John Morris and Hazel Daniel Rotan

A Cass County vendor’s lien dated January 22, 1949 documents where John Morris Rotan purchased land in the Herny D. Nelson Addition to the town of Linden, Cass County, Texas. During the next nineteen years, John would establish a surveying company and preach at area Cumberland Presbyterian churches. He loved to hunt and fish. Whenever you visited him, you could expect a fishing trip! One nephew described John this way; “He could kick the head off a snake, wore those big boots and usually had a gun with him. I liked Uncle John. He was a tough old bird, but gentle in many ways”. The house on Nelson Street had a screened-in porch with a big bed. The grandchildren hoped to be chosen to sleep back there. There was a big garden out back with fruit trees. Hazel could crochet beautifully. She always made us feel welcome. For many years she wore her dark hair long, braided into a bun.. An awesome cook. she would most likely prepare com on the cob and fired fish as they were out favorites.

John Morris Rotan was born February 19, 1900 in Sulphur Springs, Hopkins County to William Thomas Rotan and Anna Lou Morris. He was the youngest child and only son. Family history tells us that his mother would say often he was a good little boy. When they went shopping he never asked his mother to buy him anything. On July 16, 1917, John enlisted in the United Stated Army. In his personal papers we found three Honorable discharge papers dated 1919, 1920 and 1923. In 1919 John was injured in St. Mikiel Salient Campaign, World War I, France. His injury was on the left side of his back. He often said he was left for dead when someone noticed he moved and then he received medical care. John always thought he lost a kidney in the war. But, the doctors found two working kidneys when they did cancer surgery in 1969. While he was recovering in France, the 1918 flue epidemic took his sister Lillian Rotan Barnett.

John married December 31, 1919 in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas to Mrs. Eloese Garza. He was serving in the United States Army in San Antonio during their marriage. They were found on the 1920 Bexar County Census at Camp Travis and also enumerated at home.

On March 15, 1926, John married Minnie Gertrude Smith, daughter of Albert and Ava Mary Webb Smith in Kerr County, Texas. To them was born Katherine, Baby John, Joyce, Carmen, Jean Fae and Charlotte. Baby John, their only son, died within 24 hours of his birth. The daughters all married and provided many grandchildren to the family. John was granted a divorce in 1942 in Cass County, Texas.

John moved away from Cass County for a time but returned about 1949 with his third wife, Hazel. Hazel Elizabeth Daniel was born to Emanuel Hugh Daniel and Leonora Peal Callicott on March 30, 1911 in Laneburg, Arkansas. Her second marriage was to John Morris Rotan on July 17, 1947 in Prescott, Nevada County, Arkansas. John Morris Rotan and Hazel resided in Linden until John’s death on July 12, 1968. Shortly thereafter, Hazel moved to Laneburg, Arkansas.

The love of John’s family for Hazel did not end with his death. They continued to write, call and visit over the next eleven years. She has remarked to a granddaughter that she wanted flowers while she was alive, not at her funeral when could not enjoy them. After that occasion, the florist would call and tell her she had flowers ready for delivery. Hazel said she never had to ask who they were from, she knew. Hazel resided in Arkansas until her death in 1979. Hazel and John are much missed by their family.

William Thomas Rotan Family

William T. Rotan was born February, 1853 in Texas to John Willis Rotan (1826-1858) and Zemila Ann Askew (1828-1915). William was from a very community minded, patriotic and political family, this born out by his many relatives that served in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, World War I and held public office. William’s grandfather John A. Rotan was a Justice of the Peace in Tyler County in 1846. His uncle James M. Rotan was a county Commissioner in Tyler County, Texas. William Thomas Rotan was a member of the Hughes Springs Masonic Lodge 671. His father, John Willis Rotan was initiated into Mount Hope Masonic Lodge on January 1, 1853.

William married Anna Louisa Morris on December 25, 1883. Anna Louisa Morris was born December 19, 1863 in Texas. She was the daughter of Judge Jessse Mercer Morris (1830-1921) and Suzian Elvira Trent (1836-1869). William and Annie had five children; Zimila Lou “Zimmie” Rotan Hicks, Lillian Rotan Barnett, Jessie Mary Rotan Bell, Sarah Grace Rotan Coppedge and John who married Millie Gertrude Smith and Hazel Elizabeth Daniel. William was a hardshell Baptist preacher as well as a farmer in Cass County. Their household was always open to other family members. William’s mother Zimila lived with him until her death and his brother James Casey Rotan lived with him for many years.

Sorrow visited Anna Lou often. She was only six years old when she lost her mother. Her daughters Zimilia and Lillian, four grandchildren and he husband William preceded her in death. He son John Morris Rotan was seriously wounded in World War I in France. While John was hospitalized in France, the flu epidemic of 1917-1918 took the life of his sister, Lillian

Rotan Barnett. Even through this sadness, Annie with her Christian faith left many happy memories with her family. Granddaughter Serena Lou say that she always called herself Anna Lout, but Annie was affectionately called Mammie Lou by her son’s grandchildren. Granddaughter Jessie remembers her grandmother taking them on picnic and picking wild flowers.

Annie Lou Morris Rotan passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Carl Coppedge, in Dallas, Texas on May 18, 1938. An obituary found in an unknown Hopkins County newspaper stated: “Mrs. Rotan became a Christian early in life and united with the Union Baptist Church. She was a member of the Davis St. Baptist Church of Sulphur Springs, at the time of her death.

Funeral services will be held at the Davis St. Baptist Church Tuesday morning at ten o’clock with interment at Hughes Springs.”

You will find Anna, William and James Casey together in the Hughes Springs Cemetery, Cass County, Texas. William was buried in 1929, James in 1935 and Anna in 1938.

Submitted by: Gloria Leslie and Shirley Brock