COUNTY LIFE
Search for tombstone’s home finally concludes
(Left) Jeanette Findley and her mother, Jean Miller, the last remaining relative of Ila Mae’s generation, stand with the tombstone. (Photo by Dani Blackburn)
By DANI BLACKBURN
A little girl’s original 97-year-old tombstone is being returned to her grave after a decade’s long search for the owner.
The only little girl in a family full of boys, Ila Mae Miller was born April 21, 1911 as the oldest child of John and Dena Miller.
She passed away just shy of her eighth birthday on Jan. 16, 1919, from the Spanish Influenza. The autopsy showed the little girl had pneumonia in two of her lungs.
Her original tombstone, believed to have been stolen, sat in the evidence room of the old Montague County jailhouse. When the new jail was built in 1980, the tombstone was left behind in what became the Old Jail Museum.
The stone has sat all alone at the bottom of the metal staircase, waiting to be returned where it belonged.
That search was over this week as descendants traveled from Oregon to retrieve the stone for Ila Mae. Read the full feature in the weekend News.
Top photo: Jeanette Findley smiles as she touches her ancestor’s long lost tombstone. (Photo by Dani Blackburn)
National Weather Service Fort Worth report: We’re closing down the work week with another round of HOT and DRY weather. Much of the area will see an elevated fire weather threat again today! A Heat Advisory remains in effect through 8 pm this evening. More heat headlines likely this weekend and early next week
It’s time once again for the Montague County Cemetery Board Fish Fry.
The fish fry will begin serving at 5 p.m. on Aug. 22 at the Forestburg Community Center. The price is $10 per person for all you can eat, and child’s plate for 12 and under is $5. Take-out is also available.
The meal will consist of locally caught crappie and catfish, French fries, beans, hushpuppies, coleslaw and all the trimmings and homemade desserts.
The main purpose of the Montague County Cemetery Board is to look after the county’s abandoned cemeteries. The county has between 50 and 60 abandoned cemeteries. Cleaning a cemetery typically cost between $1,500 and $2,000. Any help is greatly appreciated. Help can be monetary, but it can also be as simple as reporting a suspected lost cemetery, allowing access to the cemetery, or spending a day alongside others cleaning. Volunteers are always welcome.
Another goal of the Cemetery Board is to obtain Historical Status from the Texas Historical Commission for the abandoned cemeteries. This status records the cemetery with both the county and state. It helps to protect them for years to come.
Leadership Montague County is now accepting applications for its upcoming class. Deadline to submit an application is Sept. 1.
Individuals who are interested in strengthening their leadership skills, expanding their knowledge of Montague County and building lasting professional and community relationships are encouraged to apply.
The program is a nine-month leadership development program consisting of nine, one-day, monthly meetings. Participants will explore topics including local government, agriculture, education, healthcare, business and industry, public safety, economic development and community leadership through interactive sessions and site visits. The group will be traveling to Austin in the spring to visit with the legislators and senators and to see how they work for the county residents.
Leadership Montague County is designed for emerging and established leaders who have a desire to become more involved in improving the quality of life throughout Montague County.
Class size is limited, and early application is encouraged. For additional information or to request an application, contact: Leadership Montague County, j-hansard@tamu.edu or call 940-894-2831
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