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Descendants of
Martha Eugenia (Minter) Denney
(1858-1907)
Martha Eugenia "Mattie" Minter was the first child, and next to the last of ten children, to be born to Pappy and Sarah Minter after they moved to Texas in 1855. Gus, the baby, was the last. Martha married John H. Denney (b.1854 - d.1891), on November 20, 1879. John was a partner in a leading farm store in Sulphur Springs, Texas. When John died, Martha married a cousin, Matthew "Mack" Oliver Minter (b.1853 - d.1925) in 1893. Mack continued to operate the family business. Mattie's older sister, Dollie and Dollie's husband, were a great help during this period.
Martha Eugenia "Mattie" (Minter) Denney (b.1858 -d.1907), was the youngest daughter of Joseph Thomas "Pappy" and Sarah Ann (Carter) Minter. Martha's husband, John H. Denney (b.1854 - d.1891), was a partner in a leading farm store in Sulphur Springs, Texas. When John died, Martha married a cousin, Matthew "Mack" Oliver Minter (b.1853 - d.1925). Mack continued to operate the family business. Mattie's older sister, Dollie and Dollie's husband, were a great help during this period.
Ruby (Denney) Pate (b.1880 - d.1946), was the daughter of Martha (Minter) and John H. Denney. Ruby married Edwin Bruce Pate in 1889.
Mack C. Denney (b.1885 - d.1946), was the son of Martha (Minter) and John H. Denney.
J. Marlin C. Denney (b. 1885 - d.1946), was the son of Martha (Minter) and John H. Denney.
Edna (Minter) Greenwood (b.1878 - d.1961), was the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Robert Anthony Minter. Although Edna, pictured at left, was not part of Martha's immediate family, she was a close niece of Martha's, and lived with her while attending school in Sulphur Springs.
Denney (Pounds) Ashcroft (b.1926 - d.1991) married Benjamin Franklin (B.F.) Ashcroft in 1948. B.F. served as mayor of Sulphur Springs and President of the Sulphur Springs ISD. His parents were Charles Franklin and Ruth (Lynch) Ashcroft, prominent civic and social leaders in Sulphur Springs.
Lillian"Litter" (Denney) Pounds (b.1889 - d.1972), daughter of Martha (Minter) and John H. Denney. She married Henry Edgar Pounds on December 18, 1913. Lillian and Henry had two children, Dorothy Genevieve (Pounds) Prim (b.1914 - d.2003) and Denney (Pounds) Ashcroft (b.1926 - d.1991).
This is the house that Benjamin Franklin Ashcroft's family built around 1939 by prominent Tyler architect Shirley Simons, Sr. This house became part of the Texas Historic Landmarks in 2017. The corresponding marker is to the right.
Ruby (Denney) Pate (b.1880 -d.1946), daughter of Martha (Minter) and John H. Denney. Ruby was the granddaughter to Joseph Thomas "Pappy" and Sarah Ann (Carter) Minter. She married Edwin Bruce Pate (pictured on left) in 1898. They lived in Sulphur Springs, Texas, then later moved to Austin, Texas.
Eleanor Christine (Denney) Ammons (b.1909 - d.1962) (on left) and Ella (Currin) Denney (b.1885 - d.1953) (on right), child and wife of Marlin Denney.
The occasion of this gathering is unknown. The lady in the black dress, top center, is Dorothy Brooks "Aunt Dollie" (Minter) Stephens (b.1848 - d.1920). The second lady from the right, in the front row is Ruby (Denney) Pate (b.1880 -d.1946), daughter of Martha (Minter) Denney and John H. Denney.
Mack C. Denney (b.1887 - d.1905), son of Martha (Minter) Denney and John H. Denney. Mack is shown here with his wife, Ruth Nell (Pate) Denton (b.1885 - d.1961). Ruth was the sister of Ruby Denney's husband. Mack and Ruth Nell were only married a few months when he died of complications of hemorrhoid surgery. She remarried to Pembroke Denton and had children.
