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Chariton Courier, Keytesville, MO, May 9,
1906 |
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J. W. Dismukes, formerly of Salisbury, Mo., has removed to Francitas and will have charge of the mechanical department of The Bee. Mr. Dismukes was for years connected with the Salisbury Democrat. He is a well known newspaper man of Missouri and one of the best job printers of that state. So it is with a feeling of congratulation that we are able to announce Mr. Dismukes has decided to cast his lot with us. Mrs. Dismukes and their two boys will remove to Francitas within a few weeks, after which Mr. Dismukes will buy a tract of land an develop that in addition to his work in this office. In the acquisition of this estimable family Francitas is to be congratulated.
Francitas Bee, July 27, 1911 |
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Chariton Courier, Keytesville, MO,
September 1, 1911 |
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Francitas Bee, September 14, 1911 |
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Francitas Bee, September 28, 1911 |
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Francitas Bee, October 12, 1911 |
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Chariton Courier, Keytesville, MO,
September 5, 1913 |
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Horace Dismukes a Salisbury boy son of J. W. Dismukes of Texas is here on a visit.
Chariton Courier, Keytesville, MO, January
16, 1920 |
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Chariton Courier, Keytesville, MO,
September 16, 1921 |
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Many editions have gone to press since our editor and publisher, Mrs. J. W. Dismukes, first entered the newspaper game 56 years ago. This week means a lot to “Mom Dizzy” since it also is an anniversary of her 70th birthday, May 31, and of June 1, 1919—30 years ago—she, with her late husband, J. W. Dismukes, took over the ownership of The Palacios Beacon. As her sons, we were made extremely happy when her friends, and ours, made known they were giving a tribute to our mother. On page 7 you will find a page dedicated to her, signed by a number of her friends, which is a complete surprise to her. Since you, as her friends, have shown her such an honor, may we recollect a few of the happenings in her 56 years of newspaper work, to be best of our knowledge. When a girl 14 years of age she went to Salisbury, Mo., to live with “Aunt Ella” and applied for a job on the Democrat. The task of “hand spiking” the patent medicine ads could be called her first. Within the shop she met, and married, her husband, J. W. Dismukes. They together worked in later years in the Salisbury (Mo.) Press-Spectator. They moved to Francitas, Texas, to assist in the publication of the Francitas Bee with the late Horace Philpot. Following the death of Mr. Philpot, a former Kansas state reporter, they placed their lot in the purchase of the Palacios Beacon and on June 1, 1919, took charge. Since 1919 she has done much in the progress of the paper—her little bit in the progress of Palacios. She placed much interest in her club and church work until the day it was necessary to take over the management of today’s Palacios Beacon upon the death of her husband in November, 1935. The progress of the Beacon could well be credited to her, as since that day the Beacon has grown to a publishing house that now produces three newspapers, besides doing a large volume of commercial work. The printing plant she owns and manages speaks well of her ever looking to the future—and the future of Palacios. In the thirty years spent in Palacios she has written reams upon reams of copy pertaining to the lives of Palacios people. Births, weddings, parties, banquets, deaths, she has taken in stride, chronicling both joy and sorrow. With all her years and experience she’s still the BOSS, and the remarkable thing about the whole story is how, and why she puts up with her boys, who take this means of thanking you, and you, and you. Palacios Beacon, June 2, 1949
