Ransom Dock Pillow family

Ransom Dock Pillow, son of William Barton and Sarah Whitaker Pillow, was born in Titus County, Texas on May 1, 1842. His father died in 1852, and his mother finally settled the family in Montgomery Co. Texas on the farm of her brother Alexander Whitaker. Ransom and his brother Thomas joined the Confederacy soon after the war started, and brother Andrew followed. Ransom joined the Montgomery County Rifle Boys and at the age of 19, became a soldier in the 26th Cavalry of the Confederate States of America.

In 1863, Ransom’s mother died, leaving two younger sisters and a younger brother. Two of the children went to live with the Isaac Coe family and the other with a Taylor family. In 1864, Ransom married Josephine Coe, daughter of Isaac Coe. Josephine died a year later when their son William Joseph was born. He then married Sarah Ciyer in Houston, followed by Mary Boudreau. Mary died with the birth of his second son, Jesse Monroe.

On November 24,1881, he married Josephine Lee in Washington County, Texas. She was born May 12, 1860 in Montgomery County, Texas and was the daughter of James Lee and Ellen Decker Lee. The young Pillow family moved to Milam County, Texas and became tenant farmers on the Holtzclaw land grant near Rockdale, Texas. At the turn of the century, they had saved enough money to make a down payment on their own land. A year of severe flooding was followed by a year of severe drought, therefore, due to crop failures, the payment on the land could not be made. In December 1901, they chose their most important belongings, put them into a wagon along with the younger children, left their log cabin, and began their 19-day journey to Cass County, Texas. Their eldest daughter, Myrtle May walked all the way. Their neighbor boy, Willie Hughes came along to attend the livestock. Family stories indicate they chose the Cass County area because Ransom had served in the Confederate Army with a man from Cass County. Arriving in the area right after the New Year of 1902, the Pillows, and their children Myrtle May, Mamie Peachy, Phillip Paten, Sarah E. (Katy), Roy Ray, Homer Lincoln, and Effie R. continued their lives as a farm family. One more child, Evnard Holtzclaw was born in Cass County. The Pillows owned no land, so they lived in various locations at Douglassville, Cass, and Huffines communities and rented land to farm.

Ransom’s brother Andrew Montgomery, also a Confederate veteran, came to join the family. He died in 1911 as the result of a broken hip. On October 14, 1914, pneumonia claimed the life of Ransome. Josephine, being 18 years younger and having been the sixth girl in a farm family, knew how to work hard. She was very resourceful, and a good manager. She farmed, raised the younger children, bought land in the Huffines community, and owned one of the early automobiles in Cass County. Having a strong personality, she became the focal point of the family. Grandchildren frequently spent the night with her, and when tragedy struck, they lived with her. As a result, cousins knew each other well. Much of their social life centered around extended family. Many Pillow descendants, who grew up and made their homes in the area, have strong kinship ties because of this matriarch. She died of pneumonia on December 28, 1936, and is still remembered with colorful family stories. She was buried beside Ransom in Huffines Cemetery, along with Ransom’s brother, Andrew Montgomery Pillow.

The eldest daughter, Myrtle May Pillow, born January 19, 1884 in Milam County, Texas married Tom Allen Thomas on September 19, 1906 in Cass County, Texas. He was a newcomer to this area, coming from the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma Territory. Their children were Raymond Lee, Hazel Edith, James Elvin, Paul E., Irene Gertrude, R. B., William Hayward, Cleo May, and Laura Belle (known as Dadie). Tom worked publicly in the timber industry, owned a sawmill, and farmed. As the boys grew up, they did most of the farming while their father was working away from home. Myrtle May, like her Mother was a good manager of available resources, finances, and the family. Tom is remembered for his wonderful and exciting stories about his life as a young man in the Choctaw Nation. Mamie Peachy Pillow, born March 01, 1886 married Willie Robert Hughes, the young man who accompanied the family on the journey from Milam County. Their children were Blanch E., Bernice Lee, Edith May, Lela Verna, Earldon Willie, Earnest T., Ruby Mozelle, Jewel Wayne, Dale Ray, and Lane Neil. The family bought land in the McLeod community, farmed, and raised their family. People in the surrounding area looked forward to spring vegetables and summer watermelons delivered personally by Willie Hughes. Phillip Paten Pillow, born May 19, 1888, married Marvin McKnight and their children were TessiBell, Rodney, and Maridel. After Marvin’s death, he married Cora Godwin Cothren, and Josephine was born. The family always enjoyed his imaginative stories.

Sarah (known as Katy) Pillow, born March 07, 1891, married Will Hogue and their children were Ellis, Horace, Opal, Eulalia, and O.B. Eulalia died as an infant and Will Hogue died of typhoid fever in 1918. A year later, the baby boy O.B. died due to diarrhea. Katy and her three remaining children lived with relatives or near them. The boys started farming at an early age. Ten years later, Katy married Will Butler and two sons, Clyde and Darrell were born. During the oil boom in Kilgore, Texas, Katy cooked for the oil field workers in a makeshift tent.

Roy Ray Pillow, born April 17, 1893, married Bell Brown and their children were Hope, Ray and Margaret (known as Marge). Roy, Belle, and Ray are buried in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Homer Lincoln Pillow, born January 27,1898, married Addie Barrington and their children were Virginia Lee, Betty Jo, and David Kenneth. Homer was a Pentecostal preacher and owned a pest control business in the Texarkana, Texas area.

Effie R. Pillow, born December 15, 1900 married Phay Philpott and lived most of her adult life in the Cass Community. Their children were Eunice Verde, Earnest Gloyd, W. D. (Dub), Mildred Marie, and Margie Mozelle. Phay was successful in the timber business in this area until his death in 1945. In later years Effie married Dee Williams and they lived in the Cass Community. Effie is buried beside her first husband Phay in the Macedonia Cemetery at Bright Star, Arkansas.

Evnard Holtzclaw Pillow, born March 24, 1903 married Thelma Louise Lundy and their children were Joyce Marie, Alice Faye, Retha Josephine, Charles Edward, Ransome Aaron, and Judy Thelma. The family grew up in the Sweetwater, Texas Many descendants of Ransom and Josephine still live in Cass County and the surrounding area.

Submitted by Frances Russell Whatley and Linda Willis Clark