Bosque County: Land and People (A History of Bosque County, Texas) Page: 148
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BEARDEN, FRANK FAMILY
F82
Frankie Dan Bearden, a lifetime resident
of Bosque County, was born to Arthur
Cumbley and Henrietta Moore Bearden,
March 12, 1907. He had three brothers:
Audie, Benny, and Raymon and four sisters,
Iva, Mattie, Florence, and Katy.
Frank was a graduate of the Merryville
Public School, Fairview, finishing all eleven
grades offered at the time. He played basket-
ball and baseball and recalled a particular
basketball game where the Merryville Team
"skunked" Union Hill School 16-0.
On December 11, 1926, Frank married
Gladys Marie Lumpkin and settled in the
Fairview community. He purchased 100 acres
in 1940 (known as the Old Neal Place) for
$27.00 per acre and in 1945, purchased 84 /
acres from his brother Audie (formerly owned
by Albert Eckert) the site where his home still
remains. Frank and Gladys had three sons:
Frankie Melvin 4/4/-1928-8/9/1935), Bobbie
Alan (7/18/1930) and James Donald
(7/17/1925).
The Merryville School remained a place of
interest to Frank. He served on the School
Board there for 17 years. He also was elected
to the Bosque County School Board where he
served for eight years.
The 184 acres Frank owned, was his
livelihood. He raised cattle, hogs, and sheep
and took pride in caring for the land and the
animals. As a cotton grower, Frank usually
had the first bale at the gin. Wheat and oats
were grown, too. At harvest time, Frank
helped his neighbors and they, in turn,
helped him. He shared this experience with
his grandchildren. He always allowed his
grandchildren to ride the tractor or haul
truck, giving them the taste of chaff and dust
and sweat along with his patience and love.
In between planting and harvesting, Frank
worked as a carpenter and helped build many
cabins and homes at Lake Whitney and
Laguna Park. He also helped to build the
Fairview Baptist Church. As with everything
he did, Frank began on the first day of
building and stayed until the church was
finished, contributing his labor to the on-
going Kingdom of his Lord. He was a faithful
church member.
He loved sports and kept up with the Major
League Baseball and Football Teams. His
favorite team, however, was the Valley Mills
Eagles. In 30 years he seldom missed one of
their games. He supported the Eagles wheth-
er they won or lost. After his death, a
Sportsmanship Award was set up at the
Valley Mills School which is presented to the
Outstanding Football Player of the year.
The Agriculture Soil Conservation Service
(ABSC) Board held a seat for Frank as a
committeeman for many years. He believed
in being involved with community, school
and county improvements. He had many
friends because of his interest in others.
Melvin, oldest son, of Frank and Gladys
Bearden, died when he was a child. Their son,
Bobbie, married Maxine Whitley in 1948.
They have lived in China Spring most of their
married life and have two children: (1) Kathy
Nell married Rick Talbert. They reside in the
Wortham Bend Community with their three
children, Heath, Casey and Jared. (2) Rev-
erend Don Alan Bearden married Doris
Wallace. They live in Duncanville, Texas
148with their three children: Denise, Darin
Drew.
Donald Bearden married Carolyn
Golden and they had a daughter, S
LaDon. Sherri is a graduate of the Unive
of Texas at Arlington where she receive
degree in Business Administration. Do
and Sue live in Hewitt, Texas.
When Frank Bearden died in 1979, he
buried in the Valley Mills Cemetery loc
behind the Valley Mills High School Foo
Stadium. He was buried with $2.00 it
pocket because he always said he didn't
to go anywhere without a little money
grandchildren placed some soil from his
and a football by his side as Frank had j
all his life about wanting these things
he was laid to rest.
by Kathy Tal
BEARDEN, JOE E.Mr. and Mrs. Joe E. Bearden
Joe Earnest Bearden was born Novei
5, 1903 to Marquis (Marcus) Guey and E
Tittus Bearden in Red River County
Annona, Texas. He has lived most of hi
in Bosque County. He attended scho
Valley Mills and Neils Creek. After his sc
years, he became a successful farmer
married Leta Cox on December 17, 1923.1
is the daughter of Sowel and Leck Mat
Cox of Lanes Chapel Community and
granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Cox
and Leta Cox celebrated their sixtieth
ding anniversary, December 17, 1983. T(
union was born one son, Joe Basil, on Jan
12, 1925.
Mr. and Mrs. Bearden farmed the H
and Snyder places until 1942 and lived o
Potts place two years. They moved to L
Chapel community and have lived the]
but five years when they lived in Valley N
Texas. The farm where they lived origi
was owned by Leta's grandfather, J.W.
In 1974 they received a Certificate of H
from Family Land Heritage, since the
was owned by a Cox descendant since
Joe Basil graduated from Valley MillsI
School in 1943 and entered the Army
same year. His training began in C
Wallace, Texas, then to San Diego, Calif
for West Coast Defense, and later in L
ana for advanced training. He spentand time in Manilla before going to Tokyo, Japan.
He was there when the Peace Treaty was
Sue signed. He spent thirty-three (33) months in
herri the Army.
rsity Joe Basil married Laura Catherine Fields
ed a on Decemger 24, 1947. Catherine is the
nald daughter of John and Lena Fields of Mosh-
eim. She is also the granddaughter of John
was and Cornelia Catherine (Griffin) Bates of
ated Leon Junction and Glenn Alexander and
'tball Laura (Greer) Fields from the McGregor
n his area. To this union were born three children:
t like Eugenia Kay, Wanda Mae and Keith Wayne.
His Basil became a paint contractor and also
farm farms the place where they now live.
oked Catherine worked for the McNeill Drug-
when store in Valley Mills for eighteen years. Then
she worked at Baylor University eight years
and also took many courses there and at
bert McLennan Community College. She now
works in Clifton, Texas at the InterFirst
Bank, and she is a real estate broker.
Eugenia Kay graduated from Baylor Uni-
F83 versity with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
degree. She married Roger Michael Walker
also a graduate of Baylor University. He also
attended Southwestern Seminary in Fort
-9 Worth. He is the son of Roger and Mary Sue
Elam Walker of Conroe, Texas. They have
big two sons-John Michael and David Andrew.
They reside in Conroe, Texas.
Wanda Mae attended McLennan Commu-
nity College and Baylor University. She
married Jerry Wakeland, son of J.C. and Jean
Wakeland of Fort Worth, Texas. Jerry is a
graduate of Baylor University. They have two
children-Geoffrey Leigh and Alise Anne.
They now reside in Arlington, Texas.
Keith Wayne graduated from Texas State
Technical Institute and earned a Certificate
of Completion in Diesel Mechanics. He also
N3 attended McLennan Community College.
Keith married Patricia Clark, daughter of Joe
and Loretta (Kees) Clark of McGregor,
Texas. Keith and Patricia have a daughter,
Heather LeeAnne. They now reside in Valley
Mills, Texas.
mber by Mr. and Mrs. Joe E. Bearden
Eddie
near
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school
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Mr. and Mrs. M.G. Bearden.
Marquis (Marcus) Guey Bearden was born
to Benjamin Rush and Sabaria Wagley
Bearden in 1881, near Annona, Texas, where
he lived most of his early life. He was the
youngest of ten children. He married Eddie
Tittus in 1902, and to this union were born
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Bosque County History Book Committee. Bosque County: Land and People (A History of Bosque County, Texas), book, 1985; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth91038/m1/164/?q=campbell: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Denton Public Library.