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Again it becomes our duty to chronicle the death of a member of the Beacon family, our husband and father, James William Dismukes, who passed away at this home in this city Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 P. M. He was born in Howard County, Missouri, Aug. 22, 1869, but when quite young went with his parents to Salisbury, Chariton County, where he resided until coming to Texas in 1911. He learned the printer’s trade in the office of his father John E. Dismukes who was a prominent newspaper man of that place, and his work was recognized as that of an artist throughout that section of the state. In July 1911 he came to Texas and was associated with the late Horace B. Philpott in publishing the Francitas Bee and continued with that paper until it ceased publication the last of May 1919. On the 1st of June 1919 he purchased the Palacios Beacon with which he had been ever since. He belonged to no fraternal organization but had been a member of the Christian Church for many years. On Nov. 3, 1896, he was united in marriage to Rosa L. Leidorff, and to this union five children were born, one a daughter, Gertrude, preceded him to the other shore, July 5, 1922. Others are the three sons, H. V. of Harlingen; H. J. and J. V. and one daughter, Mary, of Palacios. Besides the widow and children, two grandchildren, Charles and Betty Lee Dismukes survive, one half-brother Dr. J. R. Dismukes, of Carlsbad, New Mexico, and two half-sisters, Mrs. Fred Larkins, of Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Mrs. Lee Johnson, of Dodge City, Kansas. Funeral services were held at the Palacios Funeral Home Sunday afternoon at 4 o’clock, with Rev. G. F. Gillespie, pastor of the Presbyterian Church in charge, assisted by Rev. George D. McClelland, pastor of the First Baptist Church. Interment was made in the Palacios Cemetery. Messrs. Chris G. Williams, Duncan Ruthven, J. L. Koerber, J. W. Boling, J. E. Robinson and T. S. Forehand were pall bearers.
A Tribute I have been asked to write an article about the place and influence of the Beacon in this community during the years I have known its late Editor—Mr. Dismukes. I came to Palacios in January, 1920, and have been intimately associated with the paper since then. As Director of the Chamber of Commerce, and at times Chairman of its Publicity Committee, I have contributed many news items. In addition to this I wrote a weekly column for some time. Mr. Dismukes was at all times willing to print anything I contributed. The greatest secular blessing of civilization, and the one which has cost most, is undoubtedly freedom—freedom of conscience, freedom of worship, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press. The late Editor believed in the latter. He was at all times willing to print ‘anything that was fit to print’—morally. In these days when the people of some nations are being deprived—at least largely—of their freedom, it is well that we in the United States should safeguard jealously one of the greatest of all blessings. In an article in the Fall number of the Yale Review, William Henry Chamberlin who spent almost twelve years in Russia as correspondent of the Christian Science Monitor, and who has now left there, says: ‘Very often the absence of something is the best means of teaching a sense of its value. And the credo that I carried away from my extended residence in a land of dictatorship is a very strong conviction of the absolute and unconditional value of human liberty.’ Mr. Dismukes loved tolerance, and there was nothing intolerant or arrogant in his editing of the paper. He was at all times willing to publish articles dealing with both sides of any subject. I do not need to remind its readers that the Beacon has always taken a deep interest in everything that was for the good of this community—the question of a sanitary system for the city which was completed in 1920, the bringing of the National Guard Camp here, good roads, the seawall and pavilion. Nor do I need to state that the paper has run a column on farming industry for some years, and has always been glad to publish news about the Chamber of Commerce, our Schools and Church, etc. it is only true to say that the influence of the Beacon has been out of proportion to the size of the town. It has always had comparatively large out-of-town circulation. In conclusion, I wish to say something about the format of the front page of the Beacon. Its late Editor was an excellent craftsman. He liked to turn out excellent work both on the front page of the paper and in job printing. L. P. Jacks says in his book Constructive Citizenship: “Quality is spirit, and they who worship at that shrine must worship in spirit and in truth. “The cult of quality is Christianity in its simplest and most intelligible form.’” The late Mr. Dismukes had been in poor health for a number of years. Notwithstanding this, he was unremitting in his attention to all the duties of a publishing and printing office. I close with some words of Russell Lowell—
“All true whole men succeed; for what is worth The sympathy of the people of Palacios and of the subscribers goes out to Mrs. Dismukes and the members of the family. We know that Mrs. Dismukes and her sons will carry on the fine traditions of the paper. --George F. Gillespie, Pastor Presbyterian Church.
