowdy. She was a longtime florist here. She
attended Paris schools and worked at Goree's Greenhouse until the business
was sold and she retired.
She was a member of Central Presbyterian Church and
its Anchor Sunday School Class and a member of Circle III of the Presbyterian
Women. She was a former member of the Paris Business and Professional Women's
Club and was a member of FTD for a number of years.
Surviving are two sisters, Pearl Barnett of Paris
and Mable (Manson) Hutchison of Paris; one nephew, James Hutchison of Rt.#6,
Paris; one niece, Sarah Dene Goree of Paris; a great-nephew and two great-nieces. | 
Mabel Fender Goree Hutchison
1907 - 1993 | THE PARIS NEWS
Wednesday, April 7, 1993
pg. 16A
"...85,
2485 E. Cherry, died Tuesday, April 6, at McCuistion Regional Medical
Center. Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home to conduct graveside
services at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 8, with Rev. Cline Davis
officiating.
Born in Whitewright, a daughter of James William
& Mary Ella Gowdy Goree, she married Manson Hutchison Sept. 25,
1925. She was a partner in the family business, the former Goree
Greenhouses and was a member of Central Presbyterian Church.
Surviving
are her husband; a son James Hutchison, Rt. 6, Paris; three
grandchildren, Ray Hutchison of Paris, Jan West of Ft. Worth, and Jerri
Attanasio of Knoxville, Tennessee; four great-grandchildren; a sister
Pearl Barnett of Paris." |
Sallie Porter Gowdy and granddaughter Ruth Goree
ca 1894
J. F. Northern Photography, Whitewright,
Texas
Seated (L-R): Mabel F. Goree Hutchinson; Mary Ella Gowdy Goree
Standing (L-R): Mary Pearl Goree Barnett; Sarah W.Goree
Biography Index
Susan Hawkins
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