The Daily News
Tuesday, January 29, 1878
pg. 4

The funeral of Mrs. Binkley, who died Saturday at the residence of her father, Judge Wilson, in Preston Bend, was undoubtedly one of the largest ever witnessed in Sherman.  Seventy or eighty carriages were in the funeral cortege.  The sermon was preached by Dr. Reid at the Southern Methodist church.  The house was literally packed with people.  Quite a number of our citizens attended the funeral.  The deceased was a sister of Mrs. Slater, wife of J.H. Slater, President Drovers and Planters Bank.


St. Louis Globe-Democrat 
March 16, 1886

--Sherman, Tex., March 15.--Judge C. C. Binkley, President of the Merchants and Planters' National Bank of Sherman, died this evening at 8 o'clock, after an illness of several months.
Judge Binkley has been identified with Sherman, Tex., since 1853, when, with his father's family, he left Robertson County, Tenn., the place of his birth, for this little prairie village on the frontier of civilization. He began the practice of law, and was appointed District Judge by Governor E. J. Davis, in 1870. He held the office until a successor was elected by the people, and thereafter devoted his entire time to the management of the bank which he founded, and served as President up to this time. Sherman owes more to his liberality and public spirit than to that of any other citizen, and there are few business men in North Texas who will not remember his name with gratitude.


Sherman Daily Register
Thursday, March 17, 1886

C.C. BINKLEY
Resolutions of Respect Adopted By the Bar of the City of Sherman

The Order of the Funeral Procession, Feeling Remarks Made by Friends and Assciations
The bar of the City of Sherman met this morning at 9 o'clock in the district court room to pass proper resolutions showing the regret of its members at the death of Judge C.C. Binkley.  Judge Richard Maltbie was called to the chair, with S. Hare, Jr., secretary.
Capt. J.D. Woods, as chairman of committee appointed to draw resolutions, then, read the following
    RESOLUTIONS.
Resolved, That the members of the bar of the city of Sherman have learned with profound regret, of the death of Christopher C. Binkley, of this city, for many years our District Judge, and eminently distinguished as a judge and jurest, and as a citizen filling all the relations of life with fidelity.
Resolved, That the memory of the deceased deserves to be cherished with the utmost venation by the members of this bar, a judge of incorrupt...integrity, a statesman of fixed opinions, a citizen of unblemished reputation for honor and fidelity in all the private walks of life, always true to a friend and just to those who oppose him.
Resolved, That these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of the courts; that the immediate relations of the deceased be furnished a copy there of, that the newspapers of the county be requested to publish the same.
    J.D. Woods, Chairman
    J.D. Woods,
    T.J. Brown,
    S. Hare, Com.
Capt. Woods, then spoke of his past associations with Uudge Binkley, how they had fought side by side at the Sherman Bar from 1858 to the times of our great trouble the late war, how, in the twenty eight years of intimate association with him who is now cold in death.  He had ever found him a noble, upright, gentleman and a true friend and that he felt that the country sustained, in Judge Binkley's death, an irreparable loss.
Judge Hare, then ...and in few remarks expressed his regrets for the loss of his friend whom he had known and been associated with for over twenty years.
Mr. H.O. Head, then spoke of the great loss we all sustained by the death of this noble man.  He mentioned particularly one trait in his character, and that was his impartiality as a judge, that just after the late war, when our country was in chaos and crime was rife in the land, then it was that the incorruptible impartiality of the illustrious dead was put to the test; that during all the time he was on the bench he ruled boldly and...never movedby friendship or party affiliation to swerve from the path of duty and justice.
Our young county attorney, C.B. Randell, then expressed the feelings of the younger members of the bar, how they were proud of the great profession they had chosen made great by such men as Judge C.C. Binkley.
J.P. Mills, who has a...time been out of the practice, joined the bar in regrets, and expressed his feelings in a short address, after which Judge W.W. Wilkins moved that the resolution be adopted.
Motion carried unanimously.
Judge Wilkins then submitted the following resolution, which was adopted unanimously.
Resolved, That the bar of Grayson county owe it to the memory of Judge Binkley, to attend his funeral and that, therefore, the whole bar be requested to attend the remains of Judge Binkley to their last resting place.
    THE BURIAL SCENE
Promptly at 2 o'clock, as of one accord, every business house, railroad office, factory and establishment of any kind in the main part of the city closed doors in respect to the burial of Sherman's leading citizen, Judge C.C. Binkley.
At 2:15 p.m. the Grayson Rides Military band left the Armory on East Houston street and marched down Houston street to the northwest corner of the court plaza, thence south to the southwest corner of the plaza where faced about and playing a soft march led the way up Crockett street to the residence of the deceased.  At this point a halt was made and the pall bearers entered the death room.  At 2:30 pom.....of Capt. P.A. Ryan...out of the armory and marched up East Houston street to the corner of Travis, thence up Travis to the corner of Pecan; thence half a block down West Pecan where the company faced to the north on the south side of the street and opposite the Masonic Temple.
At 2:30 p.m. the pall bearers emerged from the residence bearing the remains of the deceased.  With muffled drums the procession of Brother Mason marched up North Crockett to the corner of Pecan, thence up Pecan to the Masonic Temple, where half was made and an order of face in given.  After this move the two collumns opened and the pall bearers with the remains slowly wended their way between the two lines and into the front entrance of the temple, followed by the relatives and friends of deceased.
The casket was conveyed to the stage, where it was placed upon two white stands, while the Masonic fraternity led in and formed a semi-circle as large as the stage would permit.  The relatives of the deceased were seated immediately in front of the casket, while the choir of the First Methodist church were seated with the organ on the left.  A soft funeral dirge was played as the sad procession moved in and at its conclusion Dr. M.Y. Brockett, an old and intimate friend of the deceased, after reading a selection suited to the sad occasion, pronounced an eulogy to the dead man, in which all the excellent traits of his character were brought out and spoken of in a feeling manner.  The large building was draped from pit to dome in black.  The pillars of the building were encased in black while the daring colors, which adorn the prosecutors boxes on ordinary occasions were displaced by black tied up with a knot of black crape while directly in front of the casket and just below the foot lights was another bunch of crape.
At 3:30 p.m. the funeral services at the Temple ended and the pall bearers again took up the casket and wended their way to the hearse which stood at the front entrance.  The band took up their position in front of the Masonic Fraternity, who were followed by the hearse which was attended by the pall bearers; after this came the
    FAMILY IN CARRIAGES
    GRAYSON RIFLES
    KNIGHTS of PYTHIAS
    UNIFORMED ENCAMPMENT
    Lodge 45, I.O.O.F.
    YOUNG LADIES N.T.F. College
    CARRIAGES
    HORSEMEN
The procession moved down Travis to the corner of Houston, thence down Houston across the Iron Bridge to Cemetery Avenue, thence south to the Cemetery where they have just arrived at the time 4:15 p.m.
It is estimated that the procession was fully a mile long and comprised 2000 people.  The streets were densely thronged and fully 7000 people viewed the procession.