Palacios Beacon,
November 14, 1935 |
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Mrs. J. W. Dismukes, owner and publisher of the Palacios Beacon, passed to her eternal rest Wednesday night, May 17, in Wagner General Hospital where she had been a patient for more than three weeks. Funeral services were held Friday morning at 10 o’clock in the Palacios Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Rayford Harris officiating. Interment was in the Palacios Cemetery. Rosa Lee, daughter of J. W. and Mina Niles Liedorff was born in Chariton County, Mo. on May 31, 1879. When 14 years of age she went to Salisbury, Mo. to live with her sister and begin her newspaper career. She married J. W. Dismukes on November 3, 1896 and they worked together on the Salisbury Press-Spectator. In 1911, they moved to Francitas, Texas, to assist in the publication of the Francitas Bee and on June 1, 1919, purchased the Palacios Beacon. Following the death of her husband on November 9, 1935, she took over as publisher. Although retired for more than 15 years, she was still the “boss.” She is survived by one daughter, Mary, of Palacios; three sons, Horace of Rio Hondo, Hugh and Jesse of Palacios; one sister, Mrs. Martha Gipson of Huntsville, Mo.; four brothers, Henry and Frank Liedorff of Callao, Mo., Ansel Liedorff of New London, Mo. and Willie Liedorff of Tulare, Calif.
Palacios Beacon, May 25, 1967 |
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Hugh J. Dismukes, former co-owner of the Palacios Beacon, passed away at 3:30 a. m. Wednesday, Sept. 29, in the Veterans Hospital in Houston. Funeral services were held at 2 p. m. Thursday in the Palacios Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Leslie E. Webb officiating. Interment was in Hawley Cemetery. Son of the late James William and Rosa Lee Leidorff Dismukes, he was born March 2, 1906, in Salisbury, Missouri. A resident of Palacios since June 1, 1919, he was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U. S. Army. A member of the Palacios Volunteer Fire Department for more than 50 years, he was the last charter member of the department and was the oldest active fireman in the state of Texas. He is survived by wife Evelyn of Palacios; daughter, Mrs. Margaret Johnson of Lancaster; son, Hugh C. Dismukes of Corpus Christi; sister, Mary Dismukes; brother, Jesse Dismukes, both of Palacios; seven grandchildren, and one great grandson. The Palacios Beacon, November, 1935 Evelyn Ann Campbell Dismukes, 77, died in Austin on May 24, 1990 of complications from heart disease. She was buried in Hawley Cemetery next to her husband Hugh Jennings Dismukes who had passed away September 29, 1976. She is survived by two sisters, Goldie Burbridge of Louisiana, Missouri and Laura Durland of Moultrie, Georgia; a son, Hugh Campbell of Austin; a daughter Margaret Cossey of Whitney, Texas; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Born Evelyn Ann Campbell on May 31, 1912 I Pleasant Hill Township, Pike County, Illinois of Charles Ruben Campbell and Lena May Emerick Campbell, she was raised in Pleasant Hill. She attended Culver-Stockton College in Missouri and the University of Houston, receiving a BA and an MA. She taught grade school in Illinois and special education in the Palacios schools until her retirement. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Palacios and of the Clan Campbell, U.S.A. She married Hugh Jennings Dismukes April 12, 1946 in Port Lavaca and lived in Palacios until 1987 when she moved to Austin.