Fred Mortimer Pate (b.1899 - d.1976). Fred was Ruby (Denney) Pate's eldest child. In 1922, he married Blix (Holbrook) Pate (b.1899 - d.1973). The picture on the left is Fred as a young boy.
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This group was on a birding tour in Rockport, Texas in the early 2000's. Fifth from the left is Martha Eugenia (Griffith) Nailling. Second from the left is Martha's husband, Robert A. Nailling. 8th and 9th from the left is Lindsay I. Griffith III. and his wife, Patricia (Mitchell) Griffith. Lindsay is Martha's brother. Martha and Lindsay are grandchildren of Ruby (Denney) Pate.
O.M. Pate's Hardware Store & Blacksmith Shop.
Oscar Mortimer "Big Daddy" Pate (b.1855 - d.1942) was Ruby (Denney) Pate's father-in-law. This pictures was made before the death of Mack C. Denney (b.1887 - d.1905), because he worked there and is in this picture. From left-right: John Wilson Pate, Big Daddy's father; Henry Love Ardis, Ruby's uncle; Unknown, almost hidden; John B. Ninnant, blacksmith; Unknown; Unknown; Mack C. Denney; Edwin Bruce Pate; H.W. Tapp; and O.M. Pate.
E.B. Pate, Sr. Wholesale Grocery Business located in Sulphur Springs, TX.
This picture was take in 1915. The men on the loading dock are, from left-right: an unnamed neighbor in overalls; Oscar Mortimer Pate (b.1855 - d.1942); Edwin Bruce Pate (b.1879 - d.1956), owner; and, the owner's son Fred Mortimer Pate (b.1899 - d.1976). Fred was 16 years old at the time, and he helped out with work at the grocery business. When he reached age 17, he ran away from dental school to enlist in the Army, to be sent to Europe and fight in World War I. He was too young to enlist, but he, nevertheless, was able to do so in El Paso, TX, where records evidently were not checked thoroughly.
Blix Mary (Pate) Kennedy (b.1926 - d.1975), daughter of Fred and Blix (Holbrook) Pate.
Blix Mary (Pate) Kennedy (b.1926 - d.1975).
Lillian Ruth "Lou" (Pate) Adler (b.1904 - d.1982), pictured on left, was the daughter of Ruby (Denney) and Edwin Bruce Pate. In 1925, Lou married James Hamilton Muckleroy, Sr. (b.1895 - d.1972). Lou and James had two children, Janet Aurelia (Muckleroy) Faulkner (b.1925 - d.2020) and James Hamilton Muckleroy, Jr. James Sr. was murdered as a robbery victim in 1972 in Collin County, TX. Lou remarried to her second husband, Maj. Martin Alder (b.1911 - d.1999), pictured on the right. They married around 1940 and had no children.
Lillian Ruth "Lou" (Pate) Adler as a young girl.
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Lillian Ruth "Lou" (Pate) Adler as a young girl.
Edwin Bruce Pate (b.1879 - d.1956), with his grandson, Lindsay I Griffin, III (b.1945).
Janet Aurelia (Muckleroy) Faulkner (b.1925 - d.2020), daughter of Lillian Ruth (Pate) and James Hamilton Muckleroy, Sr. Janet married Wendell Dugger Faulkner, Sr. They had four sons. The family lived in Pecos, TX for many years until Wendell's death. Wendell is buried in Pecos. Afterwards, Janet moved to Austin, where she lived the remainder of her years. She is buried with her husband in Pecos.
James Hamilton Muckleroy, Jr. (b.1930-2008), son of Lillian Ruth (Pate) and James Hamilton Muckleroy, Sr.
Dorothy Eugenia (Pate) Orton (b.1908 - d.2003), was Ruby (Denney) Pate's third child and second daughter. In 1931, she married Greer Wade Orton (b.1906 - d.1959). He had an executive position with Texaco, and it is said that he and Dorothy traveled and lived all over the world. They retired in Sulphur Springs, TX.