Whitesboro News
March 19, 1886
pg. 3

Judge C.C. Binkley, President of the Merchants' and Planters' National bank of Sherman, died at his residence in that city last Monday evening at 8 o'clock, after several weeks' illness.  Judge Binkley was one of the wealthiest and most influential man in Sherman, and his loss to the city will be keenly felt.
The deceased has been a prominent citizen of Sherman since 1853, when he came a young man, with his father's family from Robertson county, Tennessee.  He practiced law until 1870, when he was appointed district judge by Gov. E.J. Davis, and on the election of his successor he retired from the bar and devoted himself to the management of the Merchants' and Planters' Bank, of which he was president from the founding until this time.  He had a large circle of business friends, throughtout North Texas, who esteem him for his generous dealing and who will do honor to his memory as one of the most upright citizens Texas ever possessed.  He may truly be called the father of Sherman, for the city owes more of its prosperity and development to C.C. Binkley than any ten men within its limits.  He grew rich honestly, and spent his wealth with princely hand whenever public enterprises or charity demanded it.  He was twice married and twice widowed but leaves no children. His funeral was conducted by the Masonic fraternity from his residence on Wednesday at 3 o'clock.

RESOLUTION
The following preamble and ....were unanimously ...at a called meeting of Whitesboro Lodge No. 263, A.F. and A.M., March 16, 1886
Whereas it has pleased the Grand Master of the universe to call from among the fraternity in Texas, on the 15th day of March 1886, one of our most honored and respected members, Bro. C.C. Binkley, of Travis Lodge No. 117 of Sherman, Texas, and:
Whereas, we realize in his death a severe loss to the fraternity, to his relatives, to his friends and to the business community of North Texas; therefore, be it
Resolved by Whitesboro Lodge No. 263, that we refer with pride to his many noble qualities, and...the veil of charity over his few shortcomings.
Resolved, that his charity, public spirit and honesty be commended to our brethren and that they be exhorted to divest themselves of that narrow and selfish spirit that would induce man to...for himself alone.
Resolved, that this lodge extend heartfelt sympathy to the distressed relatives of our departed brother.
Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be furnished to Travis Lodge No. 117, and a copy to the Whitesboro and Sherman papers for publication.
W.H. Trolinger
L.A. Hearn
J.M. Carlisle, Com.

Several Masons of this place attended Judge Binkley's funeral at Sherman last Wednesday.