James Anderson Crenshaw
A Confederate Hero—a Good Citizen

James A. Crenshaw was the son of Richard and Mary Crenshaw. He was born on the old family homestead in Mecklenburg County, Va., July 20, 1842.

After reaching manhood, he joined the Confederate Army in 1861. He was a member of the company made up of a part of the Twenty-first Regiment of Virginia Volunteers. Colonel Gilliam, of “Gilliam Tactics,” a Frenchman, was the colonel. The regiment was composed of picked companies and was said to be the finest looking regiment that ever passed through Richmond.

The first battle in which Mr. Crenshaw took part was at Kernstown, May, 1862. He was in Jackson’s command when he came up in McClellan’s rear during the seven days fighting around Richmond. He later was sent to check Scott’s advance and was wounded in the breast at the Battle of Frederick City. He was also in the second Battle of Manassas. His brigade held the railroad embankment where the Federals made three desperate charges in futile efforts to break the lines of the Confederates.

James A. Crenshaw was in the Army of the South for the entire duration of the war, except for the six months he was furloughed to recuperate. He had the misfortune of being wounded five times during his hard service in the Civil War.

After the war, he returned to Virginia and farmed for two years. Then he moved to Kentucky and engaged in the same business.

He was married in Kentucky to Miss Henrietta Elliott, April 2, 1870. To this union was born ten children, whose names are as follows; Mary, now Mrs. Snoddy; R. E. Crenshaw; W. W. Crenshaw; Annie; Harriet; Helen, now Mrs. Atkinson; Blanche; J. A. Crenshaw; R. L. Crenshaw, and Ida, now Mrs. Dill Gayle. Eight of the children lived to be grown.

He and his family moved to the Bolivar peninsula, Texas, in January, 1872. Here he raised Sea Island cotton for two years, but found it unprofitable because of the picking, so he abandoned this idea and started in the truck business. He found a good market at Galveston and Houston, and had nine boats carrying his truck to market.

He lived at Bolivar until the first part of 1901. His home was destroyed by the 1900 storm. He moved to Temple, Texas, but lived there for only a short time. After traveling over the state, he decided to make his home in Jackson County where his wife’s people, the Bollings, lived. He arrived in Jackson County, October 28, 1901, and made this county his home for the remainder of his life.

His maternal grandfather was pastor of the Appomattox Baptist Chapel for forty years. The night before Lee’s surrender, James A. Crenshaw spent it in the home of his grandfather.

Mr. Crenshaw was a kind father, a loyal citizen, and a good man. He was a member of the Baptist Church for a great number of years, and was a Mason. He died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. A. D. Gayle of Edna, July 20^th, 1924.

The Cavalcade of Jackson County, by I. T. Taylor, Third Edition, Pages 371-372
Used by permission of the Jackson County Historical Commission
 

Henrietta Barker Elliott Crenshaw
February 7, 1843 - April 2, 1917

Both are buried at Memory Gardens of Edna Cemetery, Edna, Jackson County, Texas
 

Married
Arastus Leaske Snoddy
March 16, 1862 - January 8, 1920

Both are buried at Memory Gardens of Edna Cemetery, Edna, Jackson County, Texas

Mrs. Mary Snoddy Expires Saturday

Mrs. Mary C. Snoddy, widow of the late A. L. Snoddy and resident of Galveston 76 years, died at 7:30 p. m. Saturday at her home, 1919 O. She was born in 1871 in Kentucky.

Mrs. Snoddy was a member of the Gold Star Mothers and the Woman’s Benefit Association.

She is survived by three daughters, Mrs. W. B. Connett and Mrs. G. W. Phillips of San Antonio and Miss Helen Snoddy of Galveston; one son, A. L. Snoddy of Galveston; two sisters, Mrs. A. D. Gayle of Edna, Tex., and Mrs. M. W. Atkinson of Alice.

Funeral services will be conducted at 4 p. m. Sunday at J. Levy & Bro. funeral home. Rev. Frank Deot, pastor of First Methodist Church, will officiate and, following services, the body will be taken to Edna for services and interment there.

Galveston Daily News, June 5, 1949
 

Married
Sarah Atkins
April 22, 1873 - December 25, 1934

Both buried at Galveston Memorial Park, Galveston, Galveston County, Texas

Richard Elliott Crenshaw

CRENSHAW—Funeral services for Richard Elliott Crenshaw, 71, native of Port Bolivar and resident of Galveston for the last 22 years, will be held at J. Levy & Bro. funeral home tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock. Rev. Charles R. Smith will officiate and interment will be in Galveston Memorial Park. Mr. Crenshaw died early yesterday at St. Mary’s Infirmary.

Born at Port Bolivar Nov. 15, 1871. Mr. Crenshaw is survived by: Three sons, C. O. Crenshaw of La Porte, C. A. Crenshaw of Houston and R. E. Crenshaw, Jr., USA; three sisters, Mrs. Ida Gayle of Edna, Mrs. Mannie Snoddy of Galveston and Mrs. Helen Atkinson of Alice; two brothers, William Crenshaw of Beaumont and Lee Crenshaw of El Campo.

Galveston Daily News, October 17, 1943
 

Buried at Memory Gardens of Edna Cemetery, Edna, Jackson County, Texas
 

Mr. W. W. Crenshaw

William W. Crenshaw, 73, native of Port Bolivar and a resident of Beaumont for 39 years, died yesterday afternoon at 2:20 o’clock in a local hospital after an illness of several months. He resided at 1034 Threadneedle street.

Mr. Crenshaw survived both the 1900 and 1909 storms at Bolivar, where he was a farmer and rancher, but suffered heavy property loss in each of the blows, and in 1909 he came to Beaumont.