The family requests that any memorial
contributions be made to the Palacios Volunteer Fire
Department. |
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Dear little Gertrude was born Sept. 28, 1914—died July 5, 1922. Sorrow has come to the home of our Editor and his kind family, in the death of dear little Gertrude, who had suffered for a peculiar chronic trouble for quite a year of more, yet the precious little one was always cheerful and apparently happy. It had been the pleasure of the Beacon to bear messages of cheer and hope to all of our citizens at all times, but now that a precious jewel from the editor’s home has been taken, it seems but fitting that some one should bear a message of condolence, and also remind him and all his loved ones that his readers, many of them, will deeply sympathize with them in this sad bereavement. I am sure that I voice the sentiment of all Palacios, when I say that we all realize that sorrow fills your hearts, but we are your friends, and we all pray that our Father will bear you up and give you that peace that is bourne from above. In love. Palacios Beacon, July 7, 1922 In Summerland Little Gertrude Dismukes, age 7, who passed the veil July 5th, was almost as a child of our own from birth, and her most frequent plea since moving to Palacios was, to be taken to Francitas to see aunt Mattie and uncle Jesse. Hence the following sentiment to her sweet personality. GERTRUDE
There’s a spirit in the flowers,
--Jesse E. Campbell |
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Funeral services for Jesse Valentine Dismukes, 72, of Palacios were scheduled for 2 p. m. Sunday at Palacios Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Herb Wilke officiating. Burial to follow in Hawley Cemetery, Blessing. Mr. Dismukes was born Feb. 14, 1917, in Francitas, Texas, to James William and Rosa Lee Leidorf Dismukes and died 5:30 a. m. July 21, 1989, at Matagorda General Hospital, Bay City. A lifetime resident of Palacios, he was the former owner, operator and publisher of the Palacios Beacon. He was a member of the American Legion and Fraternal Order of Eagles. Survivors include his wife, Lois Ashworth Dismukes of Palacios; a son and daughter-in-law, James and Jody Dismukes of Spring; a sister, Mary Dismukes of Palacios; and three grandchildren, Shelle, Scott and Jonathan Dismukes, all of Spring. Pallbearers include George Cepak, Jack Beard, Eddie Vavra, Cornell Prindle, Billy Jalufka and John Graff. Honorary pallbearers include George Holt and Billy Martin.
Arrangements are with Taylor
Brothers Funeral Home, Palacios.
Lois Ashworth Dismukes
Lois Ashworth Dismukes, 94, passed away April 8, 2013. She was born June 6, 1918 in Burke, Texas to the late J. H. Ashworth and Mamie Sikes Ashworth. She graduated from Lee High School in Baytown, Texas in 1936. Upon her graduation from Massey Business College in Houston she began work for Western Union and moved to Palacios, Texas in 1940 to work at Camp Hulen during World War II. In Palacios she met and married her husband of 48 years, Jesse V. Dismukes, who preceded her in death in 1989. In 1955 she went to work as secretary to the Superintendent at Palacios ISD and retired after 30 years. She moved to Webster, Texas 4 years ago to be near her family. Survivors include her son James Dismukes and wife Cecilia of Kemah, TX; grandchildren Shelle Schomberg and Scott Dismukes and great grandchildren Madison, Clay, Masyn, and Jack. The family will receive friends and relatives from 5PM until 7PM Tuesday at Palacios Funeral Home. Funeral service will be 2:00 PM Wednesday, April 10, 2013 at Palacios Funeral Home with Rev. Chris Webb officiating. Interment will follow at Hawley Cemetery in Blessing, TX.
www.taylorbros.net |
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Mary Virginia Dismukes (December 22, 1919 - November 4, 2005) Mary Virginia Dismukes 85, of Palacios died November 4, 2005 at her residence. She was born December 22, 1919 in Palacios to the late James and Rosalee Liedorff Dismukes. Miss Dismukes was a life long resident of Palacios, a member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, and a member of the Catholic Daughters. She was a former longtime employee of the Palacios Beacon and then served as secretary for the Matagorda Co. Commissioners office for many years. Survivors include: nephew: James Dismukes of Houston; and sister-in-law: Lois Dismukes of Palacios. Graveside Funeral Service will be 2:00 PM Monday, November 7, 2005 at the Palacios Cemetery with Rev. Charles Dwomoh officiating. Arrangements with Palacios Funeral Home, Palacios, TX (361)972-2012.
www.taylorbros.net |
