An Obituary of John Sanders

An Obituary of John Sanders, who died in February 1926.

John Sanders, age 61 years, 9 months, 13 days passed away at his home two miles East of Salesville, in Parker County, on Thursday, February 18th, and his funeral took place on Friday morning at the Rock Creek Baptist church, of which he was a member when death came. Rev J. W. Isabell conducted the funeral service and he was laid to rest in Ballew Springs Cemetery. B. H. Lattener of Mineral Wells had charge of the funeral. Active pall bearers were: Henry McMillan, Henry Graves, O. L. Green, John Davidson, Dick Beeler and Chauncy Withers.

John Sanders was born in Mississippi, his parents having moved from that state while he was a very small boy, to Rusk County in the Eastern part of this state. At the age of 14 he was converted and joined the Baptist church, having lived a consecrated Christian life until death came. His many friends will mourn his passing, but his Christian influence will ever live in their presence, and will live on down through the time to come. At the age of 26, Mr. Sanders was married to Miss Martha Columbia Haskins, also of Rusk County and they lived there until 1906, at which time they moved to this section of the State. He was engaged in the farming industry and had lived near Garner and other places in the West part of Parker County all the time.

He is survived by his wife, and thirteen children and twelve grandchildren. One child, a son, preceded him into the land beyond. One of his eight sons, J. E. Sanders, lives in Mineral Wells and is the proprietor of the Crazy Barber Shop, and one daughter, Mrs. Nealy Tidwell also lives in Mineral Wells and is employed at the American Printing Company. The others are: Mrs. Nettie Peugh, Seymour, Texas; Mrs. Lacy Baker, Fort Worth, Texas; H. H. Sanders, Shamrock, Texas. All the other children living with him and near him, were at his bedside when death came. His children offered an impressive tribute at the funeral. “If before coming into the world,” they said, “We could have chosen our father and chosen him with all the understanding that we have today, he is the man we would have chosen for our father. Whatever we have inherited from him in strength or health or gifts or understanding of life, we count as more precious than all the riches of the world.”