Since that time he had been engaged in farming and ranching in Jefferson County, with holdings also in Wharton County.

Following the 1900 storm, Mr. Crenshaw was one of the contractors in charge of cleaning up the debris left in Galveston. The 1909 storm he weathered with his family in a wagon lashed to a tree.

He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James A. Crenshaw, who settled the Bolivar peninsula area after coming from Virginia.

Mr. Crenshaw is survived by his wife, a son, C. W. Crenshaw of Beaumont; four grandchildren, Loraine, Will, John and June Crenshaw, all of Beaumont; and three sisters, Mrs. L. E. Snoddy of Galveston, Mrs. N. W. Atkinson of Alice and Mrs. A. D. Gayle or Edna.—Beaumont Enterprise, June 9^th, 1948.

Edna Weekly Herald, June 17, 1948

Married
Emma Camilla Crenshaw
March 18, 1887 - September 6, 1973

Both are buried at Oak Bluff Memorial Park, Port Neches, Jefferson County, Texas
 

Dr. Newell W. Atkinson
March 16, 1876 - July 5, 1957

Both buried at Alice Cemetery, Alice, Jim Wells County, Texas

Mrs. Helen Atkinson

ALICE—Mrs. Helen Atkinson, 77, Alice resident for 55 years, died at a local hospital at 12:50 p. m. Saturday following a long illness.

Mrs. Atkinson was born Aug. 14, 1877, at Port Bolivar. She had lived in Alice since her marriage to Dr. N. W. Atkinson in 1907.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p. m. Sunday at Moyer Funeral Home with the Rev. John Palmer of First Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in Alice Fraternal Cemetery.

Besides her husband, survivors include a son, N. W. Atkinson, Jr., and a daughter, Mary Helen Atkinson, both of Alice, and a sister, Mrs. A. D. Gayle of Edna.

Corpus Christi Caller-Times, February 6, 1955

Dr. N. W. Atkinson

ALICE—Funeral services for Dr. Newell Wrigley Atkinson, 81, a practicing physician here since 1907, will be 4 p. m. today in the chapel of Moyer Mortuary.

The Rev. Charles Hardt, pastor of the First Methodist Church, will officiate. Burial will be in Alice Fraternal Cemetery.

Born March 16, 1876, at Weberville, Atkinson died at his home, 308 East Fourth, at 5:30 a. m. Friday.

He was a member of the First Methodist Church of Alice and a member of S. B. Moser Lodge No. 912, AF & AM, of Alice.

Survivors include one son, N. W. Atkinson, Jr., of Alice; one sister, Mrs. Mabel Deward of Mission, and two grandchildren.

Corpus Christi Caller-Times, July 6, 1957
 

Mr. Lee Crenshaw

Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Gayle received a message yesterday morning that Mr. Lee Crenshaw, a former well known Edna resident, and a brother of Mrs. Gayle, had passed away at El Campo following a protracted illness.

The Herald joins the other friends of the family in extending sympathy in their time of bereavement.

Edna Weekly Herald, April 8, 1948

Married
Willma P. Hunter
February 18, 1886 - October 2, 1951

Both buried at Garden of Memories, El Campo, Wharton County, Texas
 

Married
Allison Dill Gayle
October 25, 1880 - May 17, 1964

Both are buried at Memory Gardens of Edna Cemetery, Edna, Jackson County, Texas

Ida Virginia Gayle
Mrs. A. D. Gayle, 75, Resident 60 Years, Is Buried Monday

Funeral services for Mrs. Ida Virginia Gayle, 75, well-known resident of this county for 60 years, were held Monday at 2 p. m. in First Methodist church. Rev. M. P. Burton, pastor of the church and Rev. I. E. Walker, former pastor, officiated, and interment was in Edna Cemetery.

Mrs. Gayle was born Oct. 28, 1885 in Port Bolivar, Galveston County, Texas. She was an active member of the Methodist church here many years. Mrs. Gayle passed away at her home, 618 S. Hanover, about 5 a. m. Oct. 30.

She is survived by her husband, A. D. Gayle, Sr.; a son, A. D. Gayle, Jr.; a daughter, Mrs. Otto Lawrence, and three grandchildren all of Edna.

Edna Herald, November 3, 1960

A. D. Gayle Rites Held Here Monday

Funeral services were held from First Methodist Church Monday at 4 o’clock for A. D. Gayle Sr., 83, a retired merchant, who died Sunday evening in a hospital in Victoria. Rev. J. W. Griffin, pastor, assisted by Rev. I. E. Walker, former pastor, officiated and burial was in Edna Cemetery under the direction of Slavik Funeral Home.

Pallbearers were Clyde Holloway, C. S. Simons, W. R. Gloor, Garvis Shoemate, Harley Stell, and M. T. Simons Jr.

Mr. Gayle had been in declining health for the past few years, but became critically ill Friday, when he was rushed to the hospital.

Alison Dill Gayle was born in Goliad October 25, 1889, but he had resided in Jackson County and Edna practically all of his life. He was married to Miss Ida Crenshaw November 27, 1907, and in 1957 they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. Mrs. Gayle died in 1960.

The last surviving member of the building committee that erected the present Methodist Church, Mr. Gayle was extremely active in church affairs. He was elected a steward and official board member in 1909 and served in that capacity until his death.

Survivors include: a son, A. D. Gayle Jr., of Edna; a daughter, Mrs. Otto (Virginia) Lawrence, also of Edna; two sisters, Mrs. Hugh L. (Jennie) White and Mrs. M. T. Simons Sr., both of Edna; two brothers, George and Lee Gayle of Houston, three grandchildren, Miss Mary Alison Gayle, Mrs. Lois Gayle Kruschwitz of Hawaii and Miss Nancy Lawrence.

Edna Herald, May 21, 1964