Alice Ann Orton (b.1938 - d.2020), only child of Dorothy Eugenia (Pate) and Greer Wade Orton. Alice lived the remainder of her years in Dallas, marrying three times: Henry Longley (of Palo Alto, CA), James B. Harrell (of Dallas), and Allen Oliver (of Dallas).
Wedding Day picture on November 9, 1939 of Alice Cornelia "Honey" (Pate) Griffin (b.1920 - d.????). Alice was the daughter of Ruby (Denney) and Edwin Bruce Pate, Sr.
A picture of Alice Cornelia "Honey" (Pate) Griffin as a child in her role of a "bride" at a Tom Thumb wedding. Tom Thumb weddings, it seems, were all the rage in the 1920's. Evidently they were entertainment at bridal showers in those days. Alice Cornelia liked to brag that she was married five times before the first grade!
A picture of Alice Cornelia "Honey" (Pate) Griffin as a child.
Alice Cornelia "Honey" (Pate) Griffin and her husband, Lindsay I. Griffin, Jr., as they stroll down the street.
Lindsay Griffin, III (b. 1945) and his wife Patricia (Mitchell) Griffin. They were married in 1971, and have had no children together, but have raised Patricia's two boys, Todd and Drew Herndon. Lindsay is an experiment psychologist...an expert in traffic safety. He retired from the Texas Transportation Institute. Lindsay is Alice and Lindsay Griffin, Jr's son.
Edwin Bruce Pate, Jr. (b.1916 - d.1994), on right, and his wife, Eloise (Collins) Pate (b.1915 - d.1996). Edwin was the son of Edwin Bruce Pate, Sr. and Ruby (Denney) Pate.
Alice Cornelia "Honey" (Pate) Griffin in her kitchen.
Alice Cornelia "Honey" (Pate) Griffin, on right, with her daughter Martha Eugenia (Griffin) Nailling (b.1938). This photo was taken in January of 2005.
From L-R: Andrew Carey Nailling (b.1971), David Lindsay Nailling (b. 1981), Martha Eugenia (Griffin) Nailling, and Robert A. "Bob" Nailling, in back. This is Martha's family. Her husband, Robert, is a retired attorney and was Vice President and General Counsel for GDF SUEZ Gas NA LLC in Houston, TX. Andrew "Drew" is the bookkeeper for a large jewelry distributor in Dallas, TX. David started out as a high school history teacher in Austin, TX.
From L-R: Dorothy (Pate) Orton (b.1908 - d.2003), Alice Cornelia "Honey" (Pate) Griffin (b.1920 - d.????), and Dorothy's husband, Greer W. Orton (b.1907 - d.1969).
Fred M. Pate (b.1899 - d.1976), on left, son of Ruby (Denney) Pate. Raymond Grey Minter (b.1901 - d.1953), son of Martha Eugenia Minter's brother, Sylvanus Oliver Minter. At the time this picture was made, Martha was keeping the boys at her home. One day, she called Ruby and told her that she could no longer keep the boys without help because they had been upon the roof all afternoon and had refused to come down!
From L-R: Katheryn Eloise Pate (b.1949); Julia Pate (b. abt. 1955); Douglas Pate (b. abt. 1955); and Edwin Bruce Pate, III (b. abt. 1951). These are the children of Edwin Bruce Pate, Jr. (b.1916 - d.1994) and Eloise (Collins) Pate (b.1915 - d.1996).
Mack C. Denney standing at far right.
More information and details about this photo are needed.
A business of O,M. Pate's in Sulphur Springs, TX. It is said that this building still exists. It is between S. Davis Street and Texas Street just north of L.A. & T. railroad tracks. In the 1930's, the building was remembered as a meat packing plant. This may be a part of the building shown above, as a wholesale grocery business. The automobile parked nearby would indicate the picture was made around the 1920's